HiFiMAN HE-500
HiFiMAN’s beloved mid planar: fuller and smoother than the HE-400, a longtime value-reference for planar sound.
Our take
The HE-500 is the sweet spot of the early HiFiMAN line: a fuller, smoother, more neutral planar than the HE-400, with excellent bass texture and an even top. It’s power-hungry and heavy, but for many it’s the value-reference planar. Rewards a strong amp.
Measured on a Head Acoustics HMS II.3 artificial head — raw response, left/right averaged, normalized to 0 dB at 1 kHz. From the Sonic Temple Archive(2008–2014, one unit per model). Honest limits: seating variance runs ±0.4 dB in the mids to ±3.9 dB above 12 kHz, and open headphones read bass-light on this fixture — don’t read fine treble detail as settled. How we measure →
Common questions
Straight answers — the same ones our measurements support.
Does the HE-500 need an amp?
Yes, a strong one. It is an inefficient planar that scales with power.
HE-500 vs HE-400?
The 500 is fuller, smoother, and more neutral; the 400 is brighter and punchier. The 500 is the grown-up.
If you like the HE-500
Close on the graph, or a deliberate step in one direction.