Hifiman HE560 (Adorama versions)



Unit I have here was bought used. To my knowledge it is Adorama version of HE560. V3 to be exact. According to Hifiman the drivers are the same as on original HE560 so to some extent this review should apply on other versions too. I think Adorama HE560 was $199 for a short period off time, more common price was a bit higher. As I write this both V2 and V3 are $899 on Adorama. Even if the discount prices were only temporary it did create seconhand market in which HE560 can be easily acquired for $200.


Build quality and comfort:

If you have ever handled Hifiman Sundara, you know what is necessary to know about build quality off Adorama HE560. I red somewhere that V3 has more extension room on the headband than V2. I have not tried measuring the two but on my head Sundara and V3 behave the same way. Both are quite comfortable. I can adjust them to proper size without a problem. They clamp quite tight and some people might have problems with it. I don't mind the clamp but these definately don't vanish on my head. You know you are wearing headphones. Weight is nicely distributed and for a planar they're not heavy. I don't have experience with original HE560 but to my head both HE400i and HE560 V3 are equally comfortable. So the changes in design are more about durability than added comfort.



Design itself feels cheap. Sundara style headband is nice but the cups don't look like something you would want on a $899 headphone. That orange color is a matter of taste but I find it gaudy. Attach a mic and a flashing led and these look more like $50 gaming headset than a serious audiophile headphone. Funny enough I came across I-rocks headsets that I suppose are rebranded Hifiman's. They look like this:



Cable is dual entry connected with 3.5mm plugs with 6,35mm plug at the amplifier end. I wish they had kept 2.5mm connectors so one could use old hifiman cables but with Sundara also having 3.5mm connectors it makes sense.



When talking about build quality on most Hifiman headphones you can't really do it without mentioning quality control. Reason why prices on Adorama HE560 succumbed so low was that the quality control was non-existent. Many units had dead drivers on arrival and a lot broke in first few weeks. If prices for Adorama HE560 come down again I would advise to think twice. Even though there is warranty you might just get another faulty unit in return. Many of us don't have the time and nerves for that cycle of returns. I't might be better to save a few bucks and buy a used unit with some hours on it. It seems that faulty drivers die quite soon so an unit that has been previously used quite a bit is more likely to withstand long term use.


I encourage to do a proper research before investing on HE560 because of the quality control problems. I'm not an expert on these matters but there is a lot off information available.


Sound quality:

HE560 frequency response. Measured with minidsp H.E.A.R.S.




I find HE560 to be a bit bright sounding headphone. Treble is not particularly peaky or sibilant. However I must admit that I prefer darker sounding headphones, so getting used to HE560 signature after Audeze LCD-3 took a while. Treble emphasis seems to be at it highest at 4khz and 10khz. I'm not that sensitive to those areas and in my experience emphasis on 7-9khz region is worse as it can introduce quite a bit of sibilance. So like said, despite the bright tonality HE560 is not a sibilant headphone and I don't find them fatiguing to listen. I much prefer this approach to the one provided by another planar, Brainwavz Alara. Alara was just way too dark but not in a good way like Audeze headphones or Audioquest Nighthawk's.

Midrange on HE560 is pretty much flawless. I'd say they sound bit too ”dry” and I do prefer something with more body to the sound but HE560 does deliver a coherent sound whatever music I'm listening to. I prefer mids on iBasso SR1 but iBasso does have exceptionally nice midrange. There is no sibilance(HD700), shoutiness(DT1990) or noteworthy grain(ath-R70x) to the sound.

HE560 is not as detailed nor does it have the soundstage of Sennheiser HD800 but for fraction of the price it does get pretty darn close. It is still a step behind HD800 when thinking about how well defined different sound sources are. HD800 sounds faster, more resolving and has a darker background from which the music appears. I'm bad at describing this kind of stuff but major difference between HD800 midrange presenation and HE560 is the ability to deliver the virtual space for music. HD800 is just more transparent, there is very little between me and the music. HE560 is more traditional ”looking into the music” with headphones instead of really feeling you are in the, in the audience. However just the fact HE560 can be compared to HD800 speaks volumes. Of course HE560 used to cost a lot more but now that it is available for $300 it is heck of a bargain. Only thing diminishing the bargain factor is ironically Hifiman Sundara. I find Sundara to be a direct upgrade over HE560. Take everything I've said about HE560 and add 5% of quality and you have Sundara's.

Here is HE560 measured with Sundara's. Volume was not perfectly matched but you get the idea.


Talking about Sundara's there is one are I find HE560 outperforming it's successor(OK, technically Sundara is HE400i successor). Bass on HE560 is better extended, more present and in other aspects equal to my ears compared to Sundara. It would be fun to experiment how much of the difference comes from different earpads and how much is caused by the Sundara's new lighter diaphgram. Bass on HE560 is not on par with marvelous bass on Brainwavz Alara but among other affordable planars it is top notch. Out of dynamics I enjoy bass on iBasso SR1 more because it has such a kick to it but when talking about sheer speed and ability hande complex bass sequences HE560 and Alara are the best I've heard for the price.

HE560 vs Alara:



Few words about amping:

HE560 is not very difficult to drive. Of course it one should not try to pair it with a smartphone. Which you can't of course because of the 6.35mm plug. Chord Mojo does a decent job driving them but my beefier desktop amps (SPL phonitor, Gustard H10, Burson Soloist) do a better job. With Sundara the difference is still there but it is not as big. My favorite amp for HE560 is the cheapest one; first generation Schiit Vali. I feel that even though Vali is a tube hybrid not a full tube amp, it does clean the edges out a bit and make HE560 more enjoyable to listen. If someone purchases HE560 for $250 and Vali+Modi combo for $250 it is a $500 setup that is near impossible to beat.





Conclusions:

HE560 has technicalities that were on par with many flagship headphones just five years ago. Now that it has been made available by Adorama for fraction of it's original cost, it is one of the best deals in the headphone game. On the downside there is the increased lack of quality control. This is something to take seriously. I won't let the quality control affect the final rating of this headphone. If I did I'd propably rate these 1/5 and that would not be fair either. If you are not dead set on needing the little extra bass that HE560 has over Sundara I'd advice to wait for a discount and get Sundaras for $350.

The Hifiman HE560 has been around for a few years now, and I figure I should give a proper review to one of my favorite headphones. Oh shoot, spoiler alert, this review will be a recommended rating!


Hifiman was one of the first headphone companies to start the recent Planar Magnetic driver wave that has grown in popularity in recent years, along with Audeze, and created a market of headphones that have spectacularly low distortion levels and linear bass response, something that is very challenging to do on a normal dynamic driver in headphones.


This planar magnetic technology has been around for a very long time with audio names like Magnepan using it in their speakers for many decades now. Yamaha (Orthodynamic series) and Fostex (Regular Phase) have had several planar magnetic headphones from over 30 years ago with Fostex still in this market with their popular RP series.


So what makes the recent wave so much better? Well technology has improved and on top of that, these new headphones from Hifiman and Audeze are extremely attractive. They also cost quite a bit.


The original HE560 was introduced at $899 and still retails at that today. Through many aggressive sales, one can find it for as low as $299 brand new on sites like Adorama now. And I can say that this is a fantastic stellar deal.




Build/Comfort:

The version I own is the V2 or V1.1 or something… The original version used SMC connectors. The version I have replaced those finicky connectors with 2.5mm connectors on each ear cup. There is a new version that recently came out that replaces the original headband with the Sundara headband which is an all-metal construction which improves build strength but has less freedom of movement.

Back to the one I own again – The headband is extremely comfortable. The notorious yokes swivel and and the cups can rotate, giving a very large amount of movement on your head. This allows the headphone to fit on any head comfortable.

So why do I call it notorious? Well, a recent batch of these yokes were very prone to cracking and breaking very quickly. Hifiman customer service has responded quite well and offered replacements very quickly each time though. And because of this issue, the new version using the all-metal headband was released.


The pads that come with the HE560 are just okay. They are faux leather and angled with a velour pad that goes against your face. The velour helps keep you cool and sweat-free for longer listening sessions, while the faux-leather helps keep the treble in check.


Now that said, I don’t like the original pad too much. I’ve since upgraded to the Dekoni Elite Hybrid Leather pad. It’s pretty much the same idea as the original: it’s angled, with a velour pad but made with a real leather pad and soft memory foam inside. The inside of the pad has perforated leather. Essentially, it’s a hybrid of all of Dekoni’s pad types. This pad is super comfy and soft, and I have no qualms about wearing it for hours.


The cables that came with my package were a 6 foot long XLR Balanced and 6 foot long ¼ inch stereo cable. The cables are very stiff and inflexible and generally annoying. I sold the balanced cable immediately, and the other cable has been relegated to the box which is in the garage behind other boxes in a corner.

Luckily the 2.5mm cable is very common and one can find replacement cables very easily. For example, NeoMusica makes a good cheap cable for under $20 that works perfectly fine for this headphone. I elected to make my own balanced XLR cable for this headphone and it was easy and works well.



SOUND:

Some people say the HE560 is bright and can be harsh. Others, like me, think this headphone is nearly perfectly neutral. Yes, its neutral-bright. There is a slight peak in the lower treble that can be harsh for treble-sensitive ears, but for me, I love this sound signature. It’s a very well-balanced signature, with some very slight recessed mids that some may call dry.


The bass response on this is nearly perfectly linear down to sub-bass levels. It’s got rumble and texture and is a good example of what planar bass is. If you are coming from a dynamic, you’ll miss some of the big impact and boom, but you will be rewarded with a super clean and smooth transition into the lower mids. Muddiness will never be an issue on these.


The upper-mids, again are slightly recessed, while the lower treble does peak up a bit which gives the headphone a lot of air and detail. This effect does give some people the sense that it sounds harsh.


Due to it’s low distortion numbers and generally true with all planars, they do respond well to EQ across the board.


The soundstage width is open and imaging is very good on these as well.





SUMMARY:

Overall, I really dig these headphones. There are some general concerns with the headphone build quality (when price is considered), but I actually think it is well built now that I have a functional headband. I actually am using a 3D-Printed Yoke, but my final supplied headband from Hifiman works fine as well as the metal Sundara headband.

Tonality has some small issues in the upper mids and lower treble, but it doesn’t affect me at all. I can listen to this headphone for hours at a time (and I have).

Included accessories are pretty poor though. So I would probably look into buying additional accessories with it if that matters to you.

The HiFiMan HE-560 is an open back planar magnetic headphone with a single sided magnet array. For more information about planar magnetic headphones, read Tyll's excellent article on the subject:

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-planar-magnetic-headphone-drivers-work

This is going to be a more concise review than my others, simply because I don't love this headphone so I don't feel compelled to write as much in this review. I will write as much as I feel is necessary to describe its sound and build quality, which is what matters. I bought it for $320 from Adorama, for that price I'd give it 4 stars. But for the typical price of $450-500 in Q2 2018, 3 stars seems about right. If you get it from Adorama, you won't get the case with it. Otherwise you will get what seems to be a nice case, but I can't speak for it. HiFiMan is nice enough to include two cables with the HE-560; a single ended 1/4" one and a balanced XLR cable.

Audio Chain:
- Breeze DU-U8 digital interface
- Chord Mojo DAC
- Schiit Lyr 3 amplifier with Raytheon VT-231 tube (was NOS when I bought it in 2018).


The first thing that jumps out are the plastic yokes. Cheap, people have had them break. The inner headband is a synthetic material that seems fine, the pads are pleather with velour where it touches your ears. HiFiMan can't even use real leather on their $6,000 SUSVARA so of course they don't use it here.

The biggest problem though is the fragile 2.5mm cable connectors. So don't unplug your cable often at all, it will not handle repeated use very well.

Comfort is excellent however, thanks to the suspension headband design, large soft pads, light weight. It is highly adjustable and should fit most adults. But the build quality just supports stereotypes of Chinese made products. Cheap, cheap, cheap. Though I like how much the cups rotate.

The general sound signature of the HE-560 is a bright and somewhat forward one. Good extension in both directions, mostly linear but with a slightly forward treble response. Too bright for my taste, doesn't have the bass slam or awesome aggression of say the HE-6 to accompany such brightness which could make for a very "fun" listening experience for many listeners. Detail retrieval is nothing extraordinary nor is it weak by any means.

Bass:
Very good extension that goes firmly below 20 Hz. Easily outclasses 99.9% of dynamic headphones here. Good texture, mostly linear sounding bass with no mid bass bloom or hump. A bit more bass slam than most dynamic headphones but not a major focus of this one at all. I prefer more full bodied bass than what the HE-560 provides.

I directly compared the HE-560 to two headphones: the ZMF Blackwood (also a planar, a heavily modded closed back Fostex T50RP MK3 in fact) and the Sennheiser HD 6XX. As expected, the bass completely outclasses the HD 6XX's in every way; deeper, better texture and detail, more impact. The ZMF Blackwood however beats the HE-560's bass in every way, again deeper but also more full bodied, and more impact. Sub-bass is the biggest improvement for the Blackwood.

Mids:
The mids here sound linear, nothing really stands out more than anything else here and the bass doesn't overshadow anything since it's not a particularly bassy headphone. Good detail, doesn't sound thin in the mids at all which is one of the most important aspects of a headphone for me. No instrument sounds particularly unauthentic.

Vocals sound authentic for the most part, but female vocals can become a bit harsh/strident on the most demanding songs like Sledgehammer (Rihanna). That might be my Lyr 3's fault but the ZMF Blackwood and Ori for reference don't sound strident there. That harshness is actually worse on the HD 6XX.

Nothing in the mids is amazing, but aside from rare and mild harshness in the upper mids that the Lyr 3 probably exacerbated, there are no problems with the mids either to my ears.

Treble:
The most prominent frequency region of the HE-560. It's not as bright as say the Beyerdynamic T90, but the treble is more prominent and will get the most of your attention, like it or not.

Thankfully, the treble is not terrible. It sounds like a fairly linear treble response to my ears. Using treble sweep tests, it reaches 19 KHz (might be equipment limited). The treble presentation is not smooth, perhaps even a touch grainy at times but again I never used the HE-560 with an excellent amplifier or top tier DAC, but then again, the system I used it with is a realistic one for a $500 headphone.

The forward nature of the HE-560 contributes to it being an overall forward sounding headphone, though the only thing in your face will be the treble. I really wonder why HiFiMan went for this sound signature (this is the only HiFiMan headphone with this sound signature).

Sound Stage/Imaging:
It sounds open and airy, but lacks precision and the very noticeable dimensions of top tier open back headphones. Imaging is actually weaker and less precise than the closed ZMF Blackwood.

Focus vs Focus-A Pads:
I ordered Focus-A pads since I was anticipating the HE-560 sounding too bright based off my memory of it, having listened to it in the past (albeit in a noisy environment). The Focus-A pad is said to make the HE-560 sound more neutral/linear, move the treble back a bit.

The truth is, to my ears the Focus-A pads hardly sound any different than the stock ones. The pads are extremely similar and are crafted with the same materials. The only difference I hear is that yes, the treble is a teeny weeny bit less forward overall, but now slightly less linear sounding too. But the differences for both are very mild, and the treble sounds no more smooth nor grainy with either pad to me.


I love how the HiFiMan HE-500 sounds. For a long time, it was by far my favorite sub $1,000 headphone and I liked it more than flagships and past flagships like the Sennheiser HD 800, Audeze LCD-3F, and JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266.

The HE-560 is the HE-500's successor but not a worthy one. I never owned an HE-500 so can't give an accurate comparison, but the Sundara is the real HE-500 successor.

The Sundara is almost the opposite of the HE-560 with its more laid back character, a dip when the upper mids transition into the treble that doesn't cause recession like Audeze headphones, just moves the overall presentation back a bit as if you're in the audience opposed to being on the stage (similar to the HE1000). I don't prefer the laid back character of the Sundara in general, but to me it sounds considerably better than the HE-560's treble forwardness. The Sundara is more natural, images better and has a better defined sound stage. It also has metal yokes, but seems to have its own QC issues right now based on reception here on Head-Fi.

A very linear headphone that has a great price/performance ratio, but it is far from perfect.

ABOUT ME:
I love my audio, and I love my headphones. I mainly listen to well produced electronic music (Skylar Spence, Oliver Nelson, Skogsra. ODESZA), though I really also enjoy jazz fusion (Dirty Loops), rock and a lot indie. I bought these HE560s on an Amazon deal in the UK recently. I am powering them with my Geek Pulse, an amp which has proven to me to be a great benchmark. Neutral, powerful, it shows you what the headphones really sound like.

BUILD:
My version came in a new style hifiman box which was not wood and metal, but rather a hard pleather laminate on very stiff and thick card/plastic. Its a nice box. The cable has a good cloth finish and is a convenient 2m in length. The connectors are the new 2.5mm plugs without the old screw-in mechanism. I'm glad hifiman is listening to the community on this one.

The headphones are light for a planar, The headband is a spring steel, whilst the arms and cups are plastic. The wood surrounding the cups is a veneer. It looks ok from a distance, though it does have rough patches. The hinge on my earcup has significantly loosened after just a day of use. NOT GOOD hifiman, but I've come to accept this from your build quality as of late.

COMFORT:
The comfort is decent. The headband distributes weight fantastically do it better than heavier planars like the LCD series. The cups are a bit small for my ears, even though my ears aren't that large. The focus pads are pleather on the sides and have a velour surface that touches your face. These pads can be replaced by the Focus-A pads (a preproduction pad) that some have found to be more comfortable. I haven't tried those yet, though.

