Orthodynamic (also called planar magnetic) drivers have been considered a superior technology since the 1950s but until recently, the amplification required to properly drive them couldn't be achieved without significant distortion. The trick would be making a orthodynamic efficient enough to use standard headphone amplifiers without a drop in performance. After years of r&d, many critics think that's exactly what HiFiMAN's done with the HE headphone line. Racking up dozens of five star reviews, the HE-500 has become a favorite on head-fi and one of the most highly reviewed headphones on amazon. HiFiMAN has arrived and now you can own the result of their work.