I measured 105 dBSPL on max volume with EQ with an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. In short I had no issue with volume.
Go on. Touch "the worm". I dares you.
You'd be best off experimenting with EQ based around solid measurements of the headphones you own. Best bet is hopefully you have one or more headphone models that have been measured by Oratory, you'd then try out his EQ's and compare your different headphones to get a sense of their different potentials, and you might experiment with the different "customisation filters" he offers which are the bass Low Shelf Filter and often times the "shoutiness" 2kHz filter and the "air" 11kHz High Shelf Filter - then you can start seeing the effect of different frequency responses and also the effect of different headphones. Comparing headphones purely at stock without EQ is too much of a Wild West really as the frequency responses are wildly different. EQ is good for enhancing a headphone, but also for gaining a greater understanding. The final variable to consider when doing this is that there is unit to unit variation that will mean that the measurements that are published and the perceptions you have of your model of headphone are influenced by this unit to unit variation - you'd want to choose a headphone with low unit to unit variation if you can if you're gonna be basing your EQ on published measurements, and you'd wanna be choosing low variation headphones too because they'd have better channel matching too which is a bonus for imaging & clarity. Additionally there's a "soundstage" element to consider that seems to be related to the physical construction of the headphone model itself rather than just the measured frequency response, so there's quite a lot to be considered......but for sure definitely don't just rely on comparing headphones at stock, headphones at stock is completely non-sensical, got to experiment with EQ related to measurements to get the best out of them.
If you're really not happy with them, then bite the bullet early and see if you can get a replacement, don't stress about fixing a bad situation. (That's assuming a replacement is likely to be better, as long as you know that unit to unit variation is good on that model). Send it back for another.
Maybe I should have waited and tested it on my own system before ordering a new amp. Looks like I might be able to get by with the RME only. But knowing me I've always been a "more headroom is always better" coming from car audio
.Thanks! That is plenty loud lol. Would depend on the music track but I assume that is the during the peaks and not the average?
Well I posted the measurements above, 5db of difference between left and right ear is unacceptable to me. They do sound fine (with EQ that matches the channels), but this kind of defect is not something I want to have in headphones I own. But you're right, I should just return them and hope for a pair with good channel matching. Maybe I can get one which is as good as my HD650 in that regard
Yeah, send those mothers back! In fact show them your measurements! You're dropping that much money on these headphones, they should have better channel matching. And if you think about it.....if you do show them your measurements, then that might actually spur them on to cherry pick a headphone for you? You're not messing & not to be fooled!I always automatically assume that everybody is always using EQ to flatten their headphone response. I can't understand how someone would spend any amount of money on headphones and then not try to get the most out of it. Even the HE6 and the HD650 sound pretty bad to me when I turn off the EQ...
To come back to the sense of "excitement", I can relate to that. I get it from my speakers, but missed it on my HE400i 2020. I increased Oratory's 10k high shelf to +2db (from 0.5) and it got closer to what I thought was lacking, but any more was making it too bright instead of bringing any more excitement. The HE6se come closer to my speakers at least, but still not 100% hit the mark. I wonder if this is caused by cancellations similar to what we actually see in the measurements, what doesn't occur when listening to speakers.
Well I posted the measurements above, 5db of difference between left and right ear is unacceptable to me. They do sound fine (with EQ that matches the channels), but this kind of defect is not something I want to have in headphones I own. But you're right, I should just return them and hope for a pair with good channel matching. Maybe I can get one which is as good as my HD650 in that regard
Your comment reads like sarcasm, so I'm not sure if you think I'm overreacting/nitpicking or if you're actually enthusiastically supporting my case, but I will probably send them the measurements to show them that there is an actual issue at hand and it's not just my brain fooling me. Them cherrypicking one for me would be amazing for sure lol
Very good points. I've always played around with EQ based on my own ears. As of yesterday, I've started to test Oratory's presets. I'm comparing right now the DT 1990 vs. the T1, both EQ'd to Harman. They sound very similar, but I hear much more "presence" from the DT1990. It still sounds much more intimate than the T1 (probably because of the angled drivers of the T1). I think you're right, soundstage is the main differences between headphones in general after proper EQ.
Definitely not sarcasm, I was being serious, I think you should send them back, and you've got the measurements to show it.
For your last point there, it might be some unit to unit variation or pad wear that is changing the frequency response, so it might not be exactly the same frequency response after you've EQ'd both headphones, even if they're EQ'd to the same target curve. But that's the best we can do, we can't account for unit to unit variation beyond buying a headphone or brand that has been proven to have had low variation in the past - this is really quite an important variable which I've latched onto & realised the significance thereof in the last year.
I'd be willing to bet you have a stuck driver. There's a pretty in-depth conversation going on about this on hf these days. I have 2 pairs of these things with this issue (total of 4 drivers that are not working properly now). About to get in touch with Hifiman to see what can be done about it. You should take the grills off and see if there's any space between the diaphragm and the bar-shaped magnets. It's easy to see the shadow from the magnet disappear to nil from the edge of the driver to where it's sticking (more toward the center area). Report back!
@peniku8 , don't risking F'ing up your headphones if you're gonna send them back, just send them back. (if you're confident you won't damage them in any way so they know that you haven't tinkered with the headphone, then ok)
You'd have to be pretty inept to F up your HE6se's by simply removing the retaining ring and grills to inspect the drivers. It requires no tools other than your fingernail, and takes all of 10 seconds to complete. Virtually no risk of damage whatsoever.
For the amp - you need about 2-3W of power at <1 ohm output impedance, depending on listening levels.
