[MickeyVee]

Umm.. 20 minutes.

 
Impressed right out of the box but after owning a number of HP's, I don't decide until after a couple of hundred hours.  Will be running them in over the next few weeks. Not sure I'm into modding but will definitely be going for a longer cable eventually.  Ergonomically, the HE-560 cable is light years ahead of previous HFM stock cables.
 
Quote:

  How many hours do you have on your new 560's?

 

[Skooks]

  I will vouch for Jay, he is in fact quite old. 

 

I'm just waiting for Matt to say the same for me. Young whippersnappers do like to rub it in on us old audiophiles. Just because the FAA won't let me fly those big nice jets anymore, doesn't mean I can't hear the good music on my nice HE-560's. Now, somebody in D.C. might want to take that away from me... that wouldn't surprise me at all! I threw that last comment in at no cost to anyone. Marines sometimes are rough around the edges, I guess. But, we do have good taste in the schools we went to, in the music we hear, and in the women we choose... right Matt? War Eagle!!
 

 

[MickeyVee]

Hey all.. any recommendations on a cable for the HE-560.  Just need the length as the stock cable is too short for me.  I've had Toxic before (with the HE500) and will probably go that route, either Pure OCC Copper or OCC Copper with Silver. They seem to be the best bang for the buck.
So, I guess the question is Copper or Copper/Sliver? Thanks!

 

[Skooks]

  Hey all.. any recommendations on a cable for the HE-560.  Just need the length as the stock cable is too short for me.  I've had Toxic before (with the HE500) and will probably go that route, either Pure OCC Copper or OCC Copper with Silver. They seem to be the best bang for the buck.
So, I guess the question is Copper or Copper/Sliver? Thanks!

Yep, as I have already mentioned in this thread, the Norne Vanquish is a great sounding cable with the 560 especially. A 10 footer will run you about $225 or so... that's what I have. After I had broken in the Vanquish, I put the original back in, and in less than 2 minutes I took it out and put the Vanquish back in. It was night and day. 
 
I've had a number of Trevor Goldman's cables... he makes quality cables at about half of what some are selling for. And you just can't beat Trevor for customer service. A very nice guy to deal with.
 
He's coming out with another cable... no not the Draug, but the Solv. Here's what he told me in an email...
 
"If you are to try anything else I would say hold out to possibly try our upcoming Solv Series some day. I think for the HE-560 the Vanquish is a very nice match and really do not see it necessary to go to the Draug 2 per say, if anything you are side-grading.  In regards to the Solv Series however it will have more cores (over 7), and also our new conductive central core as well as utilizing pure silver along with pure copper litz bundles in a larger gauge than the Vanquish.  So half of the Solv will be pure copper litz occ and half will be pure silver litz occ.  The only downside to a cable using pure silver litz however is the price which is fair bit higher than the Draug 2 (due to the cost of occ litz silver and the design).  Sticking with a shorter length is best to keep cost as low as possible."

 

[MickeyVee]

Thanks..Just checked them out and they're in my price range so definitely an option.
Quote:

Yep, as I have already mentioned in this thread, the Norne Vanquish

 

[hifimanrookie]

Hey all.. any recommendations on a cable for the HE-560.  Just need the length as the stock cable is too short for me.  I've had Toxic before (with the HE500) and will probably go that route, either Pure OCC Copper or OCC Copper with Silver. They seem to be the best bang for the buck.
So, I guess the question is Copper or Copper/Sliver? Thanks!

Although i know norse makes some excellent cables i believe the ultimate affordable cable for any hifiman headphone would be the Black Widow 22awg..and in ur budget the 4wire version..but i think u know that already

But as i said.Norse is good also..but for me...toxic all the way..as they proved to me through the years (have my 4th cable now from them) that they exceed my expectations for what i paid for...and i have a feeling u know that too..

To be honest..those two brands are the only ones i would consider if ur on a budget and need max performance and quality per dollar..and they go excellent with my blue circle amp (from canada) and code-x (from New York) headphone

But for more info u know u can just visit their appreciation thread...and as always..its always a personal decision..but we both know what we get with toxic....

 

[olegausany]

Just for information Draug and Vanquish present music as a whole differently so it will be a personal preference which one to get, yes I own both

 

[Wildcatsare1]

How many hours do you have on your new 560's? They will definitely sound better after about 150 hours... even a little bit better going from 150 to 200 hours. From 0 to 50, they take on big changes... sometimes they don't sound good enough to listen to. But going towards 150, they do get sweet and resolving.

