[pikajude]

  So it sounds like you're using the velours which may be as good as it gets. That's kinda the bummer about these cans. I'm not sure there's any magic bullet but to start EQ'ing, but I've found that kills part of the good side of the HE-400;s to get rid of the bad. Hope the Focuspads help, but I'm doubtful.

Yeah. The problem is that I really love the treble on, say, Sufjan Stevens' music, because it makes vocals and stringed instruments so clear. But on music with sharp treble (like MBDTF, for some reason) it's unbearable. I wonder if the 400i is better for this.

 

[richard51]

i listen my he 400 in awe now.... after weeks of comparison with my Stax basic system.... i must say that with the Ember and the 6sn7 tube the living presence of the he 400 for me beat  the basic stax.... The bass are better, the 3-d imaging better also, less transparent , more dark than the  Stax, but more realistic sound, more vivid....i wait for the new 7193 tube adapter, its will be better ....

all the talks about the spike of the he 400 is no problem for me and i dont ear that.... i only ear an organic sound image ....better than the basic stax... i supposed that if you dont have the right pairing some defect in the sound are apparent, but with the right pairing the past defect is now part of an organic totality and not perceived in the same manner....

 

[DavidA]

  Stock ones. I tried the pleather ones but they were super disappointing because they made the sound very distant and completely lacking in impact. (Maybe I put them on wrong?) Otherwise someone suggested to me to try the Focuspads, which should be arriving sometime next week. Any pads are gonna take awhile to get though.

Did you use a credit card or similar to make sure all the clips were locked, if you miss one it will change the sound a little.  As for the focus pads I've tried them but go back to the velour ones, like the sound better.
Another area that will affect the sound is the amp and dac that you are using, the HE-400 needs "juice" to get going, like a Lyr2, Gustard H-10, Project Ember, Asgard2 or better.

 

[pikajude]

  Did you use a credit card or similar to make sure all the clips were locked, if you miss one it will change the sound a little.  As for the focus pads I've tried them but go back to the velour ones, like the sound better.
Another area that will affect the sound is the amp and dac that you are using, the HE-400 needs "juice" to get going, like a Lyr2, Gustard H-10, Project Ember, Asgard2 or better.

I don't see a better amp smoothing out the treble, though. Will that happen?

 

[DavidA]

  I don't see a better amp smoothing out the treble, though. Will that happen?

The Lyr2, Ember and Gustard H-10 will smooth the treble.  For the Lyr2 and Ember it all depends on the tubes used.  Also, what is your source?

 

[pikajude]

  The Lyr2, Ember and Gustard H-10 will smooth the treble.  For the Lyr2 and Ember it all depends on the tubes used.  Also, what is your source?

I don't have a good source yet. I've read that the HE-400 is sensitive enough to perform decently off a Macbook, so I wanted to trial it that way before deciding if I needed an amp for my uses. I feel like $500 for a tube amp to take the edge off the treble is definitely past my personal point of diminishing returns.

 

[Kodhifi]

  I don't have a good source yet. I've read that the HE-400 is sensitive enough to perform decently off a Macbook, so I wanted to trial it that way before deciding if I needed an amp for my uses. I feel like $500 for a tube amp to take the edge off the treble is definitely past my personal point of diminishing returns.

Lyr 2 enhances midrange of which treble overlaps, doesn't diminish it at all. The reason people will suggest tube amp hybrids are tube rolling lets you change the sound to better match a headphone.
 
If you want to tailor your sound I'd use a software equalizer and cut 8-10khz by about 3-4db for less challenging treble. I don't know of any good mac eq's but try to find something like eq apo for windows or any plugin eq.

 

[520RanchBro]

  I don't have a good source yet. I've read that the HE-400 is sensitive enough to perform decently off a Macbook, so I wanted to trial it that way before deciding if I needed an amp for my uses. I feel like $500 for a tube amp to take the edge off the treble is definitely past my personal point of diminishing returns.

No need for a $500 tube amp but a basic dedicated amp and DAC will put the Macbook's output to shame. If my HE-400 or 400i always sounded like they did hooked directly up to an iPhone or Macbook, I'd strictly use my IEMs.
 
If you're looking for something that doesn't need an amp and solid DAC to sound its best, the 400 is definitely not the headphone for you.

 

[pikajude]

 
Lyr 2 enhances midrange of which treble overlaps, doesn't diminish it at all. The reason people will suggest tube amp hybrids are tube rolling lets you change the sound to better match a headphone.
 
