[soldiersinx]

Thanks for this!  Its nice to see who is using what amp and dac so we can ask that person directly for impressions.  Sorry for the noob question, but I saw some people put he-500 rev 2, how would I know if mine were rev 2 and were there any changes.  Thanks.

 

[Nimzerz]

  Thanks for this!  Its nice to see who is using what amp and dac so we can ask that person directly for impressions.  Sorry for the noob question, but I saw some people put he-500 rev 2, how would I know if mine were rev 2 and were there any changes.  Thanks.

honestly the only thing i could see being "revs" would be the old black yoke with canare cable ones vs the newer silver yoke with SPC cable ones

 

[hemipowered007]

Subbed! This was a great idea for a thread, cant wait to see the 560 and 400i added when they come out.
 
 
 

 

[hifimanrookie]

 
honestly the only thing i could see being "revs" would be the old black yoke with canare cable ones vs the newer silver yoke with SPC cable ones

i agree...
 
@soldiersinx
dont know of any internal driver changes or updates as far i know..but i do know they changed the included box 3 times..first it was the big (unusable jewellery box), then they went to the hardcase very useful! carying bag (which i had), and last news i heard is that they again went back to the box..seeing for how much they sell the carrying bag in their shop for i am guessing they included the carrying only because of temperarely production issues with the boxes... as why otherwise would they go back again to the rubbish big box u cant use on the road...
 
about the cable versions: check this quote:
 
The new silver cable is built beautifully, though finished with a pretty standard molded plastic connector at the end. The sound is clearly silver. Bright, thin, dry silver. It’s brighter and thinner than the HE-6 original cable (the braided gold color cable), and it’s much brighter than the standard HE-500 original cable (the black Canare). Silver has their fans, but I’m never a big fan of silver. In fact, in this case the black Canare of the HE-500 remains my favorite cable for the Hifiman headphones (It is my favorite cable for the LCD-2 too).
 
end quote:
 
so the he500 was first delivered with the black canare cable (which i liked a lot on my he300) and then it became the silver cable (being silver plated copper as we all found out) later..
 
and there has been an update for the velours pads...the new ones being less soft...
 
quote:
 
The new velour Pads are different not only in the mounting mechanism, but I find the material used for the velour pads are also slightly different. The cloth is smoother and has a finer grain, and likewise the driver cover material is of a different, higher quality material than the old standard velour pads. I’ve taken some close up shot of the old and new velour pads so you can compare the differences.
The sound of the new velour takes on the basics of the old velour pads and improve it further. Yes, if you’ve been enjoying your Hifiman headphone with the original velour pads and you don’t really want to change its sound signature, the new velour is the pads for you. Not only is it more comfortable, but the sound improvement is very real. The tonal balance is mostly alike to the old velour, but this time you get a slight boost in midrange body and even more body on the low frequencies which is just nice. Treble is more or less the same, retaining most of the same airy sound that the old velour has, but perhaps one percent less bright. Now those changes, along with the more comfortable material already makes this new velour a good upgrade, but what I find to be amazing is how the new velour changes the sound to be more three dimensional. Yes! You read that correctly. More 3D! I don’t know how a different cloth material makes the sound more 3D, but as I’ve said, the right pads on a headphone is like the right acoustic treatment in a room. With the new velour pads, the Hifiman headphones have a much improved layering now, whereas they are pretty flat before. Add the beefier bass and mids, and the improved comfort of the new pads, I don’t think I’ll ever be going back to the old pads.
 
hope this answered ur question

 

[Nimzerz]

I cannot stand it when people say that silver is brighter than copper and copper is darker than silver etc. The resistance change is so minimal that it shouldn't make a difference for dynamic cone style headphones, let alone change specific FR? Not only that, but we are talking about HE-500 in which is a planar magnetic headphone that is even less affected by resistance. I'm sorry but I just don't see any logic in any of this.

 

[ben_r_]

  I cannot stand it when people say that silver is brighter than copper and copper is darker than silver etc. The resistance change is so minimal that it shouldn't make a difference for dynamic cone style headphones, let alone change specific FR? Not only that, but we are talking about HE-500 in which is a planar magnetic headphone that is even less affected by resistance. I'm sorry but I just don't see any logic in any of this.

Dont get them started. They believe it makes a difference. Its good for the people selling these cables.

 

[singleended58]

 

[phillyd]

Even IF there was a difference in silver and copper's conductivity that could be noticed, the silver HiFiMan cable is silver plated copper.

 

[Dillan]

Even IF there was a difference in silver and copper's conductivity that could be noticed, the silver HiFiMan cable is silver plated copper.

 
It's about the looks man.
 
Duh.

 

 

[Textfeud]

   
It's about the looks man.
 
Duh.

 

It's all about happiness. 

 

[hifimanrookie]

  I cannot stand it when people say that silver is brighter than copper and copper is darker than silver etc. The resistance change is so minimal that it shouldn't make a difference for dynamic cone style headphones, let alone change specific FR? Not only that, but we are talking about HE-500 in which is a planar magnetic headphone that is even less affected by resistance. I'm sorry but I just don't see any logic in any of this.

if u read correctly i said (at the end) the new silver cable is not silver at all..but silverplated copper..and i agree..for some phones a silvercable is not bright...but according to many (users) a pure silver cable (not with infused gold!) is indeed just a tad brighter, more detaily and less bassy and less warm sounding then a pure copper cable.
rememeber..i quoted someone else

 

 

[guido]

  I cannot stand it when people say that silver is brighter than copper and copper is darker than silver etc. The resistance change is so minimal that it shouldn't make a difference for dynamic cone style headphones, let alone change specific FR? Not only that, but we are talking about HE-500 in which is a planar magnetic headphone that is even less affected by resistance. I'm sorry but I just don't see any logic in any of this.

I am absolutely with you on this one...
 
I took the silver cable off and replaced it with a Zycable since it is not microphonic and nicer to use...

 

[Nimzerz]

Glad you guys are here with me

 
Resistance is the only thing that would affect SQ and it shouldn't affect specific sections of FR ESPECIALLY if the driver isn't affected by impedance at all anyways... I of course get the "looks" part cause I was and still am planning on eventually either sleeving the current cable or getting a new one made of copper with transparent sleeving maybe

 

[hifimanrookie]

  Glad you guys are here with me

 
Resistance is the only thing that would affect SQ and it shouldn't affect specific sections of FR ESPECIALLY if the driver isn't affected by impedance at all anyways... I of course get the "looks" part cause I was and still am planning on eventually either sleeving the current cable or getting a new one made of copper with transparent sleeving maybe

just an question...how would a solid copper wire (retangular) be different then a stranded copper wire if we look at the resistance? as cables based on those retangular solid wires are the most expensive u can buy... and people say the solid wire based cables are best sounding but more proned to break and less flexible then a stranded cable

 

[Nimzerz]

 
just an question...how would a solid copper wire (retangular) be different then a stranded copper wire if we look at the resistance? as cables based on those retangular solid wires are the most expensive u can buy... and people say the solid wire based cables are best sounding but more proned to break and less flexible then a stranded cable

I wouldn't be the one to ask, I'm just goin based on what I've read and understand about cabling and hp impedance etc. Though I really don't know, I don't see any advantage of cabling affecting SQ other than things like connection points being made solid or not for planars. For dynamics, that could be a different story, but I think for planars IMO cabling should be the least worried thing as it shouldn't affect SQ much, if at all
 
Even if the cable did increase SQ, what justifies spending that much more on the cable rather than upgrading the components? Why not upgrade your DAC, amp, or even your headphone itself with that extra LARGE LUMP SUM of money?