Introduction

Head-Direct's venture into orthodynamic headphone drivers has proven to stir things up in the audiophile scene. Shortly after the initial launch of the wooden HE-5 headphones, Head-Direct announced that they would make an LE version with plastic cups and slightly altered drivers. The change to plastic cups was due to the fact that the wooden cups had a tendency to crack after being exposed to changes in humidity and temperature. Luckily the sound should not be much affected by this due to the fact that it is an open back design.

The HE-5LEs are based around a tweaked version of the driver first featured in the HE-5s. This new driver should be a little more efficient, at least theoretically, and have a more linear frequency response. As always Head-Direct markets these headphones towards the audiophile crowd, and these headphones even come terminated with a 4-pin balanced connector (just like the old AKG K1000s, same termination and pin out). The HE-5LEs are extremely power hungry headphones, like all orthodynamic headphones they require lots of current to sound well.

Now this could be a major turnoff for some, but given the fact that these high-end headphones only cost $699 you still have a hell of a lot of cash left over to spend on source and amplifier before you have spent as much cash as a single set of Sennheiser HD800s cost you. So in that sense these headphones are a bargain, if they provide similar performance.

Specifications

• Planar Magnetic driver (orthodynamic)
• Sensitivity: 87.5 db / mW
• Impedance: 38
• Weight: 402 g, without cable

Package

Usually boxes are about as interesting as listening to a vuvuzela concert, but the HE-5LE's box is actually very nice. Made from wood, with a velvet inner this box looks the business. Considering that it is also highly padded it will provide a safe home for your $699 headphones while not in use.


Head-Direct's massive success is due to the fact that they do not try to be anything they are not. Keeping that in mind the HE-5LE special features and design are exactly what you would expect. As a little nerd-delight, the cable is terminated into 4-pin XLR and then you get the choice of using the 4-pin to 1/4" jack adapter. And as if this is not enough choice for most listeners you get more coaxial plugs so that you can make your own cable!

Build wise the HE-5LEs are great, they have a real solid feel to them, and the cable is very well made. The only thing that feels slightly wobbly is the size adjuster housings.

The jacks used are made by Neutrik, which produce some of the best plugs in the world, if not the best. Everything about the HE-5LEs just exudes quality, I cannot put a finger on any aspect that feels cheap. As a service to customers Head-Direct offers a silver plated cable (SPC) free of charge, you only have to pay the shipping costs. This is great because it allows the user to alter the sound somewhat. The default oxygen free copper (OFC) cable sounds great, but users might want something that colors the sound to a lesser extent and this is where the SPC type cable comes into play, the performance of the cables will be discussed later on in the review's performance section.