[tan.phan.vt]

Hmm... that is alarming news. Looking at the update notes on the iFi website, the only substantive change to sound should be from replacing the minimum phase filter with the Gibbs Transient Optimized filter. I wouldn't expect that to make an enormous difference, but it may be coupled with other changes not listed. I'm afraid I've always stuck with the 5.2A firmware, as I didn't care at all about using MQA. So, I couldn't tell you how it differs in sound from 5.3. Your description of the 5.2 firmware sound matches what I hear on mine very well and I've never had an issue with overheating in Turbo. I would stick with 5.2, if I were you. Seems like you enjoy the sound more.

I guess im gonna stay at 5.2 after all. The amp is running warm now, but obviously is not as hot as before, not to that degree.

I've been reading feedbacks about the new firmware, and it seems that 5.3c update is...controversial. Many people reported negative sound change, but no one is reporting overheating issues yet. Seems like im the first and only one. I hope ifi is aware of my case and help preventing future issues.

 

[phthora]

I guess im gonna stay at 5.2 after all. The amp is running warm now, but obviously is not as hot as before, not to that degree.

I've been reading feedbacks about the new firmware, and it seems that 5.3c update is...controversial. Many people reported negative sound change, but no one is reporting overheating issues yet. Seems like im the first and only one. I hope ifi is aware of my case and help preventing future issues.

I have to admit, I don't use Turbo much. Even with the 560's, my hardest to drive headphone, the middle gain is sufficient. I've experimented with Turbo and find it changes the sound a bit, like heightening the contrast in a photo, but it's not something I want all the time.

My point in all that is: I haven't used Turbo longer than the length of an album, perhaps an hour. It certainly does get warm, but never even uncomfortably hot. How long are you driving headphones in Turbo before the unit gets noticeably hot?

 

[tan.phan.vt]

I have to admit, I don't use Turbo much. Even with the 560's, my hardest to drive headphone, the middle gain is sufficient. I've experimented with Turbo and find it changes the sound a bit, like heightening the contrast in a photo, but it's not something I want all the time.

My point in all that is: I haven't used Turbo longer than the length of an album, perhaps an hour. It certainly does get warm, but never even uncomfortably hot. How long are you driving headphones in Turbo before the unit gets noticeably hot?

I kinda like the sound of turbo so i keep using it, love the dynamic and thick sound it brings.

Right now even with turbo on all the time, the amponly becomes warm to the touch at most after several hours of usage, and its not getting hotter. Before it was just around 30 minutes, and the unit is became hot already, to the point that i could felt the heat radiating from it even without touching..

 

[DavidA]

I picked up a pair of the 560s a few months ago. Driving them with a Burson Audio amp. Like the sound a lot. I came over from a pair of Sony MDR-Z7s. Love the bass on the Sony's but the the 560s have so much more clarity and openness. Any suggestions on if/how to improve the bass on the 560? I am using the stock cable right now. Would a cable change make an appreciable difference.

BTW....anyone want to buy a pair of Z7s?

Forget changing the cable since I've never heard a cable make any headphone sound "better"

A cheap and simple way to get a bit more bass is to use attenuation rings in the ear pads. Cheap: made of heavy card stock or hanging folders, simple: just cut them to fit in the ear pads.

play with the shapes and you can try either one or two in each ear pads to see if you like the changes.

 

[raoultrifan]

OK, so attenuation rings placed between the plastic cups and the Alpha pads, right? Thank you!

Wondering if the soundstage will get a bit narrowed because of that. I remember I did a similar "modd" to my AKG K701 and bass increased a bit, but soundstage decreased a tad (which was a good thing for the K701 anyway).

 

[DavidA]

The attenuation rings are tucked between the cloth and ear pad cushion, not between the driver and ear pads. A picture of my HE400i with attenuation rings:

I pulled the attenuation ring out a bit so you could see where its located, also, there are Focus pads

 

[BernieB]

I picked up a pair of the 560s a few months ago. Driving them with a Burson Audio amp. Like the sound a lot. I came over from a pair of Sony MDR-Z7s. Love the bass on the Sony's but the the 560s have so much more clarity and openness. Any suggestions on if/how to improve the bass on the 560? I am using the stock cable right now. Would a cable change make an appreciable difference.

BTW....anyone want to buy a pair of Z7s?

I agree with @DavidA about the small effect of cable upgrade for these headphones. I have been enjoying the HE560s for the last year, and after upgrading all my cables (power cables, usb cable, interconnects, headphone cable,etc), i would say yes, there is definitely a difference, but it is a subtle 5% difference. I have the attenuation ring mod, and it helps indeed, but the biggest improvement i had is when i switched my amp, connecting the headphone cable directly to my speaker amp taps instead of my tube amp headphone jack (Linear Tube Audio MZ2). The change was drastic. This is where i realized that those cans need power. Big punchy bass now i have. Since you have a Burson amp, known to perform well with bass, i guess there is not much else you can do unfortunately, given the linear nature of HE560.

