🔶 Hifiman HE6SE

I don’t use a stand alone EQ (my Schiit Loki), but with my iFi amp they really take to bass boost AND the 3D effect. I just finished two weeks with a new set and am going back on these today. When I was doing some comparisons, I ran these these flat, with no enhancements at all, except for being in tube mode with the iFi. They still sounded good, but I am really looking forward to cranking up the special features and running these for days. :headphones:

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Have you done any modding to them at all or are they stock?

They don’t sound good on any SS amp. They do nicely with an OTL amp like my BHCs. Although the HD-600 and HD-800 do much better.

None at all.

As far as mods that effect sound, I have the honeycomb grills, and I use dekoni pads on it. I found that the grill change really opened the bass a good bit more and get a better thump out of kick drums and overall more slam. I would try these, they’re relatively inexpensive and it sounds amazing.

Mine are driven (all through an RME ADI-2) with a Bottlehead S.E.X., liquid gold x, and emotiva a-100 basx. All of these change the sound profile somewhat depending what I listen to, but the mods on the headphones made the biggest difference to me. I also replaced the headband and terrible stock cable.

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I found the headband painful, but some Nuggets fixed that. I took the grills off and listened for an hour or two. I didn’t notice a Huge difference, but I might play with that again down the road.

I wanna jam these for a few days and then get back to some old stuff. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Long overdue I finally reviewed the He6se v2. I actually filmed this thing 3 times… Anyways the He6se v2 is a fantastic headphone but seems like alot of people on forum are having QC issues, I guess I lucked out. I have had them for 3 months and I find the detail sound absolutely fantastic. It kind of has a huge midrange dip that does adversely effect the mids that the sundara seems to avoid and be tuned better in the mids. However, he6se v2 has really good bass extension and beautiful treble. I actually got a chance to listen to the OG He-6 6 screw at Canjam 2021 and damn does that bass ever slam really hard. Using the same source (Ifi Idsd Signature) the he-6 slams significantly harder than the he 6se v2 its not even close lol.

I compare the he6se v2 to sundara and GL2000 in video!

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Planars ring. For my 6sev1 4150 Hz and 9820 need to get reduced - not because of the FR, because of the ringing. 4150 -2.5 Q 5.20 Analog bell; 9820 -2.4 Q 7.9 Analog bell. You generally locate those via waterfall plots. Most HFM cans vary on the centerpoint by as much as hundreds of Hz. You have to listen to hit the center points.

I use the fuzzor mod on these and my HE-500 which cuts down reflections and cancellations. General FR charts can’t locate that, the ear can easily.

Mods? All HFM cables for cans under $2k suck. Pads suck. Any OFC cable will do and Ether Angled Lambskins and NO rear screen do a great job for the soundstage - much more so paired. Also 500 and a few other HFM need bass damping. I use dynamat. Putty doesn’t do enough. After that detune the ringing a bit. Then the parametric EQ. I get timbre out of my 500 and 6sev1 almost as good as the HD-600.

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So did some experimenting today. I used the ring that came with some dekoni pads I had bought and added it to the brainwaz fenestrated pads. It seemed that the soundstage got a bit wider. The highs also got a bit smoother as well and improved the tonality a bit more. Also added the dekoni comfort strap to the top with some velcro ties. I saw someone else do this similar thing here on the forum I believe.

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I used to build/adapt various screens for the 500, 6sev1, 4xx, 5LE. For 2 years I ditched all the screens, and they sound better that way. No damage.

If you must screen use the minimum gauge (see 1/2" hardwarecloth)

Looks fantastic!

Could you just take the OEM plate off and just cover it with a piece of panty hose to keep the dust out? Maximum openess with protection? Maybe glue it to the ring?

Finally received my replacement HE6se!

This is endgame for me, it really shines with the Burson Soloist. I am keeping the LSA HP-2, the Audeze LCD-X and the Hifiman HE6se. Done (at least i hope so!).

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how does the LCD-X compare? really eying that 20% off

Is there any link on step by step how to replace the headband to audeze o es?

To my ears the LCD-X and the HE6 deliver the sound in a different manner overall. The bass on the LCD-X is pretty comparable to the HE6se when EQd, the detail retrieval is also similar but in stock form the HE6 sounds good while the LCD-X sounds all wrong.

After proper EQ on the LCD-X i think the main difference between the two comes down to soundstage, the HE6 is wider and deeper i think, it also has better imaging while the LCD-X has that “wall of sound” quality to it. I really enjoy both, depends on my mood and the music i am listening to.

I have tried quite a few good sets including the Sundara, Ananda, Focal Clear and these 3 on the picture are my top choices. Just keep in mind the LCD-X needs EQ, otherwise i would not recommend it at all!

BTW, it is worth mentioning that the LCD-X and the HE6 are the only two planars i have ever listened to which are actually capable or producing a decent bass slam.

I do consider the HE6 the superior set with the right amp though, if i had to chose only one it would be the HE6.

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Stuck Driver(s)

I’ve been missing out … my set arrived with both drivers stuck from the get go, and my old ears never knew the difference, other than these were bass light compared to other direct driver headphones I own.

I guess I get to find out how much fun the RMA process is … yaaaaay.

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Took a month and a half to arrive but dang the power, taking my HE6se and DT 880 600ohm for a spin

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Yooo you must share how it compares! Really curious to know with he6se

Ugh. I think I blew mine up. Moved some stuff around my room and some cables got unplugged. Plugged them back in hastily and the right channel is completely dead. Got careless and paid the price. Is it worth it to get them fixed? Is it possible? Thanks!
(bought used, not original owner)