[jerg]

Quote:

They should have QC as all Hifiman headphones I own had QC sticker on the bottom of the headband. Unfortunately that sticker doesn't mean much as the hands and minds that manually check every headphone opinionate different on what quality actually is and so my HE-4 had so much glue on the headband that I was extremely disappointed and then I realised why, partly, headphones like Sennheiser cost more as they have a proper QC.
That is true David, I agree. Although there are other factors consumers don't know as to why they cost so much more. Sennheiser's science personnel should outnumber Hifiman's 20:1 and so costs are higher which reflect on the higher product price.
Just let them play at slightly louder volume than you usually listen to. I never let them play just to burn in, I listen to them from day 1 and you will notice how they change in sound, same with the cable.

It's strange though how large headphone audio manufacturers like Sennheiser hasn't jumped on the planar magnetic train yet, they got the budget and the brains to do it and pull it off potentially better (both in technicality and in QC) than boutique companies like Audeze and Hifiman.

 

[.Sup]

Quote:

It's strange though how large headphone audio manufacturers like Sennheiser hasn't jumped on the planar magnetic train yet, they got the budget and the brains to do it and pull it off potentially better (both in technicality and in QC) than boutique companies like Audeze and Hifiman.

That's is an interesting question. Looking at the very expensive HE-6 I think it would cost too much for an ordinary consumer. I think if HE-6 was manufactured by Sennheiser it would be more expensive, close to 2k because of the better materials used. If you compare HD-800 with HE-6 headphones construction and material wise the Senns top every Hifiman headphone by a mile. So I believe, since Sennheiser has higher standards their headphones would be too expensive. HD700 in a way confirms that they would like to sell to wider range of consumers so in this case cheaper is the way to go and it seems ortho and cheap don't go together well. That is just my speculation but I don't know much any way.

 

[hasanyuceer]

Quote:

I was thinking about telling him this but it seems to "obvious".  However yes, you can rotate each up so the screws line up.  Just try and see if it helps because other than that they look fine.  I occasionally need to rotate mine after listening because my head makes the left one rotate a bit.
 
Also, Hasanyuceer, you have no idea if HiFiMan has QC or not so saying that they don't is pure speculation.

I know and am sure they have QC and also I love Hifiman products and always satisfied with them but it doesnt change that they have poor QC. My HE500 has impedance difference between drivers, my friends HE500 came with a defective cable.
 
You can see that HE500 in the photos, how a person can check and not see a defect like that?
 
Well, it will turn out good because of Fang and Hifiman's good customer service but that 700USD headphone shouldnt be like that in the first place.

 

[brokenthumb]

Currently listening to Diana Krall's Quiet Nights album and the piano is to die for.  I quickly paused the music and switched to HD650 for a comparison and the piano was really dull and lifeless, sounded like it was coming from a speaker.  Switched back to HE-500 and felt like I was in the room with the piano, it sounds amazingly lifelike!

 

[MaZa]

Quote:

 
 
What's the common burn-in procedure? I did a search, but I only found arguments about if burn-in is real or not. Is there something specific I should do, or just let them play... Do you use the amp too?

 
 
My rig is listed in my sig, amplifier being Stello HP100 discrete SS amp. For burn-in I just keep using the headphones, no particular method. Though I may leave them playing some very intense music slightly louder than normal listening volume when I am not around, if I feel like it.
 
About burn-in being real or not, personally speaking I am a believer because I did hear quite dramatic change in HF2 which was very muffled out of the box. Quite quickly too, just within 24-48 hours. But concerning claims that x headphone requires xx hundreds hour claims I give a wide berth. Give them some intense stuff to chew and burn-in should happen fast, if it happens at all in that headphone.

 

[schaaf]

Ok, Here's a question.
 
So it's:
iMac > Asgard > HE-500s.
Album   Dave Matthews, Some Devil. 
Song     Some Devil 
Format   Apple Lossless.
 
I'm hearing something on the upper end of the electric guitar. Kind of like static, but with a clicking kind of sound.
Is that clipping? Is it my source, my amp, my headphones, the recording or the file format?
 
