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

[bagwell359]

You still like the HE400 despite owning 500/6SE?

That's the one in the lineup I can't get along with - too sharp and piercing of a treble spike for me and kinda wonky sounding.

Yeah. lack bass under 70 Hz, too much mid bass, lacking detail/instrument sep, roller coaster treble. They also do not scale well unlike the 500/6. Now planars do have a fair amount of unit-to-unit variability, and it's well possible Dramlin has a good version. Dramlin is a serious listener so I won't discount that possibility. I can only speak about the 400/400i/4XX I have heard/owned.

 

[bagwell359]

Yes, I'm still using the HE-400 daily and I love it. It's not as refined or capable as the HE-500, but to me they are quite different. Almost like they are different lineages. The HE-500 is warm and vivid wheras the HE-400 is clear, almost lean, and more raw sounding in general. I use the HE-500's for games/tv/movies since the HE-500 is more accurate, and the 400's for music since they are more visceral.

When I first got the HE-400's they were wonky and sharp with their stock leather pads. I ended up trying all of the Hifiman pads to fix it. In the end I found the Palipads eliminated that wonkyness in my setup, and expanded the stage in a way that makes them great for music.

Ahh... pads.

 

[Dramlin]

.... and the thicker type Arctic grills, and specific cables. I forgot to mention those, but they are also critical in getting the right sound from the HE-400's. You are absolutely right though, it probably does come down to unit variation. If any aspect of the headphone or chain were to be just a little different then the entire sound would fall apart. The HE-500 & HE6se have a significantly more balanced sound from the start, so it's easier for those to sound 'correct' without having to get lucky with the right cables/pads/amp/etc...

 

[bagwell359]

Lo & behold you pretty much wrote half of the pages in this very thread so I guess it's time to consider switching boats huh, 6SEV2 it is then?

Real deal with 500 is extracting its drivers from that craptastic shell then you get to realize how uncomfy its nasty headband really is and how much SMC acts a major bottleneck, as it was designed to transport coax signals and never meant for analog audio anyhow.

Not to mention that with stock shell rolling earpads mostly boils down to polishing a turd IME.

Ahhh... Can't do it. They stay. I thought about selling my HEX v2's too, but nah...

 

[r343]

Me too on the 500! Stock velour is my favorite for them, never found anything I liked more.

Which version are you using? I think there are two Hifiman velour pads.
Thinner og which came with HE-6, HE-500

Newer that has some angle

 

[TWerk]

The first - thinner without angle, original donut.

 

[Hameem]

I can go a bit better, depending if that $200 is U.S. dollars.

I've had for just over a week as of me writing this, a totally stock HE-500 that i bought off the original owner for $200 Australian (about $140 US, roughly 120-130 Euros). Later edition as it came in the hard travel case not lockable box, 2 pairs of pads, silver cable.

And my humble Fiio K5Pro drives it quite well. Never go past 12 o'clock for volume, and depending on what I'm listening to, either medium or high gain.

Great addition to my Ultrasones (Pro 2900, Signature DXP) and HFM HE-5XX.

Source for all is just a Hiby R3 Pro Saber. I might learn to mess about with its MSEB settings a bit just for fun, as i found a youtube video which explains what frequencies the bands roughly sit within.

I've got some Artic Grills on their way, and the only other mods I'm interested in are the fuzzor mod, and in the future, pad rolling.

Oops nearly forgot!
To get over the poor headband weight distribution causing hotspots, I just got a memory foam padded headband cover that is the same length as the alleged padding on the headband, and the same diameter. $25 solution.
To do the Hybrid headband swap (if Hifiman would sell from their store to Australia...) would be easily AU$250-300.

Better update my flair I suppose, since these are definite keepers!

Which midbass punch harder? On he500 or dxp

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

Which midbass punch harder? On he500 or dxp

I like to think the DXP's have a 'correct' amount of bass. To me, they're very stereotypically German; no more than necessary, but having said that, it's just very good. The HE500's are just so creamy smooth, in line with their style.

Neither is better or worse than the other, just 2 flavours of good. And to my ears, I can listen to the DXP's for a few hours, then put the 500's on, listen to the same music, same DAP, and it's just as good.

The DXP is a bit tighter, but overall they complement each other very well.
If you know that Ultrasone Signature range, there was the DJ, DXP & Studio. The DXP takes the best bits of the DJ & Studio.

It can be a bit confusing as well to compare an open planar to a closed dynamic, and I still get confused referring to graphs as I don't tend to have sine waves in my playlist.

And as a final spanner in the works, I've paid rolled both of them. The DXP'S now wear Brainwavz Oval angled sheepskin pads, and the 500's have Brainwavz Round Hybrid (PU/Velour) pads mounted on a 3D printed adapter, so I can use any 100mm slip on pad.

So if you know anyone with a 3d printer, you can get adaptors for 100mm & 104mm (Brainwavz XL) oval pads printed. You just remove the original mounting ring on the cup, and screw the printed ones on.

 

[Hameem]

I like to think the DXP's have a 'correct' amount of bass. To me, they're very stereotypically German; no more than necessary, but having said that, it's just very good. The HE500's are just so creamy smooth, in line with their style.

Neither is better or worse than the other, just 2 flavours of good. And to my ears, I can listen to the DXP's for a few hours, then put the 500's on, listen to the same music, same DAP, and it's just as good.

