[scizzro]

  There's lots that will disagree with your statement. Perhaps this is your opinion but far from fact.

Yup, with the HD600/650 sales putting them both sub $300, the X2, the akg 701 and its spinoffs, there is a lot of competition in this price bracket. But the HE400 is a very good introduction to planar magnetic headphones. Just wish the mids weren't scooped out as much. I might play around with EQ one of these days.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

  Yup, with the HD600/650 sales putting them both sub $300, the X2, the akg 701 and its spinoffs, there is a lot of competition in this price bracket. But the HE400 is a very good introduction to planar magnetic headphones. Just wish the mids weren't scooped out as much. I might play around with EQ one of these days.

Might be a good introduction but that extreme V shaped sound signature sucks. IMO the mids are the life of the music. Without them you're not left with much. That's why I went with the X2's and many others have as well over the HE-400. They just do everything well. Again, all subjective. If HiFiMan has something that improves the mids and tames the highs a little, that would be a real winner. I have no idea what the higher range HE-xxx bring to the table but at the prices they are currently, it'll be a long time before I fund out.

 

[scizzro]

  Might be a good introduction but that extreme V shaped sound signature sucks. IMO the mids are the life of the music. Without them you're not left with much. That's why I went with the X2's and many others have as well over the HE-400. They just do everything well. Again, all subjective. If HiFiMan has something that improves the mids and tames the highs a little, that would be a real winner. I have no idea what the higher range HE-xxx bring to the table but at the prices they are currently, it'll be a long time before I fund out.

Again, I haven't heard the X2, so I can't comment on that. The way you describe it makes it sound very enticing. I do know that I would never reach for the HE-400 for any kind of vocal or acoustic music, because the HD600 crushes it. But for certain types of EDM, the HE-400 does sound better than the 600.
 
But from everything I've read and from looking at the FR graph, the X2 seems to have a fun/warm response, with a slightly boosted mid bass. The 600 aims for neutral, which is why I love it for everything acoustic. But I want to hear the X2. Next time I'm in WV visiting family, I'm swinging by your place with my gear

 

[ArmAndHammer]

 
Again, I haven't heard the X2, so I can't comment on that. The way you describe it makes it sound very enticing. I do know that I would never reach for the HE-400 for any kind of vocal or acoustic music, because the HD600 crushes it. But for certain types of EDM, the HE-400 does sound better than the 600.
 
But from everything I've read and from looking at the FR graph, the X2 seems to have a fun/warm response, with a slightly boosted mid bass. The 600 aims for neutral, which is why I love it for everything acoustic. But I want to hear the X2. Next time I'm in WV visiting family, I'm swinging by your place with my gear

Sure thing. Just let me know...I'll get you the address...lol
 
I can see the HE-400 being great for certain stuff. I enjoyed them for the 20 or so days I had them but the stuff they did really good with isn't stuff I listen to. So...it just wasn't a good match for me. The X2's do every thing well. I wouldn't say they do everything great because they don't. They are just a solid overall performer. If the X2 excels at anything it's vocals and especially acoustic tracks. I haven't heard the HD600/650. A lot of folks are saying that the X2 is on par with them if not in some instances better but that's all opinion of course. The X2 to my ears is just slightly on the warm side of neutral with a little bump in bass which is nice and slightly forwards mids which I personally love. I'd still like to try out the HD600/650's someday just to see what all the hype is. I know they are classics in the headphone world and there's a reason for that. I just haven't had a chance to get my hands on them to try and there's not much around here as far as shops or even headphone users that I know of. Perhaps one day I'll grab a used pair on the cheap and try them. I figure there's not much to chance since they always seem to have a good resale.

 

[htr2d2]

   
Hmmm, that's a tough one to call.. I'll suggest to decide for yourself using youtube first

 
I would regret tossing them too, but I wasn't even born yet in the 80s haha

Did you just call me old?

 
Youtube was a good call. Somewhere, I saw a player that will grab stuff from youtube to listen to music. Might be a good way to explore new stuff.
 
Thank you.

 

[520RanchBro]

Try it with the iPhone 6. You'll be surprised.

Maybe the 6 is different but plugged in to my 5S, I'd rather use my IEMs than the HE-400, it sounds pretty bad without juice.

 

[diamondears]

Maybe the 6 is different but plugged in to my 5S, I'd rather use my IEMs than the HE-400, it sounds pretty bad without juice.

How bad? Can you describe it?

I was surprised that even the LCD-2.2 sounded very good on my iPhone 6 (using Onkyo HF Player app btw), though you can't play it really loud, but loud enough for me. I suspect Apple improved the current handling even if it has only around 1Vrms.

