Drop + HIFIMAN HE5XX Planar Magnetic Headphones Discussions | Drop

Sep 28, 2021

Does it ever go on sale below $160?

Sep 28, 2021

Sep 28, 2021

cybergalaxyNoooo. You better jump on it!

Sep 28, 2021

Oct 6, 2021

raansire7Received mine today, it sounds okay but maybe my hope was too high. The other headphone I have is Sony z7m2 and I do think that one is better. Granted that is quite more expensive. =) Anyway, need to burn in first

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Oct 6, 2021

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Oct 6, 2021

cybergalaxyI'm sorry you were not thrilled by them. Well, the HIFIMAN is $220 and went down to $160. The Sony is $599.99. If you would've mentioned you had the Sony, I would've told you to keep your expectations low. I encouraged you to jump on it because I loved mine and I paid $220 the day they first dropped. $60 off is a huge price discount. I still love mine flaws and all. They're fun...and were my first planars. Good thing is you can return them if you want and get your money back., since they're still in new, unused condition. "RETURNS—NO QUESTIONS ASKED We get it. Sometimes what you ordered just doesn’t work out. If that’s the case for you, don’t fret! All customers (both US and international) may return this item in new, unused condition within 30 days of delivery."

Oct 6, 2021

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Oct 7, 2021

raansire7I am not complaining at all, was buying it to try out planar and open headphone. And to be honest, HE5xx is pretty good i gotta say.

Oct 7, 2021

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Oct 7, 2021

cybergalaxyYeah. I love mine! I was the opposite: I was expecting a worse sound based on early reviews prior to shipping. They sound smoother and more open than I was expecting. I think they do lot for the price, plus are so comfortable and light. I have pricier, superior planars such as the 2021 Audeze LCD-X and DCA Aeon Open X, and the HE5XX do not sound bad in comparison; just less defined and refined.

Oct 7, 2021

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Oct 7, 2021

raansire7Have you tested against Sennheiser HD6xx? It is one that I wanted to buy when it is on sale =). I am not in the US so returning is not economical

Oct 7, 2021

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Oct 7, 2021

raansire7Less defined and refined indeed compared to z7m2 too, I am very new to this game so am learning the differences between different headphones

Oct 7, 2021

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Oct 7, 2021

cybergalaxyOh OK, I get it! Yes, I also have the HD 6XX. That one is a difficult headphone for me to recommend to people new in this game, because it needs lots of clean power to sound its best, and it's a unique sound signature. I think lots of brain and ear training is required for them to be truly appreciated. I totally get why many folks are disappointed and underwhelmed by the HD 6XX. When people say it sounds boring and veiled, that's true in part, but it has to do with being underpowered. The more clean power it gets, the clearer and more refined it sounds, while retaining its relaxed sound signature. It's why people say that it scales well. It's true, especially when used in a balanced amp with balanced cables. It does sound very intimate and has rolled-off lows and sloped highs, but it's very clear and revealing. It just doesn't sound very bright up top, and has scooped upper mids. But that's to me what makes it sound special. It's why lots of people either keep their HD 650/6XX regardless of owning pricier headphones, or they end up buying them again after regretting selling them. Sorry for writing so much, but I like to help.

