[HarleyZH]

  Hi folks,
 
Is there anyone here who uses the HD-400 with the Fiio X3? Does the amp do justice to the headphones? The X3 did a lot for my HD558 and M50, but worried about the hard-to-drive tag that the orthos have built up. Would love to hear from people who've already heard the combo. Thanks!

 
The HE400 is one of the easiest to drive orthos. I've tried the X3 with even the Alpha Dog and the sound was very good - sure they can scale higher but the HE400 should still sound both loud enough and pretty impressive with the X3.

 

[ClayCamera]

   
The HE400 is one of the easiest to drive orthos. I've tried the X3 with even the Alpha Dog and the sound was very good - sure they can scale higher but the HE400 should still sound both loud enough and pretty impressive with the X3.

Thanks HarleyZH, that's a relief.
Have ordered one off Ebay and should be reaching in a few days, so guess I'll find out soon enough. 

 

[thug behram]

I would like to know how the HE-400 sounds with asgard2 or with vali. Many own the equipments , should shed some light upon it.

Many recommend Fiio E17 with He-400 But i would say NO. Its not that it is bad sounding , it sounds fine but there are two disadvantages :

1)Soundstage - it is compact & normal , nothing extraordinary.

2)Treble - E17 are such amplifiers which really colours the hp & adds a lot of treble. I have used the same amplifier with AD700 & you wouldnt believe how much treble really increases & became bright that it was hard to listen to.(was Playing DMC4 with this setup & it wasnt playable just due bright nature of treble, the hack n slash sound with such treble were ear-piercing). Though i can listen to High or bright treble. Also same goes with He400 its just its heavier bass just edows the bright treble but if one compare he400 without using any amp.One will see that that brightness & hissing sound is not present or v.less, which shows this nature is coming due to amp E17. Infact for Anime watchers this setup is just not good due to the hissing sound in Dialogues in Japanese Language.The issue is not that such bright odd treble is ear-piercing but it reduces the Musicality of a song.

Would like u all to recommend me an amplifier where treble is smooth is sparkling and airy for He-400.

Uh I found that the e17 has slightly rolled off treble and a warmer tone in general. It pairs well. My O2 sounds more brighter and analytical. Soundstage is decent on the e17, you aren't gaining much more from another amp.

 

[coletrain104]

  I would like to know how the HE-400 sounds with asgard2 or with vali. Many own the equipments , should shed some light upon it.
 
Many recommend Fiio E17 with He-400 But i would say NO. Its not that it is bad sounding , it sounds fine but there are two disadvantages :
 
1)Soundstage - it is compact & normal , nothing extraordinary.
 
2)Treble - E17 are such amplifiers which really colours the hp & adds a lot of treble. I have used the same amplifier with AD700 & you wouldnt believe how much treble really increases & became bright that it was hard to listen to.(was Playing DMC4 with this setup & it wasnt playable just due bright nature of treble, the hack n slash sound with such treble were ear-piercing). Though i can listen to High or bright treble. Also same goes with He400 its just its heavier bass just edows the bright treble but if one compare he400 without using any amp.One will see that that brightness & hissing sound is not present or v.less, which shows this nature is coming due to amp E17. Infact for Anime watchers this setup is just not good due to the hissing sound in Dialogues in Japanese Language.The issue is not that such bright odd treble is ear-piercing but it reduces the Musicality of a song.
 
Would like u all to recommend me an amplifier where treble is smooth is sparkling and airy for He-400.

I think an amp alone wouldn't be enough to turn treble spike into "smooth". However, I feel like the combination of Focuspads and a tube amp or hybrid amp would go a long way (I feel that the Focuspads help the treble the most) My setup is HE-400 + Focuspads+ Schiit Vali and Modi. I'm not pushing the Vali, and I would guess that many other tubes or hybrids would drive it to meet your standards even better, though likely also at a higher price.

 

[MichaelJames99]

I purchased the HE-400.... I watch 90% movies.  I am going from DirectTV or Laptop via SPIDF  or USB to a RECON 3D (which does the 5.1/7.1 Surround processing).  RECON 3D to HE-400.  ***But I want to add an amp in between the RECON3D and the HE-400
 
I would assume I would not use a DAC right? (since the RECON unit is already doing the D to A conversion?) and just need to get an amp?
 
I've been looking at Schit Magni or Vali  but never heard any amps at all.. suggestions for amps with movie watching?

 

[Lohb]

  I think an amp alone wouldn't be enough to turn treble spike into "smooth". However, I feel like the combination of Focuspads and a tube amp or hybrid amp would go a long way (I feel that the Focuspads help the treble the most) My setup is HE-400 + Focuspads+ Schiit Vali and Modi. I'm not pushing the Vali, and I would guess that many other tubes or hybrids would drive it to meet your standards even better, though likely also at a higher price.

Good advice.
 
Coin-sized cut-out Silverstone foam damping discs partially covering the driver earside is about the cheapest non-EQ/non-hardware upgrade treble tamer.
Much the same as T50RP treble spike taming in the T50 tuning guide thread and Alpha Dog after-market Doggie Treats tuning materials. Fits behind earside dust cover. You can tune by diameter width or stack them 2 high... width and/or thickness tuning.
 
