HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) Proving to be an enjoyable experience in listening.

[PlussRep]

Sounds like they're under powered, like the symptoms of it but can't be.
All though i don't hear it but the older Hifiman drivers were ''slower'' then the newer one. If i want speed i prefer the SR-009 ^^

 

[bagwell359]

Sounds like they're under powered, like the symptoms of it but can't be.
All though i don't hear it but the older Hifiman drivers were ''slower'' then the newer one. If i want speed i prefer the SR-009 ^^

Not sure who you mean here? If me, Ragnarok with balanced connections is what I use. SR-009 has lots of def. Have you heard the Voce? Bit less detail, but, more body, more real.

I can't agree more about the value, dare i say almost a giant killer? haha.
I have a pair too but i modded it with the newer style headband like the HE400i/560. And i have the Jerg pads, Focus-A pads and Ether Flow Angled (My favorites).
Comfort is fixed and the sound is smoother i believe, can't remember anymore since i only use them!

Ether Flow Angled is what I use too.

 

[PlussRep]

I did demo of the voce and the 009 in the summer, but only for a brief time in a hifi shop and the impression i got from the Voce was ehhh.
Straight after using 009 the Voce sounded ''veiled'' so to say, it was like there was a thin sheet of paper between my ear and the driver. At least that was the impression, could be wrong since i never had a sample next to my 009 here at home. How about you sir?

 

[bagwell359]

I did demo of the voce and the 009 in the summer, but only for a brief time in a hifi shop and the impression i got from the Voce was ehhh.
Straight after using 009 the Voce sounded ''veiled'' so to say, it was like there was a thin sheet of paper between my ear and the driver. At least that was the impression, could be wrong since i never had a sample next to my 009 here at home. How about you sir?

Heard both about the same time - but with the HFM Jr amp which the Voce seemed to like. The 009 is above all about definition, but after awhile it seems like a drag racing car - one speed, very fast, and that's what it does. Bass is distinctly weaker (doesn't move as much air or emotion) to me than the Voce, also the Voce has more body in the sound overall. I find the 009 to fatigue in the way that you don't hear the music but spend all ones time saying "listen to that!" "whoa, what about that!"..... I believe I could live with the Voce, I don't think I can live with the 009 - although if someone wanted to give me a long term loaner to be sure, I would be honored. Much better would be both! I'll provide my address upon request.

 

[PlussRep]

Yea sorry I'm not going to do that, but nice try though!
However I love the clear, fast and transparent sound. All the gear, sources and headphones just disappear and it's just music all around you. I thought that is what we're chasing for?
It just grabs you and hours fly by in no time it's scary sometimes but worth it!
I'm one of crazy dudes who Game with STAX.

 

[bagwell359]

Yea sorry I'm not going to do that, but nice try though!
However I love the clear, fast and transparent sound. All the gear, sources and headphones just disappear and it's just music all around you. I thought that is what we're chasing for?
It just grabs you and hours fly by in no time it's scary sometimes but worth it!
I'm one of crazy dudes who Game with STAX.

I owned a 303 Classic about 15 years ago, no match for the 009 technically, but family similarity. The 800S is perhaps easier to talk about. Detail, huge soundstage, so correct in so many ways - but missing things - bass, bass impact, bass sustain, the flow and gestalt of music also MIA. The 009 is better than the 800S, but, it lacks heft, it has all of the bits and pieces in place - highlighted even, but somehow the gestalt and ineffable qualities are down played. Some tube equipment has it, but, a lot of times that's harmonic distortion. The Maggie 20, 3.7i, and ML CLS IIz both have that sweep, but some of the super fine details are missing. Ribbons like the Apogee Duetta deliver more definition particularly in the treble over those. My favorite speaker is actually not a planar, it's go definitiotn near/at at the head of the class, but has the sweep too. Verifty Parsifal - $25k or so at a nearby retailer.

It's not that I don't respect the 009 and its vast powers to resolve, its that I'd be looking for "analog" or "tubey" equipment to inject what's missing as soon as I got it. I only heard the Voce for :15, but, it's not hyper detailed, is it detailed enough? Need time to know, but I wouldn't be changing equipment to make up for a perceived shortfall on day 1.

 

[PlussRep]

Dan Clark loves his dampening materials.
But after owning a 009 for a while I'm going to try the Voce, see if my impressions is it have changed. But the HE500 still holds a dear place in my heart, after modding even more. Made it more personal you know?

 

[bagwell359]

Dan Clark loves his dampening materials.
But after owning a 009 for a while I'm going to try the Voce, see if my impressions is it have changed. But the HE500 still holds a dear place in my heart, after modding even more. Made it more personal you know?

Yes even after being exposed to the HE-6, HEK v2, Voce, 800S, 009 (again), LCD-3, HEX v2, I'm still liking my 500's.

