Man, just got my HE5XXs, and you were 100% right and completely accurate calling them "Aggressive pleasure cans". And I do freakin love it. Yet another dead on review from Z reviews. Coming from the ZMF classics (on a Lyr 3), these are things are in a whole different category. Thanks again man.
Just to Address it, People are saying these are simply a re-badge/build of the Hifiman DIVA [ amzn.to/3mu5K3z ] which also sells for $220. I have not used those except a few minutes at last years CanJam so I cannot comment honestly. I just want to make it known that if it IS the case all that Drop may have changed is the backing and the Pads.. ..and made it a less hideous color with giant headband so 100% worth really. If you believe this let me know and I will get the Diva in for review.
Hey Zeos, do you plan on reviewing the Sennheiser HD560s any time soon? I'm really interested in those as they seem to be close to the HD 660s with a bit more treble, low end and a wider soundstage in exchange for a bit of detail.
You should review the Deva nontheless, but this is pretty suspicious. Earcups look very similar, same notch on the port, and the exact same sensitivity and ohm load (93.5 DB, 18 Ohms). It's definitely possible.
At this time we really need a A/B comparison to Deva. Looks like these models share the same driver, 93.5 DB, 18 Ohms. It seems that 5xx is a retuned Deva with worse headband.
I had demo most of the "modern" Hifimans and none of them could ever replicate the AMAZING lush/liquid midrange that HE-500 offers. The energy you get from listen to this headphone is incredible. I would cry like a baby if mine ever breaks, I had have this for 8 years now.
That analogy is perfect...judging headphones on measurements is like judging ice cream on ingredients or better yet carrot cake. A child would see carrots and think disgusting but we all know how good carrot cake is.
I bought these and the only thing concerning to me is they also use Focus pads like my Sundaras and they seem to fall apart every 3 months or so. So now I will have two headphones with pads that need replacing every 3 months or so. Great XD
Man, competition is really high these days, there are so many good headphones for several price points. Anyways, thank you Zeos for so many great reviews!
"We worked closely with Dr. Fang-founder and head engineer at HIFIMAN-to drastically reduce weight on the classic dual-sided planar magnetic design through thinner double magnets and Nano Diaphragm membranes." So that to me says it is still double magnets they are just lighter.
These are $220. However I'm not going to buy it just because they're cheap and very good. So many things are cheap and great these days you'll end up with excess. That is something that I found out later I do NOT enjoy. Happier with just a couple of really good stuff, not perfect but good enough to be content. End game is not an object, it's a state of mind. Just sharing--of course feel free to do whatever makes you happy!
I agree, 1000%, I learned this the hard way, I had so many things that sound “Good” but not “Amazing” and now that I have started to invest in much more quality/expensive headphones I feel much more happy with the purchase.
That's what I'm thinking because I know I'm going to end up with at least 3 different pairs of headphones so I'm going to start with the sundaras as my planars.
I already have Fostex for fun and the 660S as an alternative. And at that point, I stopped buying headphones. Because that's it for me under 1000$, and I'm not going over for now.
@@No1TypeC I have WAY TOO MANY headphones and only use like 2 of them... I hope I could go back in time and only buy those 2... Same goes for DAC/AMP combos...
I completely love my 5xx. High gain, 2-3 o'clock volume on my AAA One and it comes alive. It feels as bassy as my 6xx. Vocals are pushed back unlike the 6xx where vocals are right on your ears. 5xx has the widest soundstage I've ever heard which is the reason I bought it. Japanese Jazz fusion sounds incredible. You hear all the instruments pushed back into their own place around you in the soundstage and it's so spacious and airy. If I had to sum up who the 5xx is for, if you listen to mostly instrumental, non-vocal music the 5xx blows the 6xx away. If you listen to a lot of rap or lyric heavy music, the 6xx is your boy.
I think the vocals are slightly pushed back because of how open they are, but I agree with you except Dolby Atmos recordings for rap make them incredibly alive. I have the same exact setup too!
Far late. But the drivers look and feel so... SO! Like the He-5xx. It might not be fare but the He-5xx. (The drop tuning module.) Is the m1060 up to snuff with the new 'drops he-5xx?
@@ZReviews have heard neither in person yet, so I'm just wondering if there's a clear difference between the two, for the need to also buy the Hifiman 5xx with a pair of Pandas (hopefully) shipping in November
Ok so based on your review I've been rocking the HE-5XX for a few months now, and it's been quite a journey. My first planar, I didn't really know what to expect beyond Z's review, saying they had great soundstage and detail, which I'm looking for as a listener of classical music and jazz. Then I discovered what happens when you replace the pads with the Dekoni lambskin plus running them balanced on a Zen DAC ... wow. The bass comes forward, comfort improves, and they sound even more "tight" than before. THEN I did another thing -- I combined them with the Zen DAC pre-amped to a hybrid tube amp, the Xduoo MT-601 .. and now I'm truly in love! Yes they're agressive pleasure cans, but toobing them relaxed them enough to where the highs aren't shrill, but you still get the detail plus the wide and relaxed benefits of a tube. Amazing for jazz, funk, R&B, and anything with lots of lows/mids. In other words, these things scale really well with amps and are easy to customize to your liking. Dekoni offers lots of pad options to suit different tastes.
I've been living with the new HE-X4s for a bit now, and a lot of what you said about these holds true with the X4s... For $130. They're astounding for the price, ugh, I can't stop listening to them. They do the aggressive 'ridiculously loud' listening really well, but they do very well quiter too. I know you love price to performance, and I think these are THE price to performance planars.
what is the best budget amp to pair with the he4xx. I use them without an amp and I they feel like they need something when playing at lower volumes. They can really sing though at high gain, but I dont want to blow my ears out
If you get an amp you should get a DAC... Otherwise you will be amplifying noises from your motherboard. If you are on a budget get a DAC/Amp combo. iFi Zen DAC, Fiio K5 Pro.