SOUND:
The bass, in keeping with the planar technology, is tight and fast with good slam. The upper bass is linear, with no hump as one would usually find on most dynamic drivers. The midrange is also clear, with a slight dip in the upper mids. Vocals are crisp, though they could sound thin at times as a result. Vocals still aren't as restricted as those on the Elear or the new LCD2F 2016 revision. These are not 'warm' headphones and this is only made more apparent by the dry midrange. It is not unlike the HD800 in this regard, though acoustic guitars do have a bit more body on the HE560.

The treble is extended, airy and detailed. These are very reminiscent of some of the best STAX headphones I've heard. There is one slight problem, however. There is a lot of 'tizz' and haze in this region at times. Cymbals can sound a little bit too splashy and vocals can sometimes bite a bit too hard. These are not as bright as the HD800, though whilst the HD800 peaks at around 6K, these seem to have this broad treble bump/resonance at around 8k that could get tiring quick.

Soundstage is decently wide, but not very deep or 3D. Better than the PM1 and HD650, but far behind the HD800. I'd say it is just slightly better than the LCD2 and Denon AHD7200 in terms of imaging.

Overall a good headphone that has a very natural tone for pianos and guitars. It does have build issues, but not as bad as usual hifiman standards, The treble also is a bit tizzy, though some might actually enjoy that.

Cannot add to what others have said vis a vis breaking down the sound.
 
Burson Soloist drives HE-560 nicely.The HE-560 can sound spectacular out of a tube amp, so long as the amp has good power (>10W/ch).  Forget OTL amps, in my opinion.
 
All in all, If I had to pick one set and one set only, it would be HE-560.  They just sound swell to my ear, especially for ~$550 new.  A  good value all in all.
 
HiFiman ought to be commended for being innovative and a value-leader.  The owner seems to be a bit of a genius, and he has learned fast how to improve build.  Frankly, the HE-500 were a joke compared to the German phones, but sounded nice.  Too warm for me, though.  With the new line, including HE-560, he is getting the hang of build that is a compromise between quality and value and not like a helmet, but more like headphones.  Still, not quite like the Germans.  Perhaps the next models will get closer to German build, yet remain affordable. My guess is the HE-1000V2 are a quantum leap up, but I will not spend that kind of dough on phones.
 
This is my first ever headphone review.  I like the HE-560 that much.

Note:
I am not affiliated with HIFIMAN at all.
I did not receive anything from them to review, nor did they have any influence on my final impressions/review.
 
About me:
 
As opposed to some reviewers out there, I’m usually hesitant to endorse a product unless it fully impresses me in terms of performance vs. value.
Or it just sounds damned good.
 
I’m pretty brutally honest in regards to how I perceive a headphone’s strength and weaknesses. There’s no point in wasting your time, my time, or anyone’s time.
 
I think the reader should be learning something new with each review they read.
I’m not here to regurgitate information others have repeatedly said. I’ll try not use hearsay or affirmations from other reviewers. This means: I will neither confirm nor deny any opinions you might have read elsewhere regarding this headphone.
 
Now let’s get onto the good stuff!

 
Initial Impressions / Unboxing:
 
I’m not one of those people that like to spend a lot of time talking about how the headphone is crafted from exotic, purple wood that’s petrified and aged in Japanese lacquer (Looking at you Fostex TH900).
 
The headphones came in a nice wooden box with a metal faceplate. The box, unfortunately, looks prone to damage and probably shouldn’t be utilized as a carrying case.
I am told though that HIFIMAN offers a travel case that isn’t too expensive. A must, in my opinion, if you take them anywhere other than home.
 
Upon opening the lid,  I’m greeted by the unmistakable design of HIFIMAN’s traditional orthodynamic headphones. I’d like to note that the HE-560 did have a very pleasant and earthy smell. Pretty important when you’re about to sample the headphone itself.
 
Build quality seems about average upon first contact. The headphones themselves are much lighter than their predecessors, built out of sturdy plastic and wood trim.
 
-The stitching on the headband did seem to be kind of rough, with a little bit of stitching inching out of the edges on the headband.
-The hinges that swivel are well-oiled so that the contact points don’t scratch off against each other--a problem that the HE-400S seems to exhibit.  
-The Focus pads are amazing as ever, decently plush with plenty of room to fit even larger ears.
-Clamping force wasn’t too bad straight out of the box. Much better than its “400 series” siblings.
 
These HE-560s come with the screw-on copper/silver/crystalline hybrid cable. It does kink a bit, but can be persuaded to behave for the most part. Both ends screw on nicely, reminiscent of the HE-6. Cable length is ample.
 
Equipment Used:
 
Chord Mojo
Chord Hugo
Resonessence Concero HP
 
We can always talk about equipment synergy and amp/dac pairing for the HE-560 elsewhere. The important part is that I consider all three units relatively neutral and resolving to where I’m easily able to discern the HE-560’s character and specific attributes.

 
Sound Impressions / Comparisons:
 
The HE-560 is without a doubt a romantic headphone. Romantic in every sense. It is positively alluring in how smooth it’s able to present a landscape of music, without sounding dark in the process. If you could have a headphone sing ballads to you, this would be it.
 
Overall signature/tonal balance can be considered neutral. The treble does get splashy at times (bad recordings don’t help the case).
 
My first thought was to compare the HE-560s to the HD650s, one of my favorite reference headphones.
 
Boy, was I wrong. The HE-560s are nothing like the HD650s or say the Fostex TH-600s--headphones commonly known for being warm, bassy, and generally well-liked.
 
For one, I find the former to have much cleaner treble/mids/bass than the latter two.
It also simultaneously sounds more airy, has better layering, and possesses timbre/naturalness previously unheard of outside of TOTL headphones.
 
However, it did take the strengths of what the HD650 was known for. The ability to seamlessly integrate music as a collective entity. And to perform admirably for all genres of music. A headphone that can be both calming and engaging when called upon.
 
You can say I was pleasantly surprised. Just because the HE-560 is the midrange headphone in the HIFIMAN lineup, didn’t mean it was in the same class as similar offerings from Sennheiser, AKG, or Fostex.
 
As soon as I realized the caliber the HE-560s were punching at, I knew I had a serious contender.
 
Many people systematically state that they can differentiate between how orthodynamics sound from dynamic headphones. After listening to just about every planar on the market, I’m not sure I can tell you that there’s a particular trait all orthodynamics differ from their dynamic counterparts. If there is a orthodynamic “house” sound, however, I’m sure the HE-560 encapsulates all of its outstanding features.
 
This is a full-bodied headphone that’s fast, detailed, and moves enough air in the lower registers to where headphones like the HD800 or T1 can’t match it. Short of electrostats, you really can’t find better layering and texturing in the quality of the bass. And that’s saying a lot.
Of course, if you prefer the emphasis on quantity, best look towards Audeze’s line up.
The HE-560 isn’t a particularly bass-heavy headphone. It usually sounds just right
 
There are two things that the HE-560s does so well that I simply have to give it props.
Likewise, if we had to reward the HE-560 for two things, it would certainly be the vocals/mid-range presentation and naturalness of instruments (esp. piano).
Both of these stood out to me. I don’t think there are many headphones that can do both vocals and timbre of musical instruments right, without skewing towards a mid-centric signature with recessed treble.
 
So let’s talk about the vocals.
-Life-like
-Incredibly and painstakingly brilliant.
-Please-hold-me-I’m-shivering
 
This is the headphone you put on when you want to hear someone sing.
Male and female vocals both possess clarity and are accurate to the recording.
Voices never sound artificial or processed at any point.
Remember when I said you needed that all-arounder headphone?
I wouldn’t mind living with just the HE-560 simply for this fact.
 
Note: If you like your vocals lush and “Audio Technica” -esque, this might not be your preference. The HE-560’s mid-range takes a step back in the recording and may sound lean at times.
 
Similarly, the tonality and presentation of musical instruments are just right.
In particular, piano and stringed instruments are hauntingly beautiful in the way they’re portrayed by the HE-560.
Delicate and soft, as if tragedy.  
Emotional and stirring, as if destiny.
 
Is the HE-560 worth getting?
For the Black Friday price of $699, you get a brand new HE-560. Street prices are even lower.
The answer is a resounding YES.
You get a spacious and encompassing-sounding headphone that many people should be able to agree with for the rest of their lives.
 
Best of all, if you’ve never tried a TOTL headphone, the HE-560 will most likely give you that “WOW” moment for the first time you’ve experienced something above and beyond what you’ve been used to.
Hopefully you’ll be telling yourself, “Maybe I’m really not crazy for spending hundreds of dollars on this hobby.”
 
For me, I decided to keep the HE-560 over even the HE-6 for the improved comfort, driveability, and price-to-performance ratio. Which isn’t to say the HE-6 isn’t better in many aspects. It is. But the HE-560 is infinitely less fickle and easier to drive.
 
It’s safe to say the HE-560 is my standard for what a planar is capable of~
 
Average Rating:
 
Bass: 8
Mids: 9
Treble: 8
 
Imaging: 8
Soundstage: 7
Detail Retrieval: 8
 
Timbre/Naturalness: 9
Transient Response (Cymbals, Snares, etc.): 8
Cohesiveness: 9
 
Efficiency: Fairly efficient, does need a dedicated amplifier. Not very source picky.
 
Overall Score: 8.5
 
TLR
As close as you can get to TOTL sound for less money.
This isn’t a bright headphone, nor is it a dark one. Somewhere in the middle with excellent extension both ways.
Soundstage depth is above average, while soundstage width is slightly smaller than expected.
Overall, a very enjoyable listen.

This is a really nice headphone. It comes with a rigid and solid stock cable and packaged in a wooden box with a sliding wood and metal lid. The amount of foam prevents damage from shipping well.
 
It is quite smooth and actually quite forgiving of recording flaws, especially high frequency noise. You won't hear noise in the recording too audibly. Yet the detail and timbre for the music is excellent and loud. So there is great musicality.
 
Thus it has reproduces some of the most realistic woodwinds and brass I have heard.
 
The bass is clear, not muddy at all. Neutral headphone, that reaches high but rolls off a bit on the high end. Relatively smooth rolloff with only one hum on treble.
 
Some people say it's a bit analytic, but I find it a bit warm. So if you like a slightly warm sound but not too warm, with punchy base, this is for you.
 
While there is not a huge amount of bass (so you need to equalize it a bit to get more), since the bass is rather detailed, this doesn't hurt the sound at other frequencies.
 
Needs a reasonably good amplifier for maximum detail and volume. But also works well, 1/2 turn of the volume knob, from things like studio equipment (meant for recording and monitoring, not so much listening or running difficult to run headphones).
 
The design is solid and very comfortable, my ears don't touch the cushions. Seems to disappear when playing, very airy sound and wide soundstage.
 
Needs a bit of equalization for string concert music, but then works great. Works great right off for all other kinds of music.
 
The nice thing about this is that it is very easy on the ears. Long listening sessions won't produce discomfort. Which is quite important.
 
No cons at the price <900, although I like brighter headphones. With the HE560 I merely boost the volume and get the detail I demand but without fatigue. Maybe this is actually a better long run approach perhaps.

Hifiman HE-560 Review
 
 
 
Introduction
Many thanks to samma3a.com for providing me with a Hifiman HE-560 to review.  
 
 
 
Hifiman is a relatively young producer of audio gear. The company was started by Dr. Fang Bian in 2005 and started selling under the HiFiMAN brand since 2007. The company was founded in New York, USA, but moved the head quarter to Tianjin in China in 2011 where their two factories are located as well.
 
They design and manufacture high performance headphones, portable players and amplifiers. The HE-560 is the successor of the HE-500. HiFiMAN’s flagship headphone is the HE-6 and they offer as well the legendary earphones RE-400 and RE-600.
 
The headphone under review here was awarded the Audio Excellence Award (2015)  and the CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award in 2015. Hence I am pretty excited to be able to listen to it.
 
 
 Manufacture’s Specifications

1. Type: Full size - over ear
2. Drivers Size: 
3. Drivers Type: Planar-Magnetic
4. Frequency Response: 15Hz to 50KHz
5. Sensitivity: 90dB @1mW
6. Impedance:  50 Ω
7. Weight with cable: 375g  
8. Connector: 6.5mm single ended
9. MSRP:  $899

 
Design
 
Wooden cups with pretty black accents and a black metal cover, innovative head band. Very clean and modern looking headphone. I think it has stellar looks. Makes my LCD-2 look very old-fashioned. Sturdy build, these headphones will stand the test of time.  However I am not so happy with the connectors, they are the same as on my HE-400 which is great if you have more than one Hifiman, so you can use the cables again. I prefer the plug-in cables of Audeze to these screw in ones, they also see to be a bit more fragile and fiddly. I do like their slight forward angle, helps getting the cable out of the way from your shoulders.  The cable runs on both sides into the ear cups, so upgrading to balanced cables is just a very simple cable swap.


 
Style:

 
Earcups have the classic round shape, angled leather ear pads are very comfortable and create a great seal..it’s a muted, elegant and clean style/design. You don’t look too silly with them on, the square headband…well…. but at least it’s very slim.


Build quality:

I wouldn’t call it exceptional - I think it’s pretty much what you would expect in this price range. Maybe you could call me a slight bit disappointed. EDIT: After owning this headphone for some time, I am still not yet decided if the build quality is good or just ok. It's light, comfortable and does everything it should. Nothing seems to fail and every connector etc. is study and seems to last. So in the end I would call the build quality OK to good but not outstanding.  It's probably the extreme lightness for a headphone of it's size and materials that makes me think the build quality is not that great, so beware this might be just my own desire for "heft"


 
 
 
 
Comfort:

Awkward looking headband is very comfortable on your head since it wraps around the shape of your head instead of creating a “hot spot” at a specific location. A very comfortable headphone I was able to wear for hours. They are also the lightest planar magnetic headphones I have ever experienced and that alone makes them amazing headphones to wear. 

Supplied accessories

A nice sliding wooden box, headphone and one cable. Not what you would expect from a $899 headphone. Pretty sparse. Slightly disappointing but the sound quality makes you forget this. How often do you unpack your headphones? I rather have a second set of ear pads or an additional cable (shorter/longer) etc. than a box. My personal preference.
 
 
  
 
Sound:
 
The overall impression you get when putting these on the first time is: Music and details are just everywhere… the sound quality is amazing on these. I will get into the details below but they deliver. The first few minutes with these I was really very impressed. Music is all around you with these headphones. You are IN your music. the music is not in your head - you are in your music - hope you understand what I am trying to say. Amazing clarity that reminds me of the HD800 - the detail monsters. The HE-560 has some of it traits. Details galore without being clinical.


 
 
Bass:

Don’t expect a boosted bass (in quantity) these are balanced headphones. Not bass-shy but also no emphasis on the bass. The bass is there, tight and perfectly layered. You won’t get the slightly emphasized bass of the LCD-2 but it’s very pleasant to listen to, even with EDM and modern pop/rock music. The bass reaches really low in best planar tradition. They are easier to drive than other Hifiman headphones but if you want them to sound their best, then use a proper powerful amp and a good DAC, these headphones deserve them. You get used to the signature of these headphones. I still would prefer the bass of the LCD-2 for pure enjoyment but could happily live with this headphone for…well forever? Just $899 hmmmm……. So it’s neutral but can reach very low, well textured and planar magnetic fast! 

Mid-range:

Compared to the LCD-2 you have a bit more mids, the exact right amount. Vocals sound lovely female or male. Instruments come out where and when you expect them to, brilliant. String instruments are full of power and energy - brass has timbre you haven't’ heard before.

Treble:

Details, details, details. Lots of detail in the treble, you hear everything but it’s not forcing it on you. It’s not a clinical headphone. It has all the detail but still giving you a musical experience that is not fatiguing. It has air around it and from wha tI can judge it’s very natural (for a lack of a better word).

Sound Stage and instruments separation:

 
Coming from the LCD-2 on a single ended cable I couldn’t help but saying a loud WOW. Music surrounds you. You are taking a bath in your music. While other headphones like the ATH-M50, HD-25 etc. are playing everything between your ears, this headphone just wraps around you, near and far and plays it all beautifully to give you goosebumps. The soundstage is not artificially large - it’s just right. Enough width and depth, you can pinpoint instruments in space.
 
 
Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. One of the lightest planar magnetic headphone i the world
2. extremely comfortable
3. replaceable cable and ear-pads
4. high quality cable (unlike some other Hifimans)
5. high build quality

Cons:

1. disappointing accessories (headphone with cable, box, that’s it)
2. with a tad more bass it would be the most amazing headphone ever

 
 Rating

1. Comfort                       9/10
2. Sound Quality             9/10
3. Design                        8/10
4. Durability                    8/10
5. Value for Money         10/10

 
Conclusion:
 
Is it silly to call a $899 headphone a bargain? Probably. I would still call it that. This headphone is really something you will enjoy for a very long time. Pair it with a good amp play some high-resolution content and just forget the world around you… It’s a worthy successor of the HE-500 and slots in nicely behind the HE-6. But it’s so much more accessible. While the flagship HE-6 needs an insanely powerful amplifier (and your own nuclear power plant to supply the power) to sound its best, this headphone is surprisingly easy to drive. My Gloveaudio A1 or Cayin C5 could drive it properly. Using a Violectric V200 or Gustard H10, Schiit Lyr or Asgard, Fiio E12 and you are set. Going balanced does get you a tad more soundstage but it’s not needed. I had a Plussoundaudio Dionysian Series Custom Balanced cable lying around from my HE-400 and while there is an improvement - it’s not as dramatic as with other headphones. The stock cable is very nice (and VERY well made). It has high quality connectors, the massive plug is from Neutric.
 
