[kcdecker]

It's so strange seeing the great roundup of he400 fans and then finding this post--I'm beginning to wonder if the he400 is a bit overrated.  DDDamian, it looks like you found a pretty clear victory in the HD650s, and MattTCG, looking at your profile, I can see that you sold your he400s but still have HD650s.  
 
Had I not been stuck at the plant for the past 31 days straight, I would have been able to sample the HD650s at the Music City Meet and might have finally understood why I wasn't impressed with my he400s that I've had for about a year now.
 
With that said, I think it's time to eBay the he400s and look for some lightly used HD650s...  unless someone wants to weigh in that the HD600s might be a better option.  

 

[TMRaven]

I wouldn't say the HE-400 is overrated.  Sure it has some dramatic colorations that can be a huge deal breaker for certain people, but they're easily alleviated via EQ.  What the HE-400 does have is perhaps the best bass response next to an original LCD2.  No other headphone really stacks up in terms of bass response.
 
HD650 is still a headphone that can compete with totl cans of today as far as SQ goes.

 

[kcdecker]

I've enjoyed the he400.  Not a bad phone.  Great bass response...but I never found myself sitting down and listening to it for hours on end and I'm not sure quite exactly why--and comfort wasn't an issue, but I just would find myself clicking for the next track and never quite found what I was looking for.  
 
This is a stark contrast to the Mr Speakers Mad Dog 3.2 / Pro, which I find myself listening to for hours on end even though it lacks some of the clear treble of the he400...
 
I'm close to eBaying the he400, but I hesitated this morning.  One previous poster stated the HD650 and he400 were more similar than different--that scares me a bit.  Makes me wonder if I should try something completely different, but the safe bet seems to be the HD650...
 
Decisions.......

 

[kcdecker]

Just received my HD650.  I'm sure there's a bit of placebo effect occurring, but at this very moment, they fix every problem I had with the he400.  This was what I was looking for back in 2006 when I first began lurking.  Wow...it took me long enough to finally give them a try....

 

[Blotto80]

I had the HD650 for a few years and got "the itch" and found myself craving the "energy" the HE400 was reported to possess. At first, I loved them and was so enamoured with the bass extension and general feel that I sold my HD650s, after a few years I found upgraditis kicking in again, but this time I found my thoughts wandering back to the silky intimacy of the HD650, I was starting to feel that the HE400 has no soul, and sounded artificial while the HD650 had more of a naturalness to them. I ended up with a pair of LCD-2s and I definitely view them as a "spiritual successor" to the HD650, they both do all the same things but the LCD-2 does them better.

 

[Green Golden Retriver]

In 2020 I still like and keep both. But value size he400 I cannot resell 55

 

[bagwell359]

I wouldn't say the HE-400 is overrated. Sure it has some dramatic colorations that can be a huge deal breaker for certain people, but they're easily alleviated via EQ. What the HE-400 does have is perhaps the best bass response next to an original LCD2. No other headphone really stacks up in terms of bass response.

HD650 is still a headphone that can compete with totl cans of today as far as SQ goes.

The 400 and 650 are not very similar at all IMO.

Can't agree the 400 bass has bloated mid and upper bass to make up for no sub bass. It's down 10 db at 40 vs 100 Hz, and down 15 db at 20 Hz. Try a HE-500 or an HE-6 for actual bass from HFM cans of the same generation (HE-4, HE-5, HE5-LE too).

I'll take the honesty of the 600 over the veiled lies of the 650. But on an OTL amp even the 650 is nice, just not as nice as the 600 which the BHC amp sounds made for.

 

[Green Golden Retriver]

I wouldn't say the HE-400 is overrated. Sure it has some dramatic colorations that can be a huge deal breaker for certain people, but they're easily alleviated via EQ. What the HE-400 does have is perhaps the best bass response next to an original LCD2. No other headphone really stacks up in terms of bass response.

HD650 is still a headphone that can compete with totl cans of today as far as SQ goes.

Headphones and music is really a preference thing. Even though I like most of what the general mass like but with the exception for moon drop starfield and hd6xx. Don’t get me wrong I like both of these ultra loved headphone and iem by the community. However I just feel they are ok sound for me compared to other headphones. That’s why it is important to demo any pair of headphones before buying. For example 64 audio I like U12t t and Tia trio more than u18t and fourte last time I demoed them at 64 audio distributor store in Thailand .