[hakunamakaka]

The 500 has had a resurgence of interest over the past 18 months or so. Tough to find now for under $400 if its in fine or better shape w/ extras. Since I got mine - like 2.5 years it's basically been my reference. And like any open eyed booster, there are things that are wrong with it, you'll notice over time.

Sub bass - doesn't really rattle under 30 Hz, Ananda goes down to 10-12 Hz, but the timbre and attack of the 500 is more satisfying under 400 Hz.

500's departure from neutral: small bulge in lower mids (750 Hz), small dips at 3k and 5.5k - this gives a sense of midrange depth, and the serious amount of ringing it produces at 9k helps fill in the big dip at 12k, and the 3k and 5.5k - plus gives that shimmery forever cymbal decay. It seems quite neutral with no EQ, more neutral than the Ananda. But when you EQ the 500 it warms up and evens out but not in a syrupy way. I have no more to say on the Ananda until I can lay an EQ on it.

My guess on the Ananda, set it: (if you haven't handled a parametric EQ then "Q" and "narrow" won't make much sense)

55 Hz +2 db low shelf
90-200 Hz -1.5 db (so center about 145 Hz Q of about 3.5)
200-500Hz -3.5 db (so center about 320 Hz Q of about 4)
1.75 kHz +3 (narrow)
8.5 kHz -8 (a bit wider than narrow, whoa - that's a big number)
15k -2.5 db (narrow)

I've done multiple iterations on the HEX v2, and the differences in the EQ settings go a long way to explaining the diff between it and the Ananda. HEX's big issue is needing a 3.7 db boost from 2-3.5k. What strikes me is this: if you like Beyers, Grado, and many AKG's than the Ananda is your can with its massive rise centered at 8.5 kHz (the bulge is from 7k to 10k).

I don’t eq sound at all and these numbers don’t tell me much:/ My reference hp is oppo pm3 with rolled off treble, but I’m happy with it as I can enjoy music with long listening sessions.I’m interested in ananda with it’s high sensitivity and more portable use, but it scares me if it has agressive presentation and piercing highs. Bought multiple highly praised chi:fi iems and I can’t enjoy them as much and do get tired, that’s why decided to get better over ear hp

 

[bagwell359]

I don’t eq sound at all and these numbers don’t tell me much:/ My reference hp is oppo pm3 with rolled off treble, but I’m happy with it as I can enjoy music with long listening sessions.I’m interested in ananda with it’s high sensitivity and more portable use, but it scares me if it has agressive presentation and piercing highs. Bought multiple highly praised chi:fi iems and I can’t enjoy them as much and do get tired, that’s why decided to get better over ear hp

OK, don't use them.

But: I had a Soundcraftsman 10 band EQ in 1977 - for the time a very good unit. I moved off of that after about a year and for the next 42 years (because the changes were audible to me) - and took the typical audiophile take on them. "Good for you maybe, but not my golden ears and SOTA set-up". A 6 band parametric EQ with no audible negatives was almost as big a change as going CD -> Tidal MQA - for me.

PM3 has a distinctive sound. Knowing well what fairly tame and un-tame HFM trebles sound like - the 500, HEX v2 would be the closest to your PM3, the Ananda, HEK v1, 560 would be more aggressive and perhaps strident for you.

You say you are interested in portable - w/ an open back?

 

[hakunamakaka]

OK, don't use them.

But: I had a Soundcraftsman 10 band EQ in 1977 - for the time a very good unit. I moved off of that after about a year and for the next 42 years (because the changes were audible to me) - and took the typical audiophile take on them. "Good for you maybe, but not my golden ears and SOTA set-up". A 6 band parametric EQ with no audible negatives was almost as big a change as going CD -> Tidal MQA - for me.

PM3 has a distinctive sound. Knowing well what fairly tame and un-tame HFM trebles sound like - the 500, HEX v2 would be the closest to your PM3, the Ananda, HEK v1, 560 would be more aggressive and perhaps strident for you.

You say you are interested in portable - w/ an open back?

