HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered Headphones Review – Bring Back Music Dreams
HIFIMAN He6 Remastered is a $1899 USD pair of over-the-ear headphones designed as a new take on their ultra popular HE6 Headphones, featuring a new headband design, reduced weight, and a different driver compared to the late HE6 that has been available on the market. Today we will be reviewing the new HE6 Remastered and also compare them with other high-end headphones including HE6SE (1800 USD), Palma DHS-1 (2195 USD) and Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (1700 USD).
Introduction
HIFIMAN has had the HE6 on the market for a really long time, and from forums to shows to actually owning the headphone, it has been one of the most popular models they ever produced. With a more analytical tuning, and a tank-ish build, it did not really matter if you bought one 10 years ago or now, it is still one of the best audio choices you could make. You can find HIFIMAN headphones and DACs AMPs available for purchase on Amazon as well as Aliexpress and the best place to buy is the official HIFIMAN Website. Currently, HIFIMAN has both warehouses and service centers on all continents serving customers quickly and effectively.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Audiophile-Heaven has no Ads and our Youtube Channel has no midroll ads, and our work is supported by Affiliate Links and Donations. Huge thanks to HIFIMAN for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Product Link
Amazon – https://link.amazon/B06Zf4P1M
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3W4VHNP
Build Quality – Design
To understand the appeal of the new HE6 Remastered you’d have to learn and know about the original HE6, which was quite an epic adventure. It was the best-selling, most popular pair of headphones of 2012, and still is treasured as one of the best headphones ever made by HIFIMAN, but now we have the new HE6 Remastered as a fine tuning, comfort adjustment to the original. You can actually see from measurements and graphs posted online that there is a difference in the tuning of each, as HIFIMAN used a few tweaks to improve on the original HE6.
At the headband end of things, we have the Next-Generation Ergonomic Headband with a NanoMeter Thickness Diaphragm on the driver and a 20 grams – 30 grams weight reduction on the new He6R. Technically, the new He6Re has an impedance of 50 OHMS and a SPL of 83.5dB, which makes it one of the hardest to drive headphones ever made.
Technically speaking, with each revision, HIFIMAN re-worked the driver design. HE6 later revisions did not have the reinforcing ribs or brass protective mesh on the drivers, but they were added to the remastered to more closely match the original HE6.
Subjective Usage
It took me a while to analyse, use and explore the new HE6R, but eventually my impression, after digging out the he6se i reviewed years ago is that the new he6 remastered is more comfortable, made better, and for one thing, it tangles my hair less, while the original used to take a fgew hairs from my head every time i put them on. Adding the somewhat improved earpads and still a very comfortable frame with a very comfortable design, I feel like he6rem is a really nice pair of headphones to wear.
They are open-back and in fact they feel even more open than he6se, closely as open as a susvara unveiled is, and you will hear absolutely everything inside your headphones. They will also leak what you’re listening to loudly to the room, broadcasting your music taste and genera inclination, but that I feel is fore the better, as it helps weed out those who would judge you for your music taste. I do like wearing the HE6r, and compared to more recent hifiman headphones, like Edition XV or he600, he6r can get big enough and small enough for all heads, which is a huge plus.
Default cables are not what I would use, not because I feel they are bad, but most of my sources have a 4.4mm balanced output as the main, and they do not come with one of those cables. This means that for most of my tests I have used an aftermarket 4.4mm balanced cable with 3.5mm jacks, including LavriCable Grand Silver V2 Line Headphone Cable and ddHIFI BC150B Cable.
Sound Quality
Pairings – Judging from the power needs of most hifiman headphones, and he6se in particular, I drove it with all the latest sources, in hopes they would be decently easy to drive. The full list includes Sendy Audio Kylin, FiiO K17, Argon Audio SA-2 Amplifier Driven by FiiO Warmer R2R, Acer Nitro 18 AI Laptop (with 3.5mm adapters), iBasso Kunlun, FiiO Snowsky Echo DAP, Orchard Audio Valencia driven by Musician Pegasus III and Luxsin X9.
Even with my hopes being up, I have to place he6re as the third hardest to drive pair of headphones I have, below lily audio genesis one, and susvara, but harder to drive than susvara unveiled and he1000se. They require a really powerful source and right now I only was able to handle them with Sendy Audio Kylin, Jade audio Gigas1 and Luxin X9 as well as K17 struggled to deliver control and enough volume / bass.
Overall Signature – While I heard a lot of excellent headphones over the past few years, HE6 Remastered is a topper in many ways, as it imbues the outstanding resolution, clarity and power of the HE6SE, but adds in a much stronger bass impact, does not necessarily drive more easily, but renders a more vivid image, with better dynamics, especially if powered well. I never heard the original HE6, so for me this is more of a comparison between HE6 Remastered and HE6SE as a reference, but we can add all the other over 500 headphones I’ve reviewed to date as experience and HE6 Remastered is remarkably clean, crisp, and organic in the textures despite the extreme resolution they can render. Soundstage is as wide as the source and amplifier can power it to be, yet contrast and separation is excellent with minimal scattering.
