[Sniping]

Quote:

Hello guys, I've a budget @ 1000 euro and I'm the process to buy a DAC and an AMP for my Hifiman HE-400.
 
I've really fallen for the REGA Dac, but its ~700 euro then then I only got 300 for the amp, I was thinking the Rega Ear MK II  or Musical Fidelity VCAN MK II.
 
Is this really stupid to buy a more expensive DAC then AMP? Any other suggestion in my price range?
 
Preferably from European brands.
 
edit: 
 
Gear can be colored towards bass heavy, fun and silky if anything.
 
Don't need portability, it will be used next to my computer only!

With that kind of money you can get the Mad Dogs and the HD650 and still have enough left for a great amp!

 

[dryvadeum]

Quote:

With that kind of money you can get the Mad Dogs and the HD650 and still have enough left for a great amp!

Or just upgrade to the HE 500, sell the HE 400 and still have enough money for a good amp for them.

 

[steveting99]

Does anyone have a link to the youtube video showing how to remove the pads on the HE-400? Recall seeing a link in this massive thread, but don't know where it is now.
 
Steve

 

[ri_toast]

^here you go, wow, hard to find
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=youtube+he-400+pad
please dont tell me that's not the one you were looking for. Pad changes are easy.

 

[Jesterphile]

Mine were delivered today. Loving them so far, although they seem to punish some songs by revealing crackling sounds that I don't notice with my AD700s or T50RPs unless I know they're there and look for them. Anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

[TMRaven]

The elevated treble would definitely show clipping in recordings more.

 

[ri_toast]

Mine were delivered today. Loving them so far, although they seem to punish some songs by revealing crackling sounds that I don't notice with my AD700s or T50RPs unless I know they're there and look for them. Anyone else experienced anything like this?

.
Detail is a sought out quality, if an engineer or artist left it in I'd like to hear it.

 

[Marleybob217]

Seems like the HE400 hype is slowly being replaced by the HE500. 
 
The HE400 is great, but it does have some flaws (the treble D, but I think earpads and a bit of equalizing really helps the headphone.
In retrospect it might have been wiser of me to save money for an extra month and buy the HE500 instead. 

 

[modulor]

Quote:

Seems like the HE400 hype is slowly being replaced by the HE500. 
 
The HE400 is great, but it does have some flaws (the treble D, but I think earpads and a bit of equalizing really helps the headphone.
In retrospect it might have been wiser of me to save money for an extra month and buy the HE500 instead. 

Well, the HE-500 has been around longer and it's always been about twice the price, while the HE-400 is one of the first 'efficient' open planars to come under $500.  I personally don't mind applying EQ to fine tune for my own unique preferences...it's almost expected.  The HE-400 is a great headphone for it's target audience and one of the best in it's price range, no doubt.  It's flaws to some may be benefits to others - it's all in the tuning, and it was purposefully made that way.  Had it not been for their more accessible price, I would probably not know the joys that planar technology has to offer.  Like anything, you will always wonder about the alternatives.  Think of it as a quest for what is best sounding to you.  For now, the HE-400 makes me very happy, but I am also very eager to try out the HE-500, LCD-2, Mad Dogs and a bunch more that have caught my attention.  Who knows, maybe I'll prefer one of their sound signatures more, but only until I try them will I know for sure.  This is why I can't wait for the local meetup here in May...I think I'll know what I'm really after once I've had the chance to demo some other options.  Still, the HE-400 deserves all the praise it has gotten thus far and it does stand above most cans for several reasons...which is why I originally upped my budget and chose them! 

  If my budget has to change again, so be it...this hobby, like most others, is about finding what works best for you and sharing your opinion with the community.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Seems like the HE400 hype is slowly being replaced by the HE500. 
 
The HE400 is great, but it does have some flaws (the treble D, but I think earpads and a bit of equalizing really helps the headphone.
In retrospect it might have been wiser of me to save money for an extra month and buy the HE500 instead. 

HE400 is sort of like cannabis; to some it is a gateway drug, to others it is the end of the line.

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

HE400 is sort of like cannabis; to some it is a gateway drug, to others it is the end of the line.

 
In a way it's both for me, end of the line for the foreseeable future but it's certainly opened my eyes (or ears?) to high end audio. If and when I do upgrade, not even the HE-500 would be a big enough jump for me. Im looking at headphones like the LCD3 or whatever Audeze releases after it.

 

[chewy4]

It does make me want to experiment with LCD...

 

[Marleybob217]

Quote:

HE400 is sort of like cannabis; to some it is a gateway drug, to others it is the end of the line.

 
 
Quote:

Well, the HE-500 has been around longer and it's always been about twice the price, while the HE-400 is one of the first 'efficient' open planars to come under $500.  I personally don't mind applying EQ to fine tune for my own unique preferences...it's almost expected.  The HE-400 is a great headphone for it's target audience and one of the best in it's price range, no doubt.  It's flaws to some may be benefits to others - it's all in the tuning, and it was purposefully made that way.  Had it not been for their more accessible price, I would probably not know the joys that planar technology has to offer.  Like anything, you will always wonder about the alternatives.  Think of it as a quest for what is best sounding to you.  For now, the HE-400 makes me very happy, but I am also very eager to try out the HE-500, LCD-2, Mad Dogs and a bunch more that have caught my attention.  Who knows, maybe I'll prefer one of their sound signatures more, but only until I try them will I know for sure.  This is why I can't wait for the local meetup here in May...I think I'll know what I'm really after once I've had the chance to demo some other options.  Still, the HE-400 deserves all the praise it has gotten thus far and it does stand above most cans for several reasons...which is why I originally upped my budget and chose them! 

  If my budget has to change again, so be it...this hobby, like most others, is about finding what works best for you and sharing your opinion with the community.

Couldn't agree more with both of you.
For so many people the HE400 is just a step in the right direction, and for some it is enough. Since the HE400 responds well to eq-ing, and isn't a mobile headphone at all I don't mind its 'fun' signature. But having a near perfect headphone straight out of the box is worth a lot too. 
I think the HE400 gave me a taste of what headphones can offer an audiophile, but I can also recognize its shortcomings. But I'm very curious to what the future of headphones has to offer. I don't think I'll buy the HE500, unless its secondhanded, since I already own the HE400 and it is very similar. But I'm hoping for another bang-for-buck headphone in a year that will obliterate the HE400!

 

[MattTCG]

Don't be surprised if HFM comes out with something new in a full sized hp some time this year. 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Don't be surprised if HFM comes out with something new in a full sized hp some time this year. 

It won't be something that competes with their own product (HE400) though, that'd be dumb especially considering how much work and fuss it took em to stabilize the HE400.
 
My guess is they are working to push out an electrostat and/or revising the design and ergonomics of their current full-sized cans.