[Ohnoitztotoro]

Quote:

Two days ago I bought HE-400 as a complementary headphone to my LCD-2 rev.2. I am experiencing a strange thing HE-400 makes me listen to the music much louder than LCD-2 does? It is as if on LCD-2 I can hear everything even on low volumes and on HE-400 I need to listen louder to get the same feeling of hearing everything. (I use the recommended velour pads on HE-400). Can someone explain this phenomenon?

My first listen with the HE-400 (was using Sennheiser HD600 & HD650)  was the same as you. It really seemed like a much quieter pair of headphones. At first I thought it was my amp not handling it properly but after a while I realized its because the HD650 has very forward mids whereas the HE-400 has much less so the music seems much quieter on the HE-400. I imagine from the description of the LCD-2 sound signature, that they may have a similar effect so when switching from LCD-2 to the HE-400, I can see these headphones sounding quieter. It took me a few days to get use to the change but I like the HE-400 quite a bit. 

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

A pictorial representation of what the EQ would be.
 
 

 
This is what I did on my EQ few pages back , +4 dB on 3500Hz with BW 2.2 (which is +- what u painted on picture) ... didn't even know about this graph 

 

[Flisker]

So today I spent quite a lot of time modding pads for HE-400 and would like to share my experience with you.
 
First I gave try to Jerg's modification http://www.head-fi.org/t/646812/hifiman-he500-he400-jergpad-mod-revised-jan-22-2013
 
This is how it started , left pad off
 

 
After few steps ...
 

 
Used razor for cutting holes etc
 

 
Middle holes done
 

 
Finished all holes
 

 
For those who don't know how does it look like without pad 

 

 
Ok here are both finished 
 

 
So in this part I was so excited to try them out ... but unfortunately when I first tried them, it wasn't what I expected. 
 
With my present EQ :
 
 

 
It was terrible, ears piercing treble , too much mids and something wrong happened to bass it was still there but I didn't feel it like I used to with both velours and pleathers. In next step I lowered back that 3500hz boost on EQ which made it listenable but still I felt like it was better with velours and that this feel somehow wrong 

 
I gave testing about hour and than finally gave up... maybe I made some mistake or this mod just isn't for me.
 
 
 
When I was done with this and put back velours I got and idea of putting cotton into velour pad ... did this with Shure SRH940 and was great.
 
So I gave it immediately shot
 
The white thing in pad is cotton ... used those circle sized cotton tissues for face cleaning. 
 
This will raise pad => better soundstage at least as far as I can say. Also headphones sits better on my head with this mod because they have better clamping force.
 
 

 
Modded velour vs Normal velour
 

 
 

 
 

 
I love this little modification and I'am pretty happy with sound.
 
+ it's really easy mod.
 
Let me know what you guys think 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 
So today I spent quite a lot of time modding pads for HE-400 and would like to share my experience with you.
 
First I gave try to Jerg's modification http://www.head-fi.org/t/646812/hifiman-he500-he400-jergpad-mod-revised-jan-22-2013
 
This is how it started , left pad off
 

 
After few steps ...
 

 
Used razor for cutting holes etc
 

 
Middle holes done
 

 
Finished all holes
 

 
For those who don't know how does it look like without pad 

 

 
Ok here are both finished 
 

 
So in this part I was so excited to try them out ... but unfortunately when I first tried them, it wasn't what I expected. 
 
With my present EQ :
 
 

 
It was terrible, ears piercing treble , too much mids and something wrong happened to bass it was still there but I didn't feel it like I used to with both velours and pleathers. In next step I lowered back that 3500hz boost on EQ which made it listenable but still I felt like it was better with velours and that this feel somehow wrong 

 
I gave testing about hour and than finally gave up... maybe I made some mistake or this mod just isn't for me.
 
 
 
When I was done with this and put back velours I got and idea of putting cotton into velour pad ... did this with Shure SRH940 and was great.
 
So I gave it immediately shot
 
The white thing in pad is cotton ... used those circle sized cotton tissues for face cleaning. 
 
This will raise pad => better soundstage at least as far as I can say. Also headphones sits better on my head with this mod because they have better clamping force.
 
 

 
Modded velour vs Normal velour
 

 
 

 
 

 
I love this little modification and I'am pretty happy with sound.
 
+ it's really easy mod.
 
Let me know what you guys think 

 

 

Shame the mod didn't work out for you, a few points though:
 
1) I did not do the mod with EQ in mind, it should be without any equalization
2) the fabric screen from the pleathers removes a lot of treble tizz, so I'd recommend it be part of the final assembly
3) midrange (esp. upper mids) SHOULD be more emphasized and forward. One of the main complaints about HE400 is how its recessed upper mids doesn't couple with female vocals
 
 
Seeing as you like the velours especially with the foam spacers, it makes me think that you by default prefer a colder, more laid-back and dynamic sound. In that case then the jergpad mod won't work for your preference as it aims to bring treble into control and bloom out the midrange without any ringing muddiness.

 

[sbtruitt]

Why not just EQ the tizzies out? Wouldn't be tough. You'd just need a Graphic of the HE400s response curve and adjust accordingly. Personally, the tizzy thing you are talking about isn't present on my set, but I did feel they were a tad bright for the first week or so. Now I think they are perfect. I've tried cutting the way upper end with my EQ,  bit and for me, it was not worth the sacrifice of greater detail. 

This. You can EQ out tizziness, but you can never EQ in airiness/openness lol.

+1

I've never heard the Audese's but hope so at an upcoming meet. That said though, with a little added EQ I really love my 400s now and have no upgraditis, I'm just enjoying the music.