My only concern is the headband. I had the old he400 and it broke where the head band meets the cup. 2 years owning 400i and they are still fine for me. The hinge was the reason i stayed away from the 4xx.
The bit about measurements explains a lot about why DMS can find ways to hate several headphones you happen to like. Out of all hifi equipment, the headphone or speaker is basically the one you should never judge solely on measurements. They can help make sense of what you're hearing, but don't let them pre-condition what you hear. The guys at Abyss probably spoiled DMS too much with expensive equipment that you'll never hear the real difference of but have to pay out of your ass for a small fraction of a percent of better measurements.
"can find ways..."? Did it occure to you, that people have different tastes and sensitivities? For example: I happen to not like the Sivga Phoenix (overprized peace of shit!^^) without having any meassurements and DMS' video wasn't out yet for a month or two . and trying to make a case against "the snobby headphone intellectuals", who are "so spoiled" by their great equipment, that they can't tell the differences anymore (blabla and so forth) is ...i actually dunno what that is beside utter none-sense. The guy loves and recommends his 6xx - in which world does this qualify as "overly expensive equipment"?
@@Sporting1210 I dunno why you have to frame this as a disagreement. I was already saying that it's down to preference. The difference is having the humility to let people know when you do a review that if you don't like something, it's not because its an "overpriced piece of shit", but our ears are different. Although I do have to concede that DMS at least said as much himself in his Phoenix review, so there's that. Last, I dunno why audiophiles have to be so offended by any insinuation that expensive boutique audio equipment are bad value because of diminishing returns. I get that equipment is interesting, and I'm not personally content with my stuff either, so I get why some are willing to spend to get what assures them is their "best" or "endgame" setup. But I've heard my fair share of audiophiles who've had the epiphany of realizing that they became too obsessed over the equipment and no longer enjoying the music.
@@Boyetto-san you utterly missed the point here, man ;) And "overprized piece of shit" is MY personal opinion on the phoenix and overly harshly worded on purpose - i thought that was pretty obvious . But you are the one making all kind of general statements based on personal experience and/or preference. honestly i was just surprised by your target, because DMS actually once said, that he waits with doing measurements and listens first-so measurements are there to back up an impression with some ..well, factual data. That has nothing to do with being an audiophile snob *shruggs* And that a hobby is getting an obsession and eats up the fun, that it was supposed to bring is nothing new and certainly not limited to the world of audio. and just to make sure-i am far from rthat point ;)
@@Sporting1210 There's a few generalizations in my original post, but the intention is clearly to say that people should acknowledge subjective opinions and differences like mature adults, as opposed to making overly harsh generalizations about overpriced pieces of shit. But yes, I do admit both Zeos and DMS have come a long way in that regard from their days one-sidedly bashing popular headphones they happen to not like to cause a stir in the community. Whoever of them you agree with more is entirely up to you.
@@Boyetto-san if that was your intention, you did a good job hiding it behind a mild mannered rant against dms, frequency meassuremnents and audiophiles in general. And ofc you have a right to voice these opinions, but i cant help but wondering why you even bother ;) oh and my "overpriced piece of shit" was clearly marked as exaggeration. It IS overpriced, but i can see people being happy with the sound signature of these headphones and for 100 bucks less it would probably be good value. And that statement is based on what you can get in the price range between 200-300.
Out of everything I own, the wired Devas are my favorite. I like them more than the Sundaras. I'd love to understand how the Devas compare to the 4xx and 5xx. Because I don't understand HiFiMan now.
What do you think about the 5xx with Fio k5 pro for gaming? Will the amp hold them? Right now i have the dt990 pro 250 ohm with BRAINWAVZ XL Large Perforated mod.
What really drives a guy crazy is trying to make a choice between two pairs of headphones when there's no clear direction. My next purchase was going to be the Sundaras. Was in no rush, was sort of waiting around for a while, maybe see a price drop for them and get them or eventually just finally pull the trigger. Now these come along and crap - how on earth do you decide without actually listening to both? These being notably cheaper makes me wonder if you had to choose between the two, if these are the ones to get.
@@theextremeloader1I didn't end up getting either. I saw some more reviews of the Sundaras and just decided to pass on them because it seemed like I would like the Anandas more to the point where it would be worth the extra money. Still haven't pulled the trigger on those either.
You should start with an amp. Unless you have a need to upgrade a DAC, the amp will make more of a difference. Obviously the headphone/speaker/IEM makes the most difference.
I love this video, all of your reviews are extremely fun to listen to. I would love some "aggressive pleasure cans" in the form of closed-back, that don't need a lot of power... What is the most FUN headphone you would recommend? I think you've made it clear that your Neumann's are just your favorite closed rn bc they are amazing monitors (but are they really FUN?)
I have only have the 4xx and haven’t heard any other drop headphones . I got quite salty when they aeon flow x came out and read that they were better then the original . Do they really sound better ? And if they tend to sound better , is it better to wait for a drop version ?
Sooo the 5XX or the HD 6XX? Coming from DT990 and K702 btw And I have not touched my DT990s since I got the K702. EQed them to make them less shouty, a bit more airy and elevate the underrepresented bass. The difference in switching between no EQ and my EQ Curve is fucking insane. Just a few db here and there is all the K702 need to not suck because AKGs tuning is overly bright and shouty. I am satisfied with my K702 but being able to buy a true planar or flagship Sennheiser for both just 220 bucks is really tempting me. Especially if said planar are so intense that your ears bleed haha not my words... Coming from already decent dynamics it seems like these planars would be a lot of fun. My dac amp is a FiiO K3 2021 Edition, can that drive the 5XX from the balanced output?
Fiber optic splitter off whatever DAC he feels like using. Watch enough of his videos and eventually you'll end up liking what ever you have. $199 Modius and buy whatever sound sig you prefer for the rest of your chain. (AKM factory fire is going to disrupt 449X series DAC chips btw)
many balanced dacs have outputs for both xlr and rca. Also, it's normally pretty easy to just plug the in of one amp to the pre out of another to daisy chain as many systems as you have cables for.
