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

[vlach]

While I agree HE500 is very good, it is not up to par with the HD800.........I have both and find myself drawn to the HD800 for all Acoustic, Jazz, Classical, Easy Listening, and most classic rock aka.........America, Cat Stevens, Steve Earl, Eagles,Clapton ETC...... Now with anything harder I do prefer the HE500  aka..............zeppelin, floyd, queen, stones, nazereth ETC...

Bottom line is both are great and if 1 were on a budget you could do a lot worse than the HE500,  Especially at the used price they are a steal

I have a slightly different take on that...I think the HE-500 is fully on par with the HD800 (I also own both) and exceeds it in terms of having a more natural and deeper tone and just more body to instruments in general. Mids are more liquid.
The HD800 OTOH wins it for me when listening to large classical orchestras with everything spread out wider and with more air.
The only headphone I heard which combines the strengths of both headphones is the HE-1000, it is basically perfect. Here's wishing the more affordable HE-X is close enough in performance as I haven't heard it yet.

 

[Hansotek]

While I agree HE500 is very good, it is not up to par with the HD800.........I have both and find myself drawn to the HD800 for all Acoustic, Jazz, Classical, Easy Listening, and most classic rock aka.........America, Cat Stevens, Steve Earl, Eagles,Clapton ETC...... Now with anything harder I do prefer the HE500  aka..............zeppelin, floyd, queen, stones, nazereth ETC...

Bottom line is both are great and if 1 were on a budget you could do a lot worse than the HE500,  Especially at the used price they are a steal

I have a slightly different take on that...I think the HE-500 is fully on par with the HD800 (I also own both) and exceeds it in terms of having a more natural and deeper tone and just more body to instruments in general. Mids are more liquid.
The HD800 OTOH wins it for me when listening to large classical orchestras with everything spread out wider and with more air.
The only headphone I heard which combines the strengths of both headphones is the HE-1000, it is basically perfect. Here's wishing the more affordable HE-X is close enough in performance as I haven't heard it yet.

The Mr. Speakers Ether, Enigma Acoustics Dharma D-1000, Audeze LCD-4, HiFiMAN HE-560 and HE-6 all get there, in one way or another, in terms of combining the performance of those two headphones, IMO. Obviously, there is a lot of room for nitpicking, but they combine the fundamentals you mentioned.

 

[Ultramus]

Having compared the 560 to the 500 head to head on the same system when I had the loaner program one, I honestly did not find it superior in anything except comfort, I felt the bass on the 500 was better to be particular, it really is nitpicking but maybe with some more listening time I would have found where the 560 exceeds it, I would say it's soundstage was possibly a bit better, it has been a long time since that comparison. I really, really want to hear an HE-6, but I really don't want to invest in another uncomfortable headphone, maybe the he-1000 or HE-X is in my future if they are truly great.

 

[simple flow]

I don't use my he-500 too often but when I decided to give it some love I find myself listen to music till late in the night. There something about these headphone that I don't think I will every let go in my collection. There's something the HE-500 does that no other headphone I own can replicate. Maybe one day when I get my pair of HE-6, I'll have a different opinion about the HE-500. 

 

[bracko]

Having compared the 560 to the 500 head to head on the same system when I had the loaner program one, I honestly did not find it superior in anything except comfort, I felt the bass on the 500 was better to be particular, it really is nitpicking but maybe with some more listening time I would have found where the 560 exceeds it, I would say it's soundstage was possibly a bit better, it has been a long time since that comparison. I really, really want to hear an HE-6, but I really don't want to invest in another uncomfortable headphone, maybe the he-1000 or HE-X is in my future if they are truly great.

 
I agree. HE-560 is a newer model, not a better one. 

 

[Guidostrunk]

Well, after having the Senn-650,700,&800. I definitely prefer my HE500's, over all 3, by a lot.
To me, Senns were too dry, and bright, with the exception of the 650.
The musicality, of the 500's , is crazy good. I just love the bloom/buttery detailed nature. To my ears , they capture holography the best. I have no plans on "upgrading". If it's not broke, don't fix it. Lol.
Just my 2cents.
Cheers

 

[bracko]

Well, after having the Senn-650,700,&800. I definitely prefer my HE500's, over all 3, by a lot.
To me, Senns were too dry, and bright, with the exception of the 650.
The musicality, of the 500's , is crazy good. I just love the bloom/buttery detailed nature. To my ears , they're capture holography the best. I have no plans on "upgrading". If it's not broke, don't fix it. Lol.
Just my 2cents.
Cheers

It's not that easy to upgrade from HE-500 

 

[bracko]

Well, after having the Senn-650,700,&800. I definitely prefer my HE500's, over all 3, by a lot.
To me, Senns were too dry, and bright, with the exception of the 650.
The musicality, of the 500's , is crazy good. I just love the bloom/buttery detailed nature. To my ears , they're capture holography the best. I have no plans on "upgrading". If it's not broke, don't fix it. Lol.
Just my 2cents.
Cheers

Compared to almost any headphone up to say $1000 HE-500 is in a class of its own. HE-500 is more musical, tonally balanced and at the same time technically accurate than any other open-back/semi open-back headphone in the price range up to $1000, no contest. 

