[rocksteady65]

I have the K701 here and I've never understood why people say they have good staging. They sound rather flat to me, just forward and bright. I've always found Hifimans sound layered, you actually get more background. I find the deep cups can make things sound a bit pushed back but has a whole, not in a dynamic, gradient type of way. I used the HE-5XX for gaming the other day and they actually sounded like a wide open space where as the K701 was weird, pushed things like ambient background sounds too forward and deep, low ends sounds too far back. I can see why they make better competitive gaming headphones because footsteps are pushed forward but I feel larger driver open planars like the HE-5XX and Ananda give you a more overall picture of the video game or song.

I've not heard the newer HE-400i so could be different to the other Hifimans it seems more based on the older drivers which didn't have the ethereal type of sound.

"I have the K701 here and I've never understood why people say they have good staging. They sound rather flat to me, just forward and bright."

Exactly how I see it/hear it. And not even the right or nice kind of Brightness, either; a la Hifiman, for example...

 

[rocksteady65]

As someone who loves the HE-5XX and think it's the best thing ever when it comes to value in the audio world, I can see where he is coming from, sort of. The HE-5XX are very spacious and out-of-head, this can effect the intimacy of the headphone and to some this can sound less involving. I don't think they lack bass but they have lifts in certain areas that make them sound top heavy but not in the way of being fatiguing. Very good vocal headphone, voices do sound amazing, arguably better than any of the headphones in my list in that area, a personal preference thing.

I found the 400i quite a bit less resolving, sharper, aggressive, less natural but I could see why one would prefer that headphone as it is more involving where as the HE-5XX is like placing a small room over your head in comparison. The Ananda shares these trades and I find the HE-5XX more related to Ananda and Arya, than the 400 line or the older Hifimans which had more of a solid bottom heavy sound with some treble funk.

"The Ananda shares these TRAITS..."

 

[rocksteady65]

Equalizer APO with Peace GUI is super clean. And you don't even have to take the headphones apart

Seriously, they do respond very well to EQ. So not sure I see the benefit in modding them. Although I realize that doesn't help anyone who wants to use them with a turntable.

Or Tape, or a standalone CD player, etc. Yeah, call me a Dinosaur...

 

[rocksteady65]

Hi Everyone!

I've received my pair yesterday, and I've left them to run for around 12hrs to "warm" them up. Not enough I know... any recommendations how many hours would be meaningful for them?

Out of the box + 12hrs + 3rd party balanced 4.4mm cables, I'm quite pleased with what these deliver. Being open headphones, there do give a sense of air, but nowhere near that of the HD800s of course. I'm going to spend some time to break them in and compare them. But right now, using The Way I Am by Charlie Puth as an example, I'm quite impressed that it manages to reproduce the sub-bass rumble in the song. The HD800s doesn't even pick them up, and the APMs barely do. The quality of the bass on these sounds to have potential! Although because of the much smaller soundstage, they do sound congested at times.

Right now I'm inclined to prefer the HE5XX for a more intimate listening experience - vocals mostly, while my HD800s remains the Classical / Instrumental go-to. Shall update again!

Afternote: Should I get some cheap tube amps to go with these? Dark Voice 336? Duoo TA-20?

"Although because of the much smaller soundstage, they do sound congested at times."

Compared to what? The HD 800? Most seasoned listeners know that the HD 800's soundstage is artificially wide and much too diffuse. Nobody here would describe the HE-5XX as "intimate"...

 

[rocksteady65]

Well... there you go being fair again.

I don't listen too many cheap cans, since the Alara/Ananda hit the market I've heard 3x more new (to me) cans over $2k than under it. Although the cheapish HD-600 (4.8/5 on Amazon) crunches the 5XX too (3.4/5 on Amazon - terrible QA reviews even for HFM).

HE-500 are now only a used item around $350-400 - but is still one of the favorite cans here six years into retirement. Don't have the money for a 500? Save more money instead of giving in for a walking/talking disappointment.

Used Sundaras (very common) and used Ananda (somewhat common) are dropping into adjacent price points. A new Sundara mail order is $349 (4.5 out of 5.0)

Besides its HFM's fault that they invoked the 500 in the same breath as the 5XX. That's on them. Much like the HE-5se HE-6se PR screw ups. If the 500 hadn't invoked I wouldn't care, but, HFM walked into it.

I'm sorry I jumped on the 650 (4.7 out of 5), its a cruddy attempt to cure issues with the 600, but its still a towering achievement compared to the 5XX.

The Alara - $349 new my memory says buries the 5XX in bass and mids, even if it didn't do it for me.

"I'm sorry I jumped on the 650 (4.7 out of 5), its a cruddy attempt to cure issues with the 600,..."

Yep, but instead of curing those issues, they have made it worse than its predecessor and slapped a higher price Tag onto it. Some (actually a lot) call it progress...

 

[rocksteady65]

The 5SE is a stinking disaster. The 6SE given the Adorama price is arguably the best can under $750 - if you have the juice. The 560 was the predecessor to 500 and didn't hit the mark.

Cannot agree. The 5XX bass drops at 85 Hz and is essentially dead at 50 Hz. Bass is quicker however. The mids are well short in depth and "magic". The treble of the 5XX doesnt ring as much but when EQ corrected seem better.


It's a fact.

Not to me. 560 has bass and that nasty treble spike but it's better and closer to the 500. The 5XX is like Prosecco. Pleasant for a light summer experience. But the 500 is a classic Barolo - about 5x the value.

Bass is faster but be neither has real bass.

"The 560 was the predecessor to 500 and didn't hit the mark."

You meant it was the Successor?...

 

[bagwell359]

"The 560 was the predecessor to 500 and didn't hit the mark."

You meant it was the Successor?...

Yes I did, thanks.

 

[Alchemistt]

What are the dimensions of the original HE5XX ear pads?

Inner height = ?
Inner width = ?
Depth = ?

 

[Ichos]

Black Friday sale $189

https://drop.com/buy/drop-hifiman-he5xx