Hifiman HE-6 Test with Dekoni Pad

[amirm]

I recently reviewed the Hifiman HE-6. The owner had also sent me some replacement Dekoni sheepskin pads (TH-900) and asked me if I could measure them. I didn't realize the original ones were asymmetrical so took them off without looking. Dekoni video says to point the thin side outward so that is what I did. Or maybe I have them 180 degrees backward, I don't know.

Either way, here is the frequency response measurements:

As a way of reference, here is the original review response:

As I have noted, the biggest difference is the new pad filling in the gap that was at around 6 kHz. And possibly lower higher frequency levels. Alas, there are so many ways the new measurement could be wrong that I can't swear by it being true differential. But here you have it. Hopefully in the future I can test these pads when they are symmetrical and not worry about how they mount.

The one thing to note is how stable the response is up to 3 kHz. There are essentially no difference there so any impression of bass or mid-range changing, is literally in your head . Not in the pad.

 

[trl]

So, with Dekoni pads will sound less bright or less sibilant? How is it with music?

The Dekoni graph looks more close to the right curve.

 

[Robbo99999]

I recently reviewed the Hifiman HE-6. The owner had also sent me some replacement Dekoni sheepskin pads (TH-900) and asked me if I could measure them. I didn't realize the original ones were asymmetrical so took them off without looking. Dekoni video says to point the thin side outward so that is what I did. Or maybe I have them 180 degrees backward, I don't know.

Either way, here is the frequency response measurements:

View attachment 120747

As a way of reference, here is the original review response:

As I have noted, the biggest difference is the new pad filling in the gap that was at around 6 kHz. And possibly lower higher frequency levels. Alas, there are so many ways the new measurement could be wrong that I can't swear by it being true differential. But here you have it. Hopefully in the future I can test these pads when they are symmetrical and not worry about how they mount.

The one thing to note is how stable the response is up to 3 kHz. There are essentially no difference there so any impression of bass or mid-range changing, is literally in your head . Not in the pad.

Yes, the Dekoni pads look like a more accurate pad, I would see that as a positive improvement, albeit there is perhaps just a tad more (what I think is) interference jaggedness in the response between 3-4kHz with the Dekoni pad.

About angled pads, both my HifiMan HE4XX and AKG K702 headphones have angled pads, and in both cases the thin side of the pad points directly fowards, with the thickest part of the pad pointing backwards......so thin part in front of your ear, thick part behind your ear. I don't remember seeing any angled pads that differ in terms of orientation, but I've not exactly gone looking for it.

 

[martijn86]

It does however amplifi the S-curve from 500Hz to 2Khz. If I refer to equalisation charts, this should result in added 'honk' and decreased 'whack' or 'tinny'-sound. The 6kHz hole brings 'siblance' back to neutral which may be perceived as added definition.

 

[amirm]

About angled pads, both my HifiMan HE4XX and AKG K702 headphones have angled pads, and in both cases the thin side of the pad points directly fowards, with the thickest part of the pad pointing backwards......

Thanks. That is the way I positioned them.

 

[xema]

Try LCD's pad if you had those?

 

[milosz]

I've got a set of HE-6's, 4-screw type, early production 4-screw 'phones, the screws are silver. These are supposed to be "the better HE-6's" according to the legend. I've heard it said that these 4-silver-screw 'phones were manufactured during the time that the "genius" original designer was on staff at HiFiMan, but then he left after a disagreement with higher-ups, and since then the quality edged down. HAHAHA I can't imagine that any of this is true, but for $1400 or whatever I paid for these things, it's nice to get a dramatic story in addition to good headphones.

Now- where did I hear this tale? Did Q reveal it? Or was it Alex Jones? Did Jones say that these headphones are now made on Mars by slaves under the telepathic control of George Soros, then sent to Earth via wormhole to the basement of a pizza joint in Washington D.C. ? Or something like that?

 

[xema]

I've got a set of HE-6's, 4-screw type, early production 4-screw 'phones, the screws are silver. These are supposed to be "the better HE-6's" according to the legend. I've heard it said that these 4-silver-screw 'phones were manufactured during the time that the "genius" original designer was on staff at HiFiMan, but then he left after a disagreement with higher-ups, and since then the quality edged down. HAHAHA I can't imagine that any of this is true, but for $1400 or whatever I paid for these things, it's nice to get a dramatic story in addition to good headphones.

