Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Is the Hifiman HE-6 clearly a league above the Hifiman HE-500?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Is the Hifiman HE-6 clearly a league above the Hifiman HE-500? - Page 7

post #91 of 281
9/22/12 at 4:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preproman View Post

 

 

These are 1K and above headphones.  Are you sure the HE-500 has a horse in this race?  I don't know, I'm just asking.

Yeah, the HE500 were the same price as the LCD2's when they came out. Defo on par with the LCD2's.. just a case of different flavors

Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #92 of 281
9/22/12 at 4:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LugBug1 View Post

Yeah, the HE500 were the same price as the LCD2's when they came out. Defo on par with the LCD2's.. just a case of different flavors

 

 

Well - How about the HE-5-LEs. Same for those?

Reply
post #93 of 281
9/22/12 at 5:49am

For my listening preferences, the HE-5LE bettered both the LCD-2 and the HE-500.  So, at least sonically--which I think is a better point of reference than MSRP alone--I would posit that the 5LE are in the same marketing league as well.

 

The HE-6, with the right associated equipment, and given this listener's preferences, are indeed a "sonic" league beyond all three of the aforementioned.  : )


Edited by pataburd - 9/22/12 at 5:55am
Reply
post #94 of 281
9/22/12 at 6:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pataburd View Post

 

The HE-6, with the right associated equipment, and given this listener's preferences, are indeed a "sonic" league beyond all three of the aforementioned.  : )

 

Great post pataburd.

 

I agree 100%

Reply
post #95 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pataburd View Post

 

The HE-6, with the right associated equipment, and given this listener's preferences, are indeed a "sonic" league beyond all three of the aforementioned.  : )

 

And a "financial" league beyond all three as well. It seems like they priced these appropriately given the general consensus from this thread.

Reply
post #96 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:41am

How's the HE-6 in a financial league beyond the LCD-2? A few hundred bucks a lot, a lot these days?

Reply
post #97 of 281
9/22/12 at 8:48am

It could be the difference between someone buying the HE-6 or something cheaper depending on budget. $300 could be a lot for one person but not that much for another.

 

Also I do agree that the HE-6 is better than the HE500 and LCD2. The only headphone outside of Stax I would take over a properly driven HE6 is a properly driven HD800. I consider the HE-6 one of the top 2 headphones outside of Stax. Of course ymmv.


Edited by rawrster - 9/22/12 at 8:51am
Reply
post #98 of 281
9/22/12 at 9:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preproman View Post

 

 

Well - How about the HE-5-LEs. Same for those?

Never heard them. Don't think I would like them though, bit treble centric too from what I've read. They also need a lot of power to amp them, so you might aswell go for the HE6's if that is the case.

 

So in that sense I'd say leave them out.

Reply
post #99 of 281
9/22/12 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rawrster View Post

It could be the difference between someone buying the HE-6 or something cheaper depending on budget. $300 could be a lot for one person but not that much for another.

 

Also I do agree that the HE-6 is better than the HE500 and LCD2. The only headphone outside of Stax I would take over a properly driven HE6 is a properly driven HD800. I consider the HE-6 one of the top 2 headphones outside of Stax. Of course ymmv.

I see the point there. I was just figuring the aforementioned headphones are summit-fi. So what's a few hundred bucks. biggrin.gif

Reply
post #100 of 281
9/22/12 at 9:21am

Well I never liked the term summit fi but I guess from that point of view but it also depends on the buyer. There's many new head-fi members who are starting new so they don't really think about the whole chain so after the headphone there's not much left over so by the time they have the headphone there's not much for a dac and amp. For more experienced head-fi members who already have gear it may  not be that big a deal.

 

As for price the HE500 were $200 or so dollars more expensive when it came out. I can't remember the exact price but the price it is now is much cheaper than before and put it around the LCD2 price. However if we are talking totl I don't consider either to be that since there's a higher model within the same company with the HE-6 and LCD3.

Reply
post #101 of 281
9/22/12 at 9:25am

Waiting for HE-600..

Reply
post #102 of 281
9/22/12 at 9:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preproman View Post

Great post pataburd.

I agree 100%

I thought you hadn't heard the HE-500s?

Regardless, they RRP for $699 making them some of the best bang for your buck headphones in summit-fi, if not the best. Many people prefer them to the HE-6s myself included (see also Innerfidelity, Headfonia etc). You can pull the "not properly amped" rabbit out of the hat but you can't change what people hear and enjoy. Many find the HE-6s bright and fatiguing ala the HD800s and they don't have as satisfying a bass slam imo. They've got the better detail, soundstage and instrument separation for sure, but for that I'd personally go for the HD800s or Stax which do it better and without the inconvenience of running speaker taps. Still I stick with the HE-500s because they are just so good for the money that upgrading just isn't worth it.

That said I too would be interested in the eventual HE-600 XD
Reply
post #103 of 281
9/22/12 at 10:20am
Put the lot on a speaker amp with a quality power supply and the 6 takes it IMO. I had both for a direct comparison and I kept the 6. I'd say the 500s gets 90-95% of the 6s being pushed hard. The sound at low levels were pretty even. I liked the extension detail, more open soundstage and just a bit more resolution.
Reply
post #104 of 281
9/22/12 at 10:20am
I was referring more to the HE-500 and HE-5LE ($700) vs the HE-6 ($1,200). I did a hasty search, so please correct me if I'm wrong.
Reply
post #105 of 281
9/22/12 at 10:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darkbeat View Post


I thought you hadn't heard the HE-500s?
Regardless, they RRP for $699 making them some of the best bang for your buck headphones in summit-fi, if not the best. Many people prefer them to the HE-6s myself included (see also Innerfidelity, Headfonia etc). You can pull the "not properly amped" rabbit out of the hat but you can't change what people hear and enjoy. Many find the HE-6s bright and fatiguing ala the HD800s and they don't have as satisfying a bass slam imo. They've got the better detail, soundstage and instrument separation for sure, but for that I'd personally go for the HD800s or Stax which do it better and without the inconvenience of running speaker taps. Still I stick with the HE-500s because they are just so good for the money that upgrading just isn't worth it.
That said I too would be interested in the eventual HE-600 XD

 

 

I haven't.  Did you see what I quoted?  What the heck is summit-fi anyway?   I only go by Hi, Mid or Low end.  Beside know one hear but your self is talking about bang for your buck.  I'm talking about pur performance.

 

Also it's very obvious you have not heard the HE-6 on a speaker amp going by your "bright and fatiguing" and "they don't have satisfying bass slam" commit.  

 

Do you really think people yes yourself included should follow "Innerfidelity, Headfonia etc" when they compare these headphones on something like the Lyr?  You got it all wrong.

 

Sir,

 

You have been mislead.


Edited by preproman - 9/22/12 at 10:43am
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Is the Hifiman HE-6 clearly a league above the Hifiman HE-500?