Hifiman HE6 Remastered: An Upgrade for Powerful Setups

A new addition to the Hifiman lineup has hit the shelves of Audio46. An upgrade to a familiar favorite, the HE6 Remastered is a planar magnetic headphone from Hifiman that retails for just under $2k. The HE6 Remastered has already turned heads because of its predecessor; does it live up to the hype? Or is the original HE6 still a top-tier headphone from the company? Today, we take a look at all the details and nuances of the HE6 Remastered and see if it lives up to expectations. 

For those familiar with the original HE6, the HE6 Remastered looks quite similar. The all-black aesthetic and circular earcup design stay the same, but other elements have been updated to be more comfortable and uniform, based on what we see from Hifiman today. The headphones have an updated headband, offering a suspended design for long-lasting comfort during listening sessions. The headphones have a bit of weight behind them, feeling sturdier than you would expect. The reflective ring around the earcup is fingerprint-prone, which is a bit irksome in order to keep the headphones looking pristine and sleek. 

One notable upgrade from the original HE6 is the headphone connectors. On the original, you had a 4-screw design that was a proprietary connection to the headphone. Now, Hifiman has ditched the 4-screw connection and gone with the classic dual 3.5mm connection. You get two different cables with the headphones, but it is very easy to change out the cable for an upgraded version. During my testing, I upgraded to the Strauss & Wagner Annecy cable to get some more power moving through the HE6 Remastered. 

Hifiman headphones have been known to need quite a bit of power to reach their full potential, and that is definitely obvious with the HE6. The HE6 comes with two cables: one with a 4-pin XLR termination and another with a 6.35 mm termination. Right off the bat, Hifiman is steering you towards bigger, desktop amplifiers with those connections as opposed to portable setups that may have 3.5mm or 4.4mm. During my listening, I paired the HE6 with a lot of different devices to see what kind of power the headphones really required. Simple dongle DACs didn't cut it, so starting with the iFi GR 2 was a good step. While you were able to reach some pretty high volumes in the high-gain mode, it was clear the soundstage was a bit more closed-in and not very wide. Adding the XSpace mode and the XBass mode helped in opening up the signature a bit more to reach the dynamics we know Hifiman is capable of. Still, by using this, it was clear that even the most powerful portable DACs weren't going to be enough for getting the best possible experience.

The next step up was using a dedicated digital audio player. From Astell & Kern, I had the PD10 and the SP4000 to test with. The dedicated player was a nice step up from the portable DAC/Amp. The PD10 pushed some more power through the HE6 Remastered and made the soundstage open up, focusing on high-end detail in the sound reproduction. The bass remained slightly recessed with this device, and though you could get to pretty high volumes, only EQ would allow the bass to take on a fuller color. The SP4000 was the next step up from that, unlocking the fullness of the signature. The low end became much fuller, and the color was much richer. If you're looking for a simple setup that will bring out the best in the HE6 Remastered, the SP4000 has the power to do it.

The final step up was using a desktop setup, and here at Audio46, we currently have a Ferrum WANDLA HP & Hypsos Dual-Output Power System stack ready to use. This stack, used with the PD10 as a source, was a fantastic listening experience. The power from the Ferrum stack was more than enough to drive the headphones to their best capacity. It's where I spent the most time with the HE6 Remastered, and I was highly impressed with the power output and synergy between all the devices. You had plenty of headroom to reach high volumes quickly, but the most notable part was how spacious the HE6 Remastered became. Instruments were rich in color, and the signature was well balanced, with deep lows and bright highs. The HE6 Remastered sounded at its fullest with the Ferrum to my ears, so for the rest of my testing, I used the Hypsos and WANDLA HP to get an accurate analysis of the sound profile. 

• Driver: Gold-sputtered Planar Magnetic Driver
• Frequency Response: 8 Hz - 65 kHz
• Impedance: 50 Ω
• Sensitivity: 83.5 dB
• Weight: 522 g
• Connectors: Dual 3.5mm
• Cable Terminations: 4-pin XLR / 6.35mm

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

The big question: what does the HE6 Remastered sound like? There have been hints at the sound signature already based on additional gear and the technical specifications, but the full analysis begins here. For my sound analysis, I used my impressions from the WANDLA HP + Hypsos stack with the PD10 as the source. The HE6 Remastered produces a very wide soundstage with the right power pushing it forward, and that's what this setup gave me. Frequencies expanded out horizontally to create an expansive space for all the track elements to live in. The sound seemed to wrap all around you during listening, stretching backwards to create a natural sense of depth. The frequency ranges sit fairly evenly, with a slight push forward in the mids and treble. The separation of these ranges is highly impressive, giving each track element space to breathe. It makes the HE6 Remastered a good headphone for analytical listeners, or people who are chasing detail throughout their listening. 

