Hifiman HE6se Review (Headphone)

[Dunring]

I did some checking and you can tell the 68 ohm from the 50 ohm versions by the serial number and weight.

68 ohm 2204122xx 512 grams 9 digit S/N
50 ohm 220423xx 510 grams 8 digit S/N

They are definitely two different versions denoted by serial number under the pads. 9 digits for the 68 ohm and 8 digits for the 50 ohm. They're cosmetically identical, the driver cover when the pads off are identical too. I have an accurate postal scale, so the 68 ohm is 2 grams heavier. These are both new, so I'm guessing it's the drivers to cause the weight difference. I've got another one coming in this week to check out, have to remove the pads anyway to register the warranty. I tested with the same factory cable on each just for consistency. Going to check and see if any other their other models have this ohm rating on their drivers.

The ones Amirm measured have the ski style headband, and these are the V2 with the bar style one. I'll ask Monday, I have a contact at Hifiman and see if they know the difference in drivers, like if one is an earlier production model.

 

[Mimimetal]

Hi, I would buy a h6se V2 from the hifiMan official site, they sell openbox for 399$. Do you know if there are import fees for Europe? Moreover I can buy a topping a30pro for about 140 and a90 for 270, both second hand, which one do you recommend? I can use the mojo1 as dac. Thanks

 

[Robbo99999]

Hi, I would buy a h6se V2 from the hifiMan official site, they sell openbox for 399$. Do you know if there are import fees for Europe? Moreover I can buy a topping a30pro for about 140 and a90 for 270, both second hand, which one do you recommend? I can use the mojo1 as dac. Thanks

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter which of those headphone amps you get as they would both provide more than enough power and both with total transparency (low noise & high SINAD). The A30Pro measures slightly better apart from having just a little less power:

Getting either of those would be fine, just choose the best one for your budget / aesthetics & any connection differences which I've not checked.

 

[Mimimetal]

I can buy a second hand he6se v1 for 500€, is it a good price? V2 is a better choice? It should be about 400€ on the hifiMan store but as i said I don't know about the fees

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I have these haedphones and the headphones, game, for me, has ended. The HE6Se requires EQ, and can take it because of the SOTA distortion levels, and unusually high power requirements: These are likely among the top 5 in the lowest distortion from headphones measured here, perhaps top 3.... and "low" five in sensitivity . Still I cannot find any justification to buy any other phone, except for ergonomics and, ... looks. On this I will write another post... Suffice to say these are the proverbial bargain in the headphones world. You can only spend a lot more to get better, and even then, not sure there are too many headphones you can claim to to be superior to the HE6se. All of these would cost 4 to 8 times the present price of the HE6SEv2, IMO.

The issues that must stay front and center is, how much power these headphones require, after Equalization to Harman curves: I use 3 EQ settings on it , those from @amirm in this review, @crinacle , @oratory1990 and IIRC all call for at least -5 dB of preamp "gain", maybe more. I have the THX-AAA-789, a powerful amplifier by any means but do run out of volume course sometimes. IOW the volume button is all the way... I don't believe I listen loud and I haven't measured it but... they do require power. Lot of it. THe sensitivity is very, very low.

Still worth it. A good amplifier capable of at least 3 watts, in low impedance is required.. The more wattage, the better, it can take it too...

Peace.

 

[FrantzM]

Now to the collective. The HE6SEv2 are ugly, heavy and the earpads flake after a few months of use... They still sound incredible, but I need to replace the headband and the earpads by something ergonomics and , pretty. I know, vanity and subjectivity , still asking for recommendations for

1. Headbands with good adjustability.
2. Good earpads

Willing to pay a bit more to get well made, lasting products.

Peace.

P.S> Just read @Dunring's post #581 .. Any recommendation , on the above?

 

[Mimimetal]

The v1 has better qc?

 

[FrantzM]

The v1 has better qc?

Waving hands... IDK and with HifiMan ...

I must say, however in my particular case, and with US shipping. I ordered the HE6Sev2. One driver was DOA. I contacted HiFiMan, paid for one way shipping and a new headphones was express shipped, a day later. Those are USA experiences.
OTOH, I had the original HE6 and it lasted decade, still is there ugly, fIaking and looking more beatup than my gentle use of it would sugest. have had to replace headbands and earpads, same with other HifMan products I had/have HE- a 560 and 400...

HifiMan quality control needs to improve. It is not good.

Peace.

 

[Mimimetal]

Anyway do you recommend the he6se 1 for 500€ ? I would use the mojo1 connected via line out to a toppping a30 pro

 

[FrantzM]

Anyway do you recommend the he6se 1 for 500€ ? I would use the mojo1 connected via line out to a toppping a30 pro

I suppose you already own the Mojo? Else, there are, better, less expensive alternatives. Topping D10 balanced.., SOTA performance for about $150 in the USA, perhaps less. Mine has been left on on for over 2 years, no issue...
The Topping A30 pro should drive these with ease..


Peace.

 

[Mimimetal]

Yes I already have the mojo1, the topping d10 is better? I could buy one for 70€ so it worth a try I think

 

[FrantzM]

Yes I already have the mojo1, the topping d10 is better? I could buy one for 40€ so it worth a try I think

You won't (can't) hear the differences between the 2... You already have the Mojo, just use it and be happy.
Do keep in mind that these He6Se must be equalized to sound their best. If your source is a Windows PC than use PEACE (Click Here), . You can actually pull EQ settings from @oratory1990 or @crinacle within Peace .... modify their recommendations if needs be.

