[Makiah S]

So, do you guys really think I should bother having wood cups made for my he4? I have black limba closed cups, that I'm putting in a hifiman frame I bought a long time ago, so my father in law already has the shape down. I would need to use a "harder" wood like cocobolo and try to soak in wood hardener and multiple coats of laquer to try and prevent cracks. Reason I'm asking, is I think he wants to start making headphone cups as a side "job". He is retired, and he's not fast, but he does good work. I'll post the t50 cups when he is finished. I just don't know if it's worth the hassle on the he4? It's a good looking hp. Has a unique color/finish. What do you guys think? And how much do you think I should pay him if he makes them? Is it worth like 250 in cocobolo? I know Martin made some super expensive ones, and they looked insane, I don't expect museum quality out of my in law. He doesn't have the time for that. Anyhow, I always wanted to do it but just not sure anymore if it's even a worthwhile investment. Also, ifi micro black label as USB dac, to sx1010, rocking pineapple thief, good Lord I love these headphones.

I forget who made mine, but I have mango wood cups for my HE 4, I'm noticing the sound is super unique to them! I have some of Flea's Baby Black Limba Maple Sleeved Magnum V7 headphone, and honestly I'm noticing there's like a hair less resonance on that headphone compared to my HE 4, but that headphone sounds WAAAAAAAY to super Dry out of my solid states, I enjoy it but... it's tooooooo dry. The soft Mango wood I have on my HE 4... is very unique. There's some lingering resonnance, but it doesn't take away from the crazy insane attack the HE 4 has, so it winds up leaving them sounding SUPER DUPER natural and SUPER DUPER fast, you don't really notice it in the bass, only in the central/upper mids

my point being, I think the HE 4 drivers pair nice with a softer wood

 

[hemipowered007]

I wouldn't think with their cup design being almost completely open behind the driver, that there would be any sonic benefit at all. I was more meaning for aesthics alone. Lohb is who made the mango cups I believe, he had a different username prior and I can't remember it. The mango wood isn't a wood i would choose for aesthetic only. I chose the limba for my t50 closed backs because, 1, I love how Danish oil finished black limba looks, and 2, because it has great sonic attributes to it that I think I can really use to make that t50 driver sing. Anyhow, yes foe wood cups on he4 I don't care about anything but aesthetics only.

 

[Makiah S]

I wouldn't think with their cup design being almost completely open behind the driver, that there would be any sonic benefit at all. I was more meaning for aesthics alone. Lohb is who made the mango cups I believe, he had a different username prior and I can't remember it. The mango wood isn't a wood i would choose for aesthetic only. I chose the limba for my t50 closed backs because, 1, I love how Danish oil finished black limba looks, and 2, because it has great sonic attributes to it that I think I can really use to make that t50 driver sing. Anyhow, yes foe wood cups on he4 I don't care about anything but aesthetics only.

well honestly, I have no idea how they sounded Stock. I don't remember noticing a difference back then honestly, and yes Lohb is the one who made my Cups, back when that was his name.

Still having listened to a WIDE variety of entirely open back Grado/Style headphones, I've started to pick up on how the choice of wood really affects those drivers, though the HE 4 being a Planar may not have any sonic changes with wood cups

still, Mango's kinda unique. It's soft and I'll never get a cup made of it again. But honestly my mango cups have seen a LOT of abuse, and they've held my HE 4s together super duper well!!!

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I had a hunch that the HE560 were retuned HE4s... now it seems there's more truth to that:

 

[Makiah S]

that's nifty, who put that tree together?

