[SievekingSound]

Hi Everybody,
the list is growing and the headphone is now on the way to the UK where it will be for the next 3 participants. That is to say that I have edited the list once again and we now got 9 Euro participants.
 
Enjoy,
Jan

 

[169380]

z

 

[nc8000]

Clever

 

[Kasper]

Sorry Jan that I didn´t post my impressions here!
 
I believed that after the change of setup here at headfi.org reviews were supposed to be posted in the GEAR section. I was pretty tight on time so didn't get to link here. Thanks to KingStyles it came to be linked anyway!

 

[.Sup]

I have applied, hopefully its not too late.

 

[SievekingSound]

Dear Everybody,
the list is all set now. Please do not send further applications. It will take at least another 2-3 month for this program to finish and I just hope Fang is not thinking of doing an EF6 loaner program as the shipping cost for that beast would be enormous!
 
I have arrranged for the minimum cross-boarder transfers but as we have got participants from many European countries these cannot be avoided. Please make sure to forward the headphones in a way that makes sure the recipient has to sign for them.
 
Thanks,
Jan

 

[Windsor]

Hey guys, I received the loaner HE-500 a few days ago and have already written some impressions and posted them to the review section here. For those that don't want to click the link, here is the review:
 
 

Intro

 

It’s been an eventful week for me in which I’ve received three pairs of headphones in four days: a new Audio Technica ATH-M50s, a loaner Audez’e LCD-2, and a loaner HiFiMAN HE-500. I got quite intimate with music via the LCD-2 and was rather wowed by it (see here for more on that). I’ve also been sitting with the HE-500, and my first impressions are that it’s another great headphone that shines in many ways.

 

The following impressions are based on listening to music via 320 kbps and Apple Lossless audio format files played via iTunes and fed via an optical cable to a Lavry DA 10 DAC/Amp.

 

Overall, the HiFiMAN HE-500 is a neutral-sounding headphone that presents a high level of detail with a well-balanced sound.

 

Packaging, Looks, and Physical Feel

 

After removing the packaging of this loaner HE-500, the black leather-covered HiFiMAN box was revealed to me. It feels solid, robust, and refined, though not as opulent as the case which came with the LCD-2. A few weeks ago, I had some concerns that the HE-500 box may not be ideal for travelling with the HE-500, which some HE-500 owners may like to do, as it may get scuffed and detract from its attractiveness. Though the same could be said of a hardcase, I thought that a more travel-friendly option could be worthwhile, so I suggested that to Fang of HiFiMAN, and he informed me that a travel case for the HE-500 would be available in the near future. That is a great example of HiFiMAN’s continued willingness to improve and update their product line and their openness to customer feedback and suggestions. Well done.

 

The supplied Canare cable was fitted with at ¼” Neutrik connector, was more flexible than the stock LCD-2 cable, and less flexible than the stock Sennheiser HD 6x0 series cables. Connecting the Canare cable to the HE-500 requires screwing some small nuts at the end of the cable into the ear cups. Once the cable is connected it stays firmly in place, but I find connecting it to be a bit fiddly and take a little longer than installing a cable with mini-XLR connectors. It has occurred to me a few times that a tool to assist the cable screw-in process could be a worthy inclusion with the HE-500.

 

The HE-500 design reminds me slightly of the Stax SR-40, and the gunmetal grey colour of the HE-500 is attractive to me. I find the HE-500 comfortable to wear, but slightly less so than the lighter Sennheiser HD 6x0 series, which I am used to and often forget I’m wearing. Due to the clamping force of the HE-500 pads, I can be aware that I’m wearing it, but not always (I’m wearing it now and didn’t notice it was on my head until I wrote the last sentence). But overall, to me the HE-500 is a well-made headphone that feels nice to wear and handle.

 

Clarity, Timbre, and Sound Signature

 

The HE-500 clearly reveals all of the details of the recordings I feed it. Mids and treble are presented very well and there’s great qualitative bass extension, but more on that later.

 

There is great PRaT with the HE-500, and though I find that it seems to present the sound of recording upon me with slightly less force and immediacy than the darker-sounding LCD-2 does, I can easily get inside the music with the HE-500, and with it I seem to be in the position of detached observer mode by default, just like I am with the HD 600, to a lesser extent. But the sonic quality is much, much higher with the HE-500. 

 

I really enjoy the soundstage of he HE-500. It is wider than the soundstage of the LCD-2 and HD 600 and narrower than that of the HD 650. I find the HD 650 soundstage very immersive and wide, sometimes too much so for my preference, and for that reason I often prefer the narrower soundstage of the HD 600, which I find places me as if I am sitting further back in the audience or further away from the monitor speakers, situating me at what can sometimes be a more comfortable distance from the music. The openness of HE-500 soundstage is somewhere in between the two Sennheiser models I listed and is really enjoyable to me. I find that I am at enough of a distance from the music and able to immerse myself in it with ease. Though I compared the HE-500 soundstage to that of the HD 600, I just want to clarify that to me the HE-500 soundstage is far more detailed and of a much higher quality. Well done, Fang!