Quick question, have a pair of jubilees and t60rp. I run it with a stack of smsl su-8 dac and smsl thx amp. Are these worth a grab? Or what would you suggest to grab instead?
I am intrigued..... These seem like my sound signiture .. The only other planar I've been considering is the upper tier Monoprice offering but these are definitely priced well ...
"Christ, Charlie Sheen..." Just a gentle reminder that the use of the Lord's name in vain is sin, and that there will be eternal consequences to be paid by those that unrepentantly commit that sin. It would probably be best to leave Christ's name out of it when commenting on RUclips videos. ;>)
Another great review Z. I am looking to get my next set of headphones (currently have the ZMF classics). I am trying to decide between the HiFiMan 5XX or the HD 6XX. I currently have the Lyr 3 for Dac and Amp. I was just wondering which you would recommend?
You should hear these cans on a NX7 paired with a Periodic Rhodium or a Hidiz XO. Pure Audio Insanity. I put Dekoni pads on them. Bloody brilliant really.
I have the HD-660s and I'm wanting to get an upgrade in the next few months. Would you recommend these or the Focal Elex? Or something else? Budget is ~$1000
this is unlikely to be an upgrade over those. What would be a good upgrade depends on what you liked about the 660s and what you would like to be different.
I LOVE my 660s. I love the detail and speed and the sound signature is excellent. I wish they had a little more punch in the bass and that they could make metal a little more exciting, but overall I really enjoy them. I haven't heard a lot of stuff, but I really appreciate my 660s I want more flavors, but I'm not terribly interested in stepping down. The headphones on my radar are the Fostex Ebony ones from mass drop, Sundara, the Focal Elex or clears, and my end game set is the Diana V2 and/or 1266TC.. I'm gonna be getting the Nuprime DAC10-H DAC which runs an ESS Reference chip, and the Headamp GSX mini to run things off. That's why I'm a maybe on the 1266 cause I'd have to get like $10,000 in additional oomph for an Amp... I definitely need something that does big music better than the 660s next. I like a lot of metal, monstercat type electronic, and soundtracks and I think those genres would be well served by something different. Just haven't figured out what direction to go.
SO, got these after watching your vid, @ Z Reviews. I am waiting for some 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapters for my balanced cable, but listening to my Jotunheim using the single-ended output sounds pretty decent. Can't wait to try them out with full power. Bought the Jotunheim after you reviewed it, too. I swapped pads (Audeze vegan) - Not necessarily an easy thing to do, but they are on there as well as they need to be, and finally in a position where the lack of cup swivel is not bothering me. Your recommendation was valid for me, once again. Started my journey buying the HE-500 used on ebay, after watching your review several years ago. Those ended up breaking free from the headband on each side, so I stopped using them and bought the Verum 1's after your review. I still love them, but need to send them back to have the drivers fixed (cuts out/is quieter until I slap the cup a few times), and to get a new-style headband for them. I was hoping that the metal/magnetic ring would work on these cups to affix the pads, but it did not. Either way, thanks for the reviews/recommendations, regardless of how many I keep buying.
Going to have to agree with this. It's a completely difference headphone when it gets the juice it wants. Planars have always been power hungry. As for myself, I run most of my HIFIMAN headphones off my speaker taps with an HE-Adapter. Night and day difference.
You're literally the only reviewer who thinks they sound anything like the the he-500, Maybe you need a he-500 refresher. This is also why watching multiple reviews of something is pretty important.
I think tube in the prestage before topping a50 really makes there puppies shine! There the litte harshness there might be, becomes to sparkling details. the vincent sa-t1 is the one ive been litsening with. Really recomend it!
22:10 if interested for gaming. I was gonna buy just today the HE 400S but now I'm thinking of this or perhaps the Deva Wired version(DMS said he thinks they are the same idk) just because Amazon is easier for me to get them to my country and home.
@@comradestrawberry1876 I was thinking getting something like the monolith thx portable would that be able to take full advantage of the headphones or should I get something like the monolith 124459. I'm mainly gonna be using it for spotify and streaming movies. Thanks!
Fuck I recieved ananda last week, schould I consider this or dont bother?? I know they dont compare, ananda lacks a little bass but do this got enought detail?
Watched another reviewers video about these headphones. The comment he made was that the 5xx was basically a color changed deva instead of a drop tuned he500. Anyone agree with this statement? The main point he was making is that the price for hifi 5xx should be a little cheaper. He contacted drop about the situation but hasn't heard back from them.
I'm new to the audiophile world. But I've struggled to find something that I'd think I'd like. I listen to a lot of metal( death, black, grindcore, etc) and industrial (psyclon nine, skinny puppy, 3teeth), would these be a good fit? ive been struggling to find something. always find conflicting advice on headphones.
These look good, really good. But what about HD 6XX vs those? I love planar but it needs POWER! Good dac/amp with those? Can somebody post link with some foam for under headband? Edit: Fuck these :( it I would spend another 500 for dac and amp.
Yo Z, can you take a look at the Audio-technica Ath-pro5x. I wanna know yout thoughts. I just bought em and I love em. But fuck I hate em at the same time.
Before I hit the button on buying these, this was the last thing I watched about them, and now I LOVE them, and it’s funny you say they need more than a BTR5, I’ve been listening to mine with a BTR3K, a Q3, and one of those Hidiz s9 pro’s, I’ve switched back and forth with each one with balanced/Single ended, and they sound pretty fuckin good with these, but I look forward to the day I jam them through something more heavy duty, cause the bass is hard to crank without distorting, and that’s why I assume it needs the further oomph to crack that jam. For now, I’m watching reviews again to have other people explain to me how good my can’s sound 😝
100% agree with Z in this video, these sound F**king amazing on live tracks and don't do too bad with other music too BUT as mentioned! the treble, do need to be calmed a little bit by like a class A amp as it can get a little much in certain tracks, otherwise just crack that volume! I have my 789 on third gain and volume max and then controlling the power with my Ifi zen dac
Believe it or not, running them on a hybrid tube amp is pretty awesome. I didn't expect that but wow, it really rounds them out and you don't lose any clarity or soundstage. I'm using the humble Xduoo MT-601.
