HiFiman HE-500 (HE as in High End) Proving to be an enjoyable experience in listening.

[xzobinx]

Quote:

So I'm in a bit of a situation. I need to go to bed as I have work very early tomorrow but I can't make myself to take them off of my head. I keep hoping the next song will suck but it sounds even better than the first one. Help?

Pack it up send it my way 

 I am more than happy to get rid of such an evil for you 

 

[Darkbeat]

Quote:

So I'm in a bit of a situation. I need to go to bed as I have work very early tomorrow but I can't make myself to take them off of my head. I keep hoping the next song will suck but it sounds even better than the first one. Help?

Bail out now! I had this exact scenario two days ago and ended up not sleeping at all :\
 
You're going to have to go cold turkey, the HE-500s sound breathtakingly fabulous with literally everything. 

 

[pp312]

Quote:

The HE500 does have that bottom octave only it's not as naturaly clear because it has a more prominant peak a little higher up, and unfortunately that also muddy's up the lower mids a little. Apart from that its a close call, I love the treble on the 500's its the best I've heard yet. I think the LCD2's just win for me because of the more natural and whole (cohesive) sound they do, simply more enjoyable. The 500's bass isn't as tight and refined as the rest of their FR, and can sometimes sound a little detached. I find it hard to A/B between these 2 phones because they are quite different and you need quite a bit of time to adjust to their sound sigs each time, otherwise you instantly want to go back to the one you just listened too!
 
  

 
The problem with the HE500/LCD-2 comparison is that they're not really alternatives in the sense that they're both equally heavy. I haven't tried a HE500 but I own the LCD-2 and my--and most owner's--only real beef with it is the weight; indeed it's the only reason I would change it. In that case I'd be looking for something as comfortable as an HD800 (but without the treble peak). What's needed is a true LCD-2 alternative that isn't a brick.  

 

[mike1127]

Quote:

 
The problem with the HE500/LCD-2 comparison is that they're not really alternatives in the sense that they're both equally heavy. I haven't tried a HE500 but I own the LCD-2 and my--and most owner's--only real beef with it is the weight; indeed it's the only reason I would change it. In that case I'd be looking for something as comfortable as an HD800 (but without the treble peak). What's needed is a true LCD-2 alternative that isn't a brick.  

See the link in my sig. It has pictures of my LCD-2 with a modified headband. The comment everyone made at the last LA show was, "These are light!" It's just a matter of adding some memory foam and adding an extra springy element to relieve the pressure on the TMJ joint in an adjustable way. They really aren't heavy 'phones-- they just feel that way due to bad design.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

 
The problem with the HE500/LCD-2 comparison is that they're not really alternatives in the sense that they're both equally heavy. I haven't tried a HE500 but I own the LCD-2 and my--and most owner's--only real beef with it is the weight; indeed it's the only reason I would change it. In that case I'd be looking for something as comfortable as an HD800 (but without the treble peak). What's needed is a true LCD-2 alternative that isn't a brick.  

Very true, both heavy phones. The Bamboo isn't as heavy as the hifimans but still..
In sound I'd say they complement each other quite well though, especially for peeps who don't want "peaky treble"  they are only similar in the way they both have the Orthos sound, but for me they are light and dark alternatives. The hifimans are more balanced and detailed while the LCD's are more warm and fun. I could quite happily live with either one of them, but they get on just fine as a pair aswell 

 

[pp312]

Quote:

See the link in my sig. It has pictures of my LCD-2 with a modified headband. The comment everyone made at the last LA show was, "These are light!" It's just a matter of adding some memory foam and adding an extra springy element to relieve the pressure on the TMJ joint in an adjustable way. They really aren't heavy 'phones-- they just feel that way due to bad design.

 
Really? I though they were heavy phones but didn't feel quite so heavy because of good design. They do after all weight half a kilo.
 
Had a look at your pictures. I'm sure for those experiencing pressure around the jaw etc the mods work fine, but I actually find the fit around the head very comfortable with no pressure points. it's just that accursed weight.

 

[mike1127]

Quote:

 
Really? I though they were heavy phones but didn't feel quite so heavy because of good design. They do after all weight half a kilo.
 
Had a look at your pictures. I'm sure for those experiencing pressure around the jaw etc the mods work fine, but I actually find the fit around the head very comfortable with no pressure points. it's just that accursed weight.

Opinions about Audeze ergonomics seem to be all over the map. I found them to have painful pressure on my TMJ  joint and also the headband design causes an extra pressure point rather than cradling the head. I fixed those things, and now I don't even notice the weight. I could wear them forever. Remember that your head weighs, oh, I don't know, someone please? 8 pounds? And you can hold that up just fine, so adding an extra pound isn't going to change much. To me, the question is: does that extra pound cradle my head comfortably, and if so, it's no issue.

 

[.Sup]

Bail out now! I had this exact scenario two days ago and ended up not sleeping at all :\

You're going to have to go cold turkey, the HE-500s sound breathtakingly fabulous with literally everything. 

I had to go take a leak and never returned to my listening room. That's how I managed to go to sleep before midnight.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

I had to go take a leak and never returned to my listening room. That's how I managed to go to sleep before midnight.

Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow...

 

[.Sup]

Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow...

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Remember that your head weighs, oh, I don't know, someone please? 8 pounds? And you can hold that up just fine

 
 
So why am I always nodding off? 

 

[Anaxilus]

Impressions?  The bass is one note, boomy, lacking resolution, detail and clarity in the low end.  The rest is pretty good but the bass presentation is too incoherent and distracting for my tastes.  The HE400 has better low end resolution which is astonishingly good for the price.  I prefer my modded HE5 and HD800 to either. 

 

[mike1127]

Quote:

Impressions?  The bass is one note, boomy, lacking resolution, detail and clarity in the low end.  The rest is pretty good but the bass presentation is too incoherent and distracting for my tastes.  The HE400 has better low end resolution which is astonishingly good for the price.  I prefer my modded HE5 and HD800 to either. 

I don't get one-note bass from the HE-500. What's the rest of your system? The main thing I notice is that my LCD-2 has a bottom octave that nothing else can touch, but other headphones are no slouches.

 

[Anaxilus]

It's in my sig.  PWD > S7.
 
Extension isn't the problem that bothers me, it's resolution and texture.  The three different HE500s I've heard lacks it against most every ToTL phone I've heard on every system I've heard including BA, Mjolnir, Dynahi, BHA-1, Woo, NAD M51, Eximus DP1, etc, etc.  Listen to a HE400 (a good one, I guess there are two variations) side by side and you should be able to pick out more information in the low end.  Other than that it's just a monotonous droning type of timbre my ears hear.  Other than that the HE500 is pretty good but I can't get over that part.

 

[mike1127]

I just listened to some music with demanding bass (Prokofiev's 5th symphony) and I see what you are saying. Yes they do have boomy, ill-defined bass.