[Kyno]

Hey guys,
 
May I ask if you find your HE-560 engaging with music like modern pop?
 
I loved my HD-800 for anything related to classical. I listened to my entire Aquaria (what a great game

 and beautiful music!) soundtrack yesterday without stopping and enjoyed every bit of it, whereas I would usually just listened to a few tracks I really like on my HD-650.
 
But on music with more speed, bass and presence like modern pop, the HUGE soundstage, the somehow laid-back presentation and the tight and controlled bass (despite the impact, great impact!) felt a little short on immersion. It was doing its thing really well, like on classical, it just didn't fell like the best fit with the pop gender.
 
The T1, however, was doing fine, maybe due to the (sub-?)bass presence and smaller soundstage.
 
I know some of you in particular had/have the HD-650, so any feedback would help.
 
Thanks!

 

[tigon_ridge]

Holy BASS! I came across this little video, and the background drumming music is fantastic, and it really showcases the HE-560's bass prowess. Tight, hard hitting, textured, good rumble/extension, and just beautifully resolving. Love it! 

 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Hey guys,
 
May I ask if you find your HE-560 engaging with music like modern pop?
 
I loved my HD-800 for anything related to classical. I listened to my entire Aquaria (what a great game

 and beautiful music!) soundtrack yesterday without stopping and enjoyed every bit of it, whereas I would usually just listened to a few tracks I really like on my HD-650.
 
But on music with more speed, bass and presence like modern pop, the HUGE soundstage, the somehow laid-back presentation and the tight and controlled bass (despite the impact, great impact!) felt a little short on immersion. It was doing its thing really well, like on classical, it just didn't fell like the best fit with the pop gender.
 
The T1, however, was doing fine, maybe due to the (sub-?)bass presence and smaller soundstage.
 
I know some of you in particular had/have the HD-650, so any feedback would help.
 
Thanks!

Modern Pop in my experience/view equals hot, edgy mastering so you might not like the 560 as much for that as it is certainly more extended than the 650 and you will hear the edges that previously might have sounded a little smoothed over. As I always say, risk and reward with the 560. It is detailed enough that for poor masterings, well, it should sound pretty poor; only a rolled off sound signature can save those recordings in my view. Some newer Pop is fine. I have recently been listening to some older, but still new enough Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, and Fun Loving Criminals and a few others at pretty loud volumes and I like the 560 with those just fine, but I cherry pick the well recorded material most of the time because I like things to sound nice.

 

[doctorjazz]

OK, sprung for the Centrance M8-LX4, Massdrop, everything I read about it makes it sound like it's even better than mother's milk!!!
Of course, now I put on the 560's, through the Geek Out Special Edition (Henry Butler-Steven Bernstein and the Hot 9...fantastic jazz/New Orleans funk mix. The LP comes with a free download, nothing unusual, but this is as an uncompressed WAV file!!! You know what? Sounding friggin' fantastic right now. Still, always nice to have more toys to play with. And, the GO really isn't a portable unit, needs to be powered by usb. Anyway, the way Massdrop works, takes a while to receive the unit. Think I've totally spent myself out this Black Friday/Cyber Monday, gonna eat dog food for the next month, LOL

 

[PacoTaco]

I'm kind of one the fence about these headphones. I love the neutrality with the awesome bass...but at the same time, I want something a bit brighter to balance out my LCD 2.2f. Maybe I'll change my mind once I have my Lyr 2 in tomorrow, but it's looking like I'll probably end up doing a FT classified to see if I can get a T1.
 
Odd side note, anyone else with a big head feeling a little bit of higher than normal clamp? It's weird because I have no issue with the weight of the LCD 2 or the HE400, but the clamping of the HE560 is bothersome.

 

[tuna47]

I agree I mainly listen to jazz but some pop music, I also agree with the artist that you say record well, very important with great phones

 

[Kyno]

 
Modern Pop in my experience/view equals hot, edgy mastering so you might not like the 560 as much for that as it is certainly more extended than the 650 and you will hear the edges that previously might have sounded a little smoothed over. As I always say, risk and reward with the 560. It is detailed enough that for poor masterings, well, it should sound pretty poor; only a rolled off sound signature can save those recordings in my view. Some newer Pop is fine. I have recently been listening to some older, but still new enough Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, and Fun Loving Criminals and a few others at pretty loud volumes and I like the 560 with those just fine, but I cherry pick the well recorded material most of the time because I like things to sound nice.

 
That reminds me of an album I have which was already on the edge of some harshness due to the mastering with my HD-650 (that says a lot about the quality 

). It became really hard to listen to with the HD-800, so I understand I wouldn't except it to be much better on the HE-560.
 
That being said, it was really the only one in this case. I could easily listen to my 30 or so of pop albums with the HD-800, which is reassuring! Then again it's mostly newer pop as you mention, that might have to do with it.

 

[Bill-P]

I think it needs to be said that amp/DAC will play a huge role in here.
 
Again, if you pair the HE-560 with a smooth amp/DAC combo, it'll sound smooth, not harsh, and still bright/sparkly.
 
And that is how I'm using my HE-560 with pop music. It makes the Beatles sound soothing, which is really hard because Beatles recordings are usually bright/shouty and fairly hot in general.

