LFF Code-X love/impressions

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by gbeast, Sep 3, 2016.

  1. uhhmike

    uhhmike New

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    i just bought a pair of these code x cans. what amp do you think pairs good with them? im looking for a neutral solid state amp, under a grand. thanks for any info.
     
  2. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    Under a grand? Just get a jot or mj2.
     
  3. FlySweep

    FlySweep Friend

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    If I were you, I'd get the Vali 1 or 2 now (or the Neco Soundlab V5).. then wait for the Vidar (~$700) and pair it with the Saga pre.

    Luis' (thirsty) planars sound majestic off of good speaker amps.. and the HE-5 is a thirsty bastard.
     
  4. Jozurr

    Jozurr Facebook Friend

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    I thought I should tell you guys that a one-of-its-kind black Code-X is better than a brown Code-X.

    [​IMG]
     
  5. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    4 screw HE-6 and Code-X? or are you just auditioning them? I'm jealous!
     
  6. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    @cskippy no those are 2 code-x he's just trolling hahaha
     
  7. Jozurr

    Jozurr Facebook Friend

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    Yes those are two Code-X. The black one does have stronger magnets inside so...
     
  8. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    just don't blow out the driver on it like you did your HE-6. i can see why you got two...unless you were just being a troll and not providing any actual content. there's another place on the internet for those kinds of meaningless posts where people can all breath heavily in unison.
     
  9. Jozurr

    Jozurr Facebook Friend

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    The post was indeed meant in jest with the whole HE-6 screws debacle and the more unique is beterererer. Did not mean to upset you. Your tone sounds very different than what I remember it to be from our conversations :)
     
  10. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    i'm sorry man, i'm in a bad mood these days and totally missed your meaning! my fault, not yours.

    but bringing it back to the two code-x, i've heard older Code-Xs (not that many of them) with the older stronger magnets (sort of like pre-HE-6) and they do sound a bit different from the newer ones. i'll refer to @Bill-P since he has an older magnet code-x, but it's a bit less downward sloping, a bit brighter, and a bit sharper than the newer ones. one tell-tale sign to differentiate which HE-5 is which is that the older ones have slightly different wood and also brown leather on the head band. that said, it's possible if you asked Luis he could make a newer Code-X that is less downward sloping. I personally really like the tuning of the Code-X based on the production HE-5 (vs. the pre-production intense magnet ones). this can also all probably be pushed around in either direction by copper vs. silver cables, and the flavor of amp used.

    EDIT: Oh you know @Jozurr if you have access to measuring equipment it would be super f'ing cool to see them side by side. I'll talk to @Bill-P about taking ours over to Marv's house for measuring too.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2017
  11. Jozurr

    Jozurr Facebook Friend

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    The black one was custom made and has heavier magnets (confirmed by Luis), but I think they were added by Luis during modification and the difference does not pertain to pre-production HE-5 or post, as they were both from the same batch Luis had. Also not sure the die/wax on the black cups contributes to any sonic differences or not. If I had access to measurement equipment, I'd have happily measured both.
     
  12. LFF

    LFF Friend

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    I think there are two black ones with the wax coatings that I made.
    DSC00958.JPG
    The most unique Code-X is the Stealth as seen above.
     
  13. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    All the sudden I'm filled with want.
     
  14. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    ^^Black is sexy! ask my wife;)

    Im a freakin idiot for selling mine. Good thing it made its way to @brencho. that mitigates some of the regrets.

    When I compared it to the Ether Flow it made me wonder why the Ether had a right to cost as much. I guess if you pay for comfort then it makes some sense which a lot of people do pay for. However, that still would only make them break even at best.

    @LFF I am sure you have been asked this before but I wouldn't know the answer. Have you ever modded an HE-6? or would you? If not, is there any reason why you wouldn't or are were not interested?
     
  15. LFF

    LFF Friend

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    I have modded an HE-6 for a friend.

    I am always hesitant to do it because you need A LOT of power to drive the HE-6 properly and I didn't want people saying they sucked because they weren't able to properly drive them. The modification I do practically requires a lot of power be used.
     
  16. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Just the words I didn't want to see! I might get in contact with you about modding an HE-6 in the future since I'll be using it with the AHB-2 (which should be enough power :D)
     
  17. gbeast

    gbeast Mighty Moral Power Ranger

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    So even more power than stock. interesting. After you and @cskippy I am feeling the urge for another Hifiman. It's gonna be a minute though. That benchmark power amp should do it justice.

    *dreaming of my future chain...iMac>Rednet3>Pavane level 3>Aficionado>Benchmark AHB2>Code-X/HE-6/Utopia/650* then jump into speakers at the beginning of 2019.*

    Edit: HEY bro. I was just typing the benchmark as you posted that. We should share one (ha never). Anyways enough derailing and hype posts from me for the day. When you get it though lemme check it out will ya?
     
  18. LFF

    LFF Friend

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    Just let me know.

    I'm currently working on a 5LE.
     
  19. manatworks

    manatworks Friend

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    Ohhh that stealth finish looks so nice,
    Still wait for my pair, but now i know i should hunting down the 4 screw version he6 when i'm sitting around and wait.
     
  20. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    Given the elusive nature--the Code-X is inherently rare because the HE-5 was produced only in a limited quantity and discontinued a long time ago--and the sheer awesomesauce of these headphones, I think a person trying to own more than 1 pair of Code-X is greedy and doing a great disservice to this community at large, potentially stripping away other people's opportunity to listen to them from a utilitarian point of view. The only exception is if you're @LFF himself, or doing so to compare 2 different sounding pairs to share knowledge with the rest of the community, and/or for the sake of science and measurement (with @LFF's permission of course), after which you should proceed to let go of one of the pairs to another, to ensure these masterfully tuned gems get to be heard by as many people as possible.

    So thank you, @Jozurr, for sharing that information with us. The fact that there exist early and late versions of Code-X with slightly different tuning (like the bass heavy and light versions of K1000 and MDR-R10) should provide some insight to people who are potentially looking for a Code-X... though in my opinion anyone should unquestionably grab at the opportunity to buy one should it arises regardless of the magnet type. I'm sure both would sound fantastic, and like @brencho pointed out, the overall sound sig could be tuned to one's preference with the right amps (and cables to a lesser extent). Besides, beggars can't be choosers. :p

    So @Jozurr, since you seem to prefer your black Code-X with the early stronger magnet (similar to HE-6, a bit brighter than the newer one) to the brown one, I assume you'll eventually put up the latter one for sale? :rolleyes:

    For the record, my Code-X is on its way. Took me a long time but I eventually came around and managed to grab one, though at no small cost... I had to outbid a couple others who already own a Code-X but tried to snatch it off at prices much higher than what they usually go for. Can't complain as it's (hint) one-of-its-kind. As @Marvey pointed out several times, I suppose good things do happen to people who wait. I'm not 100% sure whether mine has the early (@Bill-P's) or the late (@brencho's) magnets, but I have a feeling it's the early one considering its age. I should be able to check this with @LFF.

    Expect a review and comparison between Code-X and HEK V2 soon. Sadly, I still have yet to locate a 4-screw to join the fray.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2017

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