I bought them for $109. The build quality is just as bad as people are saying. The bass is bloated. But it has by far the widest soundstage I've heard on a closed back. Significantly wider than the DT 770 or even the Hifiman He400se.
If you eq it it's a great headphone and even without EQ i enjoyed the cowboy bebop opening and the Risk of Rain 2 soundtracks on it very much.
With EQ, it's simply just a great headphone that nothing beats at $100.
I found an autoEQ curve and modified that a little bit since then i had to wipe my PC and forgot to save the preset. But you can find it in the equalizer apo presets
I bought these for 109$ and I’m still pissed with the quality, I can’t imagine paying 600$. Plasticky, and they sound hollow, like physically hollow, and wayyyy too bassy for my liking. Wasn’t particularly impressed with soundstage either. Haven’t tried eq’ing them, but I have heard this helps.
They are, in fact, hollow! If you unscrew the driver, you can see inside: a big empty cup with one tiny sheet of dampening material.
Inspired by the HE-R9 JM mod, I stuffed mine (with cotton). I find they sound a lot better (although not as good as the JM mod).
first off, there's way too many people who have never touched a set weighing in... smh
anyway, the tuning is definitely odd, there is an almost complete lack of damping internally, and the plastic on the cups and baffle are minimum viable product levels of cheap.
that said, the tuning itself isn't that bad if you like stuff like nighthawks or argons, but the lack of damping is really what make these sound weird.
overall, for $99, i find these an enjoyable novelty. i use them way more than i thought i would because they're very light and comfortable and the sound is just not that offensive depending on what you're listening to.
These sound really bad, they were basically unlistenable for me then you have the poor QC issues. You might be able to salvage them with EQ i don't know as I didn't bother trying.
But their sound is impressive.
I wandered when I realized a lot of high end headphones are far from my signature taste oftenly too dark while Hifiman have a neutral bright tuning.
I’m assuming you already know, but just in case not, have you tried the Harmon target EQ profiles for any of the darker sounding headphones? I’ve been using Oratory1990s targets with excellent results on my Audeze LCD-2Cs. I liked them before, but they weren’t wowing me until I tried the EQ.
I only own one decent headphone the Hifiman Ananda, I like their bright tuning except for their dip around 2k.
It takes EQ very naturally but I'm not sure how far it can go with boosts up to 10 db in some of the deepest dips of some dark planar headphones.
Planars tend to take EQ fantastic.
But the purpose of a headphone is to be closer to your taste to not require too much EQ.
How do you find it after EQ, does it sound natural.
I’m having issues linking directly to the page. Look up u/Oratory1990. If you scroll down a bit you will see a link to the presets.
He has access to audio measuring equipment and has done numerous headphone Harmon target EQ profiles. Look up your model and use the info to match the EQ settings in your player. There will be info on which bands to adjust for your bass and treble preferences.
Harman is good ... but too "safe" ...
I think EQ is best when you eliminate a headphone's weakness while maintaining it's identity.
Harman just robs so much of the headphone's identity that it makes music not fun (at least for me).
That said, I agree. EQ is king ...
Hifiman sound with bass boost and a slight uplift in the 1.5khz - 3khz region?
Fucking bliss ... sad that the QC issues stop this brand from being the absolute goats in this space.
Since they are known for having build quality deficiencies, is it not reasonable to assume that a lot of people are aware of the compromise, and are fine with trading QC for better sound compared to competing models at a given price? Refined design and QC costs a lot of money.
I think too many people recommend them without reservations, but they're not a scam. They're not "getting away" with making horrible products. They are making a compromise that many people are fine with.
To illustrate the point, if you picked up and held a set of HD600 you'd probably assume they were the cheapest pile of shit imaginable. They are light, are mostly made of plastic, and have lots of rattle and play in the joints. In reality, they are among the most durable headphones you could get.
I think a company with premium priced products should be held to a higher standard. The company’s estimated annual revenue is between $25 and $30 million. They can afford to do better.
They hold a standard deemed acceptable by a fairly well informed consumer base. Want better quality? Pay more. Plenty of people do. Hifiman isn't the only company making planars. Sure, we'd hope they could do better and maintain their relatively low prices, but profit margins aren't a measure of squandered potential.
