[szanella]

I read on Tech Power Up that the HE-300 resembles the Grado sound with much lower sibilance and better bass extension.
 
Is that so?
 
I had a Grado Sr225i and what I hated about it was the lack of bass and the extreme sibilance, although I did enjoy the vocals and guitars' presentation,
How does de HE-300 sounds in comparison?

Thanks!

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

It sounds like a smoother Grado with less emphasized highs, very little sibilance, yet retaining the same airy presentation. The soundstage is marginally better and more coherent. They have roughly the same level of detail richness.
 
The HE-300s are very engaging and airy to these ears.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

I read on Tech Power Up that the HE-300 resembles the Grado sound with much lower sibilance and better bass extension.
 
Is that so?

Nope.
 
I was hoping it would but it doesn't. Grado (w/flats) is known for it's midrange, not serious aberrations in same.
 
Interestingly, I was never a big, big fan of my HF-2. I liked it but didn't love it. I preferred the SR325 and RS-1. After I had done a couple of days listening to the HE-300, I tried the HF-2 and they sounded wonderful. Tuneful bass, smooth midrange and treble with no peaks or sibilance. If that was the contrast against the HE-300, I guess that does not bode well for the HE-300.
 
I haven't given up on the HE-300 yet, but I can't see how that midrange is ever going to sound like music. For those who were hoping that it would compete with the HD600/650 and Beyer DT880, I'm afraid it's not even close. Oh, it does sound more open and airy, but the lower mid/midrange harmonic structure is all out of whack, to my ears.
 

 

[Nankai]

 
I don't understand your statement. 

Are you sure you have compared HE300 to HD580/600/650? I did million times double blind listening between these Senn and HE300 in the previous several month. HE300 and 580/600/650 share very similar mid. Why you mention DT800 and 600/650 at the same time? Their mid/bass are totally different. After hundreds of hours runing in, HE300's mid is very close to SENN but far away from Bey. 
 
Fang
 
Quote:

Nope.
 
I was hoping it would but it doesn't. Grado (w/flats) is known for it's midrange, not serious aberrations in same.
 
Interestingly, I was never a big, big fan of my HF-2. I liked it but didn't love it. I preferred the SR325 and RS-1. After I had done a couple of days listening to the HE-300, I tried the HF-2 and they sounded wonderful. Tuneful bass, smooth midrange and treble with no peaks or sibilance. If that was the contrast against the HE-300, I guess that does not bode well for the HE-300.
 
I haven't given up on the HE-300 yet, but I can't see how that midrange is ever going to sound like music. For those who were hoping that it would compete with the HD600/650 and Beyer DT880, I'm afraid it's not even close. Oh, it does sound more open and airy, but the lower mid/midrange harmonic structure is all out of whack, to my ears.
 

 

 

[Yuceka]

Never heard the 600 but to my ears HE-300 are a league above 650

 

[PleasantNoise]

Interesting responses from people.
Theres obviously no such thing as a perfect ear, and a monitor that reproduces music, perfectly, with perfect imaging, speed and response.
So opinions will always have huge ranges as what is taken as a baseline sound will be so different to everyone elses.
Shame about the Cable and Plastic grills though

These Initially sounded like exactly what I wanted, Smooth, relaxing, detailed, comfortable, easily powered, sub$300.
And then the reviews hit.....
 

 

[Yuceka]

Quote:

Interesting responses from people.
Theres obviously no such thing as a perfect ear, and a monitor that reproduces music, perfectly, with perfect imaging, speed and response.
So opinions will always have huge ranges as what is taken as a baseline sound will be so different to everyone elses.
Shame about the Cable and Plastic grills though

These Initially sounded like exactly what I wanted, Smooth, relaxing, detailed, comfortable, easily powered, sub$300.
And then the reviews hit.....
 

 
Well if you follow your first paragraph to its logical conclusion, you shouldn't end your second paragraph like that. How do you know your impressions will be like those who have been critical of these phones? 
 
Smooth? Yes. Relaxing? Yes. Detailed? Not the most detailed in the planet but Yes. Easily powered? Heck yes! But the cable is awful that's for sure but other than that you would be very happy with them. 
 
