I ask that whoever was thinking of purchasing these for US$900 prior to seeing this review, that you take the US$670 savings that I just saved you, and you DONATE a portion to AudioScienceReview.
It’s nicely performing actually, but regards to the crazy number of versions issue I feel it’s a way to salvage spare parts in their stock.. since the HE-6 era this trend happens, mostly using the same driver in the different versions but use the old hand and style, the ear cups of yester-year or hand bands from drop versionsThis is a review and detailed measurements of the Hifiman HE560 V4. It is on kind loan from a member. I think it is exclusive to Adorama (?) and costs US $899 but goes on sale for $260 or something like it.
The look is similar to other Hifiman headphones:
View attachment 171965
Comfort was good with about average weight:
View attachment 171966
Cups are symmetrical and round with diameter of 61mm and depth of 23mm.
The included cable is short and rather stiff, terminated with 3.5mm plugs so easy to replace.
Note: The measurements you are about to see are made using a standardized Gras 45C. Headphone measurements by definition are approximate and variable so don't be surprised if other measurements even if performed with the same fixtures as mine, differ in end results. Protocols vary such as headband pressure and averaging (which I don't do). As you will see, I confirm the approximate accuracy of the measurements using Equalization and listening tests. Ultimately headphone measurements are less exact than speakers mostly in bass and above a few kilohertz so keep that in mind as you read these tests. If you think you have an exact idea of a headphone performance, you are likely wrong!
The large cups made an easy job of mounting them on my fixture and getting good measurements on first try.
Hifiman HE-56 V4 Measurements
Let's start with our usual frequency response measurements:
View attachment 171967
This is fairly typical Hifiman response with flat bass and droop above 1 kHz. The latter though is more than some others I have tested and is dissipating to see. It will not only impact tonality but also spatial effects. But overall not too bad.
Relative frequency response graph useful for development of EQ is:
View attachment 171968
Developing EQ should be simple given the shape of shortfalls.
Distortion is very low which is nice:
View attachment 171969
View attachment 171970
Group delay is messy as is usually the case with these headphones:
View attachment 171971
Impedance as usual is flat and low:
View attachment 171972
It does require fair bit of juice to get loud:
View attachment 171973
You definitely need a good headphone amplifier to drive it.
Hifiman HE560 V4 Listening Tests and Equalization
Without equalization the sound is not bad. It sounds light on its feet due to lack of bass energy. I turned on my HE400i EQ and it instantly elevated the performance a few notches. I refined it more for the 560 response and landed with this:
View attachment 171974
Once there, spatial qualities were excellent and overall tonality very good.
Conclusions
I honestly can't keep track of why there are so many models in the hifiman lineup. What is here seems to have been tweaked just a bit in the wrong direction. Fortunately with low distortion, equalization can compensate. Once there though, I did not want to listen without it. So this means you need to have EQ with you in all of your uses which can be inconvenient if you use a platform that doesn't support.
Overall, I can't recommend the HE560 V4 at its retail price. Fully discounted it is not bad but there are better choices from the company at even lower costs (HE400SE). Still equalization does it a lot of good and with it, I can recommend it.
-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
Wow. Imagine if you paid $900 and later found out you overpaid by almost $700. That would be the last time I bought anything from either Adorama or Hifiman.I hate that Adomara does this....
Here's the regular advertised price:
View attachment 171977
Here's the actual price (just add ?emailprice=t to the end of the normal URL):
View attachment 171976
Oh look at that, savings of 75%...magic!
Most of you should know this by now, but for a few that don't...
This is a review and detailed measurements of the Hifiman HE560 V4. It is on kind loan from a member. I think it is exclusive to Adorama (?) and costs US $899 but goes on sale for $260 or something like it.
The look is similar to other Hifiman headphones:
View attachment 171965
Comfort was good with about average weight:
View attachment 171966
Cups are symmetrical and round with diameter of 61mm and depth of 23mm.
The included cable is short and rather stiff, terminated with 3.5mm plugs so easy to replace.
Note: The measurements you are about to see are made using a standardized Gras 45C. Headphone measurements by definition are approximate and variable so don't be surprised if other measurements even if performed with the same fixtures as mine, differ in end results. Protocols vary such as headband pressure and averaging (which I don't do). As you will see, I confirm the approximate accuracy of the measurements using Equalization and listening tests. Ultimately headphone measurements are less exact than speakers mostly in bass and above a few kilohertz so keep that in mind as you read these tests. If you think you have an exact idea of a headphone performance, you are likely wrong!
