[hemipowered007]

i always thought thats what the dt880 would sound like. But brighter? or am i wrong by the impressions ive read id think the 880 would be brighter or harsher in the treble than the he4

 

[Sorrodje]

  the differance in te dt 880 and HE 4 is the sub bass and imagining/sound stage

 
 
I found the HE-4 brings more transparency & fastness to the table too.  My HE-4 is close to be sold but I'll never forget I really thought to sell my HD800 when I discovered this "hidden Hifiman". Its only flaw is only a bit tizziness in the treble.

HD800 is definitely a better headphone. More refined , better imaging , better bass , fat better mids & better/more refined treble. But IMO the HE-4 is really a very good substitute for a far lower price and definitely a far better headphone thant the HE-400. I wrote a complete review of this HE-4 for a french website.
 
For amp : I had good results ( really good not only listenable) with a jdslabs O2 or a Schitt Vali but the best match was with my old MG Head that's a more powerful tube amp. Really impressive beacause the HE-4 seems to appreciate the added warmth & body provided by thy amp and keep transparency & fastness with less edginess. Great result. The amp really added some meat on the bones. 

 

[Ron12]

   
 
I found the HE-4 brings more transparency & fastness to the table too.  My HE-4 is close to be sold but I'll never forget I really thought to sell my HD800 when I discovered this "hidden Hifiman". Its only flaw is only a bit tizziness in the treble.

HD800 is definitely a better headphone. More refined , better imaging , better bass , fat better mids & better/more refined treble. But IMO the HE-4 is really a very good substitute for a far lower price and definitely a far better headphone thant the HE-400. I wrote a complete review of this HE-4 for a french website.
 
For amp : I had good results ( really good not only listenable) with a jdslabs O2 or a Schitt Vali but the best match was with my old MG Head that's a more powerful tube amp. Really impressive beacause the HE-4 seems to appreciate the added warmth & body provided by thy amp and keep transparency & fastness with less edginess. Great result. The amp really added some meat on the bones. 

 
I hope you will send me the phones soon...

 I am gonna mod them as soon as I receive them to tame the treble. It's completely doable I am sure of that.
 
I ordered a pair of new Hifiman velour pads... Is it any problem to mount them on HE-4s? I am not sure whether the HE-4 use the old or new mounting system...

 

[Thujone]

The really old HE-4's had a different pad system but the new pairs are the same as the HE-400/500.

 

[Sorrodje]

   
I hope you will send me the phones soon...

 
If I can leave my job soon enough, your HE-4 will be posted today
 
Give this HE-4 a few weeks of listeninf before doing any mod. I think a brain burn in is definitely enough to get used to this slightly edgy treble.
 
Good Idea for the new pads. the old ones are a bit stiff and mine are 3 years old so they're in very good condition and fully usable but they're obviously not new anymore.

 

[Ron12]

  The really old HE-4's had a different pad system but the new pairs are the same as the HE-400/500.

 
Thank you for informing me... I am not really sure how old the Sorrodje's pair is but nevermind - I will do it somehow.
 
Btw, is there any useful tutorial how to mount pads from different brands? People are talking about trying the Alpha pads, Beyer or Denon pads... What do you use/need in order to mount them onto Hifiman headphones?

 

[Ron12]

   
If I can leave my job soon enough, your HE-4 will be posted today
 
Give this HE-4 a few weeks of listeninf before doing any mod. I think a brain burn in is definitely enough to get used to this slightly edgy treble.
 
Good Idea for the new pads. the old ones are a bit stiff and mine are 3 years old so they're in very good condition and fully usable but they're obviously not new anymore.

 

 

[Thujone]

   
Thank you for informing me... I am not really sure how old the Sorrodje's pair is but nevermind - I will do it somehow.
 
Btw, is there any useful tutorial how to mount pads from different brands? People are talking about trying the Alpha pads, Beyer or Denon pads... What do you use/need in order to mount them onto Hifiman headphones?

No problem. All you gotta do is put the pad you want on the mounting ring and clip them on the same way. You'll understand it when you see it.

