[doctorjazz]

My wife loves it when I have a set of cans on and can't hear...she proceeds to say all sorts of things she knows I'm not hearing, has herself a GOOD time!!!

 

[lucidreamer]

My new HE-560 arrived yesterday from Razordogaudio.com that I ordered from on Monday. I would have to give credit to Brian Larson, the owner of the Razordogaudio.com store for providing an outstanding support and customer service. I would definitely recommend for anyone to purchase from his store. Great experience!!
 
Just a few initial observations about the HE-560 themselves... I do not want to delve into the build quality, packaging and comfort details, those items have been discussed to the largest extent possible already, but I would be more than happy to focus on the actual sound details of the new headsets rather than anything else.
 
I have been using HE-400 for a month already and got used to them quite well, they seemed to have opened up quite a bit and sound pretty transparent and dynamic now. My initial impression with HE-560 after unboxing and plugging them into my system was a mixed bag actually. Compared to HE-400, the HE-560 appeared to be lacking in the bass and treble region a tiny bit and appeared to be a little boxy sounding too. Being a single-sided magnet by design, they needed a little more juice to drive them at the same volume level as other phones, maybe a notch and a half (11-11.30 instead of 10 o'clock) which is fine with my PPA amp. However, even during the first few minutes listening to the music through HE-560 there was something new that I never had with HE-400. It was hard to figure out immediately, but eventually the picture started to get clearer... the music sounded more precise, quicker and the instrument separation was on another level, yet it was smoother, more natural and the whole soundstage was noticeably larger with HE-560, it was like you are sitting WITH the musicians on the stage versus in front of them in the hall. That initial boxy sound impression was false and I think it was caused by my HE-400 that have a "V"-shaped frequency response, these are reference grade headsets that have a more flat graph, the mids are equally pronounced that created the initial impression of the slightly hollow/boxy kind of sound. My wife also compared both phones and likes the HE-560 better, she is not very partial to audio gear like I am but told me that HE-560 sounded more natural compared to HE-400 especially for voice.
 
HE-400 are great phones too and are a bargain for $300, however the HE-560 are a considerate upgrade over them, I am happy to get them and may need to put my HE-400 on sale, they are still like new.
 
Overall, pretty happy with HE-560 so far, hopefully they will sound even better during and after the recommended break-in of 150 hours. They may not be the best in the world, since there is HE-1000 coming out and also Stax models that are in four-digit price region, but they are the most natural sounding and musical headphones I ever listened to in my life.

 

[Marat Sar]

   
Overall, pretty happy with HE-560 so far, hopefully they will sound even better during and after the recommended break-in of 150 hours. They may not be the best in the world, since there is HE-1000 coming out and also Stax models that are in four-digit price region, but they are the most natural sounding and musical headphones I ever listened to in my life.

 
You running them out the iFi DSD Micro? How's it sound if you have something to compare it to? Does it feel lacking?

 

[lucidreamer]

I am using my portable headphone PPA amplifier with iDSD Micro and HE-560 now, not running them directly from iDSD headphone output. I tried it too and it sounded ok, but I still prefer my PPA for more true audiophile sound with more bass and much smoother sounding highs that PPA provides.
 
iDSD has a good amp built in but it just sounds a little leaner and lifeless compared to other external amps, it is just like a regular amp without any specific character. PPA has 3 active powered channels instead of 2 and an OPA627 opamp chip (at x1 gain level) is used instead of the grounding to power that totally eliminates the ground power noise issues and provides extremely efficient distortion-free sound, plus OP637 chips (gained at x11) are awesome for very laid-back and musical character with astounding level of detail. I have another PPA laying around including the battery powerboard that I may be willing to sell soon, I built it for sale initially then kept it for myself as a spare unit but may need to let it go and get a spare tube amp instead. If someone is interested in PPA amp - send me PM.
 
iDSD Micro still has lots of power to drive HE-560 from its output jack in the normal power switch position. It is not lacking with volume, just does not offer the same audiophile type of sound you can get with external amp. The volume was around 1 o'clock and the music sounded pretty loud for me, no need to use Turbo unless you are driving HE-6 or something similar.
 
I would be happy to compare a tube amp with HE-560 too, not sure which tube amp would be a great match for them.
 
Hope that helps.

 

[money4me247]

  My new HE-560 arrived yesterday from Razordogaudio.com that I ordered from on Monday. I would have to give credit to Brian Larson, the owner of the Razordogaudio.com store for providing an outstanding support and customer service. I would definitely recommend for anyone to purchase from his store. Great experience!!
 
