[potkettleblack]

the HEX is a nice can but limited in its uses IMHO.....way too efficient to be used with a desk top amp and for me it was even tough to use it with my Mojo...I agree it is a great sounding can but i think it is way too expensive given its role as a can to be used with a phone......the HEK is a far better can IMHO

Lol this isn't me being pedantic - hearing it pretty often is what ultimately put me off getting the headphone last year. One of the reasons will most certainly have to do with what you've just said about age and certain frequencies being emphasised.

 

[Benny-x]

   

EQ can only adjust more or less quantity of a signal in a given FR, never fix a problems which has to do with quality aspects like harshness, digits, too much bass bloom or resonance. What you can do is tone down the annoying signal in those FR, but toning down is not the same as fixing the problem and also often comes with some disadvantage IMO.

 

EQ is a filter and not everyone like to add an extra filter, if not really needed, as you break the bit perfect transmission. 

Hmmmm, though I agree with this in some sense, I just get the feeling it's over simplifying or some how missing the actual substance that high quality EQ can bring.
 
And the last part, the addition of an "extra" filter and the "break" of bit perfect transmission, I think these are the traditional outlooks on EQ'ing and why audiophiles stay away from them. What we can't argue with in reality is that EQ is used and is used to great effect in mixing, mastering, film, and live music, those are the places where real money, real time, real jobs, and real enjoyment take place, yet we audiophiles steer away from it in general because we feel it's "ineffective" and "taints" the music.
 
It's an outdated view, but unfortunately I find that EQ'ing is a challenging task without much easily accessible information in the home audiophile market, so those that do try quit too early and never see what can be done. This isn't one of those topics you can just follow a guide on and fix up all your gear, it takes trial and error and time to learn. I'm no guru though, I'm just a new guy to it that's seeing and hearing some cool stuff that I would love other people to take a shot at more often so that we could all learn from it. So we don't need you to ask me to "lay out all the secrets of EQ so that anyone can do it", because I can't.
 
I'm happy to have different views on a subject, I just have the feeling that you're washing out the substance of what high quality EQ'ing vs. an "extra" filter that has disadvantages is. I'm not going to debate this, but I didn't want to leave your comment unanswered after you took the time to answer mine. 
 
We can return to the HEK talk now. 
 
On the note of build quality, I'm in the camp that this version is better than HiFiMAN's other headphones, but has a long was to go to get up to level of more established and mainstream manufacturers. My new Oppo PM-3 are amazing well built, and for the money I'm blown away with the sound. 

 

[m8o]

What I've gathered from your post is that the HEK only plays nice with (very) good mastered recordings.
But that's something I've said. Give it instrumental and it rocks. Give it audiophile music and it sings. But give you some of the ~80% of variously mastered music that a wide listening taste practically guarantees and it will be harsh. 5-8K is precisely the range where bright mastering and sibilance hits you and that's exactly where the HEK rises from a (probably not making matters better) 1-3K gentle downward slope.
Technical aspect wise, I had minimal qualms with. Tonality and FR is another matter.

I can't disagree then if what you say/imply is as revealing and spectacular the HE1K is with great recordings, as extreme it is in revealing the flaws... I'll live with that, lol. I have a LOT of other headphones I can use with those poorly recorded ones, as I'd imagine is the case with most people having worked their way to a totl headphone.

Though I will disagree with your 80% estimate. As one with 400+ CDs of which I've cycled thru a good sampling of them with the HE1K, plus dozens of albums purchased from HDTracks recently, I would say your estimate should be flipped; to me it's more like 10 or 20% that I have little desire to listen to again with the HE1K. Most of them were released the last decade and are victims of the loudness wars. Far fewer percentage are poorly mastered rereleases, but they are there. ... going to listen to your [correction: potkettleblack's] test track now ...

P.s. in regard to he EQ talk, I love love love my Perreaux TC2 ultra high quality /bass/mid/treble/ tone control that I always use with the MHA100's unbalanced input; plus bass boost of the MHA100. Interesting point in regards to the HE1K... My prefered tonal balance is to have the mid slightly above the treble, whatever level it is at. And the bass is usually slightly below the treble, when the MHA100 providing a 2.5 or 5db boost that is centered at 40hz. Hope all can imaging the combined response curve of that.

