[Bill-P]

  Ever listened to the 009?

 
Yes. I have listened to the 009 many times. And I have compared it to the JPS Labs Abyss side by side.
 
I think the 560 with the right amp and source chain can inch pretty close to the 009.
 
One thing the 009 does better than the 560 is with regards to treble where the stock 560 is a nose dive beyond 10KHz... where as the 009 extends very high up while still keeping its composure. I think that's part of the reason why some feel the 009 has better technicality than the 560.
 
Once I'm done building the amplifier, I'll move on to acoustically dampening the 560. I spent over a year to mod my ATH-ES10 to the state it is in... so the 560 will be an interesting project, plus the drivers in the 560 are very capable performers.

 

[conquerator2]

Well, here I am again, listening to the 560 w/ Focuses and modded, open grilles, wondering whether this gets any better?
Maaaybe a smidge larger stage? Maybe just slightly more depth? Maybe a teeny bit more bass here and there? Picking straws, obviously...
Have I heard a better, more natural and just so nirvanically sounding headphone? Nope 

 
Then again, the associated gear is also the best I've owned so far 

 
Now all that's left is wait for what HiFiMAN has in store next 

 

 

[swspiers]

  Well, here I am again, listening to the 560 w/ Focuses and modded, open grilles, wondering whether this gets any better?
Maaaybe a smidge larger stage? Maybe just slightly more depth? Maybe a teeny bit more bass here and there? Picking straws, obviously...
Have I heard a better, more natural and just so nirvanically sounding headphone? Nope 

Then again, the associated gear is also the best I've owned so far 

 
Now all that's left is wait for what HiFiMAN has in store next 

NO kidding.  Although I am ecstatic with the 400i, the flagship could be something worth waiting for!

 

[conquerator2]

Speaking of flagship level performance the 560 is a winner over the HE-6 if you Need to keep your setup budget oriented
The performance I was getting from a $1500 setup (560+Compass2) absolutely obliterates what a 1900$ setup (HE-6+mini-x+NFB3.32) offered.
The HE-6 does scale higher and if you have thousands of dollars to blow on fine tuning the rig around it, you'll get the top of the top sound out of it.
However, if you don't, you can get pretty close with the 560 for much less! It does scale very nicely too, up to my most recent setup but it still easily sounds impressive on a budget one as well... The 6 did not...
I suppose you could say that the 560 will sound great on any decent warmish-neutral setup, while the HE-6, simply won't due to its more revealing and brighter nature, so you either specifically tailor its needs to a tee or you might as well throw your money at the 560/400i.
Both offer superior performance at a given cost and let you use other headphones as well...ti
Gain in comfort notwithstanding, though it is very welcome...
Just my 0.02$. YMMV.
I now understand why Fang is so proud of his new generation of HiFiMAN headphones and also why he would advise people hesitating to wait for these... They are very special and in real world conventional experience much more convenient.

 

[rgs9200m]

My HD800 is stock, right down to the cable (I actually like it that way). My 560 is best with a Moon silver dragon I had left over from my HE500.

 

[olegausany]

My HD800 is stock, right down to the cable (I actually like it that way). My 560 is best with a Moon silver dragon I had left over from my HE500.

I own Silver Dragon too but it has HD700 connectors so I have 4 pin mini XLR on their way to me so that my friend Max134 could change them for me

 

[thievesarmy]

is there a consensus on how these compare to the 500's? I am pretty happy w/ those, but wondering how much difference / improvement there would be in upgrading to the 560's. FWIW, I have jergpads, not sure if those are compatible w/ the 560's or not.

 

[MattTCG]

I have felt all along that those who love the 500 would find a more comfortable substitute in the 400i, while the he6 camp would appreciate the 560. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

 

[conquerator2]

Well, considering their tuning, it's not really surprising, is it? 

 
I still consider the 560 to be tonally superior to the 400i/6 to my tastes - which is exactly in between.

 

[Maxx134]

I've had the  HD800 for a few years and now the HE560 and if I had to keep just one it would be the 560, as the textures just sound more real with more fine detail and the overall sound of the 560 is more silky and it has more speed too.
I like my HD800 a lot, but it's not as revealing and live-sounding as the 560, which is something I like. I feel like the 560s are one layer closer to being there.
The HD800 is more comfortable though, and this is important too of course.

Sounds like the hd800 is not optimal for your setup.

I struggled with the hd800 thru 3 amps till I found a good setup for it and it is superior now, but once the he560 was moded just seems more natural and better natural mids to me so I hardly use the hd800 yet when I do it is always impressive in detailing and clarity.

Also I was lucky to find out and realize that 90% of time the he560 will be the more open & dynamic choice when comparing to the he6 due to the setup.

The he560 is so easy to make sound good and the he6 is so difficult/expensive to sound majestic that 9 times out of ten the he560 will just sound better.

I herd practically the best he6 ("grill&fazor") modded and expensive wonderful setup and that's the only way the he6 is going to be preferred and even at that level setup (first watt amp & I think master 7 dac),
the he560 stock was still "neck and neck" because the he560 also climbed in sonic quality. .

