Just so everyone is aware, we've already done measurements of the HE6se on the GRAS, along with additional impressions which have been posted here: forum.headphones.com/t/hifiman-he6se/11924?u=resolve
A lot of people over at head-fi mentioned the Emotiva BasX A 100 amp (jumpers installed) as good choice to power these. I have this amp, but not those cans, and I can tell you I absolutely love it paired with the Sundara. It's a steal at $230 IMO.
Gonna lurk for that full review. Also, hope you're reviewing the earmen donald dac there. Quite an interesting form factor and would like to get your thoughts.
I have the HE6 SEv2 and have paired it with a Flux FA-10 and it needs all the power she can get. In fact most people report using speaker amps / speaker taps successfully to really the get the best out of it. Cayin IHA-6, Wells Milo, Ifi ican Pro, Flux all will make good amps to pair with it.
I’m looking forward to the full review! I would highly recommend pad swapping. I’m using Hifiman’s 400S Velpads which evens out the response at 2kHz and boosts the bass on my HE-500. Those pads along with the Deva headband make for a very comfortable high end planar.
Am I the only one who actually prefers this headband. The suspension headband of the sundara is one of the only headbands I don’t get a hot spot with no matter how long I wear them. Now only if it had swivel cups it’d be perfect
My only problem with this is the hard to adjust clamp. Literally loved the Sundaras but it's also the first headphone I sold purely because of discomfort
For the love of God, please review it with a speaker amp. Seriously. Speaker taps. I am begging you. I run a Topping A90 into a Bryston 3B ST. A/Bing between the two power sections, it's not even close.
nice impressions.. well you talkig about 500s but not he-560, which has almost versions out there. Can you comment/comparisons on this, specially versions 3 (adorama), if you happen to audition that.
I have the HE-6se v2 from Adorama. It's amazing but I am running it out of two Class A stereo Amps in mono. It's 90w in 8ohms. The Adorama version has the Deva headband too.
@@emuclone154 Go to any thread on any version of the He-6 and you will find a ton people running these off of stereo amps. My experience was they sound pretty good on the Liquid Gold X. Then I tried them on 1 Parasound Zamp v3, they sound much better. I got a 2nd one and ran them in mono an everything improved again. If you have any harshness in the highs, scooped out treble, or lacking bass it's probably because you aren't powering the He6 enough. Literally every thing improved with more clean power. I have a Bifrost 2 as the dac and I am using a Singxer Sa-1 as the pre-amp.
If it were only possible to get the Arya sound put into the cup size of the 6se and Sundara I wouldn't want for anything else. Always preferred this form factor
I genuinely don't understand why anybody would add EQ to what is supposed to be a reference headphone. I have been a sound engineer for over 10 years, and this concept completely eludes me. How is this going to serve as a "reference" if you are constantly changing the reference point (ie: the natural frequency response of the headphone). Doesn't make any sense.
Because oftentimes claimed 'reference' sound fails to reasonably achieve neutral or an even spectral balance. 'Reference' just means that's what they were aiming for. It doesn't mean they got there, or that it can't be made even more reference for what stuff is supposed to sound like.
Also love my HE 500. Use leather pads (constant depth, without angles). Tried velour ones, less clarity, didn't like them much.. Modified the external grills, the sound opened up significantly. The HPs rock! )
what's the difference between version 2? besides aesthetics I believe it's the power, you need good power to get these guys going. The recomended 2wpc is total nonsense. I tried these with an amp that is putting out about 2+ wpc and the headphones sounded dead and absolutely had no headroom.
