[spkrs01]

The pleather pads to me makes the HE500 very dark sounding and closed in.
 
I have a third party cable on my HE500 and surprisingly for me, I have been listening all week, driven by the Triad L3/LLP. It is a great combination, much better than when the headphones was driven out of the Violectric V200. Both amps are sourced by the V800. Have been picking up the HE500 with the L3 every time I have wanted to listen to music this week, instead of my LCD-2 out the the V200. Which was my go to headphone when I was listening to both headphones out of the V200.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Yes - and I have HE-500s.  Are Mad Dogs, for instance, bassier planars than the HE-500?

No.
 
However, it's very easy to tune the T50RP to be bassy.

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

No.
 
However, it's very easy to tune the T50RP to be bassy.

 
How do you do this? How bassy can you make them compared to LCD2 or D2000?

 

[LFF]

Quote:

 
How do you do this? How bassy can you make them compared to LCD2 or D2000?

The easiest way is to open them up and fill each cup with 4 JUMBO cotton balls. It must be JUMBO sized.
 
That will give you a nice, bassy, fun headphone to listen to.

 

[disastermouse]

I don't want the HE-500 to be bassy. I want a TOUCH more bass quantity without sacrificing quality and clarity. I love the HE-500 and I don't want to change THEM.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

The easiest way is to open them up and fill each cup with 4 JUMBO cotton balls. It must be JUMBO sized.
 
That will give you a nice, bassy, fun headphone to listen to.

 
For me anymore bass on the He500's would ruin them. It's deep and warm and balanced within the other frequencies. That's why this headphone is building its very good reputation. Nothing stands out or is lacking imo. Peeps after a bassier planner should probably be looking at the LCD2, but they will probably be sacrificing soundstage and sweet natural highs in return.  
 
What I'm loving about these at the mo, is that every recording no matter how old or bad sounds better than any other hp I've owned. Some old jazz recordings were unlistenable on my Grado's and K702's and any over warm recording sounded too dull on my 650's.  I think it's the happy mixture of warmth and sharpness, fine details and peaks that never become intrusive.  Just been listening to some Alice Coltrane from 1971 (Universal Consciousness), not too bad a recording for the day, but with all of the experimental sounds and layering it can sound either like mush (650) or harsh and distorted at the peaks (K70X). With the HE500's it sounds more like a recording from the 1990's with every layer and instrument separated without sounding like they are being dissected from the whole. I'm really appreciating albums like this now as before I wouldn't make the effort because of the SQ.  Happy days!

 

[disastermouse]

For me anymore bass on the He500's would ruin them. It's deep and warm and balanced within the other frequencies. That's why this headphone is building its very good reputation. Nothing stands out or is lacking imo. Peeps after a bassier planner should probably be looking at the LCD2, but they will probably be sacrificing soundstage and sweet natural highs in return.  

What I'm loving about these at the mo, is that every recording no matter how old or bad sounds better than any other hp I've owned. Some old jazz recordings were unlistenable on my Grado's and K702's and any over warm recording sounded too dull on my 650's.  I think it's the happy mixture of warmth and sharpness, fine details and peaks that never become intrusive.  Just been listening to some Alice Coltrane from 1971 (Universal Consciousness), not too bad a recording for the day, but with all of the experimental sounds and layering it can sound either like mush (650) or harsh and distorted at the peaks (K70X). With the HE500's it sounds more like a recording from the 1990's with every layer and instrument separated without sounding like they are being dissected from the whole. I'm really appreciating albums like this now as before I wouldn't make the effort because of the SQ.  Happy days!

+1

Someone was asking about listening to Spotify and how it's not up to snuff - but you're right - the instrument separation is amazing, distorted (intended) guitars don't bleed all over the bass or the drums. Even imperfect recordings or subpar rips/streams are tolerable.

The HE-500 have been medicine for music!

However, with particularly bassy tracks, I'm curious about a fun sounding version of the same thing. Maybe the HE-400 would inject some bass into electronic music where there's less depth in simulated or artificial instruments too repetitively 'perfect' or samples too poorly recorded at their source? It's a different kind of musical enjoyment and it's admittedly very 'surface'.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

+1
Someone was asking about listening to Spotify and how it's not up to snuff - but you're right - the instrument separation is amazing, distorted (intended) guitars don't bleed all over the bass or the drums. Even imperfect recordings or subpar rips/streams are tolerable.
The HE-500 have been medicine for music!
However, with particularly bassy tracks, I'm curious about a fun sounding version of the same thing. Maybe the HE-400 would inject some bass into electronic music where there's less depth in simulated or artificial instruments too repetitively 'perfect' or samples too poorly recorded at their source? It's a different kind of musical enjoyment and it's admittedly very 'surface'.

