[DivineCurrent]

How often do these come up for sale?
I had a pair back in 2013 and regret selling them haha

Every once in a while, but yeah not very often. They get sold very quickly and the HE-6 even more so recently. You can search Hifishark to find listings from many sites including Head-fi, but it also lists ones that are sold already: https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=hifiman+he-500.

I did this Audeze headband mod a few weeks back. It took some time to find the right size screws, washers, and spacers, but the Audeze yokes fit perfectly now.
Next order of business is to build a better cable than what came with them.
I'm using them with Hifiman Velpads, replaced the grill dust cover (with organza fabric) and with EQ, they are right up there with my Focal Clear MG Pro. Even better in many ways actually.

 

[omniweltall]

Very rare. Luckily mine is in really great condition and working as good as ever.

 

[leeperry]

I'm using them with Hifiman Velpads, replaced the grill dust cover (with organza fabric) and with EQ, they are right up there with my Focal Clear MG Pro. Even better in many ways actually.

HE500 wipes the floor with any 40mm FOCAL you mean

 

[DivineCurrent]

HE500 wipes the floor with any 40mm FOCAL you mean

Not necessarily. The Focals do a better job with midrange and vocals, and they got a unique imaging as if there were speakers in front of you. It is a very precise and dynamic sound, but it does have smaller imaging/stage than the HE500. The HE500 vocals do not sound as realistic to me, but they have an awesome sense of space. HE500 definitely has better bass too, and the treble is better extended. Both are great headphones with different strengths and weaknesses.
But I probably would prefer the HE500 over the Focal Utopia, even though I have never heard them. From what I've heard from reviewers, they lack bass fullness and body.

 

[sennfan83261]

Not necessarily. The Focals do a better job with midrange and vocals, and they got a unique imaging as if there were speakers in front of you.

I auditioned the Clear Mg's for over a week (my review), and, on my setup, the vocals on them can sound extremely distant from the rest of the instruments on the mix. On "History," from The Verve, Richard Ashcroft sounded like he was singing in a separate room from the band. The song, as a whole, sounded more realistic on my other cans (HD6x0's, HD580's, LCD-2, HE-6, Arya, HE-500, etc.). While the Clear Mg's mids are lovely, they sometimes call attention to themselves in a manner that I find distracting.

 

[leeperry]

2 years ago I auditioned Utopia and most of their cheaper offerings at a local store, it'll take more than uncomfy 40mm drivers to impress me. Even their main salesman told me clearly that Utopia is a total joke for 4K, to me they all sound like $10 cheapies, LCD2 was a huge improvement when I was there but mega bulky, super uncomfy and not quite HE500-magical sounding to my ears.

 

[omniweltall]

Well, audio can be totally subjective. Utopia is in a whole different league than HE-500. They are much more picky on upstream gears, and very different sounding altogether. The only reason I don't have it is cause I can't afford it.

 

[descloud]

I auditioned the Clear Mg's for over a week (my review), and, on my setup, the vocals on them can sound extremely distant from the rest of the instruments on the mix. On "History," from The Verve, Richard Ashcroft sounded like he was singing in a separate room from the band. The song, as a whole, sounded more realistic on my other cans (HD6x0's, HD580's, LCD-2, HE-6, Arya, HE-500, etc.). While the Clear Mg's mids are lovely, they sometimes call attention to themselves in a manner that I find distracting.

Did you post your review on the Audio Review pages? I think your write-up would be a nice read on the Head Gears Review section

Seems the Clear MG has quite a noticeable tuning difference from the OG as when I had the OG, I found that they had a very similar tuning to my HE-500 with stock pads at the time. I only was able to determine the noticeable differences after extended listening. One of the main gripes I had with the Clear was the edgy treble that triggered my treble sensitivities for modern tracks I listen to.

The Clear had that good speaker like tuning, but not exactly "realistic" for me. The HE-500 has this particular texture with female vocals and the higher pitched male vocals that makes them more realistic sounding, but it only shows on certain mastered tracks (cause not all tracks are mixed and mastered equally).

 

[Nimzerz]

2 years ago I auditioned Utopia and most of their cheaper offerings at a local store, it'll take more than uncomfy 40mm drivers to impress me. Even their main salesman told me clearly that Utopia is a total joke for 4K, to me they all sound like $10 cheapies, LCD2 was a huge improvement when I was there but mega bulky, super uncomfy and not quite HE500-magical sounding to my ears.

I had a similar experience, actually, but as @omniweltall said, I think it could have to do with the source equipment they had. It's really hard to say. Not to mention the fact that I had only a very short few minute listen, initial impressions aren't very reliable.

 

[bagwell359]

Not necessarily. The Focals do a better job with midrange and vocals, and they got a unique imaging as if there were speakers in front of you. It is a very precise and dynamic sound, but it does have smaller imaging/stage than the HE500. The HE500 vocals do not sound as realistic to me, but they have an awesome sense of space. HE500 definitely has better bass too, and the treble is better extended. Both are great headphones with different strengths and weaknesses.
But I probably would prefer the HE500 over the Focal Utopia, even though I have never heard them. From what I've heard from reviewers, they lack bass fullness and body.

You need to break down your comparisons. Utopia has such a wicked 5k bulge that I can't worry about the mids. The Clear is like the HD-600. It's no match for the 500, except its treble is cleaner in some areas.

500's with mrspeakers angled lambskin and no rear screen crush the Clears in terms of stage width and speaker like size and presentation,

 

[bagwell359]

I'm debating trading my HE-5 on. They're neat, but too flawed to be seriously used in their stock form. I feel like they'd be a prime candidate for modding.

Wonder if I could get an LCD-2 Aluminum. I kinda want that headphone just because it looks cool. Hah.

the 5 have some great presence, but they ring too much. there are lots of mods for the 500. Mine are such a pair. They are a hair behind the HE6se v2 and the Arya technically but I spend more time with the 500, than those.

 

[bagwell359]

The HE-500 is a tough act to follow! The only headphone I thought was a general upgrade to them was the Abyss AB-1266, but even that headphone wasn't perfect.

I'd be curious to see how the LCD-4 compares, though.

LCD-4 are excellent, but overpriced - buy used. none of the other lcd's really make it IMO.

 

[trellus]

Wonder if I could get an LCD-2 Aluminum. I kinda want that headphone just because it looks cool. Hah.

+1 on that one

On topic for this thread, I do miss my HE-500 -- but hoping my new HE-6se v2 will help me forget that for a while until a used HE-500 shows up for sale at a can't-pass-it-up price.

 

[maul]

Any current developments for the ultimate HE-500 pad replacement? My Audeze vegans are in terrible shape and I've been using the Ether C's for awhile.

 

[Nimzerz]

I would say I'm absolutely satisfied with the Ether Angled pads that bagwell359 has suggested so many times. I couldn't imagine a better set of pads for these headphones.