[pp312]

   
How do you compare DT880 with HE500?

 
 
It's easy, you just put one on your head, listen to a track and then put the other one on. Keep going until you get totally confused.

 
I did it for a week or so and ended up keeping the 880. Then, a couple of months later, unable to believe my own preference given all the praise for the HE500, I did it again and came to the same conclusion. The 880 is definitely an underrated headphone.

 

[Rhamnetin]

   
 
It's easy, you just put one on your head, listen to a track and then put the other one on. Keep going until you get totally confused.

 
I did it for a week or so and ended up keeping the 880. Then, a couple of months later, unable to believe my own preference given all the praise for the HE500, I did it again and came to the same conclusion. The 880 is definitely an underrated headphone.

 
Very surprising.  I've owned the DT 880 Pro for a few months, and after auditioning the HE-500 just once I've come to the conclusion that I'd ditch my DT 880 in a heartbeat for it.  The HE-500 is significantly better in every aspect I think.

 

[Me x3]

   
 
It's easy, you just put one on your head, listen to a track and then put the other one on. Keep going until you get totally confused.

 
I did it for a week or so and ended up keeping the 880. Then, a couple of months later, unable to believe my own preference given all the praise for the HE500, I did it again and came to the same conclusion. The 880 is definitely an underrated headphone.

Haha!
 
Well, DT880 is a very nice headphone in my book.
I really enjoy its neutralish and airy presentation.
 
Compared it to the HD600 for a few months and while I thought the HD600 had the edge in terms of vocal rendering, almost everything else went for the DT880, although the HD600 typically receives more praise around here.

 

[Shaffer]

FWIW, I'll be listing my DT880/600 (along with HD600) in the classifieds this week. Just need to take some pics. If anyone is interested, please feel free to PM.

 

[jaywillin]

   
How do you compare DT880 with HE500?

 
i have three headphones, the he500, the dt880, and the alessandro ms2i, and i enjoy all three
i had the ms2i and the 500 before i had the 880, the ms2i and the he500 are both great, but at different ends of the spectrum
the ms2i is a grado, as such, it's got prat, rhythm, great mids and highs, intimate presentation
the he500 on the other hand, is more like a good full range speaker. it covers all frequencies better than the ms2, has a bigger soundstage as you'd expect
now, the dt880, i think it fills in the space in between the 500, and the ms2i quite nicely
it's very even across it frequency range, nice highs, airy, bass is snappy, mids very good, soundstage is good, right in the middle. 
i had the beyer t1 for a pretty good while, and really, really liked it. so i was hoping that the dt880 would give me a decent slice of the t1's sound
it does, and it's a whole lot cheaper , which is nice ! 
hope that helps

 

[pp312]

 

   
 
It's easy, you just put one on your head, listen to a track and then put the other one on. Keep going until you get totally confused.

 
I did it for a week or so and ended up keeping the 880. Then, a couple of months later, unable to believe my own preference given all the praise for the HE500, I did it again and came to the same conclusion. The 880 is definitely an underrated headphone.

 
Very surprising.  I've owned the DT 880 Pro for a few months, and after auditioning the HE-500 just once I've come to the conclusion that I'd ditch my DT 880 in a heartbeat for it.  The HE-500 is significantly better in every aspect I think.

 
 
On classical? I should have explained that I only listen to classical/orchestral. Probably the HE-500 has the edge with vocals, being more forward, but I found the sound quite dark and echoey, as if everything had been recorded in a cave. The DT880 is much more open, as if the sun had just come out. I've since found that it's capable with the right amp of an astonishingly realistic concert hall performance, way, way beyond what I paid for it (though prices have gone up, I see). I've listened to  heaps of headphones (thanks, Ebay) but for me the 880 remains by far the most neutral and potentially satisfying, even over technically better phones like the HE-500 and LCD-2.
 
Something else. I found the HE-500 terribly heavy and unwieldy, and I just hated the ear cups, which moved around and occasionally detached themselves. Horrible design.

 

[soundeffect]

The only thing that bothered me with the HE500 and similar hifiman are the stupid coaxial like connectors. A pain in the butt, takes too much time to put on and off. The heavy weight wouldn't bother me much if the overall size of the cups (thickness and circumference) wasn't so large. Sound wise, it's difinitely different from the dt880. It has more oomph to the bass, more forward mids, warmer sounding.

 

[Rhamnetin]

 
On classical? I should have explained that I only listen to classical/orchestral. Probably the HE-500 has the edge with vocals, being more forward, but I found the sound quite dark and echoey, as if everything had been recorded in a cave. The DT880 is much more open, as if the sun had just come out. I've since found that it's capable with the right amp of an astonishingly realistic concert hall performance, way, way beyond what I paid for it (though prices have gone up, I see). I've listened to  heaps of headphones (thanks, Ebay) but for me the 880 remains by far the most neutral and potentially satisfying, even over technically better phones like the HE-500 and LCD-2.
 
