[DoctaCosmos]

i019791 may I ask how you knew about the imbalance? Did you use some sort of a microphone to measure or just used your ears

 

[Okamoto]

Well, performed some tests today again with mono and stereo settings. Seems it was just a false impression. If there are differences, they're subtle enough that I need to do critical listening tests to detect them.

 

[themad]

  Well, performed some tests today again with mono and stereo settings. Seems it was just a false impression. If there are differences, they're subtle enough that I need to do critical listening tests to detect them.

I know this might seem obvious, but did you try messing with the connections and connectors on both ends of the HE-500 cable? Or maybe something related to the volume pot of your amp?
I have experienced imbalance as well, but quickly realized it was just the volume pot of an old amp giving me a hard time.

 

[ThurstonX]

HD600 are in the market for decades even though with the influx of orthodynamic cans
i wonder how iong HE500 going to last

 
Apparently only as long as it takes the upcoming HE-400is and HE-560s to render them obsolete.  And they'll pry my HE-500s from my cold dead hands!... or until a pair of HE-560s comes along at a reasonable price 

 

[jerg]

  Well, performed some tests today again with mono and stereo settings. Seems it was just a false impression. If there are differences, they're subtle enough that I need to do critical listening tests to detect them.

There's always frequency-specific imbalances with HFM drivers, just typically they are minor (maybe 0.5-1 dB difference, over a small section like say 2700 Hz - 3000 Hz). If you want to drive your OCD insane, use Sinegen and do a slow frequency sweep from 15 Hz to 20000 Hz and find out all the little imbalances and FR fluctuations of your headphones.

 

[Nimzerz]

  There's always frequency-specific imbalances with HFM drivers, just typically they are minor (maybe 0.5-1 dB difference, over a small section like say 2700 Hz - 3000 Hz). If you want to drive your OCD insane, use Sinegen and do a slow frequency sweep from 15 Hz to 20000 Hz and find out all the little imbalances and FR fluctuations of your headphones.

Gotta say, I'm pretty OCD about imbalance. but I don't hear ANYTHING with my HE-500, so It's OK.

 

[i019791]

i019791 may I ask how you knew about the imbalance? Did you use some sort of a microphone to measure or just used your ears

My ears, the ears of a friend and his HE500 to compare with mine HE500

 

[tuna47]

I had hd600 and hd650 I enjoyed the 600 more but the he500 IMO kicks ass

 

[adidino]

Recently purchased a McIntosh D100 digital pre and have been trying a various headphones over the past month or so. Grado PS500, 325is, Sen 800HD and I currently have the HE-500 in my possession for a few days.
 
Gotta say, the HE500 are very impressive and overall my favorite so far. Waiting for the 560 which some are claiming are even better.

 

[kamalz]

I have been an owner of HE500 for about 1 year. I never regard this headphone as outstanding headphone that can  blew me away esp when I found my endgame for both my HD600 and even my HD800.  When I put it on, I just hear sound .Impressive details and soundstage and warmish sound to me. It never touches my soul. It may touch my heart for certain song but I know it is just not good enough. I even call this headphone as a joke in HD600 forum . In fact has been so lightly used and was laying somewhere in my house for the past few months.
 
 Why I keep this headphone? Hmm there is 2 guys claiming what they heard so amazing music in HE500 First is Dubsteb girl & second  Hifimanrookie.  Dubsteb gal claim that one amp has driven HE500 up t a point it sound like thoudsands dollar cans & i think why she keep it . For her to keep this can excites me because i really believe she wrote. Hifiman rookie, well this guy is not a rookie to me.  I think they both really really really like music and want to find an end game rig. Not sure they are audiophile or not. Sorry guys. One thing I do know, they wanted a rig that moves them.
 
I then been asking in some forums on how to improve my lyr to  drive my HE500. Then I notice 2 guys  said that powercords can really change the performance of lyr provided you have a real good powerline or conditioner. I got to my shifu to make me a powercord made from special factory grade wire  (silver + copper)  like the fusion. Based on what Hifiman rookie claim , HE500 needs really good electricity and I do have a dedicated DIY powerline for my rig which consumes 500 watts of electricity. I know it is not cost effective but my aim is to be in audio nirvana when listening to music.
 
Now, my HE500 sings with  emotion .Love it . It colored the sound but I love it. I always like to watch” the voice” and I need to feel the music as the coach did. The coach will express themselves and I really need to feel just like them to justify my rig performance.  It is really hard when I have an endgame HD800 rig  as my benchmark. HD800 really shines when I played video - Lorde singing David letterman show. With Hd800,  I know why  Lorde won the best pop solo performance for her song Royal in the  2014 academy award. The way every crevices of her voice move up & down like a tidal of sea waves reacted to the movement her whole body is perfectly making sense. It feels that that that is no way she can deliver the song without such movement. Everything about her movement & her voice delivering the song Royals is synchronized perfectly in the video. Nothing should be changed-period
 
Was it as good as my HD800 or HD600. Not yet. These 2 cans have really push my emotion up to a point I can literally have tears tricking my eyes. I have spend month of tweaking these cans . However,  I don’t consider HE500  as joke no more.  I believe it can be tweaked a little bit more and really be one of the awesome cans in my rigs. I completely agree with Hifirookie on the fact that HE500 needs good amount  electricity to shine. They need a pure class A  amp no doubt.

 

[lin0003]

A lot of people (myself included) find the HE-500 to be quite an upgrade over the HD6X0s. The HD800s are a clear step up though in terms of technicality. 

