[carlosgab]

I may sound crazy but I found out there is also a 4 screw and a 6 screw HE500. The pictures show the differences from a 2013 and a 2016 version. I cant and wont compare the sound cause I am here to enjoy these and not nitpick differences ✌

 

[Kukuk]

Upon further inspection I've found that the channel imbalance is indeed coming from the pads, as there is a rather significant difference in thickness.

That QC...

 

[leeperry]

4 screws HE500 ouhhh, go sell it for $2K lol

 

[jumpa]

funny, listening to 500 as I'm typing this but headband is ziptied+duct taped on one side coz pretty much all screws are stripped so I'm expecting another 500 in the coming days, busted one will become spare ^^

can't be hassled taking the HE6 journey as I'm not keen on running a hot 200W consumption speakers amp and can't really think of another upgrade so that'll do nicely as I can't imagine this honeymoon ever ending

down the road I'll install that brand new 4XX headband + alu trim rings so I can roll both dekoni velours and velpad's, but on a very rainy day I guess ^^

Can you show those all rings installed on your headphones please - I am thinking of buying them too

 

[descloud]

Upon further inspection I've found that the channel imbalance is indeed coming from the pads, as there is a rather significant difference in thickness.



That QC...

I thought one of the practices of owning the Hifiman classics is replacing the stock pad immediately. Both velour and leather pads that came with them were not great in comfort for me.

 

[Kukuk]

I thought one of the practices of owning the Hifiman classics is replacing the stock pad immediately. Both velour and leather pads that came with them were not great in comfort for me.

I'm a sucker for the stock velour pads; often times other pads I try drop the bass out a bit and bring the treble forward, which is especially undesirable on the HE-500 as I feel doing so kills what makes them so special.

Comfort, I find to be perfectly acceptable. Maybe not the absolute best out there, but I find the balance of sound and comfort to be ideal with the velours.

 

[SilverEars]

I'm a sucker for the stock velour pads; often times other pads I try drop the bass out a bit and bring the treble forward, which is especially undesirable on the HE-500 as I feel doing so kills what makes them so special.

Comfort, I find to be perfectly acceptable. Maybe not the absolute best out there, but I find the balance of sound and comfort to be ideal with the velours.

Try velpads, much more comfort with velour.

 

[Kukuk]

Try velpads, much more comfort with velour.

Those were actually the first ones I tried, and felt they were a vast step down in terms of sound quality. At this point I've basically settled on the "if it's ain't broke..." mindset with pads.

 

[vlach]

Those were actually the first ones I tried, and felt they were a vast step down in terms of sound quality. At this point I've basically settled on the "if it's ain't broke..." mindset with pads.

That's interesting because to me the difference in SQ between stock velour and velpads is like splitting hairs.
And since the velpads are significantly more comfortable i never looked back.

 

[SilverEars]

That's interesting because to me the difference in SQ between stock velour and velpads is like splitting hairs.
And since the velpads are significantly more comfortable i never looked back.

To me, there's more differences due to the lack of adherence to the face with the stock velour. Lack of being angled and being curved only adheres to the face in limited areas. It's like adhering a donut. There's gaps that's created by my jaw structure, and makes a significant enough difference to warrant Velpads over stock velour. Due to these differences, I'm pretty sure will show up on measurements.

The best pads are ones that accommodates the facial structure and seals off all areas, and retains the pad thickness. That's ideally what is desired.

This is why Hifiman's pads evolved over time. They used to be crappy donuts back in the classic days, and that's the main thing I don't miss. I think Audeze were the early adopters of proper angled pads. That's one thing Audeze figured out earlier than anybody. And that's one of the innovations audiophile industry has provided.

 

[leeperry]

That's one thing Audeze figured out earlier than anybody

Elegant tale but cd3k was already angled in the 90's, Audeze only figured out somewhat faster than everyone that they could charge $4K for orthos lol

Can you show those all rings installed on your headphones please - I am thinking of buying them too

Sure, once I'll get to it eventually as my procrastination list is pretty long and that's on the very bottom

 

[SilverEars]

Elegant tale but cd3k was already angled in the 90's, Audeze only figured out somewhat faster than everyone that they could charge $4K for orthos lol

I knew somebody was going to say otherwise (lol), but Audeze seemed like a good candidate. Didn't know angled pads go back that far (watch somebody point out there was angled pads back in 1879. lol).

 

[Kukuk]

To me, there's more differences due to the lack of adherence to the face with the stock velour. Lack of being angled and being curved only adheres to the face in limited areas. It's like adhering a donut. There's gaps that's created by my jaw structure, and makes a significant enough difference to warrant Velpads over stock velour. Due to these differences, I'm pretty sure will show up on measurements.

The best pads are ones that accommodates the facial structure and seals off all areas, and retains the pad thickness. That's ideally what is desired.