If you want to experience the pleasures of planar magnetic technology go and don’t settle for second place headphones. Go in all the way on this one. 
 
I am very sad that I have to return the review headphone to samma3a.com again but I am very thankful to have experienced this headphone.
 
I have not heard a better headphone in this price range (list price). 
 
You have been warned - don’t listen to this headphone - trust me, you WILL spend $899 after you do. 
 
EDIT: I ended up buying this headphone - it left such a great impression that I had to own it. Now a lot of other headphones have to go
 
 
 
 
 

 

Build Quality, Comfort, Accessories:

The build and design of the HE-560 is suitable for the price point but not very solid and is both gorgeous as well as understated. The mesh grill looks particularly great. I like the look of the headband too, though not so much how the metal top-part of it looks on the head, well at least my head. I've seen how great HiFiman's headphones, including the HE-560 look on their female models after all or maybe that's just me looking at the women...
 
The comfort is incredible, from the earpads to the headband, it feels very lightweight for a planar. It felt weightless vs my other headphones which are much lower priced with dynamic drivers. My K550, for example, are about 305g- mine are even more than that with the LCD-3 leather pads I swapped the deteriorated memory foam stock pads with. Somehow the 365-375g of the HE-560 feel lighter on my head and weightless in comparison. The weight is expertly distributed with materials chosen not to tip the scale This is a perfect headphone for prolonged listening sensations and it has the sound signature for it as well, which I will discuss next.
 
The clamp feels tight but in no way excessive to my head at least, so this could potentially cause concern for those with different head shapes or those annoyed by this kind of clamp. Earpad seal is therefore perfect for me.
 
As far as accessories, you get the HE-560 wood/metallic box and the 1/4" terminated cable. The cable ergonomics are pretty good, but it isn't very flexible and so it can be prone to kinks depending on the temperature. The connectors are a bad design, you tighten by screwing the tiny gold ring only; if you twist the cable or tighten it too much you risk breaking the wire that links the connector to the cable, and the cable will be rendered useless after enough duress. The connector design is horrendous and is the biggest drawback of this headphone by far.
 
Update 6/02/2015:
 
This is important to say, the HE-560 may or may not develop a rattling when reproducing sub-bass, in one of the drivers or maybe both because of the single-ended design. I replaced my first HE-560 when it had rattling in the right driver. This second HE-560 was performing well but alas, there's now rattling in left driver when there's quiet sub-bass notes/sounds. This appears to build related and not unit dependent. Good thing this can be remedied.
 
I fixed it by re-screwing the aluminium ring very tightly onto the driver housing in the left driver and also did the right driver for good measure. Another fix (haven't tested this myself at this time) or a way to fully seal the earpad to the aluminium ring is quoted by jerg:
 
"If you are talking about the rattling when you play very low frequency music / tones at loud volume, I described why I my HE560 mod thread. It's because the drivers are single-ended, so there is no two-way magnetic field locking the diaphragm in place, meaning at very low frequencies, the diaphragm can over-shoot which causes the rattling.
 
The way to fix it is to create a good seal on the ear-side, so there is back-pressure against the diaphragm when it oscillates low frequency tones. Find the earpads that fit onto your head the nicest (Focus or Focus-A), and perfect the seal (my mod guide outlines a silicone glue method; some also use electrical tape for an easier but uglier way to seal off).
 
Once the seal is in place, HE560 has zero rattling issues and is able to reproduce low frequencies with startling authority."
 
link for jerg's mod: http://www.head-fi.org/t/738912/he-560-enhancement-mod-v1-5
 
Update 3/11/2016:
 
The pads deteriorate with use, meaning that they break off the stitching and expose the blue foam inside. I bought Lawton Pads from lawtonaudio.com as a replacement, as they are better quality but quite expensive (US$109). This is true for all versions available (Focus pads, Focus pad-A).


 

 

Sound:

burn-in with pink noise loop and regular listening: 150+ hours exceeded (HiFiMan's own recommendation)
 
Associated equipment (Edited 05/2015):
Source:
Beresford Bushmaster MKII
Amps:
Gustard H10, Beresford Capella
 
 
Headphones for direct comparison: AKG K550, JVC SZ2000
 

Being the real meat of this headphone, as it should be, the sound is delightful. It is a unique (haven't heard a headphone tuned like this before) and addicting sound, so the most I can do is try my best to describe it. There isn't a particular part of the sonic spectrum or frequency response that is highlighted like you would hear from a dynamic headphone or other planars in general, like the reported "lush" mids of the Audeze headphones. The adjective that came to mind as I heard it for the first time was "natural", with reality / real instrument playing as reference. I'd say the sound is slightly smooth in the bass and the midrange compared to dynamic headphones, like is commonly attributed to planars -- though the smoothness is less pronounced in the HE-560 than the norm. Highly capable of attack. It's an almost perfect balance of smoothness vs attack IMHO. It's a disciplined attempt at a natural sound so as to not dampen the bass too much nor the rest of the sonic spectrum. It's as if the mix was calculated not to deviate away from the apparent goal HiFiman set out with this headphone.
 
As far as the measured 4kHz peak is concerned, I've got no problem with it. I tried to see if I would prefer EQ'ing it down, but preferred the little more harsher tinge from the un-eq'ed HE-560.
I'd like to add that after testing my hearing with an audiogram, I found out I'm much more sensitive to high frequencies -- 6kHz and up, but more precisely 8 kHz -- like the 9 kHz peak found on the K550 rather than frequencies below the high frequencies like the 4kHz peak found on the HE-560. But I have to say that 4 kHz (and the rest of the high mids) is still more sensitive to me than 2 kHz, 1kHz, 500 hz but not 250 hz and the bass region. It comes to my understanding that being more sensitive to the 1 kHz to 4 kHz frequencies and less sensitive to the low and high frequencies is the norm for most people. So I found out I have abnormal hearing through this hobby. My 20 Hz - 19 kHz hearing limit is pretty normal though.
 
 
Music genres to pair with:
 
As far as choice music for the headphone, every song, from every musical style I threw at it, fit. It's that simple. At no point was I looking for another headphone for a particular song or artist. This is an important factor for why I like the HE-560 as much as I do since I have one of the most eclectic music tastes I know of.
 
Sure, my SZ2000 have more impact for bass heavy tracks when I feel like it and that's exactly why I love it for that mood but for long sessions there is no substitute to the HE-560 regardless of genre in my mind. HiFiman has a reputation for making all-rounder or "genre master" headphones- to use the term @DavidMalher employs to describe them -- and this one is no exception.
 
Sound summary
 
Bass
 
Extends past human audibility (even below 20hz). Completely linear full bass extension.
 
Depth and breadth reproduction is incredible to the point of giving me deep chills (pun intended) on a regular basis.
 
Midrange
 
First thing to come to mind is: they are liquid smooth and clear.
 
The cello notes, for example, that go from where the bass meets the low mids are spot on. 
 
Treble
 
The treble is clearly defined, textured and crisp. Very much capable of impactful or penetrating transient attack in the lower treble / high mids.
 

Conclusion:

Pros:
Top-notch lifelike sound; non-fatiguing yet dynamic and greatly engaging / Performs with any music genre / Most comfortable headphone I've worn yet
 
Cons:

1. Cable connectors
2. Build quality could be better

 
The rating reflects what I got for the money, my relationship with the headphone so far and the rise in quality as well appreciation for the sound signature I got accustomed to going from my main (previously) mid-fi bright and clear headphone (K550) to this more high-end but relatively affordable headphone. The HE-560 is now my new main set.

Short Review:
 
This is a fantastic headphone for anybody who wants to hear something that approaches neutrality. This produces a resolving, highly detailed sound, that comes pretty close to sounding flat. It's a little bright and aggressive and the transition from the midrange to the upper mids is a little bit recessed, but with mods, pad swaps, equalization or any combination of the three, you can chase down an even flatter sound that is characteristic of a reference class product.
 
It is perhaps not the last word on resolution - I have yet to hear any other headphones on this tier of technical performance - and it is not the most neutral headphone out there (the HD600 is still the best reference I currently have for neutrality), but a few tweaks to its sound has made it the best headphone I've yet heard, by far.
 
$900 is more than I like to spend on headphones, but the sound has justified the price. All things considered, I can recommend this to anyone who has at least an okay amplifier on hand. If you have the money and you can justify it to yourself, try this one out.

This is a very impressive can for less than 1000.00! If this was a 1300-1500.00 can, I wouldn't say it was overpriced. Especially given what some of the audeze and hd800 cost. Now I wouldn't say it's better than those, but I will say it's on the same playing field with each one having strengths and weaknesses vs the other.
 
But I will directly compare them to my current favorite he6. At first listen, two things surprised me. One was how hard it was to drive them. Given some of the earlier impressions, I was expecting something that could easily be driven by most typical desktop amps. But my hifi m8(1.2 wpc) had a hard time trying to drive them. I could get it fairly loud with the volume knob at the 3:00 position(max volume is around 5:30), but the sound was a little distorted. At moderate volume levels, the bass sounded a little bloated and the sound as a whole was somewhat congested. So I had to move them to my full sized rigs. It was with these rigs I did my comparison to the he6.
 
The second thing that surprised me was how close they sounded to my (stock at the time) he6. These two cans sound more alike than the hd600 vs hd650. But further listening would reveal quiet a few differences overall. I will say the he560 have about the same amping requirements as the original he5. If I had to guess, I would say they need around two full watts to be properly driven. So while still not as hard to dive as the monsterous he6, they still need pretty beefy amplification IMO.
 
So would I rank these as high as I would the he6? Well as close as they come, they don't quiet match them overall, but still sound far better than they should at their asking price. On their own, it's hard to find flaws(although they are there). But when switching back between to two I find that the bass of the he560 sounds a little thudish. It's not as well defined as the bass from the he6. The he6 overall have the best bass I've heard. Sure the 009 is a tad bit nuanced, but don't have the impact and slam of the he6 bass. And yes the lcd 2 have even more impact but can sound a bit sloppy at times. And the lcd3 have a bit more slam, but lacks the precision of the he6 bass. So what I'm saying is, the he6 bass doesn't do everything perfect, but it doesn't have anything lacking either. It just does everything excellent.
So the he560 bass falling a little short in comparison isn't a bad thing. It's still best the bass out of most cans. Though not as precise or articulate as the bass from the he6.
 
The mids from both cans are probably the area where I find the biggest difference between the two. The he560 mids are smooth and velvety. They are slightly warm compared to the mids of the he6, but not warm in general. They are not as warm sounding as the mids form the he500. I would say they are just slightly on the warm side of neutral. They have plenty of body and can be seductive at times. The mids of the he6 are dead neutral IMO. And they have an organic richness that the he560 doesn't have without the added warmth. It's like the mids of the he560 tries to sound natural, and the he6 mids just does. The mids of the he560 are pretty well balanced with the rest of the spectrum, but not quiet as seamless as the mids of the he6 given the added warmth.
 
Now to the highs. Now this should really be an unfair fight since the only highs I've heard that can match the highs of the he6 are the ones form the 009. The highs from the he6 can sound harsh, overly bright, and just flat out fatiguing if not amped properly. I'm not just taking about power. Yes they need a few watts to be properly driven, but outside of that, the quality of those watts are just as important and they are just as picky as the hd800 in that requirement. The he6 highs are soooo life like, and pure. They sound extremely natural without a hint of grain or harshness. They are very nuanced as well. They highs of the he560 surprisingly comes very close. But they also sound a little sibilant compared to the he6. There is a slight grain in the lower treble that's just not there with the he6. The highs are not harsh, and are better than most of the cans out there. But just don't sound as realistic as the highs from the he6 sounds.
 
Now on the sound staging. While I think it was a little overblown to say the sound stage was as wide as the hd800 as I've read previously(not even quiet as wide as the he6 sound stage). The sound stage is nice and wide and surpasses all of the audeze's I've listened to by quiet a wide margin. And even though it doesn't match the hd800 or even the he6 in width, it more than makes up for it in depth. And as a result, the sound stage does sound more spacious than the sound stage of the he6 overall. Images are just produced further out in front of you which is very impressive since I do think the he6 have a very holographic sound stage itself, but there's a sense of space with the hd560 that's just not quiet there with the he6. So this is the one area I feel it does surpass the he6 in. The other area where the he560 surpass the he6 in is comfort. And in this regard, it beats it by a mile. These are very comfortable, and I mean very. Not quiet hd800 comfortable, but the comfort is much closer to the hd800 than it is to the he6.
 
 
So overall would I recommend these over the he6? Well that depends on if you have an open mind in regards to the he6. If you're willing to build a setup around the he6 knowing most dedicated headphone amps won't get you all of the way there, then I recommend the he6 without hesitation. But if you are not willing to build a rig around the he6, and comfort is extremely important to you, then I would recommend the he560 over the he6. A properly driven he560 will easily surpass the he6 if it's not properly driven.

Hifiman HE560 Planar Headphone.

 

 
HiFiman has been building and designing headphone solutions since 2006, and have earned a reputation for making some of the very best sounding headphones on the planet.
 
The company, located in China, is operated and owned by Dr. Fang Bian.  Fang went to school in the United States.  Over the years and by getting to know Fang personally I have come to admire his commitment to the personal audio community. His dedication and devotion to creating affordable reference level products have always been his major goals.
 
Fang is a music lover first and foremost., and he regularly attends live classical concerts. In all his prior designs the soundstage and tonality have always been stellar. Having personally been involved with Fang’s prototypes in the past with HE6 and now the HE560, one thing I can attest to is that he listens to the community when he develops a new model.  He likes community involvement during his design process, and focuses on giving his customers his best effort, ensuring products that offer both exceptional sonic and value.
 
In the past some people found that the HE6 and HE500 were heavy and uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. The ear pads on these two headphones were an issue that made Fang rethink the design of the ear pad and ultimately redesign them for the HE500, HE6 and HE400 models.   The new design was better but still not perfect.  The clips were an improvement but the material used on the ear pads still had a  scratchy feeling while being worn and  were very uncomfortable for long listening sessions.
 
The HE6 was a notoriously difficult headphone to drive. The community and HE6 users needed either a very powerful headphone amplifier or high-watt speaker amplifiers to get the best performance out of them.  The HE500 was easier to drive but lacked the soundstage or transparency of a well-driven HE6. The treble extension was much better on the HE6 and the HE500, but they were still uncomfortable during long listening sessions.
 
The weight would cause noticeable fatigue and the scratchy ear pads were, for me, too uncomfortable. Once again Fang sought the advice and opinion of the headphone community, and the development of his new HE560 and HE400i came as a result of input he received over months of trials with prototypes he distributed in the field.
 

Design

 
The HE560 planar headphone has been completely redesigned from the bottom up. The new models are much lighter, the ear pads are much more comfortable, and the scratchy feeling is gone. The headphone is now made of lightweight aluminum, and the overall weight has been reduced to 13.3 ounces. The feel of the headphone is much lighter than all of the other HiFiMan designs. The new design is much more comfortable for long listening sessions.
 
The new design is very light and more comfortable on my large head. The ear pads are no longer uncomfortable and the lighter weight will make it more suitable for more listeners who dislike heavy headphones. Fang paid attention to the wood used on the cups in the design process. The new veneer used looks to be very stable   and should provide years of trouble free use.
 
The HE560 has 50-ohm impedance and sensitivity is listed at 90-db/mw.  The rating indicates that the HE560 is both efficient and easy to drive. The frequency response is listed at 15-50 KHZ.
 
The cable is a silver plated copper cable with the same familiar connectors used in past HiFiMan designs. I have not had trouble with these connectors in prior designs and actually find them easy to use. The cable does not get tangled with this and has a nice clean presentation.
 
The grill appears to be the same one used in prior HiFiMan designs. The headband is adjustable and has a pleather type band that has some cushioning and is much better than previous designs. The construction on the HE560 appears to be very well thought out.
 
The wood-sliding box that comes with the headphone is also an improvement over past designs.  The company also offers an optional travel-case available that is lighter than the box and easier to pack for travel. The price for the portable case is a very reasonable $29.00.
 
The HiFiMan HE560 retail price is $899.00.

 

Sound:

 
Prior to having the HE560 production model I had the prototype in early development, which had different wood in the design but was otherwise was very similar to the production model. The finished production model has some minor modifications made to the ear pads, and the teak wood was replaced with the darker veneer that is used currently on this model. The wood changes were made for consistency and durability and still are very attractive.
 
When I was auditioning the prototype model the familiar HiHiMan soundstage was apparent. The soundstage width was very noticeable. The width and air and separation found in other HiFiMan products were still all there.  The focus within the soundstage was exceptional however the overall sound appeared to be thin.   The HE560 production model was much different with more body and a fuller presentation. The changes were welcomed.
 
