**Hifiman HE-400 Impressions and Discussion Thread** - Page 167

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fearless1 

I used pantyhose ...behind my mesh.

On a more serious note though, glad that is working for you. I tried something like that and the "airiness reduction" effect is even more prominent than with the fabric from the stock grills. It's hard to describe it, as it's not even airiness, more like the background nuances...the only adequate description is from 6moons writeup:

"While cosmetics do take a hit—you'll see exactly what the final photo shows which is now barely obscured by the open honeycomb pattern—those fine decay trails and reverberations that were previously obscured (killed by damping as it were) are now released. This has nothing whatsoever to do with becoming sizzly or sharp. It's all about the restored breath of life. Things which previously felt somewhat flat, reined in and muted open up. Recorded ambience deepens and with it, spaciousness."

It's a subtle but dramatic improvement that you can't really pick up with analytical listening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMRaven 

 

Haha!

It's subtle because I doubt measurements will be able to pick anything up.

Dramatic because the music just becomes that much livelier and more spacious/nuanced.

And the effect is quite obvious if you just relax and listen, but not so obvious if you concentrate and try to discern one detail from the next within the tracks.

If no fabric maximizes performance, it's something I'd consider doing. I just have a thing about dust...

Are the drivers too delicate for a dusting with a compressed air can?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRagnarok 

If no fabric maximizes performance, it's something I'd consider doing. I just have a thing about dust...

 

Are the drivers too delicate for a dusting with a compressed air can?

AFAIK they are pretty strong; the mylar is quite durable, and the tracings seem to be a solid belt that is adhered well. I've tried probing the diaphragm/tracings with a dull tool and it felt flexible and elastic with lots of give.

Just don't blow the compressed gas right against the driver and it should be no issue at all.

Just wanted to through out that the HE-400s are in this month's Mens Health Mag - as just another cool thing to buy. In the photo, the connector posts looked like they weren't gold. Weird.

That and today I have just been enjoying these things more than ever. They are so fricking good. That is all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMateoHead 

Just wanted to through out that the HE-400s are in this month's Mens Health Mag - as just another cool thing to buy. In the photo, the connector posts looked like they weren't gold. Weird.

 

That and today I have just been enjoying these things more than ever. They are so fricking good. That is all.

It could be the photography.  Six years ago, we almost didn't buy the house we're in because I looked at a picture of it on-line and didn't like the brick color at all.  Then, we drove up to it, and the brick was completely different than the picture.

It's interesting that you found the HifiMAN in the Men's Health magazine.  It must have been an article on gadgets or items to use when relaxing as I can't imagine them recommending the HE-400s for working out.  Well, that is, unless one wants to work their neck muscles. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wje 

 

It's interesting that you found the HifiMAN in the Men's Health magazine.  It must have been an article on gadgets or items to use when relaxing as I can't imagine them recommending the HE-400s for working out.  Well, that is, unless one wants to work their neck muscles. 

It was the holiday gadget guide - the section begging you to spend money. It came right after a series of ways I can try to get laid this Christmas. Men's Health indeed. Fang must be blowing some bucks trying to gain some publicity for his phones. Consumer Reports, Men's Health, what's next? These are turning into the best headphones no one knows about.

Also, my neck muscles are now ripped. My Bro and his Wife laughed like crazy when they saw these clonky things. Then they listened to them . . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMateoHead 

It was the holiday gadget guide - the section begging you to spend money. It came right after a series of ways I can try to get laid this Christmas. Men's Health indeed. Fang must be blowing some bucks trying to gain some publicity for his phones. Consumer Reports, Men's Health, what's next? These are turning into the best headphones no one knows about.

 

Also, my neck muscles are now ripped. My Bro and his Wife laughed like crazy when they saw these clonky things. Then they listened to them . . .

Consumer Reports doesn't accept advertising so Fang probably didn't influence that one.  I think it was the $400 price point that put the HP in the mix.  I'm still not sure how they arrived at their rating results.

I don't think I've ever actually seen a weight number for the TakeT H2+, but I assume it's super heavy as well.

Edit: nvm, apparently they're light.

The weight is part of the reason I avoided the he-500. 

I was weighing the pros and cons of each of them, and noticed that if they both costed the same I would still probably be slightly leaning towards the he-400. Made the choice a real no-brainer for me.