[AudioAlex]

Not at full potential in what respect? not enough power?

 

[microbiologycor]

Hope this thread can be resurrected as these are still great headphones and now a plethora of equipment is out that does well with them for much less than before. Yesterday, in Portlans at Echo Audio, I auditioned these with a Music Hall Dac-amp 25.3 (MSRP $550). This is a serious piece of hardware and has 4 different DAC Inputs (BNC) as well as RCA outputs (a true preamp) and differential XLR outs as well. Anyway, upon looking at the MusicHall page I saw it has a tube stage in the RCA out only. Sure enough, when RCA outputs were used to a Pathos Converto amplifier the sound was much warmer, if a little wooly,but orchestral tympani was another animal and as deep and palpable as I may have ever heard, just all around more solid, more "there" there (Though it sounded like the mallets were covered with a wooly creature). Anyway, this is a greatly capable all in one but for home use only. Thorens has a new similar all in one DAC/HAP that's about the size I'd a deck if cards and it does almost the same functions (USB/line in input only), I don't remember the model and its not on their website yet. Strictly made for portable/phone use (comes with a zillion adaptors for phone connection)listened but wasn't as impressed as with MH, it was MSRP $799 so you pay a lot for convenience. I also own a SAnBifrost so a Lyr 2 amp is also an option for a home rig, but amp is almost as much as entire MH rig. I feel if you bought the MusicHall you should also have a good little separate headlamp to take advantage of the tube output stage in the RCAs (I have a little Creek OBH-11 that would work perfectly). I'm listening to my HE-500s right now through my iPhone5 so really any amplification above this should be sufficient.

Let me know your thoughts and any proven recommendations.

-Cory

 

[Indreq]

I am rock/jazz/classical listener. I am thinking about HE500 as my 2nd pair next to my closed cans. In amp department my budget gets tight then, options are Vali/Modi or JDS O2 amp/dac. Which would be better?
I have given up on tube amps (LD MKIII + odac was initially in my plans) as I am not sure if tube sound suits these headphones?

 

[gonzfi]

Looking for some advice if poss.... Im currently using he-500 directly with chord Hugo and i don't think it's powering them to their maximum potential so I'm considering the following setups and would welcome any thoughts on which might be best:
Hugo - Oppo Ha-1 - HE-500
Hugo - Burson Soloist - HE-500
Hugo - Marantz PM5004 amp - Hifman adaptor - He-500

Many thanks

 

[whatup69]

Looking for some advice if poss.... Im currently using he-500 directly with chord Hugo and i don't think it's powering them to their maximum potential so I'm considering the following setups and would welcome any thoughts on which might be best:
Hugo - Oppo Ha-1 - HE-500
Hugo - Burson Soloist - HE-500
Hugo - Marantz PM5004 amp - Hifman adaptor - He-500

Many thanks

I havent heard the burson or marantz but i tested my he500s with the HA-1 for a couple hours and thats the amp/dac i am saving for atm because the combo is my end game. Truly great pairing, my he500s have never sounded as good (to me) as they did from the oppo. Take my opinion with a heap of salt though as if you are dropping that amount of cash on source components its really best to audition yourself. If you cant try before you buy, the oppo is great value, has all the features youll ever need and is an end game pairing for the hifimans imo.

 

[gonzfi]

Thanks for the advice... to purchase the Oppo I would need to sell the Hugo making it a very tough decision. Might just go the speaker amp route which will save a lot of dosh.

 

[Anda]

Might just go the speaker amp route which will save a lot of dosh.

I haven't heard the PM5004, but I went the speaker amp route with HE-500 before upgrading to HE-6. The HE-adapter is not needed when using a solid state amp. Good luck 

 

 

[FencePost]

I received my HE-500 about two weeks ago and also the magni 2 uber and modi 2 uber stack and love it.  I do use most of the volume knob, up to 5 o'clock, but its plenty loud.  

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Looking for some advice if poss.... Im currently using he-500 directly with chord Hugo and i don't think it's powering them to their maximum potential so I'm considering the following setups and would welcome any thoughts on which might be best:
Hugo - Oppo Ha-1 - HE-500
Hugo - Burson Soloist - HE-500
Hugo - Marantz PM5004 amp - Hifman adaptor - He-500

Many thanks

+1

My father owns the Oppo for his HE-560s. I tried out my HE-500s using his balanced cable, and the sound was extremely good. I think the HA-1 complements the HE-500 better than the HE-560 because the latter can be slightly too fatiguing and bright with ES9018 chip.

Unfortunately, I have not tried the other two amps in your post.

