So I agree with you 100%, but can take your comparison one step further. I recently purchased a HEKv2 thinking it was going to just blow the HE6se out of the water in literally every metric… but it doesn’t. The HEK has the same airy/ethereal quality you describe coming from the Arya (not surprising, they share a lot of DNA), and while that massive soundstage is fun if you’re in the mood, the slightly meatier HE6se sound has its own merits. Midrange on the HE6se is better in my opinion, and the density of the sound is really just so damned satisfying on the HE6se. HEK can also get to be a bit much on the top end. The treble is pretty hot. So, I’d argue the HE6se doesn’t just compete with the $1k - $1.5k cans, it goes all the way up to $2k+, making it an astonishing value.
I also fitted my HE6seV2 with the 400i headband, as you’re considering doing. I say, yeah, you should bite the bullet and do the mod. You do in fact have to take the drivers out of the cups to remove the little plastic bits to free up the space that the pegs on the new headband will need to occupy. But the increase in liveability of the headphone after this modification is not to be underestimated. Go for it!!
I agree with everything in this thread. The HE6se V2 produces sound quality that one can easily argue is worth its $1800 original MSRP, and the fact that it is currently available for $549 on Adorama is, in my opinion, the largest bang-for-buck headphone on the entire market.
I too noticed that it was back in stock on Adorama. I bought mine from HIFIMAN’s online store less than 30 days ago, so I emailed their customer support, and within a few hours they refunded me the difference to price match. The bonus is that Adorama charges sales tax while HIFIMAN direct does not, so I actually saved 6% after the price match than if I had purchased through Adorama.
Also the stuck diaphragm issue is super easy to solve. Just cup your mouth around the pads and gently suck (okay okay settle down boys), and the diaphragm will become unstuck.
Yes, and it looked and was packaged like it was new. In my reaching out to their customer service about the price match, they told me that my open-box had never been opened and it was actually new. If I were to guess, HIFIMAN sells the HE6se V2 on their store as open-box in order to cut the price down to Adorama levels and/or because it’s supposed to be an exclusive for Adorama, as it says on the box, so only Adorama can sell it as “new”.
I purchased HE-6se V1 when they first came out (at a discount) but the giveaway prices makes one think never to buy HiFiMan at retail or even at a fair discount upon initial release. The V2s are like 70 percent off at Adorama.
I used to think that way, but you have to realize that you have been enjoying and deriving value from your HE6se V1 purchase since the day of your purchase up to now. Given that time is our most precious, non-renewable, ruthlessly finite resource, I prefer to just buy things when I want to than to wait months or years to save some money.
Good point, but I like things to hold their value. ZMFs being the prime example of something that maintains value, and doesn’t get sold off at a deep discount. The ZMF November B Stock sales are as inexpensive as those go from the manufacturer.
I caved in and bought a 6sev2 from Hifiman and received it today. I hope to listen to this for the rest of the day, but right now I can’t stop laughing at this cable. I knew it was bad, so I was expecting bad, but dear lord, this is something else. This makes focal/sundara cable high end. Shipping this cable feels like a waste of resources, who is gonna use this monstrosity.
Fortunately, I find the headphones comfortable, and I have a hart audio sundara cable to use. But man, I can’t stop laughing, this is comically bad.