 

[520RanchBro]

How bad? Can you describe it?

I was surprised that even the LCD-2.2 sounded very good on my iPhone 6 (using Onkyo HF Player app btw), though you can't play it really loud, but loud enough for me. I suspect Apple improved the current handling even if it has only around 1Vrms.

Anemic bass, awful separation, and really grating highs. It sounded very fizzy and only was only loud enough at max for me. This is relative to it being amped, straight from the phone it's listenable but if that's how they sounded all the time I'd never pay more than $75 for them.

 

[diamondears]

Anemic bass, awful separation, and really grating highs. It sounded very fizzy and only was only loud enough at max for me. This is relative to it being amped, straight from the phone it's listenable but if that's how they sounded all the time I'd never pay more than $75 for them.

Ok. Not what I heard at all. I suggest you try iPhone 6 with Onkyo HF Player.

 

[520RanchBro]

Ok. Not what I heard at all. I suggest you try iPhone 6 with Onkyo HF Player.

Yeah maybe that's be better but I got the 400s for desktop use and they excel at that. For portable I use my Re-600s or my DUNUs. I am going to eventually get a balanced cable and try the HE-400s with my HM-700 for when I want to listen to music on my deck when it's warmer out.

 

[thewind32]

 
Did you just call me old?

 
Youtube was a good call. Somewhere, I saw a player that will grab stuff from youtube to listen to music. Might be a good way to explore new stuff.
 
Thank you.

 
Hahaha I wouldn't dare to. Was only saying that I've never had the chance to experience vinyl records, something that I would like to have tried. I did go through the phase of carrying a discman out with me though.
 
Anyway, unless I'm wrong, can anyone let me know whether the Focuspads inner diameter is smaller than the pleather ones?

 

[MrMateoHead]

  Might be a good introduction but that extreme V shaped sound signature sucks. IMO the mids are the life of the music. Without them you're not left with much. That's why I went with the X2's and many others have as well over the HE-400. They just do everything well. Again, all subjective. If HiFiMan has something that improves the mids and tames the highs a little, that would be a real winner. I have no idea what the higher range HE-xxx bring to the table but at the prices they are currently, it'll be a long time before I fund out.

V-Shaped? If you compare the HE-400s to the NAD HP50, and superimposed the frequency responses on top of each other, I would think that the primary difference would be pumped up response in the critical midrange (about 300 to about 1 khz), and a fairly drastic treble peak around 8-9khz (which, music depending, is or is not pretty hyped). Maybe my ears are just different than others', but I have a tendency to do some cutting in the 2-6khz range anyhow as those frequencies tend to annoy me or magically bring the bass a little more forward.
 
The HE-400s are not certainly not "neutral" if you subscribe to the new Harmon curve (which seems to yield downward sloping response curves), but they just aren't what I call V-Shaped!
 
They actually have quite a nice midrange if you ask me.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

  V-Shaped? If you compare the HE-400s to the NAD HP50, and superimposed the frequency responses on top of each other, I would think that the primary difference would be pumped up response in the critical midrange (about 300 to about 1 khz), and a fairly drastic treble peak around 8-9khz (which, music depending, is or is not pretty hyped). Maybe my ears are just different than others', but I have a tendency to do some cutting in the 2-6khz range anyhow as those frequencies tend to annoy me or magically bring the bass a little more forward.
 
The HE-400s are not certainly not "neutral" if you subscribe to the new Harmon curve (which seems to yield downward sloping response curves), but they just aren't what I call V-Shaped!
 
They actually have quite a nice midrange if you ask me.

For me the mid range sucks. Non-existent. Lots of bass, no mids, lots of treble thus the V shaped sound signature. I don't need to superimpose anything...I know what my ears tell me and they tell me the mids from the HE-400 suck arse. But that's just me.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Maybe the 6 is different but plugged in to my 5S, I'd rather use my IEMs than the HE-400, it sounds pretty bad without juice.

I agree. They sounded bad for me out of my S5, my iPod touch, iPod nano, SanDisk Sansa, JDS Labs cMoy, and straight out of my computer. They sounded ok from my LD1+, better out of my Kenwood receiver, and a little better yet out of my Schiit Magni 2 Uber but still never up to what I was looking for. 

 

[TMRaven]

Definitely V-shaped, but definitely not non-existant midrange.  The lower midrange of the HE-400 is forward, while the upper midrange and lower treble is withdrawn.   The warm fundamentals of woodwinds and low brass are ever present with the HE-400's tuning.