[h4mm3r 0f th0r]

Quote:

Ok so i just pulled the trigger on the he-500. TTVJ is having a sale and ive wanted them for a long time...

Here is my dilemma; this is my very first set of high end cans so im starting from scratch. i will be using my ps3 as source while my pc is being fixed so i need a dac with optical and usb input. i have $450 to spend on dac and amp and im not sure what to do.

Here are my options...

*Spend it all on an amp and get dac later.(have to wait at least 2 months).

*Get a dac/amp combo for now and upgrade amp later. (i was told ADG NFB 5.32 or NFB 11.32 have very good dac's for their price but amp is lacking) which one of these are better?

*Buy Audioengine d1($169 and i heard isnt even worth that) and buy amp with remaining $280.

I am leaning toward dac/amp combo for now but id like one with a good dac for future use with better amp. Which is the better option; nfb-5.32 ($430) or nfb-11.32 ($350)? OR is there a better option? Im really new to all this and need some advice... Cheers!

i am using audio gd 11.32 with he500 and i really like it as the dac is very detail oriented and the amp gives around 2.6W into the headphones so i think that is good too..

 

[kiikasi]

I have the HE-500 and I just got the Beyerdynamic T70. I really love my HE-500s, but the Beyerdynamics have been getting the most play-time due to their closed-nature, the ease of use (They sound incredible right out of my phone with no amp), and the clearer treble/vocals. The HE-500 has truly liquid vocals, but the Beyerdynamic edges it out slightly. It has the treble/midrange-meat that I enjoy most in headphones and is much more comfortable than the HE-500.
 
You would expect the T70 to have a smaller soundstage than the open-backed HE-500, but the fact that the HE-500s are Orthos, the soundstages are comparable. In fact, I would say the T70 has more space and transparency. I have a lot of those moments where I think the noise is coming from outside my headphones and it startles me.
 
Mad love for both! Gotta love your gear, eh?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I have the HE-500 and I just got the Beyerdynamic T70. I really love my HE-500s, but the Beyerdynamics have been getting the most play-time due to their closed-nature, the ease of use (They sound incredible right out of my phone with no amp), and the clearer treble/vocals. The HE-500 has truly liquid vocals, but the Beyerdynamic edges it out slightly. It has the treble/midrange-meat that I enjoy most in headphones and is much more comfortable than the HE-500.
 
You would expect the T70 to have a smaller soundstage than the open-backed HE-500, but the fact that the HE-500s are Orthos, the soundstages are comparable. In fact, I would say the T70 has more space and transparency. I have a lot of those moments where I think the noise is coming from outside my headphones and it startles me.
 
Mad love for both! Gotta love your gear, eh?

HE500s are good in that they are very effortless, and in a way, almost unassuming. As such it actually lacks the clarity of headphones that have different colourations (e.g. HE400's perceived clarity is miles ahead of HE500, but it is actually less transparent). It really comes down to what one's ear appreciates more.

 

[jono454]

Can anyone comment on whether this cable would pair nicely with the HE-500s?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HiFiMan-HE6-HE500-HE5-LE-HE4-HE300-6ft-Cryo-OCC-Stranded-Pure-Copper-Cable-/110947624754?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item19d4fe6732
 
I do find the HE-500s to be a little bit on the brighter side sometimes so I figured a copper cable might tame that.

 

[i019791]

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Can anyone comment on whether this cable would pair nicely with the HE-500s?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HiFiMan-HE6-HE500-HE5-LE-HE4-HE300-6ft-Cryo-OCC-Stranded-Pure-Copper-Cable-/110947624754?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item19d4fe6732
 
I do find the HE-500s to be a little bit on the brighter side sometimes so I figured a copper cable might tame that.

I I have this cable and it pairs nicely with HE500. It is much better build than the default silver coated HE500 cable.
Do not expect it to tame the HE500 brightness. Instead go for equalizing or for warmer upstream gear.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

I have the HE-500 and I just got the Beyerdynamic T70. I really love my HE-500s, but the Beyerdynamics have been getting the most play-time due to their closed-nature, the ease of use (They sound incredible right out of my phone with no amp), and the clearer treble/vocals. The HE-500 has truly liquid vocals, but the Beyerdynamic edges it out slightly. It has the treble/midrange-meat that I enjoy most in headphones and is much more comfortable than the HE-500.
 
