I have both of them. I listen every kind of music. HE500 is great twice better than H50. But the HD800 is anothre story. Even with my tube amp sound fantastic. If you can affor them you'll not be regreted.
I've got both too and They are both good. Sometimes I prefer one and then the other. It is mood and genre dependent. Even the HD800 is technically better it can be bothersome on low quality mastering. The HE500 is more forgiving.
I own both and prefer the HE-500 on most modern rock music, especially the brighter mastered variety. The thickness of the HE-500 mid-bass presentation & lower mids makes it a lot more engaging and counterbalances the harsh treble somewhat. The fact that the HE-500 doesn't resolve as much treble grunge also helps and having a shallower soundstage is better for presenting upfront, aggressive rock.
A good example of this is track 1 Before my body is dry on the recently released Kill la Kill OST. Dynamic range of 6, presentation is too bright & lean on HD800, but enjoyable on HE-500.
But for live recorded music & almost everything else, I prefer the HD800.
Many strive for the absolute best by listening to the best material. I'm more impressed with how a component handles the poorer material. My music collection is much more average than reference material. So I only try the reference material after I've listened to my favorite music. If it can't play my favorites well, I don't care what it can do to perfect material.
The signal is what we listen to and it definitely does not pass through the bridge rectifier or get smoothed by the capacitors after that or anywhere near that. A UPS will not affect the sound, only keep it going if the power fails. In most designs it shouldn't kick in unless the power fails or goes below a threshold. Some provide continuous power. In any case this should not affect one's sound. If one's powerline is that noisy as to impose noise or interference in their audio chain then perhaps one needs a powerline filter/conditioner. This would not be a common condition to most folks, by far.
Edit: A UPS has nothing directly to do with the signal, it is directly involved with the power. The closest it comes to the signal is that if the power and UPS fails, one has no signal.
It was to my understanding that as power cycles through a ups it smoothed the ac signal. I do know that it's main function as you stated was to keep power during a power failure. To clarify my thoughts and please correct me if I am wrong the actual signal we listen to, as you stated does not pass through any of the previously mentioned components but the original input power (wall power) goes through a bridge rectifier to convert the ac power to dc power. And that capacitors were then installed to make the power acceptable to the system. Also as you stated it should not effect the quality of sound I brought it up as a joke going off of the "audiophile breaker" joke.
Many strive for the absolute best by listening to the best material. I'm more impressed with how a component handles the poorer material. My music collection is much more average than reference material. So I only try the reference material after I've listened to my favorite music. If it can't play my favorites well, I don't care what it can do to perfect material.
It was to my understanding that as power cycles through a ups it smoothed the ac signal. I do know that it's main function as you stated was to keep power during a power failure. To clarify my thoughts and please correct me if I am wrong the actual signal we listen to, as you stated does not pass through any of the previously mentioned components but the original input power (wall power) goes through a bridge rectifier to convert the ac power to dc power. And that capacitors were then installed to make the power acceptable to the system. Also as you stated it should not effect the quality of sound I brought it up as a joke going off of the "audiophile breaker" joke.
Around here far too many people come up with some kooky ideas and are serious about it and convince the uninitiated with some half baked notions. I'm glad you were kidding around.
Thing with HD800 is can you listen to them for six hours a day?
Theres a reason for both. Sometimes I need a break from the treble peaks..
The HD800's also exist as a reprieve from the ortho weight.. it's a perfect balance if you can swing both.
Honestly headphones are not the most expensive hobby if you do it within a little moderation.. It's actually the cheapest of my hobbies since I only really have to buy once and I've been sitting on more or less the same gear for two years now plus I sleep easy knowing it's worth money still.. I got a killer deal on the 800's and LCD-2 actually, they'd both add up to one HD800 at full retail with tax.
Thing with HD800 is can you listen to them for six hours a day?
Theres a reason for both. Sometimes I need a break from the treble peaks..
The HD800's also exist as a reprieve from the ortho weight.. it's a perfect balance if you can swing both.
Honestly headphones are not the most expensive hobby if you do it within a little moderation.. It's actually the cheapest of my hobbies since I only really have to buy once and I've been sitting on more or less the same gear for two years now plus I sleep easy knowing it's worth money still.. I got a killer deal on the 800's and LCD-2 actually, they'd both add up to one HD800 at full retail with tax.
Speakers are like 10X the cost of headphones. A high-end range of speakers can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000. Compare that to the SR-009, which arguably is the best...
You would probably be a lot happier with the 800's. I know he made me think of imaging with his original post, and the 800's are pretty much king in that regard. Such a simple question could get very complicated when you think beyond just the simple choosing of the 2, so I'll just give a simple answer based on my opinion. Good luck with whatever you go with and I am sure either one will have your music sounding beautiful.
You would probably be a lot happier with the 800's. I know he made me think of imaging with his original post, and the 800's are pretty much king in that regard. Such a simple question could get very complicated when you think beyond just the simple choosing of the 2, so I'll just give a simple answer based on my opinion. Good luck with whatever you go with and I am sure either one will have your music sounding beautiful.
I am lucky enough to have a friend who let me borrow his HD800 for 2 weeks so I can comfortably appreciate the HD800 at home on my WA22 and compare it to my HE500. For me, choosing between the 2 doesn't quite make sense cuz they are quite different but complement each other well. Well, I just got the HD800 too. So I am done with HPs. As some say "End Game" .... for a "long" now....
Yea I could imagine them being very different. Its very hard to compare one of Hifiman's best planar magnetic HP's to Sennheiser's flagship dynamic ring radiator HP. I have never personally listened to the HE-500's, but I do own and thoroughly enjoy the HE-400's and they are very different from the 800's. Honestly the most obvious advice is to get and enjoy both!!
Yea I could imagine them being very different. Its very hard to compare one of Hifiman's best planar magnetic HP's to Sennheiser's flagship dynamic ring radiator HP. I have never personally listened to the HE-500's, but I do own and thoroughly enjoy the HE-400's and they are very different from the 800's. Honestly the most obvious advice is to get and enjoy both!!
If you can afford both, then definitely. If you can only have one, then I would go with HE500 and have some left over for amp/DAC. IMO, the HE500 is the better all rounder and easier to get great sound from. HD800, without other "good" components in front, will still sound like...well "HD800" but will be further from optimal and could even be a little "harsh".
If you can afford both, then definitely. If you can only have one, then I would go with HE500 and have some left over for amp/DAC. IMO, the HE500 is the better all rounder and easier to get great sound from. HD800, without other "good" components in front, will still sound like...well "HD800" but will be further from optimal and could even be a little "harsh".
If you can afford both, then definitely. If you can only have one, then I would go with HE500 and have some left over for amp/DAC. IMO, the HE500 is the better all rounder and easier to get great sound from. HD800, without other "good" components in front, will still sound like...well "HD800" but will be further from optimal and could even be a little "harsh".
That is why in my original post I mentioned it being a little too complicated of a comparison, so I just gave a broad answer. My answer was given assuming good hardware was being used.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
