[Mad Lust Envy]

Let's not forget the HE4 pads which were miles ahead of the newer velours in everything but the mechsnism to place them on the headphone. All velours are not created equal.

Velour is arguably better than leather or pleather for remaining cool. A comfort issue that too many headphones deal with. Many of us don't have the luxury of cool, dry temperatures all year round. Even the best leathers I've felt heat up a crapton faster than any velour I've used.

 

[TMRaven]

I live in san antonio.  If you get heat build-up with leathers then you need to get more circulation in your room.

 

[themad]

I agree with that. I've been using the Brainwavz pads even during the summer (35c+) with no complaints. With open back headphones leather should not be a problem.

 

[conquerator2]

Oh hell naw. Velour on the skin for the win. Foreva.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but arent they also using standard pads a well? I could've sworn I saw some pics with standard pads.

Lcd2 uses real leather and they're open backed. The vegan pads were faaaaaar more comfortable on the skin, though it didnt help the lcd2s overall comfort regardless, since they just arent comfortable headphones.

They were using the standard pads because the new ones weren't ready yet.
I do believe they said that there will be replacements for the old pads.
Well now we have the pleather with velour pad, wonder what the other one is and if it comes with the 560? If there will be another one that is.

 

[Clemmaster]

Let's not forget the HE4 pads which were miles ahead of the newer velours in everything but the mechsnism to place them on the headphone. All velours are not created equal.

Velour is arguably better than leather or pleather for remaining cool. A comfort issue that too many headphones deal with. Many of us don't have the luxury of cool, dry temperatures all year round. Even the best leathers I've felt heat up a crapton faster than any velour I've used.

 
In terms of fell that's for sure.
In terms of sound however, I much prefer the new velour: bigger sound-stage and much better bass.
 
 
I think you guys forget that I WAS THE ONE PUTTING LIGHT ON THE HE-4 

.
 
As far as the comparison with the 5LE, I'm quite sure I posted my take on that on this thread already 

. Or was it in the HE-6 thread?
 
Tonally, the HE-4 is closer to the HE-6: clean, dry (in a good way), with a clean bass presentation. It has a U-shaped signature which makes it a fun headphone (punchy bass, sparkling treble). The closest headphone I can think of is the DT-880, for sure.
Technically, it is a hair behind the 5LE, but 2 or 3 notches above the HE-400.
 
The 5LE is halfway between the lush (humid) HE-500 and the dry and clean HE-6/4. It is warmish and slightly lush in the mids (~500, but less so), cleaner in the bass (~6, less punch) and has raw treble (~4).
Overall, it plays in the same category as the 500: it has better soundstage, cleaner bass but the 500s are smoother up top.
 
The HE-6 play in another league for sure. They are not lush but still manage to have more meat to the bones than the 500s. It's reminicent of my recent experience with the Master-7 vs SA-2: while the latter is from the "musical series", exhibiting a slightly humid and smooth sound, the former is actually the more musical, despite its more neutral approach. It simply is in a class above.

 

[ThurstonX]

 
In terms of fell that's for sure.
In terms of sound however, I much prefer the new velour: bigger sound-stage and much better bass.
 
I think you guys forget that I WAS THE ONE PUTTING LIGHT ON THE HE-4 

.
 
As far as the comparison with the 5LE, I'm quite sure I posted my take on that on this thread already 

. Or was it in the HE-6 thread?
 
Tonally, the HE-4 is closer to the HE-6: clean, dry (in a good way), with a clean bass presentation. It has a U-shaped signature which makes it a fun headphone (punchy bass, sparkling treble). The closest headphone I can think of is the DT-880, for sure.
Technically, it is a hair behind the 5LE, but 2 or 3 notches above the HE-400.
 
The 5LE is halfway between the lush (humid) HE-500 and the dry and clean HE-6/4. It is warmish and slightly lush in the mids (~500, but less so), cleaner in the bass (~6, less punch) and has raw treble (~4).
Overall, it plays in the same category as the 500: it has better soundstage, cleaner bass but the 500s are smoother up top.
 
