[Shahrose]

Quote:

Please define "Transparency" and "Imaging sharpness". I think we speak totally different language. 
 

Transparency: ability to accurately show differences between recordings and changes in upstream gear.
 
Imaging sharpness: "focus" of the sound. The HE500 sounds more diffused than the 800s for example. The latter images more precisely (more pin-point).

 

[Nankai]

You should at lease have one standard or reference before you do any test. What is your ref? If we set live concert in Lincoln center or Carnage hall as standard, I don't think the standard will provide so-called "image sharpness". No matter how close you stay to the stage, you can not hear "image" after you close your eyes.
 
About transparency, I can not agree to your description about HE-500. Most dynamic, except AKG K1000, have very little transparency. They add a lot of color, which I call it "dynamic taste" to record playback. 
 
Quote:

Transparency: ability to accurately show differences between recordings and changes in upstream gear.
 
Imaging sharpness: "focus" of the sound. The HE500 sounds more diffused than the 800s for example. The latter images more precisely (more pin-point).

 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

There's just too much to list. I don't use specific tracks, but a whole playlist with a wide range of genres. For speed, I go for electronic or fast-paced drums (rock or otherwise) generally. I also use orchestral tracks with any sort of percussion.
 
Comparing all these cans side-by-side, the differences are readily noticeable with the right tracks. Thing is, it probably helps that I've heard these on many different systems and a few of them live in a studio so I have a good idea of what they should sound like. I'm not sure if they will work for others. Everyone uses different reference material that they've become familiar with overtime.

Can you list just a few tracks, so that others could try them out?

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Can you list just a few tracks, so that others could try them out?

Sure.
 
Electronic: Petersky - Kurs Zjazdowy
                  Arnej - Bella
                  Mord Fustang - Lick the Rainbow (Original Mix)
                  Egohead Deluxe - Killer Emotion (Club Mix)
                  Crystal Method - Acetone                
                  Atlantis Ocean - Das Ist Gunter
                
 
Percussion/Bass: Track # 2 on Ultrasone's Test CD (I may upload this if you can't find it...very good recording).
                             Escala - Palladio    
                             Calexico - Pepita
                            
      
As I was looking for these tracks, I realized the lack of control (relative to HD800/SA5000/LCD-2) is most noticeable in the sub to midbass...frequencies that are used for beats really mostly in electronic music, so I've provided some examples here. There are a LOT more but these are just some I found from browsing a playlist quickly.

 
Quote:

You should at lease have one standard or reference before you do any test. What is your ref? If we set live concert in Lincoln center or Carnage hall as standard, I don't think the standard will provide so-called "image sharpness". No matter how close you stay to the stage, you can not hear "image" after you close your eyes.
 
About transparency, I can not agree to your description about HE-500. Most dynamic, except AKG K1000, have very little transparency. They add a lot of color, which I call it "dynamic taste" to record playback.

 

Hey you have your opinion and I have mine.

 
Here's another guy who found the same as I did. Pretty much spot on IMO: http://www.headfonia.com/hifiman-he-500-first-impression/
 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Sure.
 
Electronic: Petersky - Kurs Zjazdowy
                  Arnej - Bella
                  Mord Fustang - Lick the Rainbow (Original Mix)
                  Egohead Deluxe - Killer Emotion (Club Mix)
                  Crystal Method - Acetone                
                  Atlantis Ocean - Das Ist Gunter
                
 
Percussion/Bass: Track # 2 on Ultrasone's Test CD (I may upload this if you can't find it...very good recording).
                             Escala - Palladio    
                             Calexico - Pepita
                            
      
As I was looking for these tracks, I realized the lack of control (relative to HD800/SA5000/LCD-2) is most noticeable in the sub to midbass...frequencies that are used for beats really mostly in electronic music, so I've provided some examples here. There are a LOT more but these are just some I found from browsing a playlist quickly.

--------
Hey you have your opinion and I have mine.