Oct 7, 2021

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Oct 9, 2021

raansire7Thanks so much for your sharing. Wanted to reply earlier but wanted to let my thoughts settle first. In fact, I have ordered THX 789 from Drop when it went on sale earlier (I like buying things when they go on sale LOL) and have paired with SMSL SU8s. So with THX 789 I guess power should not be an issue. Interestingly, when I tried THX789+SMSL SU8s, I was also not thrilled. The background was indeed quieter and the sound stage was wider than IFI Hip Dac (My only other DAC/AMP), but I would say it is like small SQ improvement and given the fact that IFI Hip Dac is mobile, the convenience it brings may outweigh the improvement in SQ. Maybe I was again expecting too much given THX789 has so much great review on drop. I am in fact thinking of buying the following in the near future, and any comment will be appreciated. 1) Mojo Chord or Mojo Hugo 1 - they are highly regarded and I can find used version of them (US$250 and US$500 respectively). What attracts me is their portability. I would regard myself as someone who wants something sounds nice rather than accurate so they look like good choice. I mostly listen to sonds like Adele or Les Miserables. If I think these are comparable with THX789+SU8s, I will sell the THX789+SU8s and opt for the mobility convenience. 2) HD6XX - Sounds like they are something worthwhile to keep from your comments/general reputation. My only concern is whether I should just skip HD6xx and go direct to HD8xx/HD800s. Budget wise HD8xx is sth I can afford (with a bite) but if incremental improvement is not that much, happy to stick with HD6xx. 3) Hart audio cables - heard that it is not good to keep unplugging headphone cables from headphone/amp so better to have dedicated cables for each headset (though it sounds like marketing pitch for Hart audio cables as aren't cables meant to be unplugged in the first place!?) Also, for my curiosity, at what occasion you would prefer listening on HE5xx rather than the nicer Audeze LCD-X and DCA Aeon Open X? Anything you would recommend me to check out would be appreciated. At the moment I also have JVC FW01 (mostly use it in the office as it is more discreet) and Sony WF-1000XM4 (for commuting).

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Oct 9, 2021

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Oct 12, 2021

cybergalaxy1) I have no experience with Chord products, so I would not be able to recommend them. I was always interested in the Mojo, since it uses a custom-programmed FPGA instead of a DAC chip and is highly regarded by many people, both experienced and newbies alike. Unfortunately, I've read one too many stories of the built-in batteries going bad and Chord being difficult to work with. I know some people tend to retaliate with bad reviews when they're the bad actors, but reading well-written reviews of similar negative experiences are always a red flag to me. Regardless of that being true or not, I don't want to risk experiencing battery damage and much less poor customer service from Chord, as much as I'm a sucker for British audio products. Besides my Asgard 2 developing a sound and Schiit Audio's warranty department quickly replacing the entire mainboard, I have never had to contact customer service of any kind for what I buy, due to spending weeks reading reviews before making a decision. But as a whole, I've read great things about Chord products. I'll always be curious to try the Mojo even if it's an older model with not much headphone output power.

Oct 12, 2021

Oct 12, 2021

cybergalaxy2) That's such a personal choice to make. The HD 6XX to me are way less crowd-pleasing than the HD 8XX. They are not immediately impressive like the HD 8XX. I opine the HD 6XX need to be appreciated, like enthusiasts do with top quality wines or cigars. A newcomer to those hobbies wouldn't necessarily understand their appeal and would find cheaper options more immediately pleasing. Time would be needed for the person to develop discernment and more defined preferences that happen with exposure and time. I started this hobby with extremely bright headphones, so when I received my HD 6XX, I quickly understood why they were so highly regarded. They were very detailed without sounding as bright or sparkly as my other headphones, plus they had unique qualities. To be honest, and this might seem weird, I always crave the HD 6XX more than the HD 8XX even if the latter sound much more detailed and impressive. I have to be in the mood for the HD 8XX because I don't find them musically satisfying. Yes, if I was to quantify it, they sound at least twice as better as the HD 6XX in terms of technical performance, but the HD 650, which are literally the same as the HD 6XX inside, were $500 when they came out, and were the high-end models. Lots of people used them with +$1000 DACs and amps. So, I opine that even in 2021, the HD 6XX are still treading the high-end waters. I don't need anyone to tell me otherwise, since I trust my own brain and ears. $220 vs. $1100 is a huge price difference for what untrained ears could identify more as a huge tonal difference than a huge detail retrieval difference. You seem to me like a well-grounded, reasonable person. You admit to not hearing huge differences in your equipment, which reflects my own reality. They are never huge even if tiny sound differences are hugely important to me. I'd feel confident steering you to the $220 HD 6XX and saving you some money, because having read you, I predict you'd tell me, "The HD 8XX sound better than what I own, but not as much better as the difference in price." and you would be 100% correct.

Oct 12, 2021

Oct 12, 2021

cybergalaxy3) That sounds like green bologna to me. TRS and XLR connectors are specifically designed to be plugged and unplugged. It would worry me more to be unplugging the headphone cables from their cup connectors, since they seem to me like "lower-traffic" connectors.