I have P1 and I think these would feel similar in terms of planar fell, what he said blast it at max volume. These have much bigger soundstage. Maybe look on his review on P1s.
I don't believe you corrected yourself... I ended up skimming like always but here's and excerpt from the product page.. "In the HE5XX, that sound is back-with improved clarity, and without the weight. Thanks to stronger double-sided magnets, 2-micron-thick Nano Diaphragm membranes,..." it's a double sided magnet array... not single sided.
i think that the surround effect on Jerry Goldsmith song has more to do with the way it was recorded. i tested with my Akg's 612pro (trough a Loxjie D30 and a vintage Luxman amp) and i get the same kind of sound around my head, although it is stronger on the sides
Hifiman should make warm and bassy headphones. Adding low frequency shelf to Sundara gives the bass a good kick without drowning out the rest of the frequencies and the driver is very capable to turn them into fundaras.
@@ZReviews im so sorry, i mainly play Battle Royal, specifically pubg. I have focusrite audio interface if that count. I've been using audio Technica ath m50 for a while and maybe closed back would be great. I just need a better sound imaging if that make sense. Thank you for your time sir.
@@hermanmern head for Sennheiser. Perhaps the GSP 500’s, 600’s or PC38X. There are a few variations, they all use the same drivers. The positional accuracy is amazing.
i want to get a headphone. i listen rock, metal, trance, psytrance, etc(no classic, jazz, etc) and i play games but not first person shooters so i don't care to listen footsteps. this headphone, HE4XX, Sennheiser 58X, 6xx, or another at price range of $150-200ish.
I'm surprised zeos don't owned a original he-500.. ABC testing with those 5xx and sundara would be a good idea... Maybe include the gold planar in the competition... 😜😜😜😈😈😈
![GoldPlanar GL2000 _(Z Reviews)_🌈❤️⚡️🔥💦[Double Magnet]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3Zu5SCf3d0c/mqdefault.jpg)
![GoldPlanar GL2000 _(Z Reviews)_🌈❤️⚡️🔥💦[Double Magnet]](/img/tr.png)
Want to Support this Channel ? Click Below
⚔️www.SubscribeStar.com/Zeos -- Subscribe Star
🥇www.Patreon.com/Zeos -- Check out the Patreon
Can you do a 400i 2020 review?
Man, just got my HE5XXs, and you were 100% right and completely accurate calling them "Aggressive pleasure cans". And I do freakin love it. Yet another dead on review from Z reviews. Coming from the ZMF classics (on a Lyr 3), these are things are in a whole different category. Thanks again man.
Totally agree, this pair is now my most used headset. It's surreal how much more stuff I'm hearing
Just to Address it, People are saying these are simply a re-badge/build of the Hifiman DIVA [ amzn.to/3mu5K3z ] which also sells for $220. I have not used those except a few minutes at last years CanJam so I cannot comment honestly. I just want to make it known that if it IS the case all that Drop may have changed is the backing and the Pads..
..and made it a less hideous color with giant headband so 100% worth really. If you believe this let me know and I will get the Diva in for review.
Hey Zeos, do you plan on reviewing the Sennheiser HD560s any time soon? I'm really interested in those as they seem to be close to the HD 660s with a bit more treble, low end and a wider soundstage in exchange for a bit of detail.
@@rene837 yes
@@ZReviews Awesome, thanks for the reply ^^
You should review the Deva nontheless, but this is pretty suspicious. Earcups look very similar, same notch on the port, and the exact same sensitivity and ohm load (93.5 DB, 18 Ohms). It's definitely possible.
At this time we really need a A/B comparison to Deva. Looks like these models share the same driver, 93.5 DB, 18 Ohms. It seems that 5xx is a retuned Deva with worse headband.
14:55 best thing you will hear in any headphone review bar none
I had demo most of the "modern" Hifimans and none of them could ever replicate the AMAZING lush/liquid midrange that HE-500 offers.
The energy you get from listen to this headphone is incredible. I would cry like a baby if mine ever breaks, I had have this for 8 years now.
That analogy is perfect...judging headphones on measurements is like judging ice cream on ingredients or better yet carrot cake. A child would see carrots and think disgusting but we all know how good carrot cake is.
Exactly. BTW, I LOVE carrot cake! Everyone makes it different, but still...
I bought these and the only thing concerning to me is they also use Focus pads like my Sundaras and they seem to fall apart every 3 months or so. So now I will have two headphones with pads that need replacing every 3 months or so. Great XD
These worth choosing over the 4xx for my first open back headphone if I enjoy orchestra, rock, edm, video game soundtracks, synthwave, and pop?
Man, competition is really high these days, there are so many good headphones for several price points. Anyways, thank you Zeos for so many great reviews!
"We worked closely with Dr. Fang-founder and head engineer at HIFIMAN-to drastically reduce weight on the classic dual-sided planar magnetic design through thinner double magnets and Nano Diaphragm membranes."
So that to me says it is still double magnets they are just lighter.
These are $220.
However I'm not going to buy it just because they're cheap and very good. So many things are cheap and great these days you'll end up with excess. That is something that I found out later I do NOT enjoy. Happier with just a couple of really good stuff, not perfect but good enough to be content. End game is not an object, it's a state of mind. Just sharing--of course feel free to do whatever makes you happy!
"feel free to do whatever makes you happy" guess everything you wrote before that then :)
I agree, 1000%, I learned this the hard way, I had so many things that sound “Good” but not “Amazing” and now that I have started to invest in much more quality/expensive headphones I feel much more happy with the purchase.
That's what I'm thinking because I know I'm going to end up with at least 3 different pairs of headphones so I'm going to start with the sundaras as my planars.
I already have Fostex for fun and the 660S as an alternative. And at that point, I stopped buying headphones. Because that's it for me under 1000$, and I'm not going over for now.
