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Member Reviews: HiFiMAN HE-500

Windsor

HiFiMAN HE-500 planar headphones

Posted
By Windsor

Pros: Neutral frequency balance, plenty of frequency extension

Cons: Possibly the price and the weight, some may prefer a darker sound signature.

Intro   It’s been an eventful week for me in which I’ve received three pairs of headphones in four days: a new Audio Technica ATH-M50s, a loaner Audez’e LCD-2, and a loaner HiFiMAN HE-500. I got quite intimate with music via the LCD-2 and was rather wowed by it (see here for more on that). I’ve also been sitting with the HE-500, and my first impressions are that it’s another great headphone that shines in many ways.   The following impressions are based on listening to music via 320 kbps and Apple Lossless audio format files played via iTunes and fed via an optical cable to a Lavry DA 10 DAC/Amp.   Overall, the HiFiMAN HE-500 is a neutral-sounding...
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Kasper

Just realized what you guys mean by “eargasms” and that I can get multiples!!!

Posted
By Kasper

Pros: Tonality, smooth grain free unforced stereo perspektive, price

Cons: heavy and low comfort

    Reviewed item: Hifiman HE-500 Used equipment: CD: Rega Saturn Amp: Rudistor RPX-33evo8 Kimber PBJ interconnect, diy powercables and Isotek Orion conditioner     Received the he-500 very safely packaged from Jan Sieveking as part of the European loaner-program.   And boy am I glad I signed up for that!!!     I have been living for years with my ath-w1000 because I really couldn’t find a suitable alternative. While it is a bit too harsh for my tastes and to bright a have builded a whole system around it to compensate that, because I love the comfort brought by the wing system and comfy pads, and the deeply layered...
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plin

HE-500 vs Sennheiser HD-650, using EQ.

Posted
By plin

Pros: Clear sound, creamy mids, more prominent lows and highs

Cons: comfort

  I had the opportunity to hear HE-500 under the EU loaner program organized by the EU importer (thank you SievekingSound). I am not really an audiophile (I don’t usually hear critically or do I notice small details in soundstage, etc) but I do enjoy good sound. I have, also, very limited sound experience, both with live music and high end equipment, so please keep this in mind when reading the below and use a fair amount of grain of salt.   I have compared HE-500 sound with Sennheiser HD-650 (‘new’ version) which is the only HQ headphone I own. I used mostly European jazz, folk and classical music for evaluating and comparing the two. DAC/AMP used are CEntrance...
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bedlam inside

On sound quality these are five stars, but build quality and awful wearing comfort given the price means they are not a good deal

Posted
By bedlam inside

Pros: The sound quality closely approaches the best Electrostatic Headphones

Cons: Hard to wear for more than 30 minutes, very poorly designed/assembled

Personally, they put in mind of the situation of Tantalus. I absolutely want the sound quality of these headphones, but I cannot stand to have them my head for more than a short period of time. So these are likely the most tantalising headphones out there and equally likely among the ones with the poorest comfort wearing them. They are perfect for Audiophile Masochists and Fakirs seeking Nirvana in music. If you can detach your mind from your body so much that you do not feel the discomfort these bring with them, the music they play will take you to Nirvana. If you like Sound and Sadomasochism, you will positively lurv these headphones. If these headphones were a car, they would be...
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hifimanrookie

Need a new headphone under a 1000..get this one

Posted
By hifimanrookie

Pros: Soundstage, warmth, velvet sound

Cons: Heavy, it moves on ur head while turning head

Am not a man of many words..but..i thought my he300 was good..but this one destoys everything in his path up until the 1000 Mark..they are that good..but pls..buy a powerfull amp..it will make u speechless of how it sounds..i am a believer now.concerning electro dynamics..ARE U? Here are some amps i can advice that are under the 800 mark. Solid states/hybrids: yulong sabre A18 Shiit mjolnir Shiit lyr Hifiman EF5 Tubeys Darkvoice 337 with the right tubes(i owe one now..see my pics/avatar) Lafigaro 339 Latest update: i have a comfort over headband thingie on his way..hope that will make the comfort better on my he500
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WhiteCrow

World class sound for a resonabal price.

Posted
By WhiteCrow

Pros: Great sound, Built well, Preformance<Price, Comfort, accesories.

Cons: comfort for some, Needs a good set up.

  The HiFiMan HE-500, practically perfect in every way. The HE-500 were pretty new territory for me. I have always used Dynamic headphones and was content with them. Then These seductive sirens caught my eye and well....head-fi had it's way with my better judgment and wallet; and by god I'm glad it did! DR.Fang has stuck diamonds and gold with these headphones and has certainly showed me the ways of the Planar Magnetics mystical powers. First off I would like to start by saying that these headphones are the most expensive headphone I have invested in and the set up to along with them as well. My first encounter with these headphones was very eye opening; reading reviews about...
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Super MANSKITO

HE 500

Posted
By Super MANSKITO

Pros: world class sound for less money

Cons: still a lot of money

the equal of the LCD-2 and better than the HD 800/T1    And its cheaper
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daerron

A great allround headphone

Posted
By daerron

Pros: Neutral, bass response and impact, smooth and detailed midrange, value for money

Cons: Heavy, Flimsy velour pads and cable, amp requirements.

My HE-500 review Source: Audiolab M-DAC (USB output). First impressions based on Asus Essence STX. Headphone Amp: Lehmann Audio Black Cube Linear       On first listening to the HE-500 I found a lot that reminded me of the Sennheiser HD580 which I still regard as my reference in terms of what a neutral headphone should sound like. On first listen to the HE-500 you will immediately notice the exceptionally clean and clear sound you get with an orthodynamic transducer which Hifiman are masters of. Switching between the HD580 and HE-500, the HD580 (which I thought up till then to be pretty good in the clarity stakes) to be much grainier by comparison,...
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.Sup

HE-500 loaner

Posted
By .Sup

Pros: well balanced, with perfect treble/mids

Cons: very uncomfortable and heavy with an inflexible cable

  When I first heard the HE-500 I thought: »man these have the most natural sound I have ever heard.« And I still think so. These are also the first pair of headphones I didn't have to get used to the sound signature and liked them straight out of the box. Maybe because these are a loaner and were already burned in when I got them.   They are very well balanced when it comes to different tones. Treble is not bright, mids are there only the bass is kind of on the low side. I thought my HE-4 were the bassier headphones but when I did A/B comparrison between them I discovered they have the same amount of bass but the presentation is sligtly different. HE-500 is fuller or...
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Skylab

Mini-review: HiFiMan HE-500 Planar-Magnetic Headphones

Posted
By Skylab

Pros: Outstanding overall performance

Cons: somewhat heavy

Mini-review: HiFiMan HE-500 Planar-Magnetic Headphones   Fang from Head-Direct was kind enough to loan me a pair of HE-500 for review.  The HE-500 are billed as a more efficient version of the HE-6, although there are some other differences, both in design and in sonics.  They are also a little different looking, in that the casing is a very nice gun-metal grey:       Taken on its own, the HE-500 are really an exceptionally good headphone.  While they still require a somewhat powerful headphone amp, I was able to drive them with no problem from the Woo WA2, WA6, Trafomatic Head One, Decware Mini-Torri, Musical Paradise MP-301 mk2, and...
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