HiFiMan HE-560 V2

Spotted this on Adorama. Looks like a refreshed version of the HE-560 with the Sundara-esque headband, 3.5mm inputs, and updated paint job. Otherwise not much other information listed.

 

Am I the only one getting Overwatch vibes off the new colour scheme? That aside, I admit I'm curious as to how these stack up against the original HE560s

 

Also seems to ditch the wood veneer, which was always a bit of a bear to work and surprisingly prone to smashing if dropped.

(Though my 560s are still in great shape, but I do try to be careful.)

 

Damn, I wish this was Massdrop x HIFIMAN HE-500 instead.

 

Darn good price.

 

Found a deal for these on reddit, it seems they're going for $300 right now on an email promotion: https://www.adorama.com/hmhe560v2.html?sdtid=11829663&emailprice=t. That's the lowest price I've seen for HE-560s of any kind.

Note: the normal search on adorama still comes up as $800, but adding the email promotion flag to the URL "&emailprice=t" drops the price down.

 

Hmm... almost tempted to give the HE-560 another shot at this price, but then, 'V2' in Hifiman-ese generally means "we made the build quality less bad and maybe also tweaked the ear pads" so I'd expect the same plastic-y, hard timbre. Nice bass and driver matching on previous versions though.

It is a bit funny to see a brand new product revision immediately go on sale for 67% off; kinda makes a mockery of the MSRP.

"Please buy them...

Please..."

 

Something tells me that the $299 price wasn't meant to go out to a lot of people. I've heard many things about the HE560 and have wanted one for a while, and for that much I'd happily further inconvenience myself because how often do deals like this pop up?

FWIW, this is something I'd be interested having established members demo and perhaps touring, just to see how they compare to HFM's other offerings (and the model they're based on)

 

I wonder if HFM might come out with a true successor for the HE-560 like they did with the HE-400 and HEX. It's interesting to note that the HE-560V2 doesn't have a sanskrit name like the Sundara or Anada that's come out recently. Part of me makes it feel like they're slapping together old stock into a "new" product to move more units. The steep sale price would fit that narrative as well.

 

I've heard these Adorama versions have QC issues. You could maybe call it the samargha.

 

I believe the Sundara is the replacement to the HE560 as the HE560 gets phased out.

https://www.hifiman.com/images/171114/SUNDARA_02.jpg

They also could have had a failed Massdrop HE5xx that fell through and then they sold what they had already made to Adorama...but alas, this is how rumors get started. Just thinking out loud.

 

I really really wonder if they touched the frequency response at all, or if this is just a better build for an Adorama exclusive...

I'm looking to get me a HE-4XX, which is almost literally half the price right now, but... I dunno, these might be a really good purchase... Hell, if they're normally 800 bucks...

Edit: nevermind, the description does say:

"Adorama exclusive model of HiFiman HE-560 V2 Headphones includes the following improvements:
• Headband - V2 of this custom model includes the same headband as HiFiman Sundara
• Unique Color - V2 on this custom model comes with a brand new color scheme (please refer to our pictures for the exact colors)
• Custom cables - this custom model includes a shorter 6ft cable with 1/4" plug & 6ft 4-pin XLR balanced cable "

I would think that "sounds better" would be on that list...

 

I'll have a pair on Friday to compare to the original (non smc) 560's.

 

Like a damn trooper

 

No idea what just happened... But I came to covered in some slimy creamy substance, with a screen on my phone saying I ordered these cans...

 

A nocturnal acquisition.

 

The orange highlights work suspiciously well with my studio. Lava lamp, lipstick red wall, and the RGB lighting on my keyboard and mouse are all red/orange

Edit: I will be doing EARS measurements of these, and I'll post REW files for anyone who wants them. It'll be a while before I get them, so chances are others here will have theirs first and can measure them. Still, bigger sample size.

 

HiFiman does it again...

I'm not sure this is just an issue with my pair, or the v2's in general, but the headband suspension strap is WAY too short. I've got an average sized head and I can barely get the heapdhones to stretch far enough to fit on my head. I honestly don't think I've ever run into this issue before with any set of heapdhones. Even if you extend the headband mechanism to it's last notch, the suspension band is almost completely taught.

In comparison I own a pair of Sundara's and they have more slack and I actually find them quite comfortable. Of course the cups/pads are thinner compared to the v2's.

Also a surprise is these now use 3.5mm connectors instead of 2.5mm. I don't believe that was mentioned anywhere on Adorama's page.

Just started listening to them. I'll post some thoughts later and see how they compare to the originals.

 

Okay, these have clearly been re-tuned. Or possibly use different drivers?

*Update* I opened both up and the drivers appear to be identical.

 

Hmmmmmm....

I await official measurements...for science. If someone wants to send a set to me I'll be happy to measure them. I'll cover shipping back. (prefer US for shipping costs).