mad lust envy said:

I prefer the MA900 for it's more all rounder nature, while for sound whoring, the Q701 is better, just hate the headband, so much. I would suggest getting a newer K702 over the Q701 instead. Which then you can also buy some K712 pads, for a more all rounder, warmer sound for the K702 (giving you options for more soundwhoring with standard pads or more fun and warmth with K712 pads, which will be better than the MA900.)

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I have now my new K702 cans, and I'm loving it, still in burn-in process, but I think i must keep my MA900 because i married with them, more air and out of head sensation than K702.

Where I can found K712 ear pads?

Look for AKG contact info on their website, and perhaps ask for a part number to purchase.

As for the HE-4, it's $450 new to begin with, so not sure how $50 off is that good a deal. But yeah, the quality of sound is worth that and then some, assuming you're not hooking it up to bad equipment.

Well, it's 600-650 Dollars after import duties so 380 Dollars is a bit less. Can't get a new one in Deutschland. 

Ah, ok. Makes much more sense. As long as you understand that it's slight v shaped response with energetic treble, and a bitch to drive, we're good, lol.

I am still waiting for my Hifiman  HE-4 to arrive.  I have spent a good amount of time with the HE-400 and the AKG 712 using both a Musical Fidelity X-Can v2 and Schiit Asguard 2.  Both of these are tube amps and the MF unit has been broken in for 10 years where the Asguard has about 5-10 hours on it on constant use.  I am doing 90% movies, 10% gaming.  I believe movie and gaming have similar requirements (positioning cues, soundstage, immersion, clarity of voices, etc..)..
 
I am leaning toward the AKG 712 right now.  The HE-400 has deeper bass which I love but has a very flat soundstage..I never get the feeling like I'm in the middle of a scene... more like a private concert up on a stage..if that makes sense.  I have high hope the HE-4 might be the best of these 2.  I have about 5 days before I have to send back what I don't want for headphones.  Anyone have any experience on AKG vs. HE-4's for movies?

I agree about the HE-400 but also for the HE-500. Both soundstages never "grabbed" me in terms of spaciousness and building a world around me, they were flat without the sense of a cohorent round space. The differences in building the soundstage were quite noticable when I compared them with the T90 (I liked the HE-500 quite better for music though).
 
An ortho with HE-560s soundstage with HE-400 bass + HD 650 mids please. 
 
Can't say anything about the HE-4, I still remember it was almost my first choice when I wanted to upgrade from my K701 but the name Hifiman didn't ring a lot of bells. Reviews were good after I discovered them on ebay and wanted to learn more, and then I discovered Head-fi.  
 

 so which headphones did you end up liking for movies with a lot of surround information?
I watch a lot of sci-fi and action movies
 
I've been demoing clips from the following movies:
Brave
Avengers
Dark Knight
Master and Commander
Transformers
 
Music:
Eagles Hotel California 5.1
Pink Floyd Money 5.1
 
On the HE-400, the back rear sound stage (right behind my head)  is almost zero.  Rear right and rear left are more near field.
On the AKG 712 I am getting a much larger pan effect (depth of field/depth of stage) and the direct rear is audible at the right distance. 
The AKG is much more balanced.. which some might say is a little boring.  HE-400 has some great attributes though.. bass is rock solid but I hear a little muddiness some times. (sloppy?).. its that dynamic V shape that some people love.
 
For me, if I could get the bass from the HE-400 and the soundstage from the AKG, I would be very happy.

I dunno how you can say that since the HE400 has one of the best depths in soundstage from any headphone I've owned or reviewed. Yes, width isn't amazing, but that is what virtual surround was for.

People really do hear differently.

What I am hearing with the 400's is that everthing is more near field.. like its a couple feet in front  side or in back of me when I watch movies.  And a pan going right rear to rear left has a hole in the middle.
Whereas the AKG 712 has a lot more depth.. maybe double the distance.  The problem witht he 712 is sometimes I feel like they are "thin" sounding.

I've got the option to buy these HE-4 that I'm borrowing and I'm seriously considering it.  Also might just jump right up to the HE-500 since it's apparently very similar but with a more neutral sound.  It'll cost a lot more, but everything I've read says it's basically the HE-6 but easier to drive.  
 
Damn these orthos and their amazing sound and expensive price!
 
Re the soundstage, I kind of like how the HE-4 still sounds like an open can but it's not quite as massive a soundstage as the Q.  It feels more coherent, but it still has a lot of separation between the instruments, so you kind of get the best of both worlds.  I haven't yet listened to these with a movie; I'll be doing that tonight maybe (I grabbed Pacific Rim to test!)

michaeljames99 said:

   so which headphones did you end up liking for movies with a lot of surround information?
I watch a lot of sci-fi and action movies
 
I've been demoing clips from the following movies:
Brave
Avengers
Dark Knight
Master and Commander
Transformers
 
Music:
Eagles Hotel California 5.1
Pink Floyd Money 5.1
 
On the HE-400, the back rear sound stage (right behind my head)  is almost zero.  Rear right and rear left are more near field.
On the AKG 712 I am getting a much larger pan effect (depth of field/depth of stage) and the direct rear is audible at the right distance. 
The AKG is much more balanced.. which some might say is a little boring.  HE-400 has some great attributes though.. bass is rock solid but I hear a little muddiness some times. (sloppy?).. its that dynamic V shape that some people love.
 
For me, if I could get the bass from the HE-400 and the soundstage from the AKG, I would be very happy.

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HD 800 (most accurate, biggest soundstage I ever heard, very balanced, not intimidated by any kind of grand orchestra)
TH 900 (smaller than the HD 800 but excellent imaging/separation and very cohesive, most immersive headphone I heard due to its very clean, fast and pronounced (sub) bass presentation)
T1 (like the TH-900, very cohesive soundstage and separation, excellent for movies and gaming but of course like the above a waste if not used for music as well)
K702 AE (see below for the phantom center part)
T90 (if only it didn't have that sharp zingy treble, I like its clarity)
X1 (remove the annoying one noty bass and it'll shock charge other price brackets above it)
 
All of them very good.
 
Quote:

mad lust envy said:

I dunno how you can say that since the HE400 has one of the best depths in soundstage from any headphone I've owned or reviewed. Yes, width isn't amazing, but that is what virtual surround was for.

People really do hear differently.

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I played whole games with the HE-500 and various sessions with the HE-400. I could never grab that sense as I did with other headphones. It's really interesting. It's worse with the LCD-2. I noticed the soundstage depth but in total the soundstage was offputting. I had the LCD-2 almost 12 hours on my head each day during loan (not in the bathroom of course ) but it never reached me. 
 
At the 2014 Munich High End Fair I listened to them again under various amps (Auralic Taurus, Violectric V281 etc.) and their stage was immediately showing its face again. Not everyone cares a lot about soundstage though and it's fine but for that price that's unacceptable to me. 
 
With the K7xx series I seem to be one of the few as well who immediately notice the middle presentation in the soundstage that is lacking and more towards the sides. 
 
I want to listen to this mod though (ignore the hyperbole in the graphics, it's more fun than serious as a comment but it measures pretty good, blue=modded K701). 
 


 

 

Is that the Alpha Pads?

I don't like leather, and I have to say that K701 still looks incredibly attractive with the leather on.

DEFINITELY NOT Alpha Pads. Those look more like LCD2/3 or Jmoney Denon pads.

They look like Sony XB500 pads
O_O

Nah, XB500 pads have that monster truck bumpiness going on.