Hifiman HE6se Review (Headphone)

[peniku8]

"Peace" is the devil's work anyways. Anybody who makes a parametric EQ with the user interface of a graphic EQ should go to audio prison.
The normal eqApo is the best thing ever - you *only* have the modules you set and nothing else. Talk about clean..!

 

[solderdude]

When aplying EQ based on a measurement done on an (industry standard or not) fixture one should realize that that EQ is really only valid for that particular headphone (or an average of measurements/headphones) referenced to that fixture and a target applied to those measurements.

It can still give improvements as measurement fixtures do react similar-ish to actual ears and even though there are circumstances (seal, aging, production spread, (silent) revisions, altered pads and whatnot) the 'improvements' one gets are still somewhat in the ballpark of the EQ that is needed on ones head.
It is THE reason why headphones EQ'ed to a 'target' sound similar-ish in tonal balance but never the same.

It is important to realize that EQ, regardless how 'accurate' it is can bring improvements but is not perfect and that what one ends up with is very likely not what one thinks they have (perfect correction because a measurement says it is).

 

[Mimimetal]

I haven't received the headphones yet, openbox is sold out so I ve ordered a refurbished one.
I want to use the chord mojo with a topping a30pro but the topping runs too hot. Could you recommend an amp that is enough powerful but that doesn't run so hot?

 

[staticV3]

Could you recommend an amp that is enough powerful but that doesn't run so hot?

Define "enough powerful"

The Apple A2049 can drive the HE6se to about 90dB SPL Peak, which would certainly be loud enough for me.

As for a dedicated headphone Amp, I would choose between the JDS Atom Amp 2, Schiit Magni Unity, and Topping L30II.

 

[Roland68]

I haven't received the headphones yet, openbox is sold out so I ve ordered a refurbished one.
I want to use the chord mojo with a topping a30pro but the topping runs too hot. Could you recommend an amp that is enough powerful but that doesn't run so hot?

"Too hot" is often written here.
What is "too hot"?
Can you put your hand on it?
How long can you keep your hand on it?

 

[solderdude]

The Apple A2049 can drive the HE6se to about 90dB SPL Peak, which would certainly be loud enough for me.

power required to reach 90dB peak SPL at 30Hz is just 60Phon and when EQ'ed to Harman about 55Phon

 

[staticV3]

90dB peak SPL at 30Hz is just 60Phon and when EQ'ed to Harman about 55Phon

Plenty loud enough for me

 

[Mimimetal]

The Apple

The Apple A2049 can drive the HE6se to about 90dB SPL Peak, which would certainly be loud enough for me.

The a. 2049 Is barely enough for the Ananda stealth and xs for me, i doubt that can be enough for the he6se

"Too hot" is often written here.
What is "too hot"?
Can you put your hand on it?
How long can you keep your hand on it?

After a while it became vey warm, I can keep the hand on it but anyway it seems too much

 

[solderdude]

Plenty loud enough for me

45Phon average in music surely won't damage any ears.

 

[Mimimetal]

Which one do you recommend between the THX AAA 887 and topping a30pro? I can return the topping and buy a second hand thx for a similar price

 

[oleg87]

I can return the topping and buy a second hand thx for a similar price

I don't see a good reason to do that...

 

[solderdude]

Which one do you recommend between the THX AAA 887 and topping a30pro? I can return the topping and buy a second hand thx for a similar price

Don't know who you are asking but here's my opinion.

Depends on how loud you (occasionally) want to play the headphone without running into clipping.
When you believe there is a 'best one' or 'most suited one' or 'better/best sounding one' out there your search will be endless as you will always be wondering if there is a 'better' choice out there or you want what others are describing and you don't seem to hear.

Both the THX AAA 887 and topping a30pro are capable of making them play loud enough and have more than the minimum required signal fidelity.
The question which you may prefer is one only you can answer.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Which one do you recommend between the THX AAA 887 and topping a30pro? I can return the topping and buy a second hand thx for a similar price

Get one of each? They seem to now be the only headphone amps on the market that have toggle switches located on the front panel, which is critical for me since I want to easily reach over and manually make changes quickly without having to dig up a remote control or navigate a selector button.