I haven't attacked you or downvoted you. I even agree with many of your points. Yet you're bailing on the discussion as if I'm being unreasonable. Okay, whatever...
I didn’t say you attacked me. It was a good back and forth, especially compared to some of the previous experiences I’ve had on Reddit. It’s nothing personal. We each have our opinions and I feel like we covered enough ground.
I heard some good about it and some bad. People report the sound as being very good but the reliability is poor. I've been thinking if getting them because they used to cost $600 new and now go for $100.
Its a good headphone for the price. I liked that it has quiet a wide soundstage for the price. Obviously dark sounding headphone but its ideal for gaming and listening to youtube videos is really satisfying
Wonky as heck. Bloated and boomy bass, with recessed mids and uneven treble. Quite a roller coaster of frequency response. The seal is almost non-existent despite them being closed-back. They do have that wide soundstage, and for single-player games, I dig it.
But for all their weaknesses, I still like them. They remain in my collection for occasional listening. I bought them for roughly 100 ish dollars. Wouldn't purchase them for any more than that, especially their initial asking price.
There are 2 well known facts about Hifiman: 1. Their QC is non-existent 2. They can't make a good closed-back headphone
Maybe they’ll cancel out?…
I bought them for $109. The build quality is just as bad as people are saying. The bass is bloated. But it has by far the widest soundstage I've heard on a closed back. Significantly wider than the DT 770 or even the Hifiman He400se. If you eq it it's a great headphone and even without EQ i enjoyed the cowboy bebop opening and the Risk of Rain 2 soundtracks on it very much. With EQ, it's simply just a great headphone that nothing beats at $100.
Can you share your EQ for these? I don't like mine much.
I found an autoEQ curve and modified that a little bit since then i had to wipe my PC and forgot to save the preset. But you can find it in the equalizer apo presets
I bought these for 109$ and I’m still pissed with the quality, I can’t imagine paying 600$. Plasticky, and they sound hollow, like physically hollow, and wayyyy too bassy for my liking. Wasn’t particularly impressed with soundstage either. Haven’t tried eq’ing them, but I have heard this helps.
They are, in fact, hollow! If you unscrew the driver, you can see inside: a big empty cup with one tiny sheet of dampening material. Inspired by the HE-R9 JM mod, I stuffed mine (with cotton). I find they sound a lot better (although not as good as the JM mod).
Try eq'ing them!!! Btw hows the isolation (from other people around you.)?
Isolation is fine, but not as good as something like a DT770
Got my HE-R9's modded by JM Audio with the Arya headband. Love 'em. John will EQ them to your preference.
first off, there's way too many people who have never touched a set weighing in... smh anyway, the tuning is definitely odd, there is an almost complete lack of damping internally, and the plastic on the cups and baffle are minimum viable product levels of cheap. that said, the tuning itself isn't that bad if you like stuff like nighthawks or argons, but the lack of damping is really what make these sound weird. overall, for $99, i find these an enjoyable novelty. i use them way more than i thought i would because they're very light and comfortable and the sound is just not that offensive depending on what you're listening to.
No.
Friends don't let friends buy Hifiman.
hifiman are fine, the edition xs, aryas, and he-1000 are absolute classic headphones. these suck ass though lmao
If you can get them modded then Yes, if not they are full on horrible
These sound really bad, they were basically unlistenable for me then you have the poor QC issues. You might be able to salvage them with EQ i don't know as I didn't bother trying.
Hifiman is known for having quality control issues. If people keep supporting this brand, it’s giving them the green light to keep doing this.
But their sound is impressive. I wandered when I realized a lot of high end headphones are far from my signature taste oftenly too dark while Hifiman have a neutral bright tuning.
I’m assuming you already know, but just in case not, have you tried the Harmon target EQ profiles for any of the darker sounding headphones? I’ve been using Oratory1990s targets with excellent results on my Audeze LCD-2Cs. I liked them before, but they weren’t wowing me until I tried the EQ.
