[jerg]

 
I'm just being facetious, but one possible reason that all the high-end models angle the drivers is that it is the fad of the day.

I tried jerg's method of angling the pads, but I had difficulty getting the plastic rings to clip in and gave up on it. The jergpad thread suggests that angling the pads makes some difference in soundstage and imaging, so you may be right, but IDK. Something about changing the reflections on the exterior of the ear? 

You mean the sewing method I kinda mentioned some time ago? It really shouldn't affect pad installation though, just use the credit card or mini flathead screwdriver as per usual to pop in the tabs.
 
You know I have a mod recently written up about countering the backwave reflections off the ears right (signature)? 

 

[manbear]

You mean the sewing method I kinda mentioned some time ago? It really shouldn't affect pad installation though, just use the credit card or mini flathead screwdriver as per usual to pop in the tabs.
 
You know I have a mod recently written up about countering the backwave reflections off the ears right (signature)? 

I'm talking about putting pieces of foam on the plastic rings to increase the space between the rings and headphone's mounting area. I think you called it the bassvent or backvent mod. I haven't looked at your thread in a while though, I should check it out and see what's new 

 

EDIT: Wait, I think I've seen the new mod you're talking about -- thin felt strips on the frame in front the driver? That looks promising but IDK if I have the patience to do it properly. A little worried about filing the felt and getting fuzzy bits in the drivers too. Fortune favors the bold I suppose. 

 

[ben_r_]

   If you get the Emotiva and decide to keep the HE-400 instead of the 500, you'll be in the same boat as me  

 I'm pretty happy with it, but I've never heard the A2 so IDK about which of those two you should get. One thing to keep in mind is that the Emotiva is a bad choice if you want to use dynamic cans with it, due to resistors screwing up the damping factor. No problem for planars though. Of course, you don't have to use resistors, but then you might have noise floor or volume travel issues depending on the headphone sensitivity. PM me if you want some details about adapters and resistors for the Emotiva. 

Thanks manbear, I will if I decide to go that route. I plan on getting the Schiit Bitfrost with Uber Upgrade and USB for my DAC so one of their amps will have a point on its side since it will stack nicely with the Bitfrost. That being said I have read from so many places that the Emotiva Mini-X A-100 with the HE-500's is a great pairing and that's making me second guess things. Sigh, its always so hard when we cant just buy all of it and compared and decide for ourselves!

 

[utee05]

Well I just bought these cans and should be getting them in by Weds. These will be my higher end cans. I have some M50s, V-Moda M80, Ety ER4p, Shure E2C and some HD201 when I first started off. I also got the Schiit Magni that will be powering these. Very excited to get these cans and I will update on my thoughts. 
 
What are people using to burn these cans in? I normally would just let my play songs from my media library and let it go overnight. 

 

[manbear]

 
What are people using to burn these cans in? I normally would just let my play songs from my media library and let it go overnight. 

That's what I do. IDK if it makes any difference, but hey, why not. 

 

[ben_r_]

  Well I just bought these cans and should be getting them in by Weds. These will be my higher end cans. I have some M50s, V-Moda M80, Ety ER4p, Shure E2C and some HD201 when I first started off. I also got the Schiit Magni that will be powering these. Very excited to get these cans and I will update on my thoughts. 
 
What are people using to burn these cans in? I normally would just let my play songs from my media library and let it go overnight. 

I burn in all my new cans, mostly just so when people come back with "you need to let them burn in longer before you decide" I can say "yea, they did for 80-100 hours!". That being said I just loop through a playlist at a volume slightly higher than I would ever listen to it at and let them play under a pillow or two on the couch in my office for at least a few days.

 

[utee05]

 
That's what I do. IDK if it makes any difference, but hey, why not. 

 
 

 
I burn in all my new cans, mostly just so when people come back with "you need to let them burn in longer before you decide" I can say "yea, they did for 80-100 hours!". That being said I just loop through a playlist at a volume slightly higher than I would ever listen to it at and let them play under a pillow or two on the couch in my office for at least a few days.

 
Thanks all. Pretty much what I was going to plan on doing.

 

[TMRaven]

No need to burn them in.  Listen to them right when you get them.

 

[Mingus Ah Um]

I agree.  When I got my 400's I was convinced I wouldn't like the sound until 150 hours or so after reading this thread.  I switched to the velour pads after 2 hours of listening and I honestly haven't been able to tell much of a change in the sound signature.  I think my ears have adjusted to the HE sound more than anything.  Just start listening to these when you get them.  I don't see a whole lot of benefit of just letting them burn in a ton.  I personally thought they sounded great out of the box.

 

[KLJTech]

Mine sound great right out of the box yet I'm so use to burning in audio gear that I did hook them up to the Lyr and ran them in for around 100 hours or so. I played pink noise, heavy drum wavs (on repeat) along with a ton of Jazz through them and while they're burning in and I'm not listening to them during the process so that I don't get accustom to their sound 
 
They sound incredible with the Lyr in my opinion, I'm going to pickup an Asgard 2 very soon to use with IEM's and for use as a preamp in my office system. I'm also curious to see how they sound via the Asgard 2 vs the Lyr. I use the velour pads.

 

[manbear]

  No need to burn them in.  Listen to them right when you get them.

+1

I definitely think one should listen to the headphones right out of the box, as well as whenever you feel like listening to music during the burn-in process. I'm skeptical about burning in, but I see no harm in letting them play overnight for a few days if it makes you feel better. Even if one does believe in burn-in though, there is no harm in listening to the headphones during the process. I don't understand how anyone could just have new headphones sitting there burning in without listening to them. We're not cooking food here -- the headphones are safe to use before they are "done." 

 

[FeelThaBeat]

Just when I thought I was set on getting the Schiit Vali to use with my HE-400 I saw the Little Dot MK1+ for $116 and the fact that its so easy to change the OP amp and tubes to get different signatures is very enticing to me. Its a little less powerful but enough for my HE-400 and HD600 and I think it would power the HE-500 just fine. If there's some people that have experience with the MK1+ let me know about the over all signature and the tubes used.

 

[utee05]

I am curious how much better a tube amp is than a solid state. I just got my Schiit Magni in but I could still return in and get the Vali or the MK1+. That is a good price for the MK1+. 
 
Any thoughts on if a tube amp would be better for the HE-400? I was thinking of getting the Schiit stack with the Magni and Modi.

 

[manbear]

You might like tubes more, or you might not. Trying them and finding out is part of what makes this hobby fun!

 

[nixkid]

  You might like tubes more, or you might not. Trying them and finding out is part of what makes this hobby fun!

 
It also kinda makes the hobby suck too.  Like right now I'm indecisive on if I should get a tube amp or not.  There are no definitive answers out there.  I have the magni.  Will I hear a difference?  Some people say its day and night, some say its subtle.  If I decide to get a tube amp, which one should I get?  Should I get the Vali?  Some say it doesn't sound much different than the Magni. Some say its bright.  Some say its warm. Some say it doesn't have much of a tube sound.  Some say it has a tube sound.  How about the MK1+?  Seems like it can power the HE400 fine but its a hybrid.  Will it really have a true tube sound?  How tubey will the sound be?  Will I be able to judge whether I like the tube sound or not based on a hybrid?  Or maybe I should stop playing around with lower end amps and get the Lyr? But is it really worth almost 4x the price of the Vali?  Does it sound 4x as good.  Some people say no.  I understand it maybe worth it with a HE500 or LCD-2 but its not clear if its worth it for the HE400.