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Author Topic: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots  (Read 26711 times)

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anetode

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2012, 08:19:33 AM »

Now for the question on everyone's mind: do they offer a better sound at a better price point than the LCD2s?
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #11 on: January 20, 2012, 09:01:04 AM »

Cool!  I was expecting a bit of resonance somewhere because I heard a bit of a "shout" as you might call it.  Though less than the HP1000.

I didn't think their bass was the best evar.  The word "wooly" kept coming to mind, but I thought it had plenty of extension in my subjective listening.  Just not as defined or textured as something like the LCD-3.  I bet the square wave wouldn't be perfect  :'(   But bass definition isn't in my top ten list so whatevsies.  We've got much bigger fish to fry!!!

Would you mind taping the pads to the baffle and taking another measurement at some point?  Tape just goes around the outside of the pad over where it meets the baffle.  Can be any tape that will make a seal.  I used some painter's type tape.  I thought they sounded cleaner that way but the bass got overbearing.

The shout is probably the emphasis at 3-4k.

Upon another listen to more bass oriented tracks, I would have to agree that the bass sounds a little distorted and has some blub-blub-blub. This behavior is especially evident of K.D. Lang's If I Were You on her All You Can Eat album. It's certainly not horrible though. Just a little uncontrolled and certainly not muddy or smeared, which is worse than wooly.  I only hear this on some music - for the most part, it isn't a problem at all. This is from the Sansui with a 100ohm Z headphone - speaker terminal adapter.

LOL, I actually don't even feel they sound all that dark tonight. Wondering if the caps on the Sansui are breaking in or something... It sounds neutral with some mid-bass and residual brightness. I need my reference amp and headphones back to re-calibrate. I thought they sounded more compressed yesterday too.

These are really good - I would buy them at their current price.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2012, 09:40:46 AM by purrin »
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rhythmdevils

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2012, 09:19:12 AM »

Don't let them change you!   
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2012, 09:36:28 AM »

Now for the question on everyone's mind: do they offer a better sound at a better price point than the LCD2s?

Here's the thing with the Audeze's which I can't figure out. They are the only headphone that can manage to sound both thick and thin at the same time. That is thick bass and thin treble.  I think I've figured out why. It's that damn shelf that starts at 500Hz and ends two octaves later at 2000Hz. The HE-500 sounds better "integrated" - the treble has the necessary "body" to go with it.

LCD3 comment: Hmm, I'm also wondering why I'm hearing more reverb effect out of the Sansui than the BA. Maybe the high output Z has something to do with this. Glad HE-500 has no such issues.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2012, 09:46:05 AM by purrin »
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RexAeterna

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2012, 10:56:39 AM »

too be honest,from all the great things i heard about these i would of never expected them the be shelved down that much. overall though i really appreciate your impressions and work.
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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2012, 03:15:09 PM »

These are definitely on my 'try' list, of only there was a place I could try them!
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2012, 12:10:56 AM »

too be honest,from all the great things i heard about these i would of never expected them the be shelved down that much. overall though i really appreciate your impressions and work.

The Audeze LCD2r1 is the headphone that inspired me to start doing measurements. I was all psyched to hear them. When I heard them for the first time at the Bay Area meet, I was like "WTF!" (along with many other people.)

When I reported back to Head-Fi (HD800 vs LCD3 comparison thread), people were kind of hostile to me including an admin (who no longer seems active.) Even one or two "respected" Head-Fi'ers implied that I my impressions were unreliable (despite the fact that I got to hear them all to myself for quite some time in the morning before the meet started.) Of course I was stupid enough not to trust my own instincts and ended up buying them to see for myself.

NEVER AGAIN... AND HOPEFULLY NEVER FOR ANYONE ELSE, if I can help it. Thus the measurements and this site were born.
« Last Edit: January 21, 2012, 12:16:05 AM by purrin »
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RexAeterna

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2012, 03:34:35 PM »

too be honest,from all the great things i heard about these i would of never expected them the be shelved down that much. overall though i really appreciate your impressions and work.

The Audeze LCD2r1 is the headphone that inspired me to start doing measurements. I was all psyched to hear them. When I heard them for the first time at the Bay Area meet, I was like "WTF!" (along with many other people.)

When I reported back to Head-Fi (HD800 vs LCD3 comparison thread), people were kind of hostile to me including an admin (who no longer seems active.) Even one or two "respected" Head-Fi'ers implied that I my impressions were unreliable (despite the fact that I got to hear them all to myself for quite some time in the morning before the meet started.) Of course I was stupid enough not to trust my own instincts and ended up buying them to see for myself.

NEVER AGAIN... AND HOPEFULLY NEVER FOR ANYONE ELSE, if I can help it. Thus the measurements and this site were born.

i never heard the LCD2 or 3 so i can't say on them,but i guess i never bothered really since after getting the 240DF to perform way i wanted and doing pretty well on my fostex i haven't bothered much really on trying the much more expensive offerings. i do though one day would like to try them out if i ever find the time to go to local meet or something(i got invited to one already but couldn't make it since i was busy).

head-fi is weird. lot can be bit closed minded due to hype of something and if it involves the site's sponsors and so forth. i see it lot since i like pc hardware as well. i only go there for the fostex thread and to talk to couple people and help out but, haven't much since no one really doesn't want to listen unless you have proof of your work or something. i'm cool with that though so i just mess around in the pony thread or QQ lol.

i like this site and your reviews. always open and straight-forward with stuff. also educational since i never knew what waterfall plots were till i started reading up on your stuff.
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''I'm a music lover. Not an audiophile.''

''The World is Study.''

''I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.''

''Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.''

ocswing

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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2012, 07:39:43 PM »


NEVER AGAIN... AND HOPEFULLY NEVER FOR ANYONE ELSE, if I can help it. Thus the measurements and this site were born.

I definitely appreciate the sentiment there. When I just started getting into this stuff HF worked well enough since everything I was looking at was relatively cheap. A lot of bs, but enough data to be found and the investment wasn't huge. Now I'm looking to step up and I'm finding HF to be pretty useless. I don't have enough extra money to just buy a headphone to test out. These graphs are awesome, and I was able to meet you guys at last year's meet so I know you are pretty consistent and don't pull punches. I can't really contribute, but it's great to have this added resource.
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Re: HiFiMAN HE-500 Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
« Reply #19 on: September 29, 2012, 05:31:00 AM »

coming from the HE-4, will these have a lot less recessed midrange in comparison? I heard these at a store with the EF5 tube amp but that was pretty disappointing, and then I heard the HE-400 with different amps and was impressed albeit I'd like something less bright, and was told the HE-500 might be the choice then. looking at the graphs this does seem to be the case, but I don't think I have heard any headphones that have a similar FR curve... maybe.
cheers!
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