I have both the Monolith THX 887 and TOPPING A30Pro — one at my desk, the other at my comfy listening chair. I also have HE6SE v2 headphones (and other easier to drive ones as well). Both do a great job of driving the HE6SE v2's at the loudest volumes I would ever listen to. I just got a pair of IEMs, but have not yet tried them, so I can't speak to how well each does at very low levels of power output.

One potential difference is that I've read some concerns related to the THX 887 on the high gain setting with balanced input (4+ Vrms); but I am not sure how real that issue is. So something to check into.

Also, there is a very real difference between the two of them that is worth experimenting in your home environment with both your upstream DACs and your specific headphones. Not related to sound quality!!! But rather that the Low / Medium / High gain is different on the respective units, and so is the volume control range / rate of change within each gain setting. I find there is a very different user interface feeling between the two headphone amps for controlling volume, and you may find you have a preference for one or the other in your specific situation.

 

[Mimimetal]

Which one is "colder"?
I refer to the chassis temp not the sound, the topping seems to be too warm after less an hour. Anyway I use the mojo 1 in lineout mode that should be about 4v, is this too much for the input of some amps?

 

[solderdude]

What is too warm ?
Can you give a measurement of the ambient temperature and top side of the Topping ?
Is it going in protection ?
Does it get less warm without a headphone connected to it (while playing at the same level) ?
Some Topping model copies run warmer/hotter than other copies of the same model. I have theories about why this could be and is not necessarily problematic.

4V in balanced in is not too high. 4V in RCA is not a problem for 99.something% of headphone amps.

 

[Roland68]

After a while it became vey warm, I can keep the hand on it but anyway it seems too much

If you can rest your hand on it, then the device is not too warm and certainly not hot. If the ambient temperature is also significantly above 20°, then the device can get warmer by at least this difference.
It is completely normal for an amplifier, especially in the Class A/B range, to get warm even when idling.
This is not important for the normal service life and you are only driving yourself crazy and I have already mentioned several times that we have a certain warmth/heat hysteria here in the forum.

In the last 50 years, many amplifiers have been built that have gotten at least 40-50° warm when in use. How is it that these amplifiers can run for 20-30 years? And today everything that gets lukewarm or a little warmer suddenly breaks?

 

[Mimimetal]

I Ve received the headphones this morning, they are refurbished but seem like new.
As expected the volume with apple dongle is low but surprisingly the mojo works very well, except with some old tracks and live shows on YouTube

 

[FrantzM]

I Ve received the headphones this morning, they are refurbished but seem like new.
As expected the volume with apple dongle is low but surprisingly the mojo works very well, except with some old tracks and live shows on YouTube

They rquire EQ, then they become really stunning; to avoid clipping you will have to reduce the preamp level, the Apple dongle, and most amps less than 2 watts at 32 ohms may (will?) struggle. You need an amp capable of at least 2 watts at 32 ohms, more is better in this case.

Peace

 

[Mimimetal]

I have the Ananda stealth V2 and the edition xs, to my ears the Ananda is a way superior to the xs but the he6 is even better. I ll return both, after some hours of listening of the he6 returning on the Ananda makes feel them too bright.
Anyway I think that to drive properly these headphones even the a30pro isn't enough.
With some tracks I have to rotate the knob over 12, maybe because the a30pro need balanced input to give the max power and mojo has only line out over the jack.
I m using the Poweramp equalizer app with oratory settings, how much should l reduce the preamp?

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Anyway I think that to drive properly these headphones even the a30pro isn't enough.
With some tracks I have to rotate the knob over 12, maybe because the a30pro need balanced input to give the max power and mojo has only line out over the jack.

By 12, do you mean going past 12:00 noon on a volume control that ranges from 7:00am to 5:00pm (or alternatively, going past 6 on a dial that ranges from 1 to 11)?

If so, why is that an indication of not enough power when you are only using half of the available volume control range?