[sampson_smith]

Awesome review, swbf2cheater! I have not read a review that was this in-depth, broadly considered and simply as fun to read in a long while. It also helps that I am as much fan of the HE-500 as I am your lively style of writing. The HE-500 truly is one of the most remarkable cans widely available today. The only thing that I would hesitate to agree with is one's fear of the Lyr's power potential. I find that it is a fantastic pairing with LCD-2's and these formidable HiFiMANs. Maybe it's just me!

 

[dleblanc343]

I honestly don't find the synergy between the he500's and ef5 that great. It becomes a bit too dark for my tastes. It sucks, because I could of had the amp for dirt cheap because we sell it at our shop; but I simply don't think it's a good option.
 
Quote:

 I will update this thread with some new info once I receive my Hifiman EF5 Amplifier and when I can hitch a ride up and over to NASA.**  
 
 

 

 

[Ultrainferno]

I have a love/hate relationship with the HE-500. Rock music just sounds so much better on the Lcd-2s.

 

[detoxguy]

To your ears.
To mine I much prefer the HE-500 as I find the mids much more suited to rock than those of the LCD2. Having heard both (although LCD2 was a bit briefer than I'd like) I was at first blown away by the bass of the LCD2 and thought those were my cans of choice until I heard Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here with both and found the HE-500 still had amazing bass but with the vocals and unbelievable mids the rest of the song was just more 'there' for lack of a better word, with the LCD2 I just found myself focusing on the bass. I have as my second pair of headphones the Grado RS1i (paired incredibly with the MAD Ear+ HD) that I will go to on occasion for pure rock fury...
As I'm not in a position to have too many more headphones (will never give up my RS1i) I chose the HE-500 as my main headphone and haven't looked back...I'm really gonna try and be content with what I have at present (other than getting the Lyr to provide adequate power for the 500s)
I need to make more money and then having to choose between amazing headphones wouldn't be such a damn struggle....hehe
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I have a love/hate relationship with the HE-500. Rock music just sounds so much better on the Lcd-2s.

 

 

[Ultrainferno]

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To your ears.

 

Of course. I keep changing my mind all the time, could very well be I prefer the He-500 again next week. As I said, Love/hate. For months I only used the Hifiman and didn't touch the LCD-2, They're just both really good and I'm happy to have them. I'm very curious about the He-400 though, I hope it arrives this week...

 

[detoxguy]

I'm too busy drooling over the EF6 to worry about the HE-400....so wish I could get in on the pre-order price but the ole bank account is just not magically filling itself...
 
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Of course. I keep changing my mind all the time, could very well be I prefer the He-500 again next week. As I said, Love/hate. For months I only used the Hifiman and didn't touch the LCD-2, They're just both really good and I'm happy to have them. I'm very curious about the He-400 though, I hope it arrives this week...

 

 

[Nepenthe]

 

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I think the Asgard or similar amplifiers are more than great to combo with it.

Interesting, I've heard comments that the Asgard and Gilmore Lite are somewhat comparable (example: http://www.head-fi.org/t/556673/gilmore-lite-or-schitt-asgard). Maybe my amp wasn't holding them back... (Although at 67 dB it's thousands of times more powerful than need be, and even if it's actually 87 dB as somebody earlier in the thread contended (implying the dB meter is measuring a full 20 dB too low even at "max" in some kind of fractal detail conception of volume vs. power) it's still around 800 dB more powerful than need be.)

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It is a bit prone to kinking and seems to unravel a bit near the connection points, but that is a minor gripe as now I do not have a full on garden hose dangling over me.

Me too -- it kinked, it unraveled, and it was pretty microphonic with little dangling tapping noises reaching my ears. But I never used the heinous big cable, so that may be the difference. The silver wrapped in rubber or fabric would be nice. Didn't like having to screw them in (not hard, but not easy either) and having to unscrew them to put in the case.

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
In games like Call of Duty, when a specific Perk like Site Rep Pro is active ( an added feature to allow the user to hear enemy footsteps much more loudly ) one can simply sit back, relax and enjoy the barrage of players on the opposing team blasting you with insults for "Cheating".

Off-topic, but doesn't the opposing team have a point if you're using an "added feature" that they don't have? I could be misunderstanding as the war games don't appeal to me much.

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The HE500 is absolutely a CLASSICAL AND JAZZ monstrosity.

Maybe that's the problem, as I don't really listen to either (though some of my musical choices integrate classical or jazzy elements).

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
They are well sparkled and exceptionally musical, completely absent of any discomfort. Sibilance is never an issue, even tracks like Ms. Dynamites - Fire are actually audible, breathing life into tracks I previous could not endure.

and

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It also retains excellent clarity at low listening volumes which is a magnificient achievement, it really sounds nice well below normal listening volume.

This was one of my areas of dissatisfaction -- I felt it didn't have a satisfying level of clarity and treble wetness/sparkle/shimmer at low volume (volumes in the 60-62 dB range without "MAX" on and hitting the 66 dB range with "MAX" on using the Radio Shack dB meter and a good seal). Certainly not what I was expecting anyway.

