[alpha80]

The upcoming Hifiman HE-1000 will be that top Hifiman headphone to replace the HE-6, and have a more accurate upper end, much more accurate from top to bottom, and will be much easier to drive than HE-6.
The only hold up will be the asking price

And the fact it looks like a trouble light.
 

 

[alpha80]

Yep, Tyll hates bright headphones, 

Which is exactly why whenever he doesn't complain or at least WARN of too much brightness, I know damn well I'll hate whatever phone he's reviewing.

 

[Rockcoon]

But if one is looking just to ENJOY the type of music RockCoon does, and I do imagine lots of RockCoon's favorite stuff from the metal and Prog Rock, classic rock genres, pre-00's or pre-remastered.....really do benefit from the dark/dim/smooth veiled house sound of HiFiman, or even more extreme, Audeze. it's the easy way to rob yourself of some of the magic, but make damn sure none of the glaring weaknesses of those classic era recordings tear your ears to shreds, while you enjoy the genius.

Yes. He500s are perfect with A Perfect Circle/TOOL, Deftones. Jaw breaking with numetal/trash: Slipknot, Pantera, early Metallica (where drive is much more importaint, than transparency).
And just AMAZING with any of my classic rock/glam vinyl rips like Scorpions, Aerosmith, Queen, Def Leppard, Great White, WASP, Metley Crue, Cinderella, etc...
But most important, they are very forgiving to poorly recordet tracks of sutch bands as Blood Simple, Egypt Central or else less known. I do believe, that t90+ cimbals on Egypt Central- Over and Under song, can kill trough ears even a totaly def guy :evil:

 

[alpha80]

 I do believe, that t90+ cimbals on Egypt Central- Over and Under song, can kill trough ears even a totaly def guy

Metal drummers are not well known for soft, subtle strokes with a brush, on a 22" big apple ride !

 

[dooste-man83]

He500 needs to 2 things to become brilliant
 
1- Good and powerfull amp & dac 
 
2- Burn in ( more than 100 hours)
 
Its amazing headohone for this price ( its unique) 

 

[daltonlanny]

He500 needs to 2 things to become brilliant

1- Good and powerfull amp & dac 

2- Burn in ( more than 100 hours)

Its amazing headohone for this price ( its unique) 

3. Grill mod.
4. Fuzzor mod.

 

[gauchotodd]

5. Focus pads

 

[Tobes]

3. Grill mod.
4. Fuzzor mod.

5. Focus pads

No and no.
I liked neither the grill mod nor the focus pads. It should be made clear that these are very much personal preference and a deviation from 'correct' sound IMO.

 

[daltonlanny]

Grill mod and fuzzor mod does make 'correct sound' IMHO :rolleyes:
Relax man. They sound excellent bone stock too.
Can't wait to try the HE-6 in my home too.
Looking forward to it

 

[Tobes]

Grill mod and fuzzor mod does make 'correct sound' IMHO :rolleyes:
Relax man. They sound excellent bone stock too.
Can't wait to try the HE-6 in my home too.
Looking forward to it

Ha don't worry I'm very relaxed - I still say the mods are personal preference, I'm fine with that.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

lol. I respect the respect for stock. I personally really like the Focus-a, grill mod and fuzzor, but they also sound wonderful at stock.

 

[Tobes]

lol. I respect the respect for stock. I personally really like the Focus-a, grill mod and fuzzor, but they also sound wonderful at stock.

Which is great.
While I didn't try the grill mod and focus pads together, I expect those 2 mods may have some synergy  - because to some extent they have opposing effects (IMO).
I think when you 'push' in one place often there will be a 'bulge' somewhere else - ie a positive change may also have a negative consequence.
That's what I hear - but everyone is different.
Long term listenability over a wide variety of music genres is important to me - along with what I perceive as natural tonal quality of acoustic instruments - the stock form serves me best is this regard.
 
 

 

[Liu Junyuan]

 
Which is great.
While I didn't try the grill mod and focus pads together, I expect those 2 mods may have some synergy  - because to some extent they have opposing effects (IMO).
I think when you 'push' in one place often there will be a 'bulge' somewhere else - ie a positive change may also have a negative consequence.
That's what I hear - but everyone is different.
Long term listenability over a wide variety of music genres is important to me - along with what I perceive as natural tonal quality of acoustic instruments - the stock form serves me best is this regard.
 
 

Well, it's cool that you like the HE-500 in the first place! lol

 

[gauchotodd]

I liked neither the grill mod nor the focus pads. It should be made clear that these are very much personal preference and a deviation from 'correct' sound IMO.

Of course all of these aspects are in some manner related to personal preference, but I disagree that they are a deviation from "correct" sound, and would strongly argue the exact opposite; I think their stock aspects deviate from correct sound compared to having these mods. To me, adding dampening made the biggest improvement toward natural tonality, detail, and texture, followed by the focus pads giving an almost as beneficial improvement, and regrilling made an additional and very notable improvement to the upper end and soundstage. I may have said this before, but prior to hearing them with these mods, the HE-500 sounded so unnatural and dull to me that I very nearly sold them for a significant loss. But now I take the guy trying to short me as a blessing in disguise because deciding to keep them and doing the mods was one of the best things I've done with my college budget

 

[Tobes]

......but prior to hearing them with these mods, the HE-500 sounded so unnatural and dull to me that I very nearly sold them for a significant loss. .....

I can't get my head around this, but if you're happy with the results that's fine.