Hifiman HE-5 vs Sennheiser HD800

The biggest contrast between the HE-5 and the HD800 is probably in their presentation. The HE-5 has a more forward presentation when compared to the HD800. Though the overall presentation of the HD800 is more laid back, on some tracks, vocal passages can be very forward on the HD800. This may sound surprising, but my guess is that the HD800 has the capability to be more true to the mixing and the recording process. Even listening to one album, it’s very obvious, through the HD800, that the quality of the recording and mixing varies a lot between the tracks. The HD800 is very revealing what’s being fed into it. On the other side of the equation, perhaps being “less true” to the source, I find the HE-5 to be more consistent in its presentation than the HD800. Thus, recording quality becomes less of an issue with the HE-5.

You might remember that on the first impression, I wrote that the HE-5 gave an impression of a tremendous amount of detail. But I also noted that a lot of headphones are voiced in such a way that it helps to increase the impression of detail. After longer listening sessions with the HE-5, I can confirm that the HD800 is indeed more detailed. The HE-5’s forward presentation does tend to give the opposite impression, where the HD800’s more laid back presentation tends to hide those details. But if you pay attention to quieter passages, the instruments in the background, handclaps on live concerts, and string instruments, it becomes apparent that the HD800 presents detail far beyond what the HE-5 does. Not only is it’s more detailed, the HD800 is also more effortless about presenting its details.

During my listening sessions, I get an impression that the HE-5 has a flatter frequency response than the HD800. But again, I suspect that this is not true. The HD800 does have an ability to convey the subtlest changes in tone and micro dynamics that the HE-5 doesn’t. Music sounds so much richer through the HD800. As a result, you get a better picture of the painting, with richer gradation of the colors. And if the HD800 is indeed truer to the recording, as what I’ve been suggesting all along, then it’s bound to give you a more varied rendering of the music. The HD800’s very honest rendition of the recording would be best if all music are recorded and mixed with the same audiophile standard, but they are not. Hence, the HE-5, though less rich, and less true to the original material, more consistently presents an enjoyable music than the HD800. But when you have great material in the CD, then the HD800 will give you the most real, the most live presentation that the HE-5 cannot afford.

Choices are never easy.

It’s like choosing between a Porsche 911 and a Ferrari F430. The F430 is clearly superior on almost all aspects. From the high revving V8 engine that gives you a driving sensation no flat-6 can, the luxury aspects, to the celebrity-like glamour provided by the F430. The HD800 is sort of like that. It utilizes the latest in dynamic driver technology. It’s build quality, materials, and comfort are far above the humble wood housing of the HE-5. And after all, the HD800 a flagship of Sennheiser, whereas the HE-5 is a humble attempt from a relatively young Chinese manufacturer. But, just like the 911 is more reliable, can be daily driven, and may even pull quicker lap times than the F430 depending on the track layout, so the HE-5 can be good in a way that the HD800 can’t.

Despite the technical inferiority to the HD800, the HE-5 is a very good and very enjoyable headphone to listen to. Listening to the HE-5 and the HD800 side by side, and taking into accounts the variations in recordings and source quality, I can say that there will be a big percentage of people who’ll prefer the HE-5 to the HD800.

-updates-
I have been doing more listening on the Hifiman HE-5, partly because I’m doing a review on the Audio Technica W1000X and I want to see how it compares with the HE-5 orthodynamic. During this time, I’ve felt that my HD800 vs HE-5 comparison focuses too much on the technical superiority of the HD800. Although I did mention that the technical superiority of the HD800 may be a double edged sword when fed a bad recording and from a bad source. I feel that there are more things to say about the HE-5 versus HD800 discussion.

Even listening to one album, it’s very obvious, through the HD800, that the quality of the recording and mixing varies a lot between the tracks. The HD800 is very revealing what’s being fed into it. On the other side of the equation, perhaps being “less true” to the source, I find the HE-5 to be more consistent in its presentation than the HD800. Thus, recording quality becomes less of an issue with the HE-5. (from the HD800 vs HE5 comparison)

When I first listened to the HE-5 out of the box, it sounded very harsh and bright, but most of those piercing aspects of the sound has been gone within the first 50 hours, and the HE-5 takes a more neutral stance. And though moving from the HD800 to the HE-5 makes the HE-5 sounds significantly more two dimensional and less resolving, the HE5 is still very engaging to listen to. Recently, I find myself craving more for the HE-5 than the HD800. This is a very excellent case of when technical superiority may not be what we always want in Hi-Fi.

Whenever I listen to the HE-5, the sound is significantly flatter than the HD800. I am not talking about flat as in the frequency response, but flat as in the soundstage and the layering of the instruments. The three dimensionality factor. With the HE-5, most of the music sounds like they lie on a flat wall, where the HD800 has instruments nicely layered with a good distance between each of them. Everytime I move to the HD800 from the HE5, I can immediately feel a more three dimensional music. The same impression remains whether I use the MacPro > Grace m902 system, or the CEC TL51XZ > Balanced Beta22 system. What I cannot explain is how the HE-5 still sounds very addictive despite its significantly less three dimensional rendering.

With the HE-5, the music are all presented in the same, moderately forward manner. With the HD800, you can have instruments that lay way in the back, and you can have the singer very forward in front of you. While this is an advantage with the HD800, in that it is more resolving of the source, often the singer gets too forward and too in your face, and it becomes an annoyance. Yes, the fault is probably in the mixing, since they probably intended it to give a more intimate and a more live experience when played using loudspeakers, where the transducers don’t sit so close to your ears. This is one of the many case where the flatter and less resolving HE-5 gives you enough intimacy without being too close to you.

I also said that the HD800 is more detailed, and that the HE-5, though very detailed, still falls short of the HD800’s detail level. As quoted from the previous comparison:
The HE-5’s forward presentation does tend to give the opposite impression, where the HD800’s more laid back presentation tends to hide those details.
And then I concluded:
After longer listening sessions with the HE-5, I can confirm that the HD800 is indeed more detailed.
But during day to day listening sessions, when I am not trying to analyze the sound, the HE-5 very often gives an impression of more detail than the HD800. And this impression of detail is very enjoyable to hear on the ear, because they are not harsh nor piercing in anyway.

The HE5 falls nicely in the middle between warm and analytical, between laid back and agressive, and in that sense, the HE5 is neutral without any coloration. However, every headphone have their own individual qualities in presenting music that’s unique in their own way, and so are colored in their own sense. I think this color is what makes the HE-5 so addictive to listen to.

I’ll quote the closing from my previous comparison to close this one.

Despite the technical inferiority to the HD800, the HE-5 is a very good and very enjoyable headphone to listen to. Listening to the HE-5 and the HD800 side by side, and taking into accounts the variations in recordings and source quality, I can say that there will be a big percentage of people who’ll prefer the HE-5 to the HD800.

System for auditioning:
Headphones: Hifiman HE-5
Source: Lossless files on MacPro > Grace m902 DAC via Toslink
Amplifier: Grace m902