[cnk15]

Quote:

I was looking to purchase my first real set of good headphones. After looking primarily at the Beyerdynamic DT880's and Sennheiser 650, I came across this thread. The HE-4's look to be a great value with the sound you get. The HE-4 + EF5 Amp combo head-direct.com seems like a great deal for a starting setup, and I think I'm going to take the plunge.
 
However, does anyone have any idea how long it would take to ship? I looked around the Head-Direct site and there is no information about shipping speed (to US, Oregon), and as I am leaving to go back to school next week, I need to know how long it would take to ship (if there isn't a way to pay for faster shipping) to make sure I'm going to be in the right place when the headphones are delivered.
 
Thanks!

 
I ordered the combo 12/16 and it was shipped 12/22.  I would have had it today if it weren't for the snow storm we had in the Northeast.  Hopefully I'll get it tomorrow.  That should give you an idea of time frame.  I'm in NJ by the way.
 

 

[ajreynol]

subscribed.

 

[alakalaka99]

Quote:

Quote:

I was looking to purchase my first real set of good headphones. After looking primarily at the Beyerdynamic DT880's and Sennheiser 650, I came across this thread. The HE-4's look to be a great value with the sound you get. The HE-4 + EF5 Amp combo head-direct.com seems like a great deal for a starting setup, and I think I'm going to take the plunge.
 
However, does anyone have any idea how long it would take to ship? I looked around the Head-Direct site and there is no information about shipping speed (to US, Oregon), and as I am leaving to go back to school next week, I need to know how long it would take to ship (if there isn't a way to pay for faster shipping) to make sure I'm going to be in the right place when the headphones are delivered.
 
Thanks!

 
I ordered the combo 12/16 and it was shipped 12/22.  I would have had it today if it weren't for the snow storm we had in the Northeast.  Hopefully I'll get it tomorrow.  That should give you an idea of time frame.  I'm in NJ by the way.
 

Awesome, thanks a lot.

 

[EddieE]

Surprised there hasn't been more discussion of the fact that, with just one magnet per side, this isn't actually an orthodynamic. It's not a dynamic, strictly, either, but a new type of driver altogether.

 

[ujamerstand]

Strictly speaking, none of the head-direct's products have orthodynamic drivers. Orthodynamic refers to Yamaha's driver with circular patterns. Head-direct's drivers have a serpentine like that of fostex's old design, except that Head-direct's drivers have much wider tracks and less of them in parallel. Regardless, HE-4 is still planar magnetic in nature.

 

[EddieE]

Orthodynamic was what Yamaha called - ortho/isodynamic/planar - different names for the same basic technology.
 
All refer to an assembly of plastic film with the voice coil actually embedded or glued flat onto them (in spiral or serpentine or whatever pattern) sandwiched between two magnets peppered with holes.
 
Hifiman HE-5, 5LE and 6 all follow this design, as does the LCD2 afaik, and all Fostex, Yamaha offerings and those of every other manufacturer discussed on the ortho thread.
 
But these don't. Pretty interesting.

 

[ujamerstand]

Yep, they are pretty interesting. I remember somebody modded a T50 (the old version, not the current RP version); removing magnets from one side. If I recall correctly the reaction was favorable as well. But I would still call this a planar magnetic driver. (Regardless of Orthodynamic, Isodynamic, regulated phase or whatever terminology the marketing department comes up with.)

 

[JIGF]

@ujamerstand: That avatar is creeping out big time

 

[EddieE]

Well I've often thought that one of the problems with the ortho design was the backwave pinball that must result from the "magnet sandwich" ortho design, so this would surely reduce that.

Obviosuly there are benefits to it, otherwise why would every high end and historical ortho use it?

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

It raises the sensitivity, which for something like an he-6 is a big bonus ;p

 

[Reputator]

Quote:

It raises the sensitivity, which for something like an he-6 is a big bonus ;p

Should also help with transients and speed, no?

 

[ujamerstand]

Quote:

Well I've often thought that one of the problems with the ortho design was the backwave pinball that must result from the "magnet sandwich" ortho design, so this would surely reduce that.

Obviosuly there are benefits to it, otherwise why would every high end and historical ortho use it?

 Taking out magnets from one side results in less controlled diaphragm. You gain some, you loose some. I would be very interested in hearing comparisons between the HE5LE and the HE4 specifically on how much resolution each offers.

 
Quote:

@ujamerstand: That avatar is creeping out big time

Gotta love old educational videos. and Boards of Canada.

 

[EddieE]

Quote:

Quote:

Well I've often thought that one of the problems with the ortho design was the backwave pinball that must result from the "magnet sandwich" ortho design, so this would surely reduce that.

Obviosuly there are benefits to it, otherwise why would every high end and historical ortho use it?

 Taking out magnets from one side results in less controlled diaphragm. You gain some, you loose some. I would be very interested in hearing comparisons between the HE5LE and the HE4 specifically on how much resolution each offers.

 

 
[size=x-small]Yep that's what I would expect as well. [/size]
 
[size=x-small]I'd also love to hear a direct HE5LE and HE4 comparrison, but no one who already has an HE5LE is going to buy and HE4 so it may be a bit of a wait until both turn up at the same meet.[/size]

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

Yep, they are pretty interesting. I remember somebody modded a T50 (the old version, not the current RP version); removing magnets from one side. If I recall correctly the reaction was favorable as well. But I would still call this a planar magnetic driver. (Regardless of Orthodynamic, Isodynamic, regulated phase or whatever terminology the marketing department comes up with.)

Yeah, planar magnetic regardless.  The same principle as Infinity EMIT/EMIM drivers, and Magnepans.  Wound conductor (either glued on wire as in Maggies, or etched in foil as in Infinities) on a substrate (Mylar for Maggies, Kapton for Infinities), suspended in a magnetic field.
 
Ahh, the sweet planar sound...
 
Sorry, vintage Infinity fan here.
 


Quote:

Quote:

Well I've often thought that one of the problems with the ortho design was the backwave pinball that must result from the "magnet sandwich" ortho design, so this would surely reduce that.

Obviosuly there are benefits to it, otherwise why would every high end and historical ortho use it?

 Taking out magnets from one side results in less controlled diaphragm. You gain some, you loose some. I would be very interested in hearing comparisons between the HE5LE and the HE4 specifically on how much resolution each offers.

 
Quote:

@ujamerstand: That avatar is creeping out big time

Gotta love old educational videos. and Boards of Canada.

Interestingly, Infinity started with push/pull vertically oriented rectangular designs for its EMIT tweeters, followed up with a wider, larger diaphragm version (called the High Energy EMIT; better in all respects, especially dispersion), and then finished with a round, push-only design called the EMIT-R
 
I'm certain that the biggest reason for the round push-only tweeter was cost-related - the '90s high end Infinities used the High Energy EMIT, and the EMIT-R was used for everything else (oh, and as the rear tweeter for the '90s dipole IRS models).  I believe the round design has better dispersion than the older rectangular design, although I can't say how it compares to the High Energy EMIT in that respect.
 
On the other hand, Genesis (the spiritual successor to pre-HK Infinity) uses only the round, push-only design - despite producing speakers equal to the best of the Infinitys.  There's definitely more to it than just cost.

 

[Headdie]

Regarding comparisons, I hope that people will compare it against 200$-400$ dynamic headphones, because it may be an upgrade path to those.
 
Let's see...
 
Meanwhile, for those who have tried any HE 4/5/6 phones, are they open like Staxes are ? I mean, do you feel that openness ? And are they leaking in/out as much as Staxes do ?