Make sure the sticky back has a strip/spine cut out or the sticky back would reflect back too much.You pinch the foam so the sticky back is facing you then cut a strip of the glue backing out. It is just a question of dialing in through circle diameter and/or thickness through a double stack of discs with their "spine" cut-out aligned to find your own "treble taming truth" degree of damping. May work for some members and not for others, but it is cheap and worth playing around with and reversible in seconds. I would tend to use foam and not felt for this but YMMV.
Currently listening and using it on my own pair of modded T50's. Works perfectly, as I'm very treble sensitive.

 

[MichaelJames99]

I also don't need a portable amp.  A non portable amp is fine.  I was able to get ahold of a Musical Fidelity X-Can 2 v2 yesterday to try out.  Its a Class A tube amp.  I am using the original tubes, non modified.  Compared to going directly from the Recon 3D, its obviously a huge jump up.  The treble highs are not as harsh any more..more smooth.  And I got a lot more bass.  I find it interesting that I can turn this unit up and although there is some increase in db output, the HE-400's seem to be taking a lot more in and not outputting as much volume. (Compared to other headphones you hook up to this unit).  Which is OK, there is really no reason to jack it up...its plenty loud!  I'm not sure this is the best amp for watching movies though.

 

[gab840]

Uh I found that the e17 has slightly rolled off treble and a warmer tone in general. It pairs well. My O2 sounds more brighter and analytical. Soundstage is decent on the e17, you aren't gaining much more from another amp.

Well ya actually e17 is much brighter amp. Anyways it could be there could be more brighter amps too.... soundstage wise how is O2 or vali when compared to Fiio E17???

 

[gab840]

  I think an amp alone wouldn't be enough to turn treble spike into "smooth". However, I feel like the combination of Focuspads and a tube amp or hybrid amp would go a long way (I feel that the Focuspads help the treble the most) My setup is HE-400 + Focuspads+ Schiit Vali and Modi. I'm not pushing the Vali, and I would guess that many other tubes or hybrids would drive it to meet your standards even better, though likely also at a higher price.

How is sound-stage with this particular setup you are having.Also if you had any other to compare with , it will be great.

 

[coletrain104]

I don't have another setup to compare it to, sorry. Soundstage is decent, angled pads really make the music seem like it is coming from in front of you, so soundstage width is kinda out in front, and imaging is good. I could compare it to having heard the HD650 off of a Dragonfly 1.2 and say that my setup has about equal width, greater height, and greater depth. I can also say that the soundstage is only a bit smaller than the 400i on the same setup. Really what got me was the change in sound sig. I think the Vali may shrink the stage a bit, and the Modi brings it back out. Other members probably have more experience with the amps and may be able to help you more, but my advice is to get the focuspads. I tried going back to the velours and took them off within 10 mins. comfort + sound sig changes with focuspads is really awesome

 

[MichaelJames99]

bump

 

[jasonite]

I'm really considering the HE-400's, but here is my question. These will primarily be gaming headphones, and I will have them plugged into the Sound Blaster Z card on my PC. Do these headphones work well with the Z? Also:  my primary considerations are imaging, soundstage and bass which I know the 400's deliver in spades, but do you think it's overkill for gaming?
 
 
J

 

[TontonJoK]

He 400's are not bass heavy, they have nice bass
For gaming it's fine but there is no sonic isolation

 

[MichaelJames99]

I purchased the HE-400.... I watch 90% movies.  I am going from DirectTV or Laptop via SPIDF  or USB to a RECON 3D (which does the 5.1/7.1 Surround processing).  RECON 3D to HE-400.  ***But I want to add an amp in between the RECON3D and the HE-400
 
I would assume I would not use a DAC right? (since the RECON unit is already doing the D to A conversion?) and just need to get an amp?
 
I've been looking at Schit Magni or Vali  but never heard any amps at all.. suggestions for amps with movie watching?
I also don't need a portable amp.  A non portable amp is fine.  I was able to get ahold of a Musical Fidelity X-Can 2 v2 yesterday to try out.  Its a Class A tube amp.  I am using the original tubes, non modified.  Compared to going directly from the Recon 3D, its obviously a huge jump up.  The treble highs are not as harsh any more..more smooth.  And I got a lot more bass.  I find it interesting that I can turn this unit up and although there is some increase in db output, the HE-400's seem to be taking a lot more in and not outputting as much volume. (Compared to other headphones you hook up to this unit).  Which is OK, there is really no reason to jack it up...its plenty loud!  I'm not sure this is the best amp for watching movies though.

 

[jasonite]

He 400's are not bass heavy, they have nice bass
For gaming it's fine but there is no sonic isolation

Is sonic isolation that important then? Do you have any recommendations? I've considered all these other cans:  Audio Technica ATH-AD900X, NVX Audio XPT100, KRK KNS6400, AKG K612PRO, Audio-Technica ATH-M50S, Sennheiser HD 558, and the KAM HP1. Some are open, some are closed.
 
My budget is $200 and under, and I got a deal where I could get the 400's for $200, which is why I was considering them. Any advice is welcome, my big considerations are imaging, soundstage and bass, primarily for gaming. I'm not a basshead though.
 
J