[Mad Lust Envy]

You know that you're only allowed to make suggestions for things that I can buy from Amazon!! 

I see what you did there.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
I read your contribution on the HE-5LE/HE-500 comparison thread.
 
You seem to have a very different experience from the others who heard the 2 (and the opinion I, myself, made of their respective sound signature when reading various comments).
 
I tend to think the 5LEs and the 4s are more alike than different, in the sense they both are "clean-souding" headphones, maybe treble-oriented. The 4s have a V-shaped frequency response and a recessed mids compared to the 5LEs but I feel the clean and airy (yet intimate) presnetation make the 4s closer to the 5LEs than the 500s. The 500s trade the clean sound for a more lush sound, with more tonal hue and saturation and slightly warmer.
 
To be certain, I should buy the 5LE a make my own opinion, with my own ears and preferences (that's all what matters in the end ).

 
But how can you think that if you haven't heard it yet

  It seems like you're making others opinions as your own.  
 
Your post is confusing.  You start off as if you've heard all three and made your own judgment.  Then you end it by saying you should get the 5LEs.   Have you heard the 4s?  Just kinda confusing.  That's all.
 
I tell you what.  From my own experience the 5LEs and the 500s are more alike than different.  The 4s are wayyy different than both and more on the line of the 6s because of their openness, airyness or brightness.  YMMV.

 

[Clemmaster]

For the 5LEs, I gathered comments and reviews (which compare them to headphones I already own, like the HE-4, HE-400 and HE-500).
 
Even Hifiman say the HE-4 is based on the HE-5LE. They have same specs, same (relative) low weight (compared to the 6s, 400s, 500s) and share the "crystal clear sound".
 
I'm not questionning what you heard, though I'm just saying you heard something different than the idea I had of the 5LEs (based on the "numerous" reviews/impressions I read).
 
Not all Hifimans are built equal, this might play a role in this story ^^
 
Edit: after reading my post, one could ineed understand I heard the 5LEs: this is not the case.

 

[Bboy500]

Quote:

 
Just curious about why you like it better. For me with ipod, of course I wanted to play flac files and have full control to drag and drop those files on the ipod whenever I wanted. What's the big difference with the clip where you can already drag and drop flac files? Just asking. 

 
(Keep in mind I use it with my HE-400's on the go)
 
A. It goes louder
B. Bass can go up ( I Usually use my E10 + Bass boost anyway, now I can do the same thing here)
C. Treble adjustable
D. Way better EQ settings then stock (Which isn't a bad idea to use if your going unamped/stock with the Zip)
E. Boots almost instantly unlike stock OS.
F. Offers more features/Different themes
 
And quite a bit more, but those are my top reasons why I think its "So much better".
Again the main thing I love is now I can go pretty deep into it and tweak pretty much everything.

 

[MattTCG]

Okay, thanks for the reply. Have you found anything buggy or had crashes with it. I'm willing to give it a shot at this point. I could always roll back to the original firmware if needed. 

 

[wje]

Quote:

Not all Hifimans are built equal, this might play a role in this story ^^

 
Hmm ... I wonder if my HE-400s are "above" average?  Hopefully, not below, though.

 

[Jabse]

is there anyone here with xb700s that can give a nice quick comparison of them vs he-400s mainly bass/soundstage/mids/highs/transparency, want to make sure they have a similar signature

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The XB700 has a huge amount of sub bass bloat, and heavily recessed mids. I like them, but comparable to the HE-400 they are not.

 

[ModMax]

Quote:

 
Hmm ... I wonder if my HE-400s are "above" average?  Hopefully, not below, though.

Heck, Wayne, if they make your ears happy, that's all that matters... 

 

[Jabse]

Quote:

The XB700 has a huge amount of sub bass bloat, and heavily recessed mids. I like them, but comparable to the HE-400 they are not.

 


how about the soundstage/imaging? i assume theyre naturally a lot more airy since theyre open and the 700's aren't

 

[Bboy500]

Quote:

Okay, thanks for the reply. Have you found anything buggy or had crashes with it. I'm willing to give it a shot at this point. I could always roll back to the original firmware if needed. 

Have not had anything buggy or crashes. Was even able to play some games on it, nothing bad happened.

 

[Sniping]

Quote:

 


how about the soundstage/imaging? 

Pretty darn good.

 

[kstuart]

Quote:

Also, I was being facetious in that post, so don't take it personally. If you could reed gud, youde have got that. Thx.

If you are being facetious, then you are mocking the idea that burn-in is imaginary ?
 
The point here is that there is an emotional fad lately that says - subconsciously, not consciously:
 
Quote:

I hate $11,000 cables because I can't afford them.   Therefore I really like anyone who says that "science" is against $11,000 cables - even though I myself am not very good at either science or logic.   So, while I am not clever enough to note the logical flaws and junk science in all the Objective Measurement posts over the past few years on the Web, I really really want them to be true.
Also, since I like listening to music, I hate the idea that listening to music is a skill that gets better with practice, just like martial arts or sports.  So, I applaud anyone who puts a negative connotation on "Golden Ears".

 
It's interesting that this fad coincides with a new generation who have grown up listening to worse and worse sound quality in the form of MP3s on iPods and ear buds, and who have become entirely disconnected from any reference point of sound quality in the form of live acoustic music.   At the same time, media like CNN and the New York Times have strongly encouraged people in general to express opinions on anything and everything, rather than the previous standard of only commenting on something within one's expertise.
 
The result is that threads like these are increasingly cluttered by people expressing opinions on things that they know absolutely nothing about, and doubling down by trying to support opinions when they are wrong.

 

[Madmollusk]

Has anyone tried the Magni with the He-500 yet?

 

[wje]

Quote:

It's interesting that this fad coincides with a new generation who have grown up listening to worse and worse sound quality in the form of MP3s on iPods and ear buds, and who have become entirely disconnected from any reference point of sound quality in the form of live acoustic music.   At the same time, media like CNN and the New York Times have strongly encouraged people in general to express opinions on anything and everything, rather than the previous standard of only commenting on something within one's expertise.
 
The result is that threads like these are increasingly cluttered by people expressing opinions on things that they know absolutely nothing about, and doubling down by trying to support opinions when they are wrong.

 
Thank you.  Such truth you speak.  I grew up initially listening to the King Biscuit Flower Hour during the late-1970s using an AM/FM clock radio in my bedroom.  Fortunately, the concerts were played on the FM section on Sunday evenings.  From there, I progressed to building my own speakers to pair with new (now vintage) receivers from Radio Shack.  This then really ballooned in the mid-1980s, while in the military, I had a sound system in my room that ran about $2,000, with all discounts applied by buying it on a military base.  This then led me into many years of building more speakers, subwoofers, then finally buying great speakers and subs as well as getting into headphones.  Now, I sit at the age of 49 and feel fortunate for the experience I have had.  The education that I have received in audio through my own research has been priceless.  But, I have a real appreciation for a lot of music from various genres.  I can't have music playing on a radio just as background music as that doesn't satisfy me.  I'd rather wait until I can hear my music in a proper manner that will allow me to be more taken into the music and the moment.  I can attributed hundreds of events in my life and the best way I can remember them is by the musical link at the time.  Unfortunately, I have a not so good attribute with one particular musical event, as my own father passed away the day after John Bonham (Led Zeppelin drummer) back in 1980.  However, it all has been a great journey.  Truly, a great one.
 
Though I do joke a bit here and there in the forum here, I do have a serious side towards the music I listen to and how I listen to it. After all of the great concerts I've attended and audio I've listened to, a low bit-rate MP3 is something that I can't warm up to.