[SilverEars]

I received these recently. Initially I heard it with the pleather pads, and the response didn't sound that even (the upper half of the spectrum). That changed with the velour pads. Sounds about right with more of a balanced signature, and slightly warmer. It's a bit warmer than what I expect of the typical Hifiman cans. It has a bit of a diffuse sounding mids character, which I believe are particular with planars.

Two interesting things I've noticed about these headphones. The cymbals are great and the subs with a particular track (Sara K. Blind-Hearted).

As far as the build, it's solid. Lately, I've been so used to Sennheiser HD58X being light and comfortable, these don't fare so well in that department. It's a bit on the heavier side, and the round cup shape is not ideal around the ears. I'm starting to realize why design has to evolve even though the Hifiman classics were well regarded.

Can somebody recommend me some tracks that shows off the subs?

 

[FastAndClean]

Can somebody recommend me some tracks that shows off the subs?

from 2.35 min mark, but if you want listen the whole track, is great for soundstage testing as well

 

[kid vic]

I received these recently. Initially I heard it with the pleather pads, and the response didn't sound that even (the upper half of the spectrum). That changed with the velour pads. Sounds about right with more of a balanced signature, and slightly warmer. It's a bit warmer than what I expect of the typical Hifiman cans. It has a bit of a diffuse sounding mids character, which I believe are particular with planars.

Two interesting things I've noticed about these headphones. The cymbals are great and the subs with a particular track (Sara K. Blind-Hearted).

As far as the build, it's solid. Lately, I've been so used to Sennheiser HD58X being light and comfortable, these don't fare so well in that department. It's a bit on the heavier side, and the round cup shape is not ideal around the ears. I'm starting to realize why design has to evolve even though the Hifiman classics were well regarded.

Can somebody recommend me some tracks that shows off the subs?

With a stout amp these songs will show off the soundstage and bass agility quite well

 

[bagwell359]

I received these recently. Initially I heard it with the pleather pads, and the response didn't sound that even (the upper half of the spectrum). That changed with the velour pads. Sounds about right with more of a balanced signature, and slightly warmer. It's a bit warmer than what I expect of the typical Hifiman cans. It has a bit of a diffuse sounding mids character, which I believe are particular with planars.

Two interesting things I've noticed about these headphones. The cymbals are great and the subs with a particular track (Sara K. Blind-Hearted).

As far as the build, it's solid. Lately, I've been so used to Sennheiser HD58X being light and comfortable, these don't fare so well in that department. It's a bit on the heavier side, and the round cup shape is not ideal around the ears. I'm starting to realize why design has to evolve even though the Hifiman classics were well regarded.

Can somebody recommend me some tracks that shows off the subs?

Velours are well better than pleathers. Do they have the fuzzor mod? that's the really big change, instruments from mids up gain a lot of focus and clarity. I've mentioned the pads I like, I believe there are two others that are seen as a very good - a good deal better than the velours.

Take a shot at some female vocals:

Norah Jones - come away with me (cuts 1, 3, 5)
Krall - Peel Me a Grape, Frim Fram Sauce, Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Rebecca Pidgeon - The Word Around Town
Joni - Blue (River, Case of You), most of For the Roses, most of Heijira, most of Court and Spark
k.d lang - most of the first 1/2 of Ingenue
pretty much any well recorded female singers whose original language is Portuguese, love the sound - in any language.

Other -
Yes - remastered version of "Roundabout" the vocals, esp the harmonizing
F. Mac - Crystal

Some of the ear candy I've listened to recently.

 

[SilverEars]

Thanks guys, I'll try out the suggested tracks.

Velours are well better than pleathers. Do they have the fuzzor mod? that's the really big change, instruments from mids up gain a lot of focus and clarity. I've mentioned the pads I like, I believe there are two others that are seen as a very good - a good deal better than the velours.

Take a shot at some female vocals:

Norah Jones - come away with me (cuts 1, 3, 5)
Krall - Peel Me a Grape, Frim Fram Sauce, Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Rebecca Pidgeon - The Word Around Town
Joni - Blue (River, Case of You), most of For the Roses, most of Heijira, most of Court and Spark
k.d lang - most of the first 1/2 of Ingenue
pretty much any well recorded female singers whose original language is Portuguese, love the sound - in any language.

Other -
Yes - remastered version of "Roundabout" the vocals, esp the harmonizing
F. Mac - Crystal

Some of the ear candy I've listened to recently.

I think a key strength is being one of the smoother treble Hifiman. I could use more clarity so I will look into fuzzer mod.

Although stock velour sounds better than the pleather, what I dislike is the stiffness of the pads that adds discomfort with the clamping force. If the pads were cushony, I would be more comfortable and probably seal better as well.

 

[FastAndClean]

i use focus pads, they are way more comfortable than the stock velours, i have also lambskin leather pads but the sound is dark with more bass and lower mids, audeze kind of tonality

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks guys, I'll try out the suggested tracks.

I think a key strength is being one of the smoother treble Hifiman. I could use more clarity so I will look into fuzzer mod.

Although stock velour sounds better than the pleather, what I dislike is the stiffness of the pads that adds discomfort with the clamping force. If the pads were cushony, I would be more comfortable and probably seal better as well.