The DXP is a bit tighter, but overall they complement each other very well.
If you know that Ultrasone Signature range, there was the DJ, DXP & Studio. The DXP takes the best bits of the DJ & Studio.

It can be a bit confusing as well to compare an open planar to a closed dynamic, and I still get confused referring to graphs as I don't tend to have sine waves in my playlist.

And as a final spanner in the works, I've paid rolled both of them. The DXP'S now wear Brainwavz Oval angled sheepskin pads, and the 500's have Brainwavz Round Hybrid (PU/Velour) pads mounted on a 3D printed adapter, so I can use any 100mm slip on pad.

So if you know anyone with a 3d printer, you can get adaptors for 100mm & 104mm (Brainwavz XL) oval pads printed. You just remove the original mounting ring on the cup, and screw the printed ones on.

I'm not looking for correct bass, I'm looking for punchy drums songs that I can't get on any headphones, they said dxp are punchy in the low region meaning you don't have to eq the sound to make drums drums out.


You heard the signature x? And which headphones are the most punchy in your opinion sir.

Planar aren't necessarily good performer, my last pair where not punchy so i dodge them

 

[TWerk]

It's fairly comparable bass amount between Ultrasone and HE-500 bass. It going to be hard to answer, both satisfying bass kick. I would say 500 remains slightly cleaner and distinct and resolving in separating bass frequency out from the rest and extension to sub of the track while Ultrasone a little more mid and upper bass kick so maybe just go for Ultrasone. It's a hard question to answer because Hifiman presents a "wall" of sound so the sound itself is kinda just "bigger" than the way Ultrasone closed back presents. Soundstage on Hifiman is more expansive. Because the Hifiman does a huge planar wall of sound, I think although the bass may not punch as hard as the Ultrasone, it gives a similar effect where the Ultrasone is more in your head sound. Ultrasone is interesting though because of s-logic.

I think you would have a hard time answering your own question if you had them side by side as I do but I would overall say Ultrasone for you, plus finding a 500 isn't easy to do either.

 

[Hameem]

It's fairly comparable bass amount between Ultrasone and HE-500 bass. It going to be hard to answer, both satisfying bass kick. I would say 500 remains slightly cleaner and distinct and resolving in separating bass frequency out from the rest and extension to sub of the track while Ultrasone a little more mid and upper bass kick so maybe just go for Ultrasone. It's a hard question to answer because Hifiman presents a "wall" of sound so the sound itself is kinda just "bigger" than the way Ultrasone closed back presents. Soundstage on Hifiman is more expansive.

Ok good, but see, I don't get how the signature x is not part of the talk, ultrasone say they are bass headphones, everyone else says they got more bass than all the other headphons, it's what I'm trying to decide... how to choose between dxp and the x if I want the most punchy one that makes drums hit hard.

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

Well I don't know what planars you had, but if they weren't run through an amp, you won't get the best out of them. But the DXP's don't need an amp. If you can listen before you buy, that's the best advice I can give. What appeals to your ears might not to mine.

But I think there would be few people on here that prefer quality of bass over quantity, and maybe just as many the opposite. For starters, what headphones do you have now?
What is your playback device?
What format is you music in? MP3s, FLAC, DSD?

 

[Hameem]

Well I don't know what planars you had, but if they weren't run through an amp, you won't get the best out of them. But the DXP's don't need an amp. If you can listen before you buy, that's the best advice I can give. What appeals to your ears might not to mine.

But I think there would be few people on here that prefer quality of bass over quantity, and maybe just as many the opposite. For starters, what headphones do you have now?
What is your playback device?
What format is you music in? MP3s, FLAC, DSD?

I have 480i, dan clark aorn flow. I had dj1, I'm interested in signature x and dxp

 

[TWerk]

Ok good, but see, I don't get how the signature x is not part of the talk, ultrasone say they are bass headphones, everyone else says they got more bass than all the other headphons, it's what I'm trying to decide... how to choose between dxp and the x if I want the most punchy one that makes drums hit hard.

Buy them both? The X has free returns. Compare them yourself and see which you like better. Find the DXP used or something and resell if you like the x more.

I've literally bought and resold headphones for years to figure out what I like the most. Asking random people on the internet isn't going to do much for you really. Mostly no one has heard both DXP and signature X since it's a small group of people who have owned either.

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

It's fairly comparable bass amount between Ultrasone and HE-500 bass. It going to be hard to answer, both satisfying bass kick. I would say 500 remains slightly cleaner and distinct and resolving in separating bass frequency out from the rest and extension to sub of the track while Ultrasone a little more mid and upper bass kick so maybe just go for Ultrasone. It's a hard question to answer because Hifiman presents a "wall" of sound so the sound itself is kinda just "bigger" than the way Ultrasone closed back presents. Soundstage on Hifiman is more expansive. Because the Hifiman does a huge planar wall of sound, I think although the bass may not punch as hard as the Ultrasone, it gives a similar effect where the Ultrasone is more in your head sound. Ultrasone is interesting though because of s-logic.

I think you would have a hard time answering your own question if you had them side by side as I do but I would overall say Ultrasone for you, plus finding a 500 isn't easy to do either.

I can't think of any way to agree with you more! I still can't believe how lucky I was finding my 500's for $200 Australian. Totally stock. Later one with the travel case rather than the lockable box.