The SACD disc of Jerry Goldsmith’s music is a favorite recording for me to use to evaluate headphones.  The opening track “Star Trek” is well known to most avid music fans and is very dynamic, and Goldsmith conducting the London Symphony orchestra makes this a must listen-to disc.  “Star Trek” has terrific extension in addition to the dynamics. The HE560 had pinpoint focus playing this track. I could hear the explosive dynamics. The music also highlighted the speed of the planar driver used in the HE560. I was able to hear very deep into the soundstage. The presentation is very smooth and tonality is spot on.  Easily heard were the individual sections of the orchestra. The soundstage had width and air and instrument separation was good as well. The headphone had no harsh sound.
 
The HE560 sound has a very different presentation. The sound is silky smooth with good transparency. Compared to the HE500 the improvement is a much better soundstage with a smoother presentation. The music seems to just float. It is very easy to get lost in listening sessions with the HE560.
 
Tierney Sutton’s “Something Cool” album, in addition to providing some of the best-recorded female vocal in my library, also had great bass extension - especially on the  “Route 66” track. The HE560 had Sutton’s vocal coming front and center more like a first row seat in a concert hall. The band was very well defined. In the rear of the soundstage you can hear the percussionist hand hitting the bongos clearly. The piano tones coming from the left were every realistic and also very musical. The bass notes were evident and very balanced in the presentation.  The textured bass made it easy to hear the strings and notes of the acoustic bass instrument, and the separation of musicians on this track was first rate using the Viva Egoista amplifier with the Oppo BD105 and WyWires Platinum interconnects. The reference system was getting the best out the HE560 and I melted away, lost in the musicality of the performance.
 
The emotional involvement with Tierney’s sexy and seductive performance was all there. When I switched to the Violectric V281, using it in the same single ended configuration as the Egoista, the sound was still full and transparent but gave up some of the Viva’s detail and transparency slightly.  The difference in the price of the V281 is considerable.  The sound was still very good considering the differences in price of the two amplifiers. The V281 had the detail and tonality that tube lovers will really enjoy, despite the fact that it is a solid state design. The V281 was using the BDP 105 in a balanced configuration with Nordost Blue Heaven interconnect. I was still very satisfied with the sound coming from the V281 and could easily live with both the sound and transparency using this less expensive combination.
 
Beck Morning Phase album may be Beck Hanson’s best work. The opening track “Cycle” lead into “Morning” with Beck’s opening acoustic guitar and clearly you can hear the string of the guitar and the kick drum in the rear with Beck’s vocal in the center. The bass extension on the HE560 is excellent. I could feel the presence of the kick drum and also hear the cymbals clearly.  The cymbals were similar to what you hear live, missing was splashy and tinny sound that comes from lesser quality transducers. The treble has excellent extension. Also notable in the listening sessions was that the performance was always balanced and neutral. The bass is not as deep as some other competitors but more balanced in presentation. The HE560 delivers what is on the recording. The bass on the HE500 may have been harder hitting, but the comfort levels and neutrality of the HE560 makes this a better overall listening experience.
 
Willie Nelson’s “Band of Brothers” recording is Willie’s first new material in 14 years, and is very well recorded. The first track “Bring it ON” has Willie front and center in the recording with good band separation. The synergy of Willie with his longtime band is clearly outlined in this performance. Track 9: “Get Go” has a vocal performance by Jamey Johnson. Both vocalists had good separation and when Jamey’s deeper voice comes into the song you can clearly differentiate the two vocalists.  
 
The real treat for me was using classical recordings with the HE560. Listening to Issac Stern’s SACD recording of “Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major” was more than mesmerizing; it was both energetic and delicate at the same time. I could hear Fang Bian’s influence in the voicing of the HE560. The violin performance was spectacular.  The strings were so real, so vibrant - and most importantly: transparent. There was no harshness in the performance and Stern’s playing was indeed very special. The musicality of this performance was astonishing. The violin reproduction on the HE560 is some of the very best heard on any headphone at any price I have experienced. Classical music lovers will love the sound and performance of the HE560 .
 
Many headphones will smear the sound or, worse yet, be too bright and screechy with violin reproduction. Listening to violin recordings on the HE560 made me forget about the gear. I listened to the entire recording and just relaxed. The music was so involving and Stern’s performance was as good as I had heard. The tonality was exceptional.
 

Conclusion:

 
Fang Bian has been a designer consumed by his relentless pursuit of perfection. His goals are to create exceptional products at affordable prices for consumers. The designs he comes out with usually end up being best-sellers in the personal audio community. Fang’s commitment to our community is exemplary, and his involvement in the community is legendary.
 
The HE560 is another product that pushes the boundaries. The weight and comfort levels are better that any other HiFiMan product that was offered before. The HE560 weighs less than a pound, and the ear pads, which were one of the weaknesses of prior HiFiman designs, have been improved.  The HE560’s sound signature is very neutral and the presentation is balanced. The design has an adjustable aluminum headband that is much more comfortable than the previous HiFiMan designs. The HE560 still has the smooth treble extension and clearly defined bass that HiFiMan is known for. The soundstage is excellent. The HE560 is a delightful headphone to listen too.
 
The HE560 has excellent midrange and makes vocal recordings come to life. Classical musical lovers will appreciate violin recordings and enjoy listening to the silky-smooth presentation. The HE560 never calls attention to any areas of the listening spectrum, it just delivers music. My listening experiences with the HE560 were always pleasant, and I appreciated the light weight. I could easily leave these on for long listening sessions.
 
Is the HE560 perfect? Well there is still some room for improvement with the ear-pad clips. The Oppo PM1 and PM2 ear-pad design is better and easier to take on or off, but the HE560 is more comfortable and never scratchy on my ears. Some listeners may miss the deeper bass slam of the HE500, but I found the bass of the HE560 to be excellent in both detail and definition. The soundstage is typical HiFiMan, excellent side-to-side definition with good depth and air, but still falls short of the HD800’s soundstage (all headphones do).  The HE560, for half the price of many top tier planar and dynamic headphones, still delivers what many want in a reference headphone. It offers terrific value and transparency that is usually found in the higher priced models that are available.
 
Once again Dr. Fang Bian has delivered a product that, for the price, will be hard to compete with. The HE560 offers the listener a super listening experience.  If you’re looking for a planar headphone that offers exceptional sound and is a pleasure to wear, the HE560 merits your consideration. I can think of no other headphone in this price range that delivers the performance and comfort the HE560 offers.
 
The HE560 is a well designed and thought out product and will keep many listeners happy, and for many may end the ride on the merry-go-round. This could be just the product that can deliver you into sonic bliss. Fang has hit another home run with the HE560. It delivers superior performance and, for the asking price, offers exceptional value. The HE560 merits serious consideration and is highly recommended.
 
 
 

 
HIFIMAN HE-560 ON TAP: A FIRST DAY REVIEW SAGA (HIFIMAN HE-560 TOUR IMPRESSIONS)
 
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
 
Wow ... what a big box! I was expecting a more economically packaged box, but once I open it, it seems justified considering all the goodies that are packed inside. Along with the box containing the headphones there are also two bags containing two sets of cables, two regular TRS cables and two 4-pin XLR cables with TRS extenders. These cables are fantastic especially when compared to the fare that Hifiman has offered in the past. They are easily complementary to the value of the headphones; boutique shoppers can always find something better but this is stellar; kudos to Hifiman.
 
 
CABLE CHOICE and THE (t)REASON
 
Okay, now I'm ready to get set up. I immediately toss the standard TRS cables straight back into the bag. I won't be needing or using those. The 4-pin XLR is more versatile considering how I intend to be using the HE-560 and the comparisons I will be doing. I have owned the HE-500 since 2011 (yup ... still grooving to it) and a long tortuous road of experimentation finally led me to one conclusion – these headphones are wasted when played via any standard TRS headphone out. Yes during that time I tried various headphone amps, Bellari 540, Schiit Lyr, Musical Paradise MP-301 MK2, various integrated amps, newer and older, and all basically left me uninspired when the HE-500 was played via their headphone outs. It was only when I hooked the HE-500 to speaker taps, for example, of the MP-301tube amp (with resistors in place to protect the amp's transformers) that the 500 really woke up and that I truly heard what this headphone was capable of. Previously I could hear the promise via the headphone out but it was just out of reach. After this discovery it was just a matter of finding the proper matching amp for this kind of set up – yes, there are differences to amps when playing this headphone via speaker taps, it's not simply about power, but rather how that power is translated, with finesse or simply with raw power. My favorite amp to date is the Luxman R-1050 because it combines those qualities with a presentation that never fails to impress me. This is the amp that I will be using for putting the HE-560 through its paces.
 

[Two sets of cable choices / TRS vs XLR]
 

[Luxman R-1050]
 
Okay, all this background to say I am not going to waste a lot of time playing the HE-560 via TRS which is why I tossed those other cables straight back into the bag. My primary interest is to see how this new Hifiman HE-560 offering stands up to a well-amplified HE-500, 'mano a mano'. I am giving the HE-560 the best platform for performance that I have found so far to see what it's truly made of, and I am comparing it with a member of the family that simply astounds with such a set up. My secondary set-up will be the Musical Paradise MP-301 MK2 via speaker taps, another set-up the 500 excels with. So that's the background scenario.
 
 
TRS or BUST? (What the Heck Does that Stand For?) (Hint: Try something else)
 
Okay, second thing, let's just get that standard headphone out thing out of the way shall we. I reach for the HE-560 TRS extender to connect it to the XLR cable I have already attached to the headphone – what's this? A mini 3.5mm connector, huh .. with four connectors (TRRS). What the ... who is going to be using these headphones with their iPhone, seriously. A quarter inch connector would have been more understandable. So now I have to look for an adapter to hook the headphones to my Luxman amp headphone out so I can get a comparative base. Is the adapter in the bags – I comb through the bags – no adapters, huh. Okay, let me look through my stash; no, not that screw on thing, I toss it back. Let's see, maybe this one, but it has a small protruding edge so that won't do, I'm out of luck. What to do. Wait, I have one I use for my ATH-M50 while watching movies. Let's see ... yeah that will work, it sits flush against the edge, sweet. Okay time for some aural sensations.
 

[Tube buffer / Feeds Luxman amp]
 
Jriver has already been on, and my tube buffer which feeds the Luxman has been warming up all this time. Random playlist – no special favorites or tracks – let's just see how things present themselves with my normal day to day listening. P.S. I have everything hooked up to the Luxman. There are two speaker outs (A and B). The HE-500 is on speaker out A, and on speaker out B I have a Stax SR-44, but it's adapter has a speaker out pass through, that I will connect the HE-560 to, after listening to the 560 via the headphone out first of course. Here goes ... cue music via Luxman headphone out!
 
Aargh ... anemic! Track is .. Erik Truffaz (Wet in Paris). Great track, but I am not getting that much volume. I raise it. I'm almost at noon, better but not very convincing, my back mind is doing a potential comparison with the HE-500 on tap (not even close). It's too loud and I'm still not hearing it. I turn it down a notch, okay the symmetry is there, but it's not quite whole. Joan Armatrading (Show Some Emotion). This track has a great deal of range (let's take a listen). I still get that feeling that something is missing. Yes I could try to drown that missing something with more volume, but eh, no, won't go down that track. It's all there – the detail, the full frequency, but it's just not fleshed out. Oh, alright Seal is playing (Future Love Paradise). I know this track inside out, and ah no, it's not happening. This track should really be grooving, but it feels like it's only 45 to 60% there. Aargh, enough, been there done that, trying to convince myself that these new crop of orthodynamics should sound dynamic out of regular headphone outs. Time to stop. Let's go the other route (yup .. to each his own .. and this ain't it for me). Let's strap the HE-560s to speaker taps and see what comes out. The first track I will re-try is Future Love Paradise. Gimme a minute to switch things ...
 



 
 
SPEAKER TAP AWAKENINGS
 
Okay, the HE-560 is plugged to the Stax adapter speaker out pass through. Okay, there it is, wow, voice extension, oh yeah, yes we are grooving. Man, so much was missing, unbelievable. Those left to right artifacts in the track; I was not hearing that half a minute ago. I'm grinning .. . Okay, man. It's really good. Anecdote: why does anyone bother trying to find the mythical headphone amp that performs like this when it's so easy, so easily within reach, makes me wonder  ...
 
Wow, I am impressed. Okay, a quick comparison with the HE-500. I switch the amp to speaker out A and leave volume at same level for a quick attenuation comparison. Back to Seal. Press play .. mmm, HE-500 sounds a little warmer (maybe .. wooly .. that ain't a good characteristic believe me .. not as much detail retrieval either). The 500 is little more fuller, muscular? Yes, I think that's right. But I can hear where this might be a drawback to not being able to present the frequencies more linearly. Too much wool around the edges, mmm .. and I have totally adored this headphone for the past three years. Against the HE-560 this is only becoming apparent. Okay, let's let the next track play, Bob Marley (Natural Mystic). Bass on the 500 can be downright addictive, no difference here. Mmm ... I wonder how this will compare with the 560s. Volume is a little too loud (is the 560 less sensitive than the HE-500?). Oh yeah, that reminds me, I would like to measure the impedance of this set of 560s, let's see how close Hifiman is to specs. But first a quick Bob Marley comparison. Back to speaker B ...
 

 
No doubt .. this pair of HE-560s is less sensitive than my HE-500s which measure at 35.1/35.2ohms (right and left respectively). I'll get my multimeter in a sec. Okay Bob, what's cooking? I really like the presentation of this headphone, there is no frequency smearing here, everything has it's place, nice instrument separation. Bass is a little less convincing than the HE-500, I don't know, a little missing in action, but nonetheless quite present (does that make sense?). Erik Truffaz is playing again, this time (Miss Kaba), one of my favorite tracks from him. Mmm ... yummy .. wow beautiful blending. It's reminding me of the Stax SR-44 rig (maybe I'll do a little comp after the track is through ... hey, why not right now seeing as the two headphones are on the same rig). Okay ... turn volume down, switch Stax adapter to Earspeaker, let's see .. volume back up.
 

[Stax SR-44 rig]
 
 
DREAMS OF STAX
 
Oh man .. so similar to the HE-560 in terms of detail presentation. Unbelievable, there is a closer affinity between the HE-560 and the Stax SR-40 than with the HE-500. I didn't see that coming. Rewind Miss Kaba ... man I might as well have been wearing the same headphones, yes there are differences, but it's so close. With a double-blind test I would place the Stax SR-40 and the Hifiman HE-560 in the same family but not with the HE-500. In retrospect it sounds as if the HE-500 was one of those headphones produced to satisfy the basshead era of headphones, and the HE-560s were produced to satisfy high fidelity audio enthusiasts, where the latter engineers (think Stax) were more interested in truer tonal and frequency presentation, than they were with popular colorations. I am hearing it right now in the Stax and I was hearing it a moment ago in the HE-560. As much as I love the HE-500, it doesn't quite achieve this level of balanced tonal presentation.
 
 
IMPEDANCE MEASUREMENT
 
Okay ... break. I need to measure the impedance of these HE-560s. Gimme a moment ... multimeter time. Right channel 37.5ohms, left channel 38.1ohms. Hifiman specs call for an impedance of 35ohms ... so, pretty close, and closely matched.
 

[Digital multimeter]
 
 
BASS and TREBLE RESPONSE
 
Okay back to music, Cassandra Wilson (Blue Light Till Dawn). Oh by the way I went to see Cassandra Wilson this summer in Vancouver when she was here for the Coastal Jazz Festival. Her show at the Vogue Theatre was absolutely stellar (the Vogue is an acoustical gem for jazz ensembles). Okay, I need to switch headphones as much as I don't want to take these Stax earspeakers off. We'll listen to Cassandra Wilson again with the HE-560s. Switch ... mmm, nice, but a little bit slower than the Stax, I don't know, more deliberate I guess. Treble is a little bit pitchy, but detail retrieval is stellar, especially with what seems to be a wider soundstage than the SR-40. I need to compare with the HE-500 after this. Track is almost finished so I'll start afresh.
 


[Vogue Theatre - Vancouver downtown]
 
Blue Light Till Dawn with the HE-500: There is that bass presence, but I hear where it may be smearing into the mid-range. Cassandra's voice on the 500 sounds more true than on the 560, but it's competing with that bass, something that isn't apparent with the HE-560. I am torn, I am not sure which is the better phone with this track. Lol, at this stage I'd take a left-field choice and go with the Stax SR-40. The bass to mid-range frequency of the HE-500 seems a little too overpowering for this track and the HE-560 treble on it seems a little much, making Cassandra's voice a little less genuine. This track is a real test for the HE-560. Let me try it again.
 
This time I plug the HE-560 into the speaker A connector that the 500 was on. It shouldn't make a difference but who knows: Okay, nice balance to the bass entry. Cassandra's voice – still a little bit of sibilance, peaky treble, ummm. P.S. I don't have tonal control on (rarely if ever do I – don't like them and the same goes for EQs, I like things au naturel (as much as possible). As far as this track is concerned I am not very convinced. Excellent soundstaging though, lot's of spatial space between the various facets that make up this song. I think I'd put it down to this – the HE-560 needs a smidgen of the HE-500s warmth and the 500s need a lot less. Okay I give in ... I turn the treble tonal knob on the Luxman a little bit down. Mmmm ... still a little bit peaky in the treble. Maybe it's the track, nah... What is Stax saying, let's see. Could be the track, I do hear some peakish treble, but the Stax seems a little more accurate with a very beautiful tonal presentation. Okay let's move on ...
 
