[modulor]

Quote:

Ur going to be a very busy man

ru still on schedule with the pads?

Haha perhaps...so far so good!

 

[bce22]

My he-500s were delivered today. On saturday someone gave me a vintage 1979 120wpc Realistic STA-2100D intergrated receiver. I can't wait to get home to try these out with both my project sunrise 2 and receiver.
 
I'm hoping my mind will be blown.  
 
I love getting new gear!  

 

[koiloco]

Quote:

My he-500s were delivered today. On saturday someone gave me a vintage 1979 120wpc Realistic STA-2100D intergrated receiver. I can't wait to get home to try these out with both my project sunrise 2 and receiver.
 
I'm hoping my mind will be blown.  
 
I love getting new gear!  

What is your experience/impression with the PS2?  I keep seeing them on Ebay and read a few posts about them here too.
I do like the way they look and heard they put out good pwr.

 

[cheuh]

For all of those who use to own the HE-400, and now own the HE-500, would you say it's $300(retail/msrp) better than the HE-400? Would you say they are in the same league with a different presentation or is the HE-500 significantly more "High End" as the thread title suggests?
 
From the posts in this thread, the HE-500 is more balanced, smoother with much better mids/vocals and highs. HE-400 is more dynamic and fun with better bass but is way more fatiguing and sibilant. How would the technicalities such as soundstage, imaging, and instrument separation compare between the two?
 
If the HE-500 requires more power to drive them sufficiently, will I need at least a speaker amp or an expensive amp to drive them?
 
I've read many complaints about the stock cable... will I need to replace that also?

 

[roadcykler]

Quote:

For all of those who use to own the HE-400, and now own the HE-500, would you say it's $300(retail/msrp) better than the HE-400? Would you say they are in the same league with a different presentation or is the HE-500 significantly more "High End" as the thread title suggests?
 
From the posts in this thread, the HE-500 is more balanced, smoother with much better mids/vocals and highs. HE-400 is more dynamic and fun with better bass but is way more fatiguing and sibilant. How would the technicalities such as soundstage, imaging, and instrument separation compare between the two?
 
If the HE-500 requires more power to drive them sufficiently, will I need at least a speaker amp or an expensive amp to drive them?
 
I've read many complaints about the stock cable... will I need to replace that also?

I haven't owned the HE-400 so I can't address that, but you won't need a speaker amp or even an expensive amp. I've used my Clip+ as a source and it was just fine unless you want it very loud. From what I read, the biggest complaint with the stock cable is microphonics so a different one might solve that but it won't change the sound.  

 

[cheuh]

I haven't owned the HE-400 so I can't address that, but you won't need a speaker amp or even an expensive amp. I've used my Clip+ as a source and it was just fine unless you want it very loud. From what I read, the biggest complaint with the stock cable is microphonics so a different one might solve that but it won't change the sound.  

Good to know, thanks.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

I haven't owned the HE-400 so I can't address that, but you won't need a speaker amp or even an expensive amp. I've used my Clip+ as a source and it was just fine unless you want it very loud. From what I read, the biggest complaint with the stock cable is microphonics so a different one might solve that but it won't change the sound.  

i owned the he300/400 and now 500...and the first two were driven perfectly by a simple matrix mstage..one wonderfull little amp!! it even drove my he500 nicely on gain 10db.
i now have another humble (600usd+300usd in tubes) around 1.5 watt per channel amp driving my he500 and it does it wonderfully...minimal would be 1 watt..but if ur looking for budget amp..get the emotiva..under 200 usd and it drives it well i understand (didnt hear it yet)...so u dont need to empty ur wallet....BUT...well i guess u can imagine what i would say next..

 
yep the biggest problem with the cable i had (the silver plated copper cable..not the canare cable that was on my he300..that one was better)..was microphobics..but in my opinion if u invest in the right cable the sound does change fo the better...i recently compared 4 cables i had at the same time in my possession..the standard he500 cable (silver plated copper), a custom made double helix molecule quicksilver cable, a standard 4 wire toxic cables 22awg black widow cable and my newest cable..a 8 wire balanced toxic cables black widow 22awg..with one completely isolated cable for right channel and one for left channel...
 
and the biggest change in sound was with the last cable..especially when the music got complicated..like big orchestras or certain metallica groups using classical backgrounds and back vocals while their lead lady singer had a opera voice in front..with lots of different instrument on lots of places..all the cables played the instruments..but only the 8 wire version gave me the feeling i actually heared easily from where they came from very clearly...as if the highway got from 2 lanes to 8 and the cars could rev more easily and drive faster...bass got more fleshy..more body...not necesarely lower..but more real...highs stayed the same as the standard BW...it was like i had a stronger amp all of a sudden...to my ears anyway...others with experience with 8 wired cables probably had same experience...OR NOT...THATS ALSO POSSIBLE..for me investing in my last cable was soundwise in the same league as when i changed the standard chinese tubes for the tung sol 5998 tubes into my amp..and trust me..never thought a cable could do that! the other cables were all good in their own right..but didnt blow me away (not for the amount of money they costed me anyway)...only this one did..
 
so i say...get the right cable and the right amp..and u will have a hard time selling ur he500 again

 

[bce22]

Quote:

What is your experience/impression with the PS2?  I keep seeing them on Ebay and read a few posts about them here too.
I do like the way they look and heard they put out good pwr.