Also, I did not find the amp to very hot at all, especially compared to my Lyr. It was warm, but I could keep my hand on it if I wanted to quite comfortably.

 

[whatup69]

+1

My father owns the Oppo for his HE-560s. I tried out my HE-500s using his balanced cable, and the sound was extremely good. I think the HA-1 complements the HE-500 better than the HE-560 because the latter can be slightly too fatiguing and bright with ES9018 chip.

Unfortunately, I have not tried the other two amps in your post.

Also, I did not find the amp to very hot at all, especially compared to my Lyr. It was warm, but I could keep my hand on it if I wanted to quite comfortably.

Does it make you want to upgrade to the HA-1? I did after hearing my he500s through the oppo, and that was just using the se output

 

[chuckgopal]

Hullo!

Posted this query on a new thread, but got no replies there - so just trying my luck here

I stay in Mumbai, and I have a pair of Hifiman HE500s, through an HRT MusicStreamer II+ and Schiit Asgard (1). I love the setup but am looking to upgrade the electronics. What I'd like most are instrument separation, clarity and soundstage.

Disclaimers: I tried an Audeze LCDX with an Audeze Deckard (yes, we do have a dealer here in India!) for hours and to be honest, I was underwhelmed. In every aspect, I found the Hifiman + Asgard combination better. Even though the bass was more pronounced in the Audeze's case, I found the bass tighter on the Hifiman - just the way I like it (and in any case I generously tinker around with EQ settings till I get the bass level I like). I found the Hifiman + Asgard better in terms of clarity, and soundstage seemed to be comparable. The only place where the Audeze really won out was sheer comfort - but I definitely don't want to pay the premium for just that.

In a scenario like this (I am guessing experienced folks here would be able to rate where my ears are), does is make sense for me to upgrade either my DAC or amp? I was wondering if a Lyr / Valhalla would make a substantial difference.

Of course, while the 'ultimate aural nirvana' seeker in me might be disappointed if my ears do tell me my current setup is my end of the road, my wallet might just heave a sigh of relief

Any help appreciated.

Music preferred: Classic rock, metal, some acoustic, ambient, post-rock: FLAC played through Winamp, USB out to the HRT. Belkin cables (nothing fancy, but not the ultra-cheap stuff).

Thank you very much!

Chuck

 

[Ultrainferno]

I always enjoyed the good old HE-500 on the Violectric V100 and V200

 

[willowbrook]

Might want to look at Gustard H10 thread for impressions.

 

[chuckgopal]

  I always enjoyed the good old HE-500 on the Violectric V100 and V200

 

  Might want to look at Gustard H10 thread for impressions.
 

 
Thank you!
 
After reading pretty much every thread on the HE500 and amps, I've narrowed down on either:
 
-> Gustard H10 (initially I thought Violectric V90, since the V200 was too expensive. But on further reading in the H10 thread, it seems that is basically the V200 at a fraction of the cost!)
-> Schiit Lyr 2 (Just kinda keen to see if a tube amp gives me a different sound)
-> Burson Soloist SL Mk2
 
Which do you think will work best for my tastes (rock / metal / acoustic like Don Ross) and preferences (tight bass, instrument separation, improved soundstage) keeping in mind I have an Asgard 1 right now? Willing to spend upto $600.
 
Again, I shall reiterate my disclaimers (at the risk of exposing my n00bness): I tried the Audeze Deckard extensively and it sounded NO different from my Asgard. I still prefer the HE500 after trying the LCDX for a week (the latter has awesome bass, but I found the bass on the HE500 tighter and mids better defined. I could be in a minority!)
 
Sorry for the incessant questions: I stay in India where most equipment is hard to come by, auditioning is difficult, returning is impossible (oh the trouble I had sending my SR325s to the US for repair!) and I have just the one friend coming down from Australia in the end of March... So it's got to be the right decision
 
Thanks again, chaps
Chuck

 

[Gayron]

hi everybody,
 
I'm also looking for an amp for my new HE-500, and came across this on Aliexpress: 

Breeze Audio HA5000 
 
Here are the specs:
 
Type: Pure class a amplifier
Output Power:400mW/300ohm 1200mw/32ohm
Size:110*44*280mm
Weight:2KG
Color:Black/Sliver
Input impedance:47Kohm
Output impedance:0.2 Ohms
Frequency response: 10Hz - 35kHz
SNR: >90dB @ Gain 6dB
Load range:16--600Ohms
Input:RCA
Output:6.35(6.5)mm headset port
 
Do you think it's any good judging by the numbers? Output power seems decent, but I'm pretty much confised with everything else... I'm not very technical, you know ) I understand it's cheap, but who knows, sometimes Chinese engineeres make miracles