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Amplification and The HE6se v2
- Thread starter Carlo2AC
- Start date
I was initally impressed with the clarity and drive of the HO200 amp when I first used it with the 6SEV2. After several months of daily use of the HO200, my feelings have changed with regard to the HO200/6SEV2 combination. The HO200 seems to have been designed to have a highly analytical character which I find to be annoying and strident sounding with the 6SEV2 on some of my favorite recordings. Some classical music recordings with massed violins and loud brass passages or chorales are harsh sounding to the point of being off-putting. So, my search for an end game amp for the 6SEV2 continues.
But the HO200 is definitely worth trying out. I think that the HO200 is great with more laid back headphones such as the Sennheiser HD700 and Final Sonorous III. The preamp out of the HO200 makes my powered speakers sing.
For now, I am using the V6SEV2 with the revised mighty mite Topping L30 amp with Canare headphone cable like the ones built by audiophileninja (eBay seller). The HiFiMan stock 6SEV2 cable requires a (edited to remove the word "lossy") XLR to TRS adapter to connect to the L30 and sounds inferior to me compared to the Canare cable.The L30 barely has enough gain at max volume on its high gain setting for the 6SEV2 but I can live with it for a while until I hopefully find something better.
I may try out the HiFanMan EF400 amp soon.
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What do you mean by a lossy adapter? I understand you need an adapter, but why is it lossy?
Seriously?
You can hear the differences between cables? I mean really?
I see you are new here.. Welcome. Stay , learn, you may then realize that cables are cables for the most part, unless broken ...
You already have stellar headphones and amp. Time to learn how to extract the max from these. If you don't EQ, you are losing a lot... Your system will not improve with different cables... Not objectively.. The difference between adequate cables are in your mind... It leads to believe you hear differences that are actually not there. This can be verified. Those differences , however "day and night" they may appear when sighted, vanish once you test more rigorously.. or read about it ....
I am still waiting for my amp (THX 789) and headphones (HE-6SEv2) that are in transit.
Peace.
Bow_Wazoo
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Your question makes me realize that lossy is not the best word choice. Does a cable with an XLR to TRS adapter on the end change the sound of the cable in a negative way? Is information on the recording altered or lost when an adapter is used? Only an individual listener can decide. My experience has been that any adapter that I have added to the signal chain makes a noticeable and important difference and causes alteration and loss on studio recordings that I have personally made when compared to listening to the same recording with an identical brand and model number cable that is terminated with a plug that does not require an adapter. DHC claims to build a silent/unnoticeable adapter that cannot be heard and does not change the sound at all versus using no adapter. Perhaps they do but a DIY cable re-termination to eliminate the need for an adapter costs far less than buying a DHC adapter. I chose not to re-terminate the HiFiMan cable so that if I sell the headphones someday the buyer will get the original cable and XLR to TRS adapter that the heaphones came with from the factory. I recommend and use Canare L-4E5C for DIY headphone cables but I realize that not everyone knows how to make their own cables. Canare L-4E5C cable is used by cable builder audiophileninja at eBay.
Thanks for the tip. I'll take it under advisement.Seriously?
You can hear the differences between cables? I mean really?
I see you are new here.. Welcome. Stay , learn, you may then realize that cables are cables for the most part, unless broken ...
You already have stellar headphones and amp. Time to learn how to extract the max from these. If you don't EQ, you are losing a lot... Your system will not improve with different cables... Not objectively.. The difference between adequate cables are in your mind... It leads to believe you hear differences that are actually not there. This can be verified. Those differences , however "day and night" they may appear when sighted, vanish once you test more rigorously.. or read about it ....
I am still waiting for my amp (THX 789) and headphones (HE-6SEv2) that are in transit.
Peace.
All the best to you and yours.
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Really shouldn't do if it connects securely and wired properly.
Unlikely.
You will definitely notice a difference between plugging an XLR 4 pin termination into a balanced headphone output on an amp and adapting the same headphones to 1/4 inch TRS and plugging into the same amp 1/4 inch single ended socket though , unless you change the volume knob.
he's new, cut him some slack. He will either get it or leave. Gotta give em enough rope
My experiences exactly. The Atom could drive the original HE6, to decent but not loud levels, it can’t with the SE. It barely plays it. No EQ with gain reduction... It can't
I received my replacement HE6SEv2 a few minutes ago. The first sample I received was DOA, with one of the planar torn... Sent it to HifiMan , it was quickly replaced. Communications was clear, response, swift, the headphones were sent FeDex 2 days paid by HiFiMan. Follow-up emails to confirm receipt and satisfaction. No complaint from me, they handle the return very well.
Ok... .... .... Darn! It is good. It is superb. Seriously wondering what I would ask from a headphones, it is superior in some aspects from what I remembered to the original He-6, while being more difficult to drive... I may get a balanced DAC, just because ... My chain:
The AAA 789 drives the HE-6SEv2 to very loud levels (for me) at its highest gain setting at volume knob at 1 o'clock. I use the balanced headphones output...
I am pleased, extremely pleased.. I think it is an endgame headphones. Wow!. Now to research and finance a set of speakers of similar quality ... JBL 708p? Revel 228 or 328 BE, Ultima Studio or Salon2, Genelec The Ones? Neumann KH 420? .. Speakers will be"supported" by 3 subs that are linearized with MSO (Multiple Subwoofer Optimizer).
Peace.
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Took a while, but glad you are sorted. Listening to my V2 now actually.
