[TMRaven]

   
thats what it seems like, and what i would believe. especially seeing how many members here including myself would rank the He-6 above many other headphones, only rivaled by the best of the best, meaning well driven Audeze's and HD 800s; and to some, even the best stats... that level of praise I have not heard of regarding the HE-560.

 
+1

 

[Happy Camper]

Sniggle.........

New gear is always the best because, well, it's new. That's not necessarily true but don't tell that to the buyer.

The 560 was an improvement over the 500s (thus the model number). More bass, better separation, more revealing.

When the replacement for the 6 comes out, there will be no doubt.

 

[7ryder]

My experience with different gear on the 560 is you can actually benefit from a better dac. Thats why i mention it. Please. I dont generally think dac/pre is where the money should go. Far from. But it was just my impression from using the hp. Actually i guess i could use some more transparancy and power my self. I think it deserves equipment in at least eg audio gd nfb 28 class (but i would personally go for that reference 10.32). But thats my take and guess on it.

well, the 560s sound damn good with my gear. 

 just sayin' ​

 

[Frank I]

   
I apologize to your for buying the HE-560, and because it sounds so bad with my setup....I meant to ask you first, but I must have forgot.  Now that I have to trash my setup to be worthy of the HE-560, please tell me what I should buy so that I can please you?
 
The two DAC setups sound more the same than different btw!

This is one of the best pst I have read this year. Bravo

 

 

[philo50]

Sniggle.........

New gear is always the best because, well, it's new. That's not necessarily true but don't tell that to the buyer.

The 560 was an improvement over the 500s (thus the model number). More bass, better separation, more revealing.

When the replacement for the 6 comes out, there will be no doubt.

+1

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  This is one of the best pst I have read this year. Bravo

 

 

[Clemmaster]

   
thats what it seems like, and what i would believe. especially seeing how many members here including myself would rank the He-6 above many other headphones, only rivaled by the best of the best, meaning well driven Audeze's and HD 800s; and to some, even the best stats... that level of praise I have not heard of regarding the HE-560.

 
I've got to listen to Ohhgourami's Krell + Master-1 (pre) + HE-6 setup paired to a Master-7: there's no real comparison, the HE-6 still are in a different league than the HE-560.
 
The good thing is: the 560 actually don't need such an elitist setup. They sounded great off my (more) modest Ciunas DAC + Yulong A18!
 
The HE-6 are a commitment. The 560 gives you a similar voicing (with smoother treble, though) than a well driven HE-6 with much more affordable equipment and a level of technically that, while not quite up there with the top-tier headphones (HE-6, HD-800, Staxes), is still very, very good.
 
Note: it - I will say it - trounced the LCD-2 that was a the meet. Most of the people there liked it better than the PM-1, too. That's a safe buy and a very good job by Hifiman 

 

[jerg]

   
I've got to listen to Ohhgourami's Krell + Master-1 (pre) + HE-6 setup paired to a Master-7: there's no real comparison, the HE-6 still are in a different league than the HE-560.
 
The good thing is: the 560 actually don't need such an elitist setup. They sounded great off my (more) modest Ciunas DAC + Yulong A18!
 
The HE-6 are a commitment. The 560 gives you a similar voicing (with smoother treble, though) than a well driven HE-6 with much more affordable equipment and a level of technically that, while not quite up there with the top-tier headphones (HE-6, HD-800, Staxes), is still very, very good.
 
Note: it - I will say it - trounced the LCD-2 that was a the meet. Most of the people there liked it better than the PM-1, too. That's a safe buy and a very good job by Hifiman 

Out of traits such as transient speed, dynamics, bass / midrange / treble detail extraction, soundstage, 3D imaging, how would you rate your HE560s vs the HE6s? Which traits are the most far off, which ones the closest / most on-par?