 

 

[PleasantNoise]

I see what you mean, now that I re-read what I wrote, But then, the more people review them, the clearer an image you will get.
Makes sense, I tend to be very analytical as a person though, I'm one to tear apart things to make sense of them, which is very difficult to do when dealing with something that has emotional response involved, Gets messy very quickly...
When you say they aren't the most detailed on the planet, What would you consider detailed? I can tell from my current headphones, that alot of recordings simply don't have the depth of detail of others, So having overly analytical headphones that are going to be used purely for listening pleasure seems a tad silly. Which is probably why the LCD-2 seems to be so popular, its not overly analytical, they just sound very nice for listening pleasure (From what I've read)
I assume this is the kind of effect the He-300 have, just a nice relaxed listening experience, as opposed to a very analytical sound, where recordings and setups faults become overly apparent, rather than masked?

And How much is a nicer replacement cable gonna cost? As it seems something needed to be factored into the price of these cans.
As they already cost as much as much as the HD600's and various other well known cans.
 

 

[Yuceka]

In terms of details, K701, Hifiman HE-6 and HE-5 are very good. With K701, I couldn't stand the artificial soundstage. Yeah so take your poison. 
 
Cable... With LCD-2 (rev.1), it was really thick and not long enough to move around. At least with HE-300, it is as long as my HE-5 cable. So in that sense, I find it useful but I"m pretty sure in the future, Fang will make other HE series cables available. I would like to try HE-300 with either HE-6 or HE-5LE cable. 

 

[mrarroyo]

I sure look forward to hearing the HE300 soon, thanks Fang.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

It sounds like a smoother Grado with less emphasized highs, very little sibilance, yet retaining the same airy presentation. The soundstage is marginally better and more coherent. They have roughly the same level of detail richness.
 
The HE-300s are very engaging and airy to these ears.

Which Grado are you referring to? I got a Magnum v2.5 which sounds like what you are describing. I wish I could audition the HE-300 to know if it would be worth it to buy or not but probably will buy them eventually.
 

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

@rawster I based primarily upon my experience with the SR-325is which I had on loan from a friend for a month. I have had the SR-60s for ages and have modded them a lot so I do not use them for comparison anymore.
I do not know anything about the Magnum sorry. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Head-Direct US office in NY? if so you could probably audition them there.  

 

[Hawaiiancerveza]

How so?  I am in between buying these 2
 
Quote:

Never heard the 600 but to my ears HE-300 are a league above 650

 

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nankai /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I don't understand your statement. 

Are you sure you have compared HE300 to HD580/600/650? I did million times double blind listening between these Senn and HE300 in the previous several month. HE300 and 580/600/650 share very similar mid.

 
Am I sure I have compared HE300 to HD580/600/650? Well, I wouldn't have made the comparison if I had not (600/650, I don't have 580 anymore). Listen to the three units using pink noise. Unless I have a pair of HE-300 that are exactly equally defective in both channels, the midrange of the HE-300 does not resemble the HD600/650 at all. Not even close. The 600/650 sounds even. The HE-300 is pinched (in the mids) and the midbass rises above as well. I could pull an old lady off the street and she could hear it. And I think she'd hear it the first attempt, not the millionth.
 
Quote:

Why you mention DT800 and 600/650 at the same time? Their mid/bass are totally different

 
Not sure what a DT800 is. If you meant the DT880, it's a lot closer to the 600/650 (in mdrange) than my HE-300 is. I mentioned it because some Head-Fi'ers were wondering about how the HE-300 compared to the 880. 
 
Quote:

After hundreds of hours runing in, HE300's mid is very close to SENN but far away from Bey. 
 

 
I only have about 50 hours on them and they sound the same as they did out of the box. I'll run mine in for a few hundred more hours and see if Stevie Nicks can turn into Michael Buble.
 
Fang, I am not attempting to trash your headphone. I have bought the HE-5 and HE-5LE and I just spent another $300 on the HE-300 and am reporting what I am hearing and my comparisons with some of my other headphones. If nobody else hears the pinched/cupped hands effect on the midrange, then maybe there is something wrong with my HE-300. I've been listening to headphones carefully for over 20 years and I'm pretty sure I am not deaf or suffering from hearing damage in both ears. I would be interested in seeing the FR graph for these.
 
 

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

@rawster I based primarily upon my experience with the SR-325is which I had on loan from a friend for a month. I have had the SR-60s for ages and have modded them a lot so I do not use them for comparison anymore.
I do not know anything about the Magnum sorry. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Head-Direct US office in NY? if so you could probably audition them there.  

It is but it's not like it's a store like Guitar Center where you can just go in and audition. I think I'll for some more opinions and then buy them. I've always wanted to try a Hifiman and a dynamic would be easier to drive for my amp until I get a better one.