Overall, the signature is very well balanced. The HE6 Remastered leans towards the treble, and the bass definitely lacks when there isn't enough power to drive it. Even with proper amplification, the HE6 Remastered signature is brighter to highlight the treble more than the bass extension. The profile toes the line of being too bright, but still strikes a good balance between highs and lows to make the signature engaging and immersive. I found the sound reproduction to be dynamic and fun but also very natural, so you could use this equally for reference sound as well as regular, casual listening. I could see how people may be overwhelemed by the forwardness fo the signature at first, but over time, the space starts to become more noticeable and make the HE6 Remastered easier to listen to. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

The bass, as reserved as it started out, had a punchy and deep response that helped the HE6 Remastered become a bit weightier. This extra weight was a good balance against the harsher treble. The heaviness wasn't dragging the signature down or making it muddy; instead, it stayed punchy, sharp, and full of detail. You could hear textures of lower percussion and the tones of bass guitars and strings quite clearly. The bass extension into the sub-bass region was natural and didn't cause instrument representation to become muddy. Everything stayed clean and crisp in a host of genres like rock, pop, classical, and jazz. When you add more power to the HE6 Remastered, you get a thicker and more powerful bass response. Specifically, with the A&K SP4000, the bass had a particularly full sound that made the bass more prominent and forward in the signature. Still, it was not overwhelming to become the only thing you hear in the tracks. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

In the midrange, the HE6 Remastered reproduces some really natural timbres. The HE6 Remastered brings midrange frequencies to the front and allows them to be the focal point of the signature. Vocals in particular become a main feature and a very forward element, and all the other frequencies and track elements filter around it. You get to hear main melodies with precise detail, and that allows you to analyze the sound characteristics with ease. The separation from the sound signature comes out most noticeably here, where you can distinguish different instruments by the space they take up in the sound field. The HE6 Remastered does a great job of making instruments sound realistic but not too clinical. You still get engaging coloration and dynamic detail, all while being able to appreciate the smaller details of the midrange instruments. No matter how crowded the midrange got, the HE6 Remastered was able to reproduce all the elements cleanly and clearly. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

At the very top of the range, the HE6 Remastered produces a treble that is quite sharp. These frequencies are overly harsh or overbearing, but instead aids to the fine detail that this headphone is capable of. The treble is bright and very forward, but it pulls itself back just enough to let the midrange be the star and this range a close second. The treble expands. up to the ultra-highs with ease, making the dissipation of frequencies more natural and realistic. It causes reverb tails and large, spatial scenes to be more immersive and less compressing. It doesn't sound claustrophobic or too dense, which is thanks to this bright and airy quality. The HE6 Remastered does have a very bright sound reproduction in the treble, but it doesn't become too piercing to be uncomfortable to listen to. The treble stays bright and energetic, which is a nice balance to the weight of the bass frequencies. 

How does the HE6 Remastered compare to other Hifiman headphones? The first comparison people will make is against the original HE6. Aside from the physical differences mentioned earlier, the HE6 Remastered and the original HE6 come with some sonic differences that are worth noting. Similarly, they both need quite a bit of power, but the HE6 Remastered refines the sound to be clearer and have more distinct separation. The original HE6 produces a bit more bass and fullness in the low end, while the HE6 Remastered leans towards the treble, making the bass less prominent in comparison. If you're looking for a true upgrade from the original HE6, you may find the HE6 Remastered isn't anything too exciting to warrant being a huge improvement. 

Another headphone worth comparing with the HE6 Remastered is the HE1000 Unveiled. The HE1000 Unveiled had a similar quality of being highly detailed but still effective in the bass, given you had the power to drive it. The HE1000 Unveiled was significantly easier to drive than the HE6 Remastered, but it still performed better with the addition of an amplifier. The HE1000 Unveiled has a more dynamic signature with bright color to make it a better choice for people looking for an engaging, entertaining headphone. The HE6 Remastered is more analytical and has a more controlled bass response that makes you pay more attention to the treble and the precise detail it has to give. Depending on whether you like something more colorful or more analytical, you'll be able to make a choice between the HE6 Remastered and the HE1000 Unveiled. 

The Hifiman HE6 Remastered is a great headphone to add to an audiophile's collection. Don't let its power-hungry design deter you; this headphone is made for the serious audiophile who has the gear to spare. If you're looking for a headphone that will match the quality of your desktop setup, or searching for an upgrade in the analytical headphone world, the HE6 Remastered may be the setup for you. If you've already got or have had the HE6 in the past, you may not find too many differences from one to the next. However, the HE6 Remastered does produce excellent detail and precision that cannot be ignored.

The HE6 Remastered is available today at Audio46.