Headphones within $400-$500

Are you wanting to include the AMP and/or a DAC within the budget? The HE-400 is an amazing headphone. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy Muffinz 

hey KCxSmaker ^_^ 

 

yeah that's the go :). im thinking of a Fiio E7 or E11, but im open to any suggestions :)

 

im not sure whether i should get the 702's from amazon for $274 or spend a bit more for the HE-400's.. id like to get your opinion, is it worth the extra $100+

 

if it ends up that i just get enough money from Christmas to pay for the HE-400's but unable to buy an amp, would the Headphones be okay without an amp for the time being.?

 

I can see from your ''Headphone Inventory'' that you own the Denon AHD5000's and the HE-400's, by curiosity what headphones do you prefer, i know that the 5000's are closed so it's probably an unfair comparison but i did consider to buy the 5000's a while back.

 

what do you think of the HE-400's over all :) 

 

thank you for helping me out KCxSmacker, i really appreciate it.   

I have only heard the 702s once, and not for very long. I can say I feel the HE-400 sounds better overall. I like a punchy bass with the smooth and sexy mids. The He-400s are Ortho headphones so they are very fast headphones. They also LOVE lots of current. So the more you get from an amp the better.

That being said I ran my he-400s out of my pc for the first month I had them and worked fine. The fiio e11 is a great little amp. The e7 is decent but the new e17 is much better IMO. The e17 will save you money if you feel you will be buying a DAC later down the road. Personally I dont use more then an amp when on the go. ( I'm assuming you want mobility as you was a detachable cable and your selection of amps are both mobile). If you want something more for the desktop then the e10 is an amazing all in one dac/amp for the price.

That brings up another thing however. Are you using this for mobile use? they dont block any sound to and from the headphone. If they are for inside use then again, I would suggest the e10.

The HE-400s also scale VERY well with upgraded equipment so if you ever decide to upgrade on the amp/dac later they will keep sounding better. 

A few negatives I could see people having with the he-400 is their size and weight. These headphones feel very tanky. They are heavy and feel they could withstand the test of time. This however causes lots weight which makes them heavy and somewhat uncomfortable. There is a fix to this which I recently posted a thread on : http://www.head-fi.org/t/635480/simple-but-successful-mod-on-he-400s Its a very easy mod and also helps if you have a small head. The extra padding will help to tighten the fit on them.

The other negative are the ear pads. They come default with a set of leather ear pads. These really heat up your ears. The Velour pads that you can order from moon audio are almost a must. They seem to help with soundstage and decrease heat on your ears. They are very comfy too. 

So while I feel these headphones are much better then the 702s, I feel they need a few upgrades ( at least the velour pads. They headband may be just fine for you.)

Last but not least, there was a recall on one rev. of their headphones. They are out of circulation now and have been for a while now, but depending on who you order from you might end up with one. Just check with your dealer to make sure its the right headphone rev. 

Just woke up so sorry for any grammer problems ^_^.  I will be on and off most of they day during classes so I can respond here and there. Hope I helped. 

Cheers

edit: Also the JDS labs O2 amp is a GREAT amp suggestion as well that could power the he-400s really well. 

Oh I forgot to tell you about the denon d5ks. Those and the HE-400 are my top two headphones that I use all the time. Their sounds is somewhat similar. The Denons are actually semi open, as they dont really isolate sound or keep the sound inside the cups. They do more so then say the 400s obviously but compared to most closed headphones they are pretty open. I still prefer the denons for most bass heavy sounds, but for most other music I use my he-400s. My mad dogs are probably my 3rd most used headphone.

cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy Muffinz 

thank you for going out of your way to help me ^_^

you've told me some vital information and ill definitely consider the Mod for the HE-400's.

 

Yes, you are right. i do want mobility because i won't be on the computer all day long, if im not on the computer ill be in my room or just chilling around the house but i would like to take it with me and listen to them in the car when our family goes to the Blue Mountains to visit our grandparents.

