[bobo64]

From what I've read, Shure SRH 1840 sounds pretty similar with HE 560 (except planar bass?). Anyone who has heard both of them? Currently, there is a nice offer of about 230 euros for new SRH 1840. Is is worth to go for HE 560 which are twice more expensive? Are they much better (especially in terms of bass)?

 

[DavidA]

From what I've read, Shure SRH 1840 sounds pretty similar with HE 560 (except planar bass?). Anyone who has heard both of them? Currently, there is a nice offer of about 230 euros for new SRH 1840. Is is worth to go for HE 560 which are twice more expensive? Are they much better (especially in terms of bass)?

I have both and they don't sound "similar" to me. The SRH-1840 is closer to a HD650, the bass is nice but doesn't go as low as the HD560, is easier/less picky to amp and sound decent/good on most setups, very comfortable since its light and the ear pads are soft. HE560 bass goes lower and is better detailed but its amp picky, not very efficient so most DAPs will not drive them well, mids are more forward than SRH-1840 which make it seem like it has less bass than the SRH-1840 at times and the highs are slightly more extended than the SRH-1840. I'd say the HE560 is not worth double the price of the SRH-1840 and more so since the SRH-1840 is actually more expensive here than the HE560 which is on sale for $350 since they are being discontinued per others on this thread.

 

[bobo64]

I have both and they don't sound "similar" to me. The SRH-1840 is closer to a HD650, the bass is nice but doesn't go as low as the HD560, is easier/less picky to amp and sound decent/good on most setups, very comfortable since its light and the ear pads are soft. HE560 bass goes lower and is better detailed but its amp picky, not very efficient so most DAPs will not drive them well, mids are more forward than SRH-1840 which make it seem like it has less bass than the SRH-1840 at times and the highs are slightly more extended than the SRH-1840. I'd say the HE560 is not worth double the price of the SRH-1840 and more so since the SRH-1840 is actually more expensive here than the HE560 which is on sale for $350 since they are being discontinued per others on this thread.

DavidA, Thanks for the reply. That's exactly what I wanted. No technicalities, frequency response etc. Straight to the point! I'm glad to hear that 1840 are less treble happy than HE 560 and that they are not weaker in bass. I don't like too much bass, but it should be clearly present and a little on a warmish side. It seems that 1840 are exactly what I'm looking for. It's excellent that you have both phones, so your opinion really matters to me.

 

[headdict]

Thanks for sharing this. Care to explain how this changed the sound for you?

The boost around 2 kHz in combination with the slight dip at 3.5 kHz is the most important change for me. Without it the sibilance can be annoying and the lower treble fatiguing. I don't remember in detail how I arrived at all the other particular settings. I started by looking at the FR graph at innerfidelity and tried to bring it more in accordance with the Harman "target" curve. Then, listening to sine sweeps, I noticed that the graph did not exactly represent what I perceived in the mid and upper treble, especially around 6.5 kHz. I tweaked it further until it sounded balanced with real music.

I think boosting 2 kHz goes a long way in regards to taming the treble without sacrificing clarity. As for bass, I just boosted sub bass slightly. You can add more bass as you see fit.

 

[Stereodude]

I've sent HiFiman an e-mail. I guess I will find out if their support is as bad as their reputation.

Yup, HiFiman's support is as bad as their reputation. "Mark" claimed they don't ship the HE-560s with a 4-pin XLR balanced cable and that it was something Adorama included. Apparently Adorama opened the box and inserted a perfect cosmetic match 4-pin XLR cable (to the 1/4" TRS) without breaking the seal. HiFiman ignored my reply back to them.

I will just fix the cable myself by putting a Neutrik 4-pin XLR on the end and warn everyone of how HiFiman won't stand behind their product..

 

[gardibolt]

Got mine from the Odorama deal last night and early test results are very encouraging. Same huge open feeling as my ESP-950s, maybe even moreso. Really nice on piano, orchestral, violin.

Had a scare initially when there was no sound out of the left earcup; switched the R and L cables around and there was sound out of both, then switched them back and still working. So I assume it was just some schmutz preventing a connection since anything more serious shouldn't have been corrected so easily, or am I being overoptimistic?

Are the pads on the HE-560 the same as the Focuspad A, or are they different? If different, how so? Not really looking to pad swap until I get more hours on them, but it'd be useful to know for the future.