 

[bagwell359]

More for the screen modify/remove and damping club:

I tried putting stock screens and other screens I tried on, baaach! so much coloration in the mid-bass through low mids. But, no question some real bass went missing. Using dynamat or other substances has a notable effect on drying up resonances in the bass, but together yes some bass under 80 Hz took a powder. As a fan of well damped lucid bass over fat under damped bass, this does not bother me, but it doesn't make it right.

If one has or wants to use EQ, that would probably largely address it. The other way would seem to be the Fostex DIY crew deep delve into placement of damping material to help give more bass w/o coloring the sound.

 

[bagwell359]

If you need to tame sibilance, try a tad of EQ. The HE500's have a small peak around 9 kHz, is this what's bothering you? Otherwise it's on the recording.

I read a lot of old posts to learn. Pardon me for posting on this one, but, the high frequency issues of the HE-500 (my modded pair is my #2 can) is more than a small peak around 9kHz. They ring at a number of frequencies, and it takes a combination of fuzzor mod, pads, felt, and cables to tame them down, unless you propose to turn the treble from 5 KHz up down across the board with your EQ.

You can judge progress with this problem by taking the best treble producer you have access to (speakers or headphones), and listening to the decay time of cymbals. As long as HE-500's exceed the decay time of the target transducer you haven't done enough.

And no, its not on the recording - unless MoFi, Chesky, Mapleshade, Wilson, etc. are wrong.

 

[457139]

Been listening to the HE-500 w a blue dragon cable thru the ZX300 paired with an Asgard 2. This setup is quite glorious. Also changed the pads to the ZMF oval cowhides.

 

[bagwell359]

Been listening to the HE-500 w a blue dragon cable thru the ZX300 paired with an Asgard 2. This setup is quite glorious. Also changed the pads to the ZMF oval cowhides.

Those ZMF's look good/interesting. Were you using stock before? Any other mods on the 500 - besides the Dragons?

 

[457139]

Those ZMF's look good/interesting. Were you using stock before? Any other mods on the 500 - besides the Dragons?

Nope, no other mods. Was using stock pads before. Big upgrade going to the Ovals

 

[bagwell359]

I have the HEK V2's and compared to the HE-500's they are a completely different sounding headphone. The HEK V2's are holographic, they are really 3D like in their presentation, they are transparent and image like crazy. The spatial information the HEK V2's convey is ridiculous. The bass goes deep and is extended, the mids are very nice and the top end is crystal clear. They are really good all a rounders but could be considered soft sounding when compared to something dynamic like the Utopia. But at that price range I think it's just a matter of sound preference. I think the HEX V2's uses trickled down technology from the HEK's. So I would imagine they would sound somewhat similar.

With that said, the HE-500's are still worthy of owning. You just don't get this kind of performance from a mid level headphone any more. I can't think of one headphone that can top it in it's price range. Especially for what you can get them for today. I thought my DT-1990's were king of the mid-fi headphones until I got my HE-500's. I just enjoy their musical, balanced presentation.

Yeah, the HEK (V1 or V2) is in a completely different league and vastly superior to the HE-500. They are the very best headphones i ever heard. To say that the HEX-V2 is trickle down technology doesn't make them remotely close to the HEK in terms of performance. I heard both side by side on the same set up. Unfortunately i wasn't able to throw the HE-500 into the mix during that particular evaluation.
So the question remains; would the HEX-V2 be an upgrade over the HE-500...it seems no one heard them side by side on the same set up.
I know i prefer the HEK over the HE-500 and and also to the HEX-V2, however i can't triangulate to determine if the HEX-V2 is better than the HE-500.

HEX v2 with some mods vs HE-500 with more.

Hex's are cohesive, lack top end air, go low in the bass, but don't move lots of air. Lack a bit of definition in the mids and highs. Easy to listen to, makes everything easy on the air. Lack body, more headphone like than the the HE-500.

HE-500 don't go as deep in the bass, but move more air, more tactile; mids are liquid, have a good degree of body, creamy and real. Highs are expressive but not hard, cymbal decay still too long but mods cut it way down. Wider and deeper soundstage then the HEX v2, HEX a bit taller. HE-500's are a bit slower, HEX v2's faster and impose less personality, but toe tappin' is a lot less frequent.

My #1 and #2 cans.

 

[vlach]

HEX v2 with some mods vs HE-500 with more.

Hex's are cohesive, lack top end air, go low in the bass, but don't move lots of air. Lack a bit of definition in the mids and highs. Easy to listen to, makes everything easy on the air. Lack body, more headphone like than the the HE-500.

HE-500 don't go as deep in the bass, but move more air, more tactile; mids are liquid, have a good degree of body, creamy and real. Highs are expressive but not hard, cymbal decay still too long but mods cut it way down. Wider and deeper soundstage then the HEX v2, HEX a bit taller. HE-500's are a bit slower, HEX v2's faster and impose less personality, but toe tappin' is a lot less frequent.

My #1 and #2 cans.

Well said. I think the HE-500's main advantage is the double sided magnet structure which is probably responsible for the added body and thickness in sound. I also agree the mids have a liquidity to them.
It is a unique headphone, dare i say a classic?