 
SUSHI, PADS and TREBLE TROUBLES
 
Tummy messengers are here ... it's 3:55pm and I haven't had lunch. Time for some left-over sushi. I'll get back to this (break).
 

[Yum ... left over sushi]
 
While my left-over sushi was steaming it occurred to me that a pad change might be in order. All this time I have been using the Focus pads with the perforated inside lip. I swapped to the older focus pads (Focus A) that came with the tour headphones. Okay – back to Cassandra Wilson's Blue Light Till Dawn. Okay, that definitely sounds better, the treble seems a little bit better tonally and I do attest there is a little more warmth to this signature, reminiscent of the HE-500 warmth that I was yearning for a moment ago. I like this signature ... it seems more right, and this track is sounding like it should sound like. Shucks, why did Hifiman change the pads (oh wait, there was all that fake brouhaha about ill-fitting pads), too bad. I feel that if the Focus A pads (1^st generation) had remained the stock pads this headphone would have a lot more going for it in stock form than it is being presented now with the new Focus pads. Too bad ... get those original pads while they are still available ladies and gents, especially if you already have the HE-560.
 

[Focus pads to the left; Focus A pads to the right]
 
Man I am enjoying this, it sounds just right now. Am listening to Lizz Wright (Fire). Makes me just wanna lay back into my seat, close my eyes, and be taken away by the music. Nothing to analyze any more, it sounds right, just like music. The Focus A pads definitely add some warmth but just the right amount that offsets what I deduce to be a slightly peaky treble the HE-560 often presents. This combination really works in a synergistic manner; even the bass is grooving now, a little more like the HE-500 but without coloring the other frequencies.
 

 
 
SOME BASS HEAVINESS and PAD SWITCHING CONCLUSIONS
 
I am now listening to Erykah Badu (On & On) and this track is bass heavy and the HE-560 is handling the bass absolutely beautifully without letting it take over. I wonder how this track would sound with the HE-500 and Stax SR-40. Let's find out. First up: Stax ...
 

 
The bass frequency weakness of this particular Stax headphone becomes apparent. The Stax can't quite handle bass boosted tracks. It's really not doing this track justice. It's there but the bass is supposed to be the heartbeat of this track and it's too recessed. With the right genres the Staxes are incredibly beautiful but with modern era genres like Electronica, Drum 'n Bass, Hip Hop, they fall short. It's as if the designers were not even aware such genres could ever exist. The Stax is definitely a fail here.
 
Okay, HE-500 (please don't let me down, eek.) Oh yeah, that's bass alright. Also excellent background detail. I'm foot tapping to the bass. Yeah this is good, everything about the sound signature says groovy track. Perhaps a little smidgen of loose bass in some passages. But vocals are still prominent and nicely blended with other details. I can live with this. Sidenote: I wonder how the HE-500 would perform with the newer pads. Time to find out ...
 
After some fidgeting I attach the second pair of Focus A pads (first generation) that came with the tour package. Mmm .. interesting, a bit more detail retrieval with these pads on the 500 than the stock 500 set. Nice. Lol ... time to upgrade 500 pads. I like it. Still listening to On & On for progeny's sake. Okay what about with the new stock Focus pads? Let's find out: Stop music (fidget, fidget)...Mmm comfy, more comfy than the Focus A pads. A little more detail than the Focus A pads (courtesy of the perforations perhaps?). Bass is tight (did I just say that?). Interesting, nice tonal balance, soundstage and nuances seem more extended. Lol .. conclusion to the pad saga .. Focus A pads are for the HE-560 and the newer Focus pads are for the HE-500 (irony, huh!). I am going to be picking up a set of these for my HE-500, definitely an improvement.
 
 
JUST MUSIC, NO DISTRACTIONS
 
Fast forward ... what else is popping up in this playlist, let's see. Jacksoul (As We); rest in peace Haydain. I am hearing a little bit of a peaky treble with the 500, but nothing to make me stop, could be a symptom of the Focus pads. Next track – Damon Aaron (All I Need). Yeah, here is that feeling again, you know, where it's now simply about the music, no distractions. Time to simply close your eyes and let the music take over. I do just that ... (The detail retrieval of the HE-500 with the Focus pads really surprises me, an excellent hardware match). Upgrade your Hifiman HE-500 pads y'all.
 
My man ... Barry White (Playing Your Game, Baby). Nice soundstage, sounds a little wider somehow. Will compare with the HE-560s on this track. Man, it's just about the music at this stage. I really like it after you've spent time gathering all your hardware together and it comes together and becomes art – that's what it's all about. (Forgotten time elapse ... was listening to Seal (Crazy)). Oh boy, superb track starting, Metropolitan Jazz Affair (Bird of Spring). Everything has come together ... I love it! I'll listen to this track first with the HE-500 (Focus pads) and then compare with the HE-560 (Focus A pads).
 
Back to Barry White with the HE-560s. Pause ... nothing to say really. This is just good music. Listening to Seal (Crazy) again – it's all there and the tonal balance is symmetrical. Metropolitan Jazz Affair (Bird of Spring). Groovy bass, for a moment there I thought I was still with the HE-500. Groovy bass without it being overpowering. Vocals are frontal, just the nice full sound I would expect from a well-amplified orthodynamic. Those pad switches really made that much of a difference, huh? Interesting. I don't feel a need to change anything. Just feels like it's time to simply enjoy the music. And I away ...
 

[Haydain Neale of Jacksoul - d. Nov 2009]
 



 
 
ULTIMATE QUESTION (hang in there ...)
 
Now here is the question. Which of these headphones would I keep? Since I already own the HE-500, the more obvious question is, is there a need to ditch the HE-500 and upgrade (sidegrade?) to the HE-560? Stay tuned while I come up with an answer over the next few days.
 

 
 
SUSPENDED IN-BETWEEN: FUZZY LOGIC CONCLUSION
 
What ensued was a long back and forth comparison of the two headphones listening to different tracks one headphone after the other. This was fairly easy to do having both headphones strapped to the same amplifier but with dedicated outputs (thanks engineers for speaker amplifiers with two speaker outputs -  ).
 
P.S. Placing the speaker output selection on A+B also made it obvious that the HE-560 required a little bit more attenuation to match the volume output of the HE-500, perhaps underscoring the fact that this particular HE-560 may be less sensitive than the HE-500 (at least my pair). But then again what is 90db/mW (HE-560) vs 89db/mw (HE-500). That means too close to call in my book.
 
Some random track impressions:
 
Jaga Jazzist (The Stix) - very challenging Nu-Jazz/Electronica track:
With HE-500 (Focus pads). Nice full robust sound. All those crazy details are there.
With HE-560 (Focus A pads). I am having a hard time telling the headphones apart. They are equally good, albeit with a nod for more detail retrieval going to the HE-560, but musically, they are equally convincing. One could get either, amplify it well and simply get lost in the music – which really is the goal at the end of the day.

 
 
Stee Downes (Movement):
This track highlighted how similar the HE-560 and HE-500 can sound (with the pad switches I made). I have to listen very closely to pinpoint the differences if any. The HE-500 sounds a little bit fuller whereas the HE-560 sounds a little more defined.

 
 
Maxwell (Welcome):
The HE-560 definitely wins this one. There is just more happening with it, not that much more but it's noticeable after coming from the HE-500. Again, very nice frequency balance, all the nuances are there and can be easily picked out. Yeah, oh that treble, no more troubles from it and I think credit goes to the Focus A pads on this.

 
 
With some genres the HE-500 simply shines. For example well-recorded and performed R&B/Neo-Soul. For example: Jill Scott (Golden), a track I felt the HE-500 out-performed the HE-560 on. Similar impressions on Brand New Heavies (Keep Together); Mark Rae (Medicine). The HE-560 doesn't seem to quite have the groove factor that these tracks and others like them call for.



 
 
Santana (Smooth (feat. Rob Thomas):
The warmer and fuller presentation of the HE-500 sounds better here too. Makes for a more enveloping and rocking sound. In comparison the HE-560 sounds like it's trying to be more proper when it's really time to let loose and really groove.

 
 
Ali Slaight (Kiss From A Rose):
Mmm ... The HE-560 sounds like the more accurate headphone of the two here. The overall warmth of the HE-500 is working against it. This is a somewhat acoustically based track and that kind of makes sense based on my other impressions: With acoustical music the HE-560 seems more accurate and better balanced overall. The HE-500 seems to bring a little more warmth to the tracks than is necessary resulting in less clarity within and between the various facets of the tracks, vocals and instruments. Still overally good but I would take the HE-560's presentation each time with acoustic based music – so much sweeter and nuanced – excellent performances.

 
 
Plantlife (When She Smiles):
HE-560 is clearer. Mmm ... sounds like the evidence is piling up. The HE-560 reproduces music with more clarity than the HE-500. I think the mid-centric character of the HE-500 may be its Achilles heel. Don't get me wrong, it still sounds world-class but it is outclassed by the HE-560 in this regard. (From Wikipedia: An Achilles heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, which can actually or potentially lead to downfall.)

 
 
And so forth and so forth, and so forth it went .... until ...
 
Conclusion inside the conclusion: When musical clarity is called for the HE-560s outperform the 500s, but where full musical grooviness is called for the HE-500s seem to have an edge. So I guess it pretty much comes down to choice of the wrong that's less wrong. In this case the less significant and infrequent shortcomings of the HE-560 are easier to fix and live with than the more apparent shortcomings of the HE-500, especially if you listen to a lot of acoustically grounded music. The HE-560 is the better headphone and is definitely an upgrade rather than simply a sidegrade to the HE-500. Would I upgrade then? Yes ... absolutely, strictly based on sound-quality improvements, and especially where money is not a consideration. With the HE-500 now just over half the price of the HE-560 does that make it half as good as the HE-560? Definitely not; I would place the HE-500's abilities at about 93-96% of the HE-560's sonic reproductive ability. Is that final 4-7% worth it? My answer – a resounding yes! With the HE-560 you would have a headphone that gives you less to stop and gripe about knowing in the end there was little you could do about it.
 
Well done Hifiman for taking your headphones further. I didn't think you could do it, especially with single-magnet transducers but you did. The HE-560 is definitely a worthy upgrade to the HE-500!
 
 

[Grill-modded HE-500 (Focus pads) ; Stock form HE-560 (Focus A pads]
 
 
Postscript: FUZZYING THINGS UP ...
 
The Fuzzor mod suggested by Jerg in this thread kinda intrigued me after realizing that the major difference between the HE-560 and the HE-500 was in their clarity and detail retrieval characteristics, the HE-560 being the better of the two in that regard. But those qualities are precisely what the Fuzzor mod is supposed to improve for the HE-500. I had to find out ...
 
Ran out to my local Michael's store to get some felt (shucks got the wrong one ... yeah you guessed it, I went all the way to the end of the mod with that one – don't ask; we'll leave it for the trash bin. Hint: It wasn't the stiff kind). Ran back to the store this time making sure I asked for stiffened adhesive felt ... shikes ... they were out (wha ..aat!). I won't bore you with more of this yarn (they had lots of that at the store) ... I eventually had to drive to another Michael's store farther away. Ah ... but enough of that.
 
The mod turned out great what with me being a more experienced modder and all (snicker ..). Now to the sound. I quickly went back to those problematic tracks that the HE-500 had stumbled on and that the HE-560 had simply been brilliant with. Wow ... what do ya know ... a mod that actually works! To my ears the HE-500 was now sounding more refined, with a very beautiful tone but still a bit more energetic than the HE-560, but it was almost, almost there. I could easily take that and not miss the HE-560 (much). Percentage wise I'd say the HE-500's rendering on those tracks was now closer to 98.5% of the HE-560 (that's as precise as I can get, sorry). I still feel the HE-560 is still the more nuanced of the two headphones and really worth that additional effort if one can manage it. But then again, there are those times when the HE-500's signature is precisely what the shaman has ordered; where it's groove fun factor simply and incredibly wows. So ... is that fuzzy enough for ya ..?

Video review below
 

When it comes to HiFiMan products, I am what you might call a die-hard fan. I purchased my first decent earphone, a Yuin PK3, from the company back when it was primarily a Hi-Fi distributor under the name Head-Direct, in 2007 or 2008. About a year later, I bought one of HiFiMan’s own developments, the RE0 in-ear earphone, and fell in love. The RE0 was nothing short of a revelation, providing clean, well-balanced sound that contemporary competition couldn't touch. Over the years Dr. Fang Bian & co expanded the lineup to much more than just earphones, but full-size HiFiMan headphones have always eluded me - the HE-560 the first one I've had a chance to hear at length.


 

Form & Function

 
The HE-560 is a headphone for the headphone lover, billed as a lighter and more comfortable planar magnetic set - with great sound, of course. It is not a flawlessly polished retail product like the OPPO PM-1 and doesn't share the rock-solid machined metal structure of the OPPO, but there is a raw, purposeful character to its design that I quite like.
 
One thing to be said for the no-frills construction is that it is quite lightweight. The headband uses a suspended design with a metal outer band, and the forks are plastic. The dual-sided cable is detachable and utilizes coaxial connectors. The cups rotate a full 180 degrees, which is good for storage and transport, but better still for wearing comfort. With a dual-sided cable design like this one, there is no reason why the cups shouldn’t rotate a good amount even if the headphones are not meant to be compact.
 
The HE-560 is a good-looking headphone, finished in a dark wood grain with flat black accents. For $899 you get the headphones, a cable, and a wood storage box with a sliding lid. That’s not a lot in the way of extras, but it’s what’s inside that counts - namely, the Planar Magnetic drivers. As usual, I defer to the more experienced to explain PM drivers in detail – see the Wisdom Audio white paper here and as well as Tyll’s article over at InnerFidelity for an in-depth look at Planar Magnetic technology.
 
Suffice it to say that PM drivers can make for a great-sounding headphone, but one of the common downsides is physical weight. Both my OPPO PM-1 and LCD-2 are hefty, if not downright heavy, and their weight on the head can be felt after some hours. The HE-560 is very light for its size – it feels noticeably lighter on the head than the PM-1 and LCD-2. This, together with the suspended headband design and freely pivoting earcups, makes it a very comfortable headphone. The final element of the comfort equation, the pads, are a hybrid velour+leather design. They breathe moderately well – not quite up there with the Sennheiser velour pads, but better compared to the leather pads on the LCD-2 and PM-1. The HE-560 earpads are more heavily bolstered at the back and keep the headphone comfortable despite its slightly higher (compared to the PM-1 and LCD-2) clamping force.
 
The result of all this is a very comfortable Planar Magnetic headphone, equal for me to Sennheiser’s dynamic-driver HD600. The heavier LCD-2 and OPPO PM-1 are more fatiguing after a couple of hours.
 

Sound

 
Sources/amps used

1. Tianyun Zero DAC/amp (2008 version)
2. Heed CanAmp
3. Anedio D1
4. OPPO HA-1
5. HiFiMan HM-901 (with Minibox amp card)
    

Headphones used for comparisons

1. Audeze LCD-2 (original model)
2. OPPO PM-1
3. Sennheiser HD580 w/HD600 grilles, headband, and pads, and HD650 cable. This HD580 uses the “new” driver revision and to the best of my hearing ability is identical in sound to a current HD600. I will refer to it as “HD600” throughout.

 
Planar magnetic headphones are often lauded for their speed, lack of distortion, and ability to maintain bass control while also pumping out powerful lows (i.e. providing bass quality AND quantity). The HE-560 definitely does not disappoint, especially when it comes to the low end. The bass is fantastic, the best I’ve heard from a headphone. It is deep, flat, and powerful, finding the ideal balance of controlled and hard-hitting. There is no discernible mid-bass hump but HE-560 is capable of moving a lot of air, which allows it to deliver excellent impact and sub-bass rumble alike.
 
Compared to the Sennheiser HD600, OPPO PM-1, and Audeze LCD-2, the HE-560 is less forward and full-bodied in the midrange. The mids are very clear, but a little dry. The bass being tight and natural helps quite a lot, preventing the low end from intruding on the midrange in any capacity.
 
The treble transition is quite smooth and the top end itself is refined, but not recessed. It has a good amount of sparkle without sounding harsh or sibilant. The HE-560 can’t be called bright, but it does have more treble energy than the HD600, PM-1, and LCD-2 (the latter two being espeically polite at the top). There is enough presence with the HE-560 to properly convey the energy of cymbal hits, for example, whereas the OPPO PM-1 tends to sound a little dull and smoothed over in that regard.
 
The level, tight, and clear sound of the HE-560 grants it very good imaging with a natural, slightly laid-back presentation, beating the LCD-2 and PM-1 when it comes to imaging. In short, the HiFiMan HE-560 is a highly capable headphone with the best bass I’ve come across and fantastic clarity, but with a slightly dry midrange character.
 
What follows are more in-depth comparisons to two other planar magnetic cans, the Audeze LCD-2 and OPPO PM-1, as well as to the dynamic-driver Sennheiser HD580/600.
 
Audeze LCD-2
 
I never was a huge fan of this revision of the LCD-2, preferring the less expensive HD600 for both sound (more balanced) and comfort (lighter and more unobtrusive). That said, the even this original LCD-2, with its Planar Magnetic drivers, powerful bass, and $1000 price tag, is more of an HE-560 competitor.
 
The LCD-2 is heavier on the low end compared to the HE-560 and boasts a warmer tonal character. However, its bass is also touch slower and more sustained, which makes it appear a bit muffled next to the HiFiMan. The top end of the LCD-2 has a slight lack of energy in comparison to the HE-560 and its presentation is a little more congested thanks to the less controlled bass.
 