 

[hemipowered007]

Thats a neat family tree soundsgoodtome. The last month id say, ive been listening on the go at work alot, just a magaosi k3pro and my fiio x3i. Its a cool cheap portable setup, sounds great for the price of those iems. But, got to sit down, relax, i have my listening station all setup FINALLY! Ifi black label on dac duty usb from pc library foobar2000, pushing that sweetness into the sx1010, then i welcomed my he4 back into my life. I had honestly gotten so used to the sound of iems that i truly forgot how special this setup is. Listening to some Pineapple Thief, various albums, but well recorded, flac files. The life they breathe into music, is so unique. No its not my end game i dont think. Im chasing something that i dont think ill ever catch here. But, i believe even just the ifi black label with the he4, is a fantastic setup under 1k, realistically around 750 if you can find an he4, and catch the ifi on sale again for 399. Its a solid performer and can be used in a ton of different arrangements. I dont know why im writing this, maybe just hoping we can get a newcomer looking for a mid fi rig that satifies and is a great bang for the buck. Anyhow, happy head-fing yal, hope everyone that has an he4 is still enjoying them!

 

[Makiah S]

Thats a neat family tree soundsgoodtome. The last month id say, ive been listening on the go at work alot, just a magaosi k3pro and my fiio x3i. Its a cool cheap portable setup, sounds great for the price of those iems. But, got to sit down, relax, i have my listening station all setup FINALLY! Ifi black label on dac duty usb from pc library foobar2000, pushing that sweetness into the sx1010, then i welcomed my he4 back into my life. I had honestly gotten so used to the sound of iems that i truly forgot how special this setup is. Listening to some Pineapple Thief, various albums, but well recorded, flac files. The life they breathe into music, is so unique. No its not my end game i dont think. Im chasing something that i dont think ill ever catch here. But, i believe even just the ifi black label with the he4, is a fantastic setup under 1k, realistically around 750 if you can find an he4, and catch the ifi on sale again for 399. Its a solid performer and can be used in a ton of different arrangements. I dont know why im writing this, maybe just hoping we can get a newcomer looking for a mid fi rig that satifies and is a great bang for the buck. Anyhow, happy head-fing yal, hope everyone that has an he4 is still enjoying them!

I've got a Focal Elear ready to tackle my HE 4, for champion, I'm not super confident it'll hold up well but we will see!

Also I've FINALLY got an Ember II, with a nice selection of sylnvani 6sn7s! Got a elCheapo 6sn7 gt, got a Chrome Dome 6sn7 GTA and I splurged and got Jan-CHS 6sn7w might be the v231 variant, but chances are the seller was just blowing smoke up my rear, but either way, going to finally get the HE 4 some tube action! Should be nice, hoping the Elear is more competition than the HE X was

 

[hemipowered007]

how was the edition x compared to the he4?

 

[Makiah S]

how was the edition x compared to the he4?

Ugh good question, HE X doesn't like any kind of power... so basically, out of the LG V10 I had back then, it sounded just LIKE the HE 4, out of a freaking v10! But each and every one of my amps... kinda killed the bass, Hifiman later told us that they HE X is REALLY efficient and doesn't do to well with high powered anything. But it was nice on the top end, good clarity and extension, great detail. Mids where on par with the HE 4, but the bass was finicky... best I got was from my V10 as my nicer amps...made the bass distort a little... I did have some fun EQing it though,

Still for $1600, for the HE X to sound like my HE 4 only when driven with a very low powered source, I wasn't impressed. As you've mentioned a full set up for and WITH the purchase of an HE 4, will imho match the HE X... so honestly... given how quickly the HE X I had fell apart [literally I had it plugged up for 15 mins when the right channel cable failed(and if you dig you'll find I wasn't the only person dealing with that)] I wouldn't recommend it

 

[.Sup]

Do you guys tame down the highest frequencies with eq? I lately sometimes find HE-4 to be a bit bright. Before I was listening to lower volume so it was okay but on higher level its a bit too much sometimes, depending on the song though.

 

[pbui44]

Do you guys tame down the highest frequencies with eq? I lately sometimes find HE-4 to be a bit bright. Before I was listening to lower volume so it was okay but on higher level its a bit too much sometimes, depending on the song though.

