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Hifiman HE6se Review (Headphone)

Those would work yes but be careful.


On a different note, I'm ending my chase of the HE6se white whale. Maybe they are too heavy, maybe I didn't like planars.

I've tried a million amps including the A70pro and the Schiit Ragnorok 2. It's not just power, something holds these headphones back to me, even with ample power.

I bought refurbished (2 pairs) and had to send one back within warranty, which they gave me some headache about, but ultimately they repaired it at their cost. I did have to make my case a few times sternly.

Obviously this is a personal result, not bashing the he6se headphones. At the moment I'm using fostex th900 pearls and can listen much longer and louder.

I feel like this is a journey everyone goes on.
 
Those would work yes but be careful.


On a different note, I'm ending my chase of the HE6se white whale. Maybe they are too heavy, maybe I didn't like planars.

I've tried a million amps including the A70pro and the Schiit Ragnorok 2. It's not just power, something holds these headphones back to me, even with ample power.

I bought refurbished (2 pairs) and had to send one back within warranty, which they gave me some headache about, but ultimately they repaired it at their cost. I did have to make my case a few times sternly.

Obviously this is a personal result, not bashing the he6se headphones. At the moment I'm using fostex th900 pearls and can listen much longer and louder.

I feel like this is a journey everyone goes on.
Well, there is something called EQ! I'm assuming from your comments about trying different amps that you don't believe in EQ and are more about trying to swap out audio components in your audio chain in misguided attempts to change the sound. Maybe you do use EQ already, but it doesn't sound like it from what you're saying.
 
I'm using eq for sure. I know many think the he6se adequately powered is end game, I didn't. That's not meant to be provocative in the he6se thread, just my experience.
 
Those would work yes but be careful.


On a different note, I'm ending my chase of the HE6se white whale. Maybe they are too heavy, maybe I didn't like planars.

I've tried a million amps including the A70pro and the Schiit Ragnorok 2. It's not just power, something holds these headphones back to me, even with ample power.

I bought refurbished (2 pairs) and had to send one back within warranty, which they gave me some headache about, but ultimately they repaired it at their cost. I did have to make my case a few times sternly.

Obviously this is a personal result, not bashing the he6se headphones. At the moment I'm using fostex th900 pearls and can listen much longer and louder.

I feel like this is a journey everyone goes on.
For me, there are differences in headphones that cannot be compensated for with EQ. I have a HE6se V2 and have heard various HE6se and V2. Definitely good headphones for me.
I listened to the Fostex TH900 mk2 Perl extensively at the High End this year and for me I clearly ranked it above the HE6SE / V2.
 
I'm using eq for sure. I know many think the he6se adequately powered is end game, I didn't. That's not meant to be provocative in the he6se thread, just my experience.
Good that you tried using EQ, albeit it didn't sound at all like you had, it sounded very Headfi your original post, but fantastic that you tried EQ to sort it out. Yeah, the HE6SE is a round Hifiman headphone, how different is it gonna be from other round Hifiman's after you've applied EQ. There are a few round Hifiman's that have low distortion, HE400SE that I bought just last week for only £69, and that sounds really good with a good EQ. I could imagine the HE400SE being end game for some people, I could imagine the HE6SE being end game for some people - they're both round Hifiman's with low distortion and pretty good EQ'able frequency responses, personally I wouldn't expect much difference between those two headphones after EQ.
 
The smsl ao200 mk1 Is about 139€ on the warehouse, I m very courious if it is a lot better than the a30pro.
 
Yesterday i Ve received this adapter
I m using the headphones with topping d10b and smsl ao200, bought for 100€. I haven't the a30pro anymore so I can't make an a/b comparison but the smsl seems works vey well, for sure has more power than the a30pro and has cost me less
 
Yesterday i Ve received this adapter
I m using the headphones with topping d10b and smsl ao200, bought for 100€. I haven't the a30pro anymore so I can't make an a/b comparison but the smsl seems works vey well, for sure has more power than the a30pro and has cost me less
Well, it should have a bit more power, the AO200 has a power rating in the 3-digit range, not 1-digit ;)

Just make sure that you only connect real balanced headphones/cables. Headphone cables with 4-pin XLR but a common ground are also sold. If in doubt, it's better to measure before it goes "bang" or smokes in the amplifier.
 
Have any of y'all had the Sundaras and the He6se to compare directly? Is there much of an upgrade from 1 to the other? Thinking about grabbing one of the refurbs for $400 on hifiman, or maybe saving up a bit more for the Arya stealths...

Am slightly worried about my amp, I'm using a vali 3 atm and worried it really wouldn't have the power for the he6se's.

Anyone that's moved up from the sundaras?
 
Snagged myself a pair of the Adorama version (so the HE6SE v2) which might just be pad and band differences to this or may be diff drivers.(Anyone know?)

Comfy, don't feel too heavy, dont feel too shoddy on the build quality either. Apart from the cable which I assume is the same or worse than on the SE version reviewed here. I dont even want to touch it let alone use it (and massively too short too- doesnt even reach the extension lead I have coming from my amp when I sit on the sofa.)

Yes, not the easiest to drive. -5dB preamp for the EQ I'm using and I can go to full volume on gain 2 of the THX789 or around noon on the Schiit Mjolnir I have had waiting for just such a challenge. High gain on the 789 is more than ample for my listening levels.

