[Mkoll]

Just placed an order for these because the price was fantastic with the adorama deal, however they're back ordered. Has anyone received a pair after being back ordered? Wondering if there's any chance of actually getting them after reading about them possibly stopping production on them. Also makes it tougher to get a replacement if I loose the rattle lottery.

BTW, I experienced the rattle/resonance at certain frequencies issue with the Edition X V2 and had to return to Adorama. I wonder if it's just more people buying because of the deals Adorama has, thus the higher reported number of issues, or if it's somehow specific to Adorama. Just strange that I had the same issue with the Edition X V2, a $1200 headphone, that I also got for a good deal from Adorama.

I ordered while it was backordered and it was shipped a few days ago. Supposed to arrive by the end of the week.

 

[phthora]

Hello

I will do a break down 560 vs LCD - X, both with IFI DSD (amp dac) and OPPO HA1
Highs: The Highs on 560 are clearer they are a teeny tiny bit sibilant on LCD - X (but nothing that will cause issues) - However if you pair the HE-560 with wrong DAC/AMP (Sabre 9xxx dac/schiit tube amp) it becomes a nightmare, the Treble will kill your ears and you will end up with tinnitus. I still prefer the highs on HE560
Mids: The Mids on the LCD -X are far superior than the HE-560. LCD-X hs nice warm character to the Mids, so I do prefer the Midrange on the LCD - X
Bass: The Bass on HE-560 extends lower, the Bass on LCD - X integrates better with the Mids, the Bass itself is also warmer (think rounded sound - tubby but not out of control) on the LCD - X. For Hip pop /edm/ breakbeats /dubstep HE-560 is better, Bass is cleaner and extends more into the lower frequencies.
Sound stage: LCD - X has amazing sound stage. when you listen to music on LCD - X it honestly sounds like your are listening to extremely well placed speakers (without the room acoustic issues) - in this regard LCD - X is miles ahead on the HE 560
Attack: The Attack on the HE-560 and LCD - X is equal (the speed of music, both headphones feel composed with fast / complex sounds tracks)
Decay: The Decay is better on the HE -560, this makes the sound cleaner - and a bit smeared on the LCD -X
Comfort: HE-560 is lighter - can be worn for few hours without issues, The LDC - X is heavy. I have to take my LCD - X off every hour or so
Ear Pads: Both have comfortable ear pads, however the pads on the LCD -X will make you sweat if you dont take them off
Weight: LCD - X are much ....much heavier, so the comfort is compromised
Ease of use: they are both meant for desktop use, so no wearing outside
Power: LCD - X are easy to drive, but the HE560 need a high current amp to sound best - maybe 500mw @ 50 ohm and above
Build Quality: LCD - X easily beat the HE560 here, but again if you buy new you are looking at 899$ vs 1800$ ..so yeah...

which one to buy?
So this is the million dollar question - if you only want to pick one, buy the HE-560, but if you are saving a bit more, I would say buy both!! We are comparing apples to oranges here. These two headphones do very different things, but both of them sound extremely good! I have paradigm signsture s8 speakers, and when I listen to music through the LCD - X I am amazed how good, and large they sound - they put the speakers to shame. The HE-560 on the other hand amaze me with their speed, and the delivery of music! so they are both extremely good! but you have to be careful with what AMP / DAC you are pairing them with.

hope this helps

Well, I took your advice...



After spending considerable time with the 560s and perhaps 20 hours with the LCD-X, I agree with nearly everything you said above. Your impressions were remarkably accurate to my experience. There are only two spots where I slightly disagree.

• I have a hard time telling any difference between the two headphones on bass extension. They both seem to go down to 20hz (and perhaps beyond) with exceptional linearity. The LCD-X feels weightier in the sub-bass and bass (perhaps due to the larger driver pushing more air), but is just as fast and resolving. I also find that I like the iFi bass boost with the 560, but not with the LCD-X.
  