 

[conquerator2]

I can't disagree then if what you say/imply is as revealing and spectacular the HE1K is with great recordings, as extreme it is in revealing the flaws... I'll live with that, lol. I have a LOT of other headphones I can use with those poorly recorded ones, as I'd imagine is the case with most people having worked their way to a totl headphone.

Though I will disagree with your 80% estimate. As one with 400+ CDs of which I've cycled thru a good sampling of them with the HE1K, plus dozens of albums purchased from HDTracks recently, I would say your estimate should be flipped; to me it's more like 10 or 20% that I have little desire to listen to again with the HE1K. Most of them were released the last decade and are victims of the loudness wars. Far fewer percentage are poorly mastered rereleases, but they are there. ... going to listen to your test track now ...

Well, let's agree to disagree on the percentage then
No big deal. Your collection pf music is better than mine in quality mastering it seems.
Also, spending 3K on a headphone that can only make some music sound good does not sound right to me... Sorry Hence why I am looking elsewhere.
Regardless, that's not my sample music but I can provide lots of samples if you like
Lastly, I have increased sensitivity in the 4-5K range which has to be mentioned as it is crucial here
Cheers

 

[m8o]

Good enough. I sure have no skin in the game (other than I own it and love it but that doesn't mean I feel all must love it too, I'd just like them to, haha) or want you to spend $3k on something that doesn't do it for you.

My CD music collection was mostly purcased before the year 2K; started with the 1st CDs released thru still buying today, especially the $5 CDs at Besy Buy or the used CD stores; but they are also mostly music that is decades old. The decade before and up to the year 2K or so was the golden Era in well mastered Cds IMO. Now days, even CDS that should sound incredible, like Sia's last few albums, suffers terribly from over compression that is revealed the most with, you guessed it, the HE1K.

 

[Articnoise]

  Hmmmm, though I agree with this in some sense, I just get the feeling it's over simplifying or some how missing the actual substance that high quality EQ can bring.
 
And the last part, the addition of an "extra" filter and the "break" of bit perfect transmission, I think these are the traditional outlooks on EQ'ing and why audiophiles stay away from them. What we can't argue with in reality is that EQ is used and is used to great effect in mixing, mastering, film, and live music, those are the places where real money, real time, real jobs, and real enjoyment take place, yet we audiophiles steer away from it in general because we feel it's "ineffective" and "taints" the music.
 
It's an outdated view, but unfortunately I find that EQ'ing is a challenging task without much easily accessible information in the home audiophile market, so those that do try quit too early and never see what can be done. This isn't one of those topics you can just follow a guide on and fix up all your gear, it takes trial and error and time to learn. I'm no guru though, I'm just a new guy to it that's seeing and hearing some cool stuff that I would love other people to take a shot at more often so that we could all learn from it. So we don't need you to ask me to "lay out all the secrets of EQ so that anyone can do it", because I can't.
 
I'm happy to have different views on a subject, I just have the feeling that you're washing out the substance of what high quality EQ'ing vs. an "extra" filter that has disadvantages is. I'm not going to debate this, but I didn't want to leave your comment unanswered after you took the time to answer mine. 
 
We can return to the HEK talk now. 
 
On the note of build quality, I'm in the camp that this version is better than HiFiMAN's other headphones, but has a long was to go to get up to level of more established and mainstream manufacturers. My new Oppo PM-3 are amazing well built, and for the money I'm blown away with the sound. 

 

Frankly I’m not so sure I have missed the actual substance that high quality EQ can bring. EQ is for changing FR. I’m not debating that if you want or need to alter or lower any specific part of the frequency - yes EQ is the tool. If you on the other hand want to change some quality aspects EQ is not the right tool for it. As I said before “EQ can only adjust more or less quantity of a signal in a given FR, never fix a problems which has to do with quality aspects like harshness, digits, too much bass bloom or resonance.”