The HE-560 has tighter, more linear bass and sounds clearer. Its overall balance is better thanks in large part to brighter treble. To my ears, the greater treble energy of the HE-560 is more natural overall and gives the HiFiMan set a more airy presentation. The LCD-2, while very forgiving, sounds dull and smoothed-over in comparison.
 
Sennheiser HD600
 
The Sennheiser HD600 has been my benchmark full-size headphone for many years, but with the introduction of the HE-560 into the mix I think it will soon be retired. When it comes to bass especially, the HE-560 is simply better. It’s not just more powerful at the low end, but also more extended and more effortless. In comparison, the HD600 lacks the ability to really rumble on bass-heavy tracks; the HE-560, on the other hand, can crank up the low end when necessary, and sounds more natural doing it.
 
On the whole, the sound signature of the HE-560 is a little more v-shaped than that of the HD600. The Sennheiser unit displays more prominent mids that are slightly thicker compared to the HE-560, but also a bit less clear. The extra treble presence of the HE-560 helps further with the clarity without making the headphones sound harsh or sibilant - a good thing in my book.
 
The HE-560 sounds a little thinner and more crisp; a little more dry as well, but on the whole more natural. Both the HD600 and HE-560 are very spacious, and have excellent imaging but the HiFiMan unit appears to have a wider soundstage thanks to its less forward midrange.
 
OPPO PM-1
 
OPPO’s Planar Magnetic PM-1 headphone follows a smooth and balanced sound that falls somewhere between the LCD-2 and Sennheiser HD600. The HE-560 is bassier than the PM-1, but at the same time its treble is more energetic and extended, giving its presentation a more open feel. The extra treble energy sounds more natural to me, but the HE-560 also appears less full-bodied (i.e. thinner) through the midrange. This grants it a more “analytical” note presentation that some listeners may not find appealing over the more full-bodied PM-1. Om the whole, however, the upper midrange and treble of the HE-560 are more well-defined and nuanced.
 
The more mid-centric PM-1, on the other hand, sounds extremely coherent with its stronger, thicker midrange. Its bass is just a hair more boomy and it has smoother, completely fatigue-free treble that can make it sound a little vague and lacking in crispness next to the HE-560 – smoothed-over is the best term I could come up with. The PM-1 also doesn’t quite have the same open and well-imaged presentation, but is more efficient.
 

Wrap-up

 
Not having tried any of HiFiMan’s previous full-size cans, the HE-560 impressed me more than I had anticipated, going so far as to replace the Sennheiser HD600 as my full-size reference headphone thanks to the outstanding bass performance and clarity. The only headphones I’ve heard that could be better all-rounders are the STAX SR-007MK2 and SR-009.
 
In addition to great sound, the light weight and very flexible construction of the HE-560 result in good wearing comfort for me, and it’s far from unattractive with the wood grain and black accents. It’s hard to talk about value with a set of headphones that costs $900, but the HE-560 is easy to recommend .

 
 
Presentation
 
That's a lovely box it comes in. I'm not being snarky at all; it really is nice. Totally for presentation though, not for transport/portability.
 
 
Construction
 
The headband of the new Hifiman models is a great improvement over the old ones. The suspension design is more comfortable, and the gimbals feel more solid. The headband adjustment has more of a reassuring feel to it, unlike the old headbands which had a tendency to become loose over time. Gripes: there's a higher clamp force though (for me it pressed under the ear, around the jawline), and the headband adjustment snags my hair sometimes.
 
The overall weight of the 560 is much lighter than the HE-6, which is a welcome change especially after a recent car accident which has left me with whiplash making it difficult to support my HE-6 on my head without aggravating my neck
 
That plastic wood veneer on the cups though... what is this, the 80's? I would have preferred they stuck with the glossy plastic. Or how about some real wood? A resin-reinforced wood cup wouldn't be that great of an expenditure on a nearly $1k headphone.
 
 
Sound and Stuff
 
A lot of the sound changes with the pads, so bear that in mind as I present my notes. Overall, I considered the sound to slot quite comfortably between the HE-500 and HE-6. It's a noticeable improvement from the 500, and I could see personal preferences pulling it ahead of the 6 for some although I feel the 6 still leads on technical capability.
 
I felt the sound was rather sensitive to placement on my head, moreso than the HE-6. It really needs to be forward ahead of the ears to sound right. Even then, at times I felt the soundstage had an exaggerated width and was behind me.
 
There's an overall brightness to the tone of the 560, which gives it a strong sense of “detail”, but can start to feel slightly plasticky and artificial after a while. The upper vocal range comes forward a bit and is slightly pushy* on some recordings (reminds me of a bad Audeze). I feel as though there's a very slight emphasis in the midbass which gives it a bit of punch, but it doesn't carry that impact elsewhere except the uppermid region as just mentioned. These two components together give the 560 this sort of very very mildly V-shaped sound to my ears, though it really isn't, but that's where the energy feels most prominent and gives it an overall “fun” sound which I think a lot of people will like.
 
*The best way I can describe these upper mids is that they are slightly “angry” sounding. There's a bit of an aggressive bite to them that I can't attribute purely to frequency response. This property changes depending on pads, which I'll get to later.
 
Compared against the HE-500 (from memory), the 560 has overall better clarity and bass. Really just take all the good points about the 500, and bump up a notch. The treble timbre is somewhat similar, but feels a bit stronger on the 560. Like perhaps the peaks and energy are mostly the same, but moved to a different spot which may or may not agree with a person's ears.
 
Compared against the HE-6, the 6 still carries a better sense of technical prowess and the bass is noticeably more defined. The midbass on the 560 punches a bit harder, but that's about it and comparitively mushes into the lower mids. The subbass is an easy win for the HE-6, which is much stronger compared to the 560 which feels loose in comparison. Across the treble region, the 6 is still sizzly but across a broader range, while the 560 is narrower and feels more like an “edge”. Again, individual tastes will determine preferences here. As a rather compulsive modder, I found it easier to work with the 6 than the 560 since dealing with broad areas is easier than trying to pick out narrow spikes. Midrange across the 6 is cleaner than the 560, but only by the faintest of margins. With mods, I might just prefer the 560 for light acoustics and vocals over the 6. Well, not really, but it's really close.
 
In terms of amping, the 560 is not nearly the gluttonous beast that the HE-6 is, so it will be easier to reach full “potential”. However, the 560 seems to be really picky, moreso than my experience with other Hifiman cans. So a bit of experimentation is in order as the sound does change from amp to amp. For the record, my primary amps are a set of Nuforce HA-200 serving as monoblocks and I thought the pairing was very good. For fun, I tried running the 560 from a FiiO X1 and was surprised that I could get quite serviceable volume levels from it.
 
 
Notes on pads...
 
With Focuspad
- very open sounding, but slight unnaturalness to it
- something “angry” in the upper mids, on some songs it's unlistenable for me
... interestingly, I prefer focus pad on my (modded) HE-6 vs focuspad-A
 
With focuspad-A
- slightly better, doesn't have that angry tinge anymore but still a bit sharp, has a bit of that stock HE-6 feeling which to me was bright-ish
- upon further listening, I feel like maybe it just moves that peak somewhere else less bothersome
- with a crisscross of felt, ok that's pretty close to where I like it
 
with J$ leather pads and damping
- better, some more naturalness and bass, damped a tad too much though
- I think the thicker spacing helps a lot with comfort and staging
- pads are discontinued though, so this is moot for most people
 
 
I mentioned earlier that I am a compulsive modder, so looking at what I wind up modding does give a sense of how I feel about the headphone. Most of my efforts went into reducing that bright edge in the uppermids/treble, but then I seemed to lose that sense of detail which I feel is one of the main appeals of the 560. With the HE-6 that peak is broader, so damping down the entire uppermid area brought it down to where I liked. On the 560 though, this bright region is narrower and trying to tame it down usually brings down too much of the surrounding area making it feel muted. I'm sure more experimentation can yield a better result, but I only had a short time with it so could only run through a couple modding iterations.
 
Re-grilling (more open backed)
- almost an unnoticeable change, unlike the HE-6 where the change is immediately noticeable with more air and better staging
- with the 560 it's just barely more open sounding, and really verging on placebo.
 
Pads
- as mentioned above, changing pads alters the sound quite a bit
- I would encourage experimentation here
- I wish I had a chance to try some Audeze pads on here
 
Damping
- dependent on the pads used
- I felt a crisscross of soft felt with the Focuspads-A were the best
 
 
TL;DR
Pretty darned good, mild V shaped fun emphasis, doesn't need that much power but can be picky with amps. Quick mods that I use to get it where I want: Focuspad-A, two strips of felt arranged as X on ear-side, regrill optional. Doesn't dethrone the HE-6 but comes really close.
 

HiFiMAN HE-400i and HE-560 review & comparison - w/ stock grilles and Focus pads
 
Disclaimer: The following review/comparison is my subjective assessment of the two headphones. The differences between the two are not night and day quantity-wise, but represent a difference I was able to hear. Both headphones are great sounding devices and this review and comparison should serve to highlight or point out the differences. If you have any questions or if you want to point something out, please do let me know. Hope you enjoy the read ^_^
 
Introduction
- I received the HE-560 in early July and the 400i last Monday. When I wasn't doing critical listening or direct comparisons, both headphones were being burned-in using pink noise or playing music. Initially, I did not find them very different - it was with time, precise volume matching, listening to many different songs of various genres and most importantly lots and lots of swapping headphones, comparing short segments of different songs, movies or games. After this exhaustive process, the differences finally became clear. I am confident that these comparisons represent my current [and hopefully final] opinion on these two headphones. One thing I very much want to point out - at their respective retail prices, both headphones represent tremendous value. If I only owned one or the other, I would most certainly not find any of either headphone's relative shortcomings troublesome enough to not live with. Also, please do keep in mind my particular setup as well. I will first evaluate each headphone based on its own merits and only then compare it to the other, mentioning where the differences lie, to keep it organized and easy to navigate. Without further ado, here's the comparison.
 
Equipment:
Media: JRiver Media player 19, using ASIO KS direct connection output
Source: USB output of a desktop-PC
DAC: Audio-gd NFB-7 via USB input
Amplifier: Audio-gd SA-31SE via single-ended RCA input
Headphones: HiFiMAN HE-560 & HiFiMAN HE-400i via a 1/4 TRS plug
Files: FLAC, 128-320kbps MP3, 256kbps AAC, AC3/DTS [JRiver upmixing - movies], Dolby Headphone/ SBX Pro Studio [via external DSPs - gaming]
Cables: stock power cables, decent RCA/USB/TOSLINK cables
 
Bass
 
HE-400i
- The 400i has a very good bass response. The mid-bass has a good punch to it and is slightly emphasized, which helps with tracks where the impact is less than desired. The sub-bass is quite good too but rolls off just a bit sooner than I'd like. As far as bass definition, timbre and clarity goes, the 400i keeps a good balance of things. The slight emphasis of the mid-bass does mean that a slight portion of clarity and definition gets lost in the “punch”. It also makes certain instruments sound just a bit boomy [like a timpani or toms] at times, while also having a bit less than perfect control. The bass overall has more punch than it has extension and depth. In terms of tonality still, don't expect it to stray too far away from neutral, just a slight, enveloping bass warmth-tilt. When all's said and done, the bass is very exceptional and capable of sounding phenomenal with the flaws being pretty small.
 
HE-560
- The 560 has likewise excellent bass. The mid-bass to sub-bass transition is perfectly linear, which means the bass stays neutral, with equal presence. That means, that it will not help with any bass deficiency in recordings but nor will it add any emphasis. The sub-bass is very impressive and goes very deep, giving bass instruments a very realistic tone. Timbre, definition and clarity is as good as I've heard. The punch might be perceived as slightly softer at times, but it is for the sake of preserving all the details in the recording - any more and you'd lose a tint of definition or texture or make that instrument a bit less natural. Nonetheless, it is something to consider. All, in all, if you seek a perfectly neutral bass response that can sound terrifyingly real, this is the one.
 
Differences
- The bass of the two is more similar than different. The 400i trades a slight mid-bass emphasis for a slight loss in texture and detail, while the 560 remains equal, give or take, in all of them. The sub-bass presence and extension goes to the 560 and so does the timbre and realness, more on that later. Both can hit hard, the 400i slightly more so, and sound equally impressive with the 560 just being more tonally correct overall, with better sub-bass, while the 400i bass retains more spotlight and presence in the mid-section and upper-bass.
 
Midrange
 
HE-400i
- The 400i has a midrange that is more forward and up-front than what would be considered neutral. All instruments in the midrange always have their place, with very equal presence. Everything is very easy to distinguish, thanks to exquisite separation. This makes up for a very euphonic, bigger-than-real midrage, which ends up sounding pleasant more often than not. However, this can bring a certain shoutiness to instruments as well. For example, an instrument playing solo [say a piano or a violin], which means there's already a spotlight shining on it, and when you double that, it might just become too much, blending strikes and keys together in a slightly harsh forwardness. The upper midrange-lower treble transition is an area that is a lot less forward in comparison and can sound a bit muted in relation to the rest of the midrange, but nothing too troublesome. Overall, the midrange is more or less forward and coherent, with just a few slight dips and peaks preventing it from being completely perfect as is.
 
HE-560
- The 560 has again a very coherent sounding midrange, not forward or laid back, with just enough presence to sound true. That does mean, that some instruments [like triangles or xylophones] can blend in just a bit at times, but the midrange is in no way recessed. The good thing is there's no harshness to be heard and instrument solos sound just lovely, be it pianos or guitars. In general, the more spotlight an instrument steals in the recording, the more it will get and even as its presence increases and disappears, the instrument always appears and decays with finesse. Much like bass, the midrange is the most realistic I've heard, bringing tears in breath-taking solos or just going with the flow among other instruments, while never sounding thin and retaining good dynamics.
 
Differences
- The key difference here is obviously that the 400i midrange is more forward and just brings attention to itself and every instrument there is, thus creating a more often than not, very pleasant coloration. The 560's midrange is just there and lets the recording [or the conductor] to bring the attention to a particular instrument, or not. As a result, the 560 is more natural and delicate, while the 400i presents midrange in a more euphonic and iconic fashion. Midrange, like bass, is where both headphones are competent enough, without any significantly detracting factors.
 
Treble
 
HE-400i
- The 400i's treble is a bit more complicated. As has been pointed out, the upper midrange-lower treble region is a bit less present, or to put it more simply, the treble is there but it is slightly overshadowed by the relative forwardness of midrange and bass, while the upper treble region is more present. The treble is smooth and well extended overall, without any major peaks but it just does not carry the airy presence I like, and what I assume is the side-effect of this - a noticeable lack of air to instruments that extend to the treble and female vocals. This negatively affects their timbre and accuracy, among other things. It is still a coloration, however, that might be desirable, especially for those people who don't want much treble energy and seek just that warm-tilt with a slight upper-treble sparkle this provides. This is thus a very subjective flaw. It does not affect other things as much, but it is definitely something to consider if you want a completely even and open treble. Other than the air issue, the treble is pretty great and smooth, and if you don't need lots of air in your music, you'll certainly like it. It also varies from genre to genre and track to track, depending on many a factors. Some tracks also add an artificial layer of air to vocals - this is not what I mean. This is natural and is present in each on to a degree.
 
HE-560:
- The 560 presents treble in an effortless and convincing manner. Much like midrange, the treble is just there. It isn't harsh or deficient but always present, contributing to an airy presentation. There's no emphasis on cymbals, like the HE-6 used to make. Female vocals sound especially lovely and energetic, with just the right presence. The treble region is an area that is said to be the hardest to do right without either artificially overdoing it or making compromises and cutting back. The treble is again the best I've heard. It is not always incredibly airy [the HE-6 is more so] but it has the power to be just as and more often than not it is and certainly to a point of sounding convincing and not artificial. It always straddles the line of being too smooth and too forward and thus ends right where it should - in the middle.
 
Differences
- What separates these two trebles is more than anything, the air. The 400i treble is handled in such a way that it allows very little room for air while the 560 allows for much more. This does mostly affect the decay, timbre and just the way how real and authentic things sound. Best way to demonstrate is with an example. As voices or instruments travel through the air and eventually disappear, they leave a trail around them, a faint presence of sound and movement, what is best described as air, as well as a part of timbre or decay. This air, produced by each instrument or vocal, moves with said instrument or vocal, until it eventually disappears. On the 560, this presence is more and it rises up or moves outside of the field of said instrument/vocal as it decays, almost as if it moved beyond the boundaries of the headphone and their drivers, in a natural and convincing way. If the bow of a violin is moving from left to right and disappears, so does the airy presence. The 400i has less and does not do it nearly as convincingly - you never feel the air 'leaving' the headphone, it stays inside, trapped in the cups and just stops, with a less convincing and shorter decay. This is for me subjectively the most notable deficiency in the 400i's treble, but a very subjective thing indeed. Air is obviously not limited to treble - it manifests itself in the midrange and bass as well, but is not as apparent there as it is here.
 
Vocals
 
Male
 
HE-400i
- The 400i handles male vocals beautifully. As they are part of the “Magical Midtange”, they are put more forward than female vocals and have great body and presence. The sibilance is never an issue as there's a noticeable dip in the region where major sibilance occurs. At the same time, this dip can have a negative impact, producing vocals that sound a bit muted in the 'S' region and slightly forced in the 'T' and 'F' regions. I suspect the lack of air is partially the cause for the hardness or roughness. This is a very minor issue, however, and is rarely present and hard to focus on without a direct comparison. Still a pleasantly natural vocal performance!
 