• The X sounds a bit warmer to me, but I don't think the 560 has the edge on speed of decay. To my ears, I am able to pick out more resolution and separation from the X, especially on more complicated passages. Moreover, when I EQ to subjectively match bass amounts, the X seems just as fast as the 560s to me. I don't know how scientific that is, but there you go.

Two places where I couldn't agree more:

• "The Mids on the LCD -X are far superior than the HE-560" Mid-range on the LCD-X is phenomenal and, differences in tuning aside, the 560 doesn't even come close to the detail and richness of the those mids.
• "when you listen to music on LCD - X it honestly sounds like your are listening to extremely well placed speakers (without the room acoustic issues) - in this regard LCD - X is miles ahead on the HE 560" Yep. It does project an eerie sense of being surrounded by music, more so than the LCD-2F even. It's difficult to describe, but it's a magical thing.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice! Having both is absolutely the way to go, but anyone who hasn't should buy a 560 before they are gone. The 560 excels at treble and is probably better than the LCD-2F from a technical standpoint. It shouldn't be missed.

 

[mark5hs]

Just placed an order for these because the price was fantastic with the adorama deal, however they're back ordered. Has anyone received a pair after being back ordered? Wondering if there's any chance of actually getting them after reading about them possibly stopping production on them. Also makes it tougher to get a replacement if I loose the rattle lottery.

BTW, I experienced the rattle/resonance at certain frequencies issue with the Edition X V2 and had to return to Adorama. I wonder if it's just more people buying because of the deals Adorama has, thus the higher reported number of issues, or if it's somehow specific to Adorama. Just strange that I had the same issue with the Edition X V2, a $1200 headphone, that I also got for a good deal from Adorama.

Honestly if I were you I'd cancel. My headphones took nothing for the headband to break on both sides and a lot of others had the same thing happen. Even if it's a defective batch of plastic, such an important support piece shouldnt be made of thin plastic, period. If you've ever dropped a pair of headphones in your life, you're going to want to go with something else because they will break. It's just a question of when. Plus, if HifiMan is DCing these, they probably have a better design coming.

 

[koover]

Honestly if I were you I'd cancel. My headphones took nothing for the headband to break on both sides and a lot of others had the same thing happen. Even if it's a defective batch of plastic, such an important support piece shouldnt be made of thin plastic, period. If you've ever dropped a pair of headphones in your life, you're going to want to go with something else because they will break. It's just a question of when. Plus, if HifiMan is DCing these, they probably have a better design coming.

Ouch!

 

[gardibolt]

Well, I broke down and ordered a new set directly from HiFiMan's Amazon store. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but there's a very clear difference from the Adorama HE-560s. The packaging is completely different and more elaborate: A slipcase around a clamshell leatherette case. The Adorama set was just in a cardboard box similar to what my HE-400S arrived in. No balanced cable. The wood veneer is completely different as well. This wood has grain on it while the Adorama pair was completely smooth and looked like plastic. The earcups swivel on these; the Adorama ones didn't swivel at all. Hmmm

 

[nicdub]

Well, I broke down and ordered a new set directly from HiFiMan's Amazon store. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but there's a very clear difference from the Adorama HE-560s. The packaging is completely different and more elaborate: A slipcase around a clamshell leatherette case. The Adorama set was just in a cardboard box similar to what my HE-400S arrived in. No balanced cable. The wood veneer is completely different as well. This wood has grain on it while the Adorama pair was completely smooth and looked like plastic. The earcups swivel on these; the Adorama ones didn't swivel at all. Hmmm

The Adorama almost sound like a knock off, or some sort of counterfeit. Hmmm is right. Any chance you will be able to return those?

 

[LikeABell]

Well, I broke down and ordered a new set directly from HiFiMan's Amazon store. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but there's a very clear difference from the Adorama HE-560s. The packaging is completely different and more elaborate: A slipcase around a clamshell leatherette case. The Adorama set was just in a cardboard box similar to what my HE-400S arrived in. No balanced cable. The wood veneer is completely different as well. This wood has grain on it while the Adorama pair was completely smooth and looked like plastic. The earcups swivel on these; the Adorama ones didn't swivel at all. Hmmm

Wow, that's interesting. Why don't you take it up with HifiMan?

