[marshallmole]

   

Cheers!
 
Btw, is your 5LE rubber coat become sticky?

Yes it has... I thought it was only mine... now it seems to be a general issue? it's not intolerable but I have to clean the dust that stick on them once a while. 

 

[earfonia]

  Yes it has... I thought it was only mine... now it seems to be a general issue? it's not intolerable but I have to clean the dust that stick on them once a while. 

 
Mine has became sticky since last year. My friend also has a 5LE v1, he managed to remove the rubber coating with some kind of oil. Now his 5LE is just shiny plastic.
I will try with mine when I have time, and update you with the result.

 

[jerg]

  Yes it has... I thought it was only mine... now it seems to be a general issue? it's not intolerable but I have to clean the dust that stick on them once a while. 

There's a rubber coating? I thought HE5LEs are varnished plastic?

 

[marshallmole]

   
Mine has became sticky since last year. My friend also has a 5LE v1, he managed to remove the rubber coating with some kind of oil. Now his 5LE is just shiny plastic.
I will try with mine when I have time, and update you with the result.

Thanks! This should definitely help a lot of us. 
 

  There's a rubber coating? I thought HE5LEs are varnished plastic?

Yes I guess the correct name is varnished plastic. The housing material just gets slightly sticky over time. 

 

[earfonia]

  There's a rubber coating? I thought HE5LEs are varnished plastic?

 

  Thanks! This should definitely help a lot of us. 
 
Yes I guess the correct name is varnished plastic. The housing material just gets slightly sticky over time. 

 
Thanks! I didn't know the right name for it

 

[davidsh]

The rev. 2 is shiny plastic?

 

[marshallmole]

I believe so... There seem to be difference in the pads too. My rev 1 pads have clear plastic insert flanks and different velour material than later pads. 

 

[JamesHuntington]

Might try orange oil

 

[phillyd]

 

[money4me247]

hifiman should come out with a pair of closed orthos to compete w/ the audeze lcd-xc

 

[KamijoIsMyHero]

+1

 

[earfonia]

Might try orange oil

 
Yes that's right.  Orange oil will do.
My friend used Pledge Wood Polish which contains orange oil. I tried my wife Strawberry oil from Body Shop, it works as well. WD40 also works, but I don't want my HE5-LE smells WD40.
 
Looks like any non-toxic, organic oil, can be used. Since the smell of the oil will stay on the HE5-LE for quite a long period, less smelly oil, or oil with pleasant scent is recommended.
 
The process is like scraping the sticky coating from the HE5-LE housing. Like removing stubborn sticker glue.  Tissue cannot be used, it needs something stronger, a small towel is recommended.
It is better for the driver to be removed from the headband for easier handling.
 
It took me more than an hour to clean both both drivers.  But it is rewarding to see my old, sticky, and dirty HE5-LE, reborn. It is now clean and shinny, and smells good 

 
The cleaned surface and the sticky varnish coating.

 
Left surface is the cleaned surface.

 
After cleaning.

 
Before and after.

 
My reborn HE5-LE 

 

[marshallmole]

Thanks earfonia for such a helpful post! 
I will definitely try this out when I get back to the new house. 
The reborn look is charming! 

 

[earfonia]

  Thanks earfonia for such a helpful post! 
I will definitely try this out when I get back to the new house. 
The reborn look is charming! 

 
You're most welcome!
 
I've tried some of the newer Hifiman planars, so far for me, the older HE5-LE and HE6 are still the some of the best, and my favorite among the Hifiman planars. Unfortunately Hifiman discontinued HE5-LE. Even compared to my HD800 and T1, HE5-LE is not inferior at all. It has some nice musical qualities I don't hear from HD800 and T1. Especially when driven in balanced, simply one of the best in my collection.

 

[jerg]

Trying out the HE560s with some Jergpads again (this time with a couple of tweaks).
 

 

 

 
Yep, the drivers are fully see-through with the regrilling mod and these special Jergpads.