@@No1TypeC I have WAY TOO MANY headphones and only use like 2 of them... I hope I could go back in time and only buy those 2... Same goes for DAC/AMP combos...
How does this compare against the Sivga Phoenix? Which one is more enjoyable?
Ok now do hifiman 400i 2020 vs hifiman he5XX
Now I'll be checking if there will be an episode of Hifiman 5XX with alternative pads in my inbox. 😎
I completely love my 5xx. High gain, 2-3 o'clock volume on my AAA One and it comes alive. It feels as bassy as my 6xx. Vocals are pushed back unlike the 6xx where vocals are right on your ears. 5xx has the widest soundstage I've ever heard which is the reason I bought it. Japanese Jazz fusion sounds incredible. You hear all the instruments pushed back into their own place around you in the soundstage and it's so spacious and airy. If I had to sum up who the 5xx is for, if you listen to mostly instrumental, non-vocal music the 5xx blows the 6xx away. If you listen to a lot of rap or lyric heavy music, the 6xx is your boy.
I think the vocals are slightly pushed back because of how open they are, but I agree with you except Dolby Atmos recordings for rap make them incredibly alive. I have the same exact setup too!
Far late. But the drivers look and feel so... SO! Like the He-5xx. It might not be fare but the He-5xx. (The drop tuning module.) Is the m1060 up to snuff with the new 'drops he-5xx?
Best planar headphones from drop, is this counting the pandas or how does that compare?
Like I know it's open back copared to closed back
Hrm. Panda Fight eh.. Now this got interesting.
@@ZReviews have heard neither in person yet, so I'm just wondering if there's a clear difference between the two, for the need to also buy the Hifiman 5xx with a pair of Pandas (hopefully) shipping in November
danielf4000 well I guess people forgot the Ether CX is also a planar. But it’s in an another price range so doesn’t really matter.
@@frankfang4605 I was also thinking about these two headphones compared to this. Good call!
Ok so based on your review I've been rocking the HE-5XX for a few months now, and it's been quite a journey. My first planar, I didn't really know what to expect beyond Z's review, saying they had great soundstage and detail, which I'm looking for as a listener of classical music and jazz. Then I discovered what happens when you replace the pads with the Dekoni lambskin plus running them balanced on a Zen DAC ... wow. The bass comes forward, comfort improves, and they sound even more "tight" than before. THEN I did another thing -- I combined them with the Zen DAC pre-amped to a hybrid tube amp, the Xduoo MT-601 .. and now I'm truly in love! Yes they're agressive pleasure cans, but toobing them relaxed them enough to where the highs aren't shrill, but you still get the detail plus the wide and relaxed benefits of a tube. Amazing for jazz, funk, R&B, and anything with lots of lows/mids. In other words, these things scale really well with amps and are easy to customize to your liking. Dekoni offers lots of pad options to suit different tastes.
I've been living with the new HE-X4s for a bit now, and a lot of what you said about these holds true with the X4s... For $130. They're astounding for the price, ugh, I can't stop listening to them. They do the aggressive 'ridiculously loud' listening really well, but they do very well quiter too. I know you love price to performance, and I think these are THE price to performance planars.
I like the shelf being there. The Laffey pillow makes me happy.
what is the best budget amp to pair with the he4xx. I use them without an amp and I they feel like they need something when playing at lower volumes. They can really sing though at high gain, but I dont want to blow my ears out
Liquid Spark. Good for hard to drive headphones. $120 bucks. I have the Liquid Spark DAC/Amp Stack
If you get an amp you should get a DAC... Otherwise you will be amplifying noises from your motherboard. If you are on a budget get a DAC/Amp combo. iFi Zen DAC, Fiio K5 Pro.
My only concern is the headband. I had the old he400 and it broke where the head band meets the cup. 2 years owning 400i and they are still fine for me. The hinge was the reason i stayed away from the 4xx.
They have definitely improved from the original HE400 and HE500 days
I’ve had my 4xx for a few years, no problems so far. Actually, the tolerances are pretty much the same as when I unboxed it.
@@cbomb1723 agreed. Same with mine. I was hesitant initially but I’m quite gentle with my belongings and they’ve held up accordingly!
The bit about measurements explains a lot about why DMS can find ways to hate several headphones you happen to like. Out of all hifi equipment, the headphone or speaker is basically the one you should never judge solely on measurements. They can help make sense of what you're hearing, but don't let them pre-condition what you hear. The guys at Abyss probably spoiled DMS too much with expensive equipment that you'll never hear the real difference of but have to pay out of your ass for a small fraction of a percent of better measurements.
"can find ways..."?
Did it occure to you, that people have different tastes and sensitivities?
For example:
I happen to not like the Sivga Phoenix (overprized peace of shit!^^) without having any meassurements and DMS' video wasn't out yet for a month or two .
and trying to make a case against "the snobby headphone intellectuals", who are "so spoiled" by their great equipment, that they can't tell the differences anymore (blabla and so forth) is ...i actually dunno what that is beside utter none-sense.
The guy loves and recommends his 6xx - in which world does this qualify as "overly expensive equipment"?
@@Sporting1210 I dunno why you have to frame this as a disagreement. I was already saying that it's down to preference. The difference is having the humility to let people know when you do a review that if you don't like something, it's not because its an "overpriced piece of shit", but our ears are different. Although I do have to concede that DMS at least said as much himself in his Phoenix review, so there's that.
Last, I dunno why audiophiles have to be so offended by any insinuation that expensive boutique audio equipment are bad value because of diminishing returns. I get that equipment is interesting, and I'm not personally content with my stuff either, so I get why some are willing to spend to get what assures them is their "best" or "endgame" setup. But I've heard my fair share of audiophiles who've had the epiphany of realizing that they became too obsessed over the equipment and no longer enjoying the music.
@@Boyetto-san you utterly missed the point here, man ;)
And "overprized piece of shit" is MY personal opinion on the phoenix and overly harshly worded on purpose - i thought that was pretty obvious .
