[brunk]

Quote:

so anybody tried the HE-500 + Audio gd master 7 + an headphone amp of choice?? 
 
how was it?
 
what is the best headphone setup for the Master 7 in your expert opinion? (beside orpheus and sr-009)
 
it's hard to decide
humm
 
HE-500
HE-6
HD800
Stax 507
stax O mk1
stax O mk2
Stax sr-009
LCD2
LCD3
ESP-950
new Emperor?
TH-900

If your set on the M7, i would look at the matching headphone amp, or better yet get Kingwa's TOTL speaker amp and hook up a HE-6 to it for a real treat. For Stax, i would Omega mk1 or 009 with the Eddie Current Electra amp, but that's just me. For the LCD-3 I would go with a Bakoon amp and replace the M7 when they release their matching dac. For HD-800, just add the GSX mkII.

 

[khaine1711]

Higher end dacs are mostly neutral (well the good ones). The only significant difference between them is how they present the music. It's really hard to say which one is more "neutral".
 
There's only one person who called the M7 lifeless, and his favorite dac isn't exactly neutral either.

 

[nk77]

This probably deserves a thread of its own.

 

[brunk]

Quote:

This probably deserves a thread of its own.

agreed

 

[TheChosen0ne]

Hey guys, thinking about getting the HE-500.  I currently have the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro with Schiit Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber.  I am thinking about buying one because I want great headphones so I don't need to ever upgrade again.  Here's some questions I have and I don't really know much about headphones so some questions might sound dumb:
 
-Is there a big difference in sound quality between HE-500 and the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro?
-Are there headphones that are better for the same price?
-Is HE-500 considered end game?
-What tier would you guys say the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber?  Mid tier amp and dac?  Also how about the Lyr?  Thinking about upgrading to Lyr in the future or any other amp you guys recommend for the same price range
-Would Amazon give me 100% refund if the reason I want to return them is because I didn't like it?
-Would I ever need to upgrade again if I have the HE-500?
 
 
Thanks dudes

 

[nk77]

Quote:

Hey guys, thinking about getting the HE-500.  I currently have the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro with Schiit Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber.  I am thinking about buying one because I want great headphones so I don't need to ever upgrade again.  Here's some questions I have and I don't really know much about headphones so some questions might sound dumb:
 
-Is there a big difference in sound quality between HE-500 and the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro?
-Are there headphones that are better for the same price?
-Is HE-500 considered end game?
-What tier would you guys say the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber?  Mid tier amp and dac?  Also how about the Lyr?  Thinking about upgrading to Lyr in the future or any other dac you guys recommend for the same price range
-Would Amazon give me 100% refund if the reason I want to return them is because I didn't like it?
-Would I ever need to upgrade again if I have the HE-500?
 
 
Thanks dudes

 
I'm in no way able to compare amps/dacs for the HE-500 but I wanted to just point out...For the price of the Bitfrost Uber and Asgard is approximately $700 which is roughly the same price as the DACmini CX ($795 free postage in states) which I currently use...DAC is great - I compared on the HE-500 the JKDAC32 DAC and I still preferred the DACmini. It outputs 480mW at 50 ohm if I'm not mistaken (I  think per channel since max is 750mW per channel according to centrance). So specs might be higher for ~36ohm which is the HE-500 specs. I'm sure there are other DACmini users hiding out in this thread who may or may not concur. Good luck.
 
Also, there are one or two second hand DACminis for sale here on head-fi..possibly the same story for the Schiit stuff but just a heads up.

 

[nk77]

Here you go. Some DACminis just for you (and it's 750mW per channel into 32 ohms so a bit higher than the Bitfrost - should help with the bass. Not sure if it will be noticeable though):
 
Apparently B-grade: http://www.head-fi.org/t/672921/centrance-dacmini-cx-b-stock-supra-usb-2-0 (cheap)
 
As new: http://www.head-fi.org/t/659569/centrance-dacmini-cx
 
And brand new for $309 less than retail???: http://www.head-fi.org/t/667309/fs-centrance-dacmini-cx-new-unpacked
 
1ohm mod CX: http://www.head-fi.org/t/665875/fs-centrance-dac-mini-cx
 
 
Good luck

 

[i019791]

Quote:

Hey guys, thinking about getting the HE-500.  I currently have the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro with Schiit Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber.  I am thinking about buying one because I want great headphones so I don't need to ever upgrade again.  Here's some questions I have and I don't really know much about headphones so some questions might sound dumb:
 
-Is there a big difference in sound quality between HE-500 and the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro? Yes for many, no for others
-Are there headphones that are better for the same price? No, for the majority
-Is HE-500 considered end game? No, for most
-What tier would you guys say the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber?  Mid tier amp and dac?  Yes Also how about the Lyr?  Thinking about upgrading to Lyr in the future or any other dac you guys recommend for the same price range I would get the cans first and look for upstream upgrades only if happy with the cans signature
-Would Amazon give me 100% refund if the reason I want to return them is because I didn't like it? Most probably yes, but you should check it with Amazon
-Would I ever need to upgrade again if I have the HE-500? Yes. Apart from the possibility that you do not like them enough or hearing cans you like more,  better/cheaper cans may appear in the near future
 
 
Thanks dudes

 

[davidsh]

Will reply later..

