Hifiman HE-500 or Sennheiser HD 650 - Page 5

malveaux was pretty on point with posts early in the thread

One thing I'll add is that both cans have very different sound signatures.

650 has an open, airy sound signature which I am pretty fond of.  And, compared to the HE-500, it has a deeper soundstage.  not saying the soundstage is better, but it is different, deeper. 

HE-500 has better layering IMO.  You can hear all instruments distinctly and clearly, does it better than the 650.  I also found that the HE-500 made lower quality files (like on youtube and stuff) sound better.  where as the 650 sounded worse on that lower quality by comparison

650 hss a good mid bass hump, so you might like that.  HE-500 has a flatter bass response throughout 

everything else pretty much as malveaux said.  I only read the first page of this thread so

I think that I would have to go the the HE-500, but there is something about the open, airy sound signature of the Senheiser (600 and 650) that I loved, and that could be something you're looking for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duper 

I put most of liking features for sound

 

Juicy - Sound that has joie de vivre, energy and life.

 

Lush - Very Rich/Full.

Lush (2) - A "lush" sound has a sense of warmth and fullness. Notes are more authoritative and have a sense of life about them. It is a sound free of any sibilance or brightness. It does not mean colored, however. It is an open and inviting sound enveloping the listener into its soundstage. (source: unkown headfier)

 

Open - Sound which has height and "air", relates to clean upper midrange and treble.

 

Airy - Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz.

 

Warm - Good bass, adequate low frequencies, adequate fundamentals relative to harmonics. Not thin. Also excessive bass or mid bass. Also, pleasantly spacious, with adequate reverberation at low frequencies. Also see Rich, Round. Warm highs means sweet highs.

 

Tight - Good low frequency transient response and detail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac336 

malveaux was pretty on point with posts early in the thread

 

Yup.  I believe that's because he's owned nearly every headphone on the face of this earth, and has an excellent memory - when it comes to remembering how a pair sounded in the past, so he can apply it into the comparison.

Hey!

What was it about the 337 + LCD-3 that you didn't like?

I'm trying to decide between the LCD-3 and HE-500 for my LF339 (and 339 and the 337 are almost twins)

Will HE-500 sound better than LCD-3 on LF339, or is LCD-3 still better but could be even better on another amp?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifimanrookie 


To be honest..a guy on the headfi meet last sunday..said literarely on his meet review that he got so emotional while listening through my 337 and my he500(see my pics) he almost cried while listening to queen! And he is not a rookie in headfi land.. Many people got their hd650, he6, lcd2's and he500's and even grados to listen to my 337..as they found other even much more more expensive amps ( of the likes of musical fidelity, audio gd and more) didnt sounded as well as they hoped..and wanted to compare .but liked the337 sound..but ALL said a weird thing..my 337 didnt sound like an OTL amp at all!.it was more like a mighty solid state amp with big soundstage, natural sound and velvetly voices and good articulated bass..
But there were tube lovers..having woo audio amps (wa6 and wa2) and they said they didnt like the sound..AS IT DIDNT sound like a tube amp...lolz..soooo..i was happy..for now ...have a pair of bendix 6080wb and a pair of tung sol 5998 powertubes on their way to test..am curious how they will improve my 337 even better.. Oh yeah..the 337 is considered to pair very well with the he500 and the hd650 and so is the lafigaro 339...
I advice u to try one..and i think u will be surprised! VERY surprised! But u need to put right tubes in it! I now have tungsol sj7gt as drivers and svetlana 6as7g as powertubes..a good start i understand
Ps..somehow lcd 3 dindt like my amp..the expensive bugger but that one sounded wonderrful on a violectric v200! In my eyes a big steal also as its one of the best sounding ss amps i listened to...

Quote:

Originally Posted by SgtE 

Hey!

 

What was it about the 337 + LCD-3 that you didn't like?

I'm trying to decide between the LCD-3 and HE-500 for my LF339 (and 339 and the 337 are almost twins)

 

Will HE-500 sound better than LCD-3 on LF339, or is LCD-3 still better but could be even better on another amp?

 

Ah, I see that my analysis from the other thread was right!

It's probably the same thing I didn't like about the LF339 + LCD-2, as I've read the LCD-2 and LCD-3 similar sound signatures, being that the LCD-3 is more refined.

The LCD-2 with the LF339 lacked involvement and musicality.  It's almost like the sound was being played at you but your brain was unable to create the magic of having the music play well together.  I will say that this was with stock tubes, then with TS 5998 + RCA 5693 combo.

Seriously though, if you start questioning too much, you'll go mad.  The HE-500 and LF339 are a match made in heaven, to my ears, and I can say this with confidence even after becoming an avid fan of the HD800 and its gigantic soundstage... Get it, and you won't be disappointed.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by vc1187 

......

Seriously though, if you start questioning too much, you'll go mad. 

He he, i'm almost there now after all this reading... 

Quote:

Originally Posted by vc1187 

 

The LCD-2 with the LF339 lacked involvement and musicality.  It's almost like the sound was being played at you but your brain was unable to create the magic of having the music play well together.  I will say that this was with stock tubes, then with TS 5998 + RCA 5693 c

Ouch, well, that kinda does it. Musicality is the single most important attribute I look for. I don't care if the HP is the most technically superb piece ever created if there is no emotion going on. So, I guess I will try the HE-500... 

A store near me get them back in stock by the end of next week. Now the waiting begins...

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifimanrookie 


The guy said the lcd3 lacked punch on the 337.and although i love my 337 ..he was right..it was missing something...the violectric v200 on the other hand looked like being the perfect pair though. Pure and full sound..a bit bright..but clear sounding..The he500 and hd650 sounded like a match in heaven with my 337.and it was not only me who felt like that. Hope this answered ur question.

Thanks, that answered my question.

I would hate to spend two grand on a HP and then feel something is missing...

Electronic music... how about a Grado? 

No brainer answer, HE500!

HD650 is old, slow and veiled, way less details than the modern headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiser 

No brainer answer, HE500!

HD650 is old, slow and veiled, way less details than the modern headphones.

Nooo! It may be old but its still a world class headphone. It's actually a fast headphone when it is amped sufficiently. Give them a good powerful tube amp and they can be surprisingly sharp and detailed. The orthos are better but for the price comparison they should be.

Probably, for me I do not really like the HD650 and love the Orhos. They sound quite differently in almost all categaries, so that the love-or-hate status is very subjective. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LugBug1 

Nooo! It may be old but its still a world class headphone. It's actually a fast headphone when it is amped sufficiently. Give them a good powerful tube amp and they can be surprisingly sharp and detailed. The orthos are better but for the price comparison they should be.

A tube amp will make the hd650 sound slower because the higher output impedance will decrease the damping factor.

But in any event, the hd650 are still a world class headphone.