[iamxLn]

just put them on, instantly impressed! instant reactions was a lottttttt more clear and more sound stage than mad dog pros

 

[nmatheis]

just put them on, instantly impressed! instant reactions was a lottttttt more clear and more sound stage than mad dog pros

HE400 certainly aren't dark like some of the other planars on the market.

 

[creatip]

Hiya all, found this particular topic through google. I have been to other headfi topics, but this is the 1st time (I think) I posted here
 
Well, anyway, read some of the posts/questions about the pads, and thought I'd share my personal experiences. 
 
- the standard all pleather pad that came with the package. Quite comfortable, but like the usual pleather pads, kinda hot on the skin after some times. Accentuates the low frequencies, making it a bit muddy. Good for bassheads
 
- the standard velour pad. Rock hard after a while. Washing it with hot water soften the inner foam a bit, but not for very long. Frankly the worst in term of comfort. In term of sounds, it's the best compared to the other pads I've tried. Gives a spacious feel, good frequency separation. Tilted a bit to the warmer side. I did a foam mod, making it slanted forward, gives a more realistic sounds in movies and games.
 
- the new velpad. Very comfy and easy on the skin. IMO, too thin. I'm not used to my earlobes touching the plastic surface of the headphone. With the standard pleather and velour, my earlobes didn't touch the plastic parts. Accentuates the mid-high frequencies. Kinda mashed overall frequencies. Maybe good for treble junkies, but not my preference. 
 
Haven't tried the focuspad yet.
 
The standard velour is by far my preference. Spacious, warm, detailed, and good frequency separations. 

 

[fishymamba]

Trying to decide between that HE-400 and HE-400S right now. Can't really find a concise list of differences between the two sound wise. The jack is different and the style has been changed a bit with the head band. 
 
Edit: Ended up ordering the normal HE-400. Coming tomorrow! 

 

[iamxLn]

i know i just got them, but i actually think they're pretty comfortable. the pads are bigger than the dt880 and they dont feel any heavier than mad dogs. 

 

[iamxLn]

  Trying to decide between that HE-400 and HE-400S right now. Can't really find a concise list of differences between the two sound wise. The jack is different and the style has been changed a bit with the head band. 
 
Edit: Ended up ordering the normal HE-400. Coming tomorrow! 

awesome! let us know! 249 is impossible to beat. these are just fantastic. im glad i did it, zero regret

 

[DDDamian]

Agreed - at that price-point they are a good can. Pair with a warmer amp/source and you have a pretty damn good sound.

 

[iamxLn]

yeah with the little dot and magni, they definitely sound better on the little dot to me. it has more weight to it

 

[fishymamba]

I'll be happy as long as I like them better than my old MDR-V6s. All I have for an amp right now is a Fiio E10, but I am thinking of getting something else in the near future. 

 

[creatip]

  I'll be happy as long as I like them better than my old MDR-V6s. All I have for an amp right now is a Fiio E10, but I am thinking of getting something else in the near future. 

 
I don't know if it's been mentioned or not before (not fancy flipping through 1300+ of pages ), but HE-400 is what I call 'classic planar', meaning it's both low impedance and low efficiency, which is actually a 'nightmare' for small/portable amps. Low efficiency means it need more power (watt), Low impedance means it doesn't need very high voltage to overcome the resistance, but also means it needs higher/bigger stable current (ampere). 
 
 I don't really understand the full technicalities, but it seems cranking voltage (in an amp) is much easier than cranking current, thus providing a good amount, stable current seems to be a pain in the butt for portable amps. 
 
HE400:
- 92.5 dB/mW
- 35 ohms
 
Compare it to 'newer generation' of planar:
 
LCD-3
- 102 dB/mW
- 110 ohms
(from this data alone, LCD-3 is actually more efficient and easier to drive than M50 series)
 
Well, theory aside, I also used E10 (same, without k) before, and it seemed to be lacking a bit for HE400, at least for me. Not the volume (it can get quite loud on E10), but the overall sounds. Ended up selling it, and getting Aune T1.
 
Of course, best is to try it first. You might be content with the result of HE400 + E10. 

 

[earwhore]

Its probably been mentioned somewhere deep in this thread but if you hate the stock pads as much as i do check out lawton audio's custom angled pads they make a MASSIVE difference in comfort.I've had them on mine for a couple months now and couldn't be happier

 

[creatip]

Oh, also a word of caution to fellow HE-400 owners (and maybe other hifiman models, as they're similar in design).
 
You know the hinges part between the headband and the yokes, right? The ones covered with blue, round cups with 'hifiman' markings on them? Well, the headband is metal, the yokes are metals, but the parts holding the 2 together are just plastic clamps with screws on them. 
 
Mine broke a while ago, on the left cup. The plastic snapped in 2, so the left cup, along with the metal yoke, were completely separated from the headband. I use electrical tape for the time being. Searched online, and there were some others with similar problems. 
 
So my advice, when you're putting it on or off your head, grab/pinch the headband itself right behind the hinges, instead of the cups, to avoid putting stress to the hinges.
 
E-mailed hifiman, asked if they're willing to sell just the headband. They do, it's $50 excluding shipping. I haven't ordered one yet, so I don't know if it's just the headband part, or actually the headband + yokes + hinges. If it's the latter, $50 would be reasonable.

 

[richard51]

dear fellow he 400 listeners... I ask you to read this most important thread for the details of this extraordinary mod, simple, easy, no costly, and reversible....
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/744839/damping-mechanical-resonance-distortion-of-stax-and-other-phones-with-sorbothane
 

 

[Lohb]

  Oh, also a word of caution to fellow HE-400 owners (and maybe other hifiman models, as they're similar in design).
 
You know the hinges part between the headband and the yokes, right? The ones covered with blue, round cups with 'hifiman' markings on them? Well, the headband is metal, the yokes are metals, but the parts holding the 2 together are just plastic clamps with screws on them. 
 
Mine broke a while ago, on the left cup. The plastic snapped in 2, so the left cup, along with the metal yoke, were completely separated from the headband. I use electrical tape for the time being. Searched online, and there were some others with similar problems. 
 
So my advice, when you're putting it on or off your head, grab/pinch the headband itself right behind the hinges, instead of the cups, to avoid putting stress to the hinges.
 
E-mailed hifiman, asked if they're willing to sell just the headband. They do, it's $50 excluding shipping. I haven't ordered one yet, so I don't know if it's just the headband part, or actually the headband + yokes + hinges. If it's the latter, $50 would be reasonable.

Good advice.I saw that myself before.
I think I paid $29 + expensive shipping before. Yep, it is everything...'headband + yokes + hinges'

 

[Lohb]

  dear fellow he 400 listeners... I ask you to read this most important thread for the details of this extraordinary mod, simple, easy, no costly, and reversible....
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/744839/damping-mechanical-resonance-distortion-of-stax-and-other-phones-with-sorbothane
 

Was that before/after objectively measured like for instance the DIY Fazor on the LCD-2 thread which had multiple before/after graphs ?