[WNBC]

As a new owner of the HE-500 I guess I won't know what the old pads sounded like but I can say coming from the LCD-2 rev2 there isn't a difference in clarity.  There is a difference is tone and texture as the Audeze has its own house sound but the HE-500 isn't by any means muddy in the vocals with the pads I received. 
 
Can you guys define "clutter" to me?  To me clutter signifies a lack of clarity and focus.  With the pads that came from Hifiman last week I have no problem with vocals.  There isn't thing missing in terms of clarity and focus nor am I hearing any type of veil over the vocals.  Maybe I got a lucky pair of pads.      
 
And if the old pads are great, what is the next best thing that can be obtained for modding?  I'm all for trying to get the best out of my headphones so if a little tweaking can have a big pay off I'm game.  

 
Quote:

Update: Removed the "new and improved velour pads". Wow. The HE-500 sound is back. Thanks. New isn't always better. QED.

 

 

[Loevhagen]

I might mount the DT990 velour pads on the HE-500 tomorrow. The new denser velour pads indeed "clutter" the HE-500 vocals. You got to listen to the 271mkII velour pads to understand it. If you have "only" listended to the denser velour pads, the HE-500's capabilities regarding altered sound signature is hard to comprehend. Pads alter the sound on any (i.e. the one I have listened to) headphone far more than most DAC, amps - and God forbid - cables.
 
Ear pads is NOT hyperbole...

 

[Loevhagen]

Mounted the original velour pads back on - and - ah - that was back to normal.
 
I have become quite fond off the original (pads) HE-500 on the LP / Violectric products. 

 

[cstjean]

Everything but my cables arrived yesterday, cables today!  Pictures (phone) of my unboxing: http://imgur.com/a/T0RD7
 
What I bought:

• HE-500
• EF-5 (was on sale for $400 on Amazon)
• Audioengine D1
• Emotiva RCA cables

 
Upon putting these on for the first time, 3 things immediately come to mind:

• OH MY GOD THESE ARE COMFORTABLE!
• They are indeed very heavy
• These are built for a BIG head.  My HD598s I have somewhere around 5 ticks extended, these I have to keep as small as they can go.

 
Initial sound is amazing (though I don't have anything better to compare to).  I will review further after burnin and more hours.

 

[WNBC]

Where you buying your DT990 pads from?  If there is more magic with these pads I definitely want to try them out.  
 
Quote:

I might mount the DT990 velour pads on the HE-500 tomorrow. The new denser felour pads indeed "clutter" the HE-500 vocals. You got to listen to the 271mkII velour pads to understand it. If you have "only" listended to the denser velour pads, the HE-500's capabilities regarding altered sound signature is hard to comprehend. Pads alter the sound on any (i.e. the one I have listened to) headphone far more than most DAC, amps - and God forbid - cables.
 
Ear pads is NOT hyperbole...

 

 

[Loevhagen]

 

• Agree
• That depends
• Agree. Chinese heads are crazy big.

 
The DT990 is bought from BHPhotoVideo.com (NY) or Thomann )Germany). It boils down to your appetite.
 
 

 

[Loevhagen]

Going crazy today: Just hooked the HE-500 to the Rega Brio-R. Does the HE-6 little brother scale well? You tell me - guess what; yes.

 

[KingStyles]

They sure are built for a big head. Us small headed people need at least a 1/2 inch of foam to get them to fit.

 

[WNBC]

What do you prefer, speaker taps to Rega Brio or SE to V200?
 
Quote:

Going crazy today: Just hooked the HE-500 to the Rega Brio-R. Does the HE-6 little brother scale well? You tell me - guess what; yes.

 

 

[plin]

Quote:

Going crazy today: Just hooked the HE-500 to the Rega Brio-R. Does the HE-6 little brother scale well? You tell me - guess what; yes.

Almost 10 solid watts for this poor HE-500!
 

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Almost 10 solid watts for this poor HE-500!
 

I have used a 30 wpc Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2 driven by an Isabella w/ the gain set at zero, awesome sound!
 

 

[.Sup]

Quote:

I just received the new 'version' of HE-500. The cable looks as it is the HE-6 cable. It is indeed flexible and light (one of my main complaints about the old one). A second 'leather' pad set is included. Unfortunately I missed the new reduced price 

.
 
 

Are there still metal bars running across the cans (from the inside of the cup)?

 

[Ultrainferno]

They really should give a choice between the silver and the canare cable

 

[cstjean]

Just realized my new pair is the old version
 
Thats what I get from not buying from head direct I imagine.

 

[plin]

Quote:

Are there still metal bars running across the cans (from the inside of the cup)?

Hallo Peter. 

 
Yes, I am afraid that there is. The same as in loaner. But maybe you can use a different set of ear pads (like the DT990 ones) which, I believe, are thicker.
 
EDIT: These metal bars are on both sides of the cans. It can be seen in the pictures here (only for the out side).