Referencesounds/LFF's modded HE-5 >Code-X< thread

[khaine1711]

Quote:

What exactly does NOS mean?
 
Exactly how much does a HE-5 cost anyways? Since you said the price with their headphones is $1200, but if you had your own, it would cost only $300 according to the ReferenceSounds website?

It means New Old Stock. In the strictest sense it means the product (no longer in production) is still in original box and hasn't been touched/used.
 
He-5 is usually around $400-500 - that is if you can find them. I've been lurking the FS section for 2 years and only saw one or two on sale. I think VH opted for the Imperial cable which cost 385 in itself.
 
Anyway fascinating stuff, are there any changes/modification to the driver/damping or it's just new woodcup + pad?

 

[ValentinHogea]

Quote:

What exactly does NOS mean?
 
Exactly how much does a HE-5 cost anyways? Since you said the price with their headphones is $1200, but if you had your own, it would cost only $300 according to the ReferenceSounds website?

 
NOS = New Old Stock
 

We are now offering custom tailored modifications for HiFiMan HE-5's. Included in this modification are Dual Mini 4-Pin XLR's mounted flush into the wooden cups, Stained wooden cups with your choice of color, and a detachable Mogami Cable. 

 
That's a purely aesthetic mod (excl. the mini-XLR sockets, that fall inte to the "practical" department).
 
The Code-X offers, let's go through it once again...
 
1) New wooden cups
2) New wooden blocks on the gimbal
3) New soft leather angled ear pads
4) New soft leather headband
5) Custom damping/equalization of the drivers/enclosure to fundamentally change the sound of the drivers
 
+ some extra stuff as mentioned before in earlier posts.
 
This is not a HE-5 that has been blinged. In that case why choose one of the rarer HiFiMAN-phones.
 
This is the only planar magnetic except for Fostex T50RP that offers substantial gain when modding it for better sound. At least in Lúis opinion. All I can say is that it sounds damn better than all the LCD-2/LCD-3/HiFiMAN HE-500/HE-6  I've heard this far.

 

[ValentinHogea]

Quote:

It means New Old Stock. In the strictest sense it means the product (no longer in production) is still in original box and hasn't been touched/used.
 
He-5 is usually around $400-500 - that is if you can find them. I've been lurking the FS section for 2 years and only saw one or two on sale. I think VH opted for the Imperial cable which cost 385 in itself.
 
Anyway fascinating stuff, are there any changes/modification to the driver/damping or it's just new woodcup + pad?

No imperial cable this and that. I don't believe in cables. And I've made all sorts of different types.
 
What you pay for is
 
1) A NOS HE-5 (not easy to find)
2) He's secret damping scheme, that took over a year (yeah... trust me... I paid for these in december 2012, and he had already worked on his own pair for several years)
3) The custom wood cups (to avoid cracking etc)
4) MiniXLR's (because the HiFiMAN-connectors are useless)
5) Quality assurance. No difference between samples, e.g. Audez'e LCD-2/LCD-3.
 
In my book, that is easily worth 1100 USD. Considering the new trend of HP-pricing, just look at Abyss, TH900, LCD-3 etc...

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

No imperial cable this and that. I don't believe in cables. And I've made all sorts of different types.
 
What you pay for is
 
1) A NOS HE-5 (not easy to find)
2) He's secret damping scheme, that took over a year (yeah... trust me... I paid for these in december 2012, and he had already worked on his own pair for several years)
3) The custom wood cups (to avoid cracking etc)
4) MiniXLR's (because the HiFiMAN-connectors are useless)
5) Quality assurance. No difference between samples, e.g. Audez'e LCD-2/LCD-3.
 
In my book, that is easily worth 1100 USD. Considering the new trend of HP-pricing, just look at Abyss, TH900, LCD-3 etc...

I'm definitely interested. Just one thing though - what happens if *cough* a driver die *cough*?
 
I've been lusting for a He-5 for ages - but the discontinued status scares me. I don't think Hifiman still makes the he5 driver, so if one goes puff where can we find replacement?
 