I have been using HE-400 for a month already and got used to them quite well, they seemed to have opened up quite a bit and sound pretty transparent and dynamic now. My initial impression with HE-560 after unboxing and plugging them into my system was a mixed bag actually. Compared to HE-400, the HE-560 appeared to be lacking in the bass and treble region a tiny bit and appeared to be a little boxy sounding too. Being a single-sided magnet by design, they needed a little more juice to drive them at the same volume level as other phones, maybe a notch and a half (11-11.30 instead of 10 o'clock) which is fine with my PPA amp. However, even during the first few minutes listening to the music through HE-560 there was something new that I never had with HE-400. It was hard to figure out immediately, but eventually the picture started to get clearer... the music sounded more precise, quicker and the instrument separation was on another level, yet it was smoother, more natural and the whole soundstage was noticeably larger with HE-560, it was like you are sitting WITH the musicians on the stage versus in front of them in the hall. That initial boxy sound impression was false and I think it was caused by my HE-400 that have a "V"-shaped frequency response, these are reference grade headsets that have a more flat graph, the mids are equally pronounced that created the initial impression of the slightly hollow/boxy kind of sound. My wife also compared both phones and likes the HE-560 better, she is not very partial to audio gear like I am but told me that HE-560 sounded more natural compared to HE-400 especially for voice.
 
HE-400 are great phones too and are a bargain for $300, however the HE-560 are a considerate upgrade over them, I am happy to get them and may need to put my HE-400 on sale, they are still like new.
 
Overall, pretty happy with HE-560 so far, hopefully they will sound even better during and after the recommended break-in of 150 hours. They may not be the best in the world, since there is HE-1000 coming out and also Stax models that are in four-digit price region, but they are the most natural sounding and musical headphones I ever listened to in my life.

+1 on razordogaudio! I received my HE-560's from Brian as well. Great customer service.
 
I actually had the same experience upgrading from the HE-400 to the HE-560. Initially, I was not wowed at all and felt like the bass & treble was lacking. However, that was just because my ears had adjusted to the upper mid recession of the HE-400.
 
It took me a few days to begin to appreciate the sonic strengths of the HE-560 and get use to their neutral-orientated sound signature. The sound stage and imaging is a tremendous upgrade on the HE-560. The HE-560 seems boxy in comparison because you are used to the emphasized treble of the HE-400 and seems hollow because you are used to the over-emphasized bass. After your ears and brain to readjust to new neutral sound signature, the boxy feeling will disappear.
 
Overall, the HE-560 is an amazing headphone if their neutral sound signature matches your tastes. Very resolving and high quality sound.

 

[lucidreamer]

  +1 on razordogaudio! I received my HE-560's from Brian as well. Great customer service.
 
I actually had the same experience upgrading from the HE-400 to the HE-560. Initially, I was not wowed at all and felt like the bass & treble was lacking. However, that was just because my ears had adjusted to the upper mid recession of the HE-400.
 
It took me a few days to begin to appreciate the sonic strengths of the HE-560 and get use to their neutral-orientated sound signature. The sound stage and imaging is a tremendous upgrade on the HE-560. The HE-560 seems boxy in comparison because you are used to the emphasized treble of the HE-400 and seems hollow because you are used to the over-emphasized bass. After your ears and brain to readjust to new neutral sound signature, the boxy feeling will disappear.
 
Overall, the HE-560 is an amazing headphone if their neutral sound signature matches your tastes. Very resolving and high quality sound.

 
Thanks money! Glad that our experiences matched, I actually thought that my HE-560 were from a bad batch or something lacking that treble boost from HE-400. All the treble is there with HE-560 but it is smooth and even, not "tizzy" or boosted, just about right. HE-560 feel like listening to a live concert, not a "Hi-Fi" recording.
 
I also tried to switch back to HE-400 after listening to HE-560 for a while and HE-400 seemed really over-emphasized and even sizzling like in cheaper Grado phones. Not that it was too bad but it kills the natural representation of the music.

 

[DreamKing]

I had a similar experience-- the treble seemed like it needed to be more brittle (the body is airy and humid vs the K550...I don't know if that exists in head-fi terminology but I'm creating it) and with a bit more bite but this was just my brain needing to get used to the signature vs the K550.
 
Also, I seriously cannot listen to bright headphones more than a couple minutes now after getting used to the HE-560's signature. It's the best all-rounder for long sessions I've heard so far.
 
And I agree with the notion some people have that bright headphones will always sound more energetic or detailed at first, or other similar qualities, at conventions and the like. I need to sit with the headphone for at least a couple hours in a relatively quiet environment; demos or quick listens just don't work for my purposes.

 

[Hardwired]

I've owned and listened to a lot of headphones and the 560s are the first cans I just cannot take off my head. If I'm not listening to them I'm wanting to finish what I'm doing so I can listen to them some more.
 