I love the PS2!
 
I had a cavalli CTH before the PS2 which is a very similiar amp.  I already owned some high quality 12v and 6v tubes so that helped somewhat moving to a new amp.
 
i had very little time to play with the he-500 but what i heard coming out of the ps2 was wonderful.  if your looking for an amp to specifically drive he-500s it may be better to purchase the Project Ember which is slightly more money but can output alot more.  However let me be clear the ps2 can drive them plenty fine!
 
all in all i love the ps2 for its flexibility, sound, features, build quality and price...plus i can use it as a preamp into my monster receiver.

 

[koiloco]

Quote:

I love the PS2!
 
I had a cavalli CTH before the PS2 which is a very similiar amp.  I already owned some high quality 12v and 6v tubes so that helped somewhat moving to a new amp.
 
i had very little time to play with the he-500 but what i heard coming out of the ps2 was wonderful.  if your looking for an amp to specifically drive he-500s it may be better to purchase the Project Ember which is slightly more money but can output alot more.  However let me be clear the ps2 can drive them plenty fine!
 
all in all i love the ps2 for its flexibility, sound, features, build quality and price...plus i can use it as a preamp into my monster receiver.

Nice.  I will look into the Ember for sure but the PS2 just looks so darn good.  I am a sucker for acrylic

 

[Hedonism]

Quote:

For all of those who use to own the HE-400, and now own the HE-500, would you say it's $300(retail/msrp) better than the HE-400? Would you say they are in the same league with a different presentation or is the HE-500 significantly more "High End" as the thread title suggests?
 
From the posts in this thread, the HE-500 is more balanced, smoother with much better mids/vocals and highs. HE-400 is more dynamic and fun with better bass but is way more fatiguing and sibilant. How would the technicalities such as soundstage, imaging, and instrument separation compare between the two?
 
If the HE-500 requires more power to drive them sufficiently, will I need at least a speaker amp or an expensive amp to drive them?
 
I've read many complaints about the stock cable... will I need to replace that also?

I upgraded from an HE-400 to HE-500 quite recently. The $300 premium is quite subjective. In terms of pure technicalities, the HE-500 beats the HE-400 in most areas only slightly.
 
The treble on the HE-500s is less fatiguing and sharp, yet retains most of the sparkle present on the HE-400s. The mids on the HE-500 are much better, I must admit. It's less scooped in the upper mids, and therefore sounds more even. The HE-400s would sometimes have a little trouble with vocals, whereas vocals is one the the HE-500s strengths. However, I would give an edge to the HE-400 in bass response. It seemed tighter, and had slightly more slam to my ears.
 
Microdetails are better on the HE-500s slightly. Imaging, separation, speed and layering are quite similar on both, as in those technicalities are, for the most part, inherent strengths that I've found on orthodynamic headphones. I might give a very slight edge to the HE-500s, but if I'm not concentrating on critical listening, there's no way in hell I'd be able to tell if one trumps the other in those categories. Soundstage is pretty mediocre on both.
 
The main strength of the HE-500s over the HE-400s, in my opinion, is that it's much better suited as an all-rounder phone relative to the HE-400s. It's more neutral, forgiving, and balanced. That is, it can handle many more genres and no tonal flaws become apparent to you while listening to it. It's a jack-of-all-trades, whereas the HE-400s seemed more predisposed to certain genres, and weaker in others to compensate.
 
In terms of pure technicalities, I would not say the $300 premium is worth it. But after factoring in the more refined, mature, neutral presentation of the HE-500s, I would gladly pay the additional $300. In my opinion, presentation or tonal balance is also quite important for that "high-end" sound. It's not just about technicalities.
 
In response to your cable concerns, I'd say they are completely warranted. The stock silver cable seriously sucks. It's extremely microphonic, fragile and prone to tangling. Make sure to invest in some after-market cables. That, or swap in your HE-400 cables. Those are pretty decent quality, imo. Of course, I'm talking only in terms of build quality. I personally couldn't hear a difference from swapping in Toxic (copper) cables from the stock HE-400s. The ergonomics are much better though.
 
As for amps, while it's true that you need more power relative to the HE-400s, cheap-ish amps will drive the HE-500s just fine. I've heard reports that amps like the Asgard 2, and even the Magni (or was it the Modi?) will suffice. You certainly don't have to pay upwards of $1000 or more on your amp just to meet minimum requirements (unlike the HE-6). That being said, the HE-500s scale much better than the HE-400s. You'll be hearing more gains upgrading your amp on the HE-500 relative to the HE-400, especially if you're upgrading from cheaper amps (like the magni/modi) to more expensive ones (like the Lyr). 
 