 

Perhaps one of the few caveats of the HE-500 to me is that it sounds a little bit thin or light at times in relation to what I would call natural i.e. what I would hear when observing a live performance, and that thinness is sometimes just enough so to remind me that I’m wearing headphones. But they are headphones, which is after all a different experience from going to a gig of listening to studio monitor playback. However, the HE-500 has a really excellent frequency balance that reveals all the details of the recording being played, and I often find myself enjoyably immersed in the music I'm listening to with HE-500.

 

Bass, Mids, and Treble

 

Since recently spending a few solid hours with the LCD-2, I am still in admiration of its bass reproduction, and the HE-500 also reproduces bass very well. With the HE-500, I find sudden bass punctuations e.g. when a drummer hits a floor tom, more noticeable to me than against the blacker background of a darker headphone such as the LCD-2, which is a definite plus for the HE-500. I find the bass impact of the LCD-2 more realistic for certain instruments e.g. drums, as it seems to produce a more pointed and weighty bass impact, possibly due to its darker sound, than that of the HE-500, which I find to have a softer than natural impact. But the bass reproduction of the HE-500 is very detailed, extends low, and I find it enjoyable.

 

The mids and treble performance of the HE-500 is excellent and perhaps its best sonic feature. Mids and treble are very clear and vocals are well-represented. A few hours ago, I discovered many new nuances in Frank Sinatra’s ‘Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!,’ and am currently enjoying Michael Jackson ‘rockin’ the night away,’ in ‘Rock With You.’ Though, to my ears, the HE-500 treble has much extension to the point of sounding slightly more forward (or brighter, depending on how you describe it) than natural, I’ve never found it to make recordings harsh or fatiguing, just detailed and revealing in a very musical way.

 

With the Lavry DA 10, I find the HE-500 to audibly shine when listening to much of the music I feed it, and have noticed it to be particularly well-suited to acoustic-based jazz and vocal playback. Whilst some may prefer a bassier headphone with more sonic slam for genres/styles such as Rock and Electronic, the HE-500 will accurately represent what’s on the recordings you play through it in a way that’s true to its nature.  

 

In Closing

 

I find the HiFiMAN HE-500 to be an excellent quality headphone, slightly reminiscent of the Sennheiser HD 600; its neutral and slightly warm yet forward sound make recordings come alive in a revealing way that is very enjoyable. Well done, Fang, and all else at HiFiMAN. 

 

[Ultrainferno]

Can't wait till the list open again!

 

[169380]

 
[size=medium]

Here is my review:
 
I have decided to take a different view on these headphones by doing a comparison with the Denon D7000s which are in the same price bracket. This is my first review, and I still relatively unexperienced in audio.
 
Like Windsor, it has also been a busy week with headphones. I received my HE500s, markl modded D7000s and Audio GD Compass on Saturday, and later sold my ATH M50S'.
 
Until Wednesday, I had been forced to listen to my music through my Cowon J3 connected to my Audio GD Compass amp through an RCA/Mini connection due to the fact that my desktop had broken down. This of course did not bring out the best in both headphones and I was thoroughly unimpressed, especially with the D7000s. The real listening was done later in the week with my Compass acting as both an amp and a DAC through a USB connection. All music files were either FLAC, 320kbps MP3 or VBR MP3 between 200 and 320kbps, although I did try some 192kbps MP3 and 128kbps AAC. I used foobar2000 with a flat EQ.
 
Packaging and Aesthetics
 

There is no doubt about which is the more glamorous headphone. As we all know, the D7000 is packaged in a smooth leather box, the headphones sit on a rumpled bed of satin and the cups are made from real Mahogany with a glossy finish. My D7000s were purchased with JMoney pads, which add to the comfort and soundstage of the headphone.
 
In comparison, the HE500 comes in a hard box (don't know what its made from) with a silver metal latch. The headphones are stored in foam block which has been cut out so that the HE500s are able to sit tightly. The cable comes separately, and is not attached to the headphones. The headphones themselves are a gunmetal grey which is moderately attractive and whilst the headband is extremely simple, it is very soft and reminds me of memory foam. 
 
Cable: Whilst the D7000 cable is more attractive, it is more prone to twisting and tangling and is a little too long. The HE500's cable is more solid and is virtually untangleable although it takes a small amount of time to attach the cable to the drivers. Another problem is the after every use, the cable has to be detached if you want to store it in the box.
 
