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

[bagwell359]

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?

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?

I can't see not having a pair. I have to find a real clean pair for back-up. The only other similar can is the HE-6. VS the HE-500: The bass impact is better, and the detail from the middle of the mids up is better, but I think the instrument image size is smaller, I don't think mids are quite as good, and of course you need a small power station to drive them.

I know inside of 18 months I'll have one or two TOTL headphones in hand, but the HE-500 is going to have a home still.

 

[vlach]

I can't see not having a pair. I have to find a real clean pair for back-up. The only other similar can is the HE-6. VS the HE-500: The bass impact is better, and the detail from the middle of the mids up is better, but I think the instrument image size is smaller, I don't think mids are quite as good, and of course you need a small power station to drive them.

I know inside of 18 months I'll have one or two TOTL headphones in hand, but the HE-500 is going to have a home still.

It's a keeper that's for sure.

 

[457139]

I had the Edition X V1, and I found it to have less detail in the mids and highs, and less overall speed than the HE-500. It did have deeper bass however. I think the HE-500 layers the sounds better as well. You get everything all at once, even in complex tracks and each instrument is there in its own well defined space with great attack and decay. This is the second time I’ve owned the HE-500, and it will never leave my possession again

 

[bagwell359]

I had the Edition X V1, and I found it to have less detail in the mids and highs, and less overall speed than the HE-500. It did have deeper bass however. I think the HE-500 layers the sounds better as well. You get everything all at once, even in complex tracks and each instrument is there in its own well defined space with great attack and decay. This is the second time I’ve owned the HE-500, and it will never leave my possession again

Never heard the HEX v1, but I'd say from middle of male voices down that the HE-500 is slower and chestier than the v2. Mods to the HE-500 cuts that to a fraction, but even so it's slower. But everything else (except the Kodachrome cymbals w/o mods) - I.E. last about 2x longer than say a Voce, or a Raal ribbon speaker due to the ringing in the highs. Outside of those two fairly small nits they are ridiculously good, nay great.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Comparing the HE-500, HE560, and Fostex TH-900

Several years ago, I purchased the HiFiMAN HE-500 and loved it. However, upgraditis got to me, I sold it, and pooled its funds with some others to get something better (I forget just what).

Last year, despite the fact that I have the high-end HE-1000, I still missed the HE-500. I tried to find one but could not. I recalled the excitement that accompanied the release of the HiFiMAN HE560, and I found a pair of those, which were the Version 3 (gray, not wood grain cups, with a flash of orange, from Adorama… the version with the longer, corrected, more durable headband).

I just saw another chance to get the HE-500, so I got it, with the idea of comparing it to the HE-560 and keeping the better one.

I often compare trios of headphones, ranking each as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place on each of 10 acoustic features (transparency, sound stage, etc.). Details are here. I chose my Fostex TH-900 as the third pair, it being an orthodynamic headphone, though with a semi closed, rather than open, geometry.

Here are the headphones:


Headphones compared (from top): HiFiMAN HE500, HiFiMAN HE560 v.3, Fostex TH-900.

In the table below, the results of comparing each headphone on each of 10 acoustic features is given. For each line (feature), a best headphone (1st prize, blue, 3 points), next best (2nd, red), and third (yellow, 1 point) are shown. Ties, which I use liberally to be sure that any differences I hear are robust and reliable, are shown as orange (tie of two headphones for last place, 1.5 points), red (all three tied, 2 points each), or purple (tie of two for first place, 2.5 points).

As shown, the HE-500 won more higher rankings than the HE-560v3 (the TOTAL score at the bottom is higher), excelling in sound stage and features related to treble detail. The Fostex-TH900 scored even a bit higher than the HE-500, providing the strongest subbass.

 

[SilverEars]

TH-900 is biocellulose dynamic, not planar.

 

[bagwell359]

Never heard the 900, although I know some of the step children (which I don't like including the X00 Mahogany which I owned for over a year). I don't think the 560 v1 or v2 surpasses the 500 in any factor except quick bass - although I don't know the v3. Thanks for the careful review.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

TH-900 is biocellulose dynamic, not planar.

Corrected... thanks!

 

[457139]

Slapped the Ether Angled pads on my 500s. Combined w the blue dragon cable this headphone is now perf.

 

[maul]

-

 

[SilverEars]

Have you ever tried them with the Audeze vegans? I wish they still made those, because they are still the ultimate pad for 500s imo - I haven't had the desire to buy another hp since.

Those are exactly the type of pads Dekoni should be producing.

 

[GREQ]

In a pinch, these pads also sound excellent on HE-500
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32877135026.html
They're slightly too big, but the mounting ring/lip is also oversized, and it does fit with a little wiggle room.
Also because they're over-sized, comfort improves radically over stock pads and some others I've tried.

 

[bagwell359]

According to the most Sr here the Ether Angled are best overall for HE500. Widest soundstage, deepest soundstage, flattest treble, fairly flat bass, and least warm smudgy sound (arrival time of lows/mids/highs and overtones in best time sync). These pads won't max until rear screen is off/minimized

 

[jaker782]

According to the most Sr here the Ether Angled are best overall for HE500. Widest soundstage, deepest soundstage, flattest treble, fairly flat bass, and least warm smudgy sound (arrival time of lows/mids/highs and overtones in best time sync). These pads won't max until rear screen is off/minimized

Well, I've recently reaquired an HE-500 modded with an HE-400i headband which completely fixed the comfort issue that lead me to sell my previous pair. I just added the fuzzor mod, grill mod, and currently have Dekoni hybrid pads installed.



Is it really worth swapping the Dekoni pads for the Ether angled? Or perhaps I can get by on the cheap with those similar looking Aliexpress pads? @GREQ

 

[Fegefeuer]

If you want the GREQ pads (which I do too) wait over day to claim them for a better price as deals are incoming.