I think you may need a speaker amp if you feel the headphones need EQing the bass. The bass is the highpoint with proper amping. Didn't need to EQ mine
Thanks for taking the time to do the he6-se v1. Would also be great to check out the new he6-se v2 on adorama $700 usd. I would say the technical performance is a little bit better than edition xx/ananda, but still not as good as arya? My pair does sound a little wonky. Will be interesting to see your eq profile. Also the book says something like it needs at least 2w per channel of power in order to drive, I wonder if that is even true and you need a powerful headphone amp or the he-adapter with speaker amp?
true, however they blow the arya and ananda out of the water . its not even close. as far as fun and enjoyment and technicalities. truly my favorite headphone. also the v2 adorama version is much better with swiveling cips and higher build quality. 799 on their website open box best thing under 2k
@@redleather420 Yeah im pissed , I got my geshelli labs amp in today , ran that stacked with the SMSL sanskrit on tidal .. max gain and volume and it got the hifimans sound level up descent enough but talk about trash. Bass crackling on certain tracks and lacked dynamic punch. Not a fun sound signature. I threw my audio technica ath 660s that focus on bass and mids , descent treble , but lack soundstage , the smsl sanskrit dac gives a soundstage and it hurt my ears bad on them and sounded clean. Highly dissapointed with these hifiman sundaras . I feel theyre over hyped and not even a fun headphone to listen to. You need eq'n for them big time for sure and so much power probably that your glued to your damn desktop . Just insane , I hear all these reviews and all these people overhype this crap , idk what people are thinking.
@@Dan.a.k.a.bradpitt interesting. Crackling in the bass could be a problem with the amp. Does sandara sounded fine to me not amazing but maybe something is wrong with yours or you were playing the volume way too loud or something with your amp
@@redleather420 I suspect its a power issue. Just because of the fact that it was not ear bleeding like it was on my other cans i tested. My audio technicas are alot easier to drive and there was absolutely no distortion when maxed, and thats ear bleed zone on them easy driven dynamics.. Even if there wasnt a bass distortion I honestly dont think the sound signature on them makes me happy enough to keep them around. They seem too neutral for me at my age, I could see them working for someone in their late 50s but im still in my 30s so I need more fun than what they provide.
I actually overlooked these in my list. I want a planar but not right at the top end, somewhere around the mid-top. Thing is I don't EQ headphones, if you need to EQ headphones you bought the wrong one, Reason why you cant trust reviews these days. But this one here sounds like at least for me might tick all the things what i'm after.
Why if I love a headphone by its comfort, looks and technical performance but I can't stand their stock tonality? Should I buy another more uncomfortable, ugly and less technical one in order to feel like I didn't bought the "wrong one"? Or I need to spend a fortune on gear to find a "magical synergy" that doesn't fix the problem? EQ a headphone doesn't mean you've bought the wrong one, stop saying that, every headphone benefits from quality parametric EQ to a greater or lesser extent, even the best ones.
There simply aren’t many headphones that sound great without EQ. Eq is necessary even on uber high end headphones if you want an an experience that does well with all genres of music.
@@blanchbacker That is not true, Unfortunately for you I have tested & reviewed many headphones in the past from low end, Gaming & high end. You are not only wrong but failed to take into account person preference, Conformist ideals don't apply to others. Literally if you tried a few headphones you will find one that matches you, End of Story.
I beg of you to review that new ribbon tweeter headphone from gold planar. The measurements say it actually has subbass down to 20 hz unlike the raals that give up after 100. And of course the audio GOD known only as zeos said they where the best ting he's ever heard, but maybe an opinion from a meer mortal would also be helpful (not that zeos is EVER wrong about a headphone).
@@frankfang4605 well, i dont own a he6, but i was interested in he6se v2 recently and some ppl told that a90 is not the best match for he6. Jotunheim 2 and fluxlab fa-10 seems to be a better choices.
@@theSeventhDruid True. A90 is just an example of having enough power, but enough power isn’t everything. Never heard Jot2 with he6se, but Jot1 isn’t really a good pairing. Flux Fa-10 is really good, plenty power and nicely turned. But eventually I switched to speaker amp with he6se.
@@frankfang4605 The A90 is one amp that measures well and sounds really quite bad to my ear. It just sounds mushy and limp in comparison to both the IHA-6 and the Rebel amp.
