Best Hifiman headphones (Ranked/List)

Headphones General Headphone Discussion
85

They are nice headphones. If you can find something that sounds that good for $400 please post a link. They perform in the $1k range. You just need a decent amp with sufficient power.

2 Likes
86

I really dislike the headband on the 6se to be honest, it’s too tight and doesn’t have enough swivel. It’s probably fine for smaller heads but for larger heads it clamps like crazy. It’s probably better durability wise (I can’t see anything going wrong with it) but I wish they improved the comfort as well.

87

Yes they are nice, Best I own. I was talking about the quality of the stock pads, and headgear which was pretty obvious I thought. As usual HFM doesn’t do the drivers justice.

I own/have owned: HFM HE-400, HE-400i, MD-4XX, HE5-LE, HE-560, HEX v2, HE-5se, HE-6se. The HEX v2, HE-500, HE-6se (all modded and EQ’d) are the 3 cans that I use. HD-600 on a BHC is my other can. I hope to have a pair Susvaras by March, and the HEXv2 and probably the HE-6se are going down to help pay for it.

Best deal for $400ish IMO is a used pair of HE-500’s - not as good as the 6se, except the headspace depth and width which easily beats the 6se with both modded and EQ’d.

88

What mods did you do to the HEX v2? I wonder if my Arya could also be improved with similar mods.

89

Hi. I’m new to this forum. I enjoy your YouTube channel very much and watched 80% of your reviews. I was wondering if you ever reviewed the Hifiman Shangri-La Senior? If you did, what is it that Susvara is missing that the Shangri-La SR have? And does Shangri-La have dynamic like Susvara do? How about the Shangri-La SR compare to the sennheiser He-1 (Orpheus 2) and Stax SR-009S?

90

I haven’t done those comparisons yet unfortunately.

91

How long did you get to hear the Shangri-La SR? Was it a show condition? Also, which amplifier did it use?

92

It was in a private room at CanJam, and with the Jr amplifier. Not nearly enough time to make an assessment.

94

Yep. we’re not all clones of Jango Fett.

1 Like
95

Rankings for HifiMan Headphones that I own :

  1. HE6se V2 $600 Sound amazing paired with CMA Twelve $1500 Pure and clear, Everything that I need to make my ears smile.
  2. Ananda $700 Sound amazing paired with CMA Twelve $1500 or RebelAmp $500 Clear distinct soundstage, smooth enveloping stage, center of stage images from all points of an arc above the stage. Highs are dreamy. long listening times of non-fatiguing sound.
  3. Sundara $350 Sound very good out of any of my amps but the amp I like to pair them with is the Headamp Gilmore Lite Mk2 $800. It brings out lively highs and dynamics to improve performance.
  4. HE560 v4 $250 Pair well with Headamp Gilmore Lite Mk2 $800.
  5. Deva $300 comes with amp
  6. HE350 $100 Sounds good with RebelAmp $500
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96

HEX v2 and all Arya’s are very different. I have silver cable, removed grilles, updated internal cables, and inputs to standard size, and EQ, Pretty sure the removal of grilles and internal wires would help, Not the others.

97

A very interesting thread. Last year I was considering the Susvara but in the end get the Abyss 1266TC.

I also kept my HEKv1 , but they are now years old and I was considering replacing them with the Arya.
Does anyone have any experience with comparing them?
The Arya at a much lower price point, but like I say my HEKs are about 6 years old.

98

Arya Stealth > Edition XS > Ananda > Sundara

I will hear HEK Stealth soon hopefully.

99

The HEX Stealth is the best overall can under the Susvara I have heard in the entire planar line

Current price of $1399 is a bargain relative to anything in their line or any other under $2500

2 Likes
100

I’m gonna throw in a curveball

Susvara > Edition XS > HE1000 > Arya

101

Not to me, the EQ of the XS is too “pop”

102

Of course I meant the HEK Stealth (not HEX) and I heard it again since the last time I wrote that comment and outside of annoying blip centered around 6.7k (disposed of easily with a PEQ), and its slightly muted rise time for percussive bass under 70 Hz (compared to the HE-6 series) it’s the best can available under $1999 I have heard:

HFM Susvara, DCA (Expanse, Corinna, Voce), Audeze LCD-4 OG (200 ohms), CRBN, Final D8000, Rall CA-1a (but only w/ filter), latest Empy & Utopia, Stax 9000, 009, 007 are better and all of them have higher or much higher amp requirements, and less than half of them are notably better.