New Hifiman Headphone HE-400 is out - Page 385

Velour pads do help the mids come up to a reasonable level, thanks to all who suggested that.

So, is there any particular aftermarket cable that you can recommend ?

How is the quality of the stock cable vs. other manufacturers' stock cable vs aftermarket cables ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstuart 

 

So, is there any particular aftermarket cable that you can recommend ?

 

How is the quality of the stock cable vs. other manufacturers' stock cable vs aftermarket cables ?

If you're talking about the sound quality, I think most people can agree that there's not much of an improvement there, but if you think the stock cable is too long or stiff, and you like the look of an aftermarket cable you should probably get one. I definitely think Toxic Cables is doing a great job now, especially with their new French Silk Cables, which Q-audio used to do but now force you to buy $30 adapters so you can use it with HiFiMan headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniping 

If you're talking about the sound quality, I think most people can agree that there's not much of an improvement there, but if you think the stock cable is too long or stiff, and you like the look of an aftermarket cable you should probably get one. I definitely think Toxic Cables is doing a great job now, especially with their new French Silk Cables, which Q-audio used to do but now force you to buy $30 adapters so you can use it with HiFiMan headphones.

Didn't Toxic just come of with the silk cables this weekend? I must say that the Q audio cable is fantastic!!

I'm really loving these headphones. I think they're good endgame headphones for a semi-audiophile like me, at least for the foreseeable future. David rated the HE-500 highly in the Battle of the Flagships thread. At the same time, many people consider the HE-400 to be very close to the HE-500. That suggests to me the HE-400 is a really good value.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanPluck 

 

Im also using an M-Stage and it sounds great.  Just waiting for the Class-A biased mod to arrive from Tam Audio, after that the credit card is getting cut up!

 

Edit: The dual inputs on the M-stage are invaluable imo, i have one running from my Xonar D2X for gaming and the other running from my UD100 DAC for listening to music.

mmmm doesnt tam audio use paypal? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuna47 

Also feel the he400 is my end game love the ortho sound but who knows what the future brings

LOVE mine, but it's making me want others.  i'd love a good companion phone, like the HD650 or AKG701...something super cold and analytical.  and maybe some sick high end bass cans...ugh it'll never be over LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattTCG 

 

Didn't Toxic just come of with the silk cables this weekend? I must say that the Q audio cable is fantastic!!

Yeah, they just announced the silk cables. While Q-audio used to be awesome with HiFiMan headphones before, I think the adapters just make the cable too expensive, about $300 for a 6 1/2 foot cable while Frank is offering a 6ft. cable for ~$210USD. If you check out the Q website, you can see that they called out Toxic Cables, so I think Frank is trying to steal some business here, which isn't a problem at all for me. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattTCG 

 

Sounds like you are fashioning your own version of dogpads.

 

Also, for the he400 you wouldn't want lambskin as leather just doesn't seem to do these justice. 

Matt,  Actually, I was able to get some high density 1" foam.  It's not nearly memory foam, but it does retain its shape and will, or should hold up well.  I'm kind of focusing on the Brainwavz HMT type of pad - or, the Fischer Audio FA-003 (MK I) pads, which were a bit more supple than the current FA-003 MK II pads.  I do realize I could just go with some Stax pads - but, at a cost.  The leather was already at my house asking to be used.  

As to how to approach the HE-400 style pads.  I could make the replacements a bit more like the Fischer Audio FA-003 MK II, with a bit of a thicker and taller pad.  I could use the inside section to sew in a piece of velour to see how it controls the frequencies on the HE-400, like the HifiMAN velour pads do.

The fact is, there are so many options and ideas, It would take me two years to get all of my own stuff executed and on the path the completion.  Meanwhile, I'm building a custom Canare cable for the Fostex T50 and then another custom Canare for the HE-400s, too.

I managed to break one of the 4 small tabs on BOTH of the grill rings while attempting the grill mod. DON'T try to pry them up from the inside edge... They still fit, just not perfectly. I contacted head-direct.com and was able to order replacement rings though.

Here's the finished product. Looks just like jerg's.

It's not a huge difference in sound to me, but it's worth doing. It removes a little bit of the muffled/closed quality of the sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRagnarok 

I managed to break one of the 4 small tabs on BOTH of the grill rings while attempting the grill mod. DON'T try to pry them up from the inside edge... They still fit, just not perfectly. I contacted head-direct.com and was able to order replacement rings though.

 

Here's the finished product. Looks just like jerg's.

 

 

It's not a huge difference in sound to me, but it's worth doing. It removes a little bit of the muffled/closed quality of the sound.

Looks very nice indeed. That cable is pure sex.

Yeah the little plastic ring is a bit finicky. You really gotta feel for how much it can take before it gives, in order to install/uninstall it with ease. I never have any trouble manipulating them, for instance.