Long ago, well, more precisely, a decade ago, that by the standards of portable audio is already an era, the headphones were considered something not worthy of a serious audiophile. Such a surrogate, when listening to your favorite speaker system is completely impossible. Through the efforts of the hard-core market players and the newcomers who have grown up on it, this view has changed, and to a large extent this was facilitated by the release of the HiFiMan HE-6.
HE-6, which became one of the first full-size models of the company, was a very bold experiment. Huge for those times the price exceeding $ 1000, very low sensitivity, requiring a powerful headphone amplifier, which in fact at the time of the release of HE-6 was not, all this was a bold step for a company that has not yet won its current fame.
Innovations in the HE-6 were many, beginning with a powerful magnetic system and ending with gold-plated tracks. All this made it possible to achieve an incredible sound, albeit at a very low sensitivity. Their cost at the time of release was very large (although now there are many models and more expensive), but the price of these headphones is still kept high, can be for 1300 dollars. But is not this a big price for headphones that came out so many years ago?
Specifications
- Frequency range: 8 Hz to 65 kHz
- Impedance: 50Ω
- Sensitivity: 83.5 dB / mW
- Maximum input power: 8 W
- Weight: 502 gr
- Cable: replaceable, balanced, single-crystal copper with 4-pin XLR connector - 2 m, adapter for 6.3 mm - 1 m
Packing and delivery kit
The first generation of headphones from HiFiMan is a greeting from an era when even the packaging should look "premium", and it does it. Luxurious solid box, covered with black imitation leather, decorates the gold embossing and the lock, as in suitcases. Nothing is more steep (and impractical) in terms of packaging so far, perhaps, did not come up.
Inside on the substrate of a black velvety material are the headphones themselves. In addition to these, you will receive a couple of ear cups from velor (the second pair of leatherette is already worn on the headphones), an excellent cable with a 4-pin XLR connector, an XLR adapter for a regular 6.3 mm plug, a headphone bag and a pair of connectors in case , if you want to make or order another cable.
The theater starts with a hanger, and HiFiMan HE-6 - with the packaging.
Design and comfortable wearing
Describe the appearance of old overhead models HiFiMan - the occupation is quite ungrateful. Firstly, they all look almost identical except for the difference in color, and secondly, the design is as simple as possible, one look at the photo makes clear all the features of the design of these models.
The cups are made of plastic, glossy dark blue (the first test versions used cups, covered with pseudo-skin, but this idea was abandoned). Covering the cups cold hands and tactile like a metal, I was even at first mistaken, considering them metal. The headband, covered with leatherette, and the forks are metal, which gives the device reliability. Headphones are very comfortable sitting on the head, the pressing force is selected very neatly, they are comfortable with prolonged wearing. By the way, for those who want to squeeze out of the model "more", HiFiMan offers corner pads Focus Pads.
The cable that comes with the headphones is clearly a success for the company, it looks good, it is not bad acoustically, it's light and therefore very convenient. Separately, HiFiMan sold it for $ 150. It, naturally, interchangeable, the same coaxial SMC-connectors with threaded fixing, as well as in other headphones of the company are used.
I would characterize the external style of the HE-6 as a functional modern, while other manufacturers try to use complex shapes, expensive materials and other pretentiousness, HiFiMan make their model as simple and constructive and outward as possible. What is most funny, they do not look cheap at the same time, the design is accented on the grill, through which the gold tracks of the radiator and the magnetic system are visible, so everything looks interesting together.
Acoustic design of this model - completely open, this makes them exclusively home headphones, designed for listening in the comfort of your favorite chair.
Sound
The following equipment was used for listening:
- Yulong DA8 as DAC
- HiFiMan EF-6 as an amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia as a player
- High Definition Records in Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening to the headphones were warmed for 60 hours.
Sound HE-6 can be described as thoroughbred, with an incredible resolution (in this parameter, only electrostatic models can compete with them), irreproachable elaboration of both micro- and macrodynamics and practically unbiased in AFC. Surprisingly, the uneven response in the range from 20 Hz to 20 KHz is about 15 dB, the result is almost unbelievable for headphones.
In general, it is very difficult to record the sound of these headphones in detail, without breaking into enthusiastic epithets and banal descriptions such as "very good", "detailed", "fast", etc. But I'll try.
Bass - natural, very lively, speed and resolution of HE-6 allow LF to show the slightest nuances of recording, without a hint of hum or stalling into a single pile. The brain, initially devoid of the usual background of low frequencies, does not immediately realize that instead of a rumble, the intelligible sounds of each individual instrument now go. At the same time, the HE-6 produces an accurately measured amount of energy in order to transmit all impacts, claps and similar effects. Persistent bassheads will not detect in the bass the usual ejection of eardrums, but from a musical point of view, low frequencies of HE-6 are close to the ideal among headphones both in resolution and depth.