I tried out quite a few reference tracks and found myself wanting more up there in almost all of them.

Originally Posted by swbf2cheater /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Sadly, I felt the LCD2 highs to be more clear, but also more sibilant, especially so with techno tracks and fusion guitar. Highs are more clear on the Audeze and a bit more colored into what I would call the "fun factor pallet". A bit brighter but also more sharp.

Wait, so the LCD2 is brighter? All I remember reading about the LCD2 was about how dark/warm it was. Now it turns out it's brighter than the HE-500?
 
Sigh... I think I have those American ears Fang was talking about. I'm going to try the HE-400s I think, even though I wasn't really wowed by the HE-500s enough to think the technology is that much of an improvement or even a lateral move from good dynamics (and even though I find open headphones somewhat frustrating and limited). Anyway, great review and I'm glad you really like these.

 

[DannyBai]

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The HE500 does require immense power, immense to me anyway.  
 
 

Thanks for this write-up, it helps a great deal.  I'm still trying to figure out amps for SE.   What would you say about the MK2 or the Continental?
 

 

[drez]

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I'm too busy drooling over the EF6 to worry about the HE-400....so wish I could get in on the pre-order price but the ole bank account is just not magically filling itself...
 

No worries - the pre order lasts for quite a while - personally I hesitate to hand over my money before I need to esp given the lack of solid reviews.  Still would probably be a better investment than tweaking my front end til kingdom come, and 5W of class A sounds promising.  On that, I don't see any promises re driving the HE-6...
 
Then there's the temptation to try the HE-500 but I'm not sure if it is still on backorder.  Might shoot them an email.
 
EDIT: have sent head-direct an email re both of the above questions.

 

[ardilla]

I've read people describing HE500 as overly bright, and my impression is that most people find the LCD-2 less bright.. Since both EARS and AMPLIFICATION is different from review to review, there's apparently no objective truth..... 
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Wait, so the LCD2 is brighter? All I remember reading about the LCD2 was about how dark/warm it was. Now it turns out it's brighter than the HE-500?
 

 

 

[swbf2cheater]

Neither the HE500 nor the LCD2 are bright, I felt the LCD2 to be a "bit brighter".  This doesn't make it a bright set.  Certain tracks that were sibilant and a bit hissy on the LCD2 ended up playing more smoothly through the HE-500.  I think the LCD2 highs have more snap and bite to their highs but are still far from being considered bright, to my ears the Audeze was a bit more harsh in the highs on certain tracks known to be sibilant.  
 
I seem to have a unique view on pretty much everything, I just don't hear some of the things people are talking about when it comes to highs.  As Ardilla said, most users find the LCD2 to be less bright.  It is a close call but I am taking a stand on the opposing team with regard to the high experience.  The LCD2 is pretty much brandished as a highly engaging rock, metal and face paced music set of Orthos, where as the HE500 is the smoother set. The brighter highs are usually found in sets regarded for being highly engaging with rock or fast paced genres, which is really the absolute definition of what the LCD2 is.  I just don't see how the HE500 would have brighter highs if it is without question the more tonally balanced and smoother sounded, more relaxing set.  
 
Don't take my impressions to heart, they are just my impressions and you need to judge for yourself, both sets are just fantastic and absolutely amazing in their own special ways. 

 

[ardilla]

Which amp did you use? Is this impression consistent with different amps?
 
edit: Also did you use LCD-2 rev 1 or 2 ?
 
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Neither the HE500 nor the LCD2 are bright, I felt the LCD2 to be a "bit brighter".  This doesn't make it a bright set.  Certain tracks that were sibilant and a bit hissy on the LCD2 ended up playing more smoothly through the HE-500.  I think the LCD2 highs have more snap and bite to their highs but are still far from being considered bright, to my ears the Audeze was a bit more harsh in the highs on certain tracks known to be sibilant.  Both sets are great.
 

 

 

[swbf2cheater]

I've owned both the Rev 1 and rev 2, I preferred the Rev 1.  However, in my review I used the rev2, also you can read the review I posted to know which amps I used.  

 

[M-13]

They're both quite dark but the HE-500 is brighter than my LCD-2 R2. Also depends on the particular track, there are tracks that make the R2 sound brighter. HE-500 treble is smooth and beautiful and diametrically opposite of sibilant IMO and to my ears. The R2 treble every once in a while seems overly shelved down.

 

[swbf2cheater]

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They're both quite dark but the HE-500 is brighter than my LCD-2 R2. Also depends on the particular track, there are tracks that make the R2 sound brighter. HE-500 treble is smooth and beautiful and diametrically opposite of sibilant IMO and to my ears. The R2 treble every once in a while seems overly shelved down.

Exactly.  Just so nobody misunderstands, we are talking about only the highs and nothing else.  As I said in my review some tracks showcase brightness and harshness in the LCD2 rev 2 but not in the HE500.