I've been debating between the 4xx, 400i, and 400se for a while now. If I'm remembering correctly the 4xx is a little more laid back in the highs, right? Like, still present but not stabbing my ears with little sibilant treble, right? If that's the case, I may soon purchase my first pair of planars FINALLY.
For chinese company selling high-end headphone consumber feel dissapointed if use cheap nasty plastic and low quality cable. i see focal audio french company give much better box, representation and bonus headphone case more than chinese give.
![GEEK TIMË [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ry-6RvkH880/mqdefault.jpg)
Just so everyone is aware, we've already done measurements of the HE6se on the GRAS, along with additional impressions which have been posted here: forum.headphones.com/t/hifiman-he6se/11924?u=resolve
Can we get a HIFIMAN HE400SE vid? GREAT
Nice video! When should we expect the LCD-X impressions video?
A lot of people over at head-fi mentioned the Emotiva BasX A 100 amp (jumpers installed) as good choice to power these. I have this amp, but not those cans, and I can tell you I absolutely love it paired with the Sundara. It's a steal at $230 IMO.
Gonna lurk for that full review.
Also, hope you're reviewing the earmen donald dac there. Quite an interesting form factor and would like to get your thoughts.
I have the HE6 SEv2 and have paired it with a Flux FA-10 and it needs all the power she can get. In fact most people report using speaker amps / speaker taps successfully to really the get the best out of it. Cayin IHA-6, Wells Milo, Ifi ican Pro, Flux all will make good amps to pair with it.
I’m looking forward to the full review! I would highly recommend pad swapping. I’m using Hifiman’s 400S Velpads which evens out the response at 2kHz and boosts the bass on my HE-500. Those pads along with the Deva headband make for a very comfortable high end planar.
Am I the only one who actually prefers this headband. The suspension headband of the sundara is one of the only headbands I don’t get a hot spot with no matter how long I wear them. Now only if it had swivel cups it’d be perfect
My only problem with this is the hard to adjust clamp. Literally loved the Sundaras but it's also the first headphone I sold purely because of discomfort
@@aerternaeaerumna5158 its will break after weeks of use
For the love of God, please review it with a speaker amp. Seriously. Speaker taps. I am begging you.
I run a Topping A90 into a Bryston 3B ST. A/Bing between the two power sections, it's not even close.
nice impressions.. well you talkig about 500s but not he-560, which has almost versions out there. Can you comment/comparisons on this, specially versions 3 (adorama), if you happen to audition that.
What has more bass slam; Hifiman HE6SE or LCD-X?
I have the HE-6se v2 from Adorama. It's amazing but I am running it out of two Class A stereo Amps in mono. It's 90w in 8ohms. The Adorama version has the Deva headband too.
I'm curious, is there any technical performance gained? If so, could you provide a source?
@@emuclone154 Go to any thread on any version of the He-6 and you will find a ton people running these off of stereo amps. My experience was they sound pretty good on the Liquid Gold X. Then I tried them on 1 Parasound Zamp v3, they sound much better. I got a 2nd one and ran them in mono an everything improved again. If you have any harshness in the highs, scooped out treble, or lacking bass it's probably because you aren't powering the He6 enough. Literally every thing improved with more clean power. I have a Bifrost 2 as the dac and I am using a Singxer Sa-1 as the pre-amp.
If you're considering the HE6se V2, currently $449.00 (new) at Adorama ... $1,350.00 off of the full retail from not too long ago.
You really think the headband on HE-5XX is better than this headband? (seems same as Sundara) Are both headbands compatible with each other?
Is the HE6se available for sale or is it now out-of-production?
what do we mean when we are referring to dynamics and slam/punch exactly?
If it were only possible to get the Arya sound put into the cup size of the 6se and Sundara I wouldn't want for anything else. Always preferred this form factor
It exists and it's 6000$
Agreed my Aryas have so much bass but I feel like you lose just a little depending on the seal around the bottom by the jawline area.
I genuinely don't understand why anybody would add EQ to what is supposed to be a reference headphone. I have been a sound engineer for over 10 years, and this concept completely eludes me. How is this going to serve as a "reference" if you are constantly changing the reference point (ie: the natural frequency response of the headphone). Doesn't make any sense.
