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paradoxper said:

Sorry,I don't usually factor cost into comments like that. It is a better headphone and does happen to be more $.
I was just curious anyhow. What about a modded T50RP? haha

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I perfectly know that better sounding headphones usually cost more money money but as I found out later they are not my cup of a tea and, for example, T1 while sound better than D7000 i don't think that difference worth twice the price. Balso i'm planning to get modified T50RP called Mad Dog by Mr Speakers for my portable use

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olegausany said:

I perfectly know that better sounding headphones usually cost more money money but as I found out later they are not my cup of a tea and, for example, T1 while sound better than D7000 i don't think that difference worth twice the price. Balso i'm planning to get modified T50RP called Mad Dog by Mr Speakers for my portable use

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Generally, but not always. I can understand that and that's your right of opinion.
The Mad Dogs are very good headphones. I hope you'll enjoy them.

Can't decide between the two..  

Have always wanted to try the HD650 for a long, long time.. just as I was going for them, I somehow managed to bump into the HIFIMAN HE-400, now im unsure what to go for..

Personally I think HD650 and HE-400 are excellent complements to each other.  Go for both!
 

Haha I wish I could , the thing is (like always) since I want to try both of them out now, say once I get 'x' I will always have in my mind to try 'y' out..
Unsure which to choose as I've always and always wanted to try the HD650. They would cost me around £275 given the current exchange rate , thats about $432. 
Where as the HE-400 is $399 + $10 Velour Pads + $17.50 for shipping = $426.50 = £272
(however it seems on other UK websites selling these they sell for £395?! Whats going on?)
So their about the same price point, not sure how they are in the states?

I'm not to sure about whats the hype with 'Planar-Magnetic' headphones either, whats so good about them?

Also how do the headphones compare in soundstage etc (I like having a bigger soundstage)?


Im also using my M-Stage to drive these with the E17 as the DAC, would they be fine?


 

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mikesin said:

Haha I wish I could

, the thing is (like always) since I want to try both of them out now, say once I get 'x' I will always have in my mind to try 'y' out..
Unsure which to choose as I've always and always wanted to try the HD650. They would cost me around £275 given the current exchange rate , thats about $432. 
Where as the HE-400 is $399 + $10 Velour Pads + $17.50 for shipping = $426.50 = £272
(however it seems on other UK websites selling these they sell for £395?! Whats going on?)
So their about the same price point, not sure how they are in the states?

I'm not to sure about whats the hype with 'Planar-Magnetic' headphones either, whats so good about them?

Also how do the headphones compare in soundstage etc (I like having a bigger soundstage)?


Im also using my M-Stage to drive these with the E17 as the DAC, would they be fine?


 

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It's not hype, it's just an entirely different driver type that by design have many better sound characteristics / technicalities. Instead of having a relatively thick dome-shaped diaphragm sitting on a current-carrying voice-coil all on top of a round magnet, with planar drivers, you have a MUCH thinner totally flat and usually larger stretched diaphragm membrane with very thin metallic metal tracing adhered onto both sides, and the whole membrane is sandwiched between two sets of magnets, one set per side, that form isodynamic magnetic fields with the tracings on the membrane when current passes through.
 
The fact that the planar diaphragm membrane is significantly thinner, as well as larger in size, and is perfectly flat rather than a complex dome shape, means much higher quality bass / lower mids (more air being moved by less solid material), much less distortion (due to the uniformity of waves being produced by the flat membrane), better instrument separation (again, same mechanical principles), amongst some other things.
 
A main disadvantage used to be that they (large membrane planar headphones) are very inefficient, but HE400 really mitigated that.

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jerg said:

 
It's not hype, it's just an entirely different driver type that by design produces better sound quality. Instead of having a relatively thick dome-shaped diaphragm sitting on a current-carrying voice-coil all on top of a round magnet, with planar drivers, you have a MUCH thinner totally flat and usually larger stretched diaphragm membrane with very thin metallic metal tracing adhered onto both sides, and the whole membrane is sandwiched between two sets of magnets, one set per side, that form isodynamic magnetic fields with the tracings on the membrane when current passes through.
 
The fact that the planar diaphragm membrane is significantly thinner, as well as larger in size, and is perfectly flat rather than a complex dome shape, means much higher quality bass / lower mids (more air being moved by less solid material), much less distortion (due to the uniformity of waves being produced by the flat membrane), better instrument separation (again, same mechanical principles), amongst some other things.
 
A main disadvantage used to be that they (large membrane planar headphones) are very inefficient, but HE400 really mitigated that.

