[Clemmaster]

I think those who heard the EF-5/HE-4 combo were extremely enthusiast.
 
The HE-4 have more detail in the treble, more sub-bass impact and are more balanced than the 500s (no lushness here, but still slight warmth to make them enjoyable 

)
 
In term of soundstage, I could not note any difference in term of size between the 2.
The presentation is different in that the mids are more in line with the rest of the spectrum with the 4s when they are forward and lush on the 500s.
 
As I said, there's no competition for hard-rock/metal between the two: the 4s are much more involving here, hands down (and IMO).
The 500s are vocal masters and good at everything else. The 4s are hard-rock master and also good at (almost?) everything, in a different way.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

 
I saw that today...
I had a pang when I saw that, honestly :/. 
 
The NFB-27 + SA-31 + 5LE is the best setup I've heard/owned so far. I already spent too much money on my DAC experiment and I don't want to investigate further due to a change of headphones

 
You know you'll want the M7/Hex or Lampi/Audial 

. Dac battles are always fun 

 

[catfish]

Quote:

 
Flagships are not judged by inefficiencies.  Anyway the maker of the product determines this, not us.  AFAIK HiFiMan has named the HE-6 as their flagship.  Who are we to sya it's not.

It's not an inefficiency, it is a flaw.  One of the few advantages that headphones have over speakers is the low amplification requirements.  Needing a hook up to a 100W "pioneer" receiver is no longer high end,  it is circuit city stuff, or 25 year old sears stuff.  A 100W speaker amp with the quality of a good high end headphone amp would cost 5 to 6 figures. With that sort of spare change might as well move to the country house with a $100k speaker system and forget headphones

 
 When a 300B can't even power a headphone something is wrong with the headphone IMHO.  My guess is the HE-6 will soon be replaced with this flaw (actual measured sensitivity of 78 db/mw) corrected,  Don't get me wrong it was an innovative product in its time but as a system it is a downgrade for an HE-500 owner.  Better wait for the HE-7 or whatever is next than upgrade from HE-500 to HE-6.  And hey I can say this in the HE-500 thread can't I ?  Maybe if I would resort to a heavy feedback ss amplifier I could be talked into the HE-6 but I just think Hifiman has something better on the books just waiting for the right time to release.  I read a few well respected reviews published that preferred the HE-500 over the HE-6,  so I don't think I'm too far out on a limb.
 
That makes the HE-500 top dog in my book,  I enjoyed the HE-5LE's but they had a significant large bright spot that subdued the lower midrange,  easily picked out listening to the guitar.  The HE-500 is so well balanced with an almost ideal midrange,  they remind me of Grado HP1's with real bass.  Best headphones I've ever heard and I've owned a lot of 'em,  owned these for 6 months now so the "honeymoon" period is over. 
 
I listen to a wide range of music from jazz to blues to folk to rock,  the HE-500 can do it all.  The female voice,  the electric guitar,  the jazz bass guitar,  the hard rock kick/bass drum.   Amazing sufff.  I often wonder if they will be like Maggie speakers where the mylar comes unglued after x number years of use ?

 

[davidsh]

I would still choose the HE-500 over the HE-4 as my main headphone after all, but it is also more expensive..

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

-snip-

 
Funny you think of it like that. I'm sure the He-6 and K-1000 owner, and to some extend the 007 owner would be very unhappy and downgrade 

. And 5-6 figure amps to power the he6/k1k is just gross exaggeration.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

It's not an inefficiency, it is a flaw.  One of the few advantages that headphones have over speakers is the low amplification requirements.  Needing a hook up to a 100W "pioneer" receiver is no longer high end,  it is circuit city stuff, or 25 year old sears stuff.  A 100W speaker amp with the quality of a good high end headphone amp would cost 5 to 6 figures. With that sort of spare change might as well move to the country house with a $100k speaker system and forget headphones

 
 When a 300B can't even power a headphone something is wrong with the headphone IMHO.  My guess is the HE-6 will soon be replaced with this flaw (actual measured sensitivity of 78 db/mw) corrected,  Don't get me wrong it was an innovative product in its time but as a system it is a downgrade for an HE-500 owner.  Better wait for the HE-7 or whatever is next than upgrade from HE-500 to HE-6.  And hey I can say this in the HE-500 thread can't I ?  Maybe if I would resort to a heavy feedback ss amplifier I could be talked into the HE-6 but I just think Hifiman has something better on the books just waiting for the right time to release.  I read a few well respected reviews published that preferred the HE-500 over the HE-6,  so I don't think I'm too far out on a limb.
 
