Review: Hifiman HE6SE – Iconic

Bass-Mids-Treble

 

The HE6SE is always in control of the bass. Bass is realistic and fast, detailed and well-layered. When needed bass is present in amplitude and depth. Bass can go really low if needed but don’t forget that the HE6SE is a neutral, linear and balanced headphone.

That means your bass is always precise, clear and detailed but it also means your bass isn’t the biggest when it comes to amplitude, impact and presence. Bass is perfectly in check and flat but at the same time I don’t find it bass shy either, as the punch and depth (sub feel) is there. It’s how a high level neutral bass should sound. If you’re a basshead or expect bass to have as much impact and presence as in the Meze Empyrean, just to name one, then you’re at the wrong address.

The keywords are: speed, precision, detail.

The mids section of course perfectly connects to the bass and share many of the same characteristics. Fast, precise, detailed and natural are the first things that come to mind. The voices are also perfectly integrated in the mids and they sound realistic and natural, never harsh or too upfront. Realistic so to say.

The mids, even though neutral, are still musical. They’re not smooth or warm at all, but they weren’t intended to be like that either. The mids separation, spaciousness and sense of air as said above is spot on. The mids are wide, fast and dynamic and come with great clarity and precision. HD versions of Roger Waters’ “Is this the life we really want” or “Amused to death” sound simply incredible with this headphone.

The timbre, decay and extension and attack in the mids section really is something else, and it’s one of the very best headphones in my collection regarding this. It’s really good in the bass department too, but the mids are just mind blowing.

The keywords here are: clarity, precision, spaciousness, depth (layering), timbre and naturalism.

Treble extends well and has good clarity, width, precision and detail. The extension and layering is good as well, though a little less noticeable as in the mids section. Treble is fast, transparent and energetic but I never found it to sound sharp, dry or painful.

Treble perfectly connects from the mids up but it’s also perfectly in line with the bass presentation. The linearity is exemplary.

I really love the HE6SE. Yes it’s a neutral tuned headphone but it’s incredibly musical, engaging and addictive. Neutral doesn’t necessarily means bass or mid body is lacking, and the HE6SE is the perfect proof of this. As a result the Hifiman HE6SE does well for all musical genres and I enjoy it with my full musical collection. It’s a high end, linear and balanced do-it-all headphone with neutral, yet natural and musical presentation.

A short note on single ended amplification. In SE mode you get a less wide and deep presentation with a less impressive level of layering. It also loses a bit of it’s spacious and musical presentation, and it’s especially the mids suffering from this. My preference clearly goes to the balanced configuration, and I’m pretty sure Hifiman thinks that’s the way to go too.

Comparisons

As I said I don’t own a HE6 and I haven’t been able to listen to it with any of the amplifiers I have at the office, but from memory I would say the old, original version is maybe sharper, more forward and a bit less musical.

These comparisons were done using the Auris Audio Headonia as it’s the most discerning amp.

Hifiman does have another mid-fi, sort of neutrally tuned headphones and that is the HE-560. Sound-wise the $899 HE-560 is a headphone I really like as well, but it logically doesn’t play at the level of the HE6SE. The bass, voices and upper mids are more upfront with the HE-560 and from bass to treble the HE560 just can’t come close to the spaciousness, precision, timbre, width and depth of the HE6SE.

The HE-560 still is an incredible headphone for the money (now selling for $899) but it doesn’t play at the reference level the HE6SE is playing at. I still fully recommend the HE-560, but if you have the amp and budget, the HE6SE blows it away at all fronts.

More comparisons and the source matching can be found on the Fourth Page of this review. Click HERE.

4.5/5 - (213 votes)
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Lieven is living in Europe and he's the leader of the gang. He's running Headfonia as a side project next to his full time day job in Digital Marketing & Consultancy. He's a big fan of tube amps and custom inear monitors and has published hundreds of product reviews over the years.

6 Comments

  • Reply October 24, 2020

    cfranchi

    Hello Lieven,

    I have HE6se and after owning for years several headphones and IEM, HE6se is my true house sound and a TOTL that I will certainly never sell.

    I’m considering HD800s as a complement of HE6se (for acoustic songs, well recorded live songs, some Diana Krall songs, etc) because of the acclaimed HD800s soundstage. However I never fell that HE6se soundstage is missing and it can sound big if necessary.

    So for you, is HD800s a good option for me regarding its soundstage? I guess that in other sound aspects, HE6se will be a winner.

  • Reply October 24, 2020

    cfranchi

    In other words, does HD800s soundstage provide a unique listening experience compared to HE6se or the difference is not that big?

  • Reply October 26, 2020

    Lieven

    Well the HD800 is extremely wide and spacious. So yes. But wouldn’t you rather get a completely different complementary headphone?

  • Reply October 26, 2020

    cfranchi

    For me 800s is already very different from He6se 🙂
    Also I’m finding that I tend to be a balanced / clear headphone guy

  • Reply October 26, 2020

    cfranchi

    What would be your suggestion ? I want to keep my budget and 800s used can be find easily

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