[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

Yes it was first introduced as HE-6P. They then changed the name at launch to HE-500 and later came out with the lower tier HE-300 so these 2 are the new lineup.
The original lineup was HE-5, HE-5LE, HE-6 and then again the lower tier HE-4.

Makes sense. Hmm. Will have to wait and see though....

 

[plin]

Quote:

Some say these are the best cans for the money right now. Will I like them if if love my D2000(for rock and jazz most of the time). Also, my only "amp" right now is Asus essence ST and I don't plan nor I have space on my desk for "real" amp.
What do you guys think? Worth to try 500's?

I haven't heard essence ST.
According to stereophile measurements it outputs a mere 20mW (that is 0.02W) for headphones about 40 Ohm (like HE-500). This is too low (HifiMan recommends 1W per channel - that is 17dB higher than 20mW). 
But you may try the +12dB setting. This is normally for headphones with impedances of 64–300 ohms. Normally it is not recommended to set this with headphone impedances more than 64 Ohm, but I would try this if I had no other option, because (in theory) it gives 12dB more level.
 
If you can, try listening HE-500 to your system before you by it. Some said that have good results with low output sources (like cell phones).
 
HE-500 is a great phone, a 'giant killer' but is less sensitive than most of other phones (even its main rival LCD-2).

 

[Yuceka]

Quote:

Some say these are the best cans for the money right now. Will I like them if if love my D2000(for rock and jazz most of the time). Also, my only "amp" right now is Asus essence ST and I don't plan nor I have space on my desk for "real" amp.
What do you guys think? Worth to try 500's?

I think the way you amp HE-500 will make them either better or worse (to your ears) than D2000. I've never heard the D2000 but only D7000 and I loved the D7000. I am pairing my HE-500 with Schiit Lyr and the sound is much more suited to my liking than D7000 with another solid state amp. So if you're not going to invest into an amp, you might want to stick with the D2000 for a little while.  

 

[Frank I]

I own the D7000 and still love them and they are closed. The HE500 is fantastic and I will say this it worked on the ipod without an amp and got great volume. It will scale up with better amps but its a great starting point knowing your amp may work well. I would order a pair and try them for 30 days and see what you think as thats always the best way. I am very impressed with these cans.

 

[Yuceka]

Is there a really good Amp Recommendations for HE-500 thread that you guys can recommend? 

 

[daerron]

Quote:

Some say these are the best cans for the money right now. Will I like them if if love my D2000(for rock and jazz most of the time). Also, my only "amp" right now is Asus essence ST and I don't plan nor I have space on my desk for "real" amp.
What do you guys think? Worth to try 500's?

I'm sure the Essence ST should work work alright. I have the STX and it drives my HD580s with quite effortlessly (Using High Gain and a volume setting of 25 they are already quite loud, though the HE-500 is probably in another category altogether efficiency wise of being difficult to drive) and listening through the built-in headphone amplifier after a long time using my desktop amp, I'm again quite surprised by the sound. It is a bit more grainy sounding, more pronounced in the treble than my Lehmann BCL and the soundstage somewhat less defined, but I could live with it if I didn't have another option. If the HE-500 is more trebly than the HD580/HD600 I think you might reconsider. Also the default JRC opamps tend to distort the sound a bit more which would make it worse, especially if the planar headphones sound as clean as most people suggest then the distortion would be noticeable. It should however keep you going until you can get a high quality desktop amplifier?

 

[Nepenthe]

I picked up a Gilmore Lite (version 1) just for interim use until I decide if I want to keep these HE-500s and then until I decide what amp I want to pair them with. My Cute Beyond is a great little pure class A "currenty" amp with nearly "0" output impedance and ideal for my M50Ss and D1001s, but it doesn't really have the numbers down low for low efficiency / low impedance loads, so the more robust GL should be able to push about 800 mW through the HE-500.
 
I was impressed with the GL before (version 2) and was lucky to find another. If it doesn't work out with the HE-500 then at least I have good solid state power for home and can leave the Cute Beyond at work instead of transporting it each day.
 
I'm well aware the GL probably isn't going to be the best pairing with the HE-500:

1. bright pads (new velours)
2. bright cable (silver)
3. bright amp (GL)

 
Hell my source (Marantz CD Player) is probably bright too, along with my power and cables and my music. But I'll bear all that in mind while I'm auditioning. I don't tend to listen at very high volume, so that should help tame the highs (see loudness contours / human hearing) and make up for the fact that the GL only pushes less than a watt.
 