Yes, well closed back is an option as well, but I want to experience bigger soundstage moving from claustrophobic pm3(though sound signature goes so good with my music). Main thing is that I could achieve listenable experience with portable amp. If you would see my comments I was really disturbing waters of head-fi community, but still without proper ideas. Someone advised to look for AEON 2, but that's unavailable in europe. I'm not a micro detail/sharp imaging freak, my priorities are for music to sound real/musical. My mouth was watering when I read that he-500 has dreamy mid, "weight" in sound, that distinctive feeling from sound coming from further gosh...Thanks for your advise I will check on HEX v2

 

[bagwell359]

Yes, well closed back is an option as well, but I want to experience bigger soundstage moving from claustrophobic pm3(though sound signature goes so good with my music). Main thing is that I could achieve listenable experience with portable amp. If you would see my comments I was really disturbing waters of head-fi community, but still without proper ideas. Someone advised to look for AEON 2, but that's unavailable in europe. I'm not a micro detail/sharp imaging freak, my priorities are for music to sound real/musical. My mouth was watering when I read that he-500 has dreamy mid, "weight" in sound, that distinctive feeling from sound coming from further gosh...Thanks for your advise I will check on HEX v2

Careful with HEX v2, it's lovely in many ways - but its got a medium trough in the 2.5-4.5k area that can NOT be chased away with cables or positioning of the can (its actually not a throw it on and go, you've got to search out the correct location). All the other freq response issues are minor, just that one has to be solved - otherwise it can sound lacking in impact/dynamics/detail. Similar to something MrSpeakers 1.1 or 2.0. It has amazing cohesion, and hardly ever issues an unpleasant note - even when it should. With the EQ added, its still very pleasant, but voices are clearly more accurate.

The HE-500 if you can find it, and are willing to do a few mods might be better, it does better w/o EQ. And has more dynamic kick, and the bass timbre is better. However it wants some juice - 2 wpc @ 8 ohms is usually enough, 4 is pretty much for sure.

 

[hakunamakaka]

Careful with HEX v2, it's lovely in many ways - but its got a medium trough in the 2.5-4.5k area that can NOT be chased away with cables or positioning of the can (its actually not a throw it on and go, you've got to search out the correct location). All the other freq response issues are minor, just that one has to be solved - otherwise it can sound lacking in impact/dynamics/detail. Similar to something MrSpeakers 1.1 or 2.0. It has amazing cohesion, and hardly ever issues an unpleasant note - even when it should. With the EQ added, its still very pleasant, but voices are clearly more accurate.

The HE-500 if you can find it, and are willing to do a few mods might be better, it does better w/o EQ. And has more dynamic kick, and the bass timbre is better. However it wants some juice - 2 wpc @ 8 ohms is usually enough, 4 is pretty much for sure.

I dont think it will lack impact/dynamic for me. Please remember I am coming from pm3 hp which many people relate to dead/boring/dull. EQ or Modding not my field, neither I understand much or looking for some hidden excellence. If sound is nicely balanced, not grainy, not shouty, more onto musical side, with warmer attributes, I'm happy. AEON 2 Open seems interesting, but there are no retailers in Europe so it would cost me around 1100$ where I could find new Ananda 800$ /used HEX v2 for 650-700$, unless AEON is really worth that price bumb, but than Arya as well not to far away....I promised myself not to go much higher above 1000$, another thing to notice I mainly listen to vinyl(70-80) rip's or digital album releases on youtube. Neither spotify or tidal has so many hidden gems

 

[bagwell359]

I dont think it will lack impact/dynamic for me. Please remember I am coming from pm3 hp which many people relate to dead/boring/dull. EQ or Modding not my field, neither I understand much or looking for some hidden excellence. If sound is nicely balanced, not grainy, not shouty, more onto musical side, with warmer attributes, I'm happy. AEON 2 Open seems interesting, but there are no retailers in Europe so it would cost me around 1100$ where I could find new Ananda 800$ /used HEX v2 for 650-700$, unless AEON is really worth that price bumb, but than Arya as well not to far away....I promised myself not to go much higher above 1000$, another thing to notice I mainly listen to vinyl(70-80) rip's or digital album releases on youtube. Neither spotify or tidal has so many hidden gems

I'm just trying to paint a picture for you. Personally I like the HEX v2 a lot more than any version of Aeon, the PM3, and the Ananda among others. I think the HE-500 is a different option but about equally worthwhile (but it needs some mods). I think the Arya is very good but has some brightness in the 4-5 kHz range. I really like the HE6SE now - after pad, cable, screen removal and an EQ. It's better to me than the 500 or the HEX v2, but its more expensive too.

 

[housekrl]

Hey guys,
Just bought an open box Ananda directly from Hifiman.
My question is; is it normal for there to be little ripples in the diaphragm?

