What's the best "first-timer" planar magnetic to try

[Amish]

I pulled the trigger and ordered the 560. They will arrive tomorrow, and I'll compare to my current favorite pairings: 1. GS2000e with Vali2. 2. Amiron with Magni 2 Uber.

I'm thinking about upgrading to a Jotunheim amp if I find the Magni2U lacking with the 560. Plus it will stack nicely with the bifrost and saga in the living room.

I think you made a great choice! I doubt you'll have any issue with your current amp. These aren't as hard to drive as other hifiman cans.

 

[438555]

HE560 deilivered today. Both the Vali2 and Magni2Uber can drive this well beyond the level at which I'd want to listen. Listening to Lateralus on the M2U at 50% volume is about as loud as I'd want to go.
First impression is the bass impact is far beyond any other open headphone I've used. Will let them break in for the recommended 150 hours and see how they compare to my other open headphones then (HD600, Amiron, GS2000e)
(Edit: BTW, got these on amazon for $499. I had been eyeing these at $899 for months, so when I saw the prices had gone down that much, and that they would have the newer cable and 2.5 mm connectors, I jumped on it.)

 

[BuddhaBruce]

HE560 deilivered today. Both the Vali2 and Magni2Uber can drive this well beyond the level at which I'd want to listen. Listening to Lateralus on the M2U at 50% volume is about as loud as I'd want to go.
First impression is the bass impact is far beyond any other open headphone I've used. Will let them break in for the recommended 150 hours and see how they compare to my other open headphones then (HD600, Amiron, GS2000e)
(Edit: BTW, got these on amazon for $499. I had been eyeing these at $899 for months, so when I saw the prices had gone down that much, and that they would have the newer cable and 2.5 mm connectors, I jumped on it.)

Told ya Magni 2u would be more than enough! Enjoy man! I might have to buy a pair back again

 

[438555]

Told ya Magni 2u would be more than enough! Enjoy man! I might have to buy a pair back again

For fun, I also put in an order (to surf cables) for a Pono balanced cable for these 560s. The pono drives the HD600 and Amiron so nicely in balanced mode, I'm curious to see how this mobile player can do with the planars. (Definitely none of my portable amps/players are doing the job in single ended mode. The Oppo HA-2 in high gain is the closest, but I'm thinking the pono in balanced will do a better job based on comparisons with other headphones.

 

[MLGrado]

I've been enjoying my various dynamic driver headphones for a while now, with my favorites being the GS2000e and Beyerdynamic Amirons for open and the DT770 for closed. Have been curious about trying planars, and going back and forth between going all out and upgrading amps from a Vali2/Magni2U to something more powerful like a Lyr2 and getting an HE-6. But if I didn't want to do a new amp right away, and wanted to try a good open planar for <$1000, what are some recommendations? I'm leaning in the direction of HE-560 or EL-8. Which of these (or some other) might be best for someone who likes Grados and Beyers?

I vote HiFiMan HE-560, especially at the current prices well below retail from authorized dealers.

Now, as far as brightness is concerned, yes it CAN be bright. Of course, that depends on what brightness is to YOU. I personally don't find them all that bright on the higher side of the treble, BUT, they can at times have a forwardness in the upper-mids to lower treble, and a possible little peak in the mid-treble. And even more complex than THAT, it very much depends on your headphone amp, its impedance and interactions with the headphone impedance.

In my OWN setup here, with a Icon Audio HP8MKII tube amp, I can actually listen to some songs with my Audeze LCD-X, and feel treble induced ear fatigue that I don't feel with the Hifiman HE-560, despite the fact the general consensus that the Hifiman is bright, the Audeze is not bright.


All that said, your mileage may vary, but in my opinion the HE-560 are just an amazing headphone. Many days I would rather take a listen to them than the Audeze LCD-X 2016 edition that cost me three times as much!!!

It is too bad the days of the local brick and mortar salon are gone. The chance to actually listen vs formulate opinions based on others opinions which are probably based on others opinions who probably have never heard either in the first place... get my drift???




EDIT..... I SEE WHERE YOU INDEED GOT THE HE-560. GOT CHOICE! LET US KNOW HOW YOU LIKE IT

 

[438555]

It is too bad the days of the local brick and mortar salon are gone. The chance to actually listen vs formulate opinions based on others opinions which are probably based on others opinions who probably have never heard either in the first place... get my drift???

Tell me about it. There are a few stores around here, but none that have all the choices you want to try. For speakers it's even harder because they're more $ and I'm not going to buy a bunch of speakers just to try them. That would not meet the WAF. Still waffling between klipsch and emotiva speakers

 

[ambchang]

Note that volume does not mean power. Having the necessary output will make sure that the drivers are driven probably, not just volume wise but also on impact and control.

 

[438555]

Note that volume does not mean power. Having the necessary output will make sure that the drivers are driven probably, not just volume wise but also on impact and control.

While I've been super happy so far with the HE-560 on either my Vali 2 or Magni 2, I'm curious to see whether I can actually find a difference with additional power. So I just ordered a Lyr2 both with solid state and tube options. Plus it will stack nicely and look better in my living room stacks (Bifrost, Saga, Vidar) and I can move the Vali2 to the office with my Magni2.