Sure. But he6’s have also died doing that. Don’t worry, adorama will still take them back if it’s in the return window. (they did for me).
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Just to be clear, I don’t think the TYGR Sounds better than the Sundara, the Sundara sounds better, especially in the bass than the TYGR (I am a fan of EQ and see no reason not to use it, the Sundara is a much better headphone with EQ than without as the bass is excellent). The TYGR does have a more natural timbre, but the main reason I use it 99% of the time is the comfort.
They are very good complimentary headphones.
Many of us try to find setups that don’t require EQ. This allows each item to stay within its inherent performance envelope and minimize both distortions and complications. Match a bright X with a warm Y and a neutral Z. There’s a lot of trial and error too.
I don’t agree with this, If a headphone has very low distortion metrics, as many planars do, adding a small amount of EQ to adjust it is a great solution to make it meet your sounds requirements. For me, with the Sundara, the bass and sub-bass is a lot lower than I prefer. I simply EQ it properly and it brings the headphone to life with no distortion issues as it has very low distortion metrics to begin with.
My setup is connected to my computer so it gives me a lot of flexibility with EQ. The only reason I can see not to want EQ is if 1. you are using a headphone that has terrible distortion metrics and can not take it, or 2. you are not connected to a audio chain that has the capability to use it.
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The topping L30 has a reputation for the exploding and destroying headphones. There are articles on the other forums about this. Even asr where the struggle to admit this is real. I don’t know of many others at that large a scale.
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- We just don’t want to and like it that way
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Thank you - at least there’s a model number attached and a history. I never used Topping, so have not researched that brand 
. I hope @hottyson will confirm if that’s the model that burned him.
On the other hand, I am familiar with Schiit, and this is not a complaint I’ve heard. Although my Lyr 3’s tube gets hot enough to burn fingers…
As an aside to @hottyson, one reason I commented is that we really try to inform with posts here - it’s much more helpful than a quick opinion that leaves questions in peoples’ minds. Like mine. Which only can hold 3 questions in queue at a time.
By research I mean checking it out before I spend money
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It may be a fine option. My icons followed from your statement:
A small headphone amp has plenty of power to destroy a set of headphones. This happened to two people in this forum with Burson amps (see that thread).
Saying “try it and see what happens” with speaker amp currents is a recipe for disaster…YMMV…but I’d stay away from the bathtub while both ears are connected to a 500 watt amp…electric chairs and electro convulsive therapy come to mind…
[Source]
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We are talking about the HE 6SE V2, which many people are saying there are very few headphone amps that have enough power for them. That’s the entire conversation we’re having here, what can I use to power these things properly?
One of the most recommended options is a speaker amp. It seems like your comments are out of context given the headphone we are discussing.
This needs at least 2 watts at 50 ohms with the recommended wattage of +4 watts at 50 ohms from most users.
A 100 watt at 4 ohm speaker amp should max out at ~8 watts at 50 ohms.
An EQed Sundara doesn’t even remotely come close to a headphone that simply has better bass attributes. (the he6se should be somewhat better than sundara even moderately powered). It’s not all about the tonal adjustments you can do with EQ. You won’t see that until you hear something on both ends of the spectrum. You will likely prefer one over the other. And then, you will hear great DD bass, and you may have a strong opinion about that.
I personally, do not EQ. On most headphones it makes it sound plastic to me. But, I continue to try it. I currently intend to buy a lokius at some point to try a hardware EQ that just lets me play and have fun.
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I’m not saying the Bass is better than a higher end headphone. I’m saying the Sundara with EQ is far better than the Sundara without EQ.
It’s silly to think a headphone can not be improved with EQ when the tools exist.
There’s literally 0 reason not to use it unless the stock tuning is exactly what you want.
What I’m saying is: Sundara with EQ > Sundara without EQ.
What I’m not saying is: Sundara With EQ > Any other headphone.
Same with my TYGR: TYGR with EQ > TYGR without EQ.
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I have a Schiit Loki hardware EQ and use it for two main purposes:
-
Fixing poorly mastered recordings (e.g., many V shaped 1980s releases; many Loudness War era recordings with excessive clipping)
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Having to live with mediocre headphones or setups with major flaws. Too bright, sibilant, no bass. When this happens I take it as a sign to consider replacing the amp, DAC, or headphones with something else.
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And I am saying other headphone with no EQ > sundara with eq.
basically, if you can have a setup that is far superior and then EQ that, wouldn’t you be in better shape?
Again, sundara is likely more comfortable than he6se. Yet you still don’t choose it currently despite better sound quality.
