Quote:

wakeride74 said:

Ha, this is headfi, there are few here extremely satisfied with anything for very long. You seem to be an exception. The lack of LF impact was what drove me away from the HD800 but that was when I had the Concerto and vDac so am hoping they will do better with my current rig. I'm very interested in the HE500 and have updated my FS listing to reflect that I am open to trades (+cash) for either the HD800 or HE500 however the HE500 is pretty hot right now and I'll probably be hard pressed to snag a used one in as good of condition as my LCD-2's are but who knows. The things I've read about the HE500's rendering of vocals really peaked my interest. My favorite instrument is the female voice 

Click to expand...

I think the HD800 is a step above the HE500. When I upgraded, I did not really want to go back to the HE500's so I sold them and got HE6. And now it's HE6/HD800 depending on music.
The HE500 is fantastic for it's laid back sound, and woman vocals are probably a bit more natural than on the HD800. That being said, I think the HD800 does much more rights compared to the HE500 on the whole. It's just not as intimate.
 
The HE500 are still my #1 headphone for value, but if you have the money and amping requirements for the Senns, it's probably better.

Quote:

dleblanc343 said:

I think the HD800 is a step above the HE500. When I upgraded, I did not really want to go back to the HE500's so I sold them and got HE6. And now it's HE6/HD800 depending on music.
The HE500 is fantastic for it's laid back sound, and woman vocals are probably a bit more natural than on the HD800. That being said, I think the HD800 does much more rights compared to the HE500 on the whole. It's just not as intimate.
 
The HE500 are still my #1 headphone for value, but if you have the money and amping requirements for the Senns, it's probably better.

Click to expand...

You're LCD-3's aren't getting any of that love eh? I had a trade offer for the HE-6 but to be honest I just don't want to worry about a headphone that power hungry so I declined. I'd like to hear them and the HE500 to. I've enjoyed a lot with the LCD2 and LCD3, they have a very organic timbre about them that I've not found in many others. Female vocals are big in my eargasim department which is why I have interest in the HE500. I had a poor match for the HD800 when I owned them so I'm open to trying again with my current rig and if they dont get it done I'd move to the HE500. The LCD-3 is the first headphone I've had since my long gone PS-1's that have really done it for me in all areas. Given the cost of some of my other interests I just can't justify keeping them and pursuing other hobbies. 

Quote:

dleblanc343 said:

I think the HD800 is a step above the HE500. When I upgraded, I did not really want to go back to the HE500's so I sold them and got HE6. And now it's HE6/HD800 depending on music.
The HE500 is fantastic for it's laid back sound, and woman vocals are probably a bit more natural than on the HD800. That being said, I think the HD800 does much more rights compared to the HE500 on the whole. It's just not as intimate.
 
The HE500 are still my #1 headphone for value, but if you have the money and amping requirements for the Senns, it's probably better.

Click to expand...

I never tried T1 but every friday in amazon Beyer T1 is 950-980 box. And Hifiman never has discount.

C'mon.. show more love for the orthos

Listening to Dave Brubeck now (with the HE-400).  So strange, just this past weekend, I got a gift card for my birthday and I blew it all on Dave Brubeck CDs.... that's really weird, considering I haven't listened to Dave in a while!
 
I'm a huge fan though, and while its not a shocker, I'm deeply saddened.  He's someone I always wanted to meet.  I almost did when I was a kid and for some reason I didn't end up going back stage. 

davidmahler said:

Listening to Dave Brubeck now (with the HE-400).  So strange, just this past weekend, I got a gift card for my birthday and I blew it all on Dave Brubeck CDs.... that's really weird, considering I haven't listened to Dave in a while!

I'm a huge fan though, and while its not a shocker, I'm deeply saddened.  He's someone I always wanted to meet.  I almost did when I was a kid and for some reason I didn't end up going back stage. 

Click to expand...

I have a copy of almost all the main recordings he made (mostly vinyl). Oddly enough, I don't have a copy of Time Out on any format.

Quote:

jazzerdave said:

I have a copy of almost all the main recordings he made (mostly vinyl). Oddly enough, I don't have a copy of Time Out on any format.

Click to expand...

but you're "jazzer" "dave" as in "dave brubeck" aren't you  Get on that Time Out! It may not be his best album, but Strange Meadow Lark is a beautiful tune

Quote:

davidmahler said:

but you're "jazzer" "dave" as in "dave brubeck" aren't you  Get on that Time Out! It may not be his best album, but Strange Meadow Lark is a beautiful tune

Click to expand...