Any ideas on why he chooses to mod the He-5 but not the 6 or the 5le/500, considering they're pretty close in price?

 

[ValentinHogea]

Quote:

I'm definitely interested. Just one thing though - what happens if *cough* a driver die *cough*?
 
I've been lusting for a He-5 for ages - but the discontinued status scares me. I don't think Hifiman still makes the he5 driver, so if one goes puff where can we find replacement?
 
Any ideas on why he chooses to mod the He-5 but not the 6 or the 5le/500, considering they're pretty close in price?

Because he only attained the sound he was after with the HE-5 driver. The other ones didn't respond well to the methods that exist for modyfying the sound.
 
This is as elaborate I can get, since I'm no expert in orthodynamic diapraghms. But there are a few experts on this forum and others that probably can give a good lecture on driver tension, sensitivity, over-ringing, under-damping etc. etc. etc.
 
Hey even Audez'e can explain, what happened with the veiled LCD-3's inte the beginning. *hint* it had to do with driver tension and increasing sensitivity,

 

[DairyProduce]

Are you driving yours balanced or unbalanced? 

 

[ValentinHogea]

Quote:

Are you driving yours balanced or unbalanced? 

Right now-now-now I'm driving them unbalanced from my Zana. But that is a far from optimal pairing. Within a couple of days I'll be driving it from a fresh CLAS-dB + ALO Rx3-B balanced. Loved that combo with the Paradox, so looking forward to recieving my new stack (the old stack got stolen, long story). In about 2-3 months I'll be driving them balanced from a supersymmetry Dynahi (a.k.a. Dynamite)
 
Cheers,
V

 

[DairyProduce]

They come with both types of cables then I guess?
 
Any comparisons on how sensitive they are?

 

[ValentinHogea]

Quote:

They come with both types of cables then I guess?
 
Any comparisons on how sensitive they are?

Not to be rude mate, I gladly answer questions... But did you read the previous page?

 

[DairyProduce]

My bad.

 

[LFF]

Quote:

I'm definitely interested. Just one thing though - what happens if *cough* a driver die *cough*?
 
I've been lusting for a He-5 for ages - but the discontinued status scares me. I don't think Hifiman still makes the he5 driver, so if one goes puff where can we find replacement?
 
Any ideas on why he chooses to mod the He-5 but not the 6 or the 5le/500, considering they're pretty close in price?

Just wanted to answer this one publicly....
 
We take a while to QC our products....that's partially why the wait time is so long..even on a basic Paradox. However, if such a thing were to happen (which really shouldn't unless you abuse them) then we would find a solution.  This particular headphone, #001, was QC'd for around 3 weeks on and off.
 
That said, I did kill 5 drivers learning how to do this mod so if the driver dies, it will definitely be during modification.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

Just wanted to answer this one publicly....
 
We take a while to QC our products....that's partially why the wait time is so long..even on a basic Paradox. However, if such a thing were to happen (which really shouldn't unless you abuse them) then we would find a solution.  This particular headphone, #001, was QC'd for around 3 weeks on and off.
 
That said, I did kill 5 drivers learning how to do this mod so if the driver dies, it will definitely be during modification.

Thanks LFF. 
 
I have no doubts in your QC process. Don't think I have ever heard anything bad about the paradox. My question was more on the scenario when a driver gives out and there's no more replacement available (similar to the current 007mk1 and R10/Qualia situation).

 

[LFF]

Quote:

Thanks LFF. 
 
I have no doubts in your QC process. Don't think I have ever heard anything bad about the paradox. My question was more on the scenario when a driver gives out and there's no more replacement available (similar to the current 007mk1 and R10/Qualia situation).

If the NAD RP18's are any indication, then just take care of your headphones and they should last more than a few decades.
 
I have found that Ortho drivers are very hardy drivers.

 

[kiertijai]

I have one used, excellent condition HE5. Can I send for modification and how much will that cost?
thanks

 

[LFF]

kiertijai, you have a PM.