Something better than HE-500
Apr 5, 2012 at 1:41 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 33
faverodefavero

faverodefavero

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Hi there, everyone! I tried to get some help with this at the "Recommendations" thread and they said it would be much more suited for this parts of the forums, so here it goes:



Can anyone please tell me if there's any USD$1100.00 or less (thinking about something around USD$900.00, and no higher than USD$1000.00, preferably) headphone that'll give me a significant better experience, especially in detail level?
 
For headphones (and not for DACs, which I tend to like more warm and impactfull ones over more cold and detailed): I really like to hear all details, microdetails, in the music! And dynamic sounding headphones also seem to always please me, as well as focus on mid-range and them treble. I'm not much of a bass-person) than HE-5LE and/or HE-500 that I currently own?

I listen to Jazz and Classic Rock mostly, but also like Classical orchestrated music and Hard Rock.

I'm using HT Omega Claro Halo on PC (iTunes, Wasapi) as source, sending bytes via a BlueJeans (Mitsubishi ESKA fiber) optical digital cable, to the DA-160 DAC from Burson and, finally, I amplify the sound with a Schiit Lyr (again, I use BlueJeans RCA cables as interconnects). All is powered by a Belkin PF60 power conditioner.



Thanks for the help! Really.


 
 
Apr 5, 2012 at 1:41 AM Post #2 of 33
 
PS:

I have a V4 Magnum that sounds great as well but am waiting for some Jumbo Cushions I've ordered to really give them a nice listen and make an A/B comparison with the HE-500.
 
I've already found (on my quite brief listening with the V4 Magnum) the basic and more obvious differences in sound between both. I must say, though, that I do feel that the HE-500 is the best of them by a good margin (and just seems to be more detailed in every way, except for low frequencies depth maybe as the Magnums really hit hard on bass impact for me), but some might disagree and - again - I have not actually given enough time for the V4s.
 
Them again, some claim the V4 can compete with PS1000 and, even, HD800 in detail level...
 
Anyways, can anyone care to comment about this, as well, please?
 
Apr 5, 2012 at 7:07 AM Post #4 of 33


Quote:
faverodefavero said:
Can anyone please tell me if there's any USD$1100.00 or less (thinking about something around USD$900.00, and no higher than USD$1000.00, preferably) headphone that'll give me a significant better experience, especially in detail level?
 
Click to expand...



I recently tried a pair of Shure 1840 at home for two weeks.  They have a lot of detail but ultimately were too emphasised in the upper half of the frequency spectrum for my liking, so I returned them (NB I am a bass head). That said, the quality of bass (which actually goes deep) and other areas were very impressive and well worth a listen imo.  
 
But I would advise you to not be too hasty and make some adjustments with your electronics before replacing the HE500's.  The 160D is not the last word in detail (competition has been hotting up recently) although is still a great DAC.  Its USB input also significantly benefits from a good spdif transport, such as a JKMK3, and I say this from experience.  
 
Having said all that, I've never heard the HE-500 but a pair is currently on their way to me.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Apr 5, 2012 at 11:55 AM Post #5 of 33
First of all: thanks for the help!

As I said: I don't usually like overdetailed/analutycal DACs (tend to prefer what people call "warm" and more natural and impactfull), so the DA-160 is great for me now.

I just really love detail-revealing headphones and am looking for a good one with even better detail (micro and macro) presentation than my current HE-500.
 
Apr 5, 2012 at 6:24 PM Post #6 of 33
If you decide to sell the HE-500s i may be interested, if you'd ship to the UK.
 
Apr 5, 2012 at 7:24 PM Post #7 of 33
OP, perhaps look into a some used HD800s?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/603761/sennheiser-hd800-headphones-with-cardas-cable-anaxilus-mod
 
Apr 6, 2012 at 1:00 AM Post #10 of 33
Guess I'll wait for the Sennheiser HD700... In the meantime, if I happen to have some spare money, I'm really considering the Denon AH-D7000, since I do need a good (great) pair of closed headphones for desktop use (I have none). When the HD700 comes out I'll decide between it and the T1 from Beyerdynamic. That, or I'll simply buy a T1, and them - later this year - take the Denons. 
 
I might need to sell some old headphones for everything I'm looking forward to, though...
 
These are all the headphones I intend on buying along the next two years:
 
AKG K550
Denon AH-D7000
HD700 and/or Beyerdynamic T1
 
Them, I'll be done with my audiophile journey! At least for a long while (intend to stop expending on audio for a very good while, when I reach that point).
 
Apr 6, 2012 at 10:06 PM Post #12 of 33
FWIW: A few months ago, I bought the Stax SR-507 and a Stax balanced-input tube amp. I love the sound and have never looked back. Electrostatics: Some love 'em, some hate 'em. I am definitely in the first camp (also have Quads in my main system). Good luck.
 
Quote:
faverodefavero said:
Guess I'll wait for the Sennheiser HD700... In the meantime, if I happen to have some spare money, I'm really considering the Denon AH-D7000, since I do need a good (great) pair of closed headphones for desktop use (I have none). When the HD700 comes out I'll decide between it and the T1 from Beyerdynamic. That, or I'll simply buy a T1, and them - later this year - take the Denons. 
 
I might need to sell some old headphones for everything I'm looking forward to, though...
 
These are all the headphones I intend on buying along the next two years:
 
AKG K550
Denon AH-D7000
HD700 and/or Beyerdynamic T1
 
Them, I'll be done with my audiophile journey! At least for a long while (intend to stop expending on audio for a very good while, when I reach that point).
Click to expand...



 
 
Apr 7, 2012 at 2:12 PM Post #13 of 33
Fostex th900 but you'd need to stretch your budget a bit. Through PriceJapan they are about $1700. Not entirely worth that price imo, bit the sound is very good and they are closed in the same manner as the D7000.
 
Apr 7, 2012 at 3:07 PM Post #14 of 33
Is this website, www.pricejapan.com, trustable? They do, only, sell original products (with original package and etc.)? Can anyone please care to comment about it? Thanks!
 
Quote:
maxvla said:
Fostex th900 but you'd need to stretch your budget a bit. Through PriceJapan they are about $1700. Not entirely worth that price imo, bit the sound is very good and they are closed in the same manner as the D7000.
Click to expand...



 
 
Apr 7, 2012 at 4:35 PM Post #15 of 33
People use it all the time, though I haven't had occasion to do so myself.
 
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