 

Im contemplating on whether to get the HE-300's for cheaper [$269] and get the E17's or get the HE-400's and get the E11's ( or i could just wait and save up and get the E17's)

 

Im not an Audiofile so spending $399-$419 on a pair of headphones [not including an amp]  is a leap of faith on my part, but if there's a major difference in between them ill consider it. 

 

i won't consider the AHD5000's because there more expensive and it's harder to get your hands on a pair these days.  

 

but i have considered the Sennheiser HD650's but from what iv read you need a powerful amp/dac to get the most out of it, and that could be to one extreme to the other.

 

About the AKG K702's my friend recommended me to get a pair of HiFiMAN headphones over the 702's because the 702's are mainly for ppl who listen to allot of techno/trance/dub step and all that however the HiFiMAN headphones would suit me more because i listen to a wider range of music.. please don't quote me on all that, that's coming from my friend who hasn't even listened to the 702's but he does know a bit about headphones. 

 

thanks for helping me out again  ^_^ 

you've helped me allot!

Well the HE-400s have a great bass sound signature. If you like a nice bass in your music you will love the heck out of these headphones. The mids are smooth and highs are good too. Some say they cant pick out sounds as well with them, but I feel they are great all arounders for most genres. 

I would not get the HE-300. They are not orthos like the 400s and I feel the extra money spent on the 400s would be wise. These headphones block almost no outside noise and it sounds like a very small speaker if someone is next to you. If you are ok with that then you should be fine.

HD650 is a GREAT headphone. They do like a powerful amp/dac like you said. I also feel the HE-400 has a warming more welcoming sound that I feel someone like you would enjoy.

Another suggestion could maybe be the Mad Dog modded Fostex done by Mr. Speakers. They are WAY more neutral and sound great for a 300 dollar pair of orthos. They still need a nice amp and are closed back so they could be used in more situations. If you search head-fi you will find many articles on them. AND the he-400s for that matter if you want more information on them.

HE-400: http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifiman-he-400/reviews

Mad Dogs: http://www.head-fi.org/t/613576/mad-dog-by-mrspeakers-modified-fostex-t50rp-review

some other threads that are helpful :

http://www.head-fi.org/t/529144/recommendations-thread-i-e-dont-start-a-new-thread-ask-for-advice-here-please-read-op

http://www.head-fi.org/t/629768/hd650-vs-he-400-vs-ah-d5000-vs-mad-dogs-t50rp-reviewed

For rock/metal aggressive type stuff, problem HE-400, or Grado RS2i 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy Muffinz 

well i guess the HE-400's is the G.O then, right.? haha ^_^ 

 

the one thing i don't like about them is that they don't come with much accessories at all..so it'll probably turn out that i only just have enough money to buy the HE-400's, the velor ear pads and a carry bag coz i won't be able to sleep with them not having a case haha. 

 

what's the difference between dynamic and orthodynamic headphones.? 

 

is this case the 300's and the 400's :)

Many advice new head-fiers to start small and build up, just saying. Anyways the orthos and the dynamics are just different kind of drivers, neither are per definition better than the other, they ae just different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy Muffinz 

yeah your right. haha. im starting to run out of things to say. 

 

im still considering the 702's..

 

So if anyone owns a pair of AKG K702's, id really like to know what you think of them. 

 

what's everyone's opinion on the Sennheiser Momentum.? my first impression of them was they look pretty sick, but i didn't expect them to be over $400, so can anyone compare them with the HE-400's.?

I would not consider the Momentums. They are decent but most are just not to impressed. 702s are still an option, just depends if you want a brighter (702) or darker sound (HE-400). As for Ortho vs Dynamic I would say they are just different technologies. I do feel orthos are usually much faster. Of the headphones I own I feel I like my orthos better... so far until I buy more ^_~

I would say +1 on the he400. It's just a fantastic all rounder and good for your musical genre. Plus it's easy to amp. Just make sure that you order the $10 velours to go with it...they are mandatory. 

Heya,

I would put you on:

Hifiman HE-400

Beyer DT880

Ultrasone HFI 2400

AudioTechnica A900X

Mr Speaker's Mad Dogs

Fiio E17 would be a great way to get it all in one little package.

Very best,