EDIT- the RME ADI 2 DAC can drive them at my kind of levels with that much EQ too, but I could get it to 0db so many others here would run out of juice I am sure.

Sound pretty good without EQ at first listen but now the real fun begins of dialling them in just so to my taste.

Open box from Hifiman own store, delivered to my door from china within a week. Just over £500 all done. I think my headphone collection is finally complete. Now to find some cat proof nearfield monitors!
hi jimbob54

I am a new subscriber, and sorry to ask you questions that have already been answered, but I have read a lot on the site but have not found precise and definitive information.
I would like to combine an RME ADI-2 PRO FS R BE with a hifiman he6 se v2, I have seen the power data both in watts and in amps and volts of the RME (graphs in the RME manual) and it would seem to be able to drive without distortion or clippong up to 114db, I understand that you have both the RME and the hifiman, do you agree that the device drives the hifiman fully or should we turn to the RME model with higher power (ADI-2/4 Pro SE) ?
I ask you this also because I had read a message from the RME designer that excluded this headphone among the drivable ones, together with the famous akg, indicating to use it with a loudspeaker amplifier.....but I didn't understand if it was a message prior to the release of the latest RME equipment....

thanks for the reply

MM
 
hi jimbob54

I am a new subscriber, and sorry to ask you questions that have already been answered, but I have read a lot on the site but have not found precise and definitive information.
I would like to combine an RME ADI-2 PRO FS R BE with a hifiman he6 se v2, I have seen the power data both in watts and in amps and volts of the RME (graphs in the RME manual) and it would seem to be able to drive without distortion or clippong up to 114db, I understand that you have both the RME and the hifiman, do you agree that the device drives the hifiman fully or should we turn to the RME model with higher power (ADI-2/4 Pro SE) ?
I ask you this also because I had read a message from the RME designer that excluded this headphone among the drivable ones, together with the famous akg, indicating to use it with a loudspeaker amplifier.....but I didn't understand if it was a message prior to the release of the latest RME equipment....

thanks for the reply

MM
I find with eq (so a few dB preamp reduction) with some quiet content the rme can get maxed if I like listening loud.

But I have the single ended adi2 DAC. You have the pro which can run balanced so more power if you adapt the dual 6.35mm outputs to a balanced connection. Suspect that would be enough.
 
???
Is there a SE-only version?Or you mean you use it that way?

Edit:Oh,you mean HP,ok.
No, mean the DAC. OP has the pro rme that can be run balanced. I have the rme non pro that only has se headphone output.
 
Ho scoperto che con l'equalizzazione (quindi una riduzione di qualche dB del preamplificatore) e con un contenuto sonoro tranquillo, il rme può essere portato al massimo se mi piace ascoltare ad alto volume.

Ma ho il DAC single ended adi2. Hai il pro che può funzionare in modalità bilanciata, quindi più potenza se adatti le uscite duali da 6,35 mm a una connessione bilanciata. Immagino che sarebbe sufficiente.
Thanks for your reply



The problem doesn't concern only the watts, but also the current capacity, if I look at the data of the two RME devices I see that the ADI-2 Pro FS R at 64 Ohm expresses about 3 watts, 220 mA and 8.2 Vrms, the ADI-2/4 Pro SE also at 64 Ohm expresses about 4 watts, 380 mA and 9.3 Vrms.

Rather than watts it's the Vrms at the limit in the more powerful device, if we set 115 DB as a target, it would have been better to have a value at least around 10 Vrms, with watts and mA we'd be there with both devices...

So, from the RME specs it would seem that the ADI-2/4 Pro SE alone has the potential to drive the HE6s if v2.....

Does anyone have experience with the two RME DAC amplifiers?

the price difference between the two is not small, we're talking at least 600 Euro



basically with the difference you buy a topping A70 pro and have 100 euro left over for the pair of xlr cables...
 
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thank you for your reply

The problem does not only concern the watts, but also the current capacity, if I look at the data of the two RME devices I see the ADI-2 Pro FS R at 64 Ohm expresses about 3 watts, 220 mA and 8.2 Vrms, the ADI-2/4 Pro SE also at 64 Ohm expresses about 4 watts, 380 mA and 9.3 Vrms.
More than the watts are the Vrms at the limit in the more powerful device if we give ourselves 115 DB as a target, it would have been better to have a value at least around 10 Vrms, with the watts and mA instead we would be there with both devices......
So from the RME specifications it would appear that the ADI-2/4 Pro SE alone has the potential to drive the HE6s if v2.....
does anyone have any experience with the two RME dac amps?
the difference in price between the two is not a small one, at least 600 euros are involved

basically with the difference you buy a topping A70 pro and have 100 euro left over for the pair of xlr cables...
Is there something magic about 115dB? Do you actually have a need for that much headroom?
 
Is there something magic about 115dB? Do you actually have a need for that much headroom?
let's say it's a good rule not to use the amplifier's power at 100%, but to stop at a maximum of 70% of its capacity, so 115db is not used, but a little margin must always be calculated both for the health of the amplifier and to handle power peaks required by the various recordings.
 
let's say it's a good rule not to use the amplifier's power at 100%, but to stop at a maximum of 70% of its capacity, so 115db is not used, but a little margin must always be calculated both for the health of the amplifier and to handle power peaks required by the various recordings.
The difference between the two amps at the limit into 64ohms is a bit over 1dB SPL. Essentially meaningless for any practical purpose.
 
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