This is why Hifiman's pads evolved over time. They used to be crappy donuts back in the classic days, and that's the main thing I don't miss. I think Audeze were the early adopters of proper angled pads. That's one thing Audeze figured out earlier than anybody. And that's one of the innovations audiophile industry has provided.

Pretty sure I have a strange face shape, and that's why I find certain unconventional headphones comfortable and others not. The HD800, for example, is among the most uncomfortable headphones I've ever used, despite their light weight and low clamp force. Yet I have no problem with the HE-500's stock velours.

 

[Nimzerz]

I think the 500 is bi-polar. Unmodified, the bass Q is too high (meaning under damped) and it can run right to sloppy in recordings with drums and bass - esp fast passages like Bruford Yes and King Crimson - and using Wilson remasters. Until this is modded, they are really quite flawed.

Bass mods:

* dynamat on the back of the cans, around about 1/2 of the outside edges (I use 3 pieces that are cut in different sizes)
* rear screens off (used to use a more open screen, tossed them almost 2 years ago.
* get rid of stock silver plate junk, go to O2 free cooper, and XLR or balanced - whichever the 500's like better.

The mids are rich, mods do not really change that much.

But the highs can be pretty acidic - you have the major ringing around 9kHz, also rises 6k & 18k., and mild troughs as 4.5k and 12.4k. Put that straight and the highs are clean and musical, no longer edgy, bu more even handed with a slight bit of liquid magic..

Notes: I've now tested 14 different pads, and the Dan Clark Ether Angled are by far the best - esp in bringing out the soundstage width. The music is outside of your head, and does stretch out to 145 degrees wide in some cases (screens off critical to that).

Notes: Most critical mod is the "fuzzor". Better focus in mids/highs, quieter more focused images, better depth.

After getting the Ether Angled pads installed on my HE-500, I gotta agree with most of what you said. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a direct improvement over the Focuspads but it definitely has some advantages. Bass is more linear, textured, detailed, with what sounds like a quicker decay. The highs are quite a bit brighter, somewhat more prominent SSS sounds and things can at times sound more splashy if the mix is poor. The nice thing about the Focuspads is that they are very forgiving--they almost never sound harsh or bad with any music. The biggest gripe I have with the Ether Angled pads is things sound more distant overall, but particularly in the left/right directions. This includes all frequencies, probably the thicker pads, so soundstage is great but also is much less intimate. This combined with the less forward midrange makes things sound a lot thinner (in comparison). I'm still adjusting to the sound, so impressions might change as well. I should also state that I haven't done the blu-tak mod or fuzzor mods (fuzzor might influence the occasional harshness I hear, since the lack of any velour materials means there's more likely some reflections lingering around).

I almost forgot to mention, I'm almost positive these are still real leather. I think the other people claiming it isn't are looking at the Ether 2 pads, which are stated to be fake leather.

 

[bagwell359]

After getting the Ether Angled pads installed on my HE-500, I gotta agree with most of what you said. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a direct improvement over the Focuspads but it definitely has some advantages. Bass is more linear, textured, detailed, with what sounds like a quicker decay. The highs are quite a bit brighter, somewhat more prominent SSS sounds and things can at times sound more splashy if the mix is poor. The nice thing about the Focuspads is that they are very forgiving--they almost never sound harsh or bad with any music. The biggest gripe I have with the Ether Angled pads is things sound more distant overall, but particularly in the left/right directions. This includes all frequencies, probably the thicker pads, so soundstage is great but also is much less intimate. This combined with the less forward midrange makes things sound a lot thinner (in comparison). I'm still adjusting to the sound, so impressions might change as well. I should also state that I haven't done the blu-tak mod or fuzzor mods (fuzzor might influence the occasional harshness I hear, since the lack of any velour materials means there's more likely some reflections lingering around).

I almost forgot to mention, I'm almost positive these are still real leather. I think the other people claiming it isn't are looking at the Ether 2 pads, which are stated to be fake leather.

Yes it's true the highs get a bit steelier with the Ethers that was secondary to other things for me. Are your screens off - Ethers do better when they are gone. You are correct, fuzzor mod will cut that stuff down - is the #1 key mod of all mods for the 500 IMO. Helps develop more depth, cuts distortion, increases detail. It evolves the can from a slightly bass heavy slight hard treble that seems to belong to 2010, to something much different. and better.

I'm surprised at your reaction on the soundstage. I find it deep and very wide (not as awesome as the HD-800), but its the best of any HFM round form can I've heard (heard them all except HE-4, HE-5, HE-6 4 screw), its better than the Ananda and HEX v2, although the Arya and above, no can't match those. I find recordings that are well recorded such as Krall - when something happens that's supposed to be forward or even in your lap - there it is.

How much power do have at 40 ohms?