Because oftentimes claimed 'reference' sound fails to reasonably achieve neutral or an even spectral balance. 'Reference' just means that's what they were aiming for. It doesn't mean they got there, or that it can't be made even more reference for what stuff is supposed to sound like.
i have the he500 and i love it
whats your recomendtion eq for he500?
i using focus pads its much improve comfort and sound
Also love my HE 500. Use leather pads (constant depth, without angles). Tried velour ones, less clarity, didn't like them much.. Modified the external grills, the sound opened up significantly. The HPs rock! )
Hi
Will the Topping A90 or the Singxer SA-1 be enough to power the he6se to satisfactory listening levels? Thanks
Yes
@@TheHEADPHONEShow ok best. I am going to get it. Thanks for your reply
what's the difference between version 2? besides aesthetics
I believe it's the power, you need good power to get these guys going. The recomended 2wpc is total nonsense. I tried these with an amp that is putting out about 2+ wpc and the headphones sounded dead and absolutely had no headroom.
I have the v2 and they sound much better than the Ananda's which I also like. I own both.
love to see how this compares with Rad-0
I can tell that the first track was Serge Gainsbourg, I suspect the second was Robert Goulet. That is a great looking headphone.
Hoping for a comparison against the V2.
I have sundara, and everything is good except for the non swivel earcup,, and this headphone do the same unfortunately
I think you may need a speaker amp if you feel the headphones need EQing the bass. The bass is the highpoint with proper amping. Didn't need to EQ mine
Very nice!
Thanks for taking the time to do the he6-se v1. Would also be great to check out the new he6-se v2 on adorama $700 usd.
I would say the technical performance is a little bit better than edition xx/ananda, but still not as good as arya?
My pair does sound a little wonky. Will be interesting to see your eq profile. Also the book says something like it needs at least 2w per channel of power in order to drive, I wonder if that is even true and you need a powerful headphone amp or the he-adapter with speaker amp?
THIS ONE OR ARYA ??
HiFiMAN HE6se v1 vs v2 coming???
Dude , lol that design makes em look just like the sundaras , and they cost almost two grand , Say What ?! omg
It's literally a Sundara design with HE400i earcups.
true, however they blow the arya and ananda out of the water . its not even close. as far as fun and enjoyment and technicalities. truly my favorite headphone. also the v2 adorama version is much better with swiveling cips and higher build quality. 799 on their website open box best thing under 2k
@@redleather420 Yeah im pissed , I got my geshelli labs amp in today , ran that stacked with the SMSL sanskrit on tidal .. max gain and volume and it got the hifimans sound level up descent enough but talk about trash. Bass crackling on certain tracks and lacked dynamic punch. Not a fun sound signature. I threw my audio technica ath 660s that focus on bass and mids , descent treble , but lack soundstage , the smsl sanskrit dac gives a soundstage and it hurt my ears bad on them and sounded clean. Highly dissapointed with these hifiman sundaras . I feel theyre over hyped and not even a fun headphone to listen to. You need eq'n for them big time for sure and so much power probably that your glued to your damn desktop . Just insane , I hear all these reviews and all these people overhype this crap , idk what people are thinking.
@@Dan.a.k.a.bradpitt interesting. Crackling in the bass could be a problem with the amp. Does sandara sounded fine to me not amazing but maybe something is wrong with yours or you were playing the volume way too loud or something with your amp
@@redleather420 I suspect its a power issue. Just because of the fact that it was not ear bleeding like it was on my other cans i tested. My audio technicas are alot easier to drive and there was absolutely no distortion when maxed, and thats ear bleed zone on them easy driven dynamics.. Even if there wasnt a bass distortion I honestly dont think the sound signature on them makes me happy enough to keep them around. They seem too neutral for me at my age, I could see them working for someone in their late 50s but im still in my 30s so I need more fun than what they provide.
