[ninjames]

I really want to get the HE-500. But my amp is the Little Dot MKIII ... I do prefer tube amps .. will the MKIII drive these effectively? Properly? Full potential? If not, what's a good tube amp I could use with it ... preferably on the cheap side. Can recommend some non-tube amps as well, but they can't be too expensive. Ideally, if I have to get rid of the MKIII, I'd be able to sell it and only need to put a little more into what I get to buy a better one.

 

[Llloyd]

Quote:

I really want to get the HE-500. But my amp is the Little Dot MKIII ... I do prefer tube amps .. will the MKIII drive these effectively? Properly? Full potential? If not, what's a good tube amp I could use with it ... preferably on the cheap side. Can recommend some non-tube amps as well, but they can't be too expensive. Ideally, if I have to get rid of the MKIII, I'd be able to sell it and only need to put a little more into what I get to buy a better one.

 
effectively yes, to its full potential you need a very revealing DAC and amplifier, and to this extent you can go very high.  I had a LD mk2 and i really liked it with the he-500.  I didn't find it to be especially revealing with my gear at that time, but it's still a great sound that is easy to enjoy.  I think most people would be happy with a low/mid range dac and a little dot amplifier and the he-500.  Some people dont prefer that sound, but i think it's pretty enjoyable.

 

[Crispy808]

How are these headphones with regard to long term listening?  I have SR80s now, and despite their great sound quality, they hurt my ears. Comfort wise, I don't like how they lay directly on my ears.  And the highs can be piercing at times.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

How are these headphones with regard to long term listening?  I have SR80s now, and despite their great sound quality, they hurt my ears. Comfort wise, I don't like how they lay directly on my ears.  And the highs can be piercing at times.

 
The sound isn't fatiguing with the HE-500, especially with the pleather pads. I mostly listen out of a CD player so I go about 60-70 mins through an album and then just take off the phones and shake off my neck and get back to it (typically 2-3 min rest, walk around). I try to do this with all my headphone to keep it easy on my ears and neck. Although many times I've gone for long hours with no problem. After making the switch back to pleather recently, I can listen to the HE-500 a lot longer now. 

 

[nc8000]

Comfort is so individual that it is almost impossible to advise, you have to try (many find Grado perfectly comfortable). HE-500 is heavy so to some that will be an issue. And for some (like me) the stock cushions are too shallow

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

I really want to get the HE-500. But my amp is the Little Dot MKIII ... I do prefer tube amps .. will the MKIII drive these effectively? Properly? Full potential? If not, what's a good tube amp I could use with it ... preferably on the cheap side. Can recommend some non-tube amps as well, but they can't be too expensive. Ideally, if I have to get rid of the MKIII, I'd be able to sell it and only need to put a little more into what I get to buy a better one.

well depends...i checked a couple tube amps for my he500..being the woo audio wa6, the darkvoice 3322, the shiit lyr(hybrid!) and the 337...and if u check my pics u will see which one sounded best to my ears... the he500 is very picky in tube amps..it needs lots of power (not as much of his bigger sibblin..but still)..in my ears only the darkvoice 337 sounded excellent with the he500..but i think it also had to do with the tubes that are in it...and its strong..1 rms per mono canal (its completely dual mono!) the lyr sounded good..only a bit muddy compared to the 337...bass was stronger though! and of u tube-roll the lyr u maybe will get that muddy sound gone..but for me..the 337..and its comparative payable.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

 
The sound isn't fatiguing with the HE-500, especially with the pleather pads. I mostly listen out of a CD player so I go about 60-70 mins through an album and then just take off the phones and shake off my neck and get back to it (typically 2-3 min rest, walk around). I try to do this with all my headphone to keep it easy on my ears and neck. Although many times I've gone for long hours with no problem. After making the switch back to pleather recently, I can listen to the HE-500 a lot longer now. 

i did the over headphone comfortband thingie..brilliant! its as if half of the weight of the he500 got lost! and this mod is cheap! best effective and cheapest mod i did in years!

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

i did the over headphone comfortband thingie..brilliant! its as if half of the weight of the he500 got lost! and this mod is cheap! best effective and cheapest mod i did in years!

 
Agreed, also the headband makes the clamping force a bit less.

 

[Crispy808]

Thanks for the feedback.  Does anyone have issues with the connectors and how they protrude from the cups?  They look quite unwieldy.  It doesn't look like you could listen lying down.
 

 

[BobJS]

Quote:

How are these headphones with regard to long term listening?  I have SR80s now, and despite their great sound quality, they hurt my ears. Comfort wise, I don't like how they lay directly on my ears.  And the highs can be piercing at times.

 
As has been pointed out, this can vary from individual to individual, but I had mine on all day yesterday --- no listening or physical fatigue ---- they fit me perfectly --- though my wife says she finds the weight uncomfortable, though admittedly we didn't readjust the fit from my head to hers.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Thanks for the feedback.  Does anyone have issues with the connectors and how they protrude from the cups?  They look quite unwieldy.  It doesn't look like you could listen lying down.

 

Actually that is possible..i do that all the time on my comfy couch..BUT..i need to use two pillows..so i stay a bit more upright..and i put the headband more back on my head then i normaly would..so the connectors are more horizontal. But biggest difficulty while listening laid down is how big the cups are....when laying down the he500's are pushed upwards by the pillows from ur face and puts pressure to the backside of ur ears..because they are so big..but when ur customed to that..then u can enjoy them..

