[jfindon]

Ok, so maybe I should still just look at the Asgard and O2...  I'm reading about how neutral the O2 is, what is the Asgard's signature like in comparison?  I still don't even really know the differences between different sound signatures so I'm not really sure why I'm asking or even what I prefer.  I guess that's not a good thing when you're trying to buy amps and DACs.
 
Chances are, I won't be able to tell any differences at this stage in my experience level anyway.
 

 

[MattTCG]

You might start with the e17 and buy a more expensive amp/dac later. I have both. I like to use the e17 in the bedroom and for portable use. It would also give you more time to research/educate so that you'll be ready to make a good choice later.
 
gL!!

 

[MickeyVee]

x2.. The E17 is a good place to start with the HE400 and give you time to move up if you wish to do so.  In the mean time, you will surely enjoy the combo.
Quote:

You might start with the e17 and buy a more expensive amp/dac later. I have both. I like to use the e17 in the bedroom and for portable use. It would also give you more time to research/educate so that you'll be ready to make a good choice later.
 
gL!!

 

[musicinmymind]

Quote:

For me, the he400 is warm enough without tubes. I have had several rigs set up as solid state that have worked very well. The best setup so far has been the Asgard plus Bifrost. But this headphone also only looses about 10% going all the way down to the e17. I just can't hear any more difference than that. Possibly because the he400 is an efficient hp and amps so easy. 
 
Now, I can certainly hear a nice difference. The sound stage and instrument separation becomes instantly clearer. The bass goes from slightly muddy to wonderfully textured with impact. So, maybe after thinking about it more, I'll call it a 15% improvement. 

[size=medium]So, right now I have E17….climbing up would cost 400+ $ for 15% improvement….I am not game for it....[/size]

 

[wje]

Quote:

[size=medium]So, right now I have E17….climbing up would cost 400+ $ for 15% improvement….I am not game for it....[/size]

 
Why?  Some people drop thousands of dollars for just a 5% improvement. 

  

 

[musicinmymind]

Quote:

Quote:

[size=medium]So, right now I have E17….climbing up would cost 400+ $ for 15% improvement….I am not game for it....[/size]

 
Why?  Some people drop thousands of dollars for just a 5% improvement. 

  

 
Head-fi is slippery slope

 

[TMRaven]

You could just get the O2.  Around the same price as the E17 and definitely enough power to satisfy a planar magnetic like the HE-400.

 

[musicinmymind]

Quote:

You could just get the O2.  Around the same price as the E17 and definitely enough power to satisfy a planar magnetic like the HE-400.

 
I already have E17....will hold on with my current setup...till I find a good used one's....thanks

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The Asgard supposedly adds just a slight hint of warmth, which probably isn't the best thing for the HE400. I'd go for the O2.

In other news, my HE400 finally shipped out today.

 

[TexasBuck]

10 hours on my HE-400's now.  Very pleased.  I absolutely love the instrument separation.  I'm shocked with the details.  I'm hearing things I've never picked up before, on albums I've been listening to for decades.  Comfort is better than expected - No issues at all.  (W/Velours)  The HE-400's have done well with everything I've listened to, other than they seem to expose bad recordings for what they are.  My only concern right now is my other headphones might not be getting much use. 
 
I'm a little surprised by the power needed to drive the HE-400's.  I'm using the Nuforce Icon HD as the Dac/Amp combo.  The HE-400's are hyped as "easy to drive" but I'm having to turn the volume pot slightly higher for the HE-400's, than I do for my HD-600's.  They still sound great, I just wasn't expecting that.  However, it's planted the seed that maybe they'd sound even better with a more powerful amp... Sometimes I hate this hobby.  It's impossible to be completely satisfied. lol

 

[MattTCG]

You're having trouble driving the he400 with the ICON? 

 

[Fearless1]

A tube hybrid with the HE-400 is just fantastic. I have tried them with the Burson HA-160, Matrix M-stage, O2 and the E-9, and the very best sound to my ears is with the Lyr and a close second with the EF-5 (upgraded OPA). Out of all the SS amps I have mentioned, the M-stage sounds the best with them.
 
 
Also I picked up a wonderful vintage Onkyo A-10 amp at a flea-market this weekend and the HE-400s sound very nice out of it as well. ($40) 

 

[MattTCG]

wje is liking the ld1+ with the he400's these days, but used to have a lot of love for the vintage amp off speaker taps. I've used the Asgard/Bifrost combo for a while but my d5k sounded the best with that setup. There was a big difference going from e17/e9 to the AG/BF on the d5k, but a smaller difference on the he 400. 
 
I'd like to go back and try to some tube action on it now...

 

[I95North]

Quote:

A tube hybrid with the HE-400 is just fantastic. I have tried them with the Burson HA-160, Matrix M-stage, O2 and the E-9, and the very best sound to my ears is with the Lyr and a close second with the EF-5 (upgraded OPA). Out of all the SS amps I have mentioned, the M-stage sounds the best with them.
 
 
Also I picked up a wonderful vintage Onkyo A-10 amp at a flea-market this weekend and the HE-400s sound very nice out of it as well. ($40) 

 
 
:

 

Yeah  its just crazy that the HE-400 sounds good with just  about anything you drive em with..
 
I have tried a dozen diff ways to amp this headset from speaker taps to old ss amps to modern avr's to sound cards you name it i think i have tried lol. 
 
 
My best sound so far out of this headset would be from all diy crap driving my headset right now.
 
A diy Quad II ebay special preamp with a diy WIRE amp.
 
I have gone tube rolling crazy since getting this diy preamp though.

 

[TexasBuck]

Quote:

You're having trouble driving the he400 with the ICON? 

No trouble.  The HE-400 just take more juice than I expected.  However, that's still enough of an excuse for me to think about upgrading amps. lol