Oct 12, 2021

Oct 12, 2021

cybergalaxyWell, I have to be in the mood for a specific sound. It's unpredictable, so I could not tell you what triggers me to desire to listen to one headphone over another. All I know is that when I want a speaker-like presentation that is fun and detailed, and don't want to worry about missing out on details, I grab the HE5XX. When I'm in an analytical mood and want to hear things as they sound when they are being played or recorded in real-time, I reach for the LCD-X, since they sound so true-to-life and present everything in recordings. Their heavy weight on my head and big cups put me in a different...headspace. When I want to feel delicious musical bliss, I go for the Aeon Open X. They have such fast transients and intricate decay, presenting every single sound in a detailed, outlined manner all the way to silence. They make me swoon, ha-ha. They're so silky-sounding and revealing without losing smoothness. For the rare days I wouldn't mind letting out a few tears, those days that I have the internal energy and willingness to possibly be overtaken by musical emotion, the Aeon Open X are my go-to set. I rarely use them so I don't get used to what makes them special.

Oct 12, 2021

Oct 12, 2021

raansire7Thanks so much for your thoughtful sharing. Headphone is an interesting hobby and I wanted to be reasonable on how I spend the money, rather than spending time on gear, I am trying to listen to more kinds of music - and to be honest, it has been a rewarding journey thus far and for me who have a day time office job. The ability to switch off and close my eyes (i.e. not looking at screen) during my leisure has been hugely satisfying. Top quality wine is a great analogy - many would appreciate a sweet dessert wine rather than a bottle of complex red wine. This is US$220 that I would spend down the line just to appreciate this classic set.

Oct 12, 2021

Oct 12, 2021

raansire7The chance to be touched and letting out a few tears is indeed a privilege. Now you get me looking into Aeon and it is now selling at a discounted price of $399. I probably should hold off a bit first LOL

Oct 12, 2021

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Oct 13, 2021

cybergalaxyYou're very welcome. Yeah, this is a hobby were it's so easy to get carried away in trusting people too much and ending up spending more money than needed. I do enjoy and feel great pleasure in finding affordable gems even though I own +$1000 headphones. I'm still the same wide-eyed headphone newbie from 2016 deep down inside regardless of how much I've learned from others. It's nice that you can take time in your office job to enjoy music with good headphones. That sounds blissful...a momentary escape from the obligation of money-earning, he-he. I don't know anything about wines besides the really good wines not being tied to a high price, which happens with headphones and everything else in life. Oh, and that one can get carried away and end up drinking an entire bottle recommended by a wine-connoisseur neighbor, resulting in waking up face first inside the fridge with the room spinning at 1000 MPH...just wondering what the hell happened, and feeling immense regret. That was in 2011. First and last bottle of wine I ever bought. 😝 Has your mind changed regarding the HE5XX? I mean, for me, being my first planars, I can't believe I like them so much. I've yet to find something annoying about their sound. Maybe I'm not a very picky person for sound signatures even if I am for everything else in life. I might've reached the required knowledge point of becoming a sound snob, but I haven't done so and doubt I ever will. I am very demanding and have high standards, but it's not part of my personality. It's just that I know what I want and how much good things could be, but I'm not unreasonable nor out of touch with reality.

Oct 13, 2021

Oct 13, 2021

cybergalaxyHa-ha! I paid $499 for mine. Now they're $399. I don't wanna be an enabler, but at that price, it's an amazing deal for the sound quality. People fail to realize they are high-end headphones. Not mid-fi at all. They don't sound too far from +$1000 headphones regardless of what delusional reviewers say. They are not impressive-sounding at first glance in terms of overall presentation, but I did not exaggerate when I said they do something with the finest details of sounds. Even my 2021 LCD-X and HD 8XX can't pull that off, and it's no lie. It's like the drivers can show how the background is very silent, so one can listen when the utter tails of sounds fade to complete silence. It's subtle due to being low level, but at the same time so noticeable, that it causes me to get emotional. I'm not an emotional person even if I am very sentimental, but these make me at the least choke up, and it doesn't have to do with the tracks themselves. Just a snappy reggae snare or reverb tail sounds meaningful. It's like they present an additional perceivable aspect of music that my other headphones can't. Music just somehow sounds more meaningful and different when I can hear sounds come and go from nowhere regardless of whatever is happening at the same time in the track. Again, it's a subtle thing due to happening at low levels when sounds fade away, but I instantly noticed it without looking for it. Never read anyone mention it. Sorry for being so wordy. BTW, I missed the Closed X at $399 and feel great regret. Hopefully they go down again in Black Friday so I can snatch them, and also the HD 58X, which I gifted away two yesrs ago but ended up missing them a lot. Those sound so good and fun for the price; baby HD6XX that are sparklier up top and more enjoyable overall.