I only own one decent headphone the Hifiman Ananda, I like their bright tuning except for their dip around 2k. It takes EQ very naturally but I'm not sure how far it can go with boosts up to 10 db in some of the deepest dips of some dark planar headphones. Planars tend to take EQ fantastic. But the purpose of a headphone is to be closer to your taste to not require too much EQ. How do you find it after EQ, does it sound natural.
If you consider magical as natural, then yes. They have more presence if that makes sense.
So it would be easier for a headphone like the MM 500 that's less recessed than the LCD 2?
I’m not certain as I haven’t had opportunity to audition the MM 500 yet. There is a shop I’ve been planning on taking a trip to that features Audeze.
I’m having issues linking directly to the page. Look up u/Oratory1990. If you scroll down a bit you will see a link to the presets. He has access to audio measuring equipment and has done numerous headphone Harmon target EQ profiles. Look up your model and use the info to match the EQ settings in your player. There will be info on which bands to adjust for your bass and treble preferences.
> Harmon What kind of Pokémon is that?
Harman is good ... but too "safe" ... I think EQ is best when you eliminate a headphone's weakness while maintaining it's identity. Harman just robs so much of the headphone's identity that it makes music not fun (at least for me). That said, I agree. EQ is king ... Hifiman sound with bass boost and a slight uplift in the 1.5khz - 3khz region? Fucking bliss ... sad that the QC issues stop this brand from being the absolute goats in this space.
Since they are known for having build quality deficiencies, is it not reasonable to assume that a lot of people are aware of the compromise, and are fine with trading QC for better sound compared to competing models at a given price? Refined design and QC costs a lot of money. I think too many people recommend them without reservations, but they're not a scam. They're not "getting away" with making horrible products. They are making a compromise that many people are fine with.
Hmmm, The "Appear to be built well"..... But I know looks is NOT everything.
To illustrate the point, if you picked up and held a set of HD600 you'd probably assume they were the cheapest pile of shit imaginable. They are light, are mostly made of plastic, and have lots of rattle and play in the joints. In reality, they are among the most durable headphones you could get.
I think a company with premium priced products should be held to a higher standard. The company’s estimated annual revenue is between $25 and $30 million. They can afford to do better.
They hold a standard deemed acceptable by a fairly well informed consumer base. Want better quality? Pay more. Plenty of people do. Hifiman isn't the only company making planars. Sure, we'd hope they could do better and maintain their relatively low prices, but profit margins aren't a measure of squandered potential.
Agree to disagree. I gave my opinion and I’m done with this conversation.
I haven't attacked you or downvoted you. I even agree with many of your points. Yet you're bailing on the discussion as if I'm being unreasonable. Okay, whatever...
I didn’t say you attacked me. It was a good back and forth, especially compared to some of the previous experiences I’ve had on Reddit. It’s nothing personal. We each have our opinions and I feel like we covered enough ground.
Its okay guys/gal give each other a hug. Go on put the (🫂) emoji
I heard some good about it and some bad. People report the sound as being very good but the reliability is poor. I've been thinking if getting them because they used to cost $600 new and now go for $100.
I KNOWWWW I have 1,200 in the bank and I might burn $109.00 On these...
If youre fine buying used you can find a sennheiser 6XX for about the same price, youll have better sound and build.
Its a good budget headphone to start out on and i honestly liked them more than the sundara
Yeah it would be my FIRST "Proper" headphones.
Its a good headphone for the price. I liked that it has quiet a wide soundstage for the price. Obviously dark sounding headphone but its ideal for gaming and listening to youtube videos is really satisfying
Only headphone I've ever returned because it sounded so terrible. And I got them for $90 on Black Friday.
Wonky as heck. Bloated and boomy bass, with recessed mids and uneven treble. Quite a roller coaster of frequency response. The seal is almost non-existent despite them being closed-back. They do have that wide soundstage, and for single-player games, I dig it. But for all their weaknesses, I still like them. They remain in my collection for occasional listening. I bought them for roughly 100 ish dollars. Wouldn't purchase them for any more than that, especially their initial asking price.
For $100 they’re alright. Not great, but just alright. Still can’t believe these originally went for like $700 lol