HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) Proving to be an enjoyable experience in listening.
Aug 28, 2011 at 12:44 AM Post #721 of 20,373


Quote:
I agree.  The LCD-2 vocals (rev 1,2) are a bit too laid back in the mix.  The HE-500 has a better presentation for vocals, and the better overall balance helps preserve what to me seems like a better backdrop to the vocals. 
 
 



I'm not sure how anyone could find the LCD-2's vocals laid back (especially rev2), but to each their own. The HE500's vocals are nice and syrupy (sorry) though.
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 4:47 AM Post #722 of 20,373
Well, all these comments are very helpful and......also confusing!  I know it's all subjective but some people are saying the LCD2s are more forward, some that they are more laid back, some that they are better for vocals, etc etc
 
Maybe the difference is quite small, and that's why there are different opinions? I should be able to listen to the HE-500 and LCD2 soon - I hope that whichever I end up buying I will be really happy with, and a big upgrade to the Sennheiser HD 600 I have.
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 9:55 AM Post #723 of 20,373
I remember a few pages back that most ppl agree on the fact that the LCDs and HE-500 are more similar than they are different. The differences are probably not that big. Noticeable but not major. Its probably the same for LCD r1 and r2s. Of course i haven actually a/b compared them myself and this is just based on what i read a few pages back.
 
Quote:
Well, all these comments are very helpful and......also confusing!  I know it's all subjective but some people are saying the LCD2s are more forward, some that they are more laid back, some that they are better for vocals, etc etc
 
Maybe the difference is quite small, and that's why there are different opinions? I should be able to listen to the HE-500 and LCD2 soon - I hope that whichever I end up buying I will be really happy with, and a big upgrade to the Sennheiser HD 600 I have.



 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 11:40 AM Post #725 of 20,373
The LCD2 and HE500 are really quite similar in my opinion.  I don't know but my hearing memory is so short that anything but BTB listening sessions with the same song will not pinpoint any differences between these two.  I really don't listen to music to analyst it in any detail.  If the headphones make me tap me feet, then that's good to go.  The LCD2 made my neck ache after 2 hours.  Granted I am sure I would have adjusted, but I only had them for one evening to test out.  and during that time, it did not really make me want to pick up the phone and order them.  I really liked the T1 when compared to the HD800, really liked them.  But since they were several hundreds dollars more than the HE500, that sealed the deal.  Sorry, I just buy the best headphones that appeal to me, and don't really try to own them all.  My last pair were AKG K240DF over 17 years old, so I really am not into the latest and greatest.
 
One thing in this forum that is interesting - there seems to be many posters who come here to tell people why they prefer these over the HE500.  If buying purely based on internet heresay I would definitely say the LCDs get more love.  Glad I got to hear both (and more importantly wear both on my noggin because fit and comfort are much more important to me when sound quality is about even) - this is the best piece of advice to give any potential consumer of these high end phones.
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 11:59 AM Post #726 of 20,373


Quote:
One thing in this forum that is interesting - there seems to be many posters who come here to tell people why they prefer these over the HE500.  If buying purely based on internet heresay I would definitely say the LCDs get more love.  Glad I got to hear both (and more importantly wear both on my noggin because fit and comfort are much more important to me when sound quality is about even) - this is the best piece of advice to give any potential consumer of these high end phones.


You are not the 1st (or the last to mention the comfort issue). I don't own the LCD's but I can say that visually they are more appealing to me, something about wood I suppose. What I can reiterate about the HE-500's is that they really are the most comfortable phones I own.
 
If I were in the market for either of these phones again I would take on board zeroeight's good advice. When there isn't much in it in terms of SQ then think about the comfort, great advice
beerchug.gif

 
 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 12:38 PM Post #727 of 20,373

Aren't the LCD2 and the HE500 appr. the same weight??
 
HE-500 acc. to HeadDirect is 502 g (but in a headphonia-review it says that HE500 is lighter than HE6, which is also specified to 502 g..) LCD-2  acc. to audeeze is 550 g without cable. 
 
Anybody care to weigh their LCD-2 and/or HE-500??
Quote:
....LCD2 made my neck ache after 2 hours.  .......


 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 2:58 PM Post #728 of 20,373
The LCDs get a lot of love because they are made in the US and pushed haaaaaaaard by Head Fi. This isn't to knock them but made in China (warranty, repair, quality) scares many away.Their loss. I've had nothing but good results with HiFiMan. I blew a driver of my own mistake and they replaced them with a new pair. The HE IMO do best on a speaker amp while the LCDs can use many headphone amps.

