[Pasquale]

Quote:

Davidsh and I actually talked about this and we made sense of it mostly.
 
 
(read this post and onwards) http://www.head-fi.org/t/646812/hifiman-he500-he400-jergpad-mod-v2-0-new-revised-feb-28-2013/600#post_9312100
 
Here's the "too long, didn't read" summary:
 
 
 

 
Blue = stock velours, Green = jergpad pleathers. Notice the 4kHz~8kHz region where stock velours have a massive dip, and the jergpads fill in mostly? That's the upper mids / lower treble region, and the fact that it is filled in is probably why you perceive more energy there (aka "shout").
 
It is good though because the FR is smoother because of it, so as you adjust to the new sound signature, the coherency and mids~treble transition is plain better.

 
Wow,  I think that dip is part of why I like the HE500's.  My ears are really sensitive to any "shouting" in the mids.  I listening to a lot of female vocals where shouting is quite apparent and annoying to me.  I think shouting is also apparent with trumpet solos like those of Miles Davis.  I remember when I had my Lyr I tried to cure shouting with tube rolling.  But, I could never get it right.  Consistent with the comments here, when I cured the shouts the bass got wooly, when I cured the wooliness in the bass the shouting returned.  This - in part - lead me to change amps.  I have not had the same problem with the soloist.  I also did not have that problem with my DAC1's amp section.  The HE500's really benefit from an amp with a fair amount of power, speed & control (on the low end), and smoothness (particularly through the mid's).  The tradeoff is usually pronounced treble - I could live with that.  
 
For the above reasons, I sometimes cringe when I read posts where the HE500's are driven by "compromised" amps.  Poor amp matching with these phones leads to a number of nasty artifacts - although the phones still perform satisfactorily.  I remember a number of the same problems with full-scale planar speakers with the Magnipans or Quads when not properly amp'ed.   

 

[davidsh]

^Actually I do not find the mod 'shouty' but it is rather in a grey area between shouty and below sibilance level that is more prominent.

 

[disastermouse]

^Actually I do not find the mod 'shouty' but it is rather in a grey area between shouty and below sibilance level that is more prominent.

This. And I think that this is why I may be able to overcome my resistance to the sound at first. My first reaction to the mod was very positive. There are DEFINITE positives to the mod, IMHO.

 

[gerald410]

Damn I will be getting a Lyr next week ish...well at least it should sound better than listening to them um amped like I am now

For what its worth, I've using a Lyr with stock tubes and while I'm sure tube rolling can improve the sound. I'm quite ok with the sound i've got now with stock tubes.

 

[Acapella11]

Quote:

Consistent with the comments here, when I cured the shouts the bass got wooly, when I cured the wooliness in the bass the shouting returned.  This - in part - lead me to change amps.  I have not had the same problem with the soloist.  I also did not have that problem with my DAC1's amp section.  The HE500's really benefit from an amp with a fair amount of power, speed & control (on the low end), and smoothness (particularly through the mid's).  The tradeoff is usually pronounced treble - I could live with that.  
 
For the above reasons, I sometimes cringe when I read posts where the HE500's are driven by "compromised" amps.  Poor amp matching with these phones leads to a number of nasty artifacts - although the phones still perform satisfactorily.  I remember a number of the same problems with full-scale planar speakers with the Magnipans or Quads when not properly amp'ed.   

 
Hi Pasquale, Do you mind describing the sound signature of the Soloist? If it helps, I have heard the HE-500 with the HA-160.
Cheers

 

[Sanlitun]

Anyone using these with the Burson Soloist or the Burson Conductor?
 
Curious about solid state rigs with the juice to drive these.
 
I've recently come to the conclusion that it is the treble and upper mids in these that is more dependent on power than the bass. 

 

[Okamoto]

Quote:

 
Hi Pasquale, Do you mind describing the sound signature of the Soloist? If it helps, I have heard the HE-500 with the HA-160.
Cheers

 
What do you think about that combo?

 

[Acapella11]

Hi Okamoto, Here are some of my impressions.

Generally, the HA-160 is a quite warm piece of solid state, so it produces a non-fatiguing sound. Mids are lovely, imaging is nice, bass is solid but the HA-160 produces a rather flat stage.

I compared HE5-LE and HE-500 using the Burson HA-160 and the Auditor, and I think the HE-5LE pairs very nicely with the HA-160. The HE-500 works as well, but the stage really is rather flat, since both - amp and phones - do not produce a deep stage. Differences are more pronounced with the HE-5LE than with the HE-500 and (because?) the HE-5LE seems more difficult to drive. The Burson delivers more bass with the HE5-LE, and to a lesser extend also with the HE-500. Difference between the amps listening to the HE-500 would be that the Burson sounds lesser grainy. The treble is smooth but not rolled off, mids are almost tubey and the bass is nicely satisfactory to my ears. Although the sound is smooth, it still sounds clear and very detailed. This is why the imaging also works pretty well. So, if you don't mind a relatively small depth of stage, you can have this one on your short list. Works for me. IMHO and YMMV.