That makes the HE-500 top dog in my book,  I enjoyed the HE-5LE's but they had a significant large bright spot that subdued the lower midrange,  easily picked out listening to the guitar.  The HE-500 is so well balanced with an almost ideal midrange,  they remind me of Grado HP1's with real bass.  Best headphones I've ever heard and I've owned a lot of 'em,  owned these for 6 months now so the "honeymoon" period is over. 
 
I listen to a wide range of music from jazz to blues to folk to rock,  the HE-500 can do it all.  The female voice,  the electric guitar,  the jazz bass guitar,  the hard rock kick/bass drum.   Amazing sufff.  I often wonder if they will be like Maggie speakers where the mylar comes unglued after x number years of use ?

 
 
I see you do a lot of speculating.  Who said it's a flaw - you??  Or the makers of the headphone?  I would tend to believe the makers of the headphone before you - sorry.  
 
Have you ever heard of Nelson Pass and his outstanding reputation with low power speaker amp designs?  I got mine for 1K.  Less than most of these high end headphone amps by far, while out performing all the ones I've heard thus far.
 
Well I can say I've owned the HE-6 2 times, the HE-500 just sold, the HE-5LE, and the HE-4.  If i was going on technicalities the HE-500 would be last.  They're colored, good but still colored.  I like them a lot.  But really, The HE-6 does everything better - "HANDS DOWN" IMO

 
Nothing that sounds better is a downgrade.  Sorry, but I fail to see your logic.  
 
You ask me.  Headphone amps are a rip off.  Anytime you can get the 50wpc Emotiva a-100 mini X for $200 and the new LAu cost $6K plus.  You tell me..  
 
Like I said.  Sold the 500s because the 6s are better in every way..

 

[hifimanrookie]

I might tend to think it is my amp then, I had both my HE-500 and the HE-4 plugged in at the same time, my amp can deliver approx. a bit more than 1 watt.. I had the volume at around 2-3 o'clock. That combined with less presence and velour pads on the HE-4 while modded pleathers on the 500, the bass of the HE-4 seemed a bit hollow.

2 or 3 o'clock? I have my amp volume on 21:00 or 22:00 at highest with my he500..

 

[Jesterphile]

Does anyone know where I can source cables for the HE400/500 in Australia? I notice that for newbies like me, the HE500 cables have a nasty tendency to twist when connecting the cables.

I couldn't find any when I looked so I ended up buying from Charleston and it arrived very quickly from the states.

 

[M-13]

How many of you have tried powering the HE-500 through a Emotiva Mini-X A-100? Would this kind of power on tap be a much better solution than something like the Asgard 2 or Lyr? Any opinions would be appreciated. I was thinking about getting the cheap Schiit Stack M&M, but I was always curious about speaker taps for the HE-500. Does it scale much higher with more power?

 

[preproman]

Quote:

How many of you have tried powering the HE-500 through a Emotiva Mini-X A-100? Would this kind of power on tap be a much better solution than something like the Asgard 2 or Lyr? Any opinions would be appreciated. I was thinking about getting the cheap Schiit Stack M&M, but I was always curious about speaker taps for the HE-500. Does it scale much higher with more power?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/629352/he-500-lcd2-d5000-dt770-sr80-on-a-speaker-amp-emotiva-mini-x-a-100-project

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/629352/he-500-lcd2-d5000-dt770-sr80-on-a-speaker-amp-emotiva-mini-x-a-100-project

 
There's a whole thread on it!?!?!??!

 

[M-13]

Quote:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/629352/he-500-lcd2-d5000-dt770-sr80-on-a-speaker-amp-emotiva-mini-x-a-100-project

Thanks Preproman.
 
I've already read MalVeauX opinions already. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even considered it. I haven't had a chance to read the entire thread. I guess I'll just go ahead and do that...
 
What's your personal experience with the Emotiva? Or is that on the thread as well?

 

[M-13]

Quote:

 
There's a whole thread on it!?!?!??!

Funny guy...

 

[khaine1711]

If you dig around the forum, you'll also find opinions of someone pairing the He-500 with the Musical Paradise 302 (El34 PP speaker/hp amp), compared to another headphone amp which I fogot. There's also purrin's setup with a Mjonir driving a Crest CA2 speaker amp driving the He500 also 

.

 

[hifimanrookie]

If you dig around the forum, you'll also find opinions of someone pairing the He-500 with the Musical Paradise 302 (El34 PP speaker/hp amp), compared to another headphone amp which I fogot. There's also purrin's setup with a Mjonir driving a Crest CA2 speaker amp driving the He500 also 

.

Just to make sure u have lots of alternatives to choose from..try the darkvoice (which is actually lafigaro) 339 thread..they talk a lot about pairing well with the he500