[malabargold]

Just completed the HE500 mods! Whoever said you need to do them all together was absolutely correct. I started with the grill mod which opened up the soundstage tremendously however it increased the treble a few db too much for my liking. Next I replaced the pads with the vegans and I noticed an increased bass impact, more focus in the imaging and it brought the treble back in balance. After that I followed Ohhgourami's suggestion and cut out the dust cover in the vegan pads and installed his felt disc on the back side of the pads, this improved the clarity but unfortunately made the headphones too bright again. I just finished with the fuzzor mod as I read that could reduce the treble spikes and now I have the balance I was looking for along with all the other improvements that come with the mods. These headphones were good as is but now they are on a new level completely!

 

[vlach]

I respect your position. It sounds like you should try the HE-6 properly driven. They synthesize beautifully the hot chocolate and distilled water and then take everything up a notch. Magical is the best adjective I can think of. I could also see, though, someone saying the HE-500s are less colored than the T1 (as if color actually mattered as a criteria for me). I still have yet to hear the T1 and would love to have the opportunity, especially the first version. 

T1 colored? Absolutely not. I can't think of a more transparent headphone. You really ought to hear it for yourself.

 

[KANNONS]

I will find a set of these and mod them into awesomeness, thanks all.

 

[bracko]

T1 colored? Absolutely not. I can't think of a more transparent headphone. You really ought to hear it for yourself.

Compared to HE-500 (and even other Hifiman headphones), T1 (or actually any other Beyer headphone) is less transparent. 

 

[borrego]

  Compared to HE-500 (and even other Hifiman headphones), T1 (or actually any other Beyer headphone) is less transparent. 

 
Can't really disagree with your taste given the opamp driven, heavy NFB amps you are possessing.

 

[elwappo99]

I don't think amps have much to do with it. T1 just isn't a very balanced or fast headphone. 

 

[bracko]

   
Can't really disagree with your taste given the opamp driven, heavy NFB amps you are possessing.

 
How can my taste be correlated to the amps I am possesing? First of all, my Musical Fidelity amp is not OP-driven, it is a tube amp. Second, I didn't use the amps I am possessing right now when I tested the T1. Third, the sound signature of the T1 is what it is. It won't change with a different amp.

 

[borrego]

How can my taste be correlated to the amps I am possesing? First of all, my Musical Fidelity amp is not OP-driven, it is a tube amp. Second, I didn't use the amps I am possessing right now when I tested the T1. Third, the sound signature of the T1 is what it is. It won't change with a different amp.

Enlightening opinion indeed.

 

[bracko]

Enlightening opinion indeed.

Good to know.

 

[vlach]

Compared to HE-500 (and even other Hifiman headphones), T1 (or actually any other Beyer headphone) is less transparent. 

I own both and could not disagree more.

 

[roadcykler]

   
How can my taste be correlated to the amps I am possesing? First of all, my Musical Fidelity amp is not OP-driven, it is a tube amp. Second, I didn't use the amps I am possessing right now when I tested the T1. Third, the sound signature of the T1 is what it is. It won't change with a different amp.

You'll have a hard time convincing a lot of people here of that last statement. Then again, you'd have a hard time convincing some people that cables don't make a difference. "I know what I hear" is a common retort.

 

[bracko]

  You'll have a hard time convincing a lot of people here of that last statement. Then again, you'd have a hard time convincing some people that cables don't make a difference. "I know what I hear" is a common retort.

Yeah, I know 

 Amplifiers are hugely overrated, let alone cables. I have really hard times convincing people that my HE-500 sound great through my O2 to me (and yes, I have heard hp amps costing over $1000). 

 

[bracko]

I own both and could not disagree more.

My question is: What do you mean by transparency?

 

[vlach]

My question is: What do you mean by transparency?

Uncolored. Transparent to the source, doesn't impose any warmth. An open window?

 

[Liu Junyuan]

T1 colored? Absolutely not. I can't think of a more transparent headphone. You really ought to hear it for yourself.

Yes. Even the HD800 is colored, especially with its peak at 6K. Boosting the treble may give the illusion of more transparency, but ultimately, just because something is colored doesn't mean it's inherently bad. Without having heard the T1 (I own the HD800 classic), from all accounts it appears to emphasize the treble just as another headphone might emphasize the mids or bass. I don't see why people are so defensive about this. People are entitled to enjoy whatever headphone that pleases them. The HE-500 has a pleasant, slightly euphonic and warm tonality that I find pleasing, and it's not totally neutral. The closer analogy to the T1 from the HiFiMAN line, in terms of pricing and signature would be the HE-560 and still the two are very different from each other. Comparing the T1 to the HE-500 makes little sense to me.