HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) please post your impressions. . loan pair for UK pg. 28. - Page 202

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Days Off 

I had the DT-880 and now the HE-500 and for me it was no contest, the HE-500 is much much better for music.. the DT-880 just had too much treble bite and the HE-500 is more neutral as well as detailed.

I should have said in my post "provided the treble peak is dealt with".  It's really quite benign and easily ironed out unless you use a dedicated HP amp in isolation, away from a computer. This is why I won't use a dedicated HP amp and much prefer an integrated, because even the best phones need a tweak, and once that tweak is applied the DT880 is certainly one of the best phones. As for the HE-500 being more neutral, to me it makes everything sounds like it was recorded in a cave, as I've said elsewhere. There's a ringing/resonance somewhere that really bothers me, which the DT880 completely lacks. No, I don't find the HE-500 neutral at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 

 

 

I should have said in my post "provided the treble peak is dealt with".  It's really quite benign and easily ironed out unless you use a dedicated HP amp in isolation, away from a computer. This is why I won't use a dedicated HP amp and much prefer an integrated, because even the best phones need a tweak, and once that tweak is applied the DT880 is certainly one of the best phones. As for the HE-500 being more neutral, to me it makes everything sounds like it was recorded in a cave, as I've said elsewhere. There's a ringing/resonance somewhere that really bothers me, which the DT880 completely lacks. No, I don't find the HE-500 neutral at all.

I've really found the DT880 and HE-500 to sound the opposite of what you're saying (although we both seem to agree the DT880 has too harsh treble).. I liked the HE-500 much better than the LCD2 even (which sounded more closed and had too laid-back treble)...but different ears, different opinions. 

The HE-500 is one of my favorite headphones after trying out many many of them..they really make me forget about the headphones and just listen to the music and still amaze me when i pick them up..

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 

 

 

I should have said in my post "provided the treble peak is dealt with".  It's really quite benign and easily ironed out unless you use a dedicated HP amp in isolation, away from a computer. This is why I won't use a dedicated HP amp and much prefer an integrated, because even the best phones need a tweak, and once that tweak is applied the DT880 is certainly one of the best phones. As for the HE-500 being more neutral, to me it makes everything sounds like it was recorded in a cave, as I've said elsewhere. There's a ringing/resonance somewhere that really bothers me, which the DT880 completely lacks. No, I don't find the HE-500 neutral at all.

There is 2 things the HE-500 have, which the DT-880 cannot achieve. Amazing bass, and fast transients. IMO the problems that the HE-500 have can be dealt with through modding the pads.

I find the DT-880 to be very slow in direct comparison. I remember finding it to be struggling compared to the HE-500.

Not to mention the acid midrange.

I cannot blame the DT-880 too much: it's thanks to them that I upgraded the HE-4 to the HE-500. I wanted a bigger soundstage, like with the Beyer. I ended up getting much more than just that :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidsh 

There is 2 things the HE-500 have, which the DT-880 cannot achieve. Amazing bass, and fast transients. IMO the problems that the HE-500 have can be dealt with through modding the pads.

 

What you say may be true, but as a listener to classical/orchestral music exclusively they're less important to me than other aspects like lack of colouration, neutral balance and low listener fatigue. Bass and fast transients are of course more important in other forms of music.

As for modding the HE-500 pads, I'm 66 and my modding days are over, thank you. If a manufacturer can't get it right at the design stage I'm not about to second guess him.

Man, I have to repost this from Changstar, it's just too beautiful; HE500 modded with custom walnut burl wood.

Apparently it has a very nice tonal balance too; airier and more relaxed-sounding than stock cups.

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Days Off 

I've really found the DT880 and HE-500 to sound the opposite of what you're saying (although we both seem to agree the DT880 has too harsh treble)..

I'm afraid you've misunderstood me. The DT880 has a treble peak which needs to be ironed out for ideal balance, but the treble is by no means harsh; quite the opposite. Quality and quantity here are two different things.

By "the opposite" are you saying the DT880 sounds like everything was recorded in a cave?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clemmaster 

Not to mention the acid midrange.

 

Do you mean the DT880? I've never heard them described that way before, nor is it anything like what I hear. Acid midrange? I may have to put an asbestos cloth over my ears when I use them next time.

I read several other people saying the DT-800's midrange sounds acid.

If pp312 is 66, he might well use the extra treble quantity of the 880s ;)

A HE-5 or HE-6 might be colser to the voicing of the 800s, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pp312 

 

I'm afraid you've misunderstood me. The DT880 has a treble peak which needs to be ironed out for ideal balance, but the treble is by no means harsh; quite the opposite. Quality and quantity here are two different things.

 

By "the opposite" are you saying the DT880 sounds like everything was recorded in a cave?

 

 

Do you mean the DT880? I've never heard them described that way before, nor is it anything like what I hear. Acid midrange? I may have to put an asbestos cloth over my ears when I use them next time.

I like what the HE-500 gives me. In reality you can't really say a headphone is superior to another, but I am positive most will find the HE-500 superior to the DT-880, especially when the HE-500 is modded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerg 

Man, I have to repost this from Changstar, it's just too beautiful; HE500 modded with custom walnut burl wood.

 

 

 

 

Apparently it has a very nice tonal balance too; airier and more relaxed-sounding than stock cups.

That is gorgeous! Then some J$ or other leather pads to finish the job.

I don't think you can say one is problematic and not the other...

Personally, I don't really trust the headroom graphs

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude 

I don't think you can say one is problematic and not the other...

 

Those don't tell much. This might show you more detail:

HE500

DT880

Pretty obvious how severe each peak is.

Where is it possible to see a waterfall plot of the HE-500 bass?

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidsh 

Where is it possible to see a waterfall plot of the HE-500 bass?

Nowhere; bass waterfall plot tends to hold very little information because it just drags out. Even the lower end of the shown waterfall plots show that at 500 Hz there is already a huge amount of bloat that goes off the time scale.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerg 

Nowhere; bass waterfall plot tends to hold very little information because it just drags out. Even the lower end of the shown waterfall plots show that at 500 Hz there is already a huge amount of bloat that goes off the time scale.

Some 'phones do bass better than others. Therefore it must be measurable with a bigger scale? You could just split it into different charts.