[TheGame21x]

Received my hybrid and velour pads today. Haven't had the chance to A-B them but I really like the feel of the hybrid pads. I don't know if the sound has changed, but I certainly don't think it's gotten any worse.

 

[chengsta]

compared to my x5, the modi has slightly rolled off treble which is great for the he400.  And just got my focus pad A today.  They are super comfortable, more so than the velors!

 

[E92xM3xJerez]

Hello HE-400 gurus!
 
I'm new to the forum and was asking opinions in the "Help and Getting Started" thread when it was suggested I visit you all here. I haven't had the opportunity to listen to a pair of HE-400s, but, according to my searches, they should fit the bill for a pair of headphones for what I listen to (metal, EDM) and are in my budget (under $400).
 
To not completely repost my initial post, I'll cut to the chase:
 
I NEED my new headphones to be able to play the bass lines in Marilyn Manson's Spade without making Metallica's Ride the Lightning album sound like I'm hearing it through a sea of cotton balls. Skull liquifying bass during Gemini's Blue is something that would be "really-awesomely-bad-ass-and-I'm-willing-to-pay-extra-for-it-if-it-doesn't-subtract-from-my-other-needs," but is not a requirement. How do the HE-400s do with those specific songs?
 
Any and all help is appreciated, thanks guys!
 
P.S. If anyone in the Las Vegas area has HE-400s I can listen to, I'll buy lunch!

 

[BBCInc]

Out of the original HE-400 pleather, current HFM velour, focus, and focus-a pads, am leaning to the focus pads after listening and comparing for a few hours this morning. Equipment is an Uber Bifrost DAC and Vali amp. The sound stage seems widest and the bass seems most prominent (nice bass join-in slam on Led Zep's Bron-Y-Aur Stomp for instance) with the focus pads. Vocals are a little more sibilant with focus but nothing really objectionable.
 
The seams on both the focus and focus-a line up at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock facing the pad openings on the left and right cups, respectively, with the thickest part of the pads to the back.
 
Still working on the rank order of the other pads but none sounded totally awful making discriminating difficult overall.

 

[gahung]

I've been using the HE400 for about a month, but they are IMO not a versatile phone. I mainly listen to pop and classical and I feel like HE400 does pretty bad in this area. So I wonder if I need to get another headphone that can beat the 400 in these two genres. At the same time, I bought a Lyr to see if it works better than Asgard with the 400. I may end up getting HD650 but I heard from people that these two phones are similar. Any one have any idea?

 

[utee05]

  I've been using the HE400 for about a month, but they are IMO not a versatile phone. I mainly listen to pop and classical and I feel like HE400 does pretty bad in this area. So I wonder if I need to get another headphone that can beat the 400 in these two genres. At the same time, I bought a Lyr to see if it works better than Asgard with the 400. I may end up getting HD650 but I heard from people that these two phones are similar. Any one have any idea?

I would be curious about this as well. I would eventually like to get another set of open cans and have been thinking of trying either the HD600 or the Q701 to see if they complement the HE400.

 

[gahung]

  I would be curious about this as well. I would eventually like to get another set of open cans and have been thinking of trying either the HD600 or the Q701 to see if they complement the HE400.

But isn't the Q701 a downgrade in this case? I am looking for one that is in par with HE 400 while shines in mids and probably the soundstage. How is the K712 compared to Q701?

 

[Mani ATH 87]

  Out of the original HE-400 pleather, current HFM velour, focus, and focus-a pads, am leaning to the focus pads after listening and comparing for a few hours this morning. Equipment is an Uber Bifrost DAC and Vali amp. The sound stage seems widest and the bass seems most prominent (nice bass join-in slam on Led Zep's Bron-Y-Aur Stomp for instance) with the focus pads. Vocals are a little more sibilant with focus but nothing really objectionable.
 
The seams on both the focus and focus-a line up at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock facing the pad openings on the left and right cups, respectively, with the thickest part of the pads to the back.
 
Still working on the rank order of the other pads but none sounded totally awful making discriminating difficult overall.

 
Great feedback on the pads! I'm trying to decide which to get myself.

 

[BBCInc]

   
Great feedback on the pads! I'm trying to decide which to get myself.

Thanks! Probably more money than brains spending this much to fine tune the HE-400, but it's fun. I do take solace in the fact that all these can be used on the HE series should I upgrade in the future. The hardest part of making comparisons is trying to maintain a mental memory of demonstrative passages while going through the mechanics of swapping pads.

 

[indieroll]

I use spotify premium as my music player, and I was wondering if anyone has tried out the 3rd party "spotimote" for EQing their HE-400s? If so, would you care to share your EQ settings?

 

[Mani ATH 87]

 
Thanks! Probably more money than brains spending this much to fine tune the HE-400, but it's fun. I do take solace in the fact that all these can be used on the HE series should I upgrade in the future. The hardest part of making comparisons is trying to maintain a mental memory of demonstrative passages while going through the mechanics of swapping pads.

Indeed! It's nice that they work with the other headphones in the series, though I have no plans on upgrading from the HE 400's at the moment

I went ahead and ordered the focus pads (the stock pads that ship with the 560)

I'll leave some impressions once they arrive.

 

[thug behram]

Can someone compare the treble and treble harshness to other headphones? Like the DT770, D2000, HE-500 and ath-m50? I'm so close to buying these but haven't had the chance to listen.

 

[utee05]

Can someone compare the treble and treble harshness to other headphones? Like the DT770, D2000, HE-500 and ath-m50? I'm so close to buying these but haven't had the chance to listen.

I have the ATH-M50 and those do not have any treble harshness. The HE-400 do have sibliance but it can be EQ'd.

 

[thug behram]

I have the ATH-M50 and those do not have any treble harshness. The HE-400 do have sibliance but it can be EQ'd.

I didn't think the m50 were sibilant but I thought the highs were strident and forward.

 

[Saoshyant]

I wonder what would be an upgrade to the he-400, keeping at least the same level of bass. I'd expect closed would be the route to go