Just Ordered the Hifiman HE-560's-Love My Senn. HD-650 and Hifiman 400i's-Am I Going to Like These the 560's?
Nov 29, 2015 at 6:00 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 30
Jazz1

Jazz1

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Okay, I ordered these after seeing a price reduction, and reading every review I could find. I see some reviewers state these are more analytical/in your face than Grado's. Unfortunately the two Grado's I've tried I didn't like, I found them tiring. I can of course return the 560's, but does anyone have an opinion they want to share as I await shipment.
 
Nov 29, 2015 at 6:21 PM Post #2 of 30
The 560s aren't that big of an upgrade from 400i.    There's a small amount of sound refinement improvement, and a little better bass extension, but besides that, the difference is coloration in the treble region-- which the 560 is more linear than the 400i. 
 
Dec 1, 2015 at 9:34 PM Post #7 of 30
Well the HE-560's arrived today after having to get the delivery sorted out between USPS, and my work place. USPS claimed it had been delivered, work said they did not have them in their their central receiving. I would not have chosen USPS as with FedEX or UPS I can get things delivered right to my office door, even with our multi-building set-up. I'm going to ask Amazon why they would send this expensive equipment via USPS? Cost? I will admit that tracking has improved with USPS, but when USPS claimed it was delivered, when it had missed the workplace's pick-up it had me worried.
 
 I'll need to give them a more extensive listen this weekend. My GHCA PS Audio amplifier seems to push them fine oddly the same 2 o'clock position on the vol. seems to work for both the 400i's and the 560's. I think I remember that the GHCA scales up depending on the headphone's demand. The Musical Fidelity M1 DAC seems at home. I'm using AIFF files via optical out of my 2015 iMac. I don't know if I should try USB with this setup. Playing using iTunes, I know I need to find a better app/player. So far Josh Stone and Buddy Guy sound great on this set up. "Flesh and Bone" with Van Morrison is clean and I can hear the background tracks with great clarity. Piano, organ and guitar and snare drums sound very, very good. 
 
Very first impressions tell me that this sounds (more) different that the 400i than I had read about in reviews. And so far I am enjoying the difference. Though the reviewers seem spot on about the difference in bass. I'm sure the recommendation to hold out for the Senn. 800s is a good one, but the sale price of the HD-560's and the price of the Senns. makes more money sense to me right now, code for I can't afford the Senns right now :wink:
The question now is do I keep them?  I may have to get some Schitt and move one of the headphones to the pseudo man cave with the overstuffed chair
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  I guess we shall see. God this hobby is fun!
 
Dec 2, 2015 at 6:23 PM Post #8 of 30
Well I see the sale pricing is over at Amazon and Hifiman. Sale was $200.00 off. But I'm seeing third parties on Amazon, and Todd the Vinyl Junkie still has the sale pricing. I wonder how long this is going to last? I suppose sales are a harbinger of new model?
 
Dec 7, 2015 at 9:22 PM Post #11 of 30
Well all, I've been listening to the HE-560, and initially had some reservations, particularly regarding female vocals. But just listening to iTunes streaming Fleetwood Mac Tusk Expanded Edition (2015) put me over the edge on keeping these beauties. Vocals aside the drum beat of "Sister of the Moon" is hypnotic. I have since ordered the import CD version for AIFF ripping.
 
The sound reproduction of this album is what I would call tight and crisp. I'm going to call the female vocals haunting via the HE-560. The articulation of the vocals and instruments (electric guitars are great)  makes me feel like I'm in the first row in relatively smallish room. Though I'd probably prefer a slightly  larger sound stage, this is really working for me. The background vocals are rich and airy. Makes me wish for my not long forgotten ProAc speaker system :wink: where I could literally point at the placement of the instruments and vocals with those speakers. Now I've got to tell you I'm very nostalgic on this particular CD having ripped it from vinyl to my TEAC Reel to Reel in the 70's and relegated to listening to it via some Koss Pro 4A's( because I could not afford a full blown amplified/speaker system " back in the day"-newly married).  I'm actually a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac the original bluesy band, but I've got to hand it to the female vocals and drums on this album of the reconstituted band.
 
Do I get this kind of ecstasy from all of my music using these headphones? No I do not. I do not know why.
 
I just received the Oppo PM-3's. and I am going to use this album as my "litmus" test on my iPad Pro/iPhone 6+. Granted, this is a little unfair regarding I'm driving the HE-560 with a dedicated amp. and DAC. But, if the Oppo PM-3 don't do justice to this recording then back they go. I might also give them a chance with some early Clapton.
 
But back to the main topic of the HE-560's. As much as I like the Senn. HD-650, I've got to hand it to these Hifiman HE-560's. If you strapped me to a chair for marathon listening I'd probably give the tip of the hat to the Senn's knowing that they would be less revealing and less dynamic AKA less tiring and a bit more comfy than the HE-560's..Granted I have Moon Audio Blue Dragon cables on the Senns. which might not be the best match. I've got to say these Hifiman speakers remind me of the legendary AKG K-1000 I had driven from my Krell integrated amplifier a few years back. I never should have sold that rig!
 
At the sale price I purchased the HE-560's I've got to say I am one happy puppy!
 
Dec 8, 2015 at 5:25 AM Post #12 of 30
The HE560 isn't really in the same league as the HD650. The HD650 has a smoother response, better detail, more engaging mid range. I'd say it's similar to the HE-400i which is also a step down from the HD650 in speed, SQ and pretty much everything minus bass extension. The 560 has a lot of exaggeration in it's upper ranges. 
 
Dec 8, 2015 at 10:30 AM Post #13 of 30
ryfiman said:
  The HE560 isn't really in the same league as the HD650. The HD650 has a smoother response, better detail, more engaging mid range. I'd say it's similar to the HE-400i which is also a step down from the HD650 in speed, SQ and pretty much everything minus bass extension. The 560 has a lot of exaggeration in it's upper ranges. 
Click to expand...

 
The HD650 is noticeably slower than the 400i and 560.  We all have our preferences for headphones, but the Hifimans are generally favored above the hd650 in speed.  The 400i definitely competes with the hd650 in overall SQ and clarity, even more so with the 560.
 
Dec 8, 2015 at 11:59 AM Post #14 of 30
Slower? Not a chance. If you are driving it with the Modi and Magni then I'm not surprised as the Modi isn't a good match, not resolving enough. The Hifimans are easier to drive. The HD650 is a very fast driver, it doesn't have the exaggerated treble of the 560 though. The 400i is s downgrade on a better system.
 
Dec 8, 2015 at 12:26 PM Post #15 of 30
The he-560, when amped properly, has much better detail retrieval than the hd650, & is much quicker. I've owned both for quite some time. They both excell on different types of music. But for critical listening I would reach for the 560's first. The hd650 is more forgiving and is a great headphone if you want to just sit back and enjoy music. Both are very good headphones.
 
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