PS: I have got the HE-5LE and HA-160 on loan.

PPS: I have not added much information about the Auditor, which also has its benefits as the question was about the HA-160.

 
Edited for better accuracy.

 

[Contrails]

Hahaha, I realised something funny today.  I have been listening to my He500 and still enjoying them with a faulty stock silver cable! I plugged the HD280 in to make sure the tubes were working fine.  The HD280 sounded really nice.  Then I plugged the He500, the soundstage seemed very small, the bass was less and the instruments were all muddled up in the centre. I then heard some small distortion and I immediately thought, the tubes! So back in went the Hd280 and everything was fine, almost better.  This time when I plugged in the He500, I squeezed the cable connector slightly and wow, the sound just opened up. More 3D, more outside of my head.  So, I am guessing it's a faulty connector.  I will email the store,where I purchased the headphones from, about the faulty cable connector.  
 
On that note, I am thinking of investing in some aftermarket cables.  Toxic cables definitely comes first to mind.  But I came across these guys 'Artemiscables' selling he500 cables on ebay.   Anyone try their cables?

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

Hahaha, I realised something funny today.  I have been listening to my He500 and still enjoying them with a faulty stock silver cable! I plugged the HD280 in to make sure the tubes were working fine.  The HD280 sounded really nice.  Then I plugged the He500, the soundstage seemed very small, the bass was less and the instruments were all muddled up in the centre. I then heard some small distortion and I immediately thought, the tubes! So back in went the Hd280 and everything was fine, almost better.  This time when I plugged in the He500, I squeezed the cable connector slightly and wow, the sound just opened up. More 3D, more outside of my head.  So, I am guessing it's a faulty connector.  I will email the store,where I purchased the headphones from, about the faulty cable connector.  
 
On that note, I am thinking of investing in some aftermarket cables.  Toxic cables definitely comes first to mind.  But I came across these guys 'Artemiscables' selling he500 cables on ebay.   Anyone try their cables?

As u know i swear on toxic cables..its topquality and affordable! especially the black widows 22awg for my combo the he500 and my 337....i love those copper cables more on the he500 then the brighter silver widows or any other silver cable imho..that other brand i dont have experience with..sorry..

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Hi Okamoto, Here are some of my impressions.

Generally, the HA-160 is a quite warm piece of solid state, so it produces a non-fatiguing sound. Mids are lovely, imaging is nice, bass is solid but the HA-160 sounds relatively forward.

I compared HE5-LE and HE-500 using the Burson HA-160 and the Auditor, and I think the HE-5LE pairs very nicely with the HA-160. The HE-500 works as well, but the sound really is forward, since both - amp and phones - are forward sounding. Differences are more pronounced with the HE-5LE than with the HE-500 and (because?) the HE-5LE seems more difficult to drive. The Burson delivers more bass with the HE5-LE, and to a lesser extend also with the HE-500. One difference between the amps listening to the HE-500 would be that the Burson sounds lesser grainy. The treble is smooth but not rolled off, mids are almost tubey and the bass is nicely satisfactory to my ears. Although the sound is smooth, it still sounds clear and very detailed. This is why the imaging also works pretty well. So, if you don't mind a quite forward presentation, you can have this one on your short list. Works for me. IMHO and YMMV.

PS: I have got the HE-5LE and HA-160 on loan.

You think the HE-500 is forward sounding?

 

[BobJS]

Quote:

As u know i swear on toxic cables..its topquality and affordable! especially the black widows 22awg for my combo the he500 and my 337....i love those copper cables more on the he500 then the brighter silver widows or any other silver cable imho..that other brand i dont have experience with..sorry..

 
Um, yeah, I hope they're all that ..... ordered on Dec 23rd, have been in communication with him, says will build within this 2 week period.  So MAYBE I will see them in April.  With that kind of lead time you can be sure I will never order from Toxic Cables again.

 

[ForsakenArcher]

HE500 to me is not forward sounding. IMO, it is about on par with HD600 in laid back/smooth department with my current set up.

 

[Clemmaster]

HE500 to me is not forward sounding. IMO, it is about on par with HD600 in laid back/smooth department with my current set up.

Pleather pads?

 

[Acapella11]

Quote:

You think the HE-500 is forward sounding?

I used the term forward reflecting the reduction of depth of stage. More accurately, for what I described, forward could be replaced by a "not as deep stage". That of course makes instruments come closer to you. I will edit the post. HE-500s do sound much less forward (in the sense of more laid back) than Grado 325is for example do. Cheers for the hint.