You would expect the T70 to have a smaller soundstage than the open-backed HE-500, but the fact that the HE-500s are Orthos, the soundstages are comparable. In fact, I would say the T70 has more space and transparency. I have a lot of those moments where I think the noise is coming from outside my headphones and it startles me.
 
Mad love for both! Gotta love your gear, eh?

 
 
I once owned the T70s like them for a while.  They was just to bright for me.  Too much air, very thin sounding compared to all my other headphones.  No weight or bass presence.  
 
Sold them. I don't miss them at all..

 

[ForsakenArcher]

Is HE500 really bright? I come from denons and I never felt HE500 to be bright. Or dont tell me my ears have serious high frequency roll off.

 

[VortexBlast]

Quote:

Is HE500 really bright? I come from denons and I never felt HE500 to be bright. Or dont tell me my ears have serious high frequency roll off.

 
I too don't find the HE500 bright. Sure, they're a touch on the bright side if you compared them to an LCD-2 but they're not Beyerdynamic level of bright. It's just nice treble that is pleasant on the ear.

 

[Frank I]

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I once owned the T70s like them for a while.  They was just to bright for me.  Too much air, very thin sounding compared to all my other headphones.  No weight or bass presence.  
 
Sold them. I don't miss them at all..

T70 was a huge failure IMO and the 770 600 ohm and als the other 770 were better headphones. i found the t70 dull and not very musical the he500 stomps them in every way.   I think Beyer is going in the wrong direction as a company with there T70 annd T90.

 

[Frank I]

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Is HE500 really bright? I come from denons and I never felt HE500 to be bright. Or dont tell me my ears have serious high frequency roll off.

The he500 is not a bright headphone IMO. I think they are more toward a warm sound not as warm as the lCD2 but  certainly not what I consider bright.

 

[i019791]

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The he500 is not a bright headphone IMO. I think they are more toward a warm sound not as warm as the lCD2 but  certainly not what I consider bright.

Bright relative to what ?
Coming from Sennheiser HD-650, they were bright to my ears. I find them a little brighter from Akg-K701also

 

[ForsakenArcher]

Likewise, relative to denons, HE500 is not bright to my ears. But they don't sound warm to my ears as well. Which is why I chose them. If they were as warm as HD650, which I've tried before, I wouldn't keep them. YMMV.
 

 

[Frank I]

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Bright relative to what ?
Coming from Sennheiser HD-650, they were bright to my ears. I find them a little brighter from Akg-K701also The T1 can be bright. They are not as warm as the 650 but overall a much better headphone iMO than the hd650 but its not for everyone perhaps you might like the lcd2.2 better. 

I found the akg too bright and never thought the he500 was considered bright and from ti,me to time the T1 las can be bright. I found the HE500 to be warmer than the AKG and HD650 but everyone has different taste. The he500 IMO is a better headphone than the hd650 and you may prefer the lcs2.2 which never sou nd sbright and is more on a maggie planar type of sound,

 

[i019791]

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I found the akg too bright and never thought the he500 was considered bright and from ti,me to time the T1 las can be bright. I found the HE500 to be warmer than the AKG and HD650 but everyone has different taste. The he500 IMO is a better headphone than the hd650 and you may prefer the lcs2.2 which never sou nd sbright and is more on a maggie planar type of sound,

I also found the HE500 better than the HD650 overall. As to which of the 2 is warmer, we can agree to disagree

 

[preproman]

Quote:

I found the akg too bright and never thought the he500 was considered bright and from ti,me to time the T1 las can be bright. I found the HE500 to be warmer than the AKG and HD650 but everyone has different taste. The he500 IMO is a better headphone than the hd650 and you may prefer the lcs2.2 which never sou nd sbright and is more on a maggie planar type of sound,

 
Frank.  If you ever get a chance.  Try the AKG 702 65th Anniversary Edition.