By Richard / $1000+, HIFIMAN, Review, Planars / December 16, 2021

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 Review

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 Review's image

The reviewer is giving his honest experience with the product and was not paid to write a favorable article. The gear was purchased due to interest and enjoyment in quality of sound.

Tonal Balance / Neutrality10
Price / Performance Ratio10
Sound Fidelity10
Musicality10
Build Quality10
Bass Extension10
Bass Balance10
Treble Balance10
Treble Extension10
Clarity10
Bass Control10
Tone Density10
Macro Dynamics10
Micro Dynamics10
Sound Stage Width10
Sound Stage Depth10
Resolution10
Score10

My initial thoughts with the HIFIMAN HE6se V2 were that it had a good soundstage, impact, and body. The sound was nuanced, smooth, detailed, and expansive. There is a liveliness and beauty in the sound of the HE6se V2.

The HIFIMAN HE6se V2 is a reimagining of the HE6, which is HIFIMAN’s highly regarded headphone, known as being the ultimate reference headphone for the most demanding of listeners.

The HE6se V2 is advertised as a no-compromise headphone that delivers a transparent and completely natural rendition of the most complex recordings, and a power-hungry headphone that needs 2 watts per channel or more.

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 on Woo Audio HPS-T headphone stand next to garden

After having the HE6se V2 for some time, sometimes I fell into the thinking that perhaps the gear I had wasn't powerful enough to power the HE6se V2, but after more thorough listening with the HE6se V2, I found that the Feliks Audio Euforia MK I can power it beautifully.

I like the HE6se V2 because of its clarity, air, and resolution. The bass quality is not as defined as the HE1000se, but it is more impactful through quantity and complements the scenery very well, and is not really what I expected from a neutral headphone. With the Feliks Audio Euforia, which has been said to have a lighter bass quality, the HE6se V2 has balanced bass, but the slam is present, impactful, and enjoyable.

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 on Woo Audio HPS-T headphone stand next to garden

The HE-560 V4 is kind of similar to the HE6se V2, however, there's more resolution with HE6se V2. I think the HE-560 V4 is less resolving due to its more neutral-warm sound, it has less bass quantity/quality, stage, and is less smooth. I sometimes prefer the HE6se V2 to the HE-560 V4 for its neutral, detailed nature, but I think the HE-560 V4 is a great, reference-grade headphone that performs very well as a neutral-warm signature, which, I prefer the more neutral-warm take at times -- this kind of sound has been more fuzzy-feeling inducing for me, more syrupy or romantic touch to the music, and the lighter weight of the HE-560 V4 makes it more comfortable to wear for extended periods of listening; different headphones for different moods, and fun to switch out, and can be tailored with different sources. The HE-560 V4 is also resolving and has some of the same ambiance as HE6se V2, but the spaciousness, imaging, tonal density, bass impact, and note quality make the HE6se V2 sound grander. 

The signature of the HE6se V2 is detailed, enveloping through the wide imaging, and ambient. It sounds clean, transparent, and has a life-like staging and instrument placement. It's kind of like a live-venue experience, or theatre, where the speakers encompass you, but as with a headphone, the sound feels more intimate, and more detail can be heard.

No headphone I've ever heard really has the life-likeness of the HE1000se; the note quality is highly textured and unique, but HE6se V2 has a larger, more open stage. The HE6se V2 has some qualities present in the HE1000se like a balanced, natural sound, but the HE6se V2 has a more mellow ambiance and bass quantity, which makes it more musical and engaging for me.

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 on Woo Audio HPS-T headphone stand next to garden

My revisits to the HE6se V2 always end up being enjoyable. It's a great, balanced signature. It's neutral, and it engages you with a rich, grand atmosphere that sounds very clean and transparent. 

The HE6se V2 might be considered an upgrade to other neutral, "mid-fi" headphones like the Sennheiser HD 600. The HE6se V2 makes an excellent headphone because it has great note definition, staging, imaging, and resolution. 

HIFIMAN HE6se V2 on Woo Audio HPS-T headphone stand next to garden

One thing that should be noted is that the HE6se V2 scales with more powerful amplifiers, and I found that the Feliks Audio Euforia MK I had enough power to play the HE6se V2 beautifully.

I would recommend the HE6se V2 for anyone with a capable amplifier looking for a headphone with a great planar magnetic implementation. It's a very open, speaker-like sound that I enjoy for the way it totally immerses me in the music.

Product Link: https://amzn.to/3rVGpFJ

Sources: Audio-GD HE-7 MK I, Topping D90SE, Yulong D18

Cables: Blue Jeans Coaxial Cables (3 foot), Worlds Best Cables (Amphenol)

USB: Singxer SU-6

Amplifiers: Feliks Audio Euforia, ampsandsound Nautilus

 

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About the Author


Richard

Software Engineer by trade, always loved music, but discovered Hi-Fi in 2012. Decided that since interest in sound quality was growing, could share experience with different products.

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