Yes the seal is much better with my preferred pads - Ether C angled. In other spots in this thread others are mentioned as being really good, but I haven't used them, so I can't say.

 

[sikki-six]

I got a pair of HE-500's two weeks ago and after a few days installed some HM5 sheepskin angled pads. First I tried the original velours, which were quite uncomfortable (but sounded good). Then tried the Focus pads (or Focus-A's, not sure which these are) and got more comfort. I was maybe hearing something off in the highs, very much not sure though... Then I realised the mounting rings come straight off from the pleathers (didn't even try those, I'm feeling discomfort just looking at those shallow things), nice!

It was a bit of a hassle to get the oval and tight HM5 pads over the rings, but I managed eventually. THIS is what I was looking for sound-wise - punchy, deep and present bass without audible anomalies in the other regions. Having LCD-2.1, HD800 (EQ'd) and HD600 to compare to these are some very nice sounding, surprisingly neutral headphones. A slightly sparklier, more fun HD600 with better bass presence, speed and punch. Better soundstage too, I'd say.

That stock silver cable is a horrible joke for an hp of this quality, microphonic & plasticky as hell. What were they thinking? Yeah, it's light, but please put some effort into it.

 

[SilverEars]

I think the 5k can get a bit annoying with these depending on the track, but better off 5k than 6 or 7k I say. Any vocal sibilance, I hear it in the 5k, like tape stripping sound. That's the only gripe I can think of with the sound.

 

[SilverEars]

The horns on the HE500 sounds quite good, and similarly the cymbals (I've noticed the shimmeriness). I imagine this is a great headphone for jazz besides the older recordings sounds a bit compressed in terms of sound stage (which needs a bit of cross-feed). It's like wall of sound on left and right, like the imaging is cut-off with a wall. Personally, I don't find the much older jazz recording sound quality to be all that good. Like Coltrane's recordings for example, it's seems the dynamics are a bit compressed.

 

[FastAndClean]

i received that amp one day ago, it has incredible amount of power ( 5.3 w per channel at 50ohm s), before that i was using magni 2 with the HE500
with the new amp the tonality wasn't changed much (a tad smoother in the upper mids and treble), however the sound feels effortless, the magni sounded like it was forced to impress, it was kind of in your face type of sound
with the new amp there is no force, it's just effortless smooth sound with crazy dynamic range, now i know what it means to have a lot of power in your amplification

 

[Slim1970]

i received that amp one day ago, it has incredible amount of power ( 5.3 w per channel at 50ohm s), before that i was using magni 2 with the HE500
with the new amp the tonality wasn't changed much (a tad smoother in the upper mids and treble), however the sound feels effortless, the magni sounded like it was forced to impress, it was kind of in your face type of sound
with the new amp there is no force, it's just effortless smooth sound with crazy dynamic range, now i know what it means to have a lot of power in your amplification

What amp is this?

 

[bagwell359]

The horns on the HE500 sounds quite good, and similarly the cymbals (I've noticed the shimmeriness). I imagine this is a great headphone for jazz besides the older recordings sounds a bit compressed in terms of sound stage (which needs a bit of cross-feed). It's like wall of sound on left and right, like the imaging is cut-off with a wall. Personally, I don't find the much older jazz recording sound quality to be all that good. Like Coltrane's recordings for example, it's seems the dynamics are a bit compressed.

I'm a big Miles Davis fan and those Columbia recordings are pretty bad - compressed with wild highs, go back earlier to the Prestige records, mono and compressed a bit too. I think in the 50's the tracking of high amplitude horns were probably difficult, so they just sat on them.

 

[SilverEars]

my focus pads are here, they look a little bit different than the old ones -
my pads

old ones that i had -

i hope that they improved the durability

I got these pads, and tonality changed. The shimmeriness isn't as pronounced as with the Velours. Tonally, shifted warmer with more of ambient effects (attack and decay) inside the cups. Bass has more softness to it as well. Perhaps these characteristics are due to the better seal. Definitely sound warmer, but warmer in a particular way, the tonality became warm compared to sound becoming thicker (which is another kind of warm). Tonality is therefore more natural, but I do like the shimmer of the cymbals better with the velours (that's a characteristic I find so interesting about these, the cymbal and horn energy). It also sounds more focused, and less open (yet again, probably due to better seal). By focused I mean it sounds clearer, but with a more natural tonality (darker). It turned into a jazz friendly headphone (but, not in a sense of livelier horns and cymbals shimmers). It does sound smoother (creamier) overall.

I could see some people preferring this sort of tonality.

Does the dots in the interior dull the highs a bit?

Comfort is much much better.

 

[SilverEars]

I'm a big Miles Davis fan and those Columbia recordings are pretty bad - compressed with wild highs, go back earlier to the Prestige records, mono and compressed a bit too. I think in the 50's the tracking of high amplitude horns were probably difficult, so they just sat on them.

Really awesome more recent horns album is:

Thurman Green - Dance of the Night Creatures

Sounds amazing. This album has the sound stage and dynamics that all jazz recordings should have. The thing is, it's not on Tidal or any streaming apps.