Hi All, first I want to thank HiFiMan for generously sponsoring the tour of the HE6se and providing an opportunity to experience them in my system.
My System: Hugo2/Vinshine Reference R2R DACs>Woo WA5/Liquid Spark >ZMF Vérité/Aeolus, MrSpeakers Ether2, HifiMan HE6se
False Start: I began my evaluation using the same 1/4” connection that I was using with the E2 and ZMFs, the HE6se sounded good, but not great. Decent bass, but the treble was a bit hollow and bright. Being a bit slow, bless my heart, as they’d say here in Kentucky, I realized I had the high out put XLR Connection that I hadn’t tried.
Ah Much Better: Just like the it’s predecessor, the HE6se require the greater output to come into their own. The body was now full and voluptuous, the bass, powerful and hard hitting, now I was ready for comparisons.
Ether 2: The natural first stop, the E2 and HE6se are more similar than dissimilar, save at frequency extremes. The bass digs a bit deeper on the HE6se, this was true with electric bass, Nirvana, The Who, or the organ on Munch’s Version of Saint-Saëns, Symphony No. 3 “Organ,” and the power of the tympani on Bernstein’s Stravinsky “Le Sacre du Prentemps” (like rolling thunder on the HE6se). To be honest, I found the E2 to be a bit too polite, similar in intonation to the ZMF Cans, but not quite there, bass similar to the HE6se, but again not quite there.
ZMF Verite & Aeolus: I absolutely love both of the ZMF Cans, they truly excel in intonation, the Aeolus being a bit richer an darker (in a good way, think of great Turkish Coffee), and the Vérité in being very close Utopia in dynamics, micro and macro, but doing so with excellent tone, timbre accuracy, with an expansive soundstage.
So how does the HE6se fit with the aforesaid ZMF Cans, planar bass and slam in spades, neither of the Dynamics can match a properly driven HifiMan! The HE6se provides a good stage and timber, but oh that planar bass. The HE6se, when properly driven, offers incredible power in bass and dynamics. If I primarily listened to rock, electronica, or metal, I could easily live with the HE6se as my only headphone.
Conclusion: The HE6se is a bassheads dream headphone, when driven well its slam is some of the best I’ve heard. If you’re primarily into metal or hard driving rock, these may be the headphones for you. In my case, I’m strongly considering picking up a pair for just those genre, recommended, please feel free to PM if you have any specific questions.
PS. The clamping force is a tight, those with big noggins may want to contact HifiMan to see if they have any recommendations on how to expand and loosen the grip of the HE6se.