[baka1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil' Knight /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can just simply reterminate the XLR to the normal 1/4" plug then. Super simple and takes only 5-10 minutes. No more worry about audible loss, even when it doesn't exist.

LoL

I neither possess the tools nor, more importantly, the skill to reterminate them. I will take everyone's word that I won't loose anything with the converter.

 

[somestranger26]

Pre-ordered and my HE-5 are for sale

.

 

[Br777]

Quote:

Originally Posted by somestranger26 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pre-ordered and my HE-5 are for sale .

yours, and a whole bunch of others

 

[reorx]

Since these babies are planar magnetic, which I THINK is closer to stats than dynamics, why are they most commonly compared to the dynamic HD800 as opposed to similarly priced Stax offerings?

Which brings me to my next question, given that i wanna try the non-dynamic cans route for a change, would this the HE-5 (LE or not) be a better purchase than say, an 3030 or 4040 stax system setup? What would be the main differences between a Stax setup and this?

 

[electropop]

People have used pretty fancy adjectives when praising the HE-5's. I have the phones and they indeed have a lot of potential and I'm really considering pulling the trigger on these LE's.
However, they lack a very fundamental quality when it comes to reproducing music: pitch accuracy. I'm trying to enjoy them to their full potential, but it's hard when you can discern and pick out notes better with ~50usd AKG 514's..

These phones, in other words, present the music in a way that gives you a certain sensation, but not in such that you could hear the melodies and notes (pitch accurately) perfectly.. They're not the worst in this aspect either, but could be a lot better.

So, hoping the LE will be (much) better in this regard. Will appreciate any words on this once someone has their hands on these

 

[realmassy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif People have used pretty fancy adjectives when praising the HE-5's. I have the phones and they indeed have a lot of potential and I'm really considering pulling the trigger on these LE's. However, they lack a very fundamental quality when it comes to reproducing music: pitch accuracy. I'm trying to enjoy them to their full potential, but it's hard when you can discern and pick out notes better with ~50usd AKG 514's.. These phones, in other words, present the music in a way that gives you a certain sensation, but not in such that you could hear the melodies and notes (pitch accurately) perfectly.. They're not the worst in this aspect either, but could be a lot better. So, hoping the LE will be (much) better in this regard. Will appreciate any words on this once someone has their hands on these

What do you exactly mean with pitch accuracy?

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif People have used pretty fancy adjectives when praising the HE-5's. I have the phones and they indeed have a lot of potential and I'm really considering pulling the trigger on these LE's. However, they lack a very fundamental quality when it comes to reproducing music: pitch accuracy. I'm trying to enjoy them to their full potential, but it's hard when you can discern and pick out notes better with ~50usd AKG 514's.. These phones, in other words, present the music in a way that gives you a certain sensation, but not in such that you could hear the melodies and notes (pitch accurately) perfectly.. They're not the worst in this aspect either, but could be a lot better. So, hoping the LE will be (much) better in this regard. Will appreciate any words on this once someone has their hands on these

I don't think "pitch accuracy" is the right term for what you mean.
Given the right amp they are as detailed as can be and have very good decay (transient response) which is what I think you are hinting at.
I have them recabled with Black Dragon and run them balanced from a Tektron tube amp. In this configuration they are competitive with the very best.
Still, I've ordered a pair of HE-5LE, out of sheer curiosity, to see if that can be bettered. I doubt it, but I really want to be sure.

 

[electropop]

Whether a note is really C, or not. For instance.

Imagine you're a musician and your job for a project is to pick out notes off a certain track and write a sheet music of them. I actually tried this myself (haven't studied music really..) and with my girlfriend, who plays the trumpet and studies at a pop&jazz conservatory. I can't remember what I played. Might've been some jazz recording with real melodic bass-lines and trumpet. Either something off Hubbard's album "Red Clay" or "Straight Life".
Well, picking out bass-notes with the HD25s was impossible. You had to guess often and it went wrong. HE-5's are pretty good with bass-notes but the trumpet was tricky. At this point we thought if it was the recording or our ears that were faulty but then we changed to my speakers (Linn Majik 109s) and AKG 701s (and cheaper K514s) and suddenly it was a breeze, to her. She could pick out the notes and write a sheet music.

So in other words, for a musician or a person who listens to the music itself and not qualities of sound reproduction, the HE-5s aren't ideal. I would even say that they're not musical, because of this.

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think "pitch accuracy" is the right term for what you mean. Given the right amp they are as detailed as can be and have very good decay (transient response) which is what I think you are hinting at. I have them recabled with Black Dragon and run them balanced from a Tektron tube amp. In this configuration they are competitive with the very best. Still, I've ordered a pair of HE-5LE, out of sheer curiosity, to see if that can be bettered. I doubt it, but I really want to be sure.

No, detail and decay (transient response) don't have anything to do with this factor. Hence my comparison to the 50usd AKG K514s, which are far from superbly detailed, flat or fast phones.

But yes, "pitch accuracy" might indeed not be the correct term. I still hope people understand what I mean and the sincerity of this matter

I will gladly accept language guidance or correction in terminology; I'm only Finnish

 

[realmassy]

Thanks electropop for you reply.
This makes me love my K702 even more but still I'd like to listen to these new babies

 

[electropop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks electropop for you reply. This makes me love my K702 even more but still I'd like to listen to these new babies

The K702s are awesome cans, don't give them away just yet

But as I said, the HE5's have potential and excel in so many HIFI-aspects so I'd like to see how the LE's fare as well.

 

[perrew]

electropop, could it be that a better amp would make them more pitch perfect?

 

[lecky]

My experience of orthos is that they're more precise with more power, this is a familiar refrain among ortho users, including HE5 users. Plugging them into the speaker terminals of a good power amp can give finer control than using most headphone amps.

Is it possible that issues with pitch accuracy could be resolved or improved with better amping, meaning more powerful amping?

It's easy to imagine an amp that powers k701s very precisely but fails to deliver with orthos, giving the impression that the ortho is inferior in fine control or resolution.

edit: perrew got there first...

 

[electropop]

Hmm, I wonder. I'm driving them via HE-5. I believe a source is more important than an amplifier in this regard. You can toss the amp away if it doesn't give you what the source is feeding you

But true, it can be the HE-5 if it's not letting everything through, but I don't think it's a matter of driving the headphone. Otherwise they're spot on, in every regard. K701s are more "pitch perfect" when run out of an ipod..

Tried via Linn Classik Music as a source, via its headphone out, HM-801 as source.. Not convinced enough that I should spend a big buck on a new amp+source...

Also, fine control and resolution are better with HE-5 when compared to K701s. This is something else altogether.

 

[lecky]

Fair points electropop.