[Nepenthe]

The initial Fed Ex estimate was way off. They were delivered today. I thought they might be because Head-Direct had updated to "Shipped" with a Tracking Number, and I had paid for one day shipping (they went from Honk Kong to my door in a day and a half!), so I wrote up a note for the door with my tracking number and signature and asking the guy to please leave them on the porch. Halfway through the day I checked the tracking and it was "on truck." Checked later and it was "delivered, left at door, authorized" or something like that. So I decided to run home early (I have to come back though) and put them inside, lest any neighbor children want to help themselves to an early present. And couldn't resist testing them.
 

^pic with the M50Ss and the first CD I put on
 
Initial impression is: not so good. I put the velour pads on and put on track 3 from Nothing's Shocking, "Had a Dad." I'm driving these with my Marantz CD Player into my Gilmore Lite version 1 by the way.
 
First, I have no idea if I'm driving these correctly and I have no idea if they're showing the effects of being brand new, but I can say the Gilmore Lite v1 gets too loud for them before 9:00 on the dial, so it appears it's only throwing a few milliWatts their way and generating big volume already.
 
I chose Had a Dad for a specific reason. The snare hits at the beginning of the track were always an excellent little example of the difference between the ESS Heil AMT-1s and... every other sound transducer I've ever heard. They were the only speaker system that made those snare hits ACTUALLY sound like snare hits, with the metal snare sound being palpable and eerily holographic with eyes closed. You could hear the drumstick, the metal, the frame, and the room. Nothing else comes close. The AMTs were not bright, but they made things sound like live music was being produced in the room like nothing else. And I know the sound very well, and I know live drums, and I know this track, and I've used this track on about every headphone or speaker system I've ever tried.
 
So I've been reading about orthodynamics for a while and how they differ from dynamic cone/dome drivers. The principle at work is similar to how the air-motion-transformer works. So I wanted the AMT sound in a headphone and thought this *could be* the ticket.
 
So I put the track on and... disappointment. This sounds like a dynamic, like everything else I've heard. Actually sounds a little dull and dark compared to the M50 and doesn't seem to have any apparent transient speed advantage. How much is that a result of not having a good amp (although again it's barely breathing at below 9:00) and how much is because they need break-in and how much is unrealistic and unfair expectations in comparing these to the best sound transducer I've ever heard I'm not sure. They're not *bad* by any means! They just sound like pretty good dynamic headphones playing recorded music.
 
For sure I'm going to give them a lot more time and a lot more critical listening with a lot more sources, but I can pretty much already tell they're just not what I was hoping they'd be (full range AMT or AMT-like on your head), however unfairly my hoping was, and for $700 and being open (confined to home) I have doubts about keeping them.
 
Hope that's not too much of a Debbie Downer post right before the holidays. More later. Thanks!

 

[Loevhagen]

The AT-M50 and the HiFiMAN HE-500 are miles apart. IMHO. Give it some time before final judgement. However, if you at this stage cant rank the AT-M50 below your new HE-500; the latter is not for you...so sell it. Sorry for my blunt answer. Eventhough sound is subjective, I would rank a HE-500 way beyond a AT-M50 in pure audphilia any time. 

 

[swbf2cheater]

Fedex Delivered my He500 today WAY EARLY.  It was originally due on the 28th so I am very very happy.  
 

 

[Nepenthe]

I didn't say they were better than the M50. They sound good.
 
I said they weren't AMTs for your head. It's my mistake. I just thought maybe they'd have that AMT-type magic, being a different technology than all the cones and domes I've listened to throughout the years. True, I said the reference drum sound appears a little better on the M50, but that's really just a frequency response thing, but the point is they both sound pretty much like regular dynamic transducers rather than like what was on the other side of the microphone. I don't get a great sense of detail, transient response that trumps the M50 or D1001 or AD700, etc.
 
Don't get me wrong, they're quite good and as I listen I'm sure I'll be able to point out where they trump the M50. But lots of cans and speakers can trump the M50.

 

[Nepenthe]

Fedex Delivered my He500 today WAY EARLY.  It was originally due on the 28th so I am very very happy.  
 

Ha! Same here!

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

My HE500 will arrive sometime next week, expect a full in-depth impressions study with measurements sometime mid January after sufficient burn in is completed.

What amp are you going to be running them off of, your signature says "who needs one?"....

 

[bbophead]

"For sure I'm going to give them a lot more time and a lot more critical listening with a lot more sources, but I can pretty much already tell they're just not what I was hoping they'd be (full range AMT or AMT-like on your head), however unfairly my hoping was, and for $700 and being open (confined to home) I have doubts about keeping them." - Nepenthe
 
As a former AMT-1 owner, I cannot imagine anything worse than having a headphone sound like that, IMHO.

 
Sorry, and that's my downer moment for the day.

