FredA
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2013
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I received the new HE9 MK2 (http://www.audio-gd.com/HE/HE9MK2/HE9MK2EN.htm) this week. For those coming from the original model, the new he9 is now almost exactly as descibed on the webpage. More dynamic, more detailed. I think it will also be smoother but my unit needs more burn-in. The pre output is now more neutral, more laid back, with dryer bass and no mid emphasis. So the sound is not as "in your face". I had to get used to it but i quickly started to enjoy it. Some running hours likely helped too.
The mk2 has a totally new layout compared to the original. There has been some cost reduction (now uses surface mount resistors in the audio path) but the optimized new layout more than makes up. I already prefer the new unit after only 2 days.
Operating the unit is not as intuitive as before, setting the gain, for instance, but using the product webpage, i quickly managed to set it up to my likings.
Operating the unit, there is one thing a little annoying. When changing input, three clicks are emitted from under the hood and two popping noises on the loudspeakers (no popping on headphones though). Kingwa will send me an updated mcu program to fix this. The unit does a mute/unmute sequence when switching in order to mitigate pops when a source with a dc offset is connected. I don't need this feature.
One last thing, the new unit uses only 66W compared to 95 for the old one. So it gets just a little warmer compared to the r7he mk2. Great, with summer coming. I will leave it on 24/7.
The mk2 has a totally new layout compared to the original. There has been some cost reduction (now uses surface mount resistors in the audio path) but the optimized new layout more than makes up. I already prefer the new unit after only 2 days.
Operating the unit is not as intuitive as before, setting the gain, for instance, but using the product webpage, i quickly managed to set it up to my likings.
Operating the unit, there is one thing a little annoying. When changing input, three clicks are emitted from under the hood and two popping noises on the loudspeakers (no popping on headphones though). Kingwa will send me an updated mcu program to fix this. The unit does a mute/unmute sequence when switching in order to mitigate pops when a source with a dc offset is connected. I don't need this feature.
One last thing, the new unit uses only 66W compared to 95 for the old one. So it gets just a little warmer compared to the r7he mk2. Great, with summer coming. I will leave it on 24/7.
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