I use my pre-amp to control harshness, which almost always comes from the recording for me. My HE-4 has 500+ hours of listening on it with music, movies, tv shows, etc. Still, my pre-amp will be best to change harshness, especially when switching sources. One cheap passive pre-amp, the Schiit Sys, will work well.

http://schiit.com/products/sys

 

[Makiah S]

Do you guys tame down the highest frequencies with eq? I lately sometimes find HE-4 to be a bit bright. Before I was listening to lower volume so it was okay but on higher level its a bit too much sometimes, depending on the song though.

I actually swapped into Beyer Pads, that changed the sound stage for me and tappered some of the highs, but as others have said if the recording is hot, the HE 4 won't hide that. There is some metal that I LOVE out of the HE 4, 80's Metallica for example, but some newer Metal bands, like Nevermore are mastered a little hotter, and the HE 4 does keep true to that

Though, I enjoy a hotter top end personally. OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Eddie Current Zna Duex, I got to plug my HE 4 into that, it was sourced with an Auralic DAC [don't remember which] with an X5 acting as the UI

That combo was SUPER impressive! I compared it to my Audio GD NFB10ES2 Balanced out, and my lil solid state sounded SOFT compared to the power running out of that SE Tube, sound stage on my Audio GD NFB10ES2 wasn't nearly as defined nor as detailed!!!! Sadly my NFB10ES2 is kinda noisy, so if your really worried or bothered by the highs a nice Tube will solve that. An I've tried 6-7 6sn7 Sylvanias in my Project Ember, and none of them improve the HE 4 for me, the Eddie Current Zana Duex was the first SE Tube that I've been REALLY impressed with!

It's only $2500 dollars too lol, so take comfort in knowing the HE 4 scales really well! I believe if I wanted to duplicate his system it'd run me around $4000 ish, so that's not... ideal but it's not terrible I suppose >.>

 

[pbui44]

I actually swapped into Beyer Pads, that changed the sound stage for me and tappered some of the highs, but as others have said if the recording is hot, the HE 4 won't hide that. There is some metal that I LOVE out of the HE 4, 80's Metallica for example, but some newer Metal bands, like Nevermore are mastered a little hotter, and the HE 4 does keep true to that

Though, I enjoy a hotter top end personally. OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Eddie Current Zna Duex, I got to plug my HE 4 into that, it was sourced with an Auralic DAC [don't remember which] with an X5 acting as the UI

That combo was SUPER impressive! I compared it to my Audio GD NFB10ES2 Balanced out, and my lil solid state sounded SOFT compared to the power running out of that SE Tube, sound stage on my Audio GD NFB10ES2 wasn't nearly as defined nor as detailed!!!! Sadly my NFB10ES2 is kinda noisy, so if your really worried or bothered by the highs a nice Tube will solve that. An I've tried 6-7 6sn7 Sylvanias in my Project Ember, and none of them improve the HE 4 for me, the Eddie Current Zana Duex was the first SE Tube that I've been REALLY impressed with!

It's only $2500 dollars too lol, so take comfort in knowing the HE 4 scales really well! I believe if I wanted to duplicate his system it'd run me around $4000 ish, so that's not... ideal but it's not terrible I suppose >.>

This is what I have always said about the HE-4 since CanJam@RMAF 2014. It is not quite as scalable as the HE-6, but can still sound great with cheaper stuff or more expensive stuff, which is near-impossible with the power-hungry HE-6.

 

[Makiah S]

This is what I have always said about the HE-4 since CanJam@RMAF 2014. It is not quite as scalable as the HE-6, but can still sound great with cheaper stuff or more expensive stuff, which is near-impossible with the power-hungry HE-6.

well I've been hearing the Susvara is a return to a more classic Hifiman Sound, and it apparently pair's really well with even a $250 amp, but at $6000... I think I'd rather spend THAT kind of money on an entire SYSTEM powerful enough for the HE 4 tbh

But yea, I'm quite happy to know that it can climb right along side my gear ^^ here's to hoping it lasts many many more years

 

[mark2410]

that's nifty, who put that tree together?

It was created by the Mistress of Marketing and her minions.