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
That reminds me of an album I have which was already on the edge of some harshness due to the mastering with my HD-650 (that says a lot about the quality 

). It became really hard to listen to with the HD-800, so I understand I wouldn't except it to be much better on the HE-560.
 
That being said, it was really the only one in this case. I could easily listen to my 30 or so of pop albums with the HD-800, which is reassuring! Then again it's mostly newer pop as you mention, that might have to do with it.

The HD 800 is a harsh master to be sure by all accounts. Which Pop artists do you listen to?

 

[Mike In Bama]

The headphone case I recently ordered has arrived. Presenting the Geekria EJB-0035-02. I found it on Amazon for about $32. Here is the information on the initial screen.



Listed measurements are: 11 x 9.4 x 4.7. Here's what comes in the box and the only color option is blue, at the moment.








I have no doubt this case will hold my HE-560's with the cables connected. Again, this is the least expensive, well protected option I have come across so far.

 

[money4me247]

The headphone case I recently ordered has arrived. Presenting the Geekria EJB-0035-02. I found it on Amazon for about $32. Here is the information on the initial screen.



Listed measurements are: 11 x 9.4 x 4.7. Here's what comes in the box and the only color option is blue, at the moment.








I have no doubt this case will hold my HE-560's with the cables connected. Again, this is the least expensive, well protected option I have come across so far.

picture with the he560 inside please

 

[Mike In Bama]

As soon as I get to work tomorrow!

I'm anxious to see what fine tuning will be necessary, but this will work.

 

[Kyno]

  I think it needs to be said that amp/DAC will play a huge role in here.
 
Again, if you pair the HE-560 with a smooth amp/DAC combo, it'll sound smooth, not harsh, and still bright/sparkly.
 
And that is how I'm using my HE-560 with pop music. It makes the Beatles sound soothing, which is really hard because Beatles recordings are usually bright/shouty and fairly hot in general.

 
Makes me think I noticed two Sonic Frontiers Transdac sold around 200 € here a few weeks ago. Your posts made me want to try it out (especially since it looks like a very easy resell in case it doesn't work out).
 
Have you heard the HE-560 on the Garage1217 Polaris? I know some here are happy with it, and I must say it's a very impressive little amp. It made the HD-800 go from terrible to very convincing on its own field. It was very good at soothing the edges and bringing body and bass (night and day difference with the O2 and H10).
That's also why I prefer the H10 with the HD-650, it already has plenty of all that and the Polaris makes the sound "fat". Too much body, bass and roundness for my taste, and a bit lacking in comparison in areas like details.
 
It's funny because I hadn't thought of it at first. When I tried the HD-800, I was afraid my Polaris might be broken, it wouldn't play any sound. I ended up finding after a few hours of testing my Sennheiser with other amps that I had plugged-in the wrong power supply when I had cleaned up things earlier 

 Fortunately it was still working just the same as before. 
I wasn't expecting much because I didn't think of it as the best performing amp with the different headphones I tried it with until that point, and I was already disappointed with the HD-800, thinking I didn't have the right amp/DAC and/or that it may not be for me, then my jaw dropped when I plugged it in the Polaris.
 
Quote:

 
The HD 800 is a harsh master to be sure by all accounts. Which Pop artists do you listen to?

 
When I say modern pop, I mean most of the popular titles that made it to the radio during the past 6-7 years, but it actually doesn't include only pop.
Typically for this past year: http://www.amazon.com/Top-40-Party-Anthems-2014/dp/B00KHQS6QM/ref=sr_1_9?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1417645698&sr=1-9&keywords=Hits+2014
 
The "commercial" stuff 

 I might go crazy only listening to that, but then I would miss it a lot if it wasn't there.
 
I do agree that mastering can vary a lot though, but I found there was more good than bad with the HD-800.
 
Here is the song for which I miss the HD-800 bass impact (I was seriously impressed by that in particular on this headphone, probably because I wasn't expecting it) and speed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtOV7bp-gys
Another one where it's more about bass presence that I find the HD-650 to do really well (the low-mid rumble), from 1:34 to 1:49 for instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmEIemQfk34
It's also a good example of something I have a hard time listening on YouTube, even with my HD-650.
And Happy from C2C that didn't feel very involving with the HD-800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvY7Nw1i6Kw
 
I already pulled the trigger on the HE-560 last night by the way, Christmas somehow came earlier so it felt like a good occasion 

 

[hekeli]

So I received my third HE-560 pair. This time left side has the subbass crackling/distortion! My mind is blown, SERIOUSLY. Maybe I can combine the right driver from my last pair to have a good pair. 

 
And I'm not talking about any free-air bass massacre. Even with cups well sealed to head, you can hear the slight "distortion/crackling" in the background with low sines. Disappointing quality control. Back they go again.

 

[conquerator2]

  So I received my third HE-560 pair. This time left side has the subbass crackling/distortion! My mind is blown, SERIOUSLY. Maybe I can combine the right driver from my last pair to have a good pair. 

But is that during normal listening?
I only get the [left driver] sub-bass crackling when playing pure ~30Hz tones, but not during normal listening/gaming/movies sub-bass...