Hifiman HE-500 or Sennheiser HD 650 - Page 7

Neutrality Scale :

 

AT hm50 (ok, except for exaggerated bass) > HE-500  > HD-650

 

Where you end up here is like how much cream (if any) you like in your coffee
 

I've had the opportunity to have heard the basic level SP XLR amp by Mikhail + the HD650's and if from my memory serves right, when I last heard the HE-500, this HD650 combo is an end game for the HD650, if I had given it a number out of 10 for neutrality I would give it a 11.

 

The HE-500 I sometimes feel a bit too dark and closed-in, but can be awfully bright sometimes but still closed-in.

 

You must be taking about one of those Single Power tube amps?  My friend Happy Camper has one.  I find it limits the 650 to the point they seem veiled.  Love it with the HD800s though.

 

I live with both the 650s and the 500s every day with a few different kinds of amps.  I like the 500s on my balanced M^3 and I like the 650s on the B22.  Yes, because what you said about the 650s scaling I find true as well.  

 

I guess a headphone can be both dark and bright as you say - at the same time.  I don't find that with the 500s.  Laid back a little I say yes to that, bright in the highs and treble - yes to that as well, that's why it pairs well with the M^3.  The 650s need a little umph behind it to bright those highs out more that's why I pair it up with the beast.  

 

When both are compared I still find the 500s on the more neutral side of the house.  YMMV

Edited by preproman - 12/6/12 at 4:52am

Wait till you hear the HD800... You might have to up your range to an 'out of 20' and give it a 21.  

I think the sound refinement of the HD650 changes, but its signature does not regardless of what amp you hook it to.  It's a pleasure to listen to un-amped, but even more pleasurable to listen to well-amped due to its smooth, forgiving nature.

 

I find the HE-500 to be somewhat amp picky, and not only that... but if you're using a tube amp, to be tube picky as well.  I was running it last night with a different set of tubes from what I normally pair with, and everything in the music just felt much less emotional.  There wasn't that musical attachment to the soul.  I've also heard the HE-500 on amps such as the HA-160D, which I found to be far too bright and harsh for my liking.

From one who loved my HD650 when I first got it, and swore to never sell it cause I believed it was my 'end game headphones'... I truly understand the meaning of this, now that I have sold my HD650, lol.

 

I bought HE-500 yesterday.

I asked to listen to them at the shop and they hooked them up to a Burson amp (didn't pay attention to the model).

They sounded really closed in. I thought it was because they were new and not burnt in.

 

When I got home and listened to them with my La Figaro 339, they turned out to be an almost complete different HP. 

Not closed in for a sec. Open and lovely I would say. Definitely a notch up from the Burson.

 

So yeah, what vc1187 says - they are amp picky!

IMO they sound terrible with the Burson (assuming it was the HA series).

Congrats sgtE, you now own a very very lovely system! What source are you pairing with the LF339 + HE-500 might I ask? I find the MSII+ to be incredible with mine.

 

 

Thanks :)

 

I use Cambridge Stream Magic 6 - its same as Dacmagic Plus + a streamer.

+1 i agree..my he500 sounded much better on my 337 then any burson i heard.

 

I have AB tested HE-400 and HE-500 on Burson Soloist. IMHO did not feel that HE-500 was closed in with Soloist.

Yep one of the original Single Power amps before Mikhail started scamming people and then he disappeared. I don't know what specific amp/configuration Happy Camper has, Mikhail provided a lot of options for his amp's almost any upgrade you can make and choose with your amp upon purchasing, so hard to tell unless you compared the two amp's from SP and listened to it yourself.

 

I generally find all orthos fairly dark sig'd including the HE-6 and vintage Fostex/NAD orthos but with some right amping, it brings it to a neutral level. The HE-500 has sort of bright high's sometimes by stock and with certain amp's, but this is just me. I haven't heard what it sound's like with the balanced M3 but from what I've read, an M3 is just a cut down version of the B22 and if the sound sig is similar to the B22, then I would not enjoy the HE-500 with my B22 imo.

 

I have owned 3 HD800's in my lifetime all different serial's to see if their is any differences and I still own a HD800. Most people that complain about the overly bright treble on HD800 have not heard the HD800 through a proper rig, as stated the HD800 does not require lot's of current like the HE-6 does, but the HD800 is picky as hell when it comes to amping. The HE-500 aren't picky compared to the 800 at all. Yes, your right about the HE-500 sounding too bright with the Burson's and for one for the price the 160D is at, it failed to bring enjoyment to my music my old Violectric V100's provided which is also cheaper by few hundred bucks.

 

I use to hate the HD650's, until a friend proved me wrong and let me listen to his RWA Issablina amp and the HD650's, boy was I blown away, but I suspect that his music source and DAC was of high quality as well. If I was to listen to jazz and classical waltz only, the HD650 + my modded speedball Crack is all I would need, nothing else.

The LF339 + HE-500 cannot go wrong, the 337 is pretty good already with the HE-500, if the 339 is any better than it'd probably be even better.

I'd provide an input after I see some of other people's recommendations.

First of all..the he400 and 500 are two completely kind of headphone amping concerned..a 400 is much much much easier to drive and therefore easier to sound excellent then the more power/quality hungry he500
Did u compare the sound of the he500 on a v200, a 337 or 339? Or even a lyr or mjolnir, a a18 sabre maybe? as those amps are known to blend perfectly with the he500..some better then others (lyr sounded a bit blurry compared to my 337, but still very good) if i had the money i Would go for the a18 sabre..as i read lyrical reviews about that amp paired with the he500..would love to test one out one day..

I was not saying a burson was a bad amp.it isnt! On contrary! They make one of the finest amps around! .i only meant some sounded worse then my 337 allthough more expensive... ( but i do have other tubes in my 337) And it was not only me stating that on the last meet i attended..but ofcourse it all comes back to personal taste and experience... I always say..if u have a pair that gives u goosebumps while listening to them..stick to it! As thats all whats important..
Edited by hifimanrookie - 12/6/12 at 5:41pm

 

WOW,  where did you hear this?   Well I guess both do have there own color so to speak.  However, the M^3s opamps can be changed out to various ones for choice of sound, while the B22 can not.  Very different amps.  A balanced M^3 has 2 boards, a fully balanced B22 has 4.  But I know you already know that.  I much prefer the 500s on my M^3 than my B22 as the M^3 is a much warmer and forgiving amp IMO.

What I meant was sound performance wise, detail, transparency etc not the physical topology of both of the amps while I do know that the B22 is mosfet driven and the M3 is by opamps.

 

 

O  Ok, cool..