[HeadphoneAddict]

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...

 
Well, I've never implied that the HE-560's lack depth of stage just because I described the soundstage as "oval and wide".  Most of my descriptions have been relative to other headphones that people can use as a point of reference; and so while it may be more oval and wide than the HE-500 it doesn't mean the depth of stage is less than the HE-500.  It just means it's wider than HE-500.
 
Another example, I've said before that the HE-560 have a huge all-encompasing soundstage that is airy, etherial, open, and often out-of-head (recording dependent of course).  And then I added the fact that the soundstage is wider than it is deep (oval) vs the LCD-2 soundstage which is deeper than it is wide (still oval).  But that doesn't mean that I thought the soundstage depth was too shallow vs the LCD-2, otherwise I'd post that.  Right?
 
So, last weekend I watched Star Trek Into Darkness with the HE-560, the HE-500, and LCD-2.  I thought that with the HE-560 the image placement was good just like with the HE-500, but some of the movie sound effects had a little bigger binaural-like effect when watching with the HE-560.  I heard things that seemed to come from farther behind me or higher above me at times.  The LCD-2 didn't have a disconnect with the dialog, as some might assume if the depth of stage was described as deeper; but the slightly narrower soundstage actually helped focus the dialog just as well as the HE-500.  
 
The HE-560 and the LCD-2 sometimes made it feel more like I was in a larger theater rather than in a home theater (HE-500), but on the other hand the LCD-2 didn't give me that feeling of being there like the HE-560 did. 
 
Now, with Ottmar Liebert's "Up Close" binaural album, I didn't think that the binaural effect was that much bigger with HE-560 (like it's maxed out for all phones equally, because even IEM have a great binaural effect), but it was something I experienced more with movies and normal stereo recordings.  The HE-560 just seem to trick the ears more often into hearing auditory cues that other phones don't project.  This is similar to what the Sennheiser HD800 & HE-60, or Stax SR-009 seems to do for me - the HE-6 is close, but not quite there although still one of the best sound stages in headphones (better than HE-500 and LCD-2 rev2). 

 

[conquerator2]

Well, I've never implied that the HE-560's lack depth of stage just because I described the soundstage as "oval and wide".  Most of my descriptions have been relative to other headphones that people can use as a point of reference; and so while it may be more oval and wide than the HE-500 it doesn't mean the depth of stage is less than the HE-500.  It just means it's wider than HE-500.

Another example, I've said before that the HE-560 have a huge all-encompasing soundstage that is airy, etherial, open, and often out-of-head (recording dependent of course).  And then I added the fact that the soundstage is wider than it is deep (oval) vs the LCD-2 soundstage which is deeper than it is wide (still oval).  But that doesn't mean that I thought the soundstage depth was too shallow vs the LCD-2, otherwise I'd post that.  Right?

So, last weekend I watched Star Trek Into Darkness with the HE-560, the HE-500, and LCD-2.  I thought that with the HE-560 the image placement was good just like with the HE-500, but some of the movie sound effects had a little bigger binaural-like effect when watching with the HE-560.  I heard things that seemed to come from farther behind me or higher above me at times.  The LCD-2 didn't have a disconnect with the dialog, as some might assume if the depth of stage was described as deeper; but the slightly narrower soundstage actually helped focus the dialog just as well as the HE-500.  

The HE-560 and the LCD-2 sometimes made it feel more like I was in a larger theater rather than in a home theater (HE-500), but on the other hand the LCD-2 didn't give me that feeling of being there like the HE-560 did. 

Now, with Ottmar Liebert's "Up Close" binaural album, I didn't think that the binaural effect was that much bigger with HE-560 (like it's maxed out for all phones equally, because even IEM have a great binaural effect), but it was something I experienced more with movies and normal stereo recordings.  The HE-560 just seem to trick the ears more often into hearing auditory cues that other phones don't project.  This is similar to what the Sennheiser HD800 & HE-60, or Stax SR-009 seems to do for me - the HE-6 is close, but not quite there although still one of the best sound stages in headphones (better than HE-500 and LCD-2 rev2). 

Well that's great to hear!
Seems like the 560 does some things even a but better than the 6s (well just few obviously)
Very stoked...
I think I am suffering from hype syndrome and the only cure is to finally bloody hear them -_-

By the way, do you have the review sample or retail version?

 

[Headphoner]

Have you tried the HE-560 with the Schiit Mjolnir?

