[Chodi]

Quote:

Nice tip Chodi!

Thanks I guess we are here to share when we can be helpful. Frankly, even with this wonderful headband pad you are still wearing half a kilo on your head so this certainly helps but it won't solve the weight problem for everyone. I really don't understand why HiFiman didn't come up with something like this pad as standard equipment. It makes a huge difference in the comfort level. I emailed the seller to ask if he would mind if I posted this and he was very interested in my using his pad with HE 500....he had never heard of the HE500. The seller included his name in the response, his name is Eric. I guess if you want to be very certain you are getting the right pad you can message Eric and refer to the HE 500. After my note he knows what I used this pad for and the results.

 

[madbull]

I've never been a big fan of this headphone but been listening to it lately and I must say I'm very impressed by how airy the soundstage is. Really nice. I'm driving them with my Stratus 2A3. Also they are bright but not in a bad way. Guess I'll be using it more often

 

[jsplice]

Quote:

I've never been a big fan of this headphone but been listening to it lately and I must say I'm very impressed by how airy the soundstage is. Really nice. I'm driving them with my Stratus 2A3. Also they are bright but not in a bad way. Guess I'll be using it more often

HE-500s bright?  Personally that's the last word I'd use to describe them.  Guess we all just hear differently.

 

[takezo]

the earlier production units are, most definitely, bright with loose bass.
current production units are shelved down at top and has very tight bass.
it's so different that it's noticeable instantly without having to compare
them for hours or days.
 
it could just be production variation but i like to think fang had a direct
hand in improving the can.
 

 

[madbull]

Quote:

HE-500s bright?  Personally that's the last word I'd use to describe them.  Guess we all just hear differently.

I guess my ears were used to darker sound lately (JVC DX1000s are very warm). I'm listening to Mark Knopfler's Theme of the Local Hero now and it's sounding a bit bright indeed.

 

[plin]

Quote:

the earlier production units are, most definitely, bright with loose bass.
current production units are shelved down at top and has very tight bass.
it's so different that it's noticeable instantly without having to compare
them for hours or days.
 
it could just be production variation but i like to think fang had a direct
hand in improving the can.
 

Very interesting remark! Do you mind sharing your experience with us? Have you auditioned a number of HE-500 pairs, some older and some newer and found this? Have you, by any change, made any observation about the timing of the sound signature change?   

 

[.Sup]

This kind of headband would be perfect for comfort as it would distribute weight better
http://cdn.head-fi.org/1/17/17a2dd0c_SonyMDR-SA1000.jpeg

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

This kind of headband would be perfect for comfort as it would distribute weight better
http://cdn.head-fi.org/1/17/17a2dd0c_SonyMDR-SA1000.jpeg

Perhaps you should send that photo to Fang I hear he is open to suggestions. I don't doubt that a complete re-design might improve the situation but in the absence of that I thought I would suggest a simple inexpensive interim solution. Believe me after adding that after market pad things got better.

 

[takezo]

Quote:

Very interesting remark! Do you mind sharing your experience with us? Have you auditioned a number of HE-500 pairs, some older and some newer and found this? Have you, by any change, made any observation about the timing of the sound signature change?   

i did make some observations about a week back and posted some remarks a couple of pages
back of this tread. the first original pair i purchased was june 2011, first replacement early july
of this year, second replacement was about 3 wks ago.

 

[Zoom25]

Anybody have experience pairing HE-500 with Little Dot 1+ or Little Dot Mk VII?
 

 

[Llloyd]

Quote:

Anybody have experience pairing HE-500 with Little Dot 1+ or Little Dot Mk VII?
 

 
I paired my he-500 with a ldmkii which is way less power than the 1+.  I imagine the 1+ is great for the money and has a pleasant sound.  I was very happy with my LD amp so I'd recommend.  I'd say my mkii was just a pinch less detailed than solid states in the same price range, but with more realism in its reproduction (texture, timbre, weight, dynamics) aside from that.  The positives outweighed the negatives for my tastes 100%

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

 
I paired my he-500 with a ldmkii which is way less power than the 1+.  I imagine the 1+ is great for the money and has a pleasant sound.  I was very happy with my LD amp so I'd recommend.  I'd say my mkii was just a pinch less detailed than solid states in the same price range, but with more realism in its reproduction (texture, timbre, weight, dynamics) aside from that.  The positives outweighed the negatives for my tastes 100%

 
I was initially considering Schiit Asgard, but wanted to see what else was there, besides that and the Lyr. So far, I have the Audio-gb NFB 12.1 and the two Little Dot models. I'm especially interested in hearing about those two amps, since I don't want the DAC features of NFB 12.1 for my Marantz CD5004 player.
 

 

[hasanyuceer]

OTL Tube Amps like Little Dots or Darkvoice 3322 is very bad with HE500.
 
Because OTL amps give more power to more impedance.

 

[Happy Camper]

I'd agree with otl amps and the planars. My headphone amp couldn't drive them (Singlepower Extreme Platinum) well.

 

[madbull]

I agree too, I tried my WA3 with both he-500 and lcd-2 and didn't enjoy it. As I remember there was lack of bass at least.