HIFIMAN EF500 Review: The Cheapest Himalaya R2R Ever

The most affordable HIFIMAN unit to feature their proprietary Himalaya R2R DAC chip - 4.5W per channel balanced, network streaming, and a vertical tower form factor.

Verdict: Recommended - 8.2/10. Price: $549.

What's good

First Himalaya R2R DAC chip at this price point

Vertical tower form factor saves desk space

All-metal chassis with industrial design

Fully balanced amp section - 4.5W into 32Ω balanced

Network streaming via Ethernet (Tidal, Qobuz, NAS)

OS/NOS filter selection for tonal tailoring

117dB SNR, <0.0025% THD

131dB channel separation

Worth knowing

Gets warm during long sessions with demanding cans

Vertical-only design - awkward laid flat

No analog input - can't use as a separate amp

Soundstage is solid but not ultra-wide

Filter differences are subtle

Pricier than the EF499 with overlapping feature set

Read the full HIFIMAN EF500 review on The Audio Stuff