Earpads: The JMoney earpads are superior to the HE500's velour pads in every way. The HE500's pads have a poor seal, and the upper part tends to get pushed up after moderate usage. The JMoney pads have an excellent seal, are extremely comfortable and keep your ears cool. What is shocking about the HE500's is the crude way in which the pads are connected to the driver. It is difficult to explain, but see this video if you want evidence: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/555655/final-hifiman-he-500-review
 
Headband: Again, the D7000s triumph due to its comfort and ease of use. The headband is easily adjusted with a smooth clicking motion and although the HE500's comfort is good, it requires more force to adjust. 
 
General Comfort: Initially, both were as comfortable as each other, but I found that I could not wear the HE500s for more than an hour. The reason for this is the larger clamping force and of course the weight difference.
 
Leakage and Isolation: For me, sound leakage is one of the most important aspects of a headphone and is usually a deciding factor on purchasing a pair. As an open headphone, the HE500s are virtually speakers. Even at extremely low volumes, sound can be heard whether you wearing them or not and this is not ideal  considering that I live in a small house where not everyone appreciates my musical tastes. This is not to say that the D7000s do not leak, as they too are poor in this area (especially considering the fact that they are closed). In terms of isolation, the D7000 is marginally better.
 
Other non-Audio aspects: The HE500 is definitely more sturdy, is less prone to scratches and is likely to last longer. I always have to treat my D7000s with that extra amount of care due to its fragility. 
 
Sonic Attributes: I wouldn't consider myself to be an audiophile, so I won't be going on about all the subtle differences, but I can appreciate a good sound. The first thing that I noticed about the HE500s is its openness and how this affects the soundstage. The soundstage I feel is close to perfect, as things aren't too close but also not to distant/unfocused. This makes the sound more natural and realistic, but also more revealing. To many people, a revealing headphone is appealing, but as a hip hop listener, a revealing headphone brings all the flaws of a track to the surface. Some of the artists that I listen to sample pre 80s soul and funk from vinyl, and use that sample as a base to their production. This results in a grainy upper frequency and slightly harsh snares. Its not as bad as it sounds, but it is definitely not perfect. Luckily I only experienced this with a handful of artists, with the HE500s producing more than desirable results for the others. Another observation I made is that the HE500s made lossy formats sound very poorly recorded due to its revealing nature.
The HE500's bass is somewhat embedded; it is not brought forward or recessed in any way but the impact is there. The bass is very detailed and controlled whilst the vocal clarity is extremely impressive. The overall clarity of the HE500s is great; I could hear every saxophonist's press of a key and every singer's draw of breath. The HE500s suited jazz very well, but was not so good with the other genres that I listen to.
 
The D7000 on the other hand, has a much smaller, but still good soundstage, and is less revealing. Lossy formats sounded  much better, but more congested than the HE500s. There were no grainy treble or harsh snares, but the sound is much more closed. The D7000s produces bass with much more impact and presence but with the markl mod, it does not in any way overcome the other frequencies. The clarity is there, but it cannot match the HE500 for vocals.  I feel that the D7000s are much better suited to hip hop and are phenomenal with world music.
 
Overall, if I had the choice, I would keep the D7000s. Although I was definitely not pushing the headphones to their limits with my Audio GD Compass, I feel that the D7000 is more suited to my musical tastes. The HE500s are a great headphone, and pound for pound they are probably superior to the D7000s (especially as they are $100 cheaper). They are much more neutral, yet they lack the 'fun' of the D7000s and other warmer headphones.
 
 
 
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[.Sup]

Thank you for your thoughts auhafezi! Are we allowed to post photos of the headphone as I haven't seen any posted yet?

 

[nc8000]

Even talking about isolation and leakage makes absolutely no sense with a completely open headphone. Naturally it will leak

 

[KingStyles]

 
Quote:

Even talking about isolation and leakage makes absolutely no sense with a completely open headphone. Naturally it will leak

Funny, I was thinking the same thing.
 
I also have the la7000 and the he500. Your assessment of the la7000 was pretty good. It does do hiphop and pop really well. They have been upseeded though lately by the lcd2. The he500 I find to be a great non vocal can. They excel in jazz and classical with there nice soundstage and balanced signature. Any crescendo into its higher freq. comes off with great emotion and dynamics. I feel it does piano extremely well.

 

[169380]

obviously an open headphone will leak, but I could honestly use the HE500s as my laptop speakers.
 
and at higher frequencies, the HE500 beats the LA7000 hands down.

 

[KingStyles]

I agree the, I think the he500 high are near perfect.

 

[Happy Camper]

A few of us have used our HE for desktop speakers.