 

[Ron12]

  No problem. All you gotta do is put the pad you want on the mounting ring and clip them on the same way. You'll understand it when you see it.

 
Thanks, I didnt know its that straightforward...

 

[Sorrodje]

  i always thought thats what the dt880 would sound like. But brighter? or am i wrong by the impressions ive read id think the 880 would be brighter or harsher in the treble than the he4

 
IMO and IME ( I had the DT880 & the HE-4 at the same time) they're are equal .. none of them are really "bright" like grados or a T90 for example. both DT880 & HE-4 have a treble peak that produces some tizzyness. some ears are very sensitve to these peaks , some not.
 
 
My 0,02.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

My biggest gripe with the dt880 was they felt sterile and lifeless. Soundstage was lacking and instruments felt congested. The HE4 to me is a clear step up, although the dt880 felt more alive out of the AUDIO-GD it still wasn't as engaging to me.

 

[Sorrodje]

My main concern with the DT880 si the overall feeling that someone plays with a sheet of aluminum foil while I'm listening to music.  There's something of a slight metallic veil in the DT880 Sound.
 
I don"t known if my explanation is undestandable in english.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

There's something of a slight metallic veil in the DT880 Sound.

I don"t known if my explanation is undestandable in english.

That's one way to describe it.

 

[Makiah S]

   
 
I found the HE-4 brings more transparency & fastness to the table too.  My HE-4 is close to be sold but I'll never forget I really thought to sell my HD800 when I discovered this "hidden Hifiman". Its only flaw is only a bit tizziness in the treble.

HD800 is definitely a better headphone. More refined , better imaging , better bass , fat better mids & better/more refined treble. But IMO the HE-4 is really a very good substitute for a far lower price and definitely a far better headphone thant the HE-400. I wrote a complete review of this HE-4 for a french website.
 
For amp : I had good results ( really good not only listenable) with a jdslabs O2 or a Schitt Vali but the best match was with my old MG Head that's a more powerful tube amp. Really impressive beacause the HE-4 seems to appreciate the added warmth & body provided by thy amp and keep transparency & fastness with less edginess. Great result. The amp really added some meat on the bones. 

+1
 

   
IMO and IME ( I had the DT880 & the HE-4 at the same time) they're are equal .. none of them are really "bright" like grados or a T90 for example. both DT880 & HE-4 have a treble peak that produces some tizzyness. some ears are very sensitve to these peaks , some not.
 
 
My 0,02.

 
+1

My biggest gripe with the dt880 was they felt sterile and lifeless. Soundstage was lacking and instruments felt congested. The HE4 to me is a clear step up, although the dt880 felt more alive out of the AUDIO-GD it still wasn't as engaging to me.

All good points I loved the DT 880 but yea it's sound stage wasn't congested but not as defined as it could b, my W1000x [which is still fed by single end amps] had better soundstage and imaging than the DT 880, it wasn't as wide but it was deeper and the spaceing was better, the HE 4 ofc takes the cake 
 
but yea treble wise the two where simmilar, sadly though the DT 880 didn't and couldn't match the sub bass speed and tactility of the HE 4, mids are better on the DT 880 as well, as I do prefer a slighty sterile sound, or rather, I'll take incresaed clarity and soundstage definition over warmer mids. As MUCH as I LOVED the vali, the sound stage was lacking when compred to my Solid States, and the HM 801 is a very magical dap, very warm but it has a great sound stage, good depth and seperation and it sounds glorious with the he 4 [or rather the with the HE 4 and the iBasso Pb2 +LME 49990 op amps] 
 
speaking of which for any one who's needing a portable amp, the HE 4 is very lovely with the pb2, 
 
ofc the irony is my HE 4 has DT 880 Pads and a Head Band xD, so while beyer got the comfort just right, Hifiman got the sound perfect... but the modular beyer parts work nicely on the HE 4, plus I like the contrast of the white pads again'st the black [soon to be redish brown wood] cups

 

[Ron12]

DT880 produce very nice bass and mids for the price... but their low to mid treble balance is very very off. And the overall timbre is for sure quite metallic.