 

[Clemmaster]

The HE-6 has better sound-stage depth and overall definition, which manifests by a more detailed sound that brings out more flesh on the bones from the recording, without relying on the know tricks (distortion, a la HE-500 or PM-1).
The HE-6 has the illumination effect that brings out the acoustics in which the instruments were recorded. They are just more resolving. They are also bigger in scale and weight: that's the first thing that strikes people when they first listen to it vs. any other Hifiman.
The 6 are a bit more forward and present. The bass hits harder but I don't know which one is better defined (I'd say the 560 but I would need to compared them side by side in a quieter environment).
 
The HE-560 has smoother treble: present but unoffensive (as in not peaky at all) -> very good job there!
They also imaged better in the center of the stage where the HE-6 tend to be fuzzy on modest setups (much better on ohhgourami's setup than my EF-6).
They were the most linear (which one probably can call neutral).
They are very comfy.
 
Overall the HE-560 feel lighter in its presentation (that's not negative, per se) and a bit smaller in scale (height and depth). They are still very resolving headphones (detail freaks, like the HE-4) and oh so neutral!
And I love the ergonomics (headband and pads).
 
Edit: I would probably give the edge to the HE-560 in terms of speed/agility. The HE-6 is very close but brings weight and definition to the equation.

 

[Edwood]

Very well articulated comparison to the HE-6, Clenmaster. 

 

[TJochum24]

I'll tell you what. I have been burning these things in for the last week and I have to say, damn these things keep getting better and better.  I thought they were a little forward at first but that has pretty much gone away for the most part. Everything seems to be coming around full circle with these as far as sound.  Now I don't want to give them up to get the updated pair lol.  Anyway, just thought i would share.  Cheers

 

[TJochum24]

+1

 

[TJochum24]

  Very well articulated comparison to the HE-6, Clenmaster. 

+1

 

[cute]

  The HE-6 has better sound-stage depth and overall definition, which manifests by a more detailed sound that brings out more flesh on the bones from the recording, without relying on the know tricks (distortion, a la HE-500 or PM-1).
The HE-6 has the illumination effect that brings out the acoustics in which the instruments were recorded. They are just more resolving. They are also bigger in scale and weight: that's the first thing that strikes people when they first listen to it vs. any other Hifiman.
The 6 are a bit more forward and present. The bass hits harder but I don't know which one is better defined (I'd say the 560 but I would need to compared them side by side in a quieter environment).
 
The HE-560 has smoother treble: present but unoffensive (as in not peaky at all) -> very good job there!
They also imaged better in the center of the stage where the HE-6 tend to be fuzzy on modest setups (much better on ohhgourami's setup than my EF-6).
They were the most linear (which one probably can call neutral).
They are very comfy.
 
Overall the HE-560 feel lighter in its presentation (that's not negative, per se) and a bit smaller in scale (height and depth). They are still very resolving headphones (detail freaks, like the HE-4) and oh so neutral!
And I love the ergonomics (headband and pads).
 
Edit: I would probably give the edge to the HE-560 in terms of speed/agility. The HE-6 is very close but brings weight and definition to the equation.

 
"detail freaks, like the HE-4"........the HE-560 reminds me very much of the HE-4!

 

[Clemmaster]

   
"detail freaks, like the HE-4"........the HE-560 reminds me very much of the HE-4!

Yep. The 4s were my first introduction to the planar world and BOY did I love them!
I offered them to my dad to keep them around (well, he's in France, I'm in L.A. now, but still

).
 
When I got the HE-500, I was using NFB-3.1 + Matrix M-Stage. The sound was so resolving, bigger and (much) lusher with the 500s that I decided to leave the 4s on the side.
Few months later I got the SA-31 amp and, out of curiosity, tried the HE-4 back on them. They scaled so nicely with power that they were not so far off the 500s anymore. Different tonality and overall take in the sound (clean vs lush) for sure, but soundstage and details were not behind the 500 anymore!
 
The 560 are everything I wished a more refined - and easier to drive - HE-4 would be. Fang and his crew listened to my wishes

.