[martel80]

Love stats. I think our tastes/needs are not that different. Please check out:

Rall CA-1a - esp w/ the filter, but I think it requires a PC, PEQ for sure
HEDD v2 - not heard but know the technology well, I want to hear it (v1 used another possible target, but of the choices I list here (along with the E2) is below the other 3 in absolute terms (to my taste)
DCA E3 - mammoth reviews including from people i respect (not just sites that sell stuff and everything they sell is the best ever...). Know the company well, very good cans, keep getting better. Have not heard it yet.
DCA E2 - has the best bass (real not technicolor outside of the HE-6 6 screw) of any open back planar, very clean, smaller image, treble over 10k a hair reticent, but PEQ fixes is. After the hysteria of the E3, used prices might get it into the $850-900 range - they have held value of the OG price very well - but that's going to end.

all those choices cheaper than estat + estat amp (used DCA Voce & med/high powered used amp is going to be > $3k)

I'd bet a decent chunk of change that at least one of these would be a real upgrade for you and might be the end game. Pretty sure when I hear the HEDD and E3 I will have also arrived at my end game

Thanks for that. I'll dig deeper into those but I saw a THD plot of the Ca-1a and under 400hz , the distortion gets completely out of hand. Not sure that's what I need but I definitely need to listen to those before choosing. It's sad as I thought it would be exactly what I need given the info people gave after trying them.

I think I'll try emailing some of those company to see who's willing to lend a set for testing. That would be my only chance to truly know I have a winner in hand before buying.

I know Focal is willing to send high end cans for testing.

 

[sahmen]

Love stats. I think our tastes/needs are not that different. Please check out:

Rall CA-1a - esp w/ the filter, but I think it requires a PC, PEQ for sure
HEDD v2 - not heard but know the technology well, I want to hear it (v1 used another possible target, but of the choices I list here (along with the E2) is below the other 3 in absolute terms (to my taste)
DCA E3 - mammoth reviews including from people i respect (not just sites that sell stuff and everything they sell is the best ever...). Know the company well, very good cans, keep getting better. Have not heard it yet.
DCA E2 - has the best bass (real not technicolor outside of the HE-6 6 screw) of any open back planar, very clean, smaller image, treble over 10k a hair reticent, but PEQ fixes is. After the hysteria of the E3, used prices might get it into the $850-900 range - they have held value of the OG price very well - but that's going to end.

all those choices cheaper than estat + estat amp (used DCA Voce & med/high powered used amp is going to be > $3k)

I'd bet a decent chunk of change that at least one of these would be a real upgrade for you and might be the end game. Pretty sure when I hear the HEDD and E3 I will have also arrived at my end game

Sigh! You had me going until "end-game"! Surely, you're not attempting to be "believed" or taken at face value, in mentioning the possibility of an "end-game" in this discussion or are you in earnest?

 

[martel80]

Sigh! You had me going until "end-game"! Surely, you're not attempting to be "believed" or taken at face value, in mentioning the possibility of an "end-game" in this discussion or are you in earnest?

Im not a hoarder if that can bring solace. Who knows what I’ll make of this.

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks for that. I'll dig deeper into those but I saw a THD plot of the Ca-1a and under 400hz , the distortion gets completely out of hand. Not sure that's what I need but I definitely need to listen to those before choosing. It's sad as I thought it would be exactly what I need given the info people gave after trying them.

I read the same stats. I was and am appalled after hearing them that the 114 db listening level hyenas over at that site buried them because of the way they looked and the measurements of the THD.- without bothering to listen to them.

The bass isn't the best feature, but its far more tuneful and accurate that many closed back bass cannons, however over about 350 Hz (on SOTA equipment and with the filter) that they blew away every speaker (except the 6 figure MBL's) and every headphone I ever had or heard including at least 15 over 2k. Without the filter, and on my level of equipment - the DCA Corinna and HFM Susvara are better, and maybe the HFM SE (with better equipment then I have) and my guilty pleasure the Audeze OG LCD-4.

I think I'll try emailing some of those company to see who's willing to lend a set for testing. That would be my only chance to truly know I have a winner in hand before buying.

I know Focal is willing to send high end cans for testing.

I do like the latest Utopias, but not for the $.

