just got a 500, already own the 400. "Side grade" is an interesting word and something that I instinctively agree with. The 400 and 500 emphasize different areas in a subtle fashion compared to one another but the overall sound, at first blush, seems to be similar. I will allow that the 500 is slightly more refined though.
I personally don't think the HE-500 is technically superior to HE-500. Except I found the HE-500 to have a bit more of a controlled sound all the way around (not bass, though)
I think I know what you mean about that sound, I experience it too. It happens when I pause or unpause while sound is playing from my headphones. The louder the music, the louder the twack. For example that 30Hz wav file someone posted a few pages back, if I pause and unpause I hear a pretty loud twack sound. I'll see if I can record it and post it here.
Yeah but it doesn't happen all the time. With that sub bass track posted earlier it happens every time, but with almost all of my music it doesn't happen. Perhaps only when really deep bass notes are playing.
One week on, I'm beginning to love these headphones more now. I don't think I be returning them. I'm definitely getting used to their sound and appreciating that, despite them definitely not having a neutral or honest representation of the sounds given to them, they do allow one to enjoy a vast array of music in a very vivid way, which I can be nothing but pleased about.
I must add that I recently bought a cheap Bravo Audio Ocean tube amp. This was my first foray into tubes and was purchased especially to drive a used vintage pair of AKG K240 DFs (600 ohms) that I received just days before the HifiMans. Well, as it turned out, this little blue bundle is amazing and drives all my cans beautifully. I swapped the stock valve for a used Mullard from eBay and the difference was surprising to say the least. Aside from it bringing out the bottom end and filling the mids out on my AKGs (intended purpose), I found that they really tamed down that 'tizziness' at the very top end on the HE-400s. This was my single biggest issue with these headphones and I am over the moon with this pairing with the little valve amp! This very match stopped me from returning them. I just thought people might like to know that, in case they fancied a relatively low cost tip-toe into valve amplification..
This is not much of an impression but more of a question to you HE400 owners.
If I find the treble of the Beyerdynamics DT990 Edition 250Ohm too extensive and fatiguing, how will the HE400s treble compare? As they are rather cheap right now at HeadAmp I consider getting some but I am always scared of the highs.
Some feedbackon this would be nice.
Being a huge fan of both the 990 (Ive owned...7 at several different points in time) and HE-400, I have to say that the HE-400 is more jarring in the treble. Not necessarily because it has more, but because the darker tonality makes the treble pop out of nowhere. With the 990, you get a consistently bright signature, so the treble doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Either way, if you're good with the 990's treble, I doubt the HE-400 will be problematic overall, though it does stick out and seem more out of place.
The HE-400 is an upgrade from the 990 overall, though you will lose out some of that immedaite midbass emphasis...
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