HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) Proving to be an enjoyable experience in listening.

[Espresto]

I'm also considering pulling the trigger on the vegan pads. Looking forward to more impressions with the HE-500. I think I just need one more rave review to push me over the edge. 

 

[mab1376]

Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2
 
Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0
 
This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

 

[BeatsWork]

Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2


 


Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0


 


This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

 


Can't recall if it was StanD or ThurstonX but one of them gave detailed explanation earlier in this thread. It's not that HE-500 is inefficient and requires a lot of power rather it's very revealing as to the quality of that power I.e. voltage/watts alone won't tell you what a good pairing would be ...

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2

Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0

This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

The Asgard 2 is sufficient. Enjoy your new system!

 

[StanD]

  Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2
 
Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0
 
This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

It's more than sufficent. I went through the numbers and it can roast your ears. Plenty of good clean power so lean back and enjoy some music.

 

[Hansotek]

  Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2
 
Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0
 
This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

 
You should be just fine with the Asgard. 1W per channel is what is recommended, and that's what A2 delivers.

 

[mab1376]

 

  Got the HE-500 yesterday, absolutely loving them so far! I'm currently using them with my Asgard 2 amp, it seems to work well for me so far. Anyone have any suggestions on if more power will equate to better sq? e.g. Lyr 2
   
  Got them used on ebay with only 10 hours on them, came with these sweet cables too: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-headphone-cable-version-2-Solid-Silver-7ft-99-999-/321534752224?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4adcf6f5e0
   
  This is my first pair of orthos so not sure if 1w from the Asgard 2 is sufficient, But it sounds like it is to me.

 


Can't recall if it was StanD or ThurstonX but one of them gave detailed explanation earlier in this thread. It's not that HE-500 is inefficient and requires a lot of power rather it's very revealing as to the quality of that power I.e. voltage/watts alone won't tell you what a good pairing would be ...

 
 

The Asgard 2 is sufficient. Enjoy your new system!

 
 

  It's more than sufficent. I went through the numbers and it can roast your ears. Plenty of good clean power so lean back and enjoy some music.

 
 

   
You should be just fine with the Asgard. 1W per channel is what is recommended, and that's what A2 delivers.

 
 
Awesome, Thanks for all the info! Seems like 1 o'clock on the A2 is the perfect level with everything normalized through iRiver.
 
Enjoying some beck right now:
 
 

 

[Rockcoon]

Hmm... NAD D1050's 1w amp was not enough to drive 500s well even with some cd tracks. Not talking about vivyl rips, they all were too "silent". So volume knob often was pushet to the limit without desirable result.

 

[StanD]

Hmm... NAD D1050's 1w amp was not enough to drive 500s well even with some cd tracks. Not talking about vivyl rips, they all were too "silent". So volume knob often was pushet to the limit without desirable result.

If it is truly 1W RMS at the impedance, perhaps you haven't enough gain in your chain to drive it up to power. I just looked at the product sheet and owners manual and there is nothing listed for the headphone output power. How do you know that it delivers 1 W RMS and at what load impedance?

 

[mab1376]

Hmm... NAD D1050's 1w amp was not enough to drive 500s well even with some cd tracks. Not talking about vivyl rips, they all were too "silent". So volume knob often was pushet to the limit without desirable result.

 
The Asgard 2 drives them very well and cleanly, I tired my Little Dot MK IV just for the heck of it, and it can't go loud at all without distorting horribly. I get absolutely none of that with the Asgard 2 even at ridiculously high volume.

 

[Rockcoon]

If it is truly 1W RMS at the impedance, perhaps you haven't enough gain in your chain to drive it up to power. I just looked at the product sheet and owners manual and there is nothing listed for the headphone output power. How do you know that it delivers 1 W RMS and at what load impedance?

I Send email to NAD. But they didn't told at what load this 1w actualy goes. Here is the answer:

"Hi Kirillpapakin,

Thank you for your recent inquiry on the D1050 model.

The output power for the D 1050 is 1W and 5 ohms output impedance.

D 1050 has discrete custom designed ''mini power'' headphone amp capable of 1W output. The D 1050 has excellent performance with low noise and THD and both are able to drive a wide variety of headphone.

The D 1050's specially designed for low noise headphone circuitry and can accommodate a wide range of headphones, even 600 Ohm studio models.

Thank you,

Meegan"

 

[Hansotek]

Hmm... NAD D1050's 1w amp was not enough to drive 500s well even with some cd tracks. Not talking about vivyl rips, they all were too "silent". So volume knob often was pushet to the limit without desirable result.

The Asgard 2 drives them very well and cleanly, I tired my Little Dot MK IV just for the heck of it, and it can't go loud at all without distorting horribly. I get absolutely none of that with the Asgard 2 even at ridiculously high volume.

Yeah, I wouldn't think the LD4 would make the HE500s very happy. I bet it's great with high impedance cans though.

 

[StanD]

I Send email to NAD. But they didn't told at what load this 1w actualy goes. Here is the answer:

"Hi Kirillpapakin,

Thank you for your recent inquiry on the D1050 model.

The output power for the D 1050 is 1W and 5 ohms output impedance.

D 1050 has discrete custom designed ''mini power'' headphone amp capable of 1W output. The D 1050 has excellent performance with low noise and THD and both are able to drive a wide variety of headphone.

The D 1050's specially designed for low noise headphone circuitry and can accommodate a wide range of headphones, even 600 Ohm studio models.

Thank you,

Meegan"

If it's spec'd at 5 Ohms the power level should be far less at 38 Ohms. Ask again what the specific power level is at 38, 300 and 600 Ohms.

 

[mab1376]

Yeah, I wouldn't think the LD4 would make the HE500s very happy. I bet it's great with high impedance cans though.

It makes the HD650's sing beautifully!

 

[musiclife]

  It makes the HD650's sing beautifully!

Not a super difficult thing to do imo