Oct 13, 2021

Oct 13, 2021

raansire7HE5XX: I haven't got much time to audition it as personally I have a personal award system that I need to earn points before I can play new toy, essentially like those scheme for kids but just self-imposed. I will let you know once I have more time with it (will be soon!) If I would just buy one more, would you say Aeon Open X (or closed), HD6xx or FOCAL ELEX (if you have any experience of it)? Just curious, how many headphones do you own now? Lastly, while I can technically used JVC FW01 during work, the music is so capitivating which makes me lose focus. As such, I mostly use it during lunch break : P

Oct 13, 2021

Oct 13, 2021

cybergalaxyYou know what? You mentioning that self-imposed, personal reward system hit me so deep, you made me cancel a +$2000 order just minutes ago. In the beginning of the month I ordered on Amazon the RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition...not because I really wanted it, but because I could afford it and decided to get the highest end audio thing I would like to own. I decided I'll gift it to me for Christmas instead, so I'll appreciate it more and I don't lose respect for spending money. I've never been one to do that, but I kinda got wild in 2021 spending thousands every month in toys. A month ago I spent $1700 in the highest end AMD RX 6900 XT, and a week later $1650 more on the highest end NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti. Well, it was $2050 more, because I had to get it with a $420 motherboard as a combo, and I got a $20 discount. The two highest end GPUs, since I finally managed to get them for MSRP. I have never been so rebellious with money before, and your words ministered to my soul to grasp control of spending toy money indiscriminately.

Oct 13, 2021

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Oct 13, 2021

cybergalaxyRight now I have: Sennheiser HD 8XX Audeze LCD-X 2021 Focal Elegia Dan Clark Audio Aeon Open X AudioQuest NightHawk Carbon beyerdynamic Amiron home HIFIMAN HE5XX Sennheiser HD 6XX beyerdynamic T90 CEntrance Cerene dB Senal SMH-1200 I recently gifted my beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm to a friend's son, and I'm gonna gift a friend of mine the beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 600 ohm. I've gifted him several headphones of mine in the past, a portable DAC, and will also gift him my Schiit Asgard 2 so he climbs up the ladder. I really enjoy sharing my stuff, even more than owning it, so when I buy toys, I tend to save the boxes and keep them in mint condition, since I know eventually I'll probably pass them on. 😃

Oct 13, 2021

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Oct 13, 2021

cybergalaxyWhile I'd really like to steer you towards the better-sounding Aeon Open X, I think I'd much prefer you experience the HD 6XX first, since they're very polarizing and unique-sounding. If you dislike them, then you can return them, buy the Aeon Open X, and you won't have curiosity about them. Because the thing with the HD 6XX is that regardless of the fact that lots of headphones are more detailed, none have their inviting, textured mids. It's why when I'm wearing the HD 8XX, after a while I wanna take them off and wear the HD 6XX even if they're less detailed and open. EDIT: I've never heard the Elex, and I've read so many stories about sudden driver failures, I wouldn't recommend them to others nor purchase them for myself regardless of their glowing reviews.

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Oct 13, 2021

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Nov 19, 2021

raansire7Just gotta say I have received Aeon Closed X and am very impressed : )Thanks for the recommendation! Now thinking whether to get the 6xx as well given sale is now on!

Nov 19, 2021

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Nov 20, 2021

cybergalaxyI'm so glad you found them impressive. Well, the HD 6XX upon first listen don't say much, but no other headphones have those thick and textured mids.

Nov 20, 2021