[3X0]

Channel balance was certainly fine before the retermination.
 
Is it dangerous for me to keep playing them in this state? If so I'll check with Drew and send them back if necessary -- I know he's reterminated HE60s before but in the distant past, so not sure if something got messed up.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Something wrong with the retermination me thinks as the bias wires for both channels are now summed into one pin. 

So do you think for example it's possible the 5M ohm resistor was only "applied" to the right channel bias (pin 2 AFAIK), or is that not possible?
 
 
 
EDIT: Drew affirms that it was tested multiple times and reterminated once with the same imbalance. :/
 
Guess I'll have to live with setting L to 60% every time I wanna use the HE60.

 

[ALSO]

Sorry to bump this thread, hope it's not been dormant too long.  I've recently acquired a HE60/HEV70 unit and am eager to learn as much about it as possible.  It's not yet arrived but is on it's way.  In reading through this thread, I saw Spritzer's recommendation to listen through a BHSE, which I have on order.  I'm looking for an HE60 to STAX amp adapter, does anyone know where I can find one?  Incapable of making one myself, and have hit up some of the usual suspects, but so far no luck.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[shipsupt]

I think that someone recently had their HE60 re-terminated at Moon Audio, but you'd need to confirm that with them directly. They might be able to do an adapter.  Be sure that who-ever does your  adapter or termination adds the appropriate resistor to the bias wire.

 

[ALSO]

  I think that someone recently had their HE60 re-terminated at Moon Audio, but you'd need to confirm that with them directly. They might be able to do an adapter.  Be sure that who-ever does your  adapter or termination adds the appropriate resistor to the bias wire.

Thanks, I've been in touch with Drew at Moon Audio and he offered to reterminate it, but no parts for an adapter.  Still hoping for an adapter, if someone can point me in the right direction.

 

[spritzer]

The adapters were all custom made units so no chance of finding something off the shelf. 

 

[3X0]

The female HEV70 connector is no longer available and the only way to get one would be to gut your HEV70.

I remember in the past someone MacGuyver'd an adapter using the usual Stax male plug but with a hacked-up computer motherboard connector as the female end. Worked fine apparently.

 

[ALSO]

Some questions I hope the more experienced could help me with.  I received a set of used HE60 +HEV70.  I'm in the US and they shipped from abroad.  At first the sound seemed clear enough and at normal levels, but then I started to notice some distortion when the treble spiked.  Gradually the sibilance increased and the volume seemed to diminish.
 
I tried reconfiguring with different cables and components but the same results.  I plugged other electrostats into the same sources using the same cables and they are fine.
 
But the HE60 + HEV70 are severely distorted and play at a very low volume.  At the moment I can reduce the source and HEV70 to about 75% volume levels and the distortion seems to disappear.  But at this level I cannot tell if the distortion is gone or I simply cannot hear it.  In any case, it's so quiet that it defeats the purpose.
 
At any rate I would imagine that the unit should play louder at 75% volume.
 
The previous owner did not have this issue.  I've been in contact with Sennheiser about servicing this, but wanted to see if anyone here has had a similar experience and maybe some suggestions.
 
I don't have an adapter, or I would try the HE60s in STAX amps, since I know the HEV70s have a history of breaking down.
 
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  With thanks in advance.

 

[shipsupt]

It certainly sounds like an issue with the HEV70 and not the headphones.
 
I'm not sure I'd spend any money fixing it.
 
I'd just re-terminate the HE60's and use them with your STAX amps.  

 

[ALSO]

Thanks for weighing in.  I am also hoping the problem is with the HEV70 and not the phones, but why do you think the problem is with the HEV70, and is there any way I can confirm this?  I am also tempted to reterminate and will probably do so eventually but if I then discover that the problem is with the phones, can I get Sennheiser to service a reterminated unit?

 

[shipsupt]

Without something else to plug into the amp, or something else to plug the headphones into, I'm not sure what else you can do at this point.  
 
Someone else might have some ideas... 

 

[ALSO]

Thanks.  The other option is to let Sennheiser take a look.

 

[3X0]

Sennheiser can't really service the bad HEV70s anymore. It was a very complicated (yet not necessarily good) design that was unusually failure-prone.
 
My HEV70 and at least one other experienced severe distortion problems after extended playback. The amplifier was VERY hot to the touch by the time it would bug out.

 

[ALSO]

My HEV70 is not hot to the touch, but I am getting almost no volume from it.  At very low levels, the distortion is less apparent, but then again, I can't hear anything.  I am debating between sending the set to Sennheiser and having the HE60s reterminated.  Any suggestions welcomed.

 

[shipsupt]

Only you can make the final decision, but assuming Sennheiser is going to charge you to do work on the amp, why spend any money on it?  Best case you end up with a working amp that isn't very good...
 
I'd save the money and use it to reterminate the HE-60's.