HE-560
- The 560 does male vocals the same way it does it's midrange. No extra body or forwardness, though certainly enough to appreciate the delicacy and realistic nature, but without any extra magic. The “S” region is slightly more pronounced and as a bonus sound more natural and relaxed. The trade-off is that sibilance is more likely to show and it does - so far it was an issue with one track, which the 400i handled better. I again praise the way how vocals vanish into the air and I suspect this naturalness does take away some of the sibilance or hardness there could have been.
 
Differences
- Both headphones handle male vocals exceptionally well. The 400i takes the “more forward and smoother” approach, with more body and presence but an easier tonality on the ears, while the 560 picks the “natural and present” approach, with less body but more nuanced. Both approaches are very enjoyable.
 
Female
 
HE-400i
- The female vocals have good presence and definition. They sound quite natural and without any sibilance. There's again slight mutedness in the sibilance region, and minor emphasis on the 'T's and 'F's at times, coupled with the lack of air, and consequently realistic timbre, does hurt it a bit. That's mostly treble vocals of course, so it is specific to singers in that range. If you listen to female singers with vocals that fall to the midrange more, then those will sound even better. There's definitely noticeably more presence to midrange bound vocals. Still, midramge, or not, the 400i does very good with female vocals too, with good body and presence, eliminating any sibilance there is, unless it is brutally present. It is still a midrange monster however, so it does best there.
 
HE-560
- The 560 puts treble female vocals more forward, giving their voice more presence. Coupled with great timbre, air and decay, treble bound vocals sound energetic and beautiful. There's less compensation for sibilance, still enough for vocals to not highlight it, but not enough to mute their transition through that range.
 
Differences
- Again, air makes the most difference here, contributing to a more contoured, and realistic listen on the 560, along with slightly better resolution and finesse. Consequently, the 400i is hurt much more by it's lack of any substantial airy quality than by anything else and should we ignore the differences in air, the two are surprisingly close, with the more expensive headphone having just a more even treble response, but which is to be expected at almost twice the price.
 
Sibilance
 
HE-400i
- The 400i has absolutely no issues with sibilance. There's that slight mutedness in this range but nothing major. A great accomplishment with regards to sibilance!
 
HE-560
- The 560 fares much the same in the sibilance range. The mute is slightly less and theoretically the susceptibility is a bit higher but not enough to be an issue, and it certainly does not take away from the beauty of the vocals.
 
Differences
- Both headphones deserve praise for the way they are tuned with regards to vocals as both fight sibilance equally well. The HE-6 struggled with it at times, the AKGs do too but the new HiFiMAN set an example in the way sibilance should be tackled. On my setup, obviously. Big thank you for this, team HiFiMAN!
 
Soundstage
 
HE-400i
- The 400i has a soundstage that is definitely on the smaller, intimate size. Width is just okay, while depth is quite good and so is height. As far as soundstage expansiveness goes, it is quite average. The sounds do not feel like they are coming from outside the headphone. I also believe this directly correlates and is connected with the lack of air, and consequently openness as well. However, while the soundstage is still well-integrated and feels natural. It might feel slightly claustrophobic where there are many instruments at play, but then soundstage separation always remains excellent. Detail retrieval is good too. It also does rather well with regards to imaging!
 
HE-560
- The 560 has a moderately wide soundstage, where instruments evenly spread across believably, with good stage depth and pretty spectacular height placement, thanks to great imaging capabilities. The stage is pretty expansive, which I again believe directly correlates with the amount of air and the way it opens up the stage and gives more space and room for instruments to breathe. It still probably won't win many awards either, at least not in terms of sheer size, but it is likewise very natural feeling and well integrated. It is just big enough to allow enough room for instruments to not feel compressed and coupled with brilliant instrument separation it works pretty well. Detail retrieval is likewise great.
 
Differences
- The differences lie mostly in width and openness, where the 560 clearly has the upper hand. Instrument separation is excellent on both headphones. Imaging also goes to the 560, though the 400i also images well. The 560 and 400i both have well-defined and respectable soundstages in the world of planarmagnetic headphones but there's still some catching-up to do to rival those headphones that are renowned in this category.
 
Imaging
 
HE-400i
- The HE-400i images pretty well. It might not be the most distinct, and vocalists that are close to each might blend in just a bit, but it still does it respectably and without any major hiccups - an imaging well done, where things are still not difficult to pick up and follow.
 
HE-560
- The 560's imaging is even greater. It is very precise, with great definition and makes locating various instruments and vocals in the soundstage even easier. Very accurate!
 
Differences
- The 560 has a slight advantage here but the difference is not too big. Yes, sounds are a bit easier to locate and follow but the 400i is not too far behind and certainly not as far as the price difference would suggest. Both imaging capabilities are certainly above average and better.
 
Instrument separation
 
HE-400i
- Excellent. Separating instruments is a breeze.
 
HE-560
- Excellent. Instrument separation is an easy-peasy task.
 
Differences
- A complete tie. Maybe that guitar has a bit more presence because of the 400i's forward midrange or that female vocal is a bit more distinct on the 560 because of its more uniform treble.
Both are exceptional. Both trade blows. An honest tie.
 
Overall Sound Openness
 
HE-400i
- In case you haven't noticed already, the 400i is not a very open-sounding headphone. It tries to be and at times it sounds quite open but it has too much going against it. The lack of air, the average soundstage size and openness, the bass/midrange X treble slight discrepancy. It is warm and it sounds the part. The 400i is a closed-in headphone. It still sounds like an 'open' headphone and covering the grills still produces the same effect as on the 560 but it is certainly one of the less open sounding cans.
 
HE-560
- The 560, on the other hand, sounds pretty open. Instrumental pieces especially come to life. I've been listening to a certain piano and violin duet and the resulting emotion was simply phenomenal. Amazing leading edge on the violin, great delicacy and definition on each key as the piano played and the amount of air each made. Yep, this sounds pretty open to me.
 
Differences
- HE-400i sounds closed-in, HE-560 sounds open. I think everything that needed to be said was said.
 
Air
 
HE-400i
- The 400i has little air. There's some air to male and female vocals in the midrange but vocals located in the treble and most instruments get very little air. It's all connected with the closed-in nature of the headphone. Openness, air and timbre/realism simply suffers for it and not much can be done.
 
HE-560
- Again, the polar opposite. A lot more air to all vocals and instruments. The most impressive thing, however, is how bass instruments [NOT synthetic bass] sound. Lots of air, deep, very tight bass with perfect texture and definition. String bass is just phenomenal, but any bass produced by a real instrument is like that with these.
 
Differences:
- Same as with openness. The 560 has it in much greater quantities. Thanks to overall openness, evenly integrated treble, etc.
 
Timbre/Realism/Decay
 
HE-400i
- To me timbre, realism, decay, openness, air... all these have to work on a certain level to create a headphone that is truly open and transparent. If one of them fails, then the rest can't be too great either. The 400i unfortunately does not perform too well in either of them, including timbre and realism. I find the instruments to sound slightly artificial [string bass instruments have wrong impact/texture ratio] or colored [the midrange forwardness] and the lack of air does not allow for realistic decay either. That, however, just means that the headphone isn't truly open and transparent, not that it isn't good! It is! And again, all just directly compared to the 560. They sound quite good on their own in timbre/realism, just colored.
 
HE-560
- The 560's timbre and realism is spot on and so is decay. Instruments and vocals appear and disappear realistically. Guitars, pianos, violins, tubes, horns, double basses, ... string, key, blow, percussion... male, female... The 560 is an open and transparent headphone. And it is also pretty good.
 
Differences
- The 560 once again wins in these categories. It is the 560's strong suit but not so much for the 400i. It gives instruments and vocals an artificial tone and/or coloration. It is still quite a pleasant sound, of course! You might even enjoy it more. It still sounds good, albeit less accurate.
 
Overall Cohesiveness/Balance
 
HE-400i
- The 400i certainly has a warmer tilt. Punchy bass, forward mids, smooth treble and good musicality and dynamics. Still, it is a rather coherent-sounding headphone with good detail retrieval, great instrument separation, decent imaging and an intimate soundstage and all that has been established. It is also a suitable all-rounder. Maybe not the best pick solely for instrumental or dub-step, but it does those genres likewise reasonably well, along with pop, rock, electronic, alternative and others.
 
HE-560
- The 560 is really a neutral sounding, balanced headphone, with excellent musicality and dynamics. Great bass, midrange, treble, imaging, soundstaging, separation, detail retrieval... Well, we already know that! It wouldn't be my pick if I only listened to hip-hop, rap or dance but they also perform well with the rest. I really love it with instrumental music. An extremely cohesive performer it is.
 
Differences
- A warmly tilt headphone and a neutral headphone. Both extremely good for the price. I am the first to admit that the differences were initially rather hard to discern until I trained my ears. I could honestly live with either of them but at the same time, I am glad I have the opportunity to extensively compare these and appreciate the things they do or don't. And then choose one.
 
Low-level listening
- Both headphones perform equally well in terms of low-level listening and do not lose anything from their qualities. The quieter you listen, the more their shortcomings come out but since none of them have any that'd noticeably affect your listening experience, you can pretty much listen as loud or quiet as you want without issues. I listen at listening volumes 35 and 31/100 respectively, then 30 and 25, 25 and 20 and finally 20 and 10 and they continued to sound just the way they did when they were louder... Just quieter.
 
Build Quality
Differences
- Both headphones are built better than their predecessors, no doubt. Though, the 400i had an extra month of polish and it shows. It looks noticeably more refined and made to a tighter standard than my one month old 560. The adjustment mechanism, the clamp ratio, the ear-cups swivel, the baffle and the pads-attaching mechanism look and feel more Swiss and precise. As far as aesthetics go, I like both - the more muted look of the HE-560 and the more bold appearance of the HE-400i, but build quality wise, with my two particular pairs, the 400i edges ahead.
 
Comfort
Differences
 
- Both get a 10/10 with the Focus pads from me! Easily the most comfy headphones I've had the pleasure to wear so far. The only difference is in clamp but that comes down to consistency and not a particular model. My 560 is a bit more clampy while the 400i is a bit looser, but ultimately nothing to detract from the ultimate experience. No itchy or sore ears. No pressure points on the top of my head. Nope. Nada. None. I am also not a fan of the Focus-A pads. Sorry ^_^
Gaming
Differences
- The 400i has the slight advantage in mid-bass thump. The 560 has a better sub-bass, more precise imaging and a bigger, more natural soundstage. along with a more focused treble and a bit better detail retrieval. Neither, provide an absolutely immerssive, head-rattling experience, obviously. I'd say they both work quite well for both competitive and immersive gaming if you don't require massive amounts of bass. For me, clarity, soundstage and separation are an integral part of my gaming experience and I'd give the slight nod to the 560 for that. Also, deeper bass ^_^
Movies/Series
Differences
- Same as with games. The better extension in the sub-bass along with extra clarity everywhere else comes in handy. Swords ring, guns fire, explosions explode, dialogues play out, all with an extra layer of resolution. Admittedly, the whole experience is a bit better for me with the 560, while the 400i still holds a pretty close second. Also, you can totally tell bad acting and fake sound effects with either... Eeeew.

 
And that's it. To recap, the most notable differences are by far the openness/air/timbre related ones, while the bass/midrange/treble are more subtle. That does not mean you should think of the one as a beefed-up version of the other. No! One is significantly warmer while the other is very neutral and balanced, These differences are real, just not to the point of being obvious from the very first listen. It took quite a bit more :] And I really like them both, though I have my preference, obviously.
Thanks for the read. Hope you like it! Feel free to ask, comment or point out.
Cheers!
Luke

Disclaimer: This unit was part of a tour held by Justin at Headamp.com. As the second in the tour to hear these headphones, it likely was not properly burnt in. I thank Justin for giving me the chance to hear them and encourage anyone considering buying them to work with Justin. He is wonderful to work with in my experience providing excellent customer service.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
While I can say that the HE560 sounds awesome and is very much a TOTL HP, saying why is more of a challenge. What I can say that is unique to this TOTL HP is that it makes everything sound good and is not very particular to genre or recording quality. However, it do this it sounds best turned up and driven well. When turned up, instead of just getting louder, it sounds bigger and closer as any well-made audiophile component should.
 
HE 560 Listening notes:

• Signature: The HE560 has the typical Hifiman house sound, but better and more engaging based on memory.
  • SQ: The HE560 sounds very refined compared to my HD700, but more laid back. It requires volume to get the intimate sound stage that I prefer, but sounds great and not fatiguing when turned up.
  • Texture: The note is thick, but airy at the same time providing the various instruments with more character than I am used to. This is hard to explain as it is new to this headphone for me, but for example it is as if I am getting the character of wood and the hollowness of an acoustic guitar rather than just the pluck and resonance of the string. This is very different than the environmental characteristics I get from the HD700/800 where I can hear the guitar players shirt rubbing and the chair squeak. It makes for a rich, toe tapping listening experience. However, the texture is not as thick as my HD700 which gives me goose bumps as the guitar players fingers slide up the fret. The HE560 feels smoother.
  • Detail: This is tough in that it sounds detailed at first listen but it is smoothed over a bit and with a euphoric quality that sits in front of the details making them less interesting. This headphone is about enjoying the music more than listening for new details.
  • Sound Stage: Its biggest weakness is the smaller more congested sound stage typical of planers. It is deeper than wide, but makes good use of the stage that it has with good separation between instruments.
  • Bass: Typical of high end planers, it has a warm rich bass note that goes deep with significant impact while not being overdone. The bass is very euphoric/euphonic and blends well with the mids.
  • Mids: This is where it is at for me with this headphone providing a euphoric/euphonic SQ with an intimate sound stage while turned up. Euphoric mids are what would bring me back to this headphone verses my others. For example, the mids are forward with my HD700 and more detail, but lack the euphoric/euphonic qualities that make long term listening more fun.
  • Treble: This is a second issue with the HE560 the may be related to the lack of burn in. But the treble has a very digital feeling to it not being very natural. It stands out given the euphoric qualities of the rest of the signature. The treble is a bit smoothed over and never fatiguing which is good, so this is not a serious problem unless you are looking for the last inch of detail which is not what this headphone is about for me anyways.
• Pairing: This headphone seems to be reasonably easy to drive and pairs well with everything.
  • Geek Out 1000: Sounds great and very euphoric. The tube like sound that the Geek Out 1000 puts out was not too much with the HE560. What is surprising is how close the sound quality from the pairing is to the much more expensive HUGO pairing. While the HUGO is obviously more refined, spacious, and of higher sound quality, it is by inches, not miles. This is impressive when comparing a $300 device to a $2000 device at 7 times its cost. However, I would miss the versatility the HUGO provides in its ability to connect to everything and while unplugged.
  • HUGO: The HUGO and HE560 is a match made in heaven. It sounds like it brings the best out of both. The HUGO width widens the HE560 presentation eliminating some the typical planer congestion. The HE560 adds body to the HUGO sound. Together they are easily an end game setup for those looking for the ultimate in musical.
  • X5: While the HE560 scales higher with a desktop unit, it sounds remarkably good strait out of the X5. The X5 just has a little less control over the drivers perhaps losing some of its euphoric nature.
• Comparison: For this comparison, I used the DX90 > HUGO > HP.
  • LCD2.2: The LCD2 is more forward with more feeling and emotion focused on the singer. The HE560 is set further back feeling a little more laid back and taking the performance in as a whole. They are two different styles, both sounding fantastic. They both have the euphoric tube like planer character, but I find the LCD2 to be more musically involving due to its more forward nature. You cannot go wrong with either, but I did buy the LCD2 because I liked the forward nature. The LCD2 is easier to drive as I found I had to turn down the HUGO significantly when I switch to the LCD from the HE. Both hit hard in the bass department, but with the HE560 you are set back while you are sitting on the sub with the LCD2. The treble is a little brighter with the HE560 while the LCD2 treble is a little more smoothed and easier to listen while both sound great. Both seem to have similar detail, but presented in different ways.
  • HD700: The HD700 has a cleaner more analytic sound without sounding bright or thin as it has a warmer bottom end and rich, forward mids.  Comparatively, the HE560 has a thicker planer sound with the tube like euphoric feeling that is very pleasing. The HE560 may be slightly more refined in its balanced sound, but not as much fun sometimes for the same reason. They are both very musical, with the HE560 winning this badge given its euphonic signature. In the end, I like both presentations equally for different reasons and each better with different songs. They actually complement each other well.

 

Introduction

If you've read a couple of my reviews, you'll see that most of them are for closed-back headphones. I prefer closed-backs because I mostly listen to music at work and I don't like to bother anyone. Anyway, I haven't had an open-back since the Shure SRH1840s/Senns HD600s and had never tried a HifiMan headphone and I figured this would be the time I got to try one. Had a great deal on them and decided to order. Mostly, I bought these expecting an underwhelming experience after reading so much about the HE400/500 and I'm glad to say that these headphones truly rock.
 
Quick impressions:
 

1. Excellent comfort
2. Superb clarity
3. Excellent sound

 
Simple huh?
 

