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HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) Proving to be an enjoyable experience in listening.
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:03 PM Post #10,801 of 20,374
Stat like sound, does seem a buzzword, so that puts me into the sceptical camp, but I'm prepared to be surprised after the press hype dies down. Hifiman headphones also tend to have few little quirks in the beginning so will be wise to wait a while in any case. If the two new headphones supposed to be different from the normal orthos, then the naming scheme has me all confused or does the 'i' stand for improved... 
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 @Sonido strangely enough, in another thread where somebody responded to one of my posts, the Head-fier mentioned that he sold the HE-500 for a electrostatic headphone (I think it was a Koss ESP950) because the HE-500 was too laid back sounding. I wouldn't sleep too well! 
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Jan 7, 2014 at 4:06 PM Post #10,804 of 20,374
angelbelow said:
You may have saw this already but there is a Ces HiFiMan thread on the headphone form and an insider provided the numbers on the sensitivity. 90db for the 560 and 93/94 for the 400i

http://www.head-fi.org/t/698831/fresh-outta-ces-the-hifiman-he-400i-and-he-560/15#post_10140941
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hifimanrookie said:
Lolz.. Am sure u can use ur emotiva on the he560.. Or else u just have to buy a headphone amp..oh the horror for u :D

Seriously...with the numbers i just read i am indeed afraid that the emotiva is to powerful for the he560.

But its not keeping me up...a very smart lady in my life once said to me..be happy with what u have now, and not what u could have tomorrow :wink:
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At 90 dB I'm seriously afraid now. It's quite likely the HE-560 would sound good from the Emotiva and could very well best the HE-500.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:08 PM Post #10,805 of 20,374
daerron said:
Stat like sound, does seem a buzzword, so that puts me into the sceptical camp, but I'm prepared to be surprised after the press hype dies down. Hifiman headphones also tend to have few little quirks in the beginning so will be wise to wait a while in any case. If the two new headphones supposed to be different from the normal orthos, then the naming scheme has me all confused or does the 'i' stand for improved... :D

 @Sonido
 strangely enough, in another thread where somebody responded to one of my posts, the Head-fier mentioned that he sold the HE-500 for a electrostatic headphone (I think it was a Koss ESP950) because the HE-500 was too laid back sounding. I wouldn't sleep too well! :veryevil:
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I actually have both the HE-500 and ESP950. I want some of what they're on because the ESP950 is the most laid back headphones I've ever heard. In a good way of course. Complements my other cans very well.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:10 PM Post #10,806 of 20,374
hifimanrookie said:
 
koiloco said:
Stat-like sound, huh.  Let's start a new hype train.  I am on board already.
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How strange it may sound coming from me..being a hifiman loyalist...i am sceptic..but u never know..stax better watch out as the new he7 has still to come.
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Stax should rather look out for a new Jade. I am kinda dissappointed that they haven't come out with an updated Jade yet. That'd be sooo cool.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:12 PM Post #10,807 of 20,374
sonido said:
I actually have both the HE-500 and ESP950. I want some of what they're on because the ESP950 is the most laid back headphones I've ever heard. In a good way of course. Complements my other cans very well.
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Just to get my facts straight I think he did said it was the mids in particular. How are the mids on the ESP950? Its another headphone I'd like to try out at some stage, unless the HE560 really ends up having a stat-like sound! 
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Jan 7, 2014 at 4:14 PM Post #10,808 of 20,374
daerron said:
 
Just to get my facts straight I think he did said it was the mids in particular. How are the mids on the ESP950? Its another headphone I'd like to try out at some stage, unless the HE560 really has a stat-like sound!
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As I have heard it they are very neutral sounding. Some like it and others don't. Would really like to try them esp950, I'm just annoyed you can't really use them on a Stax amp without an adapter or something similar.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:14 PM Post #10,809 of 20,374
Comparing new headphones to Stats is so old. It was done with HD600 back in the 90s. So... it literally means nothing to me. Anytime something new comes out people say it's as good as Stax. LOL. Same thing happened with the HE-5 and LCD-2. Whatevers, Stax is Stax, nothing really sounds like it, and it's not everyone's cup of tea. Steve is not helping his image as the overhyper with these kind of comments.
 
Anyway. I'm not really fan of the new headband because I never had comfort issues, but I guess it's great for some people. The reduced weight means there are magnets on only one side (IMO) a la HE-4/Abyss. The efficiency numbers makes me think the Emotiva is still in play. Definitely for the 560 and maybe even the 400i (for smaller improvements of course).
 
Can't wait for comparative reviews. I'm wondering where the HE600 is though? I guess that's coming later in the year...
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:18 PM Post #10,810 of 20,374
m-13 said:
  Comparing new headphones to Stats is so old. It was done with HD600 back in the 90s. So... it literally means nothing to me. Anytime something new comes out people say it's as good as Stax. LOL. Same thing happened with the HE-5 and LCD-2. Whatevers, Stax is Stax, nothing really sounds like it, and it's not everyone's cup of tea. Steve is not helping his image as the overhyper with these kind of comments.
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Really well said. The thing is, electrostats has this unique sound, moreso than the planars in my opinion. Some like it and never goes back, others just don't like it and then there's the rest...
 
It seems like a compromise to me to only have one side of magnets. Not that it necessarily is, yet according to Tyll, the double siders will measure better as I remember.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:26 PM Post #10,811 of 20,374
daerron said:
Just to get my facts straight I think he did said it was the mids in particular. How are the mids on the ESP950? Its another headphone I'd like to try out at some stage, unless the HE560 really ends up having a stat-like sound! :p
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davidsh said:
As I have heard it they are very neutral sounding. Some like it and others don't. Would really like to try them esp950, I'm just annoyed you can't really use them on a Stax amp without an adapter or something similar.
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Yeah I'd agree it's very neutral. Honestly as a fan of forward mids, I don't like it as much as my other cans for mids. Also I think it's a definite step below the HE-500 and HD800 in transparency, at least with the stock amp. I think that plays a large part in the lack of forwardness in the mids that I prefer. However it does some things like treble that I've not heard in other headphones. Must be the electrostatic sound because the only way I can describe it is graceful. Like some sparkling sounds have that swiftness without any added resonance.
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:33 PM Post #10,812 of 20,374
sonido said:
Yeah I'd agree it's very neutral. Honestly as a fan of forward mids, I don't like it as much as my other cans for mids. Also I think it's a definite step below the HE-500 and HD800 in transparency, at least with the stock amp. I think that plays a large part in the lack of forwardness in the mids that I prefer. However it does some things like treble that I've not heard in other headphones. Must be the electrostatic sound because the only way I can describe it is graceful. Like some sparkling sounds have that swiftness without any added resonance.
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That's what 'stats are known for, most of them are like that. You should try the lambda signature 
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On another note, it seems that Fang finally has been inspired by Jerg's pad mods with the new 'phones!!
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:43 PM Post #10,814 of 20,374
themad said:
   
Better than that, from Fang's post it looks like they are backwards compatible with the HE-400/500/6's!
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Jerg clearly deserves not only new HiFi man pads for free, but a free HE-560 to boot!
Kudos!
 
Jan 7, 2014 at 6:08 PM Post #10,815 of 20,374
davidsh said:
  That's what 'stats are known for, most of them are like that. You should try the lambda signature 
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On another note, it seems that Fang finally has been inspired by Jerg's pad mods with the new 'phones!!
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I'm sure Fang and co have had in-house experimentation with earpads for a while now, my mod just gave it a nudge or two with regards to things they could try.
 
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