 
Here's another guy who found the same as I did. Pretty much spot on IMO: http://www.headfonia.com/hifiman-he-500-first-impression/
 

I'm going to check out some of the other music you used later, thanks.  I have the Ultrasone test disc, and track 2 is a good track for testing bass speed.  
 
I just compared the HE-500 via DACmini amp to the LCD-2 balanced from the SR-71b, using the DACmini as source for both phones, and track #2 as you did.  The HE-500 are pretty darn close in the bass control, although there is a slight decrease in the snap and kick from the HE-500 vs the LCD-2.  But I had to concentrate to hear it.  I still think the bass is still faster and more controlled than with my LA7000 that I have right here too, and it's almost as good as the HE-6 bass the last time I compared them.  At the same time, the deepest bass seemed a little more present with the HE-500 vs the LCD-2 on this track and these amps.  (Note, I don't think the LA7000 are too slow, even though they don't keep up with the orthodynamics, HD800 or stats)
 
I just switched to Kenji Williams "Death and Rain" off the Faces of Epiphany album, and my findings were similar, but the HE-500 are still relatively fast in the bass vs my dynamic headphones (LA7000 and HF-2).  Also, the other day when I compared the HE-500 on my ZDT amp vs the vintage Stax Lambda Nova Signature on the Woo WES the HE-500 killed the Stax in bass control and detail, although the HE-6 were still the best of the three and on par with the LCD-2 bass.  I was listening to infected mushroom at that time, Dancing with the Kadafi.
 

 

[Shahrose]

Hmm...interesting findings HA. I'm going to continue burning in the HE500 and test some more later.

 

[KingStyles]

I find the bass close to the lcd2, but there is a little more bloom/decay to each note. It seems fast though. There is still enough separation between notes to keep it from sounding one note. The lcd2 bass is really tight with good articulation and detail. I lose some of that detail of the bass notes because of the extra bloom. Dont get me wrong, it is still very enjoyable and the can as a whole might be a little more engaging than the lcd2. I will have to do some comparisons when everything gets burned in.

 

[LoweArt]

Got my HE-500 delivered by Fedex this afternoon !
 
Even cold straight out of the box these cans sound better than the Sennie HD650 with standard cables.
 
As suspected and advised by many here, my recent Bottlehead Crack OTL Amp doesn't have enough juice to
really do these baby's justice but my MAD Ear + purist is doing much better at running them in for now.
 
I guess I'll get used to the additional weight of these cans verses my HD600. ...

 

[gurubhai]

Quote:

 
Treble:

-Main difference between all the orthos and dynamics here is the graininess...the orthos are just creamy smooth, completely grain free, sometimes unnaturally so. (I won't talk about the LCD-2 in this section, because I don't have it with me). The dynamic cans are more transparent to recording grain and flaws, no doubt about that. Fang's orthos really make everything sound good (though not always the best). With really good recordings, I think the transparency of the HD800/HD650 pulls them ahead, but with mediocre to average recordings (most pop these days), the HE500 sounds better because it almost completely hides the flaws without compromising much detail...a very special trait.
 

Very nice impressions on the most part but I find this bit rather curious.
Why would you say that smooth & completely grain free is unnatural. I am yet to hear a live instrument which sounded grainy.
Is it possible that years of listening to dynamic transducers is biasing your judgement.
 
About the dynamic cans varying more with recording , it is indeed due to their peakiness which means that in some recordings where the fault lies over that peak would be highlighted more.That is hardly the 'accurate reproduction of recording'( transparency).
Just my 2 cents.
 

 

[Alghazanth]

 
Quote:

 
 
 
-Overall tone is more natural than any other can I've heard...not perfect, nor neutral, but very natural.

Nice review. This part is by far the most important. The HE500 share a very special ability with the T1: The ability to make music sound incredibly natural, more so than any other can I have heard. This is the reason I have to keep one of the two around, no matter what. I used to hate the idea of "neutral" or anything near it, but these two cans were complete eye-openers.

