How's the Headsix Doing?

[TwinFinnley]

My birthday is coming up and with the cash I'm gonna get, I'm seriously considering getting the Headsix. However, I would like some user input before I take the plunge.

Any impressions/experiences would be great, and any reasons not to would be helpful. Thanks!

Source: 30g iPod, Onkyo DV-502, Pioneer PD-M403
Driving: Denon D2000 with D5000 cable
Music: Variety, but I love thumpy bass

Edit: A comparison to the Little Dot Mk1 or the Headstage Lyrix Pro would be great, as that is the other two I am considering.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

The Lyrix has very slightly more thumpy bass after 300 hours each, which steps up to kickin' bass with the bass boost switch. The Headsix is no slouch though, and is very good. The Headsix is smaller if size matters, and is in a work-of-art aluminum case that seems indestructable. I keep my Headsix paired with my iPod nano in my coat pocket, and use the Lyrix Total Pro USB with my laptop.

However, the Lyrix I tested was the more expensive "Total" 4 channel version - that $30 more than the regular Lyrix Pro gets you better caps, 4-channel circuitry, and socketed opamps. I can't say if the "non-total" Lyrix Pro will compete as well with the Meier Headsix.

BOTH work great with my APS re-cabled D2000. The main difference is the slightly warmer mids with the Headsix, vs the slightly increased bass of the Lyrix Total Pro. They sounded a lot different from each other when out of the box, and after 200 hours of burn-in their sound got closer and closer to each other.

See REVIEW: Headstage USB DAC Also Reviewed Meier HEADSIX, iBasso D1 and Headstage Lyrix - Page 6 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio for my Headsix vs Lyrix comparo. I could not part with either one of them.

 

[TwinFinnley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Lyrix has very slightly more thumpy bass after 300 hours each, which steps up to kickin' bass with the bass boost switch. The Headsix is no slouch though, and is very good. The Headsix is smaller if size matters, and is in a work-of-art aluminum case that seems indestructable. I keep my Headsix paired with my iPod nano in my coat pocket, and use the Lyrix Total Pro USB with my laptop. However, the Lyrix I tested was the more expensive "Total" 4 channel version - that $30 more than the regular Lyrix Pro gets you better caps, 4-channel circuitry, and socketed opamps. I can't say if the "non-total" Lyrix Pro will compete as well with the Meier Headsix. BOTH work great with my APS re-cabled D2000. The main difference is the slightly warmer mids with the Headsix, vs the slightly increased bass of the Lyrix Total Pro. They sounded a lot different from each other when out of the box, and after 200 hours of burn-in their sound got closer and closer to each other. See REVIEW: Headstage USB DAC Also Reviewed Meier HEADSIX, iBasso D1 and Headstage Lyrix - Page 6 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio for my Headsix vs Lyrix comparo. I could not part with either one of them.

That was a great thread, read all of your reviews. However, I still have a few more questions for you. First addresses the use of analog vs. DAC. I will not be using DAC and was wondering which has better performance with analog, or were you saying that they were a tie w/different strengths?

Second, which one handles vocals best?

Third, with the Lyrix, do you lose SQ when you throw on the bass boost?

Thats it for now

Thanks!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

They are a tie with different strengths.

The Headsix being a little more forward does vocals just a little better than the Lyrix, but the Lyrix does live venue ambience a little better than Headsix.

There is no SQ loss with throwing on the bass boost, but the extra ambience gets lost when you throw on the crossfeed.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I was thinking about cameras, and this comparision came to me.

Let's say you have a 2x zoom on a camera. The Headsix is like leaving the camera on 2x all the time, the Lyrix is like leaving it on 1x all the time. At 1x, the Lyrix ambience is part of the wider picture you get, but the 2x Headsix lets you get closer to the singer or instrument being played.

That is a little exagerated because the Headsix and Lyrix started out as 2x and 1x, but got closer to each other as they burned in, and it's more like the Headsix is at 1.6x and the Lyrix 1.3x now...

