[JoeTho]

Amp or DAC doesn't change the frequency response of the headphone as there's a peak from 3k to 5k one these. Luckily it responds great to EQ so you can tame it down.

Still I think Arya V3 (Stealth Edition) is the better fit. It has some peaks in the treble area but it's well balanced out in higher frequencies so It won't sound as bright or sibilant.

Yeah, this graph does not fully explain what I experienced, and there is no psychological basis for saying someone experienced something wrong. My point is that the HE6 sounds like a different headphone when played on the Master 19, than it does when played from the speaker taps of a vintage receiver. In fact, I have several headphones that I don't care for on a specific Amp/DAC, that I find very pleasing on another Amp/DAC. How do you account for that with your graph?

 

[Arghavan]

Yeah, this graph does not fully explain what I experienced, and there is no psychological basis for saying someone experienced something wrong. My point is that the HE6 sounds like a different headphone when played on the Master 19, than it does when played from the speaker taps of a vintage receiver. In fact, I have several headphones that I don't care for on a specific Amp/DAC, that I find very pleasing on another Amp/DAC. How do you account for that with your graph?

That must be because of high output impedance which actually changes to FR. I you hear a headphone sounds different on different amps there are three possibilites:
1. One of the amps are actually messing with the FR due to high output impedance or distortions like tube amps.
2. There's something wrong with one of them. Measured frequency response of amps should be dead flat.
3 (the most likely one). It's just placebo. 99.9% of people don't blind A/B test amps while volume matching them.

 

[arielext]

Same goes for cables but I will see myself out

 

[audiocroissant]

That must be because of high output impedance which actually changes to FR. I you hear a headphone sounds different on different amps there are three possibilites:
1. One of the amps are actually messing with the FR due to high output impedance or distortions like tube amps.
2. There's something wrong with one of them. Measured frequency response of amps should be dead flat.
3 (the most likely one). It's just placebo. 99.9% of people don't blind A/B test amps while volume matching them.

Yet you shelled out close to 1000 $ on your amp/dac. If there is no difference in SQ, why not use your phone or PC?

 

[bagwell359]

I would definitely agree with that. Have you happened to find better EQ settings for low-end?

Nope. Just my test recordings (music and test tones) and adjust to taste - which is clean, fast, tight unless looming and muddy is called for.

 

[JoeTho]

That must be because of high output impedance which actually changes to FR. I you hear a headphone sounds different on different amps there are three possibilites:
1. One of the amps are actually messing with the FR due to high output impedance or distortions like tube amps.
2. There's something wrong with one of them. Measured frequency response of amps should be dead flat.
3 (the most likely one). It's just placebo. 99.9% of people don't blind A/B test amps while volume matching them.

Well, I wasn't talking about a tube amp. I'm talking about the Audio GD Master 19 (Class A Solid State) and a Sanyo JCX 2900K Vintage Monster Receiver. There is nothing wrong with the headphone amp, nor the Vintage Monster receiver. So you are saying I experienced it wrong! Well, it makes me no never mind, I don't care if you accept my experience or not. I tell it the way I see it, and I see it the way it is.

 

[Merkurio]

Well, I wasn't talking about a tube amp. I'm talking about the Audio GD Master 19 (Class A Solid State) and a Sanyo JCX 2900K Vintage Monster Receiver. There is nothing wrong with the headphone amp, nor the Vintage Monster receiver. So you are saying I experienced it wrong! Well, it makes me no never mind, I don't care if you accept my experience or not. I tell it the way I see it, and I see it the way it is.

Don't take the assumption that you are influenced by placebo as a personal attack, it's perfectly normal and we are all prone to it in some way or another.

In fact, doing proper voltage-matched A/B tests is how many self-consecrated "golden ears" started to believe in audio science and learn about psychoacoustics, even the slightest variations in volume can give us the impression of higher sound quality, hence the importance of matching voltages so that the volume is exactly the same between both amplifiers.

 

[JoeTho]

Don't take the assumption that you are influenced by placebo as a personal attack, it's perfectly normal and we are all prone to it in some way or another.

In fact, doing proper voltage-matched A/B tests is how many self-consecrated "golden ears" started to believe in audio science and learn about psychoacoustics, even the slightest variations in volume can give us the impression of higher sound quality, hence the importance of matching voltages so that the volume is exactly the same between both amplifiers.

No need to worry at all. I didn't internalize anything you said. It's my experience, and my experiences aren't up for debate.

 

[Merkurio]

No need to worry at all. I didn't internalize anything you said. It's my experience, and my experiences aren't up for debate.

Of course, the best way to question our own experiences is internalize the debate with ourselves, hence the recommendation of the personal A/B blind test voltage-matching the output (with the help of someone, because it is a complex and very revealing process, that's why hardly anyone does it).

 

[JoeTho]

Of course, the best way to question our own experiences is internalize the debate with ourselves, hence te recommendation of the personal A/B blind test voltage-matching the output (with the help of someone, because it is a complex and very revealing process, that's why hardly anyone does it).

That might be the best way for you, but I tend to do things my own way. For instance, I listened to both a few times, and I know what I heard each and every time. I decided that the HE6 sounds like a different headphone on each amp, and I'm resolved in my decision. Resolved to the point that there is nothing left to talk about.

 

[Shane D]

I would vote for the HE6se V2's, but I have never heard 2K planars.
It would certainly cost a few bucks to drive them right, but I am SURE you could do it for $1,600.00.

 

[Arghavan]

That must be because of high output impedance which actually changes to FR. I you hear a headphone sounds different on different amps there are three possibilites:
1. One of the amps are actually messing with the FR due to high output impedance or distortions like tube amps.
2. There's something wrong with one of them. Measured frequency response of amps should be dead flat.
3 (the most likely one). It's just placebo. 99.9% of people don't blind A/B test amps while volume matching them.

Yet you shelled out close to 1000 $ on your amp/dac. If there is no difference in SQ, why not use your phone or PC?

My phones does not have enough power for most headphones, neither does my pc. So I ordered the Jotunheim knowing it can power any headphones that I might get in the future. There's also the issue of noise floor on sensitive IEMs.
As for the Mojo I got it used for 200$. I needed a portable dac/amp and also I like the looks quite a lot, so I paid a bit extra over cheaper options.

Anyways, better not to go off-topic anymore. I still think Arya fits the bill better than HE6se but everyone's ear and hearing is different.