I genuinely think you are in the same trap I was living in. This is why I keep commenting. I wish someone had gotten through to me back then.
Try the drop 177x go (which I didn’t like personally, review on here, but it’s on amazon). Or an elegia which is back to $400 again (haven’t heard this one). Try something else. Don’t chase this until you have had some other experience indicating that you should.
Yes, but any headphone with EQ can be better than without it.
The Sundara is a completely different headphone with it vs. without, without it, the bass is lacking and it sounds very bright and thin. Once you bring the bass and sub- bass up and the mids up a bit, it turns it into a whole new headphone. I don’t think it should be used without EQ given how much of an improvement it is.
The reason I’m pushing for the HE6SE V2 is 2 fold.
- It’s already on the way to me
- The reviewers that I find I agree with often when it comes to sound signature have given it very high praise. For this headphone, namely, this review: HiFiman ⭐️ HE6se V2 Headphones REVIEW (Feat.Arya and Susvara) - YouTube
The best option would be to find a local shop that has all these headphones and I can go and hear them then choose the one I like best for all it’s qualities.
The 2nd best option is to purchase, test, and return the ones I don’t like, so that’s what I’m doing here.
I may try the Sennheiser HD 600 and you have me intrigued in the Moondrop Blessing, although I am probably wont purchase it as I really can’t wear larger IEM’s for more than an hour without major discomfort.
My hesitation with the HD 600 is the bass and sub-bass, it’s notorious for a major roll off in the bass/sub bass and I don’t think I would enjoy that.
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See link for the voltages involved with medical electro convulsive therapy (ECT). It ranges from 100v to 450v at 0.8 to 2.0 amps. This is literally enough to knock people unconscious, involuntarily bite off their own tongues if not restrained, and reset their brains. Shocks are followed by disorientation and long recoveries. [Despite it’s appearance and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, it is a proven and viable form of treatment for mental illness.]
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That doesn’t mean any person is able to competently and effectively employ EQ.
The only person who has to enjoy your gear is you, even if no one else in the world may agree on its sonic fidelity or lack thereof.
Links below are mixing focused, but may provide some guidance.
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See link for the voltages involved with medical electro convulsive therapy (ECT). It ranges from 100v to 450v at 0.8 to 2.0 amps. This is literally enough to knock people unconscious, involuntarily bite off their own tongues if not restrained, and reset their brains. Shocks are followed by disorientation and long recoveries. [Despite it’s appearance and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , it is a proven and viable form of treatment for mental illness.]
https://hypertextbook.com/facts/2005/GinaCastellano.shtml
lol what? This literally has nothing to do with the conversation. Also, 100 volts is not 100 watts. Voltage ranges from 20 to 2 volts depending on Ohms.
“Just hook it up to a speaker amp.” Go ahead. If it goes wrong we’ll remember you with a Darwin Award.
I’m done. Good luck.
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If you have no idea what you’re doing with EQ, then sure, that’s a good point as well.
For me, it’s been a massive improvement. But lack of understanding of how to use it does not mean it’s not a net gain when done properly.
It’s actually very easy to test. You can simply turn it on and off with the click of a button and test it back to back.
It’s quite literally one of the simplest and most cost effective ways to improve a headphones sound if you are connected to a computer. No need to purchase anything new and it’s instantly reversible if you don’t like it.
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This statement is why I exited all hifiman. Right there. I went through a dozen planars thinking “of course I’ll find one eventually, right?”. Nope. Reviews and comparisons of others are fundamentally meaningless. More so until you have heard a strong portion of what they have heard.
Try the thing that is completely different. You may hate it, you may love it. You may find it has aspects you wish were present on other things. No matter what, you will come away knowing far more about what you want. And, if it’s still the he6se, go forward with confidence knowing that an fa-10 or emotiva speaker amp is well worth it for you.
Knowing what I know today, I would have found the 4 most diverse but well recommend headphones I could afford and compared them instead of a list of hifiman and audeze and other planars. Instead, I had quad era-1, lcd-x, arya, he6se in the house to compare side by side at once and nearly missed the sound I actually liked. Do you see how much is missing in this list? What is on my head right now, is a dynamic closed back that is not particularly well known. And, for me, it blows those others away. And costs less. And needs a qudelix to power well. There were no closed backs and no dynamics even on my try list for months.
Don’t be me. Be someone other than me. 
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What is the closed back you’re looking into now?
My hesitation with closed back is I speak with my wife, listen for my daughter, listen for the door bell, etc, quite a bit throughout the day and love that I don’t have to remove my headphones to hear my surroundings.