But you are the one making all kind of general statements based on personal experience and/or preference.
honestly i was just surprised by your target, because DMS actually once said, that he waits with doing measurements and listens first-so measurements are there to back up an impression with some ..well, factual data.
That has nothing to do with being an audiophile snob *shruggs*
And that a hobby is getting an obsession and eats up the fun, that it was supposed to bring is nothing new and certainly not limited to the world of audio.
and just to make sure-i am far from rthat point ;)
@@Sporting1210 There's a few generalizations in my original post, but the intention is clearly to say that people should acknowledge subjective opinions and differences like mature adults, as opposed to making overly harsh generalizations about overpriced pieces of shit. But yes, I do admit both Zeos and DMS have come a long way in that regard from their days one-sidedly bashing popular headphones they happen to not like to cause a stir in the community. Whoever of them you agree with more is entirely up to you.
@@Boyetto-san if that was your intention, you did a good job hiding it behind a mild mannered rant against dms, frequency meassuremnents and audiophiles in general.
And ofc you have a right to voice these opinions, but i cant help but wondering why you even bother ;)
oh and my "overpriced piece of shit" was clearly marked as exaggeration. It IS overpriced, but i can see people being happy with the sound signature of these headphones and for 100 bucks less it would probably be good value. And that statement is based on what you can get in the price range between 200-300.
Is this worth the upgrade for someone who already has and loves the 4xx sound?
You mean 4xx? Not quite.
Out of everything I own, the wired Devas are my favorite. I like them more than the Sundaras. I'd love to understand how the Devas compare to the 4xx and 5xx. Because I don't understand HiFiMan now.
5xx ~= Deva
I totally agree with you. Spent like 6 months with the Sundaras but I own the Deva now and I enjoy them more.
What do you think about the 5xx with Fio k5 pro for gaming?
Will the amp hold them?
Right now i have the dt990 pro 250 ohm with BRAINWAVZ XL Large Perforated mod.
Woo Akiyama Yukari on a Z Review. The Girls und Panzer soundtrack is also great. Headphones are cool too.
What really drives a guy crazy is trying to make a choice between two pairs of headphones when there's no clear direction. My next purchase was going to be the Sundaras. Was in no rush, was sort of waiting around for a while, maybe see a price drop for them and get them or eventually just finally pull the trigger. Now these come along and crap - how on earth do you decide without actually listening to both? These being notably cheaper makes me wonder if you had to choose between the two, if these are the ones to get.
Hi, I'm in the same boat, what did you decide on and are you happy?
@@theextremeloader1I didn't end up getting either. I saw some more reviews of the Sundaras and just decided to pass on them because it seemed like I would like the Anandas more to the point where it would be worth the extra money. Still haven't pulled the trigger on those either.
I'm thinking of getting these and start to get into eve audiophile game. Could you reccomend an entry level DAC to use with these please.
You should start with an amp. Unless you have a need to upgrade a DAC, the amp will make more of a difference. Obviously the headphone/speaker/IEM makes the most difference.
I love this video, all of your reviews are extremely fun to listen to. I would love some "aggressive pleasure cans" in the form of closed-back, that don't need a lot of power... What is the most FUN headphone you would recommend? I think you've made it clear that your Neumann's are just your favorite closed rn bc they are amazing monitors (but are they really FUN?)
I forgot to mention my good ol ifi Zen DAC is on the way "Have you thought about the ifi Zen DAC?" kekw
recommend for listening to extreme metal? and all kinds of music?
I have only have the 4xx and haven’t heard any other drop headphones . I got quite salty when they aeon flow x came out and read that they were better then the original . Do they really sound better ? And if they tend to sound better , is it better to wait for a drop version ?
Sooo the 5XX or the HD 6XX?
Coming from DT990 and K702 btw
And I have not touched my DT990s since I got the K702. EQed them to make them less shouty, a bit more airy and elevate the underrepresented bass. The difference in switching between no EQ and my EQ Curve is fucking insane. Just a few db here and there is all the K702 need to not suck because AKGs tuning is overly bright and shouty.
I am satisfied with my K702 but being able to buy a true planar or flagship Sennheiser for both just 220 bucks is really tempting me. Especially if said planar are so intense that your ears bleed haha not my words... Coming from already decent dynamics it seems like these planars would be a lot of fun.
My dac amp is a FiiO K3 2021 Edition, can that drive the 5XX from the balanced output?
Are they good for gaming? better than the Philips X2HR?
With some equalization - definitely.
At the risk of being mocked and ridiculed, how does he run multiple amps off the same source, are we talking a simple RCA splitter here?
Fiber optic splitter off whatever DAC he feels like using. Watch enough of his videos and eventually you'll end up liking what ever you have. $199 Modius and buy whatever sound sig you prefer for the rest of your chain. (AKM factory fire is going to disrupt 449X series DAC chips btw)
many balanced dacs have outputs for both xlr and rca. Also, it's normally pretty easy to just plug the in of one amp to the pre out of another to daisy chain as many systems as you have cables for.
I'm not sure if I wanna go for these or Sundaras
Quick question, have a pair of jubilees and t60rp. I run it with a stack of smsl su-8 dac and smsl thx amp. Are these worth a grab? Or what would you suggest to grab instead?
I am intrigued.....
These seem like my sound signiture ..
The only other planar I've been considering is the upper tier Monoprice offering but these are definitely priced well ...
Christ, Charlie Sheen tiger blood crazy is a throwback. You gotta get your grandma to knit you a headband for the HE-500
"Christ, Charlie Sheen..."
Just a gentle reminder that the use of the Lord's name in vain is sin, and that there will be eternal consequences to be paid by those that unrepentantly commit that sin. It would probably be best to leave Christ's name out of it when commenting on RUclips videos. ;>)
Another great review Z. I am looking to get my next set of headphones (currently have the ZMF classics). I am trying to decide between the HiFiMan 5XX or the HD 6XX. I currently have the Lyr 3 for Dac and Amp. I was just wondering which you would recommend?
