**Hifiman HE-400 Impressions and Discussion Thread**

[beaver316]

Aren't you driving your cans from an E17 Jerg? I heard those have some treble roll off.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Aren't you driving your cans from an E17 Jerg? I heard those have some treble roll off.

Yeah sure, maybe 1~2 dB of roll-off starting at around 18kHz. Modern amps don't just have wild colourations, they are typically dead linear with very minor roll-offs at the very extremes. It is irrelevant in practice.

 

[Death3man]

Hi there guys,
I am considering a purchase of these, but I'm not sure whether I should.
This is because I will mainly be using these on the go, and unamped.
How much different are they unamped?
Are they much worse?
Thanks

 

[davidsh]

Difference is like this IMO: They sound good unamped, they sound very good to amazing well amped.

 

[beaver316]

I'll be honest, since my ear cleaning episode, I find that im a little more sensitive to the HE-400's treble. Perhaps the impacted ear wax was attenuating the high end for me, which explains why I never used to have a problem with the HE-400's treble, but in recent days I find it a little brighter than usual. Good thing I saved a "treble fix" EQ preset for Electri-Q from earlier in the thread, I'll give it a test.
 
Edit: this is the one I have saved, the dip is at 13 Khz, but the EQ preset posted on the previous page is at 16 Khz, which would be better?
 
 

 

[BigCabDaddy]

What do you mean by that?  

Imagine a flat ten band equalizer. Then you boost a certain band 6db. Zero gain would have you cutting another (or combination of others) by 6db to negate the boost introduced by that first band. Whether it's still a relevant concept in a digital world, I don't know for sure. But it seems like it would be.

 

[catspaw]

Beaver 316, i have the Fiio E17 and i use it for both my PC setup (with the asgard amp) and for my Cowon i9.
 
The Treble manipulation on the E17 aint particulary precise. It kills the siblance for sure, but muffs the sound in the process.
 
I have been testing it over time but after the Beyer pads, the siblance is gone (thou the foams are too thick and the hp lose clarity as well).
 
I will have to check this, but im sure i will eventually use software EQ (PC and Cowons i9).
 
Now im glad i have the Cowon i9 btw .
 
I still ahvent gotten the HE-400 exactly where i want them, but its getting there. (thou im sure if i had the money id go for the HE-500 right away).

 

[davidsh]

Well, the e17 treble boost start at 1kHz

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

Beaver 316, i have the Fiio E17 and i use it for both my PC setup (with the asgard amp) and for my Cowon i9.
 
The Treble manipulation on the E17 aint particulary precise. It kills the siblance for sure, but muffs the sound in the process.
 
I have been testing it over time but after the Beyer pads, the siblance is gone (thou the foams are too thick and the hp lose clarity as well).
 
I will have to check this, but im sure i will eventually use software EQ (PC and Cowons i9).
 
Now im glad i have the Cowon i9 btw .
 
I still ahvent gotten the HE-400 exactly where i want them, but its getting there. (thou im sure if i had the money id go for the HE-500 right away).

 
I wasn't referring to the E17 treble controls, but rather the dac/amp itself has a very slight roll off. But as Jerg said it shouldn't be noticeable in practice. 
 
I think I may have created a perfect electri-q config to tone the treble a little. It's similar to the pic I posted above, but doesn't bleed as much into the upper mids which are already recessed. Im really liking the sound change, it takes the edge off which the headphone needs. I can post it if someone wants..

 

[davidsh]

^If you double click on the dot, you can make further adjustments. Try that. The sibilance should be found around 8 kHz,?

 

[dalb]

Since I've gotten my HE-400s I barely ever use my HD600s. It's actually sad, didn't really want to sell them.
 
I have a question. I'm loving the HE-400 sound. Anybody upgraded from these to the LCD 2s? It's hard to listen to them where I live unfortunately. 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Right here.

LCD2 is a fantastic upgrade, though if you're into the HE-400's treble, the LCD2 may be too smooth for you. I use to be a treblehead, and I'm quite happy with the LCD2's treble. For slightly more treble as well as comfort, I'd get the vegan/leather free version of the LCD2. You trade off a little of the warmth and mid forwardness, though it's basically a wash in SQ regardless of pads.

That being said, while the LCD2 is worth it over the HE400, IMHO, the HE400 is still quite competent next to the LCD2 when EQ-ing down the treble. It just doesn't have the same richness in the mids, and organic realism. The HE-400 has better imaging and soundstage though.

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

^If you double click on the dot, you can make further adjustments. Try that. The sibilance should be found around 8 kHz,?

 
What a difference EQ can make, I toned down around that region and indeed songs which were sibilant aren't as bad. Of course if it's present in the recording I can't remove it completely without affecting other regions, but it's certainly more manageable now.

 

[kothganesh]

Quote:

Since I've gotten my HE-400s I barely ever use my HD600s. It's actually sad, didn't really want to sell them.
 
I have a question. I'm loving the HE-400 sound. Anybody upgraded from these to the LCD 2s? It's hard to listen to them where I live unfortunately. 

HE-400 is getting better by the day, thank you. I did get the LCD 2, not as an upgrade, but as another set of HPs. I honestly don't think of the LCD 2.2 as an upgrade anymore. I love the way the 400 plays my favorite genre of music, namely rock.

 

[nicolo]

Hi,
 
I got the HE-400 3 months back. I am now planning to get it balanced to use it with the Yulong Sabre A18 i got recently.
There's a big problem though. I am new to this world and am not sure how this can be done. Do i just buy balanced cables.
Or do i need to ask the cable seller to balance it? Is there any video/website with steps on how to balance a headphone or the HE-400?
 
Thanks in advance for your help!!
 
Regards