[Xenophon]

  I have phases. Some months I cannot tolerate loud volumes and enjoy very low volume listening. Other months I literally need it blasting to enjoy the music.

With me it depends on my mood and on the type of music I listen to.   I like lower listening volumes to best appreciate complex passages or large symphonic pieces else I just switch to overload when high dynamic range kicks in.  For an aria, bring it on though.  

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  With me it depends on my mood and on the type of music I listen to.   I like lower listening volumes to best appreciate complex passages or large symphonic pieces else I just switch to overload when high dynamic range kicks in.  For an aria, bring it on though.  

 
Yes, there are times I want to kick back and relax, and other times I want to jam out.
 
I mentioned before that the HE-560 are great low volume headphones like my HE-6.  When I'm kicking back and relaxing at low volumes, I don't feel like anything is missing, and they don't need EQ for that.  And yet I can crank them up with the ZDT to frightening levels and they will decimate my eardrums without taking damage themselves, without overdoing anything.
 
I absolutely love live performances with the HE-560, but you DO NEED a couple of watts of power to recreate the performance properly, i.e. as if you were there.

 

[Argybargy]

How do the HE560 compare to your Stax 007 mk1? If I recall correctly, I think you said the 560's treble was stat-like.

 

[murrays]

   
I've always been curious what people consider to be their "nominal" listening volume.  95dB seems awfully loud to me for anything more than a one song blast, but without a way to actually measure there is no frame of reference so who knows maybe I've been listening this loud too and don't know it.
 
I got a little wild once and tried to see if I could drive my tube amp into audible distortion/clipping with my LCD-2's one, just so I could actually know where the limits were.  Found a bit of trance with a mean baseline.  I gave up before the amp ran out of steam, my pulse started throbbing through my temples somewhat alarmingly and I felt dizzy.  The electromechanical forces at work at those volumes are impressive to say the least.

 
Well 90dB is far too loud for me for constant listening, and that is at only 1 mW (RMS) with these and similar headphones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I was thinking of my HE-60 and SR-009 when I said that, because of the etherial and airy presentation of the treble where the notes hang in the air outside of the head.  
 
When I get the production HE-560 next week I can compare to the SR-007, since the pre-pro pair has gone to marketing for catalog photos on Monday. Typically I think of the SR-007 as having some missing lower treble, and I didn't feel that way with the HE-560.

 

[Headphoner]

Great review!
 
Can you comment on two possibilities for amping the HE-560 phones: 
 
1) Emotiva Mini-X a100 speaker amp
 
2) Schiit Magni (1.2 watts into 32 ohms)

 

[davidsh]

I'd look forward to a 007 comparison. And hd800, he-500, maybe even 5le

 

[d1sturb3d]

subbed

 

[Biscuitz]

I'd look forward to a 007 comparison. And hd800, he-500, maybe even 5le

I'm very interested in an HE-5LE comparison, myself.

 

[Ethereal Sound]

Are you able to comment on how the HE-560 compare to some of the Audeze headpones?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  Great review!
 
Can you comment on two possibilities for amping the HE-560 phones: 
 
1) Emotiva Mini-X a100 speaker amp
 
2) Schiit Magni (1.2 watts into 32 ohms)

 
The Schiit Magni is pretty good with the HE-560.  It's probably one of the best sounding $99 amps that I've heard (the Millett Starving Student being a little better). I gave a Magni to my son for his birthday last year, with the matching Modi which works with his iPad and camera connection kit.  The Modi DAC that goes with it is less impressive, and adding a better DAC to the Magni is definitely a step up in both detail and soundstage.  A DAC like the NuForce uDAC-2 SE feeding the Magni is a definite step up when auditioned side by side, and the Magni makes a good amp upgrade to most portable DACs.  My son's V-MODA Verza Vamp iPod digital dock sounds better when the output is fed into his Magni, so he isn't using the Modi anymore.
 
I have not heard the Emotiva Mini-X a100 amp, but my Emotiva BDP-1 75-watt amp is pretty good.  I've tried it with the HE-adapter and both HE-500 & HE-6 and it paired well, but I haven't tried it with HE-560. I see no reason why it shouldn't be a good match.
 

  I'm very interested in an HE-5LE comparison, myself.

 
Take a look at my profile for the link to my HE-5LE review first.  The HE-5LE was more refined sounding than my original HE-5, being less bright with fuller midrange.  Sometimes the HE-5LE felt a little dark, until I removed the fabric disc between the grill and the driver.  But that left the bass less-damped and slightly less controlled.  So I replaced the fabric disc and changed the cable to the SPC cable from the HE-5, which also opened up the HE-5LE treble and soundstage without losing any bass control.  
 