 

[kid vic]

it seems i need to hold my breath and cash for ananda, I'm mainly listening for laid back acoustic/synth sounds. It's fun with more aggressive presentation for the start, but I do not find such signature musical for my taste. He500 I think would fit me more coming from oppo's, but it's hard to find one :/

I don’t eq sound at all and these numbers don’t tell me much:/ My reference hp is oppo pm3 with rolled off treble, but I’m happy with it as I can enjoy music with long listening sessions.I’m interested in ananda with it’s high sensitivity and more portable use, but it scares me if it has agressive presentation and piercing highs. Bought multiple highly praised chi:fi iems and I can’t enjoy them as much and do get tired, that’s why decided to get better over ear hp

I think you missed a very important part of what I said in comparison of the HE500 and Ananda; essentially, if you don't have the power, forget the HE500, its a really bad choice if your not giving it the power it needs. I don't think you will like any part of the HE500 through a portable amp. You might be better served by an Edition XX or the HEXv2 over the HE500, alternatively you could consider a Sennheiser HD6-series headphone but even that might not play well with your portable dreams.
Also consider the Phillips Fidelio headphones or one of the Audioquest headphones (I recall people describing them as warmer or dark).

 

[AudioProm]

Hey guys,
Just bought an open box Ananda directly from Hifiman.
My question is; is it normal for there to be little ripples in the diaphragm?

If you can provide a picture of it, it'll be easier for us to analyze. I don't remember any ripple in the diaphragm on mine.

 

[housekrl]

If you can provide a picture of it, it'll be easier for us to analyze. I don't remember any ripple in the diaphragm on mine.

It would be very difficult to get a pic of it without taking the headphone apart. It doesn't seem to affect the sound at all. To see it, you have to angle the cup in the light where the ripples can be seen through the grill.

 

[hakunamakaka]

I think you missed a very important part of what I said in comparison of the HE500 and Ananda; essentially, if you don't have the power, forget the HE500, its a really bad choice if your not giving it the power it needs. I don't think you will like any part of the HE500 through a portable amp. You might be better served by an Edition XX or the HEXv2 over the HE500, alternatively you could consider a Sennheiser HD6-series headphone but even that might not play well with your portable dreams.
Also consider the Phillips Fidelio headphones or one of the Audioquest headphones (I recall people describing them as warmer or dark).

Thank you for your inputs I will through to check these hp and constantly check for used hex v2 on the market and pulled the trigger for hex v2

 

[housekrl]

Please can those who own the Ananda check to see if there is any ripples in the diaphragm like in this pic. It doesn't seem to affect the sound, but I'm a bit ocd with my gear. Thanks

 

[AudioProm]

Please can those who own the Ananda check to see if there is any ripples in the diaphragm like in this pic. It doesn't seem to affect the sound, but I'm a bit ocd with my gear. Thanks

That looks perfectly normal. Mine looks exactly the same.

 

[housekrl]

@AudioProm Thank you. After researching Hifiman drivers, I'm thinking that what I'm looking at through the grill is actually the conductor, not the diaphragm. Does that seam right?
And I'm not sure if ripples in the conductor would have any affect on the sound or longevity of the driver.

 

[housekrl]

Introduction to planars; 2011, LCD 2.1, listened to it for years on a Meier Concerto amp. Always thought it was way too dark. Rifled through headphones from Grado, Beyerdynamic , Denon. Major flaws with them all.
2017, bought a Hifiman 400i, Could see the potential, but was not a cohesive sound. IMHO
2018, bought a HE560, thought that it fixed the problems with the 400i perfectly. All I listened to for the last 2 years was the 560. In that time I upgraded from budget sigma delta Dacs to the DAC 19 10th anniversary edition pcm1704 dac, and from several SS amps to the Woo WA6 tube amp, which I love. I'm definitely not a SS guy.
Really enjoyed the HE560, but wished for a better bottom end and bigger sound stage. Never really considered it to be a bright headphone, just needed more bass to balance out the treble. The DAC 19 helped a lot with that. And the Woo WA6 warmed it a bit.
However, after 2 years, I was less and less moved by it.
And this is why I like Hifiman, the prices always seem to drop, so that someone like myself, who will never be able to pay for totL can still have the opportunity to upgrade.
So I purchased the Ananda. To me it improves on the sound sig of the 560, but adds a solid low end and a sound stage like I have never heard before. The sound comes from all around me, even up high and down low. Of course there are other differences, but these are the obvious qualities in comparison.
And I might add, I love the upfront mids.
All in all, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. And until the Arya drop below $1k, this is it for me.

Edit; music of choice, Progressive Rock, jazz, acoustic, world, movie soundtracks, classic rock, bunch of other stuff.