You should hear these cans on a NX7 paired with a Periodic Rhodium or a Hidiz XO. Pure Audio Insanity. I put Dekoni pads on them. Bloody brilliant really.
I have the HD-660s and I'm wanting to get an upgrade in the next few months. Would you recommend these or the Focal Elex? Or something else? Budget is ~$1000
this is unlikely to be an upgrade over those. What would be a good upgrade depends on what you liked about the 660s and what you would like to be different.
Elex are the polar opposite. They are calm and detailed and light. These are FFFFFFFFFF ENJOY YOUR MUSIC
@@ZReviews elex is not super bright or bassy, but I still would not say it's relaxed. It is extremely dynamics and fairly intimate.
I LOVE my 660s. I love the detail and speed and the sound signature is excellent. I wish they had a little more punch in the bass and that they could make metal a little more exciting, but overall I really enjoy them. I haven't heard a lot of stuff, but I really appreciate my 660s I want more flavors, but I'm not terribly interested in stepping down. The headphones on my radar are the Fostex Ebony ones from mass drop, Sundara, the Focal Elex or clears, and my end game set is the Diana V2 and/or 1266TC.. I'm gonna be getting the Nuprime DAC10-H DAC which runs an ESS Reference chip, and the Headamp GSX mini to run things off. That's why I'm a maybe on the 1266 cause I'd have to get like $10,000 in additional oomph for an Amp... I definitely need something that does big music better than the 660s next. I like a lot of metal, monstercat type electronic, and soundtracks and I think those genres would be well served by something different. Just haven't figured out what direction to go.
Is the aune x1s still pretty good in the hobby? I've been away for some. Looking to upgrade if it no longer competes with the current lines.
How would these compare to the He4xx
Would it go well with Topping DX3 pro (not plus) ?
Got mine today, love it.
For me it sounds very much like my old he500 but it is so much more lighter.
It is a keeper!
Any 3.5mm cable recommendation for HE-5xx? Looking for a super lightweight cable to go to JDS Element.
SO, got these after watching your vid, @
Z Reviews. I am waiting for some 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapters for my balanced cable, but listening to my Jotunheim using the single-ended output sounds pretty decent. Can't wait to try them out with full power. Bought the Jotunheim after you reviewed it, too.
I swapped pads (Audeze vegan) - Not necessarily an easy thing to do, but they are on there as well as they need to be, and finally in a position where the lack of cup swivel is not bothering me.
Your recommendation was valid for me, once again. Started my journey buying the HE-500 used on ebay, after watching your review several years ago. Those ended up breaking free from the headband on each side, so I stopped using them and bought the Verum 1's after your review. I still love them, but need to send them back to have the drivers fixed (cuts out/is quieter until I slap the cup a few times), and to get a new-style headband for them. I was hoping that the metal/magnetic ring would work on these cups to affix the pads, but it did not.
Either way, thanks for the reviews/recommendations, regardless of how many I keep buying.
Going to have to agree with this. It's a completely difference headphone when it gets the juice it wants. Planars have always been power hungry. As for myself, I run most of my HIFIMAN headphones off my speaker taps with an HE-Adapter. Night and day difference.
5 XX is better than Sundara in sound and soundstage?. Regards.
Your cat IS lovely - hence my up doot.
Feels good to be back in a garage after a long long time
Anywhere I can buy the mounting rings and/or pads for this headphone? Mounting rings for he-5xx is different than other hifimans.
You're literally the only reviewer who thinks they sound anything like the the he-500, Maybe you need a he-500 refresher. This is also why watching multiple reviews of something is pretty important.
He's also one of the worst reviewers on the internet. "Charlie Sheen tiger blood crazy," isn't a way to describe sound or headphones.
Everyone describes the difference between the 6XX and the HE-5XX. It almost makes sense to get both because they are so different.
I think tube in the prestage before topping a50 really makes there puppies shine! There the litte harshness there might be, becomes to sparkling details. the vincent sa-t1 is the one ive been litsening with. Really recomend it!
Setup is desktop-p50-d50-vincent-p50 and into a set of he5xx.
22:10 if interested for gaming.
I was gonna buy just today the HE 400S but now I'm thinking of this or perhaps the Deva Wired version(DMS said he thinks they are the same idk) just because Amazon is easier for me to get them to my country and home.
You are amazing this is what I was looking for!
might be a dumb question but does this have a 3.5mm cable so i could plug it into my phone or laptop?
@@comradestrawberry1876 I was thinking getting something like the monolith thx portable would that be able to take full advantage of the headphones or should I get something like the monolith 124459. I'm mainly gonna be using it for spotify and streaming movies.
Thanks!
@@comradestrawberry1876 thanks yeah I looked into the XD-05 plus and it seems perfect!
i love Whiskey, but it has to be Single Malt Scotch....so is it up there 🤔?
Whiskey is not Scotch, it is Irish. Whisky is Scotch.
@@SatanDynastyKiller hahahaha
Fuck I recieved ananda last week, schould I consider this or dont bother?? I know they dont compare, ananda lacks a little bass but do this got enought detail?
Watched another reviewers video about these headphones. The comment he made was that the 5xx was basically a color changed deva instead of a drop tuned he500. Anyone agree with this statement? The main point he was making is that the price for hifi 5xx should be a little cheaper. He contacted drop about the situation but hasn't heard back from them.
On my 4xx the plastic pieces didn't break but part of the spring steal directly connected to the right one did break
I'm new to the audiophile world. But I've struggled to find something that I'd think I'd like. I listen to a lot of metal( death, black, grindcore, etc) and industrial (psyclon nine, skinny puppy, 3teeth), would these be a good fit? ive been struggling to find something. always find conflicting advice on headphones.
Did you end up finding a good pair of headphones for your needs??
These look good, really good. But what about HD 6XX vs those? I love planar but it needs POWER!
Good dac/amp with those?