Changing the metal grills to more open grills really opens up the soundstage and adds to their transparency. And adding a good cable, like the one I have from Norne Cables clears up some cobwebs and mush. After about 200 hours with the Norne cable, I put the original back on... for 2 minutes... it was night and day! Quickly I put the Norne back on. Also, cut out the cloth veil in the ear pads... also removes a veil. Now you can hear what these headphones are capable of doing!

They are for sure a top notch headphone. Whether it beats the HD-800, that's for each to decide. But, the 560 is in that top echelon of headphones in mho. And I have had the HD-800. But, it wouldn't be fair for me to compare since it's been at least a year since I sold my HD-800... so no direct comparison. You can tell us your comparison, but just be sure you have at least 150 hours on the HE-560.

Well said Sir, too a T! I have also implemented the grill mod, focus a pads with dust screen removal and added the Norne Draug 2 Cable, and will also second the Clemson Tiger's thought's on burn-in, put all of this into place over the next month and the 560's will be saying the hell with complimentary, and demand throne time with your 800's!!!

 

[conquerator2]

Those times when you realize just how brilliantly the 560 combines the things together - speed, decay, attack, balance, energy...
For me the 560 w/ open grilles and Focus pads [and with the stock cable

], I wouldn't change much right now... Drooooooool 

Right now I am captivated with the speed and effortlessness the 560 exhibits with fast rock and genres... Absolutely amazing

 
 
Not that other, lesser headphones I own or used to own sound bad - they sound great, but the 560 is even better 

 The music just fliiiiiies, and so does time 

 

 

[MickeyVee]

Have done Toxic, Q and Moon in the past and they have all been great with Toxic an Q providing second to none service and Q going above and beyond.  It's not about the budget for me (this is HeadFi, right?) as much as its about getting the cable length I want, good looks and a slightly better cable than stock.  TBH, with my experimentation, I have heard a difference in all of my upgraded cables but am not going to go nuts anymore.  The Norne in red with the Wenge wood splitter and Furutech rhodium plug looks good to me.
I'll give myself a couple of weeks.
 
 
On another note.. amping with the HE560 seems confusing to me.  They want more power than the HD800 and in fact, another 2 notches on the WA6 but on the Naim DAC-V1, It's about the same volume wise.  
With the HD800, the Woo provides more body and slam but the HE560 plays well with both and I think I prefer the HE560 with the Naim (where the HD800 sound a little thin).

 A lot more listening an experimenting required.
 
Quote:

But as i said.Norse is good also..but for me...toxic all the way..as they proved to me through the years (have my 4th cable now from them) that they exceed my expectations for what i paid for...and i have a feeling u know that too..
 

 

[Audio Addict]

I use a 15 foot WyWires Red and feel it goes well with the HE560. I would drop Alex an email and I am sure he would let you audition one.

 

[fortitude]

 
On another note.. amping with the HE560 seems confusing to me.  They want more power than the HD800 and in fact, another 2 notches on the WA6 but on the Naim DAC-V1, It's about the same volume wise.  
With the HD800, the Woo provides more body and slam but the HE560 plays well with both and I think I prefer the HE560 with the Naim (where the HD800 sound a little thin).

 A lot more listening an experimenting required.

 
 
They surprised me a little, at first I thought they were a thin in the bass area.  I messed with an EQ a little and got the lyr to clip when bumping up the low end about 3db, but when you really pour on the power (about 12 o'clock) then the low end came alive.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

+1, as they burn in the bass fills out, the grill mod improves perceived bass fullness, the all the copper from the Draug 2 sealed the deal. Driving, powerful, tuneful, articulate bass!

 

[fortitude]

I thought a single sided planar would be easier to drive than a double sided one like the Audezes but the HE560s really need a ton of power, definitely caught me off guard.  I don't think I'd recommend any amp with less power than a Lyr, more is better in this case.

 

[jerg]

  I thought a single sided planar would be easier to drive than a double sided one like the Audezes but the HE560s really need a ton of power, definitely caught me off guard.  I don't think I'd recommend any amp with less power than a Lyr, more is better in this case.

On the contrary, a single-sided planar is much less efficient than if the same driver also has mirrored magnets on both faces; think magnetic field strength.
 
The only way HE560's driver is about as sensitive as HE500's, even though HE560 uses exactly 1/2 the magnets, is that HE560's diaphragm is substantially more sensitive to the magnetic fields imposed onto it, probably by being heck of a lot thinner. Less mass to move = more efficient.