I can't quit listening to these things. They're great. I'm loving it.

 

[johnwmclean]

^ is the equaliser set to off in itunes?

 

[schaaf]

Ah.
 
 
No.
 
 
It was apparently set to "Rock."
 
Trying it with it off Right now....
 
....and the problem is now gone.
That's also seeming to fix what I felt was wrong with the mids at the expense of the bass and some of the
impact/dynamicsI was enjoying.
 
I never really considered myself as a bass head, but it was powerful and enjoyable. 
 
 
I don't ever remember turning it on...
Thanks!
 
S-

 

[Nankai]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I will pass the problem to our engineers asap. Actually we worked very hard on QC in the previous a few month. We have significantly cut down the defective rate of the drivers. We got much better headband and other material as well.  In fact our defective rate become lower and lower since earlier this year.
 
We have to say we still have a long way to go to become another Sennheiser or other big manufacturer, but we are keep working on doing better. A Taiwanese QC director will join us and become our QC worker's leader from next month. 

 

[Yuceka]

Quote:

Thanks for posting the pictures. I will pass the problem to our engineers asap. Actually we worked very hard on QC in the previous a few month. We have significantly cut down the defective rate of the drivers. We got much better headband and other material as well.  In fact our defective rate become lower and lower since earlier this year.
 
We have to say we still have a long way to go to become another Sennheiser or other big manufacturer, but we are keep working on doing better. A Taiwanese QC director will join us and become our QC worker's leader from next month. 

Thank you for all the work you do. I understand the frustrations of some of the buyers here but as I read them I am buffled. If you know that they are not made in a German factory like Sennheisers then why are you expecting the same build quality? Yes Hifimans do not look like pieces of art like HD800 but the musical enjoyment we get out of them is immense. I bought 5 different Hifiman headphones and never had a single defect both cosmetically and sonically. If a company is putting out an Ortho for $400, they should be applauded. And no I disagree with one of the users here, They do not sound horrible right out of the box. They sound AWESOME right out of the box and the burn-in will not be the same as the dynamic headphones. And to say that they have no quality check is just borderline ridiculous. Ok now I got this off m chest, I can go to sleep in peace  

 

[hasanyuceer]

Quote:

Thanks for posting the pictures. I will pass the problem to our engineers asap. Actually we worked very hard on QC in the previous a few month. We have significantly cut down the defective rate of the drivers. We got much better headband and other material as well.  In fact our defective rate become lower and lower since earlier this year.
 
We have to say we still have a long way to go to become another Sennheiser or other big manufacturer, but we are keep working on doing better. A Taiwanese QC director will join us and become our QC worker's leader from next month. 

 
This is good to hear Fang. I am sure that you will achieve the results you want.

 

[Ceja-Blu]

Thanks for mentioning the Ray Samuels HR 2 in the HE 500 thread.
In the price range, do you find the Centrance Dac mini and the RS 2 comparable in
Musical quality and power? I own other Centrance products and they are amazing values.
What types of music did you listen to with this combination?
Thanks for your impressions in advance.

Best,
Cb

 

[Ceja-Blu]

The HE 500 s right out of the box sounded impressive. I second that opinion.
However, After several frustrating days with the stock connectors I replaced The stock cable And connectors with a v2 black dragon from moon audio and the sound actually improved (subjective as that observation may be).
HE 500s sound fuller and wider with more powerful amps IMHO.
Comparing build quality with the Sennheiser HD 800 is a bit silly.

 

[brat]

I'm not a big fan of HIFIMAN's sound (I've listened to HE-5, HE-500, HE-6, HE-400 and HE-300) but I find HE-500 the most neutral and linear of their headphones. Direct comparison with HE-6 showed excessive highs and bass, a kind of "smiley face" FR curve of the latter. Amps used: Auralic Taurus and HIFIMAN EF-6.

 

[.Sup]

Hey guys, anyone know how this amp would work with HE-500
 

pioneer SA 508

 
I can get it for 111€