The HE-6 play in another league for sure. They are not lush but still manage to have more meat to the bones than the 500s. It's reminicent of my recent experience with the Master-7 vs SA-2: while the latter is from the "musical series", exhibiting a slightly humid and smooth sound, the former is actually the more musical, despite its more neutral approach. It simply is in a class above.

 
Humid... hmmmm.  Not sure I buy that as a synonym for lush.  For me, lush = inviting; humid = oppressive.  We can get some nasty humid weather here in VA.  Well, semantics.  I've never heard any other HFMs, so I appreciate all the comparisons; gives a good sense of the general differences.
 
My question is, how would you characterize the HE-500s in comparison to the Q701s or SR-225s, and giving a close equivalent to the latter two from the HFM line?  Guess the Q701s have elements of the HE-6s, but without the overall weight of presentation...?  I've modded my cans to the point where the stock sound is long gone from memory.  Maybe some hypnotherapy 

  I love the way my HE-500s sound.  If that's lush, I'm a huge fan of lush (not so much the band Lush, though).  But I love the soundstage and detail on the (bass modded) Q701s.  All that makes me wonder about the HE-560s; not so much the 400is.
 
Like everyone else, eagerly anticipating the early reviews soon to come 

 

[M-13]

The new pads are little confusing looking. I'm not really sold on them yet. I would rather have all velour or all leather unless the hybrid somehow vastly improves the sound. I guess I'll find out when I get my 560.
 
As for who had the idea for Jerg pads first. Does it matter?
 
What I mean by this is that In this world it's always about the implementation, not the idea. Apple wasn't the first company to think of using a mouse (that would be Xerox). And I'm sure J.K. Rowling wasn't the first person to think of a boy wizard attending a school novel (there were others). The successful implementation of an idea is MUCH harder than just coming up with one.

 

[grizzlybeast]

I actually think the combo is sick. I am hoping to be able to put pads on other things!!!! Hopefully they sell those pads. They look like game changers.

 

[TMRaven]

 

[Zoom25]

  The new pads are little confusing looking. I'm not really sold on them yet. I would rather have all velour or all leather unless the hybrid somehow vastly improves the sound. I guess I'll find out when I get my 560.
 
As for who had the idea for Jerg pads first. Does it matter?
 
What I mean by this is that In this world it's always about the implementation, not the idea. Apple wasn't the first company to think of using a mouse (that would be Xerox). And I'm sure J.K. Rowling wasn't the first person to think of a boy wizard attending a school novel (there were others). The successful implementation of an idea is MUCH harder than just coming up with one.

 
Dude, what happened to LCD-X?
 
P.s. Location: Grand Line... OP?

 

[MattTCG]

I'm thinking two more days till jerg has the review unit. Can we get an update please sir?

 

[M-13]

 
Dude, what happened to LCD-X?

You mean my plans to get one? Kinda lost interest after doing more research... Haha. Plus I prefer the HE-500 to the LCD-2, so I'm thinking I'll stick with HifiMan for now. I also find Hifiman's consistency a notch up from Audez'e. With Audez'e you never know how your LCD is going to sound like until you get one. With the HE-500, over the many pairs I went through the sound was fairly consistent. Although, I do admit the newer pairs were slightly better in terms of build quality and also the sonics, but the sonics aspect was darn close enough.
 
The next headphone I'll buy won't be a flagship it's going to be the Spirit Classic. After which point I'm going to see how the 560 or 400i is, but more than anything I need a better DAP. X5 and or DX90 is probably the first thing I need. I'm actually very pleased with my current 3, the best trio I've had. If the 560 cannot be driven from a DAP I might just need to go 400i to get my planar fix.

 

[jerg]

  I'm thinking two more days till jerg has the review unit. Can we get an update please sir?

I really really really, really...really hope to catch the dang DHL deliveryman tomorrow lol. He/she 'tried' to deliver today but didn't even knock the door.

 

[MattTCG]

Schiit!

 

[Edwood]

Putting up a review soon.  Have placeholder posts in place until I update them.  In the meantime, enjoy the pics.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/711974/hifiman-he-560-review#post_10398593