[tuna47]

I had the 400s the where very good but a lot of harshness on female vocals and the cymbals are a little too much for my ears
The 500s are much smoother I enjoy them more are they worth the money your in the wrong hobbie if you look at it like that.
Is a Senn 800 worth what the charge most none hobiest most people think we are crazy and love their I buds

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
Hey preproman, just curious which kind of Norse cable HappyCamper had on loan and to which Reign you recabled? I presume you went for Reign because of the Reign 24...
Cheers

 
 
HE-6 = Reign 24
 
HE-500 = Skuld vs.1:   4 conductor

 

[spark3]

Just received my pair of HE500 from a user on here and I'm really disappointed by them

They are much darker than my HD600 which I was not expecting, I am running them through an M-Stage amp and Dacmagic. The bass has improved quite a bit and lower mids sound slightly better but that's about it. The upper mids are just so withdrawn/dull and the treble is pretty much the same, metal/rock sounds lifeless on them. It feels as if I have downgraded from the HD600..I thought the HE500 were going to be good upgrade over the HD600, What do you guys think? has anyone came from HD600 to these?

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

Just received my pair of HE500 from a user on here and I'm really disappointed by them

They are much darker than my HD600 which I was not expecting, I am running them through an M-Stage amp and Dacmagic. The bass has improved quite a bit and lower mids sound slightly better but that's about it. The upper mids are just so withdrawn/dull and the treble is pretty much the same, metal/rock sounds lifeless on them. It feels as if I have downgraded from the HD600..I thought the HE500 were going to be good upgrade over the HD600, What do you guys think? has anyone came from HD600 to these?

Did you use the Pleather pad by any chance?

 

[Acapella11]

Quote:

 
 
HE-6 = Reign 24
 
HE-500 = Skuld vs.1:   4 conductor

 
Excellent, thanks for the details.
 
 
Quote:

Just received my pair of HE500 from a user on here and I'm really disappointed by them

They are much darker than my HD600 which I was not expecting, I am running them through an M-Stage amp and Dacmagic. The bass has improved quite a bit and lower mids sound slightly better but that's about it. The upper mids are just so withdrawn/dull and the treble is pretty much the same, metal/rock sounds lifeless on them. It feels as if I have downgraded from the HD600..I thought the HE500 were going to be good upgrade over the HD600, What do you guys think? has anyone came from HD600 to these?

 

Sound is as good as the chain is and fits together. Do you use the HE-500 with the silver looking SPC-cable? If you use copper only instead, that will make your treble less prominent. Do you use velours or pleathers? Velours will bring out more treble compared to the stock pleather pads. M-Stage is supposed to be a dark amp, it was often recommended for the brighter AKG phones. In contrast, the HE-500 is not bright but balanced (IMO). You expect the sound signature to go into the darker direction using the M-Stage.

 

[spark3]

I was using the pleathers yes, now I changed to the velour the treble has improved a bit but I still feel I have not upgraded from the HD600 which obviously shouldn't really be the case. I know the M-Stage is a dark amp but the HD600 are neutral too and they sound great on it...

 

[Pianist]

HE-500 sounds quite different from HD600 due to the difference in driver technology. If you haven't heard orthodynamic/planar headphones before, you may need some time to adjust to their sound delivery, which is smoother than that of dynamics, yet also more tonally accurate and more detailed than what you get with most dynamics too. The details you hear from the planar drivers just aren't as aggressively presented as they are through dynamics, so your brain may ignore many of the details at first, being used to the bolder presentation of dynamic drivers.  With that being said, HD600 is already a great sounding headphone - one of the best dynamic driver designs out there - and I don't think HE-500 is a big upgrade. In fact, for some people, perhaps those like you, who prefer the presentation of dynamic drivers, HD600 may sound better than any orthodynamic and may even be preferable to electrostats. But before ditching HE-500, do give them more time. Also, try to listen only to HE-500 for a few days, and then go back to HD600 -  eventually, you may hear and appreciate what HE-500 can do.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

HE-500 sounds quite different from HD600 due to the difference in driver technology. If you haven't heard orthodynamic/planar headphones before, you may need some time to adjust to their sound delivery, which is smoother than that of dynamics, yet also more tonally accurate and more detailed than what you get with most dynamics too. The details you hear from the planar drivers just aren't as aggressively presented as they are through dynamics, so your brain may ignore many of the details at first, being used to the bolder presentation of dynamic drivers.  With that being said, HD600 is already a great sounding headphone - one of the best dynamic driver designs out there - and I don't think HE-500 is a big upgrade. In fact, for some people, perhaps those like you, who prefer the presentation of dynamic drivers, HD600 may sound better than any orthodynamic and may even be preferable to electrostats. But before ditching HE-500, do give them more time. Also, try to listen only to HE-500 for a few days, and then go back to HD600 -  eventually, you may hear and appreciate what HE-500 can do.

