[q2klepto]

 
Interesting, how high were you cranking it?
Would the T1 be a better bet for them? Or something else entirely?
I'm not really looking to spend a ton on the set up.

 
I usually have my T1 at about 55-60%. I think ive gone as high as 75% - i dont think id ever go much above that. Bought both the T1 and HE400 used, great buys imo.  
 
Of course using FLAC/320kb+/DTS quality material helps. 
 
I did the grill mod, just waiting for the 560 pads (using velour atm) to be available for purchase. 

 

[richard51]

  Hey guys I'm thinking of buying a pair of these, would a LittleDot III or Aune T1 be a good amp to pair with them?

 I had the Aune T1 last year pairing with the he 400.... its bad synergy.... The Aune  dac and amp exaggerate the  piercing highs.... I have sold it and i was very happy with  de 50 dollars dac hifimediy + the  100 dollars ocean bravo amp.... better synergy.....for the same price.... Now i have upgraded with Ember amp and bushmaster dac.... No comparison in the two cases with the Aune t 1...
 
Best regards

 

[manbear]

   Now i have upgraded with Ember amp and bushmaster dac.... No comparison in the two cases with the Aune t 1...
 

I've got a project ember incoming and I'm looking forward to it. 

 

[richard51]

 
I've got a project ember incoming and I'm looking forward to it. 

I have no regret and i enjoyed the ember very much, versatility, very impressive sound with tube rolling, and with the he 400 no more problem with the highs tizzing, all is good without mods or equalizing...... Best regards

 

[Lohb]

 
I have no regret and i enjoyed the ember very much, versatility, very impressive sound with tube rolling, and with the he 400 no more problem with the highs tizzing, all is good without mods or equalizing...... Best regards

Tube amps seem to be the way for smoothing things out with planars on the top-end when you get the tube rolling synergy right.

 

[dizmo]

Pretty high. I didn't have a db meter on my phone at the time, so I can't say exactly how loud. It wasn't a problem 95% of the time.

Can't comment on the t1.

I haven't heard the vali but a lot of people like it with the he-400 and it's cheaper than the two amps you mentioned. Might be worth considering.

Yeah, I thought of that too with a Schiit DAC, but the idea of being able to switch out tubes for a slightly different sound just seems like it'd be fun to experiment with.

 

[dizmo]

 
 I had the Aune T1 last year pairing with the he 400.... its bad synergy.... The Aune  dac and amp exaggerate the  piercing highs.... I have sold it and i was very happy with  de 50 dollars dac hifimediy + the  100 dollars ocean bravo amp.... better synergy.....for the same price.... Now i have upgraded with Ember amp and bushmaster dac.... No comparison in the two cases with the Aune t 1...
 
Best regards

Good to know, thanks!
I figured the price might be a little too good to be true.

 

[Sasasd]

  I'm going to upgrade my E10. From what I have searched I found that ODAC + Schiit Vali would be nice combo? Can't get modi and Vali is second hand. Also is Vali dead quiet with HE400? I mean noise floor.

Someone please? If Vali has even little hiss on reasonable volumes, I'm going to get Magni or O2. I can get modi/magni but I requires ordering from USA to Europe... Electromod shipping price to my location is 35 pounds.

 

[richard51]

 
Tube amps seem to be the way for smoothing things out with planars on the top-end when you get the tube rolling synergy right.

yes i think youre right from my experience......the two tube amp i have owned blended well with my he 400 ( ember and ocean )
 
best regards

 

[UprightMan]

Hi - about to receive my 400's and getting excited!   My current Amp is the C&C BH and I don't have a DAC (just been using colorfly/zune for headphone source) but this will change as these are not meant for public
 
Reading through thread for a few days and planning on getting Shciit.  I listen to indie/electronica mostly.  The questions I have are:
 
1. Amp - Schiit Magni vs Vali - thoughts on the differences in relation to HE400?  If it's 50/50 i'll go Vali as want to enter world of Tube but not sure if it pairs well or not...
 
2. DAC - Shciit Modi vs Loki - Need a USB DAC from Laptop (will use flac/320/cd).  Modi I get, but Loki not really sure what DSD is/does - how effects sound and the line out intrigues me as assume this is best way into my stereo? 
 
3 - I plan to build my own cable - what material works best?
 
Thanks in advance for any thoughts you have!

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

I dont know if anyone has tried this, but to tone down the harshness on the HE-400 off an IPOD seems impossible. So I tried mechanically. Iv'e cut wrapping tissue paper (stuff you use at Christmas) and placed one layer on the inside (driver) side. It seems to bring out the mids more and take the harshness edge off a bit on the highs. Easy and quick to do. Try it and let me know what you all think?

 

[realmassy]

Foreword: I own a decent setup (STAX 009, Megahertz Guerra EL34 based amp, Ayre QB-9 DSD), don't like collecting headphones or electronics and I'm very happy with my rig, but I'll be without amp for a while as it's being serviced. I'm without music and I have to do something about it

I didn't want to spend much on a 'temporary' solution and I found a used pair of HE400 for a good price, and I've got to say I'm quite impressed by them. So far I only tried them with a Fiio E7 (I think) that i usually keep at work and they sounded very good, pretty different from the STAX signature, as you'd expect, a bit darkish, but very enjoyable.

So now I want to use them at home, but I need a cheap amp with RCA input that I can connect to my DAC: what would you guys recommend? I was thinking of the Schiit Magni (£99 in UK), but I have no idea about its sound. It has to be cheap, but I would not mind paying something more as I'm planning to keep it and use it when I don't want to turn the big tube amp on...suring summer for example.
I don't know much about amps for dynamic/planar headphones as I've been using STAX for a long time, but the amp must be available in UK, nothing wrong in buying from China, but I have no time thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Skyfall]

I dont know if anyone has tried this, but to tone down the harshness on the HE-400 off an IPOD seems impossible. So I tried mechanically. Iv'e cut wrapping tissue paper (stuff you use at Christmas) and placed one layer on the inside (driver) side. It seems to bring out the mids more and take the harshness edge off a bit on the highs. Easy and quick to do. Try it and let me know what you all think?

I was listening to Eagles "Take it Easy" with my HE400  on Fiio X5 and I thought the guitar sound is a little too spiky at the top and makes it sound a little too sharp prob around 10-14khz somewhere in there. It would have been nice if it was softer but I still like it bright. HD650 does this perfect!
 
And I came across your idea about stuffing it with krismas paper well...I have a box of kleenex in front of me and so I did and it looks like this
 

 
Thanks to your BRILLIANT idea now HE400 sounds.....

!!!

 

[Empty Flower]

I have the Vali and Modi with the HE-400 and I think the combination is fantastic.

 

[BBCInc]

I can't hear any hiss from my Vali - HE400 pairing (other than what's in the source material of course).