 

Regarding recording studios and their use of EQ and other manipulations of the sound. The truth is that I think they often use too much of it and those records often sound like crap on a good system. On a not so good system they can sound ok. Some records are IMO so badly manipulated with filtering and compressions that they are worse to listen to then some records that have been recorded live in a cheap home studio or that was recorded many decades ago with cheap analogue gear. I’m not kidding! What is done in the studio I cannot really do anything about, but how I setup my audio chain and with which gear and software I can.

 

I’m not against EQ in any way, it is a good tool for the right situations. To me the right situations are those when one need to alter or lower some FR and not a universal tool for fixing everything that doesn’t sound good. And even in those situations it will come at a cost. No free lunch and all that.

 

It best to try with or without and when use the one that sound the best to you. If nothing else one can learn a thing or two while tweaking. 

 

[jlbrach]

Well, let's agree to disagree on the percentage then 

No big deal. Your collection pf music is better than mine in quality mastering it seems.
Also, spending 3K on a headphone that can only make some music sound good does not sound right to me... Sorry 

 Hence why I am looking elsewhere.
Regardless, that's not my sample music but I can provide lots of samples if you like 

Lastly, I have increased sensitivity in the 4-5K range which has to be mentioned as it is crucial here 

Cheers 

 
 
poorly recorded music is poorly recorded music and to blame a HD because it reveals the flaws in recordings is incredibly unfair.....i would much rather own an HD that can truly reveal the glory of a magnificent recording while exposing poorly mastered ones than to listen to one that makes everything sound mediocre  

 

[conquerator2]

Suit yourself. I blame the headphone for the 4-5K peak, period. Whether that reveals or doesn't reveal flaws or sibilance is secondary [well not to me or you but as a general statement]. In this case it has that effect. It doesn't sound natural IMO and it should not be there, regardless of what you listen to or not. The HD800 in contrast bothered me much less because the treble is bright as a whole. My point is the peak. Otherwise, I did not take any major qualms with the headphone and I gave it full score in my review.
Most HFMs have it so I guess it is their house sound or something they're going for.
You like it? Fair enough. I don't 

 We all hear differently. YMMV. yada yada.

 

[Oldfella]

If we all bought the same Dac/amp/headphones/cables,all played at the same levels,most would still disagree over the sound, and this for me, is what makes this hobby so interesting. Perhaps, we all hear differently,age etc?.

 

[doctorjazz]

If we all bought the same Dac/amp/headphones/cables,all played at the same levels,most would still disagree over the sound, and this for me, is what makes this hobby so interesting. Perhaps, we all hear differently,age etc?.

Same here...AS LONG AS YOU ALL AGREE WITH ME!!!!

 

[Oldfella]

Same here...AS LONG AS YOU ALL AGREE WITH ME!!!!

I like that.

 

[Oldfella]

Please don't shout,or throw things at me. Out of sheer curiosity,( I am Bored)I have temporally,added extra ear pads, so two either side. I am frightened to say this,but i quite like it. Please don't go on at me, Iam old.

 

[moedawg140]

Please don't shout,or throw things at me. Out of sheer curiosity,( I am Bored)I have temporally,added extra ear pads, so two either side. I am frightened to say this,but i quite like it. Please don't go on at me, Iam old.

Can you attach pictures of the two earpads on each side, please? Thank you in advance either way.

 

[Oldfella]

Hi young  MO. I have taken photos on my iPhone,both of the extra pads,and also them fitted. but don't have a clue how to upload.Please don't say photo bucket, at 76 years old, i don't have a clue.  I do know how to send photos on whats app. My daughter taught me!.

 

[conquerator2]

  Hi young  MO. I have taken photos on my iPhone,both of the extra pads,and also them fitted. but don't have a clue how to upload.Please don't say photo bucket, at 76 years old, i don't have a clue.  I do know how to send photos on whats app. My daughter taught me!.

I'll try to help. That's assuming you're using Windows :} but can also help on iOS. This is only in terms of the desktop website.
 
1] Click the picture icon down in the reply window

 
2] Click on "upload files"

 
3] Locate the picture in the folders [left panel] then highlight it [click/select, just an example in red] and click "open"

 
4] Select the desired size [small/medium/large] and click "submit"

 
Maybe this'll help! Best of luck 

 
Hopefully I got the issue right