 
Aug 28, 2011 at 3:19 PM Post #729 of 20,373
The HE-500 and the LCD-2s (rev. 2) are quite different in my ears. So different that it is quite OK to have them both. I use the HE-500 and LCD-2 approx. 40/60% of the time. 
 
The LCD-2 presents sharper contours of each tone. The HE-500 smoothen the tones out a bit. The HE-500 would be perceived by the average headphone user to be more "bright" than the LCD-2 due to how the HE-500's convey the upper frequencies. Vocals? The singer is closer with HE-500. The LCD-2 presents decay better. And so it goes on and on... 
 
None of them give me discomfort issues. Having said that, the HE-500 design makes the weight easier to the head since the clamp force is << than the LCD-2.
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 3:25 PM Post #730 of 20,373


Quote:
The LCDs get a lot of love because they are made in the US and pushed haaaaaaaard by Head Fi. This isn't to knock them but made in China (warranty, repair, quality) scares many away.Their loss. I've had nothing but good results with HiFiMan. I blew a driver of my own mistake and they replaced them with a new pair. The HE IMO do best on a speaker amp while the LCDs can use many headphone amps.
 


True. That and being truly awesome sounding :wink:.

 
Quote:
The HE-500 and the LCD-2s (rev. 2) are quite different in my ears. So different that it is quite OK to have them both. I use the HE-500 and LCD-2 approx. 40/60% of the time. 
 
The LCD-2 presents sharper contours of each tone. The HE-500 smoothen the tones out a bit. The HE-500 would be perceived by the average headphone user to be more "bright" than the LCD-2 due to HE-500's abilities in the upper frequencies. Vocals? The singer is closer with HE-500. The LCD-2 presents decay better. And so it goes on and on... 
 
None of them give me discomfort issues. Havign said that, the HE-500 design makes the weight easier to the head since the clamp force is << than the LCD-2.



Voices even more in your head on the HE-500? Also compared to R1 LCD-2?
 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 3:42 PM Post #731 of 20,373
The vocals are a tad more distant (not meant negative) with the LCD-2 than on the HE-500 on these 3 different recordings. The venue is perceived a tad larger on the LCD-2 than the HE-500.
 
Jeninfer Warnes - (Famous Blue Raincoat) - Joan of Arc
Kirk Franklin - Revolution
Jack Johnson - On & On - Fall Line
 
Haven't heard my R1 for some time, so I won't comment on those from pure memory.
 
Edit: Anyone using the HE-500 with modified pads / HiFiMANs aftermarket pads? I'm a bit curious how a larger distance between the eardrum and the driver will sound like on the HE-500...
 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 8:45 PM Post #732 of 20,373
I love both the LCD-2 and HE500, both kill all the dynamics for me. If you're confused as to which to go for, IMO grab the HE500 for slower music and the rev2 for faster music. And if you happen to listen to piano the most, HE500 is king. 
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 8:50 PM Post #733 of 20,373
So both phones kill the dynamics for you? Why do you use them then or do most headphones, for you, do this? Or, have I misunderstood you?
 
Aug 28, 2011 at 8:55 PM Post #734 of 20,373
Quote:
The LCD2 and HE500 are really quite similar in my opinion.  I don't know but my hearing memory is so short that anything but BTB listening sessions with the same song will not pinpoint any differences between these two.  I really don't listen to music to analyst it in any detail.  If the headphones make me tap me feet, then that's good to go.  The LCD2 made my neck ache after 2 hours.  Granted I am sure I would have adjusted, but I only had them for one evening to test out.  and during that time, it did not really make me want to pick up the phone and order them.  I really liked the T1 when compared to the HD800, really liked them.  But since they were several hundreds dollars more than the HE500, that sealed the deal.  Sorry, I just buy the best headphones that appeal to me, and don't really try to own them all.  My last pair were AKG K240DF over 17 years old, so I really am not into the latest and greatest.
 
One thing in this forum that is interesting - there seems to be many posters who come here to tell people why they prefer these over the HE500.  If buying purely based on internet heresay I would definitely say the LCDs get more love.  Glad I got to hear both (and more importantly wear both on my noggin because fit and comfort are much more important to me when sound quality is about even) - this is the best piece of advice to give any potential consumer of these high end phones.


Good post.  Agreed that they're both similar in that they're both reference quality; both not deviating too far from neutral sound.
 

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