 

[Llloyd]

Quote:

Comfort is so individual that it is almost impossible to advise, you have to try (many find Grado perfectly comfortable). HE-500 is heavy so to some that will be an issue. And for some (like me) the stock cushions are too shallow

 
even so the weight is not an issue for me but the stock cushions were.  i wear my he-500 for 8-12 hours in a day sometimes for gaming and music and it's no problem

 

[Acapella11]

Quote:

I really want to get the HE-500. But my amp is the Little Dot MKIII ... I do prefer tube amps .. will the MKIII drive these effectively? Properly? Full potential? If not, what's a good tube amp I could use with it ... preferably on the cheap side. Can recommend some non-tube amps as well, but they can't be too expensive. Ideally, if I have to get rid of the MKIII, I'd be able to sell it and only need to put a little more into what I get to buy a better one.

Hi Ninjames, The LD MKIII is not an adequate amp for the Hifiman HE-500. Reason being mainly that is too low powered (100 mW at 32 ohm).
Saying that, I am running the HE-500 on it . I found the CV4015 tube works pretty well and I think it combines best with 6N6P-IR (max dynamics whilst good stage size). I think it sounds surprisingly good. Nevertheless, it may be a better option to invest straight into a new amp.
Ignoring full tube amps, the best price/value offers seem to be from Schiit. A similar price range to LD MKIII would be the Aasgard solid state amp (some details here: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/schiit/5.html), better suited seems the Schiit Lyr (some info: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/schiit/9.html), which is more or less double the price. However, it is a tube/SS-hybrid amp and you can use your LD driver tubes with it. The HE-500/Lyr combination is widely recommended on Head-fi. In order to max it, you could pay a little fortune. Recently, I read that the Cavalli Liquid Gold is amazing for the HE-500, which is $3750... Generally, above Lyr, there seems to be no general consent about the go-to amp, Choices are Violectric V200, suitable Audio-GD amps, Schiit Mjolnir, Darkvoice 337 etc. Another option is to use the speaker output of a small and good speaker amp such as the Emotiva mini-X a-100. This requires re-termination of the headphone cable to fit the speaker taps or recabling.
I have heard HE-500/Mjolnir and it sounds very impressive and better that the Lyr (IMO) but form factor and only balanced out are not ideal for me. I have found the Auditor, which is not very powerful (~4 x LD MKIII) but seems to match the HE-500 and my preferred sound signature well (neutral, non-fatiguing, detailed, wide stage, good bass).
To address exactly your question, I could not recommend a tube amp in a price bracket just above the LD MKIII. If you look out for it, make sure the output impedance is sufficiently low (ideally 5 ohm max) and consider a hybrid amp =).
 
Very best
 
PS: Anyone heard the HE-500 on the Woo Audio WA-6 (SE)?

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

Hi Ninjames, The LD MKIII is not an adequate amp for the Hifiman HE-500. Reason being mainly that is too low powered (100 mW at 32 ohm).
Saying that, I am running the HE-500 on it . I found the CV4015 tube works pretty well and I think it combines best with 6N6P-IR (max dynamics whilst good stage size). I think it sounds surprisingly good. Nevertheless, it may be a better option to invest straight into a new amp.
Ignoring full tube amps, the cheapest offers seem to be from Schiit. A similar price range to LD MKIII would be the Aasgard solid state amp (some details here: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/schiit/5.html), better suited seems the Schiit Lyr (some info: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/schiit/9.html), which is more or less double the price. However, it is a tube/SS-hybrid amp and you can use your LD driver tubes with it. The HE-500/Lyr combination is widely recommended on Head-fi. In order to max it, you could pay a little fortune. Recently, I read that the Cavalli Liquid Gold is amazing for the HE-500, which is $3750... Generally, above Lyr, there seems to be no general consent about the go-to amp, Choices are Violectric V200, suitable Audio-GD amps, Schiit Mjolnir, Darkvoice 337 (which is actually similar priced to the powerful LD MK VI+) etc.
I have heard HE-500/Mjolnir and it sounds very impressive and better that the Lyr (IMO) but form factor and only balanced out are not ideal for me. I have found the Auditor, which is not very powerful (~4 x LD MKIII) but seems to match the HE-500 and my preferred sound signature well (neutral, non-fatiguing, detailed, wide stage, good bass).
To address exactly your question, I could not recommend a tube amp in a price bracket just above the LD MKIII. If you look out for it, make sure the output impedance is sufficiently low (ideally 5 ohm max) and consider a hybrid amp =).
 
Very best

+1 on the darkvoice 337...i have this amp and i love how it pairs with my he500...and for the price its a steal. just give it a try...

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

 
even so the weight is not an issue for me but the stock cushions were.  i wear my he-500 for 8-12 hours in a day sometimes for gaming and music and it's no problem

If I wore phones for that long I would be using mainly my Grado GS1000i's. (I recently re-aquired these [not exactly, I used to have the non-i version] and I like them a great deal, up there with my other favorites.)
They are the MOST comfortable and best weighted (very light) phones for me.