[carlosgab]

What's are some current headphones that sound similar to the HE-500?

Somehow listening to the Rosson Audio Rad 0 reminds me of the HE500 sound.

 

[KCXT]

What's are some current headphones that sound similar to the HE-500?

I have yet to find anything that I would consider similar. There's just that heft and vibrancy in the mids but without anything else feeling like it's missing or loss of space.

 

[kid vic]

What's are some current headphones that sound similar to the HE-500?

The ZMF Auteur is similar especially if you use the same pads on both but it trades speed and resolution for naturalness and timbre.

 

[carlosgab]

I just want to share my headband change for my 560. The process was more difficult than I expected but the results are much nicer than the stock headband.

 

[leeperry]

What are some current headphones that sound similar to the HE-500?

Few weeks back I asked @mrspeakers whether he had any serious contender to HE500 and have yet to get a reply.

AFAICT this is it, just gotta get rid of those nasty SMC connectors hah

 

[bagwell359]

I have a Ukrainian-made S-Audio Focus combiner, but for some reason the sound of the he500 is not very interesting, the sound is dry, sharp and tiring, there is no pleasure, maybe it is a matter of power or the fact that it is equal in sound and does not match the he500?

Could not find info on that unit, but similar products look to be short of power. The last 4 people here that described similar findings all had well less than the suggested 2 wpc@50 ohms. The lack of bass impact is the most obvious issue.

Read back in the thread, and also peoples favorite headphone lists. Of headphones made since 2010, it's mentioned probably in the top 10, with very few dissenters. It's worth the effort.

 

[bagwell359]

SMC's do suck. But I caution anyone that is going to replace them, or replace the internal wiring:

1. Make sure you protect the driver (mylar) from any solder splashes.
2. If you have to repair the connection to the driver, you've got to pre heat the loose wire/solder/flux and spend very little time actually heating the driver side, and keep it at the far edge. Tricky stuff - not for newbies.

The trick with the SMC's is to get one side installed, then counter twist the other cable about 4.5 turns, so when its installed the cables twist doesn't over time loosen the connection. I still have mine on my 500, and its cable and it's staying.

You want mods for the 500?

1. fuzzor mod
2. parametric EQ - start with crinicle, but don't end up there.
3. pads (sorry but the two stocks are not ideal - my pick DCA Ether Angled Lambskin), back screen off, or at least a more open design

4. stock silver plate is microphonic and sonically not accurate - a DYI O2 free is just fine
5. dynamat - to my taste mid bass is too chubby (Q too high) related to vibrations. Judicious use

Not having changed the SMC I cannot give an assured rating, but I'm quite sure the first 4 would easily outpace it

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

$200 for the HE-500? That has to be the best deal in HE-500 history!

I can go a bit better, depending if that $200 is U.S. dollars.

I've had for just over a week as of me writing this, a totally stock HE-500 that i bought off the original owner for $200 Australian (about $140 US, roughly 120-130 Euros). Later edition as it came in the hard travel case not lockable box, 2 pairs of pads, silver cable.

And my humble Fiio K5Pro drives it quite well. Never go past 12 o'clock for volume, and depending on what I'm listening to, either medium or high gain.

Great addition to my Ultrasones (Pro 2900, Signature DXP) and HFM HE-5XX.

Source for all is just a Hiby R3 Pro Saber. I might learn to mess about with its MSEB settings a bit just for fun, as i found a youtube video which explains what frequencies the bands roughly sit within.

I've got some Artic Grills on their way, and the only other mods I'm interested in are the fuzzor mod, and in the future, pad rolling.

Oops nearly forgot!
To get over the poor headband weight distribution causing hotspots, I just got a memory foam padded headband cover that is the same length as the alleged padding on the headband, and the same diameter. $25 solution.
To do the Hybrid headband swap (if Hifiman would sell from their store to Australia...) would be easily AU$250-300.

Better update my flair I suppose, since these are definite keepers!

 

[amigastar]

I love my HE-500.
I've replaced the headband on them since it broke but for 80 bucks i got a new one. I don't have the need to update my HE-500.
I will use them for many years to come for sure.

 

[TWerk]

I can go a bit better, depending if that $200 is U.S. dollars.

I've had for just over a week as of me writing this, a totally stock HE-500 that i bought off the original owner for $200 Australian (about $140 US, roughly 120-130 Euros). Later edition as it came in the hard travel case not lockable box, 2 pairs of pads, silver cable.

And my humble Fiio K5Pro drives it quite well. Never go past 12 o'clock for volume, and depending on what I'm listening to, either medium or high gain.

Great addition to my Ultrasones (Pro 2900, Signature DXP) and HFM HE-5XX.

Source for all is just a Hiby R3 Pro Saber. I might learn to mess about with its MSEB settings a bit just for fun, as i found a youtube video which explains what frequencies the bands roughly sit within.

I've got some Artic Grills on their way, and the only other mods I'm interested in are the fuzzor mod, and in the future, pad rolling.

