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Hifiman HE6se Review (Headphone)
- Thread starter amirm
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I'm not sold on there being major differences once both are EQ'd to the Harman Curve....they both have angled pads and the same earcup design don't they, and both planar....I mentioned as much in an earlier post that I don't think there'd be much different to me for this HE6se and my HE4XX that I already own due to the same reasons. Distortion wouldn't be part of the equation due to my relatively low listening levels.
I'd like to see the distortion measurements for the HE-5. I believe the original was a single sided magnet design. The LE was different than the original release. The magnet structures of both are different from the He-6/He500, so results could be substantially different.
I'd certainly be interested to see some more Hifiman headphones being measured - I think they're pretty good based on my experience and the measurements they throw up, my HE4XX is my second favourite headphones after my K702, so I do like them, bass EQ is fantastic with my HE4XX.
Why would this hardly informative and highly subjective review make you keep or sell a set of headphones that you already own and have listened to yourself with your own ears?
First, it informed me of what I wanted to know about them, so I have to disagree with that point.
I like to own cool headphone technology. I like that these are harder to drive than the fabled OG HE6. I like how low distortion they have despite the fact that I'll never listen that loud. These were my daily headphones before the Empyrean, so part of me wanted to keep them because of that as well. That said, the Empyrean were pricey so I'm going to end up selling them even if I don't particularly want to now.
I have a pair of these, and like them quite a bit. Without EQ definitely better than the LCD2, but with EQ, right on par.
They drive really nice with the Modius->THX AAA 789, but they also sound great with the Codex->Mjolnir. Given that the latter pairing has significantly more THD, but it's still on par or below the distortion seen here in the transducer, I wonder how much the ultimate low THD on DACs and amps really matters, especially compared to the noise level and the power delivery.
They drive really nice with the Modius->THX AAA 789, but they also sound great with the Codex->Mjolnir. Given that the latter pairing has significantly more THD, but it's still on par or below the distortion seen here in the transducer, I wonder how much the ultimate low THD on DACs and amps really matters, especially compared to the noise level and the power delivery.
For something like HE6 power delivery is everything isn't it? I don't see how noise would be more important than THD though.
Thinking of the opposite end of power delivery. Where power delivery is everything for the HE6, noise floor is everything for IEMs.
I agree, was using HE6 as this thread's topic. Also on that, I don't get how some dedicated amps can be so bad on noise, I had some IEM with very high sensitivity like 110db or 120db or so, and I used them plug directly into ipad and old iphones, never had any noise issue. How do some amp cost more than an entire ipad have noise issue is beyond me.
I think some amps set up with really high gain are going to have trouble getting a simultaneously low noise floor. Phone DACs clearly don't have an issue driving really sensitive IEMs if their output impedances are low enough. But amps made to drive something like the the HE6 are going to have trouble, unless they have wide enough gain settings to accommodate both ends of the power/noise requirements.
Jave
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Thanks! But I meant also in terms of the other measurements. I wonder what happened there in the bass...
hmscott
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Well, if you paid full price $1799(?) for the HE6SE, and you can sell it for close to that, you could save $799.64 from your sale for the new HE6SE V2 from Adorama, a nice savings - if it is put back on sale.
It normally lists for $1799, but was put on sale for $699 for about 4 months - total with sales tax + shipping = $799.64 - I was fortunate enough to purchase one and so did many others, until inventory ran down.
Now it shows $1799 on "Backorder" until mid-August:
HE6se Full-Size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Audiophile Adjustable Headphones V2 HE6SEV2 (adorama.com)
Perhaps Adorama will drop the price again when the new production run is available, or around Xmas as in 2020?
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I suspect it isn't the same though as the HE6se that Oratory measured (not a v2) was more sensitive than mine. I'd be interested in a measure of the new version though. So far no bites on my posting here for $1,200 so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to sell it for. If it doesn't get any offers for too long, I'll try Reddit, and if nothing there, I'm not sure. I also will probably sell my Ananda for maybe $500 or so since the Meze basically replaced all of my home headphones. They are comfy and seal only really affects 30Hz and below, and even then, not too much.Well, if you paid full price $1799(?) for the HE6SE, and you can sell it for close to that, you could save $799.64 from your sale for the new HE6SE V2 from Adorama, a nice savings - if it is put back on sale.
It normally lists for $1799, but was put on sale for $699 for about 4 months - total with sales tax + shipping = $799.64 - I was fortunate enough to purchase one and so did many others, until inventory ran down.
Now it shows $1799 on "Backorder" until mid-August.
Perhaps Adorama will drop the price again when the new production run is available, or around Xmas as in 2020?
That's the price a much rarer 4-screw in pristine condition will go for these days. 6-screw variants (the earlier measured HE6) typically go for $800. I doubt many would bite at an HE6se at that price. If all else fails, throw them up on ebay.
hmscott
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Yup, the temporary price of $699 for the HE6SE V2 has people waiting on another sale.
And, someone flipped Adorama HE6SE V2's on Audiogon for $950 after the Adorama $699 pricing ended:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-he6-se.886229/post-16281192
There is an Arya on Audiogon.com right now for $1289...and are $1500 new.
Hifiman Arya | Over-Ear | Keller, Texas 76248 | Audiogon
IDK if you'll get any bites on the HE6SE V1 at $1200.
The Ananda's have dropped to $699 from $999 a while ago... and the Ananda's are holding that new lower price. But, $500 might sell... there's one for $599:
Hifiman Ananda | Over-Ear | Gilbert, 85295 | Audiogon
IDK though, even if the Meze Empyrean is your best headphone, after a while having no other choice gets tiresome. It is a relief to have alternatives to break up the monotony of one sound and one fitment, it is nice to be able to switch headphones from one to another to change the sound and feel.
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Thanks. I'll keep that in mind and not feel so bad when I have to price drop more.
I saw some selling for about that much on avexchange as well. I wouldn't mind going just a little lower.
For me, I EQ to my preferred sound anyway. I still keep my two Sundara for when I want to listen with friends, but overall, I'm good with just the one headphone for home.
Thanks for the tips. I received a pair of Sennheiser HD6XX (Drop HD6XX). They do sound really good out of the box. I've found that the EQ settings from Amir on the bass work well but I only need half as much boost as he has around 7 kHz. Might be slightly different tuning since his review was an older headphone. I had also bought a HiFiMan Ananda; open box sale. I think that both sound really good without EQ. Ananda is interesting with a subjectively bigger sound and the Sennheiser is interesting with a subjectively clearer sound. I think the Sennheiser is easier to listen to over longer sessions. Thanks again for the suggestions.
HD6XX is same as HD650 and not a great deal of difference to HD600, so I think you chose well for a headphone to use without EQ, definitely! Don't forget to try Oratory's EQ's as well as Amir's that you've already tried, here's Oratory's list of headphones he's EQ'd:
https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets#wiki_full_list_of_eq_settings.3A
And here's the specific EQ of the HD650 which is the same headphone as your HD6XX:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zr5tqw0qojom9uh/Sennheiser HD650.pdf?dl=0
I have to admit I'm more inclined to recommend Oratory's EQ settings, based often on multiple units measured as well as spatial averaging.....when I tried NAD HP50 Amir EQ vs Oratory NAD HP50 was no contest win for Oratory, due to probably a poor sample measured by Amir and fact Oratory measures multiple units, and Amir is a bit looser with his EQ approach in terms of matching the Harman Curve, but I respect his reasons for choosing not to match to the nth degree (he doesn't believe you can great accuracy from measuring headphones and has a different measurment methodology).
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