[Dariuz]

Hey, ANY help/comments are greatly appreciated.
I'll be buying the HiFiMAN HE-500's soon and want to make sure they aren't wasted on the rest of my setup. I plan to use it with the FiiO D3 DAC plugged into my macbook pro via it's optical out with a toslink cable. I will then be plugging my already purchased Graham Slee Voyager into the D3 with the L/R RCA to line in on the Voyager. From here I will plug in the HE-500's, this leads to question- 
 
1) The Voyager doesn't drive electrostatic headphones but I assume they can still drive orthodynamic phones?
 
 2) Would I be driving the HE-500's adequately or would I be better off buying some cheaper all round headphones like the Audio-Technica Ath-M50?
 
3) I should also say I will be listening to mainly artists like Ben Howard, Coldplay, Foster the People and Temper Trap (modern Rock/Pop). These will all be in FLAC from CD's but I assume they are not all recorded to amazing audiophile standards like Pink Floyd etc. (correct me if I'm wrong) So in this case would I even benefit from the SQ of higher end audiophile headphones such as the HE-500's with the music I listen to?
 
Thanks in advance for any help 

 
 
 

 

[Dariuz]

Bump- come on, surely someone has some advice? 

 

[Gwarmi]

Problem lies with Graham Slee in that they refuse to publish power specifications for the Voyager.
 
Your guessing game is as good as anyone else's unless someone has the Voyager and has
tested them with the HE-500's.
 
AT M50 and HE-500 are in completely different leagues. One is open, the other is closed, one
is a dynamic headphone, the other is ortho, one needs an amp, the other does not, one
sounds pretty average for the price the other is a Hi Fi bargain. I'm sure you can guess
which headphone is which 

 
Not the end of the world ~ Get a Fiio E9 on order pronto.

 

[M-13]

Even with the set up you're proposing the HE-500 would sound a lot better than the M50s. You can get the HE-500 and then build a system around it as more money becomes available. Not sure how powerful the Solo is... if it's anything more than the Fiio E9, then the HE-500 will certainly sound okay. Not the best or even optimal but still enjoyable, especially if you haven't heard better.
 
 

 

[Stereodude]

FWIW, I've been enjoying a pair of borrowed HE-500's immensely with a $150 Aune USB DAC / Amp combo unit.

 

[Stereodude]

Quote:

Problem lies with Graham Slee in that they refuse to publish power specifications for the Voyager.

Musicdirect and several other places online say the Voyager does: "Output: 12mW rms into 32 Ohms, 10mW rms into 600 Ohms"
 
That's not really going to cut it for a 89dB efficient pair of Ortho's.

 

[MalVeauX]

Heya,
 
If you can get the HE-500's. Do it. Even if you cannot drive it with something as high quality as it, it will still sound stupid better than the M50 in every single possible way. I say this as someone with the HE-500 and the M50. The M50 is a joke by comparison. Do yourself a favor. If you can get the HE-500, do it. You can always get source equipment later. It will drive off most amps without much problem. I would suggest pushing roughly at least 1 watt into the HE-500's, if not a little more, to really get every last drop out of it. But seriously, it will play off most things, it's not that hard to drive, it's just inefficient.
 
Very best,

 

[M-13]

12mW into 32 Ohms? I think my Iphone does better than that. LOL

 
I hope they meant 120mW... I guess Dariuz really needs to get an E9 then... or better yet an Asgard! Yeah!
 
Quote:

Musicdirect and several other places online say the Voyager does: "Output: 12mW rms into 32 Ohms, 10mW rms into 600 Ohms"
 
That's not really going to cut it for a 89dB efficient pair of Ortho's.

 

 

[Gwarmi]

 
Violectric V90 or Audio NFB-5
 
All put out over well over 1W at an impedance of 38ohms.

 

[Dariuz]

Thanks for all the helpful info, guess I'll buy the d3 to use with my brothers e9 until I have enough to buy a decent amp (probably schiit lyr) ^^
Damnit, I then solemnly swear to stop spending all my money on headphones >.<
 
Oh and last thing, will I actually be able to buy the HE-500's from Head Direct for the price stated (699$) as there is no mention of stock on their website.
 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

Thanks for all the helpful info, guess I'll buy the d3 to use with my brothers e9 until I have enough to buy a decent amp (probably schiit lyr) ^^
Damnit, I then solemnly swear to stop spending all my money on headphones >.<
 
Oh and last thing, will I actually be able to buy the HE-500's from Head Direct for the price stated (699$) as there is no mention of stock on their website.
 

Get them here instead.
 
You can even return them if you don't like them with no questions asked.
 
Very best,
 

 

[Dariuz]

Thanks! =D

 

[swbf2cheater]

The HE500 with no amp out of something like an Ipod or a my Cowon J3 > ATH M50 amped with the best amp on earth. 

 

[Gwarmi]

 
Interesting side note to that ~ I was down at the store the other day and I attempted to see if a high end amp could actually
make the M50 sound worse ~ what I found subjectively speaking of course is that the M50 did not mind the new Burson DS
but it hated the Violectric V181 and Sugden Masterclass HA-4.
 
No point in hooking it up to a primo amp in my opinion, it just sounded really muddy and the bass became overbearing.
 
They never see my V200 at home.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

GS Voyager is a good portable amp for its price, it sure will drive the HE500 fine (not the best, but it's decent), I'm more worried about your source actually.
 
But yeah, I just never tried that D3, so just take my opinion with grain of paper