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Oh I don't know that "by design they produce better sound."  There's plenty of great sounding dynamics.  TH900, HD800, etc.  HD800 has a ring radiator but it's still a dynamic under the hood.  Most very nice loudspeakers are still dynamics for that matter.  Planars are a different design that produce a different sound.  A good sound.  Usually with less soundstage.  But I wouldn't write it off as better by design.  I'd simply say a well implemented one can produce very good sound that tends to have certain characteristics. 

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iemcrazy said:

Oh I don't know that "by design they produce better sound."  There's plenty of great sounding dynamics.  TH900, HD800, etc.  HD800 has a ring radiator but it's still a dynamic under the hood.  Most very nice loudspeakers are still dynamics for that matter.  Planars are a different design that produce a different sound.  A good sound.  Usually with less soundstage.  But I wouldn't write it off as better by design.  I'd simply say a well implemented one can produce very good sound that tends to have certain characteristics. 

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Yeah I was contemplating in editing that wording lol, "sound quality" is not the right semantic, I meant sound characteristics / technicalities.

I'm currently on my second pair of HD650s.  Bought them back in 2009, paired them with some Audio-GD stuff, which I turned out to dislike strongly, and I think that influenced my opinion of them.  Fast forward to Oct. 2011, I repurchased the HD650 from Amazon.  Was enjoying them with a PS Audio GCHA amp, but received a Schiit Lyr last week.  I'm really hearing a fantastic difference in this headphones now (I have more impressions written in the Lyr thread).  This topic interests me, because I'm lining up some higher end headphones to audition (T1's are arriving tomorrow, then after that I have the HE-500 and HE-6 lined up).  The problem is that if I end up buying one of those expensive cans, I will without a doubt have to sell my HD650s, and right now, quite frankly I'm in love with them again.  The Lyr with the HD650 is just pure magic.  So the reason I'm interested is because maybe if the HD650 stand the test of time through all these auditions I have coming up, I may opt to just keep the HD650s and go for the HE-400s or HE-500.

HE-400 are steal for their price and unless you already own gear proven to be excellent match for HD650 i would avoid them. Unfortunately i learned that lesson the hard way

So is the Matrix M Stage a 'good match' with the HD650?
 

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mikesin said:

So is the Matrix M Stage a 'good match' with the HD650?
 

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They sound decent with the M-stage, but very dark. I love a tube/tube hybrid with the 650s. To my ears they sound the best out of the Lyr or the EF-5. If you do go with the M-stage I would definitely change the OP amp from the [size=x-small]OPA2134[/size] to the OPA637AP or the LM4562 it slightly improves the darkness of the M-stage and is easy and cheap to do.

You should read my signature , I already have the Matrix MStage, driving my AKG K702 IMO fine, my M-Stage is using OPA627AU, which is said to be very good anyway.. Also I do have the LM4562 too but thats in my PC soundcard that I use to use before I had all this equipment. So I could swap around and see how it is, just when ever I feel the need or have the time to do so.

And it seems like I will be leaning towards the HD650 then. as I do want a casual all-round type of headphone where it excels in all types of music, whilst from what I have read will make bad recordings sound for more forgiving and enjoyable than my K702's (although I very much enjoy how the K702 sound, just that I want something new). 

 
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fearless1 said:

They sound decent with the M-stage, but very dark. I love a tube/tube hybrid with the 650s. To my ears they sound the best out of the Lyr or the EF-5. If you do go with the M-stage I would definitely change the OP amp from the [size=x-small]OPA2134[/size] to the OPA637AP or the LM4562 it slightly improves the darkness of the M-stage and is easy and cheap to do.

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mikesin said:

You should read my signature 

, I already have the Matrix MStage, driving my AKG K702 IMO fine, my M-Stage is using OPA627AU, which is said to be very good anyway.. Also I do have the LM4562 too but thats in my PC soundcard that I use to use before I had all this equipment. So I could swap around and see how it is, just when ever I feel the need or have the time to do so.

And it seems like I will be leaning towards the HD650 then. as I do want a casual all-round type of headphone where it excels in all types of music, whilst from what I have read will make bad recordings sound for more forgiving and enjoyable than my K702's (although I very much enjoy how the K702 sound, just that I want something new). 

 

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I read up to the Beats Studio then lost interest.(J/K)  Seriously though, to my ears, the HE-400 is much better off of the M-stage then the 650.

LOL! I don't know what actually made me get the Studios , just something different.. I guess although the price was not too far off from the HD650 now either thinking back .. (The studios are literally never used either )

Anyway, the decision is hard ..if I get the HE-400, I will still always 'wonder' how the HD650 sound.. which has a greater soundstage? Depth/Width (3D)?
Also what cost you more the HE400 or 650?
 
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fearless1 said:

 
I read up to the Beats Studio then lost interest.(J/K)  Seriously though, to my ears, the HE-400 is much better off of the M-stage then the 650.

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