 

[Capunk]

I don't own Lyrix, but I own Caffeine Ultra CMOY amp, from the same company, and similar spec as well (except it's inside tin box).

Headsix is a fun mini headphone, I love the sonic characteristic out of the amp, very warmth, the staging is much more forward than any amp I own before.

In contrast, my Caffeine is energetic (due to nature of AD8397), slightly more options than Headsix (Bass boost, Gain setting), but the sound is abit Flat, not really 3D, also sometimes harsh in high which affected the mid as well.

Headsix is smoother than Caffeine Ultra, all I can say I love headsix soo much, but I already own Xin SM III v6 ; so no point for getting another portable amp.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capunk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't own Lyrix, but I own Caffeine Ultra CMOY amp, from the same company, and similar spec as well (except it's inside tin box). Headsix is a fun mini headphone, I love the sonic characteristic out of the amp, very warmth, the staging is much more forward than any amp I own before. In contrast, my Caffeine is energetic (due to nature of AD8397), slightly more options than Headsix (Bass boost, Gain setting), but the sound is abit Flat, not really 3D, also sometimes harsh in high which affected the mid as well. Headsix is smoother than Caffeine Ultra, all I can say I love headsix soo much, but I already own Xin SM III v6 ; so no point for getting another portable amp.

Yes, the Headsix and Lyrix are both better than the Caffeine, which is still a great amp, and with 150-200 hours on it, the Caffeine does open up and get more 3D, at which point it started to sound like my Tomahawk.

My Xin Super Macro III v3 with AD797 is only a couple of percentage points below the Headsix and Lyrix and a couple of percentage points above the Caffeine and Tomahawk, and tied with the iBasso P2 (before it died).

But, the Headsix and Lyrix are my top two MOST used portable amps in my stable, until my 400 hour RSA Predator hits 700 hours and maybe takes over. The Headsix is used daily with my iPods, and the Lyrix with my laptop. My caffeine is now in my electric guitar bag, since I gave away the JSeaber cmoy bass boost to my nephew. My D1 with new opamps is right up there with the best, but I use it all the time as a home DAC for my bedside home/desktop amps and CD player. The Tomahawk is basically a spare that is too cute to part with but not used much...

Of all these, the worst is probably still a 90% of perfect, or an A-, while the best is probably a 95% for a solid A. I am guessing the PICO or LISA III are an A+ but I never got to hear them yet.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

PS: search for my review of the Caffeine - I think I mentioned it was a little grainy till after 75 hours or so. I also have a review of the Headsix and Lyrix and D1.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Last PS: I am listening right now to both Headsix and Lyrix with my iPod, since that is one of the sources you list.

I like the Headsix with my re-cabled D2000 better, and the Lyrix with my Grado RS-2 a little better. There seems to be more synergy with those phones and amps.

 

[TwinFinnley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Last PS: I am listening right now to both Headsix and Lyrix with my iPod, since that is one of the sources you list. I like the Headsix with my re-cabled D2000 better, and the Lyrix with my Grado RS-2 a little better. There seems to be more synergy with those phones and amps.

Great, I think that is what is going to tip the scales for me. So if I understand you right, bass increases with burn in? Thanks so much to everyone that has posted!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinFinnley /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great, I think that is what is going to tip the scales for me. So if I understand you right, bass increases with burn in? Thanks so much to everyone that has posted!

That depends on the amp, but in general that is the case (just not always).

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I think one of the reasons the Lyrix is better with the Grado is because the Grado mids are already pretty forward and don't need help.

The Denon like the more forward and warmer mids of the headsix, and with the Headsix and APS V3 cable I think the D2000 sound better than my HD600 with the same cable. I seem to hear the same synergy with my Proline 2500 liking the Headsix more, and the Darth Beyer I have posted many times they certainly have the most synergy with the HeadSix.