I , urge anyone contemplating an headphones system to consider this chain, that was inspired by this thread. I am listening to it as I type this and I am in Audio heaven. Subjective , perhaps there is serious numbers to back this up. There are perhaps other combinations...
Topping D10 balanced
Drop THXAAA789
HifiMan HE6SE v2 which , at the current Adorama price is the proverbial bargain..
Raspberry Pi4 for streaming and particularly EQ.
I know I am repeating myself but... It is not often that one can find one of the best measuring headphones around at circa $500.oo... It provides a startling interesting spatial presentation too. I haven't experienced the Sennheiser HD800 or the DAC Stealth, so can't tell you how it fares compared to these.. Let's just say, that the spatial presentation will surprise and delight many, surpassing the many headphones , I've heard , including my earlier HE6 original.
Caveat. Seems that the v2, from Adorama is a bit of a lottery. In my case, fortunately, HiFiMan stepped in and sent me the working replacement quickly via FedEx 2-days, no less. It is IMO worth the risk.. You may pay a bit to ship it ro HiFiMan but the shipping back to you is free.. or was in my case.
The Raspberry Pi4 when fitted with Volumio is a good deal but Volumio stops working without much warning in my case and I had to re-install it; it took some hours to get it back to work but now Spotify connect is somewhat unreliable ... The EQ is the reason I got Volumio 3, but I may get back to a NUC running either ROON or Equalizer APO ... for stability and peace of mind.
Listening to this on Spotify...
P.S.
12/26/2022
The issues with Volumio were seemingly due to a faulty SD card. Volumio now works and so does Fusion DSP. I use it for Headphones EQ. I use just one headphones these days.
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staticV3
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you can get a further $100 off Adorama's regular price by adding this string to the URL btw:
?sdtid=15810259&emailprice=t
Takes the price from $600 down to $500
I'm shopping for an HE6se now, and have the Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm and several amps. Has anyone tried the HE6se with the Topping A30Pro? With pre-volume war recordings or any kind of EQ with a -6db preamp reduction even this can max out the volume wheel in high gain mode. Trying to figure out how much harder to drive the Hifiman is going to be from what I've got, but the different ohm and sensitivity ratings are vexing. I have the Sundara also and any of the amps can light those up just fine, but the 880 600ohm is like a black hole for soaking up amplification. With the A30Pro I wouldn't think about max volume in normal recordings, but replaygain, preamp reduction, etc and it maxes out pretty easily. This is with a Topping D10b running into it with XLR, so it's getting full voltage too. Anyone had both and could give an idea how different they are to drive, like how the volume levels are with the same source (approximately)?
staticV3
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Here's the requirements for both:
The A30Pro can do 15.9Vrms at 600Ω, that's 118.5dB SPL peak with the DT 880.
At 64Ω, the A30Pro can still do about 15Vrms -> about 115dB SPL peak with the HE6se V1.
In terms of perceived loudness, the HE6se V1 will be about 80% as loud as the DT 880 running off the same A30Pro amp.
I'd make sure that your especially difficult tracks are normalized to -0.5 to -1.0 dBFS.
This afternoon I pick up the package with the new HE6se v2's. We'll see how they perform with the D30 Pro + A30 Pro combo.
gitaarwerk
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I was interested about the HE6se V2, saw an open box deal on the store of Hifiman themselves: https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he6se-v2.html
Not a bad deal I guess. I personally wouldn't get it yet, as I want to hear some models and my head is not "standard" so not all fit well. Also not sure what headphones I would take yet either way. But wanted to share for anyone who wants to get one.
(Was eyeing the Schiit Magnius before; but also Topping, perhaps with a slightly worse measuring D90 discrete, I kinda like the r2r volume controls; so not getting bad pots. Can also just mod the pots on the IC versions and make a stepped attenuator myself with perhaps just 4/5 steps...getting off track again.. )
Not a bad deal I guess. I personally wouldn't get it yet, as I want to hear some models and my head is not "standard" so not all fit well. Also not sure what headphones I would take yet either way. But wanted to share for anyone who wants to get one.
I'm curious about Topping; There's a lot of videos on youtube and forum posts about debating ASR reviews and topping. Some people get a bad set; others complain about not full measurement reviews. Im confused.. so not bought anything yet.
(Was eyeing the Schiit Magnius before; but also Topping, perhaps with a slightly worse measuring D90 discrete, I kinda like the r2r volume controls; so not getting bad pots. Can also just mod the pots on the IC versions and make a stepped attenuator myself with perhaps just 4/5 steps...getting off track again.. )
After listening to several hours and several genres with the HE6se v2 connected to the Topping D30 Pro and A30 Pro set, unfortunately the headphones will not stay with me. I don't know whose fault it is, but the bass level is clearly inferior to that of the Ananda, and it doesn't bring any refinement in the mids and treble over Ananda's performance level. A strange feeling; the bass response of the HE6se v2s reminds me of my old STAX SR-303.
gitaarwerk
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Bummer. I guess EQ can't solve it? I'm personally not against EQ; just know its tricky when recording due to phase changes, but is not counting so much on the full mix.
I'm still on a HD650 at the moment. I'm too afraid to just buy anything expensive and not listen to it. But want to do my homework; get EQ curves and my own "stack" to bring so I can switch some curves and see which one and for which price suits me best. But this is where it stopped..the idea and the fear of buying a wrong stack. Perhaps the ADI-2 would be best (not sure if it can drive planars well... need to read more).
Anyways.. sucks that it has to go back. The Stax is cool... my friend has one (not sure about the model). Just the fitting won't do it for me
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