Yeah, I've seen quite a few people who tried all the planar magnetic offerings and still went back to dynamics. Dynamic ring-coil cans have a more 'focused' sound because their soundwaves are not planar in nature, which might be preferred by some and despised by others.

 

[eke2k6]

I hope for the sake of my wallet that I'll hate the he-500 that's coming in tomorrow.

 

[spark3]

Pianist I think you are right, the more I am listening to the HE500 the more I am actually warming towards them, I may have been a bit too hasty in judging haha.
They are indeed smooth compared to the more aggressive HD600/DT990 dynamics that I own but they sound so much fuller, this must be what tonal accuracy sounds like in headphones, Alice In Chains - Unplugged album sounds...unreal, it's like I am there with the band listening to them play

HD600 can't even compare. With metal they don't seem to shine as much tho. Strangely I also asked my dad to give them a try and he is not a big headphone listener but he immediately said the HE500 sounded much better than the HD600.
 
Also what's some good pads to buy for the HE500? the velour pads I got with them are a little worn.

 

[khaine1711]

Many people hearing orthos for the first time are usually awed by the black background +ortho speed. When I still had the He-500, I usually think of them as HD600 on steroid - do everything the Hd600 does, with better speed. I do agree that with some metals the He500 sounds "dim" for a lack of a better word; but the speed made up for it.
 
Stock velour pad is 20 pounds I think. You can take the pad mounting disc and mount the Dt990 pad also - they fit. Not sure how that will affect the sound though. Other pads to try includes the Stax O2 Pad, Denon stockpad, J$ beyer pad, Lawton angle pad, jerg modded pleather pad.
 
Edit: and Audeze vegan/leather pad too
Quote:

 With metal they don't seem to shine as much tho. Strangely I also asked my dad to give them a try and he is not a big headphone listener but he immediately said the HE500 sounded much better than the HD600.
 
Also what's some good pads to buy for the HE500? the velour pads I got with them are a little worn.

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Pianist I think you are right, the more I am listening to the HE500 the more I am actually warming towards them, I may have been a bit too hasty in judging haha.
They are indeed smooth compared to the more aggressive HD600/DT990 dynamics that I own but they sound so much fuller, this must be what tonal accuracy sounds like in headphones, Alice In Chains - Unplugged album sounds...unreal, it's like I am there with the band listening to them play

HD600 can't even compare. With metal they don't seem to shine as much tho. Strangely I also asked my dad to give them a try and he is not a big headphone listener but he immediately said the HE500 sounded much better than the HD600.
 
Also what's some good pads to buy for the HE500? the velour pads I got with them are a little worn.

New velours or pleathers if you want to mod...
 
About Alice in Chains - Unplugged you are so dead right! That is my go-to album when I really wanna enjoy myself and my HE-500.
 
During the first 2-3 hours I really realized how much better than my dt-880 these 'phones are. At first I wasn't wowed, but neither dissappointed. Funny thing, they are smooth but also seem very fast... Try some really fast metal and compare with your dt-990, you will see

 I find the dt-880 to be slow and un-engaging compared to the HE-500. Which is why I sold them a month after I got my HE-500...

 

[davidsh]

We should share some music that's good with the HE-500. I'll nominate Alice in Chains - Unplugged 

 

[spark3]

Ok, thanks alot! I will look into those.
 
Also 1 more thing, do you know if you can buy a replacement headband? because the headband on this pair has been stretched and the they are really loose on my head.
 
Edit: Yep, Alice In Chains - Unplugged made my jaw drop when I first tried it with the HE500. It was a big WOW moment for me for sure. I have tried Katatonia too and they sound fantastic with them also.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

Ok, thanks alot! I will look into those.
 
Also 1 more thing, do you know if you can buy a replacement headband? because the headband on this pair has been stretched and the they are really loose on my head.
 
Edit: Yep, Alice In Chains - Unplugged made my jaw drop when I first tried it with the HE500. It was a big WOW moment for me for sure. I have tried Katatonia too and they sound fantastic with them also.

I think replacement headband is around 50 quids from Hifiman - but only if your headband broke. You can try installing another headband on top of the old one for more comfort - the added thickness will make it fit your head too =p. Also the metal rods on two sides are adjustable btw