[Mad Lust Envy]

Just look at something like Innerfidelity's graphs on Panars. Volate swings and output impednace don't do much if anything to affect them, compared to Dynamic headphones. I thought this was general knowledge.

 

[Rhamnetin]

How closed-in does the HE-400i sound compared to the HE-500 or Sennheiser HD 650?  Huge difference?

 

[MattTCG]

  How closed-in does the HE-400i sound compared to the HE-500 or Sennheiser HD 650?  Huge difference?

 
In general, the he500 and hd650 to a lesser extent will sound more open and present a larger soundstage overall. This will vary somewhat depending on what pads you have on the 400i. The smaller Focus pad will give off the smallest sound stage whereas the Focus-A will offer better staging and space. 

 

[torta]

  The smaller Focus pad will give off the smallest sound stage whereas the Focus-A will offer better staging and space. 

Hm, which does come with 400i? Are differences big?

 

[MattTCG]

  Hm, which does come with 400i? Are differences big?

 
Big? No. Noticeable? To me, yes.  I believe that all units are now shipping with Focus A pads with the Focus pads an optional purchase.

 

[Ekul61]

How closed-in does the HE-400i sound compared to the HE-500 or Sennheiser HD 650?  Huge difference?

do you like the 650 as much as the400i

 

[money4me247]

 
Big? No. Noticeable? To me, yes.  I believe that all units are now shipping with Focus A pads with the Focus pads an optional purchase.

how do you tell the difference between the two pads?

 

[bgnt44]

Just received it.. Really amazing ..
Playing various genre with fiio x5 and woo factor happen quite soon ...

Just notice something with pop song mostly.. snare are a bit proheminent and take my attention over vocals .. just think its a bit too much

Dont know if i need to blame the headphone or my mind but i ll see ... or maybe the amp is not powerfull enought so the emphase is even more on high mids. ..

Overall its really revealing and i if the mastering is not good you can definitly tell . some easy listening pop are really flat and not defined and i guess they are to blame . some other as too much u shaped i was surprise how different some good materials sound compared to others

 

[q2klepto]

I'm about to sell my HE-400s for a decent price but I'm not sure i can justify dropping ~$900US on a headphones (yet). I always thought id go for the HE-560, but now kind of having second thoughts. 
 
I've been finding myself toning down the bass more and more lately and looking for a more neutral sound, but i do like boosting the sub 110hz range by about 4db on the 400s for hip/pop/edm
 
Thinking about the 400i's now - how well does it handle non-edm/pop music? Say OSTs or orchestral? Or even pop music thats not overly synthesized and have good vocals (something like Adele)? Would you tame the bass by a couple dbs to get more of a 560 sound? 

 

[Ekul61]

I'm about to sell my HE-400s for a decent price but I'm not sure i can justify dropping ~$900US on a headphones (yet). I always thought id go for the HE-560, but now kind of having second thoughts. 

I've been finding myself toning down the bass more and more lately and looking for a more neutral sound, but i do like boosting the sub 110hz range by about 4db on the 400s for hip/pop/edm

Thinking about the 400i's now - how well does it handle non-edm/pop music? Say OSTs or orchestral? Or even pop music thats not overly synthesized and have good vocals (something like Adele)? Would you tame the bass by a couple dbs to get more of a 560 sound? 

you will never lower the 400i bass.. andwill be disappointed with them untill you get use to the sound compared ro rhe 400

 

[bgnt44]

   
Thinking about the 400i's now - how well does it handle non-edm/pop music? Say OSTs or orchestral? Or even pop music thats not overly synthesized and have good vocals (something like Adele)? Would you tame the bass by a couple dbs to get more of a 560 sound? 

Cant tell versus he-400 but vs Q701 its more balanced and i can listen louder without getting harsh sound from Adele high notes ...and with a very good precision in the voice which is so pleasing to hear .. 
 
Edit : i dont wanna say q701 is harsh but to get good lower mid and bass need a bit more volume so treble got a bit too much juice

 

[manbear]

Mad Lust Envy, can you elaborate? Are you saying planarmagnetics have different damping characteristics? Any evidence? Thanks!

Planars have a flat impedance that doesn't vary with frequency. Unlike dynamic headphones which have an impedance that changes with respect to frequency.

The output impedance of an amp forms a voltage divider with the impedance of the headphones. If headphone impedance changes with frequency, you get a different voltage divider at different frequencies, changing the headphones loudness at different frequencies. The 1/8 rule makes these changes small enough that they can't be heard, but there is no change in the voltage divider with Planars so it makes no difference.

 

[q2klepto]

you will never lower the 400i bass.. andwill be disappointed with them untill you get use to the sound compared o rhe 400

How well do the 400i's take to EQing? Is it possible to approach 400 bass with something like +6db < 110hz? 
 
Another reason im looking to upgrade is that this generation are much more comfortable and lighter
 
I hear the bass quantity on the 560s are even less than the 400i's and ppl compare the 560s against the HD800s all the time  

 

[marhol]

Planars have a flat impedance that doesn't vary with frequency. Unlike dynamic headphones which have an impedance that changes with respect to frequency.

The output impedance of an amp forms a voltage divider with the impedance of the headphones. If headphone impedance changes with frequency, you get a different voltage divider at different frequencies, changing the headphones loudness at different frequencies. The 1/8 rule makes these changes small enough that they can't be heard, but there is no change in the voltage divider with Planars so it makes no difference.

 

Just look at something like Innerfidelity's graphs on Panars. Volate swings and output impednace don't do much if anything to affect them, compared to Dynamic headphones. I thought this was general knowledge.

OK guys, thanks for information ! I didn´t know there is also that kind of difference between planar and dynamic headphones.  Regarding the topic, I´ve found this thread:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/617902/effects-of-damping-factor-on-planar-magnetics-orthodynamics , if anybody interested in further clarifications.

 

[torta]

  How well do the 400i's take to EQing? Is it possible to approach 400 bass with something like +6db < 110hz? 

It is, but results are not so good. The bass becomes loose and boombastic