[Don Lehrer]

The best new year ever to everyone, hopefully together with your HE400 

 

[money4me247]

Been following this thread for a while. Just sent my Beyerdynamic 880 back to Amazon yesterday. Once the return is processed I will be ordering a pair of HE-400. Propably pair it with a Vali. So excited, can't wait. Thanks for all the info in this thread.

hey yo. if you want to get the he 400, get it now at $329. http://www.ttvjaudio.com/dealoftheday.asp
 
that is a pretty amazing price point

 

[DoctaCosmos]

i think these headphones were meant to be modded.  seriously the pads are absolutely dollar general quality.  There is no angling of the drivers and no space for the large sized drivers to breathe.   The Denon pads opened these things up so much.  Now, to me, it is a more comprehensive headphone.  Still not my cup of tea but honestly i thought they were a complete waste of money (before the denon pads) and i got more of a  "that's what planars CAN do" instead of "so this is what the rave about planars is about, glad i bought them" experience.

 

[Tristan944]

i think these headphones were meant to be modded.

Must be, because I preferred my $25 Koss Porta Pro to the HE400. I've never heard such a weird sound signature from anything before.

 

[Kursah]

  i think these headphones were meant to be modded.  seriously the pads are absolutely dollar general quality.  There is no angling of the drivers and no space for the large sized drivers to breathe.   The Denon pads opened these things up so much.  Now, to me, it is a more comprehensive headphone.  Still not my cup of tea but honestly i thought they were a complete waste of money (before the denon pads) and i got more of a  "that's what planars CAN do" instead of "so this is what the rave about planars is about, glad i bought them" experience.

 
I agree to a point. I would say very good at stock...super good with stock pleathers with foam rings removed and epic with D2000 pads! I dunno if the ebay link is legit...but seeing how D2000/5000 pads are so available there aren't many options. I may order a pair!

 

[FeelThaBeat]

Hello everyone, long time lurker first time poster.  Just a little background on my experience, I've been into the more mid-fi and hi-fi headphones and IEM's for about 4 or 5 years now. I started with headphones using the HD600 then went into an IEM faze because of the portability and convenience. I'm now back to HP's using a new pair of HD600's after I sold my old ones to a friend along with the HE-400.
 
I'm just wanting to know if anyone here has any experience with the Raccoon SG200 tube amp/dac? I'm wanting to try a decent tube amp that's not to much because I want to see if I like that so called "tube sound". So if any of you have heard the Raccoon SG200 any info you have about them would be very helpful. Here's a couple of links that talks more about them and the specs along with one that's a review of the same amp/dac under a different name.  
 
link 1 - http://www.rtwhifihouse.com/amplifiers/raccoon-sg200-usb-dac-tube-headphone-amp-pro-verision-psvane-tube/
 
link 2 - http://www.headfonia.com/uber-muzik-tiny-tube-dac/

 

[FeelThaBeat]

Hello everyone, long time lurker first time poster.  Just a little background on my experience, I've been into the more mid-fi and hi-fi headphones and IEM's for about 4 or 5 years now. I started with headphones using the HD600 then went into an IEM faze because of the portability and convenience. I'm now back to HP's using a new pair of HD600's after I sold my old ones to a friend along with the HE-400.
 
I'm just wanting to know if anyone here has any experience with the Raccoon SG200 tube amp/dac? I'm wanting to try a decent tube amp that's not to much because I want to see if I like that so called "tube sound". I like the fact it has a dac because I currently don't have one so I use my Colorfly C3 with my little solid state amp and being able to use my computer would be a big plus. Looked at the Schiit Vali but I really think the SG200 is a better choice but I'd like to here what others think. So if any of you have heard the Raccoon SG200 any info you have about them would be very helpful.

 

[money4me247]

  Hello everyone, long time lurker first time poster.  Just a little background on my experience, I've been into the more mid-fi and hi-fi headphones and IEM's for about 4 or 5 years now. I started with headphones using the HD600 then went into an IEM faze because of the portability and convenience. I'm now back to HP's using a new pair of HD600's after I sold my old ones to a friend along with the HE-400.
 
I'm just wanting to know if anyone here has any experience with the Raccoon SG200 tube amp/dac? I'm wanting to try a decent tube amp that's not to much because I want to see if I like that so called "tube sound". I like the fact it has a dac because I currently don't have one so I use my Colorfly C3 with my little solid state amp and being able to use my computer would be a big plus. Looked at the Schiit Vali but I really think the SG200 is a better choice but I'd like to here what others think. So if any of you have heard the Raccoon SG200 any info you have about them would be very helpful.

if you want a cheap tube that you can tube roll with, bravo has a bunch of sub-$100 tube amps. the raccoon doesn't seem like you can easily swap out tubes. kinda defeats the point of tube amps imo. also garage1217 has a bunch tube amps that you can roll with. project ember is pretty highly praised.