PS @Stereodude I had a balanced cable in my insurance-sealed box from Odorama too.

 

[Steve Wilcox]

I've had my 560s for around six months now and I enjoy them very much. I'm using them mainly out of a Mojo but also via an HRT microstreamer and Musical Fidelity xCans V3 amp. I think they pair well with the xCans which is a warmish tube hybrid amp. But like everything else I've listened to through the Mojo they sound fantastic.

I think they're in another league to my HD650s which barely get a look in these days. It's harder to compare with my LCD2s. I think they make a good pairing as they're so different.

Comfort is a major plus for the 560s over the LCD2s but the latter are an altogether more visceral listen. I'd hate to have to choose between them. I love them both.

My experience of build quality but has been poor, but customer service good. A driver simply stopped working after a few months. I bought them from HIFIMAN UK, sent them back to the US (at my expense) and a new set arrived from China! Then, after a few weeks, one of the curved plastic arms that hold the earpiece snapped for no apparent reason. HIFIMAN UK sent me out a replacement part within hours and I received this in a day or two.

At the price you can get them for now they're an absolute steal.

 

[phthora]

Comfort is a major plus for the 560s over the LCD2s but the latter are an altogether more visceral listen. I'd hate to have to choose between them. I love them both.

Absolutely. The 560 and the LCD-2 are very complementary headphones. Hard to find fault in either, and yet they are different enough to keep both in the rotation. I would have to add a third to be perfectly happy, however: MrSpeakers AEON C.

 

[mandrake50]

Got mine from the Odorama deal last night and early test results are very encouraging. Same huge open feeling as my ESP-950s, maybe even moreso. Really nice on piano, orchestral, violin.

Had a scare initially when there was no sound out of the left earcup; switched the R and L cables around and there was sound out of both, then switched them back and still working. So I assume it was just some schmutz preventing a connection since anything more serious shouldn't have been corrected so easily, or am I being overoptimistic?

Are the pads on the HE-560 the same as the Focuspad A, or are they different? If different, how so? Not really looking to pad swap until I get more hours on them, but it'd be useful to know for the future.

PS @Stereodude I had a balanced cable in my insurance-sealed box from Odorama too.

Last I checked the 560 came stock with the Focus pads... Not the A variety. The A was provided with the pre-production 560. They changed to the Focus (no A) for production. The "A" pads were said to try to get close to the Jerg pads. They have a mesh instead of the perforated pleather on the inside for reflection control. Some said they help smooth things out in the upper middle and lower treble frequencies. I use the "A" pads now on all of my Hifiman phones, Other then the HE 400 which has a set of Jerg pads on them.

 

[thighmaster69]

My main issue is the weird treble of the HE 560. To me it almost sounds "Grado-ish". What pads alleviate this?
I've variously heard:
Focus-A pads
Ether C pads
Dekoni fenestrated pads
Ori pads - with holes and without
HM5 pads
Alpha pads

So, anyone who's done a comparison, which one is the best? I have tried both the Ether C and HM5 pads and they only slightly fix things.

 

[DavidA]

I've had my 560s for around six months now and I enjoy them very much. I'm using them mainly out of a Mojo but also via an HRT microstreamer and Musical Fidelity xCans V3 amp. I think they pair well with the xCans which is a warmish tube hybrid amp. But like everything else I've listened to through the Mojo they sound fantastic.

I think they're in another league to my HD650s which barely get a look in these days. It's harder to compare with my LCD2s. I think they make a good pairing as they're so different.

Comfort is a major plus for the 560s over the LCD2s but the latter are an altogether more visceral listen. I'd hate to have to choose between them. I love them both.

My experience of build quality but has been poor, but customer service good. A driver simply stopped working after a few months. I bought them from HIFIMAN UK, sent them back to the US (at my expense) and a new set arrived from China! Then, after a few weeks, one of the curved plastic arms that hold the earpiece snapped for no apparent reason. HIFIMAN UK sent me out a replacement part within hours and I received this in a day or two.

At the price you can get them for now they're an absolute steal.

I'm one that didn't care for the Mojo with the HD560 since it made them sound a little thin in the bass, rolled of the highs a bit too much and doesn't have the dynamics that I get with a Lyr2 or HA-501. I've never really figured out why since the HE560 sounds so good on a Hugo and its about the same specs as the Mojo.

