[htr2d2]

I've heard alot of good things so I take it the magni and modi are the best "budget" amp/dac combo for the HE-400s?

+1
 
I absolutely agree. I had the combo for a few weeks to test out and loved them. The only reason I didn't stick with them is I decided I wanted to explore tubes and upgraded.

 

[htr2d2]

Yes, maybe take a look at the Fulla Schiit, it is cheap and gives you an idea about there products.

Gez.. I totally missed the release of the Fulla. Looks amazing and what a value!
 
I don't have a justification to buy one, but my Fiio E07K is looking like it might have a scratch, so..
 

 

[htr2d2]

 
They were out of stock for the last few days ( I don't think I checked until after Christmas ) but are back in stock on head direct today I see. Have you tried the regular Focus pads? I would like to know your thoughts on the Focus-A pads either way.

Alright, I have approximately six or eight hours on these pads. Here is my very subjective evaluation.
 
1. Comfort: Relative to Hifiman velour pads, I found them to be quite a bit more comfortable. In fact, they are now with the focus-a pads and the headband pads my most comfortable headphones to date.
2. Sound Quality: Bass is more than acceptable with the Focus-a pads. However, the velour pads may still emphasis bass a bit more than the Focus-a pads. I am undecided and interested in others opinions.
 
I didn't compare the stock or pleather pads. I very briefly used the pleather pads before moving to the velour pads for I preferred the pleather pads sound quality/signature.
 
===
Note on focus-a pad positioning:
I have seen a lot of information on how the pads should be positioned. I don't agree or perhaps I misunderstood several of the posts.
My observation is there is a right and left pad. My opinion is when installed correctly the stitch is positioned at the bottom of the can or at the audio jack with the thick padding at the pack of the head and the thinner padding to the front. Alternatively, if the pads are flipped from L/R to R/L but position correctly then stitching would be at the top of the can. This orients the driver at a lesser or shallower angle (more perpendicular) to the ear.
 
Everyone's head is shaped differently, so..

 

[smy1]

Will the fiio e6 and he 400 be good?

 

[htr2d2]

Will the fiio e6 and he 400 be good?

The challenge with the Fiio E6 is its output is 150mW (16Ω); 16mW (300Ω). It will work per se but may (should) be under powered.
 
Give it a try and if unhappy, you have options. Just ask for suggestions but provide some details. For example portable or desktop and DAC or dedicated AMP, etc.
 
I have a Fiio E10k Olympus that I would be happy to sell (PM if interested), but you can find better for a bit more.

 

[smy1]

The challenge with the Fiio E6 is its output is 150mW (16Ω); 16mW (300Ω). It will work per se but may (should) be under powered.

Give it a try and if unhappy, you have options. Just ask for suggestions but provide some details. For example portable or desktop and DAC or dedicated AMP, etc.

I have a Fiio E10k Olympus that I would be happy to sell (PM if interested), but you can find better for a bit more.

It's for my iPhone 4s I am new to these stuff what is a DAC?

 

[SpienerVince]

It is a digital to analog converter. It takes digital audio files and translate them to analog audio that is hearable. Every device has one, even your iPhone does. But it is the quality of the chip and the implementation that make the difference. So yes, the FiiO E10K will sound better than your iPhone, but I haven't heard one, so I can't tell you

 

[BVOX810]

It is a digital to analog converter. It takes digital audio files and translate them to analog audio that is hearable. Every device has one, even your iPhone does. But it is the quality of the chip and the implementation that make the difference. So yes, the FiiO E10K will sound better than your iPhone, but I haven't heard one, so I can't tell you

I have the E10 before they discontinued it and replaced it with the E10K. I currently use the E10 with my HE-400s and they sound a bit flat. It does push them more than a standard phone or computer but im doing my research to purchase a more powerful amp.

 

[htr2d2]

I have the E10 before they discontinued it and replaced it with the E10K. I currently use the E10 with my HE-400s and they sound a bit flat. It does push them more than a standard phone or computer but im doing my research to purchase a more powerful amp.

 

It's for my iPhone 4s I am new to these stuff what is a DAC?

An AMP only would meet your requirement for use with a phone. The Fiio E10k would not be a good fit for that reason alone for it is intended as a DAC/AMP. The DAC piece works using an USB connection (data and power) and device driver with a computer. Think of it as a replacement for your sound card.
 