 

[ThurstonX]

  Compared to almost any headphone up to say $1000 HE-500 is in a class of its own. HE-500 is more musical, tonally balanced and at the same time technically accurate than any other open-back/semi open-back headphone in the price range up to $1000, no contest. 

 
IMO, my similarly modded, same cable, HE-560 is more accurate than my HE-500.  For example, I was listening to the fourth night of ProjeKct One (King Crimson R&D band; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Jazz_Caf%C3%A9), and the instruments were placed precisely all over the stage with the HE-560.  And it was plenty "musical."  The bass thumped low and hard, and sounded better than the HE-500, which was a bit smeared by comparison.  That may be a pad thing, but it is what it is with my rig.  That said, I love my HE-500 for other reasons, and definitely won't be selling it, even if I eventually get an HE-6.

 

[vlach]

I agree. HE-560 is a newer model, not a better one. :wink_face:

Having compared both side by side, I fully agree.

 

[cocolinho]

Well, after having the Senn-650,700,&800. I definitely prefer my HE500's, over all 3, by a lot.
To me, Senns were too dry, and bright, with the exception of the 650.
The musicality, of the 500's , is crazy good. I just love the bloom/buttery detailed nature. To my ears , they're capture holography the best. I have no plans on "upgrading". If it's not broke, don't fix it. Lol.
Just my 2cents.
Cheers

Which dac/amp are you using for your HE500?

 

[Badfish5446]

   
IMO, my similarly modded, same cable, HE-560 is more accurate than my HE-500.  For example, I was listening to the fourth night of ProjeKct One (King Crimson R&D band; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Jazz_Caf%C3%A9), and the instruments were placed precisely all over the stage with the HE-560.  And it was plenty "musical."  The bass thumped low and hard, and sounded better than the HE-500, which was a bit smeared by comparison.  That may be a pad thing, but it is what it is with my rig.  That said, I love my HE-500 for other reasons, and definitely won't be selling it, even if I eventually get an HE-6.

If you use your Lyr with the HE-500, what tubes do you use the most?

 

[ThurstonX]

  If you use your Lyr with the HE-500, what tubes do you use the most?

 
I've got a big ol' Glass Menagerie, so I'm constantly rotating them, sometimes weeding out bad tubes (hummy or constantly buzzy/hissy).  After weeding out a pair of 1970 Heerlen E88CCs (one hummy tube), I rolled a pair of 1958/1959 'D' getter Heerlen ECC88s.  I'm absolutely in love with these tubes.  It'd been a year or more since I last heard them.  They'll stay in for a while yet.  They're what was in listening to ProjeKct One.  I'd say I prefer these ECC88s to the 1976 Heerlen E188CCs for which I paid quite a bit more.  Fine tubes, to be sure, and fortunately quite sound in terms of build (i.e., no problems).
 
Basically, I don't believe in the Holy Grail of tubes, and prefer to switch often.

 

[Guidostrunk]

All in my bio.

Which dac/amp are you using for your HE500?

 

[Badfish5446]

   
I've got a big ol' Glass Menagerie, so I'm constantly rotating them, sometimes weeding out bad tubes (hummy or constantly buzzy/hissy).  After weeding out a pair of 1970 Heerlen E88CCs (one hummy tube), I rolled a pair of 1958/1959 'D' getter Heerlen ECC88s.  I'm absolutely in love with these tubes.  It'd been a year or more since I last heard them.  They'll stay in for a while yet.  They're what was in listening to ProjeKct One.  I'd say I prefer these ECC88s to the 1976 Heerlen E188CCs for which I paid quite a bit more.  Fine tubes, to be sure, and fortunately quite sound in terms of build (i.e., no problems).
 
Basically, I don't believe in the Holy Grail of tubes, and prefer to switch often.

I don't have a huge collection but I typically use Phillips MiniWatt SQ 6922 '69 tubes (Heerlen Plant).  They help out the HE-500's sound stage size and are very quiet/clean tubes.  The matsu****a's also get some amp time when listening to sibilant prone tracks on my T1 or SR325e's but not much with the HE-500's.  I need to clean the pins on those, they are a little noisy and didn't use to be.  I can't say I'm a big fan of the LISST's, just miss that "tube magic" out of the Lyr.