Fostex T50RP(LFF's Paradox) or Hifiman HE-400

Interested in this too.
Also interested in a comparison with MrSpeakers Mad Dog's as well

Someone sent me a pair of their Paradox headphones. 

In all honesty, they sounded great. I might be buying a pair soon. They are fun sounding headphones. 

I also like the HE-400's though.

I read that LFF was making custom headphones now with re-cables and paint jobs.

That's something you can't get with the HE-400's..

Do you want to spend $75 or $400?

Ok.

$75:T50RP

$400:HE-400,HD650,HE-300,DT880 and a million other headphones. They're REALLY not comparable. Here's my opinion though: get HE-300s & a good amp. Its probably not a popular opinion but honestly, I prefer the HE-300 to the HE-400.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vese 

Do you want to spend $75 or $400?

Ok.

$75:T50RP

$400:HE-400,HD650,HE-300,DT880 and a million other headphones. They're REALLY not comparable. Here's my opinion though: get HE-300s & a good amp. Its probably not a popular opinion but honestly, I prefer the HE-300 to the HE-400.

That's not really what the OP was asking.

But yeah, I'd be curious as to this question too. That and a comparison with the Mad Dogs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeroicPenguin 

 

That's not really what the OP was asking.

 

But yeah, I'd be curious as to this question too. That and a comparison with the Mad Dogs.

It really is what he is asking. You can't compare an unmodded $75 headphone to any of the listed ones around $400. Maybe if we were talking thunderpants it would be a different story...

Quote:

Originally Posted by vese 

It really is what he is asking. You can't compare an unmodded $75 headphone to any of the listed ones around $400. Maybe if we were talking thunderpants it would be a different story...

He was talking about LFF's Paradox modded T50's.

Not stock $75 T50's...

LFF's Paradox run: $350+

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwnm30rdi3 

 

He was talking about LFF's Paradox modded T50's.

Not stock $75 T50's...

 

LFF's Paradox run: $350+

Im dumb. I've never heard of LFF's paradox headphones, are they relatively new? Im recently coming back to head-fi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vese 

Do you want to spend $75 or $400?

Ok.

$75:T50RP

$400:HE-400,HD650,HE-300,DT880 and a million other headphones. They're REALLY not comparable. Here's my opinion though: get HE-300s & a good amp. Its probably not a popular opinion but honestly, I prefer the HE-300 to the HE-400.

I have the HE400s, and had the HE300s for about a week before giving it as a gift for my dad. Honestly there is a TREMENDOUS difference in audio fidelity going from HE300s to 400s. If I were to hear these cans in a blind test, I'd easily say the 400s are headphones that are worth double if not triple the price of the 300s (not to say the 300s are bad, if they are I would not have bought em for my dad, they just aren't nearly up to par to the 400s).

In relative terms:

300 bass is more bloated, with significantly less texture/growl, and extends less well

300's mids are rougher, with less mids detail, and worse timbre

300's imaging are much much worse (in separation and in 3D positioning), there's a huge discrepency here between the two headphone driver techs

300's treble is wildly less smooth and extends much much less than the 400's, also there's a mid-treble peak that is utterly absent in the 400's

On its own I quite like the 300's signature and voicing, it is probably one of the best $250 headphones you can get; but it is just so not close to how the HE400s perform man. Note that both are with velour pads when I compare tested them, the 300's had silver cable while the 400's had black canare cable (though swapping them made 0 difference).

This purchase and comparison made me realize just how much of a steal the 400's are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vese 

Im dumb. I've never heard of LFF's paradox headphones, are they relatively new? Im recently coming back to head-fi.

They're T50RPs modified by a head-fi member (LFF). Have heard amazing things about them and how absolutely uncolored they are, allowing for audio files to be listened to exactly as is and in great detail. Finally bit and am sending my own set to be customized by him. Definitely looking forward to hearing them for myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerg 

 

I have the HE400s, and had the HE300s for about a week before giving it as a gift for my dad. Honestly there is a TREMENDOUS difference in audio fidelity going from HE300s to 400s. If I were to hear these cans in a blind test, I'd easily say the 400s are headphones that are worth double if not triple the price of the 300s (not to say the 300s are bad, if they are I would not have bought em for my dad, they just aren't nearly up to par to the 400s).

 

In relative terms:

 

300 bass is more bloated, with significantly less texture/growl, and extends less well

300's mids are rougher, with less mids detail, and worse timbre

300's imaging are much much worse (in separation and in 3D positioning), there's a huge discrepency here between the two headphone driver techs

300's treble is wildly less smooth and extends much much less than the 400's, also there's a mid-treble peak that is utterly absent in the 400's

 

Very, very true.

Now, I have a question for the original poster of this thread.  Do you feel that you can use "open" headphones such as the HE-400s without disturbing others around you?  Usually, quite a few people can't use an open headphone, because others around them will get bothered by having to hear the sound, too.  If that's the case, then consider the Paradox since it is a closed headphone and will allow you to listen without bothering others.  But, if you have an area where you listen and others are not around, then consider the HE-400.