Bass – At the bass level, you have the highest source influence and each source gives HE6R the power or lack threov to produce a deep and powerful bass. Starting from the lowest registers, with the likes of Sendy Audio Kynlin, HE6R produces bass down to 20 Hz with a controlled, punchy and vivid low-end presentation that has most strength between 40 Hz and 80 Hz with no audible bloat or darkening / thickening of the midrange inherited from the bass. Rather, HE6R has one of the fastest, most responsive but potentially biggest bass and low-end presentations I’ve heard from HIFIMAN to date. While with He6SE I felt like the bass was neutral, I don’t feel the need to describe He6R like this, rather bass is ultra capable but drinks power for soda to produce true depth.
Midrange – Vocals are the most amazing with HE6 Remastered as it renders a truly beautiful, natural and transparent vocal range. There’s a true sense of space, realism and timbre in each song, including those with complex saw waves, orchestral music and HE6R excels with basically every music style from the harshest death metal or black metal all the way to the most gentle and fine of cabaret pieces. It is truly a universal pair of headphones and they are defined by a combination of extreme speed and acuity and an organic texture that makes music easily enjoyable, fun and fluid. I feel like sounds good is an understatement, as HE6R can render the life in lead and rhythm guitars, it renders actual grit, blast and slam in brutal death metal. Especially if taken very loud, they are vivid, impactful and direct. Well, they are somewhat similar to Susvara Unveiled and I can see this particular tree branch in the HIFIMAN Tuning, direct, gives you the wheel and makes you the driver of a Formula One Car, making music sound real and in your heart. I am in love with this presentation for all the music styles I enjoy on a daily basis. Even layers saturated with tens of voices in choirs like in the songs of Dimmu Borgir remain clear and vivid, real and separated. It is quite amazing what HE6R can do with basically any music style you throw at it.
Treble – At the top we have one of the brighter, more extended treble ranges, but is not exaggerated as in what i heard in he6SE, and HE6R is still sharp and airy, but much more organic, and the treble makes sense in relative quantity to the midrange and the bass. Overall, you will hear every cymbal carsh but they are natural and not overly harsh or metallic, but maybe just a touch bright. It is not a headphone if you don’t like treble, but it is not exaggerated nor fatiguing. It is likabale for all music styles to my ears, although I do like rock and i like to hear them cymbals crash. The more aggro your music is, the more you will appreciate the HE6rem, bands like Lorna Shore truly shining in brilliance, without becoming harsh.
Dynamics And Textures – Dynamic range is natural, with a good expression of drama and impact, but he6r needs a lot of power to really get bouncy, impactful and dynamic. Texture is fast, snappy and detailed as although it sounds more organic and smoother than he6SE, it still is an analytical pair of headphones. This means that you will hear very fine textures, including saw waves in synths and edm songs, but you will also have a more natural, weightier presentation for natural, wooden instruments and blow instruments. It is generally thicker sounding, warmer and more natural than HE1000se and most other headphones from HIFIMAN, despite being a remaster of a rather vintage model.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – You will have big trouble making he6remastered distort in any way, as they have very very low distortion, very high control and require anyways sooo much power to sound loud that most sources that can achieve that power are going to also have good control. On the off-chance that you’re using an entry-level AMP, you will still not hear any distortion, but you will get a somewhat bright sound as the more power you pump into he6 remastered, the more bass and better depth you get. At lower volumes, they sound more natural, easier and more
Soundstage – Staging is as wide, as holographic and interesting as the DAC AMP allows it to be. Basically, for a pair of headphones that are so hard to drive, they consume so much power that the DAC AMP character will be pushed through. They have huge potential to be holographic and wide, but require a good source for it to work. He6re has a rounded staging, with a strong separation between instruments and a tendency to always separate layers really well. They are a bit analytical in character which enables a strong instrument separation. This is where the character of the he6 series can be heard, as all of the headphones in the series tend to sound not necessarily large, but so well separated and crisp, with such a strong lateral, imaging and layering that makes them still lean more towards the analytical side of things.
