HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered: the cult planar returns, lighter
Some references outlast their era and never quite leave audiophile conversation. The HE6 is one of them. Launched in 2010, this open-back planar magnetic headphone built HIFIMAN's reputation on a rare blend of speed, detail and dynamics — and on amplification demands that became the stuff of legend. Sixteen years on, the brand is putting it back into production as the HE6 Remastered, available from us at €1,969.
Why the HE6 became a cult classic
At launch, the HE6 introduced a planar magnetic approach that would go on to set the template: a brass protective grille, reinforcing ribs to stabilise the magnet system, and above all a nanometre-thickness diaphragm — less than one millionth of a metre. HIFIMAN was the first to fit a membrane that thin into a headphone. The payoff was immediate: extremely fast response, low distortion, clean transients, and a level of dynamics and detail that set the HE6 apart.
That combination is what earned it reference status among enthusiasts — to the point that HIFIMAN still cites it as one of the most requested models on its show stands.
The brass grille returns
The HE6 story had an intermediate chapter. After further R&D, HIFIMAN's engineers concluded that the diaphragm and magnet system were robust enough to go without protective elements. The brass grille and reinforcing ribs were therefore dropped on a later variant, the HE6 Later, in the interest of shedding weight.
The HE6 Remastered goes the other way: it returns to the original recipe, brass grille and ribs included. A deliberate choice of fidelity to the 2010 model over the pursuit of lightness.
What actually changes: how it wears
The real evolution is in the chassis. The old metal structure gives way to a composite headband, the same one used on the HE600 and Edition XV: weight drops from 550 to 522 grams and the load spreads noticeably more gently across the head over long sessions. Let's be honest, 522 g is still a substantial headphone by current standards — but the difference is felt in use.
HIFIMAN has also fixed two long-standing irritations: the earpads are now easily replaceable, and the cable connectors move to the current 3.5 mm standard. Two details that matter a great deal on a headphone you keep for a decade.
“The HE6 Remastered uses the original's driver complement to maintain the sound signature that continues to set the bar for open-back planar models at its price point, but with greater comfort for hours of continuous listening.” — Dr. Fang Bian, President and CEO, HIFIMAN Electronics
Plan for a real amplifier
No concessions here: 83.5 dB sensitivity into 50 ohms impedance, exactly as on the original. A laptop headphone jack or a dongle DAC will not do — the HE6 has always had a reputation for treating underpowered amps with a certain contempt.
To hear it as intended, it needs a desktop amplifier capable of delivering real current. That is the condition under which the bass holds together, the dynamics open up, and you understand why this headphone marked its era. Do get in touch if you'd like help pairing it within your own chain.
Where it sits today
At this price, the HE6 Remastered is neither the obvious choice nor the most comfortable one. The Audeze LCD-X is heavier but far easier to drive; the Dan Clark Audio E3 offers closed-back isolation at a contained weight; HIFIMAN's own HE1000 V2 is considerably lighter. The HE6 Remastered plays a different tune: the timbre and character of one specific model, with its demands fully owned. You don't buy it by default — you buy it because it is this headphone you want.
Seen and heard at CanJam London 2026
The HE6 Remastered was shown at CanJam London 2026 on 18–19 July, alongside the HE600. Specialist press at the show singled it out among the standout listens, describing it as a contemporary reading of a legendary planar.
Technical specifications
- Open-back circumaural planar magnetic headphone
- Original HE6 driver, carried over unchanged
- Nanometre-thickness diaphragm
- Brass protective grille and reinforcing ribs
- Impedance: 50 ohms
- Sensitivity: 83.5 dB
- Frequency response: 8 Hz – 65 kHz
- Weight: 522 g (vs 550 g on the original)
- Lightened composite headband
- Replaceable earpads
- 3.5 mm cable connectors
Price and availability
The HIFIMAN HE6 Remastered is priced at €1,969 in our shop. The original HE6 also remains in the manufacturer's catalogue.