[Kitchener]

Anyone tried the iBasso PB2 (now discontinued) with planars like the HE-560?

Technical details are annoyingly sparse with regards to output power, voltage and impedance (zilch).
They state up to 2.5 Watts into 32 Ohm loads and a peak output voltage of 32 Volts.
-while powered from an outlet, I'm assuming, battery operation reduces this.

 

[raoultrifan]

It's probably 32 V peak, that would be 11V RMS (http://referencedesigner.com/rfcal/vrms-to-vpeak-conversion.php). Also, here's BUF634 datasheet: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/buf634.pdf.

This is definitely a powerful amplifier, though not sure how much voltage it gets when powered only from the internal battery.

 

[Kitchener]

Ah, that's correct! Silly me.
Yeah, it would be great if someone with the kit and knowledge got hold of one and measured it.

 

[Deano55]

Thanks to all who post their impressions and reviews.

 

[Brahmsian]

Interesting!
I did find a portable amp capable of powering a nuclear submarine, though:
The iFi DSD Black Label.
Holy moley that thing pumps out up to 1.5 Watts into a 64 Ohm load!

The ifi DSD Black label is a wonderful device but quite big, I recommend it highly

I absolutely love my Black Label! It just does everything and does it well. I end up using my BL with my 560 more than with my 28.38 because the pairing is just so nice.

The iFi iDSD BL has no problem driving any of my cans, 560 included.

That sounds like a consensus. Anybody NOT like the iFi DSD Black Label with their HE-560? I've had the latter for a full year now. No build issues at all. And they sound better than ever. But I've been using them with a DragonFly Red/Jitterbug combo streaming music from a 2017 MBP and been thinking about upgrading the amp. I need it to have USB, which I believe the iFi has.

 

[filo9s]

After one month (sadly here in Italy we have some slow customs) the new balanced cable from arctic cables is here.
This is the one i have bought: https://www.ebay.com/itm/ArcticCabl...mm-High-Quality-OFC-Copper-Cable/142870526873 it natively supports my teac UD-503, and the seller is one of the kindest i've ever meet. My version is made from a 3 meter canare (21 AWG) core, which is the most flexible and linear core available. The cable quality is exceptional, the sleeve is really soft and made from what it seems to be cotton, terminations are neutrik. Outer diameter is 8mm, a little thick but it's more flexible than the stock cable (images speaks by themselves)
Ok so, finally i can compare HE-560 balanced vs unbalanced: the teac offers another balanced mode called active GND which is by far the one i prefer: from what i've learned it connects the power supplies GNDs to the headphones GNDs, virtually eliminating all the noise coming from the transformers. The balanced mode appears to be more authoritative and powerful: the bass is fuller, go far deeper and is more linear (maybe also 1dB more present). The bass speed increased too, now it seems more lifelike. The detail was also increased but by just a little.
Another huge change was when i switched from balanced to active GND: in this mode the sound is a bit less aggressive but the soundstage widens by a large margin, now live and orchestral tracks have instruments that floats in the air all around you, with pinpoint imaging. I'm impressed and really satisfied, never thought that a cable can make such a difference.

 

[jj69]

I have a pair of original wood cup HE-560s on the way from an authorized dealer through Amazon. I figure that's the safest way to by them, but I'm still very concerned about the yokes breaking. Any advice? I'm seriously considering brutalizing them just to ensure that the stupid yokes break within the warranty period. Are any of them immune from the problem, or do they all break eventually?Anyone know what solution Hifiman is offering to people with broken yokes these days?

 

[Joong]

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/HiFiMan-HE-...948386&hash=item4d7f03bfca:g:4k4AAOSwQIFbxx6J
They are less than 250 usd.
he-560 v3 used.
Why are their price so low?

 

[HungryPanda]

If your yokes break within warranty period do not worry HiFiMan are very helpful

 

[jj69]

If your yokes break within warranty period do not worry HiFiMan are very helpful

Great, but how do I contact them? They don't answer the US phone number, and last time I emailed them it took two weeks to get a response. If you have a good contact address, please PM me!

Does anyone know what solution they are providing now for broken yokes? I don't really want a Sundara headband with non-rotating cups.

 

[antdroid]

Great, but how do I contact them? They don't answer the US phone number, and last time I emailed them it took two weeks to get a response. If you have a good contact address, please PM me!

Does anyone know what solution they are providing now for broken yokes? I don't really want a Sundara headband with non-rotating cups.

customerservice@hifiman.com

I've worked with Mark from their CS a few times and he's always responded within 24 hours.

 

[Prospero424]

They are less than 250 usd.
he-560 v3 used.
Why are their price so low?

You'll find the full answer to this by reading earlier in the thread, but the short answer is that they had some issues with materials quality leading to broken yokes (fixed on the v2 and newer) and ill-fitting headbands (fixed on the v3), these models are a little bit cheaper to manufacture than the v1s (no wood veneer or finicky swiveling headband), and they are wanting to get rid of existing stock of the HE560s (and their parts) because the model that replaced them (Sundara) in their lineup now has an MSRP of $499 and their just-announced Ananda/Edition X Massdrop special will go for $599 starting this Thursday. With newer models selling at those prices, they almost had to drop the price on the HE560s.

 

[Prospero424]

I don't really want a Sundara headband with non-rotating cups.

I'll just say that I really like the newer headband from the Sundara. It's one of the most comfortable and one of the best fitting of any of my cans.

 

[DavidA]

I have a pair of original wood cup HE-560s on the way from an authorized dealer through Amazon. I figure that's the safest way to by them, but I'm still very concerned about the yokes breaking. Any advice? I'm seriously considering brutalizing them just to ensure that the stupid yokes break within the warranty period. Are any of them immune from the problem, or do they all break eventually?Anyone know what solution Hifiman is offering to people with broken yokes these days?

Do they have SMC jacks or 2.5mm jacks? If they have SMC jacks I only know of one person that had a yoke break and it was due to being dropped unlike the 2.5mm jack version from late last year to around a few months ago which was pretty much all of them based on all the broken ones that those on these threads have noted.

 

[jj69]

I'd be surprised if they're that old. I wouldn't think an authorized dealer (Alpha Stereo) would be sitting on them that long?

Do they have SMC jacks or 2.5mm jacks? If they have SMC jacks I only know of one person that had a yoke break and it was due to being dropped unlike the 2.5mm jack version from late last year to around a few months ago which was pretty much all of them based on all the broken ones that those on these threads have noted.