From memory I'm certain that the HE-560 would have more treble than the HE-5LE, and the mids are slightly less forward in the HE-560 although not as laid back as the HE-5 mids.  The HE-5LE soundstage is a little nebulous and it can be difficult to place instruments in space sometimes, while the HE-560 has a wider soundstage and better imaging or instrument placement.  As for bass, I can't compare them from memory as well as the other areas that changed more between models, but I didn't have a big problem with the HE-5LE bass and both phones have good bass.  If anything, I think that the HE-560 bass is a little faster than the HE-5LE and HE-500 bass.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  Are you able to comment on how the HE-560 compare to some of the Audeze headpones?

 
* The HE-560 has a much wider and more out of head soundstage, while the LCD-2 rev2 has a deeper but slightly more narrow soundstage - so both with oval sound stages, but at 90 degree angles to each other.  The difference is not huge, but it's noticeable right away.
 
* Part of that is due to the angle of the LCD-2 ear pads and the slightly different midrange character - the LCD-2 mids are a little thicker and fluid but they hide a little behind the bass levels which gives them a little more distance to the stage.
 
* The LCD-2 rev2 isn't as good as the HE-560 for listening at very low volumes, despite their strong bass, and with LCD-2 rev2 I usually find myself wanting to turn up the bass if I'm listening at low volumes at night.  The LCD-2 bass just seems to fall off more as the volumes go down.
 
* The LCD-2 rev2 at high volumes is maybe a little more forgiving of highly compressed music (like the HE-500) and therefore slightly easier on the ears with poor recordings.
 
* The HE-560 treble is more airy and etherial and "out there" than the LCD-2 rev2, although the LCD-2 rev2 treble is much more open and present than my old Rev1 were.  
 
* In general, the overall sound of the LCD-2 rev2 is closer to the HE-500 now.  With the "LCD-2 rev1 vs HE-500" comparisons I used to say it was like comparing the "HD-650 vs the HD600".  Now the differences are less between those two models.  However, the HE-560 steps ahead in the direction of the LCD-3 (more air and detail and speed).  I don't have the LCD-3 here to compare now, but I am recalling my thoughts of LCD-2 vs LCD-3 at RMAF last October, where the LCD-X has s similar "out of head soundstage", if I recall correctly, to what the HE-560 has now.

 

[Ethereal Sound]

Wow, well based off of those impressions, it seems like the HE-560's are better value for the money...Not asking for an objective opinion but where would you rank the HE-560 to be compared to all the other orthos? Top 5? Top 3?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  Wow, well based off of those impressions, it seems like the HE-560's are better value for the money...Not asking for an objective opinion but where would you rank the HE-560 to be compared to all the other orthos? Top 5? Top 3?

 
Does it really matter if they're in the top 3 or the top 5?  
 
At this level of performance, where it's hard to criticize the performance, it doesn't matter as much, since it's really up to personal preferences and tastes.
 
I don't have the LCD-3 and LCD-X here for direct comparisons, although I've heard them many times at RMAF.  Maybe in the worst case scenario with an extensive comparison between them all the HE-560 might come in behind those and the HE-6, making them #4 (I didn't like the LCD-XC as much).  Best case Scenario they might be #2 and very close to a well-driven HE-6, depending on how the comparison went.  But I couldn't say without having the others here at the same time, and I'm not sure I ever want to pick a "Number 1".  Also, some people might put them as #1 while others might put them as #6 if all the Audeze and the HE-6 came in ahead of them, so who really knows?
 
The Fostex and modded Fostex like Alpha Dog 3D are pretty good, but not on this level.  I was impressed with the Alpha Dog 3D as a closed ortho, but not enough to lay down cash for it, the Mad Dog would not be on my radar.

 

[conquerator2]

Does it really matter if they're in the top 3 or the top 5?  

At this level of performance, where it's hard to criticize the performance, it doesn't matter as much, since it's really up to personal preferences and tastes.

I don't have the LCD-3 and LCD-X here for direct comparisons, although I've heard them many times at RMAF.  Maybe in the worst case scenario with an extensive comparison between them all the HE-560 might come in behind those and the HE-6, making them #4 (I didn't like the LCD-XC as much).  Best case Scenario they might be #2 and very close to a well-driven HE-6, depending on how the comparison went.  But I couldn't say without having the others here at the same time, and I'm not sure I ever want to pick a "Number 1".  Also, some people might put them as #1 while others might put them as #6 if all the Audeze and the HE-6 came in ahead of them, so who really knows?

The Fostex and modded Fostex like Alpha Dog 3D are pretty good, but not on this level.  I was impressed with the Alpha Dog 3D as a closed ortho, but not enough to lay down cash for it, the Mad Dog would not be on my radar.

Thanks for the detailed explanations.
I was wondering about the soundstage a bit.
I know inaging is excellent and so is SS width.
However, do you take any issues with its depth and do you think it can pose problems with music/movies or gaming?

I love to use my cans with all three. Mostly split between music and gaming but I could certainly enjoy a movie as well

I am certainly not a soundstage junkie but some degree of depth is needed...