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HiFiMan HE-500 Over-the-Ear Planar Magnetic Headphones and EF5 Headphone Amplifier

John E. Johnson, Jr.

HiFiMan is a relative newcomer (2006) to the audio product scene. Their specialty is headphones (including over-the-ear and earbuds) and headphone amplifiers. We have reviewed several of their headphones, with positive and enthusiastic findings. The HE-500, reviewed here, are over-the-ear headphones, meaning that they completely enclose the ears. This model also uses planar magnetic drivers, which unlike cone drivers, are flat, very thin plastic membranes, on which is attached a thin conductor. The membrane is near permanent magnets, and when the signal flows through the conductor, the opposing electromagnetic field on the conductive membrane is pushed away from or attracted to the permanent magnets, producing the sound.

Headphone and Earphone Reviews

Emotiva X-Ref 12 Subwoofer

Ross Jones

Emotiva is a U.S. based Internet-direct manufacturer, known primarily for their high-power solid-state amplifiers. However, Emotiva makes other products, including three different lines of speakers, and several subwoofers. In this case, we review the X-Ref subwoofer, which has a 12" driver and 600 watts of amplifier power, all at a very reasonable price.

Subwoofers

Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – December, 2010

SECRETS Movie Review Team

The Town (Blu-ray), Peanuts Holiday Collection (Blu-ray), Madea Goes to Jail (Blu-ray), Scooby-Doo 1 & 2 (Blu-ray), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Blu-ray), The Search for Santa Paws (Blu-ray), Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 (Blu-ray), Cats vs. Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (Blu-ray), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Blu-ray), Twas the Night Before Christmas (DVD), Nanny McPhee Returns (Blu-ray), Lost in Translation (Blu-ray), Inception (Blu-ray), Going the Distance (Blu-ray), A Christmas Carol (3D) (Blu-ray), Diary of a Mad Black Woman (Blu-ray), Why Did I Get Married (Blu-ray), The Wiz (Blu-ray), Meet the Parents (Blu-ray), Meet the Fockers (Blu-ray), Hunter Prey (DVD), Flipped (Blu-ray), Despicable Me (Blu-ray), The Secret Life of of the American Teenager Vol. 5 (DVD), Step Up (3D) (Blu-ray), The Legend of the Guardians (3D) (Blu-ray), Frenemy (DVD), Devil (Blu-ray), Boy Meets World: The Complete Fourth Season (DVD), Madea's Family Reunion (Blu-ray)

Movie Reviews

A Home Theater Build Project – Part I

Mark Vignola

We all have a spare room. Well, many of us do. And those of us bitten by the A/V bug often dream about what we would do with that room. I have such a room, and six years ago embarked on a wild odyssey to build a dedicated A/V room from scratch. How could someone with limited construction skills, moderate budget, and even more limited tool selection, go about making a clean, professional looking dedicated home theater?

Custom Home Theaters

Home Theater Movie Renter’s Guide – September, 2010

John E. Johnson, Jr.

Harry Brown (Blu-ray), Good (Blu-ray), Dexter Season 4 (Blu-ray), Wolverine and the X-Men: Final Crisis Trilogy (DVD), Lost in Space (Blu-ray), MacGruber (Blu-ray), Lost Season 6 (Blu-ray), Nanny McPhee (Blu-ray), Road to Perdition (Blu-ray), The Office - Season Six (Blu-ray), The Evil Dead (Blu-ray), Se7en (Blu-ray), Clash of the Titans (Blu-ray), Crazy Heart (Blu-ray), House - Season Six (Blu-ray), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Blu-ray), Robin Hood (2010) (Blu-ray)

Movie Reviews