 

[RebelRising]

  I have been an owner of HE500 for about 1 year. I never regard this headphone as outstanding headphone that can  blew me away esp when I found my endgame for both my HD600 and even my HD800.  When I put it on, I just hear sound .Impressive details and soundstage and warmish sound to me. It never touches my soul. It may touch my heart for certain song but I know it is just not good enough. I even call this headphone as a joke in HD600 forum . In fact has been so lightly used and was laying somewhere in my house for the past few months.
 
 Why I keep this headphone? Hmm there is 2 guys claiming what they heard so amazing music in HE500 First is Dubsteb girl & second  Hifimanrookie.  Dubsteb gal claim that one amp has driven HE500 up t a point it sound like thoudsands dollar cans & i think why she keep it . For her to keep this can excites me because i really believe she wrote. Hifiman rookie, well this guy is not a rookie to me.  I think they both really really really like music and want to find an end game rig. Not sure they are audiophile or not. Sorry guys. One thing I do know, they wanted a rig that moves them.
 
I then been asking in some forums on how to improve my lyr to  drive my HE500. Then I notice 2 guys  said that powercords can really change the performance of lyr provided you have a real good powerline or conditioner. I got to my shifu to make me a powercord made from special factory grade wire  (silver + copper)  like the fusion. Based on what Hifiman rookie claim , HE500 needs really good electricity and I do have a dedicated DIY powerline for my rig which consumes 500 watts of electricity. I know it is not cost effective but my aim is to be in audio nirvana when listening to music.
 
Now, my HE500 sings with  emotion .Love it . It colored the sound but I love it. I always like to watch” the voice” and I need to feel the music as the coach did. The coach will express themselves and I really need to feel just like them to justify my rig performance.  It is really hard when I have an endgame HD800 rig  as my benchmark. HD800 really shines when I played video - Lorde singing David letterman show. With Hd800,  I know why  Lorde won the best pop solo performance for her song Royal in the  2014 academy award. The way every crevices of her voice move up & down like a tidal of sea waves reacted to the movement her whole body is perfectly making sense. It feels that that that is no way she can deliver the song without such movement. Everything about her movement & her voice delivering the song Royals is synchronized perfectly in the video. Nothing should be changed-period
 
Was it as good as my HD800 or HD600. Not yet. These 2 cans have really push my emotion up to a point I can literally have tears tricking my eyes. I have spend month of tweaking these cans . However,  I don’t consider HE500  as joke no more.  I believe it can be tweaked a little bit more and really be one of the awesome cans in my rigs. I completely agree with Hifirookie on the fact that HE500 needs good amount  electricity to shine. They need a pure class A  amp no doubt.

That's one hell of a way to describe your journey with them, I'll give you that 

 

[kamalz]

  That's one hell of a way to describe your journey with them, I'll give you that 

 
  i just wrote what is in my heart and i think it is important for some people  to appreciate music in
  difference perspective
  In my head fi journey , it is not what wow me but  what moves me is important..
  What wow me can deceive me as it can gradually recede as time goes by.

 

[wewewho77]

I have been an owner of HE500 for about 1 year. I never regard this headphone as outstanding headphone that can  blew me away esp when I found my endgame for both my HD600 and even my HD800.  When I put it on, I just hear sound .Impressive details and soundstage and warmish sound to me. It never touches my soul. It may touch my heart for certain song but I know it is just not good enough. I even call this headphone as a joke in HD600 forum . In fact has been so lightly used and was laying somewhere in my house for the past few months.

 Why I keep this headphone? Hmm there is 2 guys claiming what they heard so amazing music in HE500 First is Dubsteb girl & second  Hifimanrookie.  Dubsteb gal claim that one amp has driven HE500 up t a point it sound like thoudsands dollar cans & i think why she keep it . For her to keep this can excites me because i really believe she wrote. Hifiman rookie, well this guy is not a rookie to me.  I think they both really really really like music and want to find an end game rig. Not sure they are audiophile or not. Sorry guys. One thing I do know, they wanted a rig that moves them.

I then been asking in some forums on how to improve my lyr to  drive my HE500. Then I notice 2 guys  said that powercords can really change the performance of lyr provided you have a real good powerline or conditioner. I got to my shifu to make me a powercord made from special factory grade wire  (silver + copper)  like the fusion. Based on what Hifiman rookie claim , HE500 needs really good electricity and I do have a dedicated DIY powerline for my rig which consumes 500 watts of electricity. I know it is not cost effective but my aim is to be in audio nirvana when listening to music.

Now, my HE500 sings with  emotion .Love it . It colored the sound but I love it. I always like to watch” the voice” and I need to feel the music as the coach did. The coach will express themselves and I really need to feel just like them to justify my rig performance.  It is really hard when I have an endgame HD800 rig  as my benchmark. HD800 really shines when I played video - Lorde singing David letterman show. With Hd800,  I know why  Lorde won the best pop solo performance for her song Royal in the  2014 academy award. The way every crevices of her voice move up & down like a tidal of sea waves reacted to the movement her whole body is perfectly making sense. It feels that that that is no way she can deliver the song without such movement. Everything about her movement & her voice delivering the song Royals is synchronized perfectly in the video. Nothing should be changed-period

Was it as good as my HD800 or HD600. Not yet. These 2 cans have really push my emotion up to a point I can literally have tears tricking my eyes. I have spend month of tweaking these cans . However,  I don’t consider HE500  as joke no more.  I believe it can be tweaked a little bit more and really be one of the awesome cans in my rigs. I completely agree with Hifirookie on the fact that HE500 needs good amount  electricity to shine. They need a pure class A  amp no doubt.

A very big WOW for this
HE 500 sounds very very good with my 130 watt class A speaker amp

 

[Xenophon]

Yes, they scale up nicely with extra power and the 500 is less sensitive to high gain amps that can produce hiss. What amp are you using? Resistor network to the speaker taps or mainline straight to the cans?