 

[Loevhagen]

The HE-500 needs some serious amplification to come alive. 

 

[swbf2cheater]

The signature was an attempt at humor and to incite violence in the psyche of whoever read it
 
I have a hefty list of amplifiers that will be used, mostly portable. I am trying to land a Lyr, but that is proving much more difficult than I originally thought.  Portable amps will include the PB2, E11, Shadow, UHA4, TTVJ Slim, Pico Slim, and possibly the Mustang.  I would love a bifrost, but feel confident my E10 will provide more than an acceptable source for whatever amplifiers I end up using.  Im using the Fiio E10 right now with no extra amp on the HE500, more than enough volume but it sounds unlike my past experiences with much bigger amplification.  Very bland right now, not that much nicer than the HE300 in terms of presentation, more clear in sonics though.  The e10 surprisingly provides more volume than I am comfortable with.  
 

 

[Nepenthe]

As a former AMT-1 owner, I cannot imagine anything worse than having a headphone sound like that, IMHO.

Hmm, well everyone's different, but everyone who heard them was in love with them, and they're the best and most transparent sound I've ever heard (midrange and treble).
 
Nothing like the way they recreated transients. I remember when I took the HEILs off and connected them direct (bypassing the crossover) with them on the floor and my head between them and played them at low volume. Blown away...
 
Maybe I should look into the Mini Maggies...

 

[Loevhagen]

Humor taken.
 
But, let's stay serious; I have limited experiences with portable amplifiers. The only comment to this regard I can have is this: Having tried the HE-500 on desktop heaphone amplifiers and speaker amps (via HE-adapter), I would expect that the HE-500 is indeed NOT a headphone for portable rigs. I can of course be mistaken. 

 

[Nepenthe]

The HE-500 needs some serious amplification to come alive. 

I guess I don't understand electricity then. By Tyll's measurements, these have an 87 dB/mW sensitivity. The Gilmore Lite does 800 such milliWatts. I don't listen anywhere near 87 dB. 8:30ish on the knob produced a sufficient amount of sound.
 
The Gilmore Lite, on paper, has about 6,400 times as much power as necessary. So let's say I get an amp capable of 6000 milliWatts (Lyr). Now that amp, on paper, has about 48,000 times as much power as necessary.
 
I know the Gilmore Lite (especially version 1) is an out-of-date design that doesn't push a whole lot of electrons compared to, say, the Lyr. But is it about power (math) or more about the type of amp or synergy?

 

[swbf2cheater]

You are absolutely right, they are not.  I really didn't expect to receive my HE500 until mid to late next week when all my gear is also supposed to arrive that will be used in my review, what a great Xmas gift  
 
I posted an impressions topic in regards to the LCD2 which...well...lets just say I caught serious hell for and had a ton of users ask me the same questions over and over about the HE500, due mostly because I preferred it to the LCD2, they wanted more info I was unable to provide.  The amount of users who asked me to combo it with things like the E11, PB2, TTVJ ect ect were staggering.  So, I shall oblige  I will use the gear most commonly asked for and try to answer as many of the questions people asked me as possible.  
 
 

 

[Loevhagen]

I enjoy both the LCD-2s (R2) and the HE-500. They are different; and both immenseley impressive sound wise. I can't make my mind up. Some days I prefer the Audeze, and some days I prefer the HiFiMAN. I guess that's just the way it is; they both almost fulfill my preferences.
 
At one point in time, I tried the HE-500 on a pure Class A prototype headphone amplifier (won't state from where - but it was hot - could fry some eggs on it - seriously speaking) and the HE-500 seriously woke up. The LCD-2 does not scale the same way with more powah.
 
Having tried both the HE-500 and the LCD-2s (both R1 and R2) on speaker amps, I would say that it's no use for the LCD-2s. For HE-500 - some amps make instead of breake...
 
Happy living with the HE-500s. With the proper amp (and maybe with the less proper amp) they perceive to shine...
 
 

 

[sampson_smith]

My thoughts exactly. With HE-500's and (now reasonably burned-in) LCD-2 r.2's in rotation, I am very happy. I would rate either can equally well. The HiFiMAN's are like Sprite to the LCD-2's Coca-Cola. Or, being a bit more refined, the HE-500's are Grey Goose to the Audez'e's fine single malt delivery.
 
Of course, I also have to give proper respect to the Lyr/Bifrost combo that is making this possible. A very nice rig for a very nice price. If you were on a limited budget (read <$1500), the HE-500/Lyr/Bifrost combination is worth shooting for.
 
Quote:

I enjoy both the LCD-2s (R2) and the HE-500. They are different; and both immenseley impressive sound wise. I can't make my mind up. Some days I prefer the Audeze, and some days I prefer the HiFiMAN. I guess that's just the way it is; they both almost fulfill my preferences.