[Fearless1]

Quote:

LOL!

I don't know what actually made me get the Studios , just something different.. I guess although the price was not too far off from the HD650 now either thinking back

.. (The studios are literally never used either

)

Anyway, the decision is hard ..if I get the HE-400, I will still always 'wonder' how the HD650 sound.. which has a greater soundstage? Depth/Width (3D)?
Also what cost you more the HE400 or 650?
 
 

I paid more for the HD650, but you can find them for about the same price if you dig around.  The 650 has the bigger sound stage with the M-stage, but not by enough to pick it over the HE-400.  With my tube amps I would say the are almost equal (tubes and orthos have a synergy in my opinion). To be honest with you, the 650/600 were my go-to head phones for the longest time, though I still love their sound, I have not touched them since getting the HE-500/400. I prefer the sound signature of the 400 over everything I have owned/own as of yet. I have a modest collection as compared to some of the folks on here, but they have everything I look for in a head phone.

 

[Mikesin]

Yeah I could get the HD650 for round about £255 which is around about $396 , where as I would rather get it from Amazon £275/$428, as its far more reliable although the other place isn't bad, and its in the same country. So spending an extra £20/$32 isn't too bad IMO.

What makes the HE400 so special then as I haven't tried any planar's, are they good for all genres? Are they good for just casual listening where it won't get fatiguing ? 
Quote:

I paid more for the HD650, but you can find them for about the same price if you dig around.  The 650 has the bigger sound stage with the M-stage, but not by enough to pick it over the HE-400.  With my tube amps I would say the are almost equal (tubes and orthos have a synergy in my opinion). To be honest with you, the 650/600 were my go-to head phones for the longest time, though I still love their sound, I have not touched them since getting the HE-500/400. I prefer the sound signature of the 400 over everything I have owned/own as of yet. I have a modest collection as compared to some of the folks on here, but they have everything I look for in a head phone.

 

[Fearless1]

Quote:

Yeah I could get the HD650 for round about £255 which is around about $396 , where as I would rather get it from Amazon £275/$428, as its far more reliable although the other place isn't bad, and its in the same country. So spending an extra £20/$32 isn't too bad IMO.

What makes the HE400 so special then as I haven't tried any planar's, are they good for all genres? Are they good for just casual listening where it won't get fatiguing ? 

They are smooth as butter on all genres. The HD 650s are excellent and you would be more then happy with them, but the HE-400 are something special, and based on what you own I would think you would like them.

 

[olegausany]

@Mikesin Sell your Dr Boom Boom and get HE-400 so you can hear how real high quality deep punchy tight bass really sounds 

 

[Mikesin]

You make the HE400 sound as if their for bassheads or really bass heavy lol (not that I mind) . I also don't think its worth justifying to sell them where I will lose alot of money for them, where as I could keep them and work/save for what I want next 

.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

You make the HE400 sound as if their for bassheads or really bass heavy lol (not that I mind) . I also don't think its worth justifying to sell them where I will lose alot of money for them, where as I could keep them and work/save for what I want next 

.

 
It's flat bass:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HiFiMANHE400.pdf
 
Flatter and better extended than the vast majority of dynamic headphones, it is only perceived as "bass heavy" because its bigger brother HE-500 has less bass, relatively. In my opinion it is bass-neutral, any less bass than this and I would consider the headphones to be bass-light. I'm sure quite a few HE-400s owners would agree with that too.

 

[Mikesin]

Would you say the HD650 is 'basslight' then? Considering the HE400 has 'more' bass?
Quote:

 
It's flat bass:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HiFiMANHE400.pdf
 
Flatter and better extended than the vast majority of dynamic headphones, it is only perceived as "bass heavy" because its bigger brother HE-500 has less bass, relatively. In my opinion it is bass-neutral, any less bass than this and I would consider the headphones to be bass-light. I'm sure quite a few HE-400s owners would agree with that too.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Would you say the HD650 is 'basslight' then? Considering the HE400 has 'more' bass?

No.
 
You know why? Because HD650s, like all dynamic headphones, has a mid~upper bass "hump" and a distinct lack of lower and subbass, so your perceived bass response will be more elevated (since human hearing is more sensitive to midbass frequencies than subbass) than what the bass coverage over the whole lower frequency encompasses.
 
However it is obvious that HE400s like a few other large planars has a weightier bass, one with a fuller body and more grounded substance, more "real" so to speak, simply due to the flatness of their bass FR, the extremely low bass THD distortion, and great extension.

 

[TMRaven]

I consider HD650's bass borderline neutral, leaning towards bass light.  To me, its mid-bass hump is moreso bloated than powerful (not bloated in the sense that it overpowers the mids, but bloated in the sense that a lot of mid-bassy stuff just isn't as impactful as it could be), and its lack of sub-bass presence under 50hz makes its weight not very weighty.  

 

[jsplice]

Quote:

No.
 
You know why? Because HD650s, like all dynamic headphones, has a mid~upper bass "hump" and a distinct lack of lower and subbass, so your perceived bass response will be more elevated (since human hearing is more sensitive to midbass frequencies than subbass) than what the bass coverage over the whole lower frequency encompasses.
 
However it is obvious that HE400s like a few other large planars has a weightier bass, one with a fuller body and more grounded substance, more "real" so to speak, simply due to the flatness of their bass FR, the extremely low bass THD distortion, and great extension.

 
I don't know that you can say *all* dynamic headphones have a mid-upper bass hump.  When you get to the high end cans (T1, HD800, etc.), they tend to be more on the neutral side.  There are even some lower cost headphones such as the K701 and Audio Technicas that don't have the hump either.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 
I don't know that you can say *all* dynamic headphones have a mid-upper bass hump.  When you get to the high end cans (T1, HD800, etc.), they tend to be more on the neutral side.  There are even some lower cost headphones such as the K701 and Audio Technicas that don't have the hump either.

 
True, true. Dynamic headphones either have a bass hump or a flatter bass with a very early rolloff. The pattern is the same though, just the overall elevation of the bass region being different.
 
Senn HD800s are the only exception to it, you could still see a slight curvature over the entire bass~mids region, but it's mostly flat. It would make sense though since it uses ring radiator driver design.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

However it is obvious that HE400s like a few other large planars has a weightier bass, one with a fuller body and more grounded substance, more "real" so to speak, simply due to the flatness of their bass FR, the extremely low bass THD distortion, and great extension.

Legit comment is legit.

 

[olegausany]

@Mikesin  When you hear more bass you INCORRECTLY ASSUME BLOATED OVERPOWERING BOOMBOX-like suitable only for rap or hip hop BASS which bleeds into mids and damages music, while everybody here talking about high quality tight punchy well controlled with deep sub-bass BASS which most easily noticeable on classical or jazz

 

[Mikesin]

I feel like im leaning more and more towards the HE400 now probably due to me reading them up on the threads about them, and everyone hyping them up. hmm 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I feel like im leaning more and more towards the HE400 now probably due to me reading them up on the threads about them, and everyone hyping them up. hmm 

 
Pull an M. Night Shamalajamawhatsadoisit and buy the Senn HD650s for the lols!