Oops nearly forgot!
To get over the poor headband weight distribution causing hotspots, I just got a memory foam padded headband cover that is the same length as the alleged padding on the headband, and the same diameter. $25 solution.
To do the Hybrid headband swap (if Hifiman would sell from their store to Australia...) would be easily AU$250-300.

Better update my flair I suppose, since these are definite keepers!

You're just like me!

Hifiman and Ultrasone is it for me, pretty much all I've got minus a trusty HD600!

Man, HE500 for under 200 is the best audio deal ever. To me, they stand with the best of them - love their sound so much!

 

[Dramlin]

Same, the HE-500's + Ultrasone is a super combo. The HE-500's are special to me, definite keepers and good enough to halt me from searching for a "better" sound.

I let a friend try the HE-500's and they asked that I get a pair for them. When I got the second pair I was surprised to find that they sounded quite different from mine. Taking the grills off I found that my headphones have silver/SPC wiring going to the drivers, and the second pair has black copper wiring instead:

The silver pair is vivid sounding with exceptional layering, but just a hint wonky in being dark yet lean at the same time. The black/copper wiring is nowhere near as vivid with a reduced stage, but has a smoother FR and is fuller sounding. Pretty typical sound differences between Silver and OFC wire, and both sound exceptional in their own way. I searched around to see if anyone else had posted pictures of a black wire variant in the HE series, but I couldn't find any pictures outside of an occasional HE-400 or OG HE-6. Best I can guess is that maybe the black wiring came from a refurbished unit, since the newer 5 models use that same black wiring? Anyways, thought I would share that there could be different sounding HE-500's out there based on the internal wiring.

 

[r343]

I've had three pairs and all sounded similiar from audio memory but did not check the wiring.

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

Same, the HE-500's + Ultrasone is a super combo. The HE-500's are special to me, definite keepers and good enough to halt me from searching for a "better" sound.

I let a friend try the HE-500's and they asked that I get a pair for them. When I got the second pair I was surprised to find that they sounded quite different from mine. Taking the grills off I found that my headphones have silver/SPC wiring going to the drivers, and the second pair has black copper wiring instead:



The silver pair is vivid sounding with exceptional layering, but just a hint wonky in being dark yet lean at the same time. The black/copper wiring is nowhere near as vivid with a reduced stage, but has a smoother FR and is fuller sounding. Pretty typical sound differences between Silver and OFC wire, and both sound exceptional in their own way. I searched around to see if anyone else had posted pictures of a black wire variant in the HE series, but I couldn't find any pictures outside of an occasional HE-400 or OG HE-6. Best I can guess is that maybe the black wiring came from a refurbished unit, since the newer 5 models use that same black wiring? Anyways, thought I would share that there could be different sounding HE-500's out there based on the internal wiring.

I checked the wiring inside my cups, can confirm they're silver. Must have been some weird stock mismatches in the factory. Silly me thought when they went from the lockable box to the hard portable case, the cable changed. And I don't see any serial numbers so we can note that after a certain serial number the cases changed, or the cable (& internal wiring?) changed.

My DXP's are my outside phones, and the HE-500 is getting all of the 'new to me toy' attention at the moment indoors. And with the way I listen, it's usually a good 5-6 hrs from taking off the DXP's to putting on the 500's, so no getting used or weirded out going from 1 can to the other.

Now it's a matter of choosing what can to use with which music, so the others get some use as well.

 

[SeanHasAPairOfDuals]

You're just like me!

Hifiman and Ultrasone is it for me, pretty much all I've got minus a trusty HD600!

Man, HE500 for under 200 is the best audio deal ever. To me, they stand with the best of them - love their sound so much!

I'm starting to get a taste about the hype. I have quite a collection of 70's Japanese jazz in DSD and they sound beautiful through the 500's.

Just thinking about it, I can go through my cans in the following order and it's almost like tasting your 4 favourite wines( or foods, or spirits). DXP, 2900Pro, HE-5XX, HE-500. (Closed, semi-open, then 2 open planars) All have their own character. All I'll do to the 500's is pad rolling, fuzzor mod, and I have some Arctic Grills on their way (just larger holes, got them on Etsy).

I might look at some vintage amps for the 500's but I have a humble little Marantz 1040 amp to try out and I have an old Sony Tuner/amp pair (ST-5066 tuner & TA-1055 amp) to try and get repaired which I hope is just a recapping job.

 

[Phenom24]

Good day! maybe someone had such an experience and faced such an effect! I have a Hifiman he 500, a week ago such an effect as "light sound without strong bass" appeared in the sound, that is, there is bass, but it has lost its volume and it sounds as if the power of the amplifier is not enough and the sound picture itself is without volume as in front of your face, but before that there were no problems, amplifier schiit Jotunheim due to balance, tried other sources the sound is the same with the same unpleasant effect, what could be the matter? the ear pads are native, maybe my 500 has come to an end? Could I have ear problems?