 
Specs:
 

1. Driver Type: Planar Magnetic
2. Impedance @ 1kHz: 35 ohms
3. Sensitivity: 90 dB SPL/V
4. Connector Type: 1/4"
5. Cable Length: 2 m
6. Cable Style: Straight Y
7. Weight: 13.3 oz.

 
 
Package Contents:
 

1. Big Ass Wooden Box (very good looking)
2. Headphones
3. Dual-entry cable
4. Documentation

 

 
Design, Comfort and Build:

Design-wise, nothing ground-breaking. Similar to their past headphones but more "plasticky".  They seem well done and the cups are definitely tasty. Overall, they look very good but I think they couldn't withdstand any kind of abuse so it's best to treat them well.
 
Comfort with the HE560 is simply phenomenal! Very light, fit quite well and the earpads are excellent. 
 
 
Sound:
 
My first impression was... "WHERE IS THE BASS?!?!?!" It sounded far-off to my ears... then I discovered that my media player settings were messed up on my PC! After that was fixed, I was good to go and enjoy the cans. 
 
Non ear-piercing highs and very clean, clear and resolving but a bit bumped. Sibilance on bad recordings was not "enhanced" (i.e. like happens on some of my "Studio" headphones), excellent vocals reproduction, guitar crunch was excellent and overall very natural sounding with lots of air and space. I went through my usual playlist consisting of:
 
Thrice - Under a Killing Moon
Miguel Bose - Este Mundo Va
Kaskade - Fire in your Shoes
Blink 182 - Kaleidoscope
Jon Cleary - When you Get back
Mima - Oigo Voces
Esperanza Spalding - What a Friend
Sara Bareilles - Vegas
Killswitch Engage - Fixation on the Darkness
Juancho - Pillala
Boston - More than a Feeling
J-King y Maximan - Ella me Pide Something
Calvin Harris - Feel so Close
Three Six Mafia - Late Night Tip
Orquesta Macabeo - Me Repito
 

Does it have the slamming bass that I like and crave most times (errmm... I have Ultrasone Sig DJs, modded Denon D5000s, Dido's D901s, JVC SZ1000s, etc)? No! Of course not. They are not voiced to be "bass-head" or bass tilted headphones. Sub-bass doesn't seem elevated at all BUT it has great presence and most of all great speed (i.e. fast decay)! This is probably the cleanest most balanced headphones I have ever heard. Like most have mentioned on the boards though, a slight bump in the treble region is noticeable, even more so with these being so airy... bump seems to give it a certain crispness that I like though and it doesn't mess up vocals from my fave ladies. Of course, I used to have an SRH940 and have Spider Moonlight Studios so comparing treble energy to those is downright laughable (yeah those two can be shrill sometimes/most times...). 
 
Like I mentioned earlier, these are really "balanced" (neutral-ish) with just a tiny bit of warmth on the mids (but not LCD nor Alpha Dogs warmth). Mids are lovely as well and I can't believe the imaging of these. Soundtracks sound excellent, live songs are really involving. I have to say that I've been definitely surprised!

Frankly, I don't have as much experience as some other guys here, but I can definitely say that this is one of the best headphones (closed/open doesn't matter) I've heard with regards to overall sound, imaging and performance! It's like they were made up for the genres I listen to. Overall, HE560s >> all headphones in my profile in overall sound reproduction and experience (including Alpha Dogs, LFF Enigmas, D5000s, etc, etc, etc -- I don't have the T5p's to compare here but... I don't think I'd pick the Beyers anyway).
 
Does this mean that I prefer them over the ones in my profile? Ermmm... no. 

Even though these are the best sounding headphones I've tried and probably one of the most comfortable ones, I still love the closed-back "sound" (i.e. a bit more intimate, bass a bit slower and with more impact/thump, etc.)

But I wouldn't have a problem recommending these to anyone looking for GREAT sounding cans.
 
               
 
Now, my main "con", these puppies LOVE POWER!!! 
Right now I'm driving them as: PC --> NuForce Icon HDP --> Burson Soloist SL (High Gain)
I'm pretty sure that with better gear, these might even be end game material for some! Really, can't imagine these on better gear! (they probably give more expensive headphones a run for their money...)
 
Other "misses": Good quality cable BUT a bit short. Box looks lovely but... well, not really usable. It becomes difficult getting the headphones in and out every time due to the way the foam cut-out is.
And that's it about cons! Not many really.
 
Comparison summary:
 
Here's the part where I list a bunch of headphones and try to "rank" them... so let's say that the HE-560s only lose in Bass Quantity... yeah... that's it.
 
Bass quantity: HE-560s losses to most my closed backs and even my previous open-backs
Bass quality: HE-560s better than all my hp's.
Mids presentation: HE-560s better than all my hp's.
Soundstage/imaging: HE-560s better than all my hp's.
Highs: HE-560s better than all my hp's.
Sound Isolation/Leakage: Open-back... well... you know...
Fun Factor: Middle of the pack.
Price: EXCELLENT
 
 
Summary:
 
So, if I were to choose a favorite from all my headphones and/or the headphones I have tried, I would definitely pick these HifiMan's. They are just, almost perfect. I had said something similar about the Alpha Dogs, and I still feel the same in the closed-back cans category, but I feel that HifiMan just created an almost perfect experience whether open-back/closed-back. Yes, to my ears, they are just that good.
 
 
Conclusion:
 
Props to HifiMan for making a kick-ass set of headphones. I'm definitely a fan!
If you like a bit of a bass-tilt, then be aware that these might not be for you. Just be sure of what you really want and make your selection based on your tastes and gear.
But like I mentioned on the title/Summary, The HE-560s are one of the best listening experience I've had with a headphone (open/closed-back)
 
 
Now... where is the HE-XC?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!? (a closed-back sounding like these... I'd probably sell most of my gear...) LOL  

 
 
Thanks.
 
 
 
 
A couple of extra pics... 
 

 

 

 

HiFiMan HE 560 - CoNtRoL FrEaK

 

 
Since I have these here and they are very much earning their keep in my limited stable of headphones, I figured I would add my perspective of this headphone to the many already existing impressions. It has been very well described by others already and these cans have a ton of hype around them. I personally was leaning towards selling them to go for something else but every time I consider it I look around at its competition I know I will lose something that the he560 has for only incremental improvements in other areas.
 
 
 

LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Though I have personal preferences, I understand that they are not ideal for a headphone that needs to be universally appealing to the average audiophile. So below are my preferences along with what I believe to be an honest description of this headphone.
BASS
HA HA don't we all like to talk about or read about the bass!!!  This bass is very unique to me and of exceptional quality. On the right song it will punch like a nail gun with dead on targeted precision. The songs that it will reveal to you as having a strong amount of bass in the mix will make you want to try the he560 on them again and again. It will shock you on the right song and then hide away like a shy second date that kissed you and then took her hand away from yours as the night continued. I admittedly listen to a lot of atmospheric, chill, and complex hip hop instrumentals like Flying Lotus, Submerse, 14KT, Kaellin Ellis and tons of others that won't ring many bells around here. There have been few but definite times where the gritty textured bass lines sound pleasantly deep, full, pungent, and visceral.  It however is not consistently strong and is a rather flat sounding bass that is almost too controlled for me to call it anything close to natural. It is however consistently fast, detailed, textured, deep, controlled, and TIGHT..... Never overpowering but ever honest of the mix.  I do personally prefer a bit more of a bass boost than this hp has to offer as well as a smidgen more of the the lingering decay that would make it a bit more of an immersive experience for me. 
 
I very much recommend this bass for the professional producer and engineer. I am not saying that it will translate to the monitors very well but that it will reveal to you your bass shy mixes. This headphone will reward you when you mix the music right to slam and punch.  It would be pleasurable for me to hear a slight boost around 70-120 hz.
 
I would like to go into comparisons but my memory is failing me of the lcd2 and others in its price bracket so take this with as many grains of salt as you need. This bass is a lot tighter and a little deeper than my ZMF x Vibro but with a little less quantity. However on specific songs it hits harder. The bass here is faster than the he500 and also a cleaner and more controlled.  I am having a tough time recalling the he6 but I would say that this is tighter with the he6 being a little slower, heavier, and almost as tight.
 
Verdict: Where else would I find bass this tight, deep, fast, and textured at a price I can afford because after this to me Its throwing money away for little improvements. It's quality is the best I have heard yet even if its a little shy for me.
 
MIDS
Hmmm. Look, let me just say right up front that I am would very much hesitate to list this headphone among the others of the "Midrangehead" list. I haven't quite gotten this part fully figured out yet and maybe I should have waited until I did to post this. Here is the thing: I can't tell if it is the lower mids that I am hearing as a little recessed or what... but that is what I am leaning towards. EDIT: Nothing is recessed just kinda flat for me but pure none the less and for that they may be able to qualify the midrange list.  They DO sound even to me without being too distant but like others have mentioned this will have less mids in qty compared to the he500, hd650 and others. The lcd2 is similar but seems fuller because its dark and actually is a more lush sounding headphone in the midrange. The balance is not bad in the mids and the dynamics of this headphone help the instruments in the midrange thrust properly but I keep gravitating towards the word thin or dry while feeling really uncomfortable the moment I want to deem them dry or thin.  I can expect to read different perspectives here. My reference of a dry sounding midrange for me is the th600 and the he560 has a midrange more robust,transparent, and true to life than that, but less full than my ZMF x Vibro without even being a whole level more transparent.  I do prefer these mids to the Beyer t1 that I briefly heard and would say that the he560 is more transparent. Also I prefer these mids to the he6 but would say the he6 is more transparent. It is again controlled and slightly reserved but not so much so that I cant escape in the mids. They have a touch of sweetness to them but not much extra. These mids are very clear though as well as everything else in this headphone. The more I listen to them the further away I get from calling them undesirable in any way. 
 
This is the area that made me have a hard time during my brain burn in period and I am not sure I'm fully accustomed to the sound. This presentation makes the highs seem even more pronounced then they really are. Props are due in the midrange though, and I believe they are smooth and very well mannered. 
 
Verdict: exceptional quality but like the bass not my ideal quantity.
 

 

HIGHS
Uh oh... this is the place of controversy for me and an issue of a tiny debate. Even though the graphs I see posted show this headphone being downward tilted I maintain the opinion that this headphone IS north of neutral. The highs have a lot of commendable qualities. They are very detailed with enough sparkle to please the treble head and steer far away from any hint of veiling. They are also not extremely boosted, shrilly, or abrasive with good extension of the treble. I will say that I hear the area of the essiness only a little boosted and the cymbals on busy passages a tad hard but nothing out of the ordinary.
 
After my brain burned in a bit I didn't find it way brighter than other headphones I remember. It's prob darker than the he6 for sure. I think my initial impressions of it being really bright was because of the the more even midrange and bass. I used to love dark headphones a ton. I then found myself boosting the treble to get a more lively sound than what I was used to, going back and forth depending on my mood. I do reach for the Vibro on some songs because of the highs but that is only because of the balance. Thats a bit of a shame because the he560 satisfy's that open sound desire, and to put a closed one on just to properly enjoy a song is somewhat of a sacrifice (even though overall I get my target balance so its a sacrifice in terms of technicalities not overall satisfaction)These highs are of cleaner and more controlled display than any headphone I have had.  This is an occasional sacrifice though. To its credit the he560 has really smooth highs that I find only a bit more than ideal in quantity, while not a far stretch form ideal either.
Verdict: Again amazing quality but slightly distracting depending on the song. Some will fault improperly mixed songs and I'd say its a close call either way.
 
BALANCE SUMMARY
I could be wrong but I believe that if a headphone measured a perfectly flat line on a FR graph then it would sound weak in the bass, full in the mids, and very bright in the highs due to what frequencies the average ears are most sensitive to. Though it may have a downwards tilt on a graph (like most headphones anyway) its still a tad bright with everything else pretty much either even/flat to the ears or borderline shy. I'm not saying this headphone is way off but that its not quite there to perfectly flat but almost. Tilt the bass up only a db or so, push the mids up just a little in qty, and bring down the highs a smidgen and I would call it perfect for a target balance and  little more musical but this headphone is flat with a little emphasis in the treble.
Verdict: IMO even/flat balanced  except for in the highs which are only a little north of nuetral. 
 
SOUNDSTAGE/IMAGING
The soundstage is the widest I have yet to hear from any planar simple and plain. Planars usually don't have a very wide soundstage to begin with so this would put it at a good size but not super large. This part doesn't take much effort from memory to declare. It is very enjoyable for all sorts of genres with a very strong center image. I will mention that when first listening I thought it was very short with little to no positioning of the instruments above my head. It reminded me immediately of the AKG q701 I had here for a short time, though less wide. I think that initial impressions are a bit exaggerated as we expect so much from a pair of 3"speakers that we strap to our heads. I am more firm in my impressions now of it being really good in soundstage and imaging even though it has little depth and height. It takes no effort to separate the instruments from each other. I would desire the instruments to be a little more bold and heavy against each other but the speed of this headphone prevents such juicy imagery and I am now happy with it being fast to draw me a clear picture of position from left, right, and center without getting much from top to bottom, and in front. The overall result is a fast, clear, and open soundstage with some out of the headphone experiences left to right.
Verdict: fairly wide, exceptional imaging, not much height or depth but definitely satisfying with a very open sound.
 
TIMBRE
These tones I am getting from this hp are pretty much gorgeous. Before I said that I would prefer the tones to be bold on top of each other but that is only because I was spoiled by the he6 with its heavy, pure, and bold tones. This headphone is fast but its not brittle or too thin, and has some really pure tones that seem unhindered and like a very real rendition of what the actual tone would sound like live. There is not much wanting here and its better than the he500 IMO for sure. The decay is fast but still very lifelike and accurate. 
Verdict: second to one
 
RESOLVE
I never feel like this headphone is hindering or not revealing anything to me. Rather that I am hindering it. I am eagerly waiting to now spend more time to improve my chain to see what It can do. It is a very detailed headphone that has made me hear things I was missing in any other headphone before it(can't say for sure on the he6). I have had some of those "oh my what was that noise, let me rewind that" moments with the he560. It goes and retrieves for me all of the information of my music and for that I am very grateful. 
Verdict: Unless you listen to mainly classical music where nothing is detailed, or resolving enough, then this is TOTL and fast.
 
DYNAMICS
This part is definitely making it an exciting headphone. It is a little bit aggressive, yet not overpowering. It can punch and shout with clarity and force, yet chill when its time to. Again I get surprised at times and there is a huge difference here for me than the he500. One of my gripes with the he500 is that a lot of things sounded a bit meshed and it didn't communicate to me the different levels of sound with as much vindication as I'd like. This is not the case here and I have no complaints.
Verdict: Dope dynamics
 
BUILD
Even though the headphone feels light and demanding of a headphone stand, I am actually growing to understand the build of this headphone and have yet expose or worry about any weak spots on it. It seems okay in durability. My cups match color and I have no complaints here. I will admit that the heavier something is for me the more expensive it feels. This is the lightest open back I have had and the design makes a lot of sense.
Verdict: Its aiight, but pretty good ergonomics/comfort-design.

 

AMPING
Nother power hungry HP. Skip what ya heard my Yulong A28 balanced gets em loud but the headroom is only a bit above ideal. These things need some power. Def harder to power than my Vibros or any T50 mod yet not far from it. They sound good at lower volumes though so there will be some debate here.
 
COMFORT
ind the headphone to be fairly good. Because I don't mind weight  I find the x1 to be more comfortable but other than that headphone I can't think of many other headphones to be more comfortable. I have to get used to the warmth of the pads but other than that and a little tightness of clamp I have no complaints.
Verdict: Pretty Good
 

CONCLUSION

Honestly I am nitpicking a lot but I confess this to be an AMAZING HP. I was just spoiled by the he6 on certain areas but this does other things to make up for it. I prefer its balance to the he6 but prefer the abilities of the he6. I think the reason for it only gelling with me 90% is the balance which is not far off. I would agree with someone that called it a respectively  balanced headphone. I just have my preferences of fuller mids and more bass quantity. For a while my favorite closed back was the ZMF v.1 and I wanted more bass from it as well. That is the same case here where I totally understand its tuning but desire more of the things that make me happy, all the while knowing it would sacrifice some of its overall fidelity.
 
For some reason the he500 and he400 hurt my hears when I listened to music for a while but these don't. They can be used for a variety of music genres and have a very controlled, tight, clean, and even sound signature. I look to the left and the right from my He560's and know I will come up short if I sell them for something else. If I do it will be for some new monitors not new headphones.  The thing I would like to mention about these headphones is that they are close enough to balanced that the supporting gear can make or break them. You can definitely build a rig around them to make them get close to what your ideal is. Add what I just mentioned and all of its speed, dynamics, genre bandwidth, extension, details, resolution and comfort and you have got your self a winner. I do recommend these headphones for a wide variety of applications over the competition that I have heard so far. The above impressions is me being myself... honest of its shortcomings and achievements from my opinion.  
 
 
In control!
-The bass is amazingly tight and controlled
-The mids are slightly reserved and far from shouty
-The highs yet a little north of neutral don't sound all peaky and abrasive and are exceptionally well mannered
-The imaging is not sloppy, but well defined(though missing some height its not blurry)
-The dynamics are very good yet fast and punchy
The balance is kinda flat yet still musical and these hp's sound like they are in control, whereas a lot of other headphones kinda let loose a little too much in other areas (I like that sometimes though)
 
PEACE!!