Can somebody post link with some foam for under headband?
Edit: Fuck these :( it I would spend another 500 for dac and amp.
Whats a polar opposite to HD6XX?
Yo Z, can you take a look at the Audio-technica Ath-pro5x. I wanna know yout thoughts. I just bought em and I love em. But fuck I hate em at the same time.
So you're telling me this is the "choke me" headphone?
Before I hit the button on buying these, this was the last thing I watched about them, and now I LOVE them, and it’s funny you say they need more than a BTR5, I’ve been listening to mine with a BTR3K, a Q3, and one of those Hidiz s9 pro’s, I’ve switched back and forth with each one with balanced/Single ended, and they sound pretty fuckin good with these, but I look forward to the day I jam them through something more heavy duty, cause the bass is hard to crank without distorting, and that’s why I assume it needs the further oomph to crack that jam. For now, I’m watching reviews again to have other people explain to me how good my can’s sound 😝
100% agree with Z in this video, these sound F**king amazing on live tracks and don't do too bad with other music too BUT as mentioned! the treble, do need to be calmed a little bit by like a class A amp as it can get a little much in certain tracks, otherwise just crack that volume! I have my 789 on third gain and volume max and then controlling the power with my Ifi zen dac
I have the AAA one linear and I too have to put it on 3rd gain too
Believe it or not, running them on a hybrid tube amp is pretty awesome. I didn't expect that but wow, it really rounds them out and you don't lose any clarity or soundstage. I'm using the humble Xduoo MT-601.
This might seem like an odd one but how do these compare to planar in ears... in particular the p1?
I have P1 and I think these would feel similar in terms of planar fell, what he said blast it at max volume. These have much bigger soundstage. Maybe look on his review on P1s.
I've got the p1, wanna know how these compare... would love headphone equivalent of it.
I don't believe you corrected yourself... I ended up skimming like always but here's and excerpt from the product page..
"In the HE5XX, that sound is back-with improved clarity, and without the weight. Thanks to stronger double-sided magnets, 2-micron-thick Nano Diaphragm membranes,..."
it's a double sided magnet array... not single sided.
i think that the surround effect on Jerry Goldsmith song has more to do with the way it was recorded. i tested with my Akg's 612pro (trough a Loxjie D30 and a vintage Luxman amp) and i get the same kind of sound around my head, although it is stronger on the sides
Lol! “Head-rammed into the music....why am I standing?!? I don’t do that...” 👍🏼
He4xx sounded good to me but felt they were a little boring and they were a tad bulky. Maybe 5xx are punchier? Not a of hifiman build style really.
Hifiman should make warm and bassy headphones. Adding low frequency shelf to Sundara gives the bass a good kick without drowning out the rest of the frequencies and the driver is very capable to turn them into fundaras.
Couldn't agree more! Sold 4xx for lack of low end, and these have less? 🤦♂️
To each their own but I don't get it...
Hello, could you suggest me the best headphone for gaming? Thank you.
So Many Variables. What type of games, Do you have an amp, Open or closed back proffered.
Its like asking the best car for driving.
@@ZReviews im so sorry, i mainly play Battle Royal, specifically pubg. I have focusrite audio interface if that count. I've been using audio Technica ath m50 for a while and maybe closed back would be great. I just need a better sound imaging if that make sense.
Thank you for your time sir.
@@hermanmern head for Sennheiser. Perhaps the GSP 500’s, 600’s or PC38X. There are a few variations, they all use the same drivers. The positional accuracy is amazing.
i want to get a headphone. i listen rock, metal, trance, psytrance, etc(no classic, jazz, etc) and i play games but not first person shooters so i don't care to listen footsteps. this headphone, HE4XX, Sennheiser 58X, 6xx, or another at price range of $150-200ish.
Same question...
How are these for gaming? Looking for a planar that does FPS and music
Is BTR5 capable drive on this Headphone ?..I'm curious
Why am I standing I don't do that, hahaha that is gold. I'm borrowing this for some reactions haha like your reviews mate you say it how it is.
They said first 500 will ship nov 6th, rest will ship 2 weeks later
damm you zeos! you have taken too much of my $$$ x2, Tx-00 , THX 789... now this
I am definitely joining Drop no matter what. :). Gonna happen.
Can u review he400i 2020?
is something new?
@@ZReviews yes Joshua valor just did a review on it and I was looking for your take too
“Who’s rubbing your face? Who’s rubbing your face? I’m talking about, I’m talking about 5XX... More like 5 sex sex OHHHH...!” 😂
Holy shit I was totally thinking about the dual arcs, and then I watched this video again and realized I was right
what are those tables you use? where do you get the matts?
Could I use the k5 pro with this?
So these are like a Honda VTEC engine? Passive until you smash the pedal down.
Your basement is huge !!!
Wait......."The best Planars Drop has ever put out" !?? So are you saying these beat the HIFIMAN EDITION XX & MR SPEAKERS ETHER CX??????
He's just saying whatever he has to in order to get you to click his affiliate link and buy these.
Bradum You have not watched Z Reviews.
@@Inressa I've watched Z review for years. Obviously not for the information, but I find him entertaining.
This guy loves to shill everything
Certain Price Range....
Is the modius/magnius stack enough for these?
Defenetly!
Hi Mr. Z, can u sometimes include the latest issue in audio world on your content, example: coming soon headphone,
Sorry bout my english
do these use the dual 3.5mm mono cables
Damn, for this money? That's a real good deal if I've ever seen one.
I'm surprised zeos don't owned a original he-500.. ABC testing with those 5xx and sundara would be a good idea... Maybe include the gold planar in the competition... 😜😜😜😈😈😈
Wondering if the deva mini bluetooth receiver can be connected to these?
No. The Deva is single entry where the 5xx are dual entry.
Is that a girls und panzer wallpaper?
If you are gonna switch to something other than the dramatic overhead light, then you oughta do it soon. Cause it's starting to become the new theme.
How about reviewing the Gold Planar GL850 AMT driver headphones?