According to Tyll's Innerfidelity measurements, the HE-500 needs 2.04 mW to produce 90 dB at ear distance (technically an efficiency of 87 dB/mW). That means 800 mW should be able to produce 116 dB peaks. Since I listen in the 75 dB continuous range, maybe 84 at the absolute most (so the numbers come out), and giving a wide 16 dB dynamic range swing (my music usually doesn't come close to that), 20 mW should be all the GL is asked to send through the HE-500 by me, which gives *another* 16 dB or 780 mW of headroom. The Cute Beyond would probably do okay but the GL is just a torquier, revvier engine. It's a Porsche inline-six vs. the Cute Beyond's leaner 2 liter four-cylinder.
 
Of course, all of this doesn't matter if Headroom never resolves the backorder status... No way to cancel through their website, so I'd have to call on Tuesday...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Question for the Hifiman vets. I've owned the HE4 (which I ABSOLUTELY loved). I actually thought it was a sonically superior headphone to the D7000 (though I preferred the fun coloration of the D7000).

My question is, of the Hifimans, which one has the most sub bass presence? I was quite pleased with the HE4's bass, but would prefer more sub bass presence for movies and games. I would consider the HE500, if it had stronger bass in that area, and hopefully similar sound. I know the HE300 has bass prominence, but I also don't like what I've read about it's sound signature.

What would you consider the HE500 to sound like (other brands)?

I ask because I know I could enjoy the HE500 off the E9 for now, while the other Hifimans need a severe amount of power (I wish I hadn't sold the Lyr).

I recently ordered the DT990 Pros (loved the DT990/600), but willing to return it for something else.

My options are limited, because I'm a velour pad man only, and comfort is a absolutely essential. This comes from a guy who doesn't find the D7000, or Premium Beyers all that comfortable (which is why I ordered the Pro model, which I do find comfy). The HE4 was very comfortable. I want open and sub bass heay-ish, without losing clarity. I'm sure I wouldn't like the HD650's laid back signature, so I'm hoping the HE500 fits the bill.

 

[nc8000]

I would say the HE-500 has more sub bass presence but it's still not a subwoofer. The midrange is more prominent and the treble is probably a little less prominent than the HE-4. I consider HE-500 a clearly better phone but I can see some people preferring the sound sig of the HE-4. Comfort wise the phones are the same size but the HE-500 are heavier and there is a welded metal rod running across the entire front of the driver protection that protrudes a bit further than the HE-4 do. This was enough to cause me discomfort with the original stock pads. I now use Beyerdynamic leather pads on the mounting rings of the new HiFiMan pads and am very happy. Have not tried the new HiFiMan velour pads.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I'm not looking for fart cannons, but perhaps something close to the DT990 level of sub bass. I personally thought the HE4 had a good amount of sub bass presence, that I wouldn't mind on the HE500. The only thing that I think would turn me off is the mellower sound signature. I do tend to prefer bright and aggressive treble, though if it isn't too far off on the HE500 compared to the HE4, it could be just right for me.

I would just buy another HE4, but that means I'd need to buy a powerful amp. For the same price, I could just get the HE500 and use it with my E9 for now, which has plenty of power. The HE4 was noticeably weak sounding off the E9. The Lyr literally made the HE4 sound like it should cost as much as the HE500 for me, lol.

 

[keph]

^^ you should try the Beyer velour pads on the HE-500..i prefer it more than the leather..

 

[keph]

I guess the HE-500 sounded like the HD650 but with lesser bass Quantity, with better life like mids and highs imo

 

[Zida]

Quote:

I'm not looking for fart cannons, but perhaps something close to the DT990 level of sub bass.

I haven't heard the HE-4, but IMO the bass FR of the HE-500 was pretty similar to that of the DT990. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The HE4 literally sounds like a cross between the DT880 and DT990, but on steroids. I just wish it wasn't so damn hard to drive.

 

[rawrster]

Quote:

The HE4 literally sounds like a cross between the DT880 and DT990, but on steroids. I just wish it wasn't so damn hard to drive.

I might get that headphone again one day. However I did not find them too hard to drive..well at least compared to some of the higher models that Hifiman has