Peace.... Not the software

 

[zonk]

I am located in Europe and I purchased a new HE6SE (V1) in the Hifiman store in 2022.

Before I bought it I was contacting the customer service about additional fees like import tax and they confirmed that there is no extra tax to pay because the headphone will be sent by the Hifiman distribution center in Poland. So I can recommend to contact Hifiman customer service before purchase.

I use the HE6SE with EQ (EAPO on Windows or RME DAC) and I like it a lot. The HE6SE (V1) has same headband as for example Sundara, I prefer this over the HE6SE V2 headband (same as HE400SE).

To the Topping D10 DAC I have to say that I had sometimes problems with the power that came over same usb cable as the data. I generally prefer a DAC that has a seperate power source.

 

[Mimimetal]

For about 600€ I can also buy an Arya v2 or a stealth, he6se is overall superior?

 

[FrantzM]

For about 600€ I can also buy an Arya v2 or a stealth, he6se is overall superior?

Look at the ASR eview for the original Arya... the THD is , yes, order of magnitude higher , especially in the lows... where you would have to EQ..
from ASR

compared to the He6Se

No contest in my book... except the HE6SEv2 comes with poor headband and earpads...

People may not realize how great the performances of the HE6Se are: @114 dB, which is ear-piercing , permanent damages to hearing, if sustained, the darn thing has less than 0.5% THD from 20 Hz to 300 Hz.. At 104dB which is very loud, it remains essentially under 0.2% THDin their passband. Stupendous, exceedingly low-level of distortion, for a transducer, bordering the level of many electronics .. Few (which ones?) headphones can boast such low level of THD.. I don't think there are 5 that match this... and ..

Yes I am a fanboi...

At times I have that dream of acquiring Sennheiser HD800S + RME ADI Pro2 .. just to get something different and, from the talk of many "spatial qualities". The HD800S has substantially higher level of THD in their passband and horrendous THD at the lows where it absolutely needs to be EQ...
the 800S has however better ergonomics, looks and sensitivity .. The jury is still out on the "spatial qualities". The HE6Sev2 is no slouch in this regard...

At the $500 price, asking price, a bargain.

Peace.

P.S. I may have to buy a second HE6Sev2.. just in case ...

 

[peniku8]

I am located in Europe and I purchased a new HE6SE (V1) in the Hifiman store in 2022.

Before I bought it I was contacting the customer service about additional fees like import tax and they confirmed that there is no extra tax to pay because the headphone will be sent by the Hifiman distribution center in Poland. So I can recommend to contact Hifiman customer service before purchase.

If you purchased/got an open-box unit, chances are that you got one of the defective units I sent back to the warehouse in Poland early 2022.

 

[zonk]

If you purchased/got an open-box unit, chances are that you got one of the defective units I sent back to the warehouse in Poland early 2022.

I wrote I bought a new HE6SE, sometimes careful reading helps. I have three Hifiman headphones and all are perfect, no channel imbalance and no other quality issues.

And I must say I absolutely love this headphone

 

[peniku8]

I wrote I bought a new HE6SE, sometimes careful reading helps. I have three Hifiman headphones and all are perfect, no channel imbalance and no other quality issues.

Well an open box unit is "new", but I also wrote "purchased/got" because with the non-existent QC hifiman apparently have, I wouldn't be surprised if boxes got mixed up in the warehouse and you purchased a regular new unit while getting an open-box/repackaged one.
Btw, sometimes not being rude also helps..! ;-)

 

[Robbo99999]

Now to the collective. The HE6SEv2 are ugly, heavy and the earpads flake after a few months of use... They still sound incredible, but I need to replace the headband and the earpads by something ergonomics and , pretty. I know, vanity and subjectivity , still asking for recommendations for

1. Headbands with good adjustability.
2. Good earpads

Willing to pay a bit more to get well made, lasting products.

Peace.

P.S> Just read @Dunring's post #581 .. Any recommendation , on the above?

The earpads can quite easily change the frequency response, so I'd be a bit wary about using aftermarket earpads unless you're gonna measure the difference between fresh stock & fresh aftermarket pads - and then you'd factor that difference into your EQ. I mean that's the best way when using aftermarket pads, but otherwise choose ones that look (& hopefully feel (softness/hardness) when you get them) the same and made of the same materials.

EDIT: real world example of this is with the HD560s. Sennheiser changed the earpads on this with the latest version - the New Version has noticeably softer pads and the measured frequency response is different, largely because of the pads softness, because otherwise the earpads look identical. (This is measured on my miniDSP EARS measurement rig, and indeed solderdude has also measured differences between Old Version & New Version, and it's almost totally down to the difference in the pad softness.......solderdude actually flipped the pads around between the headphones to prove it was mostly the pads making the difference).

 

[oratory1990]

. You can actually pull EQ settings from @oratory1990 or @crinacle within Peace

Not quite - this only uses the *measurements* from crinacle or me, but the EQ settings are calculated by AutoEQ.
The resulting EQ settings will be different than the EQ settings I publish on Reddit.