Comparisons
HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered vs Crosszone CZ-8a Enhanced (1899 USD vs 1700 USD) – Starting with the build quality, CZ-8a Enhanced uses a plastic that is really similar to what Canon uses in their cameras, and although the headphones are made of plastic, they are smooth and really solid. The actual wearing comfort is exactly the same, both have a similar perceived weight, similar build quality, and convenience. This being said, HE6 Remastered has a very common cable connector at the headphone side while for CZ-8a Enhanced getting aftermarket cables will be a challenge. While CZ-8a E are hard to drive, He6 Remastered is at a whole different level, need sources with true Watts of power, not just mW, while CZ-8a Ehanced will be drivable out of virtually any sources that has a decent power for headphones. Sonically, we are looking at very different headphones, CZ-8a Enhanced is silky, musical, smooth and somewhat velvety with a strong vocal range, and excellent bass impact, while HE6 Remastered sounds really revealing, clean, engaging and vivid, but warm and musically pleasing. It is quite a different, more lively presentation from He6 Remastered as it sounds more analogue, more vintage, and more vivid at the same time, while CZ-8a Enhanced is a relaxed, somewhat vocal, but also warm and strongly bassy pair of headphones. I like both and it would be hard to decide which does things best, but HE6 Remastered handles rich music better, rock, metal, classical, even pop, while CZ-08a Enhanced is better for certain EDM, Dubstep, and electronic music in general.
HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered vs Palma DHS-1 (1899 USD vs 2195 USD) – Comparing HE6 Remastered to DHS-1 is an interesting task because both have a nice build quality, but DHS One has that unique feature where you can close their earcups to make them closed-back while HE6 Remastered is a fully open-back pair of headphones. This has implications for passive noise isolation and leakage, but also for sound as DHS-1 has a smaller soundstage, and there’s also that DHS-1 has much higher SPL so they will be far easier to drive while HE-6R is one of the hardest headphones you could have. Sonically, both are brilliant, crisp and vivid, but they are different, HE6 Remastered is deeper in the bass, has more treble clarity, more brightness and sharpness, and also better vividness and better overall resolution. DHS-1 is much more musical, more relaxed and less aggressive, also much easier to drive. If you have the means, HE6R is more analytical and audiophile-wise better, while DHS-1 is a simpler purchase, more musical and more organic.
HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered vs HIFIMAN HE6SE (1899 USD vs 1800 USD) – Old vs new, HE6SE is one of the first audiophile, high-end headphones that I reviewed. It has always been quite bright, analytical and sharp, but the new Remastered sounds quite a bit warmer, smoother, more organic and less analytical. I find that compared to how much I liked HE6Se for their detail and resolution, I prefer the more organic tone of the Remastered, and the comfort is also better as the new Remastered feels as if it has a much better build quality and comfort. HE6R can keep its cool even with complex dubstep, aggro EDM and modern music, while he6se is generally better for classical, acoustic music styles. Both are excellent headphones, but the he6r is more versatile, and you may even feel like it is an upgrade from he6se in many ways, as I think that regard;less of the headphones you have right now, he6r is a must hear and an excellent choice. Not quite as dramatic as susvara unveiled, he6r is a step above all of the he6 family of headphones i heard so far, more dynamic and more dramatic, more personal and more colorful.
Value – Conclusion
While HIFIMAN has top value for their headphones and usually does their best to keep the price as low as possible,. HE6 Remastered has a surprisingly high value and top performance for the price. They are insanely good for the money paid and even compared to HIFIMAN’s own other headphones are a killer deal, to some degree being better than even pricier headphones. I love the comfort, and the overall sound tuning, although He6 Remastered might actually prove to beat the flagship in the long run.
Award – While I remember that He6SE was one of the first headphones we added to our Hall Of Fame, it is time for something to replace them and the new HE6 Remastered will take the crown. Everything that impressed me in He6SE is now better, warmer, more musical, richer but also more vivid and more colorful. I find them to be literal perfection in toda’ys market.
While many companies launch multiple headphones each year, HIFIMAN decided to re-launch, remaster a classic and I find this to be one of the best releases they had so far. He6 Remastered is brilliant, and shows both a piece of history but also the future, it shows where HIFIMAN is coming from, and also how they’re headed for greatness. I love the new HE6 Remastered and it is quickly becoming my daily driver, even above HE1000SE, He1000 Unveiled or even Susvara unveiled. It is the one pair of headphones I can say I love right now.
PROs
- New comfort level, excellent build quality and pretty design
- Best in class sound quality, still very revealing and with a high-resolution without feeling too analytical
- Crisp and bright treble with a natural texture
- Comfortable to wear for over 6-7 hours in a row
- Interesting product that still shows how HIFIMAN became so popular, still a magical, intriguing sound
- I find them better than HE6SE, and also not quite as hard to drive
- Might be a better purchase than much pricier headphones than HE1000SE
- Compared to the market, it still is one of the most competitive headphones you could purchase
Cons
- Still incredibly hard to drive
Product Link
Amazon – https://link.amazon/B06Zf4P1M
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3W4VHNP
--- Please remember to stay safe, and always have fun while listening to music!---
- If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife-
Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
--- Contact Us ---