Now- where did I hear this tale? Did Q reveal it? Or was it Alex Jones? Did Jones say that these headphones are now made on Mars by slaves under the telepathic control of George Soros, then sent to Earth via wormhole to the basement of a pizza joint in Washington D.C. ? Or something like that?

This story is almost true, except the real reason of the original designer's leaving is unknown. The designer's net name is winny(or winny-he), and he doesn't speak too much.

 

[YSC]

maybe that's the better fitting for dekoni pads, I am using dakoni hybrid pads (belour interior, exterior leather), the memory foam is a lot better than stock velour hifiman pads where it's practically hard foam with quite some sealing weak points or even holes on head

 

[Shazb0t]

I recently reviewed the Hifiman HE-6. The owner had also sent me some replacement Dekoni sheepskin pads (TH-900) and asked me if I could measure them. I didn't realize the original ones were asymmetrical so took them off without looking.

Thanks for measuring the Dekoni pads @amirm! Just for clarification, the original HiFiMAN velour pads that were installed are symmetrical so the orientation shouldn't have made a difference.

The Dekoni Sheepskin pads are angled and the fatter side is supposed to be towards the back of your ears. Sounds like you got the orientation correct for this measurement! Also, although they are the TH-900 pads, at the time Dekoni didn't sell a pad specifically for older HiFiMAN headphones. They do now but the specifications for the new pads are the exact same as the TH-900 ones, so I am making an assumption that they are actually the same pads. They fit the HiFiMAN pad mounting rings perfectly so I don't think they needed to create a new pad, more of a marketing addition I'm guessing.

 

[Jimbob54]

Try LCD's pad if you had those?

The high cost and stupid stick tape fixing makes that a bit tricky, no?

 

[Shazb0t]

The high cost and stupid stick tape fixing makes that a bit tricky, no?

Yea I agree. The Audeze pads are expensive and don't traditionally mount to the headphones. I also didn't send Amir any more additional pads.

I had hoped that Amir measuring a bone stock He-6 with the original HiFiMAN velours (a thin symmetrical velour, NOT the Velpad) would be a good performance baseline for his review. Then supplying a "beefy" angled full leather pad from Dekoni, that is easily available and mountable, would be a good data point for anyone who prefers leather pads. That way, in a sense, you get the two pad "extremes".

 

[staticV3]

Here's the relative difference between stock pads and the Dekoni ones:

 

[staticV3]

And the deviation from Harman Over Ear 2018, Stock pads vs Dekoni:

 

[pma]

The one thing to note is how stable the response is up to 3 kHz. There are essentially no difference there so any impression of bass or mid-range changing, is literally in your head . Not in the pad.

The differences start above 500Hz. The bass perception is "in your head", as you have said, for the reason that bass subjective evaluation is grossly affected by changes in mids and highs. Once again the human auditory system is not a mere SPL meter and recorder.

 

[zenmastering]

Yup! Fletcher-Munson curves... not only spectral masking effects also very level - dependent.

The differences start above 500Hz. The bass perception is "in your head", as you have said, for the reason that bass subjective evaluation is grossly affected by changes in mids and highs. Once again the human auditory system is not a mere SPL meter and recorder.

 

[beefkabob]

Perhaps I missed it, but taking measurements from a bunch of different angles, positions, and pad thicknesses, to see how much placement and pads impact response, would be interesting. Perhaps dropping headphones down a half inch or something similar would improve or harm response?

 

[Shazb0t]

@amirm Do you happen to have the frequency response data for this measurement that can be used for PEQ calculation?

 

[Sythrix]

I have the HE-6se version. The original pads fell apart, so I kind of did a makeshift fix with some circle adhesive and some old pads. Might get some of these now, or another variant of them. The original HiFiman pads were such garbage.

If anyone was interested, I would be willing to send them for review if no one else has, but I honestly can't see there being a ton of difference in measurements, unless I'm missing something.