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

Shame the mod didn't work out for you, a few points though:
 
1) I did not do the mod with EQ in mind, it should be without any equalization
2) the fabric screen from the pleathers removes a lot of treble tizz, so I'd recommend it be part of the final assembly
3) midrange (esp. upper mids) SHOULD be more emphasized and forward. One of the main complaints about HE400 is how its recessed upper mids doesn't couple with female vocals
 
 
Seeing as you like the velours especially with the foam spacers, it makes me think that you by default prefer a colder, more laid-back and dynamic sound. In that case then the jergpad mod won't work for your preference as it aims to bring treble into control and bloom out the midrange without any ringing muddiness.

 
Tried also without EQ but you are probably right, it's just not for me. I don't mind more forward sound (really like SRH940 which should be pretty forward if I understand this term right) but "dynamic" is probably the key word here.   
 

Dynamic

 - The suggestion of energy and wide dynamic. Related to perceived speed as well as contrasts in volume both large and small.    - That's exactly what I like
 
As for recessed upper mids... yes that was main thing that bothered me too, but it's easily sorted out with EQ ... still tweaking it to perfection now with those "spacers" .

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 
Tried also without EQ but you are probably right, it's just not for me. I don't mind more forward sound (really like SRH940 which should be pretty forward if I understand this term right) but "dynamic" is probably the key word here.   
 

Dynamic

 - The suggestion of energy and wide dynamic. Related to perceived speed as well as contrasts in volume both large and small.    - That's exactly what I like
 
As for recessed upper mids... yes that was main thing that bothered me too, but it's easily sorted it out with EQ ... still tweaking it to perfection now with those "spacers" .

As I mentioned in the forewords of the guide, I hate those foam spacers. They mess up the midrange somehow, makes it really cupped-sounding and wonky. Also they really prop up the foam inside the earpads which makes the earpads feel hard as rubber.
 
IMO HE400's (and by extension HE500's) midrange is presented in the most balanced and transparent fashion by far with the jergpads, compared to all other earpads and earpad variations I've tested. Without EQ of course. The only other earpad close or on par in mids transparency is LCD3 pads, but those are not nearly as balanced-sounding.

 

[Flisker]

Quote:

As I mentioned in the forewords of the guide, I hate those foam spacers. They mess up the midrange somehow, makes it really cupped-sounding and wonky. Also they really prop up the foam inside the earpads which makes the earpads feel hard as rubber.
 
IMO HE400's (and by extension HE500's) midrange is presented in the most balanced and transparent fashion by far with the jergpads, compared to all other earpads and earpad variations I've tested. Without EQ of course. The only other earpad close or on par in mids transparency is LCD3 pads, but those are not nearly as balanced-sounding.

 
I like that harder feeling 

 makes it more "closed" . Velour pads with spacers without EQ are not something I would call "great", definitely agree with you on this. So yea if I wouldn't use EQ at all maybe jergpads would be better even for me.

 

[TMRaven]

A question: is it possible to get the parametric electiq thingy to work with Foobar?  I'm still on OSX at the moment and havn't switched over to windows for the day.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

From someone who downgraded from the HE-500 to the HE-400 (and was very happy with the decision), if you feel the 400 lacks warmth & musicality (in the mids), the HE-500 will suit you well.  More often than not, I actually found the 500's mids too lush & forward.  It closed the stage in too much for me.. I wanted something with similar technical capabilities but with a more open and airy stage.. the 400 fit the bill for me.  I found the 500's bass a little too centered around the midbass, too.  It's more technically capable than the 400's bass (not by much, IME).. but again, the midbass centered boost made the sound a bit too 'stuffy' for me.  The 500's treble is velvety smooth, too.. arguably too smooth for my tastes.
 
Despite all this, I still really like the sound of the HE-500.. I just ended up not liking it enough to own it.  I wish I knew an HE-500 owner nearby from who I could borrow it whenever I wanted.
 
Owning both the 400 & 500, I really came away with a lot of respect for both phones.. and the important thing to understand at this price point is that it's really about finding what suits your tastes.. technicalities are much closer (and source/amp dependent) than it may appear.

 
 
Sounds like you would not like the LCD-2.2 at all.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 
I like that harder feeling 

 makes it more "closed" . Velour pads with spacers without EQ are not something I would call "great", definitely agree with you on this. So yea if I wouldn't use EQ at all maybe jergpads would be better even for me.

With EQ I can probably make magic with no earpads at all lol. I used to do some crazy parametric EQ with my old M50s, tons of people PM'd me all the time asking for the mythical EQ file.
 
I think this was the latest version before I decided to dump the M50s and get something better:
 
 

 
The interesting part is that this EQ was built over several months purely based on my subjective perceptions via hundreds of sinewave sweeps and note-taking, with zero referencing to any FR or CSD measurements, YET it matches up really well with actual M50 measurements:
 

 
 
Note how much of a flipped mirror image this is. I was quite surprised too by how well they matched.

 

[jiggahwhat]

To be quite frank, I always knew something was wrong when I enjoyed listening to a friend's Bose QuietComfort15 more than my D2000s. The D2000s were better technically in all aspects, but it just didn't sound natural, and it didn't sound like music. I was really jealous of that Bose headphone...it's clear to me going through the D2ks and the HE-400s that warm lush mids with treble rolloff is what I want. 

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

A question: is it possible to get the parametric electiq thingy to work with Foobar?  I'm still on OSX at the moment and havn't switched over to windows for the day.

 
Yes you can. You'll need a VST wrapper though, I recommend George Yohng's. 

 

[TMRaven]

And how do I store my EQ presets before the it wants me to register?

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

And how do I store my EQ presets before the it wants me to register?

 
The posihfopit edition is free, it's never asked me to register.
 
http://www.aixcoustic.com/index.php/Electri-Q-posihfopit/30/0/