The large cups made an easy job of mounting them on my fixture and getting good measurements on first try.
Hifiman HE-56 V4 Measurements
Let's start with our usual frequency response measurements:
View attachment 171967
This is fairly typical Hifiman response with flat bass and droop above 1 kHz. The latter though is more than some others I have tested and is dissipating to see. It will not only impact tonality but also spatial effects. But overall not too bad.
Relative frequency response graph useful for development of EQ is:
View attachment 171968
Developing EQ should be simple given the shape of shortfalls.
Distortion is very low which is nice:
View attachment 171969
View attachment 171970
Group delay is messy as is usually the case with these headphones:
View attachment 171971
Impedance as usual is flat and low:
View attachment 171972
It does require fair bit of juice to get loud:
View attachment 171973
You definitely need a good headphone amplifier to drive it.
Hifiman HE560 V4 Listening Tests and Equalization
Without equalization the sound is not bad. It sounds light on its feet due to lack of bass energy. I turned on my HE400i EQ and it instantly elevated the performance a few notches. I refined it more for the 560 response and landed with this:
View attachment 171974
Once there, spatial qualities were excellent and overall tonality very good.
Conclusions
I honestly can't keep track of why there are so many models in the hifiman lineup. What is here seems to have been tweaked just a bit in the wrong direction. Fortunately with low distortion, equalization can compensate. Once there though, I did not want to listen without it. So this means you need to have EQ with you in all of your uses which can be inconvenient if you use a platform that doesn't support.
Overall, I can't recommend the HE560 V4 at its retail price. Fully discounted it is not bad but there are better choices from the company at even lower costs (HE400SE). Still equalization does it a lot of good and with it, I can recommend it.
-----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
Hifiman HE560 V4 APO EQ Flat@HF 96000Hz
December132021-114142
Preamp: -3.8 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 25.45 Hz Gain 2.34 dB Q 0.43
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 198.38 Hz Gain -4.29 dB Q 0.86
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 501.90 Hz Gain -2.51 dB Q 1.63
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 944.39 Hz Gain -3.31 dB Q 1.50
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2040.56 Hz Gain 4.84 dB Q 1.92
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 3315.73 Hz Gain -2.17 dB Q 5.26
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 3970.36 Hz Gain -4.77 dB Q 2.62
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 6037.18 Hz Gain -4.63 dB Q 3.64
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 12091.16 Hz Gain -11.72 dB Q 5.70
If I recall things got a bit messy between v1 and v2 with there being some degree of part swaps and hybrids. I think yours sound like v3.Now I'm confused about which version I have. Mine hasve black, non-wood cups and 2 piece headband: thin metal and wide leather strap.
Could be, I know the ones I have are newer, I got them a couple of years ago from Adorama and they have 3.5mm connectors.If I recall things got a bit messy between v1 and v2 with there being some degree of part swaps and hybrids. I think yours sound like v3.
you are 100% correct as usual Look exactly the same.
Do you see what I see here?Amir only measured V4, I measured V1 and V2.
Ah ha. The bible!Could be, I know the ones I have are newer, I got them a couple of years ago from Adorama and they have 3.5mm connectors.
This is worse than I expected, lol.Ah ha. The bible!
Ps I was talking about the hifiman wood v2, not the adorama v2. So confusing!
It's bonkersThis is worse than I expected, lol.
I got my pair from Adorama, wood cups with 2.5mm connectors, came with 1/4" and XLR cables, but in a cheap cloth lined box compared to what my old HE 400i cans came in. Purchased May of 2018 for $319.00.Ah ha. The bible!
Ps I was talking about the hifiman wood v2, not the adorama v2. So confusing!
And if you don't like clicking random internet links, it's this
2.47I got my pair from Adorama, wood cups with 2.5mm connectors, came with 1/4" and XLR cables, but in a cheap cloth lined box compared to what my old HE 400i cans came in. Purchased May of 2018 for $319.00.
WTF version is mine???!!!
2.47
Is it just me, or it's a HE6SE (v2) with higher sensitivity? If so, would it be go-to (for $225) instead of HE6SE v2?