HiFiMAN HE6se Full-Size Over Ear Planar Magnetic Audiophile Adjustable Headphones V2

Product Information

I would like to say that first and foremost I am NOT an “audiophile” but rather an audio enthusiast. The E40 has a very black background with no hiss and usable volume being above the imbalance point of the pot. Or do you expect all the vectors of the car to be right, but you might change tires or tune the suspension to adjust for your specific climate and roads? For 1800 USD, they captured what impressed me when I tried Sennheiser's Orpheus system a few years ago, and this alone made me yearn for HE6SE so often. The sound is extremely detailed, clear, crisp, punchy and dynamic, and brings out the best in HE6SE, and their alive signature.

Accessory wise you are supposed to get the HE-Adapter but mine didn’t (not an issue for me), you also get a pair of the standard Velour earpads, manual, cable and a 4-pin XLR to 6. I have Geshelli Erish a very highly considered amp that is 1 watt per channel and it clips badly with the HE’s. This is why I feel so strongly about the initial presentation of a product, and I feel it’s truly a shame more people don’t. If you're curious, you can read part 1 here, where I talk about my first choice, the HIFIMAN Arya, and how it made me sad.When the HE6 went out of production, to make way for new models such as the HE1000, there was a deep sigh of anguish which could be heard echoing through the valleys of the portable audio clan. I mean, the headphone itself would be pretty portable, despite the slightly increased weight when compared to Sundara, you could simply strap a Sundara cable to HE6SE and take it with you, if you found anything that would be capable of driving them properly. The one downside to the headband, like with the Sundara, is the lack of swivel to adjust the front/back angle.

Please allow me to explain why I feel so strongly about the initial unboxing experience with a product.However if you are after HiFiMan headphones, I would encourage you to audition any of their new(er) offerings like the Edition XV2, HE1000 variants, Arya or Ananda. Yes some headphones have better micro-detail, and others have better soundstaging, but when it comes to pure enjoyment and energy there are few that can match what these deliver.

The LCD-4 has, again, got better detail retrieval but with lower energy and punch they sound a little reserved and almost boring in comparison, whilst being a superb headphone in their own right. I really do wonder if you listen at insanely high volume levels or if there is a problem with the Erish, if what you say about clipping is true. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in HIFIMAN HE6SE find their next music companion. Are they packaged with pride and presented in such a way that makes the listener eager to listen to them? It won't extend so well for orchestral, but the instrument separation is another strong characteristic of HE6SE, and overall instrument placing is also spot-on.The dynamics are also excellent, especially with the right amplifier, like Audio-gd master 19, or like Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. For all fairness, DAC+ manages to do exactly that, and although Mytek are better known for providing some of the most interesting DACs on the market, when they set out to implement a headphone output in one of their DACs, they managed to impress everyone with the large amounts of driving power, excellent control, punch and dynamics.

HIFIMAN HE6SE + xDuoo TA-10 - Then, there's xDuoo TA-10, which has a very warm, thick and smooth signature, and if you wanted to have the detail and revealing abilities of HE6SE, paired with a smooth, warm, thick, and bassy DAC / Amplifier, then TA-10 will deliver exactly that. FR curves indicate that the HE6se V2's low end is tame and neutral, but the low end has quite a bit more slam, aggression, and presence than the Sundara and the Arya. Not only that, but with less fluff to worry about, you just have to enjoy the music, and leave alone the headphone, which isn't meant to be more than a window to your music, and He6SE is pretty great at doing that.

There's more to hear about it, and how it compares with HIFIMAN Arya, Kennerton Thror, Audeze LCD-MX4, as well as something much more expensive line Warwick Acoustics Sonoma Model One. It’s an experience that takes you to another dimension, if just for a little while, making you forget of everything else. Knock off a few more hundred and just give me the drivers held together with a metal coat hanger with a sock wrapped around it.