So although I would love an he6, only with a similar setup,
I prefer and am happy with my modded he560. .

 

[conquerator2]

Sounds like the hd800 is not optimal for your setup.
I struggled with the hd800 thru 3 amps till I found a good setup for it and it is superior now, but once the he560 was moded just seems more natural and better to me so I hardly use the hd800 yet when I do it is always impressive in detailing.
Also I was lucky to find out and realize that 90% of time the he560 will be the more open & dynamic choice when comparing to the he6 due to the setup.
The he560 is so easy to make sound good and the he6 is so difficult/expensive to sound majestic that 9 times out of ten the he560 will just sound better.
I herd practically the best he6 modded and expensive wonderful setup and that's the only way the he6 is going to be preferred and even at that level setup (first watt amp & master 7 dac),
the he560 stock was still "neck and neck" because the he560 also climbed in sonic quality. .
So although I would love an he6, only with that setup,
I prefer and am happy with my modded he560. .

This.
That highly correlates with what I've said...
Though it makes me curios to try the HD800

 

[ThurstonX]

  I have felt all along that those who love the 500 would find a more comfortable substitute in the 400i, while the he6 camp would appreciate the 560. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

 
Which means the 560 complements the 500 well.  That's my experience, and I'm diggin' it.  I would love to hear the 400i to compare it directly to the 500, but I doubt that will ever happen.

 

[MickeyVee]

Sounds like what I'm struggling with right now.  I do really like my HD800 setup but know that it can scale higher. I was really impressed with my initial audition with the HE560 and will be going back with my stuff to carelfully audition the HE400i and HE560.
So, for me, is it getting the HE560 or getting the HE400i and making due until I can get my dream machine, the McIntosh MHA100 to mate with the HD800. I know what the cheaper $ route is.. get'em both, keep mu current da/amp combo, sell the HD800 and call it a day.
Just thinking out loud.
 
 
Quote:

Sounds like the hd800 is not optimal for your setup.

I struggled with the hd800 thru 3 amps till I found a good setup for it and it is superior now, but once the he560 was moded just seems more natural and better natural mids to me so I hardly use the hd800 yet when I do it is always impressive in detailing and clarity.
 

 

[Sonic Defender]

Speaking of flagship level performance the 560 is a winner over the HE-6 if you Need to keep your setup budget oriented
The performance I was getting from a $1500 setup (560+Compass2) absolutely obliterates what a 1900$ setup (HE-6+mini-x+NFB3.32) offered.
The HE-6 does scale higher and if you have thousands of dollars to blow on fine tuning the rig around it, you'll get the top of the top sound out of it.
However, if you don't, you can get pretty close with the 560 for much less! It does scale very nicely too, up to my most recent setup but it still easily sounds impressive on a budget one as well... The 6 did not...
I suppose you could say that the 560 will sound great on any decent warmish-neutral setup, while the HE-6, simply won't due to its more revealing and brighter nature, so you either specifically tailor its needs to a tee or you might as well throw your money at the 560/400i.
Both offer superior performance at a given cost and let you use other headphones as well...ti
Gain in comfort notwithstanding, though it is very welcome...
Just my 0.02$. YMMV.

I now understand why Fang is so proud of his new generation of HiFiMAN headphones and also why he would advise people hesitating to wait for these... They are very special and in real world conventional experience much more convenient.

I feel the same way, very special sound signature and overall, drivability to top performance is affordable. I only have about 10 hours (maybe a little more, but not much) of listening on my 560s so it is nice to realize how they are still so new sounding to me. Sometimes it sucks that I get so little time to listen with headphones, but my gear stays fresh! Typically I sell within a year of owning something and by then I still typically at most have like 150 or 200 hours. I hope to just keep my 560s and the next time I try something new not need to sell them to fund the purchase. We'll see.

 

[rgs9200m]

  is there a consensus on how these compare to the 500's? I am pretty happy w/ those, but wondering how much difference / improvement there would be in upgrading to the 560's. FWIW, I have jergpads, not sure if those are compatible w/ the 560's or not.

I was actually very surprised at how the 560s sounded so different than the 500s, expecting a strong family resemblance, like the 560s would be a better 500, maybe just a little more clear and dynamic.
 
But it was a case of And Now for Something Completely Different. While the 500s were sophisticated but sort of recessed like HD650s, with a pleasant but somewhat blurred bass (although full),
the 560 is very clear with astounding clarity and fine detail, but still walking the line between that clarity and stridency. And that clarity extends in to the lowest bass freqencies.
 
With some generous break-in, there is no stridency, just a real you-are-there feeling, with no fatigue or stridency,
just plain excellent sound on an amp with a touch of warmth (like my Rudistor RP010B [a very underrated amp that never got enough exposure out there if I can make an editorial comment here...].
 
[Edit: and what Maxx said just above is very close to my experience too, owning HD800s and formerly owning HE6s.]