[romaz]

   
Yoga, the Moon 600i is indeed impressive, but.... it is a speaker amp, NOT a headphone amp !  --> How do you plan to use it (connect it) with the HE1000 ?

Certain headphone cable manufacturers like DHC or Moon Audio can terminate your headphone cables with spades or bananas to allow direct connection to a speaker amp.  Of course, you can use bare wire also.  For insensitive headphones that love current, this can be a good way to go.

 

[romaz]

  Anybody find retail on the Melco NZ??

Not cheap, Paul.  Just shy of $10k.
 
http://www.analogueseduction.net/music-servers-streamers/melco-n1z-flagship-ssd-music-library.html

 

[Yoga]

   
Yoga, the Moon 600i is indeed impressive, but.... it is a speaker amp, NOT a headphone amp !  --> How do you plan to use it (connect it) with the HE1000 ?

 
With one of these...
 


I'll be getting speaker/banana to female 4-pin XLR, and then two adapters; male 4-pin to Abyss and male 4-pin to HE1000.

I dread to think how much that will be via DHC :¬)

Speaking to Frank (Toxic cables) about it.

 

[bmichels]

   
With one of these...
 


I'll be getting speaker/banana to female 4-pin XLR, and then two adapters; male 4-pin to Abyss and male 4-pin to HE1000.

I dread to think how much that will be via DHC :¬)

Speaking to Frank (Toxic cables) about it.

 
Are you sure that the AMP will be happy with a 30 to 50 ohms headphone load instead of the regular 8 ohms of speakers.

 

[romaz]

   
Are you sure that the AMP will be happy with a 30 to 50 ohms headphone load instead of the regular 8 ohms of speakers.

No problem.  Amps are happy with anything equal or higher than their own impedance because these present easy loads for the amp to drive and the higher the impedance, the easier the load.  Where amps have problems is with speakers below their own impedance.  The Moon 600i puts out 125 clean watts per channel at 8 ohms.  At the 34 ohm impedance of the HE-1000 (which is probably even higher than 34 ohms after you factor the added impedance of the headphone cable), the Moon 600i should put out about 30 watts.  Obviously, more than enough to drive any headphone.

 

[preproman]

  You really love the HE1000 Roy! Thanks for your thoughts. I've found a pair in the UK for a good price, I'll probably nab them and see how they fare when powered by the Moon 600i, which easily fills the requirement of punch and power (it's a beast)...
 

Dual-mono design; the L/R channels are powered independently; a (custom) transformer for each. If it can't drive the HEK to their maximum, nothing can :¬) Its a very transparent amplifier, one of it's many strengths being dynamic power and agility. A TOTL headphone amp for DAC Jam :¬)

 
 
Ross, my take on the HE1K is a positive one - at the same time it's not an overly positive one.  I owned the HE1K, Abyss, HE-6, HD800 and the 009s all at the same time - oh and the LCD-3F.  I was using the Pass Labs INT-30A as the amp.  Both the INT-3 and the MOON 600i play in the same league - both really good damn amps.
 
The LCD-3F was my least favorite then came the HE1K / HD800.
 
I really like the Abyss, HE-6 and the 009s.  I like these headphones for their energy.  That's IMO is what the HE1K lacks.  The HE1K is a very good headphone on it's own and on it's own merits.  However, once you compare them side by side with other TOTL headphones (HE-6, Abyss and the 009) I felt they fell short for what I was after.  IMO they are way better that the LCD-3Fs but I would also put them in the same category as the LCDs - that being a forgiving headphone of sorts.  Unlike the Abyss, HE-6 and the 009s (HD800 as well - it's other things about the HD800 that bug me).  They don't provide the energy I was looking for.  They are a nice and relaxed type of headphone - they do have more at the top end compared to the LCDs but not to the others.
 