Hope this helps!

 

[AngelicFantasy]

I agree with the above post almost in full. Only thing I'd change about that is that I did hear a difference between the canare black cable vs the silver cable. While I agree the silver cable tends to introduce distortion if rubbed against staticy clothing, if you listen normally, don't move around a lot or are not wrapped in a blanket, you shouldn't have a problem with it. The differences are minute and you'd really have to think about paying for an expensive cable, but they're definitely there and noticeable. I never listened to the canare black cable and thought it sounded better than the silver meanwhile I never listened to the silver cable and thought it was worse than the canare black cable. You get more detail, less noise. Effects are prominent in both the HE-400 and 500...but you really have to listen to them back to back to noticeably hear the difference. They don't epicly shout at you and are much less noticeable than the differences between the HE-400 and 500 which aren't as huge as many people make them out to be.
 
Ultimately for the average bloke that does NOT want to spend the extra money going from the HE-400 to a more expensive headphone the HE-400 is fine but if you have a bit more money to spend and don't want to upgrade any higher for not much more money the HE-500 is a fantastic choice. Just for the piece of mind of listening to a well balanced headphone vs the gritting your teeth and making faces at the sibilance/aggressiveness of the treble on the HE-400s its worth it.
 
That said, having had the DT880 and HE-400 I think the DT880 is fantastic and better than the HE-400 especially in terms of value for everything other than energy and bass. The DT880s are not strong in the bass department. They will occasionally give you an unexpected bump in bass, but the prominence in the HE-400 with bass is what you want to hear (well that's subjective perhaps). If you're not a bass lover, the DT880s are the better buy..if you really do want the bass though, you just can't have the DT880s and even the DT990s might be the better choice over the DT880s.
 
Really the DT990 vs the HE-400 is the question then if you don't have too much money to spend.

 

[kamalz]

T1..nice headphones. I settle for He500 & hd600 for now. HE500 is fun headphone to me.. everything sound nice & happy. It can make me happy By the way i am using lyr + cca sieman 1960 ish tube+ benchmark dac1 to powered the he500 I haven't try with my E88cc gold plated siemans or ecc88 mullard (great britain) in the lyr i have the feeling E88cc gold plated siemans will sound best

 

[Limniscate]

I wouldn't say that the HE500 are worth $300 more than the HE400 (I only paid $200 more), nor would I say the HE400 are worth the extra cost over the DT880.  You can get the DT880 for $230 in like-new condition.   Asking if it's worth the extra cost is kind of moot because I don't know how you value things like money or sound quality.
 
The best advice I can give is hear them for yourself, if possible.

 

[JohnSantana]

i owned the he300/400 and now 500...and the first two were driven perfectly by a simple matrix mstage..one wonderfull little amp!! it even drove my he500 nicely on gain 10db.
i now have another humble (600usd+300usd in tubes) around 1.5 watt per channel amp driving my he500 and it does it wonderfully...minimal would be 1 watt..but if ur looking for budget amp..get the emotiva..under 200 usd and it drives it well i understand (didnt hear it yet)...so u dont need to empty ur wallet....BUT...well i guess u can imagine what i would say next.. :tongue_smile:

yep the biggest problem with the cable i had (the silver plated copper cable..not the canare cable that was on my he300..that one was better)..was microphobics..but in my opinion if u invest in the right cable the sound does change fo the better...i recently compared 4 cables i had at the same time in my possession..the standard he500 cable (silver plated copper), a custom made double helix molecule quicksilver cable, a standard 4 wire toxic cables 22awg black widow cable and my newest cable..a 8 wire balanced toxic cables black widow 22awg..with one completely isolated cable for right channel and one for left channel...

and the biggest change in sound was with the last cable..especially when the music got complicated..like big orchestras or certain metallica groups using classical backgrounds and back vocals while their lead lady singer had a opera voice in front..with lots of different instrument on lots of places..all the cables played the instruments..but only the 8 wire version gave me the feeling i actually heared easily from where they came from very clearly...as if the highway got from 2 lanes to 8 and the cars could rev more easily and drive faster...bass got more fleshy..more body...not necesarely lower..but more real...highs stayed the same as the standard BW...it was like i had a stronger amp all of a sudden...to my ears anyway...others with experience with 8 wired cables probably had same experience...OR NOT...THATS ALSO POSSIBLE..for me investing in my last cable was soundwise in the same league as when i changed the standard chinese tubes for the tung sol 5998 tubes into my amp..and trust me..never thought a cable could do that! the other cables were all good in their own right..but didnt blow me away (not for the amount of money they costed me anyway)...only this one did..

so i say...get the right cable and the right amp..and u will have a hard time selling ur he500 again

Wow, how much did you pay for the 8 strands cable ?
from my reading in this forum it seems that 8 strands cable is not for mobile listening as it is quite heavy and inflexible.

 

[alota]

Quote:

Wow, how much did you pay for the 8 strands cable ?
from my reading in this forum it seems that 8 strands cable is not for mobile listening

and people look at you in the metro