 

[dmacg]

HeadphoneAddict;
 
First let me say how appreciative I am to you for your hard work on this thread. I have the HE-500's and the Bryston BHA-1. Have you any comments on this combination ?  The BHA-1 in general;  and what you may consider to be the synergy of the two.
 
Thanks so much,
 
Doug

 

[Ratheriian]

+1 Same here!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I don't have access to the Schiit Mjolnir or the Bryston amps.  Sorry.  See my profile for what I have on hand, but don't make me dig out boxes of portable amps from under the bed. 
 
I should have the production version of the headphones next week.

 

[kidgafanhoto]

HE-560 or HE-6 ?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  HE-560 or HE-6 ?

 

 
I previously had posted that the pro-production HE-560 went back Monday for catalog photos, and that a production model was being sent asap to replace them.  So, I was just posting a reminder that the new and improved HE-560 are coming.  My HE-6 however were replaced about 1.5 years ago after I blew a driver with a shipping damaged amp, so they're not too old.

 

[kidgafanhoto]

I mean which you prefer.

 

[Biscuitz]

So...I'm very much tempted to hit pre-order.
 
I sold my HE-5LE recently, which I simply adored, in order to pay off some taxes. I instantly regretted it and wished I had sold my desktop PC setup instead to pay off my taxes (I don't play video games anymore, but I do listen to music daily). Well, I've done just that now, and so I'm looking to get either another HE-5LE, the HE-400i, or the HE-560.
 
HeadphoneAddict, thank you for the great write-up and continued updates on your impressions of this headphone. Everything I've read about it sounds like I'd love it - except perhaps one thing I am concerned about. I preferred the HE-5LE to the HD800 because I liked the more intimate presentation of the HE-5LE. Intimacy in and of itself is not necessarily a draw for me in a headphone - I highly value openness, airiness, and transparency. But, to me, with my particular pair and with my particular earpads, the HE-5LE had this awesome marriage of intimacy and openness / transparency. The HD800, on the setup I heard it on, had openness and transparency no doubt, but was not "near" enough to engage me. It sounded distant and failed to engage me in the same manner as the HE-5LE. Do you think this might be a legitimate concern of mine when considering the HE-560? Or does it grab you and throw you in the music?

 

[davidsh]

Buscuitz, which pads did you have? I kinda like the 5le, but I might sell it at some point when the prices go up again. Perhaps to get hd800
Hope I don't regret

 

[Biscuitz]

I had the old style velour pads. The ones with the really junky plastic tabs that everyone hates - sonically, I thought they were much better than the new velour pads.

 

[davidsh]

I had the old style velour pads. The ones with the really junky plastic tabs that everyone hates - sonically, I thought they were much better than the new velour pads.

Thank you. I will try to compare them more intensively

 

[grizzlybeast]

  So...I'm very much tempted to hit pre-order.
 
I sold my HE-5LE recently, which I simply adored, in order to pay off some taxes. I instantly regretted it and wished I had sold my desktop PC setup instead to pay off my taxes (I don't play video games anymore, but I do listen to music daily). Well, I've done just that now, and so I'm looking to get either another HE-5LE, the HE-400i, or the HE-560.
 
HeadphoneAddict, thank you for the great write-up and continued updates on your impressions of this headphone. Everything I've read about it sounds like I'd love it - except perhaps one thing I am concerned about. I preferred the HE-5LE to the HD800 because I liked the more intimate presentation of the HE-5LE. Intimacy in and of itself is not necessarily a draw for me in a headphone - I highly value openness, airiness, and transparency. But, to me, with my particular pair and with my particular earpads, the HE-5LE had this awesome marriage of intimacy and openness / transparency. The HD800, on the setup I heard it on, had openness and transparency no doubt, but was not "near" enough to engage me. It sounded distant and failed to engage me in the same manner as the HE-5LE. Do you think this might be a legitimate concern of mine when considering the HE-560? Or does it grab you and throw you in the music?

That was my exact concern about the he560 but I worded it different. You actually explained it better than I did and I got my answer in so many words. It seems like we should be hopeful for it to. Thats the reason why the akg k712 wouldnt work for my music because it didnt do what you explained.

 

[Xcalibur255]

  That was my exact concern about the he560 but I worded it different. You actually explained it better than I did and I got my answer in so many words. It seems like we should be hopeful for it to. Thats the reason why the akg k712 wouldnt work for my music because it didnt do what you explained.

The K712 can sound like this actually, but you have to give it way more amp than it's worth in order to bring it out I have discovered.