[Thujone]

(glad to see this thread bumped btw, it's what started me in the journey thay literally turned into so much money spent and my wallet getting crushed)

 
Glad I could help

 

[Haris Javed]

(glad to see this thread bumped btw, it's what started me in the journey thay literally turned into so much money spent and my wallet getting crushed)

So... you like the he4 now. Right?

Yes, absolutely. The Soundstage alone is amazing on the HE-4, and that is not the only thing. I picked up my HE-4 pair for 150$ on Craigslist.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  Yes, absolutely. The Soundstage alone is amazing on the HE-4, and that is not the only thing. I picked up my HE-4 pair for 150$ on Craigslist.

That's one helluva way to find an HE4. They're hard to find here for sale, how you found one on CL I have no idea. Lol

 

[Akemi Homura]

Thats quite interesting.... though I got mine unboxed for 350US $ at here in South Korea and also a very early production model Now I'm having a war between choosing between the Lyr2 or the Ember. Though the Lyr seems to be much more durable.....

 

[Fegefeuer]

I found a very well kept HE-4 (minor aesthetic damage on the headband) and listened to it with the Hifiman angled Velpads.

This is a very interesting headphone and everything has actually been said but still:. Excluding the odd treble this is actually a really nice headphone. Fast, well extended, punchy, nice separation and impact. Less body than the HE-500 overall and less of that phat bass. However cleaner throughout and technically better bass. Tonally of course a matter of taste as I like the HE-500's phatter bass. I agree with the OP in the ratings. Also a reason I could never love the HE-400. The midrange was just too weird and the treble is even worse than the HE-4.

If only the soundstage had more depth as the width is quite nice. Overall still a very competent headphone.

 

[bagwell359]

I haven't heard the HE-4 or HE-5, but have heard the HE5-LE. I suspect they share the family trait of lithe but potent bass, midrange purity, and zippy high end. If you like a coherent top to bottom sound, these aren't for you. The HE-6 is the first can that HFM got close to the mark, although unmodded the highs are a bit intense, but it's said by those that know to be maybe be the best headphone from 2010-2015 available.

I do think the HE-500 is a de-tuned HE-6 (less fancy metal in the traces, probably weaker magnet). If you have an iron fist bass amp all that phat stuff gets tuned into the soundscape much better, then all you have to deal with is lack of under 35 Hz bass, recessed upper mids/low treble, and a fairly benign zip in the 8-10kHz range (less irritating than other HFM cans named here, and more modern HFM cans that probably do not need to be named).

 

[raxx]

I found a very well kept HE-4 (minor aesthetic damage on the headband) and listened to it with the Hifiman angled Velpads.

This is a very interesting headphone and everything has actually been said but still:. Excluding the odd treble this is actually a really nice headphone. Fast, well extended, punchy, nice separation and impact. Less body than the HE-500 overall and less of that phat bass. However cleaner throughout and technically better bass. Tonally of course a matter of taste as I like the HE-500's phatter bass. I agree with the OP in the ratings. Also a reason I could never love the HE-400. The midrange was just too weird and the treble is even worse than the HE-4.

If only the soundstage had more depth as the width is quite nice. Overall still a very competent headphone.

When do you hear his odd treble? I have had these headphones for 4 years and they sound great.