 

[LoweArt]

With only 2hrs burn in on the HE-500 and being driven by my MAD Ear + purist and my Arcam CD36 playing Diana Krall singing Frim Fram Sauce........ WoW, I really mean, WOW....
 
I think I just wet myself..........  sorry folks....

 

[Alghazanth]

Quote:

With only 2hrs burn in on the HE-500 and being driven by my MAD Ear + purist and my Arcam CD36 playing Diana Krall singing Frim Fram Sauce........ WoW, I really mean, WOW....
 
I think I just wet myself..........  sorry folks....

I know what you mean, it actually happened to me at around the 2 hour mark too 

 

[Frank I]

Sharose nice impressions. the biggest difference I heard in comparison to the HE6 was that the HE6 with the right amp has more bass better transparency and much better extension in the treble. It was also better focused with instruments in their own space with air. The HE500 is transparent more so than most dynamics I have owned except the T1. The biggest difference I heard not the hE6 nor the He5000 can compare to LCD2 bass but they both are excellent in bass reproduction and texture. The HE500 is much easier to drive making it more attractive to most people. It is also less expensive than the HE6. They are very good headphones no doubt. The other difference to me were the hE6 is more full bodied and has better imaging than the HE500. Slight but still performance a tad below that of the hE6. The problem is you need good clean watts and no matter what most will say they perform best with 15W going in to then while the 500 can be used with most quality amps. The impression you posted were your opinion of the HE500 and  should be respected. I respect them for sure and indeed everyone hears differently has different playback gear so most opinions will be different . I think the HE500 is a reference headphone but there are some issues that need to be worked out and they are in the process of doing that. With some improvement in build quality and more strict quality control in manufacturing it can be the one headphone that will keep most people happy for a long time. All said it is a fine effort from Fang and will be his biggest seller I believe.

 

[Skylab]

Sharose I thought your review was very good!  Like gurubhai, I also did not find the HD800 to be more transparent than the HE500 - in fact I felt the HE500 was more transparent.  But I do think it is a use of language/terminology issue.  For me, transparency means faithfulness to the recording, which means a complete lack of any noise, grain, or anything that is in the way of having a wide open window to the recording.  And for me, in that regard, the HE500 were better than either the HD800 or T1, IMHO.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Why would you say that smooth & completely grain free is unnatural. I am yet to hear a live instrument which sounded grainy.
Is it possible that years of listening to dynamic transducers is biasing your judgement.
 
About the dynamic cans varying more with recording , it is indeed due to their peakiness which means that in some recordings where the fault lies over that peak would be highlighted more.That is hardly the 'accurate reproduction of recording'( transparency).
Just my 2 cents.
 

 
I'll elaborate. I've noticed with the HE-5, HE-6 and now the HE-500, that no matter what recording you play, there's almost never any grain. The HD800 can sound grain-free or very grainy depending on the recording. They can really reveal different types of treble whereas the HE500 "fixes" everything it plays. That's what I meant by forgiving too. The orthos make everything sound good and their sound is fairly consistent no matter the equipment or recording. The HD800 can range from sounding really good to really bad depending on the quality of what ithey're plugged into and what they're playing. You suggest that it could be because some recordings highlight the inherent peakiness of the dynamic cans. Well, it's not just the treble that the dynamics are more revealing of. I can extend this description to all parts of the frequency spectrum, as well as the soundstaging and layering.
 
In hindsight, I think my usage of "unnatural" here is misleading. What I really meant is what I've said above.
 
Quote:

Sharose I thought your review was very good!  Like gurubhai, I also did not find the HD800 to be more transparent than the HE500 - in fact I felt the HE500 was more transparent.  But I do think it is a use of language/terminology issue.  For me, transparency means faithfulness to the recording, which means a complete lack of any noise, grain, or anything that is in the way of having a wide open window to the recording.  And for me, in that regard, the HE500 were better than either the HD800 or T1, IMHO.

 
Yea it's partly because I gauge transparency differently. To me, the HD800 change more recording to recording and from different equipment than the HE500. To me, this means the HD800s are more transparent.