Something else. I found the HE-500 terribly heavy and unwieldy, and I just hated the ear cups, which moved around and occasionally detached themselves. Horrible design.

 
Yeah the HE-500 can sound dark if you're used to the DT 880.  I definitely don't find the DT 880 more open though; similar sound stage width, but the HE-500 is noticeably deeper.  I do prefer the HE-500 for classical based on my audition with it (I never owned one) as it is more transparent and more detailed to my ears.  But I do like the DT 880's timbre at the end of the day.

 

[bracko]

DT880 is probably a better "bang for the buck". I prefer HE-500 as an allround headphone. 

 

[Me x3]

   
i have three headphones, the he500, the dt880, and the alessandro ms2i, and i enjoy all three
i had the ms2i and the 500 before i had the 880, the ms2i and the he500 are both great, but at different ends of the spectrum
the ms2i is a grado, as such, it's got prat, rhythm, great mids and highs, intimate presentation
the he500 on the other hand, is more like a good full range speaker. it covers all frequencies better than the ms2, has a bigger soundstage as you'd expect
now, the dt880, i think it fills in the space in between the 500, and the ms2i quite nicely
it's very even across it frequency range, nice highs, airy, bass is snappy, mids very good, soundstage is good, right in the middle. 
i had the beyer t1 for a pretty good while, and really, really liked it. so i was hoping that the dt880 would give me a decent slice of the t1's sound
it does, and it's a whole lot cheaper , which is nice ! 
hope that helps

 
Thanks mate!
 
It's always nice to have a few different headphones around.

 

[relikk356]

   
How do you compare DT880 with HE500?

I have HE400S that have the grill and pad mod. They sound great, but I also have the DT880-600ohms. I know that the HE400S are not the HE500 but with the mods I've read that the difference is subtle (have no idea if that's true). 
 
Comparing the DT880 to the HE400S I feel the Beyers are designed more for track editing. The sound presentation is up in your face. DT880s lean towards sound resolution, but  have less sound stage and separation (still is very good but this is in comparison to my HE400s).  With the 880s I can hear everything. I can hear lips smack and the flee in the background fart. Very crisp, but maybe to crisp depending on what your use too. Make sure the music is well engineered because your also going to hear the garbage you might not want to. Extremely accurate highs (to high for some), great mids and a decent bass. Its a fast bass just not pronounced in comparison to other cans. 
 
HE400S is more of a casual/ HIFI sound. Highs are rolled off in comparison to 880's but differently more pronounced bass (this is with the Alpha dog angled lamb skin pads). Better sound stage, better separation. A little different tonality. 
 
I love my HE400s for Live music, acoustic and 70's rock. I like the 880s for prog rock and 90's stuff. Still all of this depends on the artist. The HE400s are godly with Greatfull Dead, Heart, Eagles. 880s are amazing for Radiohead and Karnivool. Some artist i cant tell the difference (or not enough to matter). 
 
All of this my opinion of course. 

 

[Rhamnetin]

  I know that the HE400S are not the HE500 but with the mods I've read that the difference is subtle (have no idea if that's true). 

 
I think you might be confusing the HE-400S with the HE-400i.  Terrible naming from HiFiMan.  The HE-400, HE-400S, and HE-400i all demand a different name since they are all completely different headphones.

 

[relikk356]

   
I think you might be confusing the HE-400S with the HE-400i.  Terrible naming from HiFiMan.  The HE-400, HE-400S, and HE-400i all demand a different name since they are all completely different headphones.

No, but sort of.
 
So the HE400i (latest gen) supposedly sound like the HE500 (older) with subtle differences according to many sources. 
 
I've read the HE400S sound similar to the HE400I with the mods.  Since i've only heard the HE400s i have no idea if that's true and stated that. So i'm only comparing the HE400s, and not the I.
 
If that helps anybody that's great but by writing it helped me understand differences better. So thanks Head-fi!

 

[bracko]

   
I think you might be confusing the HE-400S with the HE-400i.  Terrible naming from HiFiMan.  The HE-400, HE-400S, and HE-400i all demand a different name since they are all completely different headphones.

Agreed. And no, even with modding HE-400i won't sound like HE-500.

 

[relikk356]

Agreed. And no, even with modding HE-400i won't sound like HE-500.

There are a few users who say otherwise . There are many who say there is a subtle difference and some like you who say they are not alike at all. I will take your word on it because I've never heard them.