Absolutely, I know some people prefer the the 400's and for exactly those reasons. Haven't heard them myself but would like to. 

 

[LFF]

Quote:

I don't want the HE-500 to be bassy. I want a TOUCH more bass quantity without sacrificing quality and clarity. I love the HE-500 and I don't want to change THEM.

 
Quote:

 
For me anymore bass on the He500's would ruin them. It's deep and warm and balanced within the other frequencies. That's why this headphone is building its very good reputation. Nothing stands out or is lacking imo. Peeps after a bassier planner should probably be looking at the LCD2, but they will probably be sacrificing soundstage and sweet natural highs in return.  
 
What I'm loving about these at the mo, is that every recording no matter how old or bad sounds better than any other hp I've owned. Some old jazz recordings were unlistenable on my Grado's and K702's and any over warm recording sounded too dull on my 650's.  I think it's the happy mixture of warmth and sharpness, fine details and peaks that never become intrusive.  Just been listening to some Alice Coltrane from 1971 (Universal Consciousness), not too bad a recording for the day, but with all of the experimental sounds and layering it can sound either like mush (650) or harsh and distorted at the peaks (K70X). With the HE500's it sounds more like a recording from the 1990's with every layer and instrument separated without sounding like they are being dissected from the whole. I'm really appreciating albums like this now as before I wouldn't make the effort because of the SQ.  Happy days!

 
Quote:

+1
Someone was asking about listening to Spotify and how it's not up to snuff - but you're right - the instrument separation is amazing, distorted (intended) guitars don't bleed all over the bass or the drums. Even imperfect recordings or subpar rips/streams are tolerable.
The HE-500 have been medicine for music!
However, with particularly bassy tracks, I'm curious about a fun sounding version of the same thing. Maybe the HE-400 would inject some bass into electronic music where there's less depth in simulated or artificial instruments too repetitively 'perfect' or samples too poorly recorded at their source? It's a different kind of musical enjoyment and it's admittedly very 'surface'.

Guys...read the thread!
 
The suggestion was NOT to modify the HE-500 but the T50RP.
 
The HE-500 is fine as is.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

 
 

Guys...read the thread!
 
The suggestion was NOT to modify the HE-500 but the T50RP.
 
The HE-500 is fine as is.

ahhh I see, thats why I thought you were joking about the jumbo cotton balls in the 500's! makes sense now

 

[nicholars]

Are the Modded t50rp like properly bassy eg. Denon, LCD2, ultrasone bassy?
 
Or are they just a bit bassy? Do they have sub bass?
 
Would they satisfy someone looking to upgrade the HD650 level of bass ?

 

[kasimoa]

Just got my HE-500 and feel disappointed after comparing them to my sennheiser hd650. I know that the sound might change after the burn in period but right now they sound horrible compared to my hd650. Although I have to say that when I put them on the first ti e I was wowed. But since then so ethi ghas happened they just don't sound good. Maybe I got a defective unit. Would love to hear what people have to say. The hd650 have about 150 hrs on them and the he500 about 15hrs. 

 

[zeinharis]

What source and amp that you use to drive the HE-500?

 

[Happy Camper]

Just got my HE-500 and feel disappointed after comparing them to my sennheiser hd650. I know that the sound might change after the burn in period but right now they sound horrible compared to my hd650. Although I have to say that when I put them on the first ti e I was wowed. But since then so ethi ghas happened they just don't sound good. Maybe I got a defective unit. Would love to hear what people have to say. The hd650 have about 150 hrs on them and the he500 about 15hrs. 

Sounds like someone will be getting a price break on a like new pair of 500s.

 

[kasimoa]

Using a MacBook Air to rDac to fiio E9 using mostly spotify. I don't know what is going on. But tomorrow I am getting the Audiolab M-Dac and will see if it makes a difference. Have spent so much money on this stuff my pocket is empty now. So yes someone would be getting a bargain if things are the same after a week.