HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) please post your impressions. . loan pair for UK pg. 28. - Page 235

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerg 

They really should just make metal pieces for those parts where the screws pass.

 

Could you take some photos of the your headband where the extender part was secured to?

Sure can.

I was surprised it was plastic and not metal...or at least some kind of metal insert. 

In any case this is something I can easily fix from my end when i receive the parts.

In the meantime i'm stuck using my Beyer DT990 600ohm....so dissapointing =(

For me to screw it back in correctly i had to make a small incision just enough to fit a small phillips screw driver.

Did you take it off with one hand?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

Sure can.

 

I was surprised it was plastic and not metal...or at least some kind of metal insert. 

 

In any case this is something I can easily fix from my end when i receive the parts.

 

In the meantime i'm stuck using my Beyer DT990 600ohm....so dissapointing =(

 

 

 

 

 

For me to screw it back in correctly i had to make a small incision just enough to fit a small phillips screw driver.

That happened to my HE-500 after quite a bit of use, and I was able to get Fang to fix it for me.  Have you emailed them?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

Sure can.

 

I was surprised it was plastic and not metal...or at least some kind of metal insert. 

 

In any case this is something I can easily fix from my end when i receive the parts.

 

In the meantime i'm stuck using my Beyer DT990 600ohm....so dissapointing =(

 

 

 

 

 

For me to screw it back in correctly i had to make a small incision just enough to fit a small phillips screw driver.

I really feel that this part of Hifiman cans' design is really the only structural weak-point, kinda like the swivel screws of the discontinued Denons.

The exact same happened with my HE-4, 1 month after the end of warranty.

I got a replacement unit (looks new) for 120€, shipping included.

The build quality was not the best on my first HE-4 pair (from July 2011). The second one feels much better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict 

 

That happened to my HE-500 after quite a bit of use, and I was able to get Fang to fix it for me.  Have you emailed them?

I haven't spoken directly to Fang but i've spoken to one of his employees and they were able to send me the replacement parts.

The pieces that connects to the screws is easily replaceable. I don't want to bother sending it back as shipping cost is rather expensive and it'd be much faster if they just send me the parts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

You know they just might send you a brand new pair..  Just saying...

Haha that would be awesome but my headphone's out of warrenty =(

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

 

Haha that would be awesome but my headphone's out of warrenty =(

I was quoted $110 for a replacement set out of warranty.  You don't get a brand new pair, but a refurbished one.  I think others have posted that the ones received were in excellent condition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGGleR 

I was quoted $110 for a replacement set out of warranty.  You don't get a brand new pair, but a refurbished one.  I think others have posted that the ones received were in excellent condition.

Oh wow i had no idea you could do that. How exactly does this replacement procedure work?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGGleR 

I was quoted $110 for a replacement set out of warranty.  You don't get a brand new pair, but a refurbished one.  I think others have posted that the ones received were in excellent condition.

Really? I also took advantage of the out-of-warranty replacement by Hifiman but I don't recall them ever saying the replacement was to be refurbished units.

Never mind, re-read the messages and indeed they are refurbished. No wonder they sounded burned-in as soon as I received them! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

Oh wow i had no idea you could do that. How exactly does this replacement procedure work?

Don't know yet :)  They asked me to measure my drivers first.  Just sent them the email this morning asking for further instructions.  From what I understand, I have to send the headphones to their NY office, who will then send me a refurbished one.  Too bad that they can't handle that at their local facility.  I am only a couple miles away from one of their distribution centers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGGleR 

Don't know yet :)  They asked me to measure my drivers first.  Just sent them the email this morning asking for further instructions.  From what I understand, I have to send the headphones to their NY office, who will then send me a refurbished one.  Too bad that they can't handle that at their local facility.  I am only a couple miles away from one of their distribution centers.

What do you think is the issue with your particular pair?

And I think they have to do the replacement the hard way because units are refurbished and stocked in their Hong Kong facility.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerg 

What do you think is the issue with your particular pair?

 

And I think they have to do the replacement the hard way because units are refurbished and stocked in their Hong Kong facility.

There is a channel imbalance.  The pair I got seems to be pretty old and I am the third owner.  Last owner didn't notice because he has independent volume control for each channel on his amp.  The drivers measure quite differently, with one at 36.3 and the other at 13.4Ohm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGGleR 

There is a channel imbalance.  The pair I got seems to be pretty old and I am the third owner.  Last owner didn't notice because he has independent volume control for each channel on his amp.  The drivers measure quite differently, with one at 36.3 and the other at 13.4Ohm.

My old pair also had channel balance issues (I bought it off someone); the replacement has close-to-perfect channel balance, however its resistance measurements are quite a bit off (45Ohm 33Ohm). I was told that that doesn't matter though, as the drivers are matched by volume.