If you like the Fiio products, your best bet is the E12 at 880 mWatt @ 32 ohms. They run at $129 USD on Amazon, but I found one on sale for $99 in December from B&H Photo.
 
Another option is to move to a dedicated portable player with a strong AMP like the Fiio X3 or X5. The X1 isn't going to cut it. I know, I went that route then bought the E12 to push the HE-400 cans.
 
Anyone else have suggestions for smy1?

 

[Adcomgfa]

For anyone that's interested in getting a demo pair.
 
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1HMHE400

 

[retskrad]

I didn't realize how fast the bass in planar headphones was until I took off the he-400 and put it down on the kitchen table, separated the drivers a bit and playing reasonably loud! Holy crap, I hear no decay. Its pretty impressive, they're faster than my speakers.

 

[Criss969]

Hello everyone!
 
I just bought my HE-400 off of a member on here last week and received them yesterday. All I can say is wow. I was excited for these as they're my first costly purchase ($300) and I have never hear planar drivers before. My other cans are the ATH-M50x, HD598, HFI-580,  ATH-IM50 and DX 120.
 
**I am new to the audio world, so please forgive my terminology**
 
The first thing I noticed is that the bass feels like it has impact, unlike my other headphones. I really don't know how to explain it. The clarity is unlike any other headphone I have tried, although the sibilance can kill it. Thankfully these seem to EQ nicely and you can get that well under control. I have the stock pads on but have read that the velour pads make a big difference in the sound. Considering I am more than satisfied with the sound, I don't think I'll be going for the velour pads just yet. I've also noticed that everyone is saying these cans are heavy and uncomfortable, but I don't feel that way. Sure, they are definitely heavier than other headphones, but they rest so nicely on my head that I can't even tell I'm wearing them at some points.
 
Bottom line - GET A PAIR!
 
tl;dr - Good sound, bass impact, sibilant but can EQ, somewhat heavy.

 

[htr2d2]

  Hello everyone!
 
I just bought my HE-400 off of a member on here last week and received them yesterday. All I can say is wow. I was excited for these as they're my first costly purchase ($300) and I have never hear planar drivers before. My other cans are the ATH-M50x, HD598, HFI-580,  ATH-IM50 and DX 120.
 
**I am new to the audio world, so please forgive my terminology**
 
The first thing I noticed is that the bass feels like it has impact, unlike my other headphones. I really don't know how to explain it. The clarity is unlike any other headphone I have tried, although the sibilance can kill it. Thankfully these seem to EQ nicely and you can get that well under control. I have the stock pads on but have read that the velour pads make a big difference in the sound. Considering I am more than satisfied with the sound, I don't think I'll be going for the velour pads just yet. I've also noticed that everyone is saying these cans are heavy and uncomfortable, but I don't feel that way. Sure, they are definitely heavier than other headphones, but they rest so nicely on my head that I can't even tell I'm wearing them at some points.
 
Bottom line - GET A PAIR!
 
tl;dr - Good sound, bass impact, sibilant but can EQ, somewhat heavy.

Welcome and Congratulations!
 
Glad to hear you are happy with them.

 

[Criss969]

 
Welcome and Congratulations!
 
Glad to hear you are happy with them.

Thank you!

 

[KewlMunky]

My friend got in his Magni 2 Uber, so we finally had a proper amp to try out my HE 400 and his HE 500.
 
First of all, there was absolutely no comparison of the HE 400 using the Fiio e12 and the Magni 2 Uber. After using the Magni 2 Uber, I realized that the Fiio e12 does these cans no justice. My headphones really came to life, though now I understand better about how bright these cans really are. So now I'm planning to get either the Focus or Focus A pads to try to calm that down.
 
My HE 400 had stock pads, and the HE 500 I tried had the velours, so this isn't a complete even grounds comparison. For most songs, the 400 do have a greater bass presence, but it seems to trail off faster than on the 500. Easily, the 400 are a much brighter and V shaped can, while the 500 has a much smoother sound. A lot of people say they feel the bass of the 500 is a bit lacking, but I was not disappointed. Sure, more would have been nice, but I do not feel that it was too little. 
 
As someone who listens to mostly metal and rock, I would say that the 500 is definitely the better headphone for someone who values a more even sound. I absolutely love my 400 set, but if I could go back with this knowledge I may have waited a bit longer so that I could have gotten the 500.
 
I know, not a very professional review, but I'm not a professional audiophile so there you have it