I like the HE-6, Abyss and 009s for the same reason most people don't like them.  I also don't like the HE1K for the same reason most people love them.  Again, they are a really good headphone. But amps like the MOON 600i and Pass Labs amps won't do anything to fix it's forgiving nature.  Those same amps with the Abyss and HE-6 really brings them to a very high performing level.  
 
I don't think the HE1K loves current.  It's a more sensitive headphone compared to the likes of the HE-6 and Abyss.  The HE-6 and Abyss thrives with more current, just not so with the HE1K.  
HiFi Man had so many complaints about the HE-6 being too hard to drive, they didn't want to make the same mistake with the HE1K.  I never did think the HE-6 was a mistake, but the masses do. My journey with the HE-6 was a educational one indeed.
 
Now I've moved on the Stax, the same energy as the Abyss and the HE-6 - just in a more smooth natural clean way IMO.  
 
It will be interesting to hear your impressions with them side by side to the Abyss.

 

[Yoga]

   
Are you sure that the AMP will be happy with a 30 to 50 ohms headphone load instead of the regular 8 ohms of speakers.

@preproman has heard the 600i with Abyss and speaks very highly of the pairing. 

 

[romaz]

   
 
Ross, my take on the HE1K is a positive one - at the same time it's not an overly positive one.  I owned the HE1K, Abyss, HE-6, HD800 and the 009s all at the same time - oh and the LCD-3F.  I was using the Pass Labs INT-30A as the amp.  Both the INT-3 and the MOON 600i play in the same league - both really good damn amps.
 
The LCD-3F was my least favorite then came the HE1K / HD800.
 
I really like the Abyss, HE-6 and the 009s.  I like these headphones for their energy.  That's IMO is what the HE1K lacks.  The HE1K is a very good headphone on it's own and on it's own merits.  However, once you compare them side by side with other TOTL headphones (HE-6, Abyss and the 009) I felt they fell short for what I was after.  IMO they are way better that the LCD-3Fs but I would also put them in the same category as the LCDs - that being a forgiving headphone of sorts.  Unlike the Abyss, HE-6 and the 009s (HD800 as well - it's other things about the HD800 that bug me).  They don't provide the energy I was looking for.  They are a nice and relaxed type of headphone - they do have more at the top end compared to the LCDs but not to the others.
 
I like the HE-6, Abyss and 009s for the same reason most people don't like them.  I also don't like the HE1K for the same reason most people love them.  Again, they are a really good headphone. But amps like the MOON 600i and Pass Labs amps won't do anything to fix it's forgiving nature.  Those same amps with the Abyss and HE-6 really brings them to a very high performing level.  
 
I don't think the HE1K loves current.  It's a more sensitive headphone compared to the likes of the HE-6 and Abyss.  The HE-6 and Abyss thrives with more current, just not so with the HE1K.  
HiFi Man had so many complaints about the HE-6 being too hard to drive, they didn't want to make the same mistake with the HE1K.  I never did think the HE-6 was a mistake, but the masses do. My journey with the HE-6 was a educational one indeed.
 
Now I've moved on the Stax, the same energy as the Abyss and the HE-6 - just in a more smooth natural clean way IMO.  
 
It will be interesting to hear your impressions with them side by side to the Abyss.

You speak from a wealth of experience.  Like I said, the HEK is a very polarizing headphone.  People either seem to love them or really have problems with them.

 

[Yoga]

  I like the HE-6, Abyss and 009s for the same reason most people don't like them.  I also don't like the HE1K for the same reason most people love them.  

 
Thanks for your thoughts, my impressions of the HEK vs Abyss are exactly the same. Roy mentioned the Moon 430 and HEK was a sub-par pairing, I was hoping the 600i would address that. Perhaps not if you heard both through the INT30-A.
 
The 600i arrives tomorrow, still waiting for the Lumin A1 and the speaker/headphone cables. 

 

[preproman]

   
Thanks for your thoughts, my impressions of the HEK vs Abyss are exactly the same. Roy mentioned the Moon 430 and HEK was a sub-par pairing, I was hoping the 600i would address that. Perhaps not if you heard both through the INT30-A.
 