 

[MattTCG]

  Hello everyone, long time lurker first time poster.  Just a little background on my experience, I've been into the more mid-fi and hi-fi headphones and IEM's for about 4 or 5 years now. I started with headphones using the HD600 then went into an IEM faze because of the portability and convenience. I'm now back to HP's using a new pair of HD600's after I sold my old ones to a friend along with the HE-400.
 
I'm just wanting to know if anyone here has any experience with the Raccoon SG200 tube amp/dac? I'm wanting to try a decent tube amp that's not to much because I want to see if I like that so called "tube sound". I like the fact it has a dac because I currently don't have one so I use my Colorfly C3 with my little solid state amp and being able to use my computer would be a big plus. Looked at the Schiit Vali but I really think the SG200 is a better choice but I'd like to here what others think. So if any of you have heard the Raccoon SG200 any info you have about them would be very helpful.

 
I don't know much at all about the Raccoon that you mention. I've tried the Vali and you just won't find anything close to it at $128. At it's price point it gets my best recommendation. Please read the Vali thread and understand that it comes with some slight microphonic issues.
 
gL!!

 

[FeelThaBeat]

I've read most of the Vali thread and it does seem like it has the signature I'd want so buying one and then getting a dac like the Modi would pretty nice though I'd want a little more power because I'm going to get either the HE-500 or LCD-2 and the SG200 has up to 2.7W which is plenty. I've found a review of the Raccoon SG200 though it was under a different name so that meas its a OEM product but the review was very positive, the review is on Headfonia and its the Uber Muzik Tiny Tube Dac and it has the same tubes and the TI TPA6120A2 Opamp chip.
 
I think I'm going to do some more searching and research of other amps because there's quite a few tube amps around $200 give or take but the Vali is on the short list, thanks for the help.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

Would you guys recommend the Vali or Asgard 2 for the 400's?  I guess what I am trying to ask is if the Asgard 2 is worth the pretty penny. I know it has switchable gain and pre-amp outputs which the Vali lacks but I am unsure I will go in a direction where I need those features - pretty sure I won't but I am not 100% sure.   

 

[MattTCG]

You will not get 2x the performance from the A2. In fact many will argue that in terms of pairing and ability to drives the he400 to a "musical level," the Vali will be better.
 
The A2 will give you the flexibility of a pre-amp and multiple gain switch. The Vali has that nice tube sound that sounds great, but you'll have to deal with the microphonics. 

 

[KLJTech]

  You will not get 2x the performance from the A2. In fact many will argue that in terms of pairing and ability to drives the he400 to a "musical level," the Vali will be better.
 
The A2 will give you the flexibility of a pre-amp and multiple gain switch. The Vali has that nice tube sound that sounds great, but you'll have to deal with the microphonics. 

 
Not that I was asked, but I agree that the Asgard 2 would do a great job driving the HE-400's and has the added flexibility of its preamp outputs and the benefit of the gain switch. You may not "need" preamp outs now but down the road you may find this feature to come in handy and save you the cost of adding a preamp plus the gain switch makes driving IEM's a better fit with this amp. Frankly, the Asgard 2 is one Hell of a great deal for all features it has and the sound quality it provides. I think that you will find that you'll enjoy your HE-400's a lot more once they're driven by a more powerful amp. I know that you may get all the "volume" you want from an iPod or other MP3 player yet having an amp that can truly take control of the headphone can make a big difference in sound quality.
 
I primarily use the Lyr with my 400's and it makes for a great combination...that's probably why Schiit Audio uses the 400's and 500's with their amps at shows. I plan on picking up an Asgard 2 very soon to use as a headphone amp and preamp (to my Parasound A23 or A21) in my office system. 
 
Best of luck!

 

[Bogatyr]

Howdy - anybody using  Beyer pads for HE-400? I already have Jergpads with velour top but I find my ears get way too hot in them. 
 
Anybody try DT 770\990 black\silver pads for HE-400? Are they smaller than Hifiman velours? Anything different sound-wise?
 
Any other pads I should consider?

 

[FeelThaBeat]

I think I'm going to go ahead and get the Vali because it looks to have enough power for both the HE-400 and HD600 and should be able to power the HE-500 also. From what I've read about the signature of the Vali it sounds like a good foray into tube amps to see if I like the so called "tube sound". I'm also leaning toward getting the Modi or Loki for my dac and seeing as I probably wont us the DSD I'd get the Modi because they have the same input receiver and D/A conversion chips.