 

[Stalker81598]

Hey guys, thinking about getting the HE-500.  I currently have the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro with Schiit Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber.  I am thinking about buying one because I want great headphones so I don't need to ever upgrade again.  Here's some questions I have and I don't really know much about headphones so some questions might sound dumb:
 
-Is there a big difference in sound quality between HE-500 and the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro?
-Are there headphones that are better for the same price?
-Is HE-500 considered end game?
-What tier would you guys say the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber?  Mid tier amp and dac?  Also how about the Lyr?  Thinking about upgrading to Lyr in the future or any other amp you guys recommend for the same price range
-Would Amazon give me 100% refund if the reason I want to return them is because I didn't like it?
-Would I ever need to upgrade again if I have the HE-500?
 
 
Thanks dudes

 

-Is there a big difference in sound quality between HE-500 and the HD600s and DT800 250 ohm Pro?
I haven't heard the DT880 but I'd say the HE-500 is better. Whether or not it's a big difference, or even better at all, is really up to the person listening to them. I've heard people say they prefer both the Senn and the Beyer over the HE-500, though most would seem to lean toward the latter. I'd have to say the HE-500 is "technically" better than the other two.

-Are there headphones that are better for the same price?
In my opinion, no.

-Is HE-500 considered end game?
What is end game for you is completely up to you. Even though the general consensus is that there are better headphones than the HE-500, to some, the HE-500 may very well be end game. There is hardly ever a clear division in which you can say one headphone is absolutely better than the other, especially as you move up in tier. It really comes down to preference.

-What tier would you guys say the Asgard 2 and Bifrost Uber?  Mid tier amp and dac?  Also how about the Lyr?  Thinking about upgrading to Lyr in the future or any other amp you guys recommend for the same price range
I use the Bifrost Uber and enjoy it. The Asgard 2 will power the HE-500 but you will definitely get better performance out of an amp that can pump out more current. Lyr and Emotiva Mini are popular choices for HE-500.

-Would Amazon give me 100% refund if the reason I want to return them is because I didn't like it?
Usually, unless you are purchasing from a third-party seller on Amazon. The safest thing would be to email the seller of the item and ask.

-Would I ever need to upgrade again if I have the HE-500?
You don't need to upgrade right now. Whether or not you upgrade is entirely up to you. If you are happy with what you have, you don't need to upgrade. It's entirely possible that you'll eventually end up curious as to what else is available and be itching to try something new and possibly more expensive. But need? I'd say no.

 

[Kendoji]

'End-game' is a curious term, and in my experience is very personal and prone to change.  A lot of people, like me, will purchase the HE-500 and for a few weeks, months or years happily consider it our 'end-game' headphone.  If we've been sucked into the head-fi vortex, however, it's probably just a matter of time before we are tempted to try something else, probably in the uppermost tier of headphones like the HE-6, HD 800, LCD-3 or 009.
 
I haven't heard the DT 800 or the HD 600, but I have heard the HD 650 and I own the HD 800.  There's no doubt that the HE-500 is an absolutely phenomenal headphone, especially at its price.  Though the HD 800 is technically 'superior', it's not necessarily going to be more enjoyable for everyone in all circumstances.  I'm enjoying them about equally.  
 
If you're looking for reassurance that the HE-500 is a safe purchase, then I'd say it's a no-brainer.  I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it.  

 

[tuna47]

I have owned 600 650 Akg 702 he400 and find the 500s my favorites had the asgard 2 and upgraded to lyr enjoy the lyr more tubes are great and the extra power helps

 

[LCfiner]

Heck, I've owned the LCD3, HD800, Stax Omega 2 and the HE-500 aren't exactly blown away by those. It's not the best in all areas (eg: bass texture vs LCD3 or soundstage vs HD800) but it's so good at so many things and has such a nice frequency response (not too dark, not too bright for my taste) that I think it could be endgame for some people.
 
My only issue with it now after using it for a while is weight. it's not terrible but I just got an old Stax Lambda and the weight and comfort difference is pretty much night and day. makes it harder to go back to the HE500

 

[Stalker81598]

I have owned 600 650 Akg 702 he400 and find the 500s my favorites had the asgard 2 and upgraded to lyr enjoy the lyr more tubes are great and the extra power helps

 
Agreed, and a nice set of tubes in the Lyr will make it even better. Emotiva may have a little more power, but I just can't pull myself away from that tubey goodness.

 

[koiloco]

Quote:

 
Agreed, and a nice set of tubes in the Lyr will make it even better. Emotiva may have a little more power, but I just can't pull myself away from that tubey goodness.

and I am tempting to experience that tubey goodness with a taboo.

Loving it on the Emotiva so far.