Music just has more life to it without being artificial in any way. And they only get better as your equipment improves. Which is not necessarily a good thing.

 

[lucidreamer]

  I've owned and listened to a lot of headphones and the 560s are the first cans I just cannot take off my head. If I'm not listening to them I'm wanting to finish what I'm doing so I can listen to them some more.
 
Music just has more life to it without being artificial in any way. And they only get better as your equipment improves. Which is not necessarily a good thing.

 
Just curious... how much better will the HE-560 sound after some break-in time provided the same equipment is used? Did anyone notice improvement in treble or bass region after the break-in?

 

[Wildcatsare1]

  I've owned and listened to a lot of headphones and the 560s are the first cans I just cannot take off my head. If I'm not listening to them I'm wanting to finish what I'm doing so I can listen to them some more.
 
Music just has more life to it without being artificial in any way. And they only get better as your equipment improves. Which is not necessarily a good thing.

That's the "organic" sound I love about the 560, tonality is so good, very much like Maggies and SoundLabs!!!

 

[Hardwired]

   
Just curious... how much better will the HE-560 sound after some break-in time provided the same equipment is used? Did anyone notice improvement in treble or bass region after the break-in?

 
I did notice a difference in the bass getting better and the treble dialing back a bit, but I don't know how much of that was me getting used to them as opposed to the headphones changing. I'm not really concerned which it was.

 

[DreamKing]

   
Just curious... how much better will the HE-560 sound after some break-in time provided the same equipment is used? Did anyone notice improvement in treble or bass region after the break-in?

 
these are my impressions from the burn-in YMMV of course:
"Bass is more potent and refined.  Depending on the time or song, I seriously start getting chills for long periods from just the bass response, female vocals and strings especially. The soundstage sounds "more filled" if that makes any sense too. I felt like with some of my music, the space between instruments was too wide or there was dead air between them on occasion. I feel like the room's got denser."

 

[lucidreamer]

Those who may believe that HE-560 headphones do not have enough treble should try them (at least for once) with velour pads. It is not  just the phones that create the impression of the lacking treble compared to other phones but the partly the pads too.
I just switched the stock pads for extra velour ones that I had bought before for HE-400 and it really boosted the treble in HE-560. It was still not as hot as with HE-400, but pretty close, bright and punchy. At the same time, music was now losing that nice body in the sound, the beautiful mids that HE-560 delivered with the stock pads were gone, and also the bass was noticeably less too. After 10 mins or so listening to different tracks I put the stock focus pads right back on them. The treble is plenty with the stock pads already and overall the music sounds pretty rich and organic, focus pads do the job pretty well with these phones. I really find them to be a perfect match. They seem to create a better seal that retains the mids and the bass better compared to velour ones and even the volume control with the focus pads had to be less on the amplifier, when with the velour pads I had to increase it about a notch or so.
Changing pads on HE-560 is a breeze when using an old credit card trick to release the tabs. Just need to slide the card gently and press one of the four tabs inside a little while pulling the pad side off the cup. The rest of the tabs come off easily. The focus pads have a pretty rigid tab ring that does not flex as much as other pads, therefore, it is harder to remove them off HE-560.

 

[DreamKing]

I think most people have issues adjusting the ear pads but agree that removing them is simple enough.

 

[cs098]

  Those who may believe that HE-560 headphones do not have enough treble should try them (at least for once) with velour pads. It is not  just the phones that create the impression of the lacking treble compared to other phones but the partly the pads too.
I just switched the stock pads for extra velour ones that I had bought before for HE-400 and it really boosted the treble in HE-560. It was still not as hot as with HE-400, but pretty close, bright and punchy. At the same time, music was now losing that nice body in the sound, the beautiful mids that HE-560 delivered with the stock pads were gone, and also the bass was noticeably less too. After 10 mins or so listening to different tracks I put the stock focus pads right back on them. The treble is plenty with the stock pads already and overall the music sounds pretty rich and organic, focus pads do the job pretty well with these phones. I really find them to be a perfect match. They seem to create a better seal that retains the mids and the bass better compared to velour ones and even the volume control with the focus pads had to be less on the amplifier, when with the velour pads I had to increase it about a notch or so.
Changing pads on HE-560 is a breeze when using an old credit card trick to release the tabs. Just need to slide the card gently and press one of the four tabs inside a little while pulling the pad side off the cup. The rest of the tabs come off easily. The focus pads have a pretty rigid tab ring that does not flex as much as other pads, therefore, it is harder to remove them off HE-560.

There are people that think the 560's don't have enough treble? That's the first thime I heard such a thing. The 560's aren't super bright, but they are not even close to being dark. If anything it's biggest problems are due to it's certain treble spike.