The 600i arrives tomorrow, still waiting for the Lumin A1 and the speaker/headphone cables. 

 
You have some good times ahead of you my friend..
 

 

[romaz]

  I don't think the HE1K loves current.  It's a more sensitive headphone compared to the likes of the HE-6 and Abyss.  The HE-6 and Abyss thrives with more current, just not so with the HE1K.  
 

 
I agree the HEK is not as current hungry as the Abyss or HE6 but even when I had Egoista 845 and Abyss on hand, the volume knob didn't notch much lower compared to the Abyss.  You certainly can't drive the HEK well with a portable player like an iPhone or Sony ZX2 or even a Hugo like you can an Audeze.  So it's a relative thing but no doubt the HEK loves current.  

 

[romaz]

   
Thanks for your thoughts, my impressions of the HEK vs Abyss are exactly the same. Roy mentioned the Moon 430 and HEK was a sub-par pairing, I was hoping the 600i would address that. Perhaps not if you heard both through the INT30-A.
 
The 600i arrives tomorrow, still waiting for the Lumin A1 and the speaker/headphone cables. 

There is definitely a softness to the HEK that you either like or don't and probably can't completely overcome with any amp so it comes down to whether you like that presentation or not.  Very excited for you and eager to hear how you like the combo of A1 and 600i.

 

[Yoga]

  There is definitely a softness to the HEK that you either like or don't and probably can't completely overcome with any amp so it comes down to whether you like that presentation or not.  Very excited for you and eager to hear how you like the combo of A1 and 600i.

 
As am I dear fellow! The A1 + 600i has considerable potential. I'm sure it will bring the KEF LS50s to life too.
 
As always, ears will do the talking :¬)
 
I'll source the HEK with a 30 day return and burn them in before comparing. The 600i was purchased for the Abyss, I'm not too fussed about the HEK. More interested to hear how they sound via direct from the TotalDAC.
 
Very excited to compare the A1 to the TotalDAC + N10 next month (or January).

 

[preproman]

   
I agree the HEK is not as current hungry as the Abyss or HE6 but even when I had Egoista 845 and Abyss on hand, the volume knob didn't notch much lower compared to the Abyss.  You certainly can't drive the HEK well with a portable player like an iPhone or Sony ZX2 or even a Hugo like you can an Audeze.  So it's a relative thing but no doubt the HEK loves current.  

Lets not confuse gain (volume knob) with power and or current.  
 
You could an amp that's rated at 100 watts per channel but has very low gain, and an amp rated at 25 watts per channel but has very high gain.  Most will think the 25 watt amp has more power just because you couldn't go too far up on the volume knob.  In actuality it just has lots more gain.
 
The 845s are tubes correct - ?  They would spit out more volts than current.  IIRC..

 

[romaz]

 
Lets not confuse gain (volume knob) with power and or current.  
 
You could an amp that's rated at 100 watts per channel but has very low gain, and an amp rated at 25 watts per channel but has very high gain.  Most will think the 25 watt amp has more power just because you couldn't go too far up on the volume knob.  In actuality it just has lots more gain.
 
The 845s are tubes correct - ?  They would spit out more volts than current.  IIRC..

Sure, I agree.  But to get the HE-1000 more current, you ultimately have to use the volume pot.  There's no other way.
 
Tubes are valued for their ability to handle large swings in voltage, especially when it comes to electrostatic amps like the very fine BHSE that's coming your way but all amps, tubes or otherwise, put out both voltage and current.  You can't have one without the other according to Ohm's law (V=IR).  
 
Unlike electrostatic headphones that require high voltages to drive them, planar headphones based on their operating principles require current and this applies equally to the HE-6, Abyss and HEK.  Again, it's a relative thing but the HEK is current hungry.  Here's a good description by Tyll Hertsens of how planars work:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-planar-magnetic-headphones-work#lUDeziOTEc6XsPF3.97