CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Headphone, IEM, and Other Audio Related Discussion => Topic started by: Prydz on September 03, 2015, 04:53:04 PM
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Hello!
I'm on a quest to decide my new headphone. And so far it seems like LCD-3 & HE-6 is what fulfills my needs the most. I recently got a Hegel H80 stereoamplifier, 75W @ 8Ohm to drive the HE-6. It dident amaze me much compared to the Mjolnir I got, which was kinda... Well I wasent expecting to get blown away so yeah. But it kinda left me wondering if I should bother with the hassle of a stereoamp. I mean its not very convenient.
My setup is:
Schiit Wyrd
Arcam irDAC
Schiit Mjolnir
Hegel H80
HE-Adapter for HE-6, with AudioQuest Rocket 44 cables.
Norne Solv X for Audeze
Lawton Pads for HE-6.
So far I found the LCD-3 to have really likeable imaging, or should I say seperation, which makes it sound more detailed, and to me more enjoyable. The music has more air. HE-6 is not far behind, but its a pretty easy difference to notice. HE-6 has tighter bass, LCD-3F sounds loose compared to it. I do find some siblance with the HE-6 which is annyoing, and as other people has mentioned, you do get kinda tired from the HE-6.
I also find them sounding a bit unnatural, kinda anemic for the lack of a better word.
Does anyone have any suggestions to make the HE-6 better?
With the Fuzzor mod I used a very thin felt, around 1-1,3mm thick. So it might work more as dampning then a actual fazor, lol.
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Wait, the LCD-3 has more air than the HE6? Somethings up in this setup. When I owned the HE6 it threw a massive stage (albeit wonky and diffused). I used a vintage Marantz 2285, Pioneer SX-1980 and a decked out Odyssey Stratos Plus at various stages, with similar results. The LCD's (both 2 and 3) were comparitively forward and a little suffocating. Not sure what's up here.
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As I mentioned, to me it sounds like LCD-3F has more airy sound, because of its imaging, cause it sounds like there's more "air" inbetween the sounds/instruments, better seperation. Accoustic music, the HE-6 does sound a little more airy tho, but not when there's more going on in the music.
The lawton angled pads did help improve this, so I maybe the Audeze pads, which are even thicker, well improve it even more.
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I don't remember if Mjolnir is considered enough power for the HE-6, but it used to be considered a great pairing with the LCD-3. I don't know what speaker amps bring to the HE-6 in terms of refinement and control. I think if you can try them both on something like Ragnarok, you can get a good idea of their differences on a level playing field.
Bring them both over to MA and you can use mine. :)
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Mjolnir is not considered a good pairing with the HE-6. It can play them loud enough, to around 98dB measured with my iphone (lol), but its not considered good.
Audeze on the other hand, its indeed excellent. Ive only had a Burson the conductor & Mjolnir, and the Mjolnir was far better, cause it brings the Audeze alive.
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Do my mods and don't use leather pads. Imaging comes from angled pads which the vegans are perfect for. Clemmaster already told you the H80 is not a good pairing.
Something is definitely wrong.
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How is the treble with your mod ohhgourami?
I'm a little treble shy, and I defently dont like the slight siblance I get.
Ive ordered a pair of leather free Audeze pads, I hope I get them next week so I can listen to the Doxa power amp, which I have high hopes for.
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Even the most treble shy on here (the majority) said my mods are very smooth.
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Mjolnir is not considered a good pairing with the HE-6. It can play them loud enough, to around 98dB measured with my iphone (lol), but its not considered good.
Audeze on the other hand, its indeed excellent. Ive only had a Burson the conductor & Mjolnir, and the Mjolnir was far better, cause it brings the Audeze alive.
A few posts on HF lately have said the Mjolnir can easily drive the HE-6, but I definitely agree with you. It will get them loud, but still limit them.
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I wouldn't touch a stock HE-6 on any amp I would consider decent.
With OhG or Clem mods, I'd find the HE6 on Mojo 2 (tubes) or even original Mojo quite difficult to beat for the price.
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Even the most treble shy on here (the majority) said my mods are very smooth.
I say go with the ohhgourami vegan mod
The treble is beautiful on the HE6*
*otherwise, it could be your amp's power quality
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Yep I have ordered vegan pads, and going to try a really cool amp next week.
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Do the grill mod, staging will be much better. Felt the underside of the vegans. Seal up the drivers to the housing with blutack.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/493214/hifiman-he-6-planar-magnetic-headphone/17190#post_11864770
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Dammit. Just when I thought I had my tuning all set. Is there any more sibilance using just the felt ring vs. fuzzor? Sealing the driver is a really big deal, great find on that mod.
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Dammit. Just when I thought I had my tuning all set. Is there any more sibilance using just the felt ring vs. fuzzor? Sealing the driver is a really big deal, great find on that mod.
No sibilance with felt ring. Main reason why I moved away from fuzzor was because it reduced clarity. Felt ring has similar effects of fuzzor without the drawbacks.
Sealing the driver is indeed a big deal!
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Cool, thanks. I'll give it a try. Agreed regarding the clarity with the fuzzor, I only run a partial fuzzor for that reason currently. I'm always amazed by how good this headphone is, considering what it sounds like stock poo. Crazy.
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Never thought it sounded bad stock. But these mods are miles ahead of what it was. Plus how difference my setup is since then helps a whole lot.
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The stock treble drives me bonkers, despite the other good technical attributes of the headphone. I'm sure it's more of an issue for some people than others.
I tried the felt ring pad mod - it got me very close to where I want to be. Out of the Rag on high gain, the resulting sound was subjectively just slightly etched. I'm sure off a more organic sounding amp, this would be less of an issue. I ended up removing about 2" of the felt ring on the interior of the pad (removed it from the front side of the pad), and re-applying a small amount of fuzzor. What's nice is that the ring get's you pretty much there and you can tweak the amount of ring coverage along with some fuzzor application to taste.
Thanks for your continued investigation of mods for this headphone ohhgourami. The most recent mods have essentially eliminated any desire I had for the HE-1000. :)p6
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The stock treble drives me bonkers, despite the other good technical attributes of the headphone. I'm sure it's more of an issue for some people than others.
I tried the felt ring pad mod - it got me very close to where I want to be. Out of the Rag on high gain, the resulting sound was subjectively just slightly etched. I'm sure off a more organic sounding amp, this would be less of an issue. I ended up removing about 2" of the felt ring on the interior of the pad (removed it from the front side of the pad), and re-applying a small amount of fuzzor. What's nice is that the ring get's you pretty much there and you can tweak the amount of ring coverage along with some fuzzor application to taste.
Thanks for your continued investigation of mods for this headphone ohhgourami. The most recent mods have essentially eliminated any desire I had for the HE-1000. :)p6
Rag had a bit of etch even with the fuzzor for me. While my Krells never had this issue.
I sold my HE1k for another HE-6 as spare.
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Oh, I'm liking the vegans on the HE500 as well. You know, for days when you can't have your speaker amp with you.