Please keep us up to date, searches at this level of quality and with serious goals are of great interest to me and I am sure, others.

 

[bagwell359]

Sigh! You had me going until "end-game"! Surely, you're not attempting to be "believed" or taken at face value, in mentioning the possibility of an "end-game" in this discussion or are you in earnest?

I was addressing a poster and his goals as he expressed them. I.E. - his and perhaps my end game. "End game" is dependent on tastes and budget.

Feel free to familiarize yourself with his situation and give him advice.

 

[Oregonian]

They look like the Audeze Ali headband, the HFM ones look like the HE-5 & 6 SE v1 band. The screen looks like the newer minimal Arctic - which are excellent. Comments please.

Yep, it's the Ali headband much like the V1 HE-6SE (have one of those as well but................blew it up by inadvertently leaving the speaker selector on my Spec system on A and B instead of just A and "Welcome to the Machine" by Pink Floyd played at very high volume did them in) but the Audeze headband is more comfy than the V1. Close but definitely better. I have Cerwin Vega DX-5 speakers and love them.............probably not technically great but sound great to me and that bass..............

I don't remember what screens they are - may be Arctic. Love them.............used to go naked full open back but these are great and look good too.

 

[bagwell359]

Yep, it's the Ali headband much like the V1 HE-6SE (have one of those as well but................blew it up by inadvertently leaving the speaker selector on my Spec system on A and B instead of just A and "Welcome to the Machine" by Pink Floyd played at very high volume did them in) but the Audeze headband is more comfy than the V1. Close but definitely better. I have Cerwin Vega DX-5 speakers and love them.............probably not technically great but sound great to me and that bass..............

I almost bought a pair of Cerwin Vega 12T 50 years ago for that bass, but the horn tweeters got beat by the ADS-710's.

I don't remember what screens they are - may be Arctic. Love them.............used to go naked full open back but these are great and look good too.

I tried home brew screens, but ended up naked for some years. On my 500 and 6 SE they are inaudible vs naked. Fine product and for $20, hard to deny.

 

[PeterCraig]

So, my new head band arrived from AliExpress for the HE6SE2. Not quite as good as the band on my Audeze LCD-2C, but good enough and so much more comfortable.

I have had this now for about a week. Definitely much more comfortable than the V2 headband and I am enjoying using my HE6se much more these days.

Took about 5 weeks to arrive from the Netherlands of all places. Thanks kindly for posting and supplying the link.

 

[bevanc]

I have had this now for about a week. Definitely much more comfortable than the V2 headband and I am enjoying using my HE6se much more these days.

Took about 5 weeks to arrive from the Netherlands of all places. Thanks kindly for posting and supplying the link.

Happy it worked out for you!

 

[The Candyman]

The HE6se v1 is more or less the same as the v2 in terms of tuning and driver performance isn't it? Just different headband and pads?
The v1 is my only option for a new purchase in Australia, direct from hifiman for $699. Otherwise used v2 is about the same, obviously a much riskier purchase with all the build issues

 

[martel80]

Are the HE6 v2’s double sided magnet like the Mod house Tungsten or it’s one sided ?

 

[bagwell359]

Are the HE6 v2’s double sided magnet like the Mod house Tungsten or it’s one sided ?

two

 

[bagwell359]

The HE6se v1 is more or less the same as the v2 in terms of tuning and driver performance isn't it? Just different headband and pads?
The v1 is my only option for a new purchase in Australia, direct from hifiman for $699. Otherwise used v2 is about the same, obviously a much riskier purchase with all the build issues

Very similar. But the v1 headband much better IMO, less reported issues on the sticking driver vs v2. v2 has less of that 1.8k dip, and the pads are better (but still average at best). The warranty is a nice advantage - i'd go v1.

 

[Hypops]

two

Had no idea. With the Tungsten getting so much hype, I mistakenly thought the double-sided thing was rare or new. Do you know if double-sided (or is it "two-way"?) magnets are pretty widespread in the planar world and/or across Hifiman's lineup?

 

[bagwell359]

Had no idea. With the Tungsten getting so much hype, I mistakenly thought the double-sided thing was rare or new. Do you know if double-sided (or is it "two-way"?) magnets are pretty widespread in the planar world and/or across Hifiman's lineup?

double sided