HE6SE vs 1000XM4?
Nice 😂
I would say it probably needs between 100-150 hours of burn in.
I actually overlooked these in my list. I want a planar but not right at the top end, somewhere around the mid-top. Thing is I don't EQ headphones, if you need to EQ headphones you bought the wrong one, Reason why you cant trust reviews these days. But this one here sounds like at least for me might tick all the things what i'm after.
Why if I love a headphone by its comfort, looks and technical performance but I can't stand their stock tonality? Should I buy another more uncomfortable, ugly and less technical one in order to feel like I didn't bought the "wrong one"? Or I need to spend a fortune on gear to find a "magical synergy" that doesn't fix the problem?
EQ a headphone doesn't mean you've bought the wrong one, stop saying that, every headphone benefits from quality parametric EQ to a greater or lesser extent, even the best ones.
There simply aren’t many headphones that sound great without EQ. Eq is necessary even on uber high end headphones if you want an an experience that does well with all genres of music.
@@blanchbacker That is not true, Unfortunately for you I have tested & reviewed many headphones in the past from low end, Gaming & high end. You are not only wrong but failed to take into account person preference, Conformist ideals don't apply to others. Literally if you tried a few headphones you will find one that matches you, End of Story.
I definitely prefer the headband that they're using on the HE 400i 2020
Me too
I beg of you to review that new ribbon tweeter headphone from gold planar. The measurements say it actually has subbass down to 20 hz unlike the raals that give up after 100. And of course the audio GOD known only as zeos said they where the best ting he's ever heard, but maybe an opinion from a meer mortal would also be helpful (not that zeos is EVER wrong about a headphone).
Zeos is tone deaf so it doesn’t count
@@chefgav1 i think i was alluding to that. Social deafness is not much better.
If you don’t love the he6se, something is wrong with you my friend. 😂😂😂😂
Will the topping A90 be enough to power it at its best? Thanks
I want the V2 so badly, but I can't determine if my IFI Diablo is strong enough to power these. Some say yes, some no.
5W should be enough
Less than 3w@50ohn from phonitor e is probably not enough for he6se.
Hifiman designed EF6 especially for he-6. It is rated as 5w/50 ohm, so ye, take this as a recommendation, atleast 5w/50 ohm or more.
@@theSeventhDruid yeah. That’s pretty what I thought too. Something like a A90 with at least 5w@50ohm will be ideal to drive he6se.
@@frankfang4605 well, i dont own a he6, but i was interested in he6se v2 recently and some ppl told that a90 is not the best match for he6. Jotunheim 2 and fluxlab fa-10 seems to be a better choices.
@@theSeventhDruid True. A90 is just an example of having enough power, but enough power isn’t everything. Never heard Jot2 with he6se, but Jot1 isn’t really a good pairing. Flux Fa-10 is really good, plenty power and nicely turned. But eventually I switched to speaker amp with he6se.
@@frankfang4605 The A90 is one amp that measures well and sounds really quite bad to my ear. It just sounds mushy and limp in comparison to both the IHA-6 and the Rebel amp.
4XX headband for the win.
I've been debating between the 4xx, 400i, and 400se for a while now. If I'm remembering correctly the 4xx is a little more laid back in the highs, right? Like, still present but not stabbing my ears with little sibilant treble, right? If that's the case, I may soon purchase my first pair of planars FINALLY.
@@robpatershuk If you've been debating for a while, then you should have been able to save up enough to just get a Sundara :P
That price tho.
HE6se vs Arya?
Arya. But, V2 is a different question.
@@ResolveReviews yo resolve, how much of a proud american you are?
@@Tacet137 lol
@@Tacet137 he is Canadian?
@@ResolveReviews lol you are Proud American aren't you
For chinese company selling high-end headphone consumber feel dissapointed if use cheap nasty plastic and low quality cable.
i see focal audio french company give much better box, representation and bonus headphone case more than chinese give.
I mean Focal also has the most disgusting cables in the game if you ask me.
Snobisme resume all those commentators