[spkrs01]

I bought a pair of HE500 on Saturday. Liked it very much. I used it in a set up sourced by the iBassoDX100 > Triad L3. Driven by the L3 the HE500 sounded polite, everything in its place but nothing really outstanding, The sound was definitely better than using the DX100 as a standalone. At the back of my mind something was missing sonically.
 
Rushed out and bought a Violectric V200 yesterday and I must say, I am hearing what many are raving on about the HE500, now. Excellent

. Post more thoughts soon. 
 

My bedside rig.............................

 and

. Triad L3 on IEM duty and V200 on Cans!
 
 

 

[mac336]

Nice.  I was considering the V200, but the bifrost/lyr came out to be cheaper for me.  Bifrost came in today and I am pleasantly suprised by how much this DAC cleaned things up and improved the sound on my HE500 powered by lyr
 

 

[WhiteCrow]

 
Quote:

Nice.  I was considering the V200, but the bifrost/lyr came out to be cheaper for me.  Bifrost came in today and I am pleasantly suprised by how much this DAC cleaned things up and improved the sound on my HE500 powered by lyr
 

Thanks heavens it's not just me.
 
Quote:

 
 
I could never integrate into that thread, since it's 99.9999% about modding vintage orthos. IMO the modern planar magnetic cans have an entirely different audience.

 
This

 

[WhiteCrow]

OHHHH MY GOD!!!!!
What I had originally thought to be a small nick in the paint where the screw had scraped being attached to the ear cup...is actually a crack, contacted Headroom and am looking to get these excanged, Love the sound and not looking to get a different headphone, just a non-cracked HE-500...not sure if this is a HiFiMan thing or a Headroom thing. These are built and I really don't think the cracks going to be a problem...but still.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

OHHHH MY GOD!!!!!
What I had originally thought to be a small nick in the paint where the screw had scraped being attached to the ear cup...is actually a crack, contacted Headroom and am looking to get these excanged, Love the sound and not looking to get a different headphone, just a non-cracked HE-500...not sure if this is a HiFiMan thing or a Headroom thing. These are built and I really don't think the cracks going to be a problem...but still.

 
I mean they had a history of cracked housing with the HE-5, hence their decision to scrap it. 
 
But I mean.. plastic shouldn't do that! I doubt it's Headroom though. Those guys are wizards at shipping and caring for expensive stuff.

 

[WhiteCrow]

The driver housing is metal.......The cracking scares me quite a bit, I feel like it might have been a stress crack from the screw being driven in...it's not big but it's still a crack. Otherwise, HeadRoom has sent me a replacement pair for free!

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

The driver housing is metal.......The cracking scares me quite a bit, I feel like it might have been a stress crack from the screw being driven in...it's not big but it's still a crack. Otherwise, HeadRoom has sent me a replacement pair for free!

 
Great to hear!
 
Man the LCD-2's I have don't feel as nice as the HE-500 even though when worn in, the pads are comfier. I miss that total encapsulation feel that the HE-500 gave me. Felt like I was wearing a dang helmet!

 

[WhiteCrow]

Quote:

 
Great to hear!
 
Man the LCD-2's I have don't feel as nice as the HE-500 even though when worn in, the pads are comfier. I miss that total encapsulation feel that the HE-500 gave me. Felt like I was wearing a dang helmet!

And oddly enough they are more comfortable IMO, they clamp, but not too hard.

 

[wje]

Quote:

 
Great to hear!
 
Man the LCD-2's I have don't feel as nice as the HE-500 even though when worn in, the pads are comfier. I miss that total encapsulation feel that the HE-500 gave me. Felt like I was wearing a dang helmet!

 
The fit of my HE-5LEs and the HE-400s are exactly the same way.  I guess HifiMAN found the magic formula that works and repeated it across their line.
 
Chris ... you might have just come up with a great idea that you should go after, design and get patents on it.  Create a helmet with high quality planar drivers embedded in it.  You could go with a closed design, like the Fostex T50RPs provide.  Now, that would be some good quality audio for those bikers on the Honda gold wings that insist in riding across the country.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

Chris ... you might have just come up with a great idea that you should go after, design and get patents on it.  Create a helmet with high quality planar drivers embedded in it.  You could go with a closed design, like the Fostex T50RPs provide.  Now, that would be some good quality audio for those bikers on the Honda gold wings that insist in riding across the country.

 
Because we need more bikers with less situational awareness right?
 
AHAHAH
 
They're usually quick to blame "crappy drivers" for their run-ins... but try doing 35mph down the street and some random guy just scrapes your door trying to squeeze between lanes.
 
I SHOULD really do something useful with my hobby instead of selling coathanger wire spraypainted silver to guys.

 

[WhiteCrow]

Quote:

 
Because we need more bikers with less situational awareness right?
 
AHAHAH
 
They're usually quick to blame "crappy drivers" for their run-ins... but try doing 35mph down the street and some random guy just scrapes your door trying to squeeze between lanes.
 
I SHOULD really do something useful with my hobby instead of selling coathanger wire spraypainted silver to guys.

I think that would be a good idea. Also you take the time to spray paint wires? Just get nickle wire, it looks the same as silver when sheathed.

 

[brokenthumb]

This is a great review and I agree with the op with his descriptions.  I love the air and separation the HE-500 gives to each instrument.  I really want to try these on a Lyr now.

 

[mac336]

Quote:

This is a great review and I agree with the op with his descriptions.  I love the air and separation the HE-500 gives to each instrument.  I really want to try these on a Lyr now.

 


I would recommend it, but I would also recommend not getting it unless you have a complementary DAC.  When I first got the lyr, I used the NFB-12 as a DAC and really barely noticed an improvement in the he500 with the lyr.  When bifrost came in, it was a sizeable improvement  (not sure if thats a knock on the NFB12 dac or complement to bifrost).  
 
Anyway, in my experience the lyr was not worth it until i had the bifrost.  
 
And make sure you get amperex or valvo tubes.   

 

[brokenthumb]

Quote:

 


I would recommend it, but I would also recommend not getting it unless you have a complementary DAC.  When I first got the lyr, I used the NFB-12 as a DAC and really barely noticed an improvement in the he500 with the lyr.  When bifrost came in, it was a sizeable improvement  (not sure if thats a knock on the NFB12 dac or complement to bifrost).  
 
Anyway, in my experience the lyr was not worth it until i had the bifrost.  
 
And make sure you get amperex or valvo tubes.   

 
My main source is my turntable so no DAC needed for that.   Hmmm, this makes me wonder if I'll hear a difference then.  I should b/c the E9 doesn't put out as much mW as the NFB-12, probably less of a difference going from a NFB-12 to Lyr than E9 to Lyr.

 

[mac336]

Quote:

 
My main source is my turntable so no DAC needed for that.   Hmmm, this makes me wonder if I'll hear a difference then.  I should b/c the E9 doesn't put out as much mW as the NFB-12, probably less of a difference going from a NFB-12 to Lyr than E9 to Lyr.

that's true.  The NFB-12 puts out around 2 watts per 38 ohms i believe.  In your situation the lyr would probably make an improvement