 

[gardibolt]

The Adorama almost sound like a knock off, or some sort of counterfeit. Hmmm is right. Any chance you will be able to return those?

The Adorama set went back last week after the left driver stopped working. While they worked they sounded great so I'm not sure what is going on here.

 

[lugnut]

While the sets of he-560 from amazon may very well be different, in some ways. I think it is careless to be say the the he-560's from adorama are fakes, knockoffs or counterfeits ! All I can think of, is the ones that claim this must not be familiar with adorama ! Also I have to remember this is the internet and you can say anything you want without any proof.

 

[nicdub]

While the sets of he-560 from amazon may very well be different, in some ways. I think it is careless to be say the the he-560's from adorama are fakes, knockoffs or counterfeits ! All I can think of, is the ones that claim this must not be familiar with adorama ! Also I have to remember this is the internet and you can say anything you want without any proof.

Fair enough. I assume you've had good experiences with Adorama, and I haven't personally bought anything from them. Regardless, the way they were being described was not like anything I have read about the 560's, especially the lack of swivel. That is something I have not heard of with any pair of 560's. So maybe they are not fakes, but rather some odd pair of 560's that Hifiman produced but are not really well known. If others have purchased a pair with a lack of swivel, etc., I'd be interested to know. Perhaps the early versions with the original connectors?

 

[SgtPepper]

Well, I broke down and ordered a new set directly from HiFiMan's Amazon store. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but there's a very clear difference from the Adorama HE-560s. The packaging is completely different and more elaborate: A slipcase around a clamshell leatherette case. The Adorama set was just in a cardboard box similar to what my HE-400S arrived in. No balanced cable. The wood veneer is completely different as well. This wood has grain on it while the Adorama pair was completely smooth and looked like plastic. The earcups swivel on these; the Adorama ones didn't swivel at all. Hmmm

That's interesting. My Adorama pair also came in a cardboard box but it came with a balanced cable. The earcups also swivel. No idea what is going on.

 

[TimeSnow]

This is weird.

 

[nicdub]

Got mine through the Hifiman store on Amazon, no balanced cable.

 

[DavidA]

Well, I broke down and ordered a new set directly from HiFiMan's Amazon store. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet but there's a very clear difference from the Adorama HE-560s. The packaging is completely different and more elaborate: A slipcase around a clamshell leatherette case. The Adorama set was just in a cardboard box similar to what my HE-400S arrived in. No balanced cable. The wood veneer is completely different as well. This wood has grain on it while the Adorama pair was completely smooth and looked like plastic. The earcups swivel on these; the Adorama ones didn't swivel at all. Hmmm

My original HE560 came in a wooden box (rose wood?) with a slide off cover, bubble wrapped inside of an outer cardboard box that has padding on all edges to further protect the wooden box:

But I did pay $785, LOL That's the original cable in the box and its a really nice cable but since I have a few Mogami and Canare cables with SMC jacks on them I didn't bother to use the stock cable.

 

[Brahmsian]

My original HE560 came in a wooden box (rose wood?) with a slide off cover, bubble wrapped inside of an outer cardboard box that has padding on all edges to further protect the wooden box:

But I did pay $785, LOL That's the original cable in the box and its a really nice cable but since I have a few Mogami and Canare cables with SMC jacks on them I didn't bother to use the stock cable.

Mine came in a box just like the HE400i but says HE560. It's unlike the 400i one because the inside of the box is sateen. It also came with a booklet (my 400i didn't). The box isn't as nice as the old ones as shown above by DavidA. Still impressive but kind of useless since it's not convenient for everyday storage. (I put headphones in a drawer anyway.) I guess some would've preferred a carrying case but personally don't go outside in big headphones made for home use.