If you are driving your HD650 with the Mojo I can understand why they don't get much use. The HD650 really needs an OTL amp IMO to show what it can do but it is still a more laid back sound than the HE560. The LCD-2.2 is more like a better HD650 while a LCD-2f is closer to HD660S with less treble roll off and more detailed/present bass. The weight issue of any LCD series makes them hard to recommend and for me they don't get much use due to the weight and the issue is only more noticeable since I've starting using custom Ypsilon and Nhoord builds as my daily which are so light and don't need any amp to sound great.

 

[DavidA]

My main issue is the weird treble of the HE 560. To me it almost sounds "Grado-ish". What pads alleviate this?
I've variously heard:
Focus-A pads
Ether C pads
Dekoni fenestrated pads
Ori pads - with holes and without
HM5 pads
Alpha pads

So, anyone who's done a comparison, which one is the best? I have tried both the Ether C and HM5 pads and they only slightly fix things.

It might be easier to use EQ if possible to fix the problem or maybe you might consider a different headphone if the treble is that bad to you. What are you using as an amp? The HE560 is a little picky with amps so this could also be a way to fix the treble.
FWIW I have a few Grado headphones (RS2e, SR225e and SR60) and none have treble that is even close to the HE560. The RS2 and SR225e are both more extended and smoother in the treble area while the SR60 is less bright but there is a slight grain in the treble compared to the HE560. (all my Grado headphones are modded with dynamat in the cups and use generic G-pads)

 

[thebkt]

My main issue is the weird treble of the HE 560. To me it almost sounds "Grado-ish". What pads alleviate this?
I've variously heard:
Focus-A pads - Focus pads at least have too small of an ear diameter. I found them quite uncomfortable and couldn't wear them for long at all
Ether C pads
Dekoni fenestrated pads
Ori pads - with holes and without - Perforated Ori's are the most comfortable and to my ears, sound the best of the ones I've tried. Seems to smooth over the overall sound without losing any bass. I've had no desire to try any more pads since putting these on.
HM5 pads - These were far more comfortable than the Focus pads, simply due to being thicker and softer, though due to being thicker, the clamp force was higher. They made a huge difference when I replaced velour pads on my HE400S, but I didn't notice a big difference compared to the Focus pads. Sealed pleather, so there was more reflections going on, thus they didn't sound as clear as the Ori pads. Worth noting is that these create a complete seal, so if you compress them while they're on your head, you'll hear the drivers flex and crackle... this is dangerous, as if you were to clap the headphone down on your head you'd probably rip the drivers.
Alpha pads

So, anyone who's done a comparison, which one is the best? I have tried both the Ether C and HM5 pads and they only slightly fix things.

I've got big ears, so I've had comfort issues with my 560's. See above for notes based on my experience.

tl;dr - I highly recommend the perforated Ori pads for comfort, sound and longevity (no driver crackle or potential for breaking them by putting the headphone on your head too quickly).

 

[rawrster]

I've got big ears, so I've had comfort issues with my 560's. See above for notes based on my experience.

tl;dr - I highly recommend the perforated Ori pads for comfort, sound and longevity (no driver crackle or potential for breaking them by putting the headphone on your head too quickly).

How do those pads change the sound from stock? Also I'm assuming to actually use them I would need to purchase the mounting rings from hifiman first?

 

[phthora]

I switched recently from the stock Focus pads to Dekoni TH900 Sheepskin pads. Largely, this was for an improvement in comfort. The Dekonis are almost exactly the same size and shape as the stock ones, but they are a bit softer, more form-fitting, and the sheepskin, for me, is far more pleasant than the stock velour. On the head, they compress slightly more, which may influence the sound as much as the different material.

On the sound front, the Dekonis up the sub-bass and bass just a touch and add some fullness and presence to the 560, at the expense of just a little bit of soundstage and airiness. The effects, besides the increased sub-bass, are very slight. I absolutely prefer the Dekoni over the focus, even though the difference in sound is so minor. From my experience with the ZMF Oris on my 400i, I can say that the Dekonis do much of the same thing, just to a lesser extent. I prefer that, as I wasn't attempting to change the sound so much as the fit and comfort of these headphones. The Oris are more comfortable, but they also color the sound much more noticeably.

Here are some pictures so that people can see how the Dekonis compare to the stock Focus pads.