Having got used to the sound of HE-6, to return to most other headphones later is quite problematic, after the incredibly detailed middle frequencies of this model all the others seem cloudy and clamped. Just the case when wearing headphones, you begin to hear more nuances of long familiar tracks. This ex-flagship HiFiMan gives the MF a little detached, but with incredible detail. There is absolutely no attempt at anything to smooth out the sound of melody or smoothness. If you need a smoothed sound - either choose other headphones, or select the source. The HE-6 is an uncompromising truthfulness that will show all the shortcomings of the material and emphasize the virtues. A staggering plausibility, a natural transfer of volume, working out all plans - all this succeeds in this model.
The high frequencies are also uncompromising. In the headphones there is a slight rise in the HF area, emphasizing them, but the HE-6 does not break into sibilants (unless, of course, they are not in the recording) and do not tire. Their feed is filled with lightness, air, and - when necessary - conveys the slightest damping and nuances. Initially, I needed to get used to the HF of this model a little, the amount of information that the HE-6 manage to squeeze into this range, just surprises, and at first it seems that there is a lot of RF in them. A little getting used to the pitch, you know that in fact this amount is due not to the increase in volume, namely, how many sounds and after-sound the headphones give out to the listener.
Compatibility
The main disadvantage of this outstanding model is its low sensitivity, which in combination with not the highest impedance puts before the amplifier simply unrealistic tasks. At the time of the release of the HE-6, the main EH-6 that was suitable for them was the huge EF-6, manufactured by HiFiMan itself. To fix the situation, the company released an adapter, which allowed to connect the HE-6 to a conventional amplifier for acoustic systems. It is worth noting that not all of them worked normally for such an unusual load for them. Fortunately, since then the technology has gone noticeably forward, and now there are quite a few amplifiers dealing with the HE-6 at a decent level. I listened to these headphones with my native EF-6, but very good reviews are on the Audio-Gd model and .
Without good amplification, it's better not to approach these headphones, even though even from not very powerful sources the sound will be loud enough - you will not hear the bass, and the overall feed will be poisonous-sharp. So no mobile phones or tablets in the role of a source here do not apply, and even the most powerful audiophile players the potential of this model will not be revealed.
Due to the highest resolution, the HE-6 clearly shows the shortcomings of the material and the source, so be prepared for the fact that in addition to the amplifier they need a good DAC, as well as the highest recording quality.
From the funny I would like to note that I really enjoyed playing games with these headphones. A great imaginary scene and dynamic bass make it possible to get a very realistic illusion of immersion.
As usual - a few tracks, on which I liked these headphones.
Iron Maiden - The Clansman. Recently, Onkyo released a series of remasters of all the albums of this great group, which allowed me to rediscover some of the works that before seemed uninteresting. Of course, for the benefit of the modern listener, during remastering the accents were mute, the percussion became more physical, more came to the fore, the vocal was disposed of by the sibilants, but this was exactly what the band members wanted. HE-6 allows you to immediately hear the whole range of works and understand why Iron Maiden became one of the icons of the genre Heavy Metal.
Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath. Another classic of rock in an excellent remaster. Stephen Wilson is not only a wonderful musician who performs excellent music, he is also a professional recording artist, periodically pleasing connoisseurs of classical rock with the remix of albums of many years ago. Of course, Hanji from music will argue that only the first editions have the right sound, but for my plebeian taste - the tattoo is more delicious, it offers an incomparably better sound quality while preserving the whole spirit of the original. In HiFiMan HE-6, emphasizing all the nuances of music, it sounds simply exciting.
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir. Even 100% purists can not complain to the fresh markers of the hardcore classics, as Jimmy Page himself did it himself, and who does not know better than him how to sound the favorite tracks? One of the most famous songs of the band in these headphones sounds perfectly, powerful riffs, piercing vocals, catchy melody - will not leave anyone indifferent.
conclusions
Despite the fact that HiFiMan released a new model HE-1000 with a stunning imagination price tag of 3000 dollars, their previous flagship does not lose its relevance. Sufficiently moderate by the standards of the current flagship models, the price is combined with an uncompromising sound quality provided by a thoughtful isodynamic radiator. If you are looking for top-end headphones with authentic and unpainted sound - HE-6 is a very interesting option for consideration. By the way, their younger brother HE-4 is also similar to them on the filing, but at the same time has a significantly lower price.
The article is based on materials .
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