 

[housekrl]

Just got back from the Seattle head-fi meet today. I had major upgradeidis going in. But after trying out multiple $3k headphones and untold $$$ of gear, I walked over to a table, threw on a pair of Sundaras plugged into a $150 portable, and I would not have believed it but I preferred the sound more than all the high $$$ stuff. And then I realized it's because the Sundara sound very close to the HE 560, which is what I'm used too.
Just goes to show that dollar amount doesn't matter sometimes.

 

[jkscherk]

Forget changing the cable since I've never heard a cable make any headphone sound "better"

A cheap and simple way to get a bit more bass is to use attenuation rings in the ear pads. Cheap: made of heavy card stock or hanging folders, simple: just cut them to fit in the ear pads.

play with the shapes and you can try either one or two in each ear pads to see if you like the changes.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm not one to take what should be a good, finished product and then modify it more. I think I'd rather just look for something that suits my taste a bit more. Therefore I'm going to move on from these and try something else. There is a classified now posted.

 

[raoultrifan]

I will definitely give it a try, this is a simple reversible mod that worth a try anyway. It doesn't imply anything else but adding those DIY "attenuation ring", so I see no reasons not to try it out and see if it suits your needs.

Thanks again to @DavidA for sharing this; I will give it a try myself soon.

 

[FiGuY1017]

Letting go of my babies, of course until I change my mind. Which if I was ever going to have a pair of he560, these would be the ones to have. I say that because they are pre broken yoke issue. Now the question,will I regret it when I’m rocking utopia, I may they are really good on my system. This upgradtitus is worse when you don’t have a place to listen to cans(local hifishop)so the question just looms with no way to answer it. So far I’ve bought blind and haven’t regretted any of my cans. Well c

 

[Joong]

http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/hifiman-he560-open-box-special-edition.html
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-HiFiMa...180331?hash=item59230d8e6b:g:TcoAAOSwdc5bWfRU

There is good chance to get He-560 from either Hifiman's original store, and Adorama.
Both versions are legit and very good.
I think there is almost no difference of SQ from those of original He-560 or He-560 V1.

I had all series of Hifiman's classical phones: He400/400i/500/5le/6 and 560 V2/3.
He-560-V3 has velvety sound signature with proper set-up of audio chain.

Hifiman's store offers 299 USD for open box special edition which is basically that of Adorama.
You won't regret.

 

[LikeABell]

Well, guess it was a matter time, today I noticed a crack has developed in the fork.
The replacement costs $75, I'd rather replace the forks alone.
What are my options?

Any reviews on this?
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3302443


Thanks

 

[dolgen]

Well, guess it was a matter time, after ~16 months of ownership, today I noticed a crack has developed in the fork.
The replacement costs $75, I'd rather replace the forks alone.
What are my options?

Any reviews on this?
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3302443


Thanks

Thinking about downgrading from my current tube/MOSFET hybrid amp to a little dot II because it's (at least on paper) a more versatile amp and single ended push/pull.

Can anybody who personally uses this pair comment on the amp compatibly with the he650's? I don't know how push/pull would work with planar magnetic headphones? Is there notable unpleasant distortion (besides the usual harmonic distortion of a tube amp)?

My current amp is just too dark even with tube rolling. It was great for taming my old grado headphones and breathing some life into my k702's but the warm fuzz seems to dampen the 560's in a way that I don't like. They sound better out of my old 80's solid state yamaha preamp if not a little sterile. I'd be fine with just using that yamaha but I am a BIG fan of harmonic distortion and I want to bring that back if I can.

Anyway give me some impressions if you're inclined. I'm very interested.

Yeah, I know, I'm a couple of years late on this but I'm so thrilled with my Little Dot MK1+ combined with the HE560's that I just had to tell someone! There's some weird chemistry going on between that amp and phones.... very transparent, full clear sound, cymbals float surrounded by unending space... My Violectric V200, and Red Wine Isabellina don't even come close, at 10-25 times the price. Honestly!

 

[haejuk]

I picked up an open box HE560 from the Hifiman website for $320 last week. It came with a balanced cable as well. This is the first new headphones I've bought in about 4 years, since the original drop of the K7XX. I am listening to them balanced with an LCX+SDAC and really liking it. They really sound open, fast, and clear. They are very comfortable, too. I used to own an LCD2.2, which I liked very much at the time. The weight of the LCD2 combined with the bumpy nature of the padding on the headband really made them uncomfortable for long term usage. I wanted a nice planar ever since then. The HE560 seems to sound better than my memory of the pre-fazor LCD2. The build quality isn't as good, but I can look past that for the price I got them at. Overall I am very pleased with the purchase.