[cel4145]

Just saying, a whole lot of negativity from people that haven't even heard the damn thing. Which quite frankly, is ridiculous.

This is 2020. Where wild assumptions and accusations are the norm.

I very much appreciate that you took the time to write a very full review of a headphone that none of us have heard yet.

I might not agree with your sound impressions once/if I hear for myself. But that will not diminish my appreciation. Thanks!

 

[bagwell359]

I was reading up on the Deva. Not sure but it seems the way they deal with balanced cable is the same. I wish it was more clear. I'm sure we will find out shortly.

 

[ciber]

I'm from Missouri I'll have to hear it for myself, the HD6XX is a fine can, but no love for the HE's and DT's.

No love for HD6XX, AB test with Deva and HD6XX with THX 789, Deva is much easy to drive and sound more open and transparent. 6XX is muddy.

 

[blackdragon87]

these seem kinda interesting. never owned a hifiman before and have wanted to. 220 seems like a good price to me.

 

[gikigill]

Just saying, a whole lot of negativity from people that haven't even heard the damn thing. Which quite frankly, is ridiculous.

This is 2020. Where wild assumptions and accusations are the norm.

I.m afraid judging by your review and the sound you mentioned, this is not a HE-500 by any means or even close to it. Not to disparage you in any manner as I trust your word that the sound you described is exactly how it is.

It doesn't deserve the HE-5XX name and I say that as a current stock HE-6 and stock/modified HE500 owner. A properly powered and modded HE500 is a brute, a force of nature.

If Sennheiser launched a HD8XX with the HD700 driver that sounded like a HD700, there will be calls for murder!!

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

I’m still somewhat interested in the drop..mostly because I’ve never owned a Deva, only listened very briefly and rather liked what I heard. Plus...I am saving quite a bit of dough buying the Deva from Drop versus picking one up in Denmark...so yeah there’s that.
Still...I am pretty disappointed in what should’ve been a proper 5XX...which turned out to be a DEXX.
Next time around though Hifiman...why not treat your own creation with a little more respect?

 

[bagwell359]

Just saying, a whole lot of negativity from people that haven't even heard the damn thing. Which quite frankly, is ridiculous.

This is 2020. Where wild assumptions and accusations are the norm.

You are busy defending your judgement. Stop for a moment. I, and others have not been negative about the 5XX because of how it sounds. My attention is raised because of the historic HE-500's name being invoked. I'm worried based on what HFM has claimed about the 5se and 6se - since both marketing programs were a bald lie. Why would I not, and why would you find issue with that?

I would love a $220 can that had all the good traits and less of the bad ones of the original. I haven't heard the Deva, but the large amount of similarities from cup shape, efficiency, etc. and the rather weak bass under 50 Hz mark it as NOT HE-500, and similar to the Deva. That's a sound basis of inquiry, and suspicion. I'm starting to feel that I must get the 5XX, at least to offset the lone voice at the other site (if he be wrong) that the HE-5XX is similar to the 500. There is very scant physical evidence that they are similar, never mind the same.

Comparison:

driver - not similar
membrane - not similar
magnets - not similar
pads - not similar
cable - not similar
back screen - seem similar, but different shape
cup shape & material - not similar

So, one can conclude that they are similar because one believes:

1. HFM claims
and/or
2. HFM's magic with tuning

You can't opine on the key question as I can't because both of us have not heard one of the cans in question. You labelng the concerns/questions of people in this thread as ridiculous is ridiculous.

 

[SilverEars]

I daresay most of the people here interested in this are well versed with how the HE-500 sounds. I'm afraid until you do the same, your review is not properly grounded. Also HFM has taken to lightly gluing the pads to the cups, but there is also an existing "ring" system to re-install them. My last two HFM bought was the 5se and 6se, both cursed with that sonically awful "pali pad" which appears to be what the 5XX has. Shame that you didn't keep it a bit longer to find out.

I'm definately interested a comparison by a credible source with the right pads for comparison.

All I see is shell shaped like Deva. We'd have to comepare directly to know if it's comparable to a HE500. Do wr know that is the tuning intentions or what does 5 stand for in the 5XX? Is it just marketting?

 

[bagwell359]

I'm definately interested a comparison by a credible source with the right pads for comparison.

All I see is shell shaped like Deva. We'd have to comepare directly to know if it's comparable to a HE500. Do wr know that is the tuning intentions or what does 5 stand for in the 5XX? Is it just marketting?

Headphones are run via fixed and interconnected electrical and audible behavior of its components).

There are a number of photos of the HE-5XX from the back and front with pads and screens off. The Deva and HE-5XX have exactly the same shape of the can (not round - but oval), same stators, same measured electrical properties (per HFM and reviewers) The 5XX and the Deva both measure very similarly in the bass (meaning gradual and then rapid decline in output from 80 Hz down), the 500 has no such trait. As one reviewer pointed out the 5XX mids are not followed by the big HFM dip in the upper mids - which includes the HE-500.

I'm quite sure the HFM engineers can make the Deva sound more like a 500, does that mean that it actually does pass our ear test? Also the 5XX is much more efficient than the 500, as is trumpeted by HFM - another indicator that they are not the same.

I agree that the best way is to compare both on reliable equipment, but the initial indicators of a far different physical appearance, and measured performance indicates clearly that they are not only not clones, they don't appear that similar at all.

The HE-6 6 screw and HE-500 have some similarities, but we both agree that they are quite different although the main difference is gold vs aluminum plating, and an added midrange tuning in the 500.

- The 560 wasn't very close to the 500 (most consider it inferior, but HFM said otherwise).

- 6se was well off from the HE-6

- the morbidly bad (my version anyway) HE5se sounds nothing like the HE-5, HE-4, HE5-LE, 500, 560, but HFM claimed it was essentially an HE-5 with updated sonics (its as different as the 5XX is to the 500 basically.
That was rubbish. Why should I believe HFM now?

- or some guy on the other site says it IS like the 500, but only mentions the 400i, 400S, and 4XX as other HFM headphones he knows. along with the 500. I don't know this fellow. Sycophants and tin ears come out of the woodwork far more than honest and golden eared folk - nothing against this guy so far, just doubt.

Very much the glass is half empty on this one at this point.

 

[trellus]

Zeos: "they nailed it":

 

[SilverEars]

Zeos: "they nailed it":

With Zeos, with any Drop, they nailed it, and he's ready to say nailed it again for the next drop that comes his way. We don't get perspective from Zeos. Same goes for any reviews. We need perspective. Comparisons, ups and downs of the sound, etc..

 

[omniweltall]

Zeos: "they nailed it":

Love Zeos....but not for his ears.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

Yeah I like Zeos too but his reviews are comparable to me standing up in front of an audience of aerospace engineers and giving a lecture on rockets on the backbone of having watched Apollo 13 and Armageddon.
That being said..he’s a lovable chap and I would probably enjoy having a chat with him over a brewski or two

 

[trellus]

Oh trust me, I already knew those responses would be as they are, lol, re: Zeos - completely predicable - just leaving his video linked here for those who care.

 

[stickyjon23]

Josh was very lukewarm to them