 
It's not!? I love that album and have 2 copies (in CD and SACD). What other DBQ albums that's better than Time Out?

Quote:

anakchan said:

 
It's not!? I love that album and have 2 copies (in CD and SACD). What other DBQ albums that's better than Time Out?

Click to expand...

It's a great one, but I'm partial to other ones too, Jazz at Oberlin (mono, don't expect good audio) or Brubeck Plays Brubeck is probably my favorite. 
 
I love Time Out, but if I never heard Take Five again, I'd be okay with it.

I know this thread is all about the elite Headphones reviewed ... but I must follow our thread sponsor & digress in honor of Dave Brubeck. 
 
Time-Out, and the whole re-mastered HDCD sounds so incredible on my "Monster Logan" 2-channel system.  I was literally banging my chair today when I realized I'd missed-out attending all the free outdoor concerts he gave in Lincoln Center and Madison Square Park and other locations around NYC the past years, and that I'd never have that next chance to catch him. 
 
BTW, 'Monster' Logan you say?   Yes, Monsters.  Martin Logan Sequel II speakers, that I ripped the passive x-over & EQ out of after toasting one of the inductors.  They're Bi-Amped now, and I'm driving the electrostats using Audio Research Classic 150 140wpc tube-output/FET-input goodness, and crossing the electostats over passively using a 1st order x-over @ around 7K to a 4 foot Newform Research ribbon tweeter.  With that x-over to a ribbon tweeter instead of the electrostat showing itself as something like a 1.7 ohm load @ 20KHz to the amp, the amp sees a steady 7ohms.   And I drive the 10" bass/sub of the Sequel II using a 250wpc SS Perreux Amp.  The speaker's amps are fed by a TaCT digital x-over, EQ, time-alignment, & room-correction unit, itself fed by a Class-A Perreux pre-amp.  I haven't used the system however in years since my California Audio CD changer took a hit during a lightning storm and failed.  Tho I do have a wonderful old Magnum Dynalab tuner I can use.
 
  ...but before it all started to sit idle, one of my greatest pleasures was to sit down and listen to all of the Time Out HDCD on that system.
 
Since I decided I'm giving up this house to live in NYC to save for my retirement (which brought me back to this hobby & site), I'm going to have to give-up the whole thing.  It should go w/o saying however that's a visceral auditory experience I know I'll never be able to match w/even the elitest of phones in this thread, and that makes me very very sad.  Just like I got when I heard David Brubeck had passed.

Edit: Whoops wrong topic and a double post :\ crappy interwebs.

Edit: Whoops wrong topic

Quote:

wakeride74 said:

You're LCD-3's aren't getting any of that love eh? I had a trade offer for the HE-6 but to be honest I just don't want to worry about a headphone that power hungry so I declined. I'd like to hear them and the HE500 to. I've enjoyed a lot with the LCD2 and LCD3, they have a very organic timbre about them that I've not found in many others. Female vocals are big in my eargasim department which is why I have interest in the HE500. I had a poor match for the HD800 when I owned them so I'm open to trying again with my current rig and if they dont get it done I'd move to the HE500. The LCD-3 is the first headphone I've had since my long gone PS-1's that have really done it for me in all areas. Given the cost of some of my other interests I just can't justify keeping them and pursuing other hobbies. 

Click to expand...

Hey, my LCD-3's are getting some love! 
 
*Except yesterday when I dissected them to try the pads on the HE-6 *
 
But if female vocals really mean a lot to you, and you really enjoyed the LCD phones (I was under the impression you were selling because you wanted to experiment other things, but then I read it's because of budget); maybe you would prefer the HE500 at the lower cost. It's really hard to say, I personally prefer my HD800's, but our tastes in sound texture and music might be complete opposites.
 
The ortho sound certainly does add some nice harmonics to voices, it just feels a tad fuller than on the Senns.

Quote:

alota said:

MD1 or MD2?

Click to expand...

Actually I'm not sure. I think there was a "regular" and "premium" version when I got it, and I got the better one. If MD1/2 refers to a new release or version, I got mine right at the release.

Quote:

rgs9200m said:

Actually I'm not sure. I think there was a "regular" and "premium" version when I got it, and I got the better one. If MD1/2 refers to a new release or version, I got mine right at the release.

Click to expand...

then it is md-1. i think that your version is with better cable and balanced and jack connectors