If you want to tailor your sound I'd use a software equalizer and cut 8-10khz by about 3-4db for less challenging treble. I don't know of any good mac eq's but try to find something like eq apo for windows or any plugin eq.

Nice, lowering 8-10khz by 3db made quite a difference. I used Soundflower piped into Hosting AU.

  No need for a $500 tube amp but a basic dedicated amp and DAC will put the Macbook's output to shame. If my HE-400 or 400i always sounded like they did hooked directly up to an iPhone or Macbook, I'd strictly use my IEMs.
 
If you're looking for something that doesn't need an amp and solid DAC to sound its best, the 400 is definitely not the headphone for you.

Fair enough. If it has as much of an effect on the midrange as Kodhifi said, I'll definitely have to reconsider flipping these for some 400i. Assuming I did have an amp, would you say the 400i sound is an improvement, treble-wise, over the 400? (And for that matter, the comfort. Apparently the stock velour pads give you the best sound? But they're so stiff...)

 

[520RanchBro]

  Nice, lowering 8-10khz by 3db made quite a difference. I used Soundflower piped into Hosting AU.
Fair enough. If it has as much of an effect on the midrange as Kodhifi said, I'll definitely have to reconsider flipping these for some 400i. Assuming I did have an amp, would you say the 400i sound is an improvement, treble-wise, over the 400? (And for that matter, the comfort. Apparently the stock velour pads give you the best sound? But they're so stiff...)

 
Yeah overall I prefer the 400i but held on to the 400 for electronic music and jazz. I'd say the 400i is a bit better balanced and more clear but I'd say the 400i is more of a change in sound signature than a drastic upgrade to the 400. I'm no help on the treble here because the 400 has never bothered me besides the slightly recessed mids. Both sound just fine treble-wise to me. Both of mine have Focus Pads (A's on the 400) and my 400 also has a headband cushion. I find them equally comfortable really, the 400i is a bit better for longer sessions though. It still clamps harder than I'd like but it isn't too bad.
 
The 400 benefits from an amp more than the 400i I feel.

 

[pikajude]

   
Yeah overall I prefer the 400i but held on to the 400 for electronic music and jazz. I'd say the 400i is a bit better balanced and more clear but I'd say the 400i is more of a change in sound signature than a drastic upgrade to the 400. I'm no help on the treble here because the 400 has never bothered me besides the slightly recessed mids. Both sound just fine treble-wise to me. Both of mine have Focus Pads (A's on the 400) and my 400 also has a headband cushion. I find them equally comfortable really, the 400i is a bit better for longer sessions though. It still clamps harder than I'd like but it isn't too bad.
 
The 400 benefits from an amp more than the 400i I feel.

Ok, cool. I'm definitely going for the Focuspads because the stock ones give me a bad headache after a couple hours. Will at least hold out until they arrive next week and see how I'm feeling about these cans then.

 

[DDDamian]

  Ok, cool. I'm definitely going for the Focuspads because the stock ones give me a bad headache after a couple hours. Will at least hold out until they arrive next week and see how I'm feeling about these cans then.

Good luck with them. With some EQ they stayed in my collection, and with a warm tube are pretty nice. Look at getting a Fiio E17 - it's slightly dark, cheap and quite flexible. It'll help bring the power up a bit. I find planars need current to really thrive. The E17 won't give you all you really need, but bang-for-the-buck it'll help a lot.

 

[520RanchBro]

  Ok, cool. I'm definitely going for the Focuspads because the stock ones give me a bad headache after a couple hours. Will at least hold out until they arrive next week and see how I'm feeling about these cans then.

 
Yeah the Focus Pads were worth it for me for the comfort alone, I didn't really pay attention to any SQ differences. I only had the pleathers for a few days of initial listening. Definitely don't currently have a problem with the treble at all with my Modi/Asgard 2 setup. A lot of my listening is with my Pro-Ject TT so I do not use EQ either. You could be more sensitive to treble or, in my experience, an unamped HE-400 usually sounds kind of thin and tizzy compared to what it can be with an amp. Could be just that to get the bass and midrange response that you prefer, you had to turn it up too loud. An amp and DAC definitely made them sound a lot thicker to me.
 
What kind of music do you generally listen to?

 

[pikajude]

   
Yeah the Focus Pads were worth it for me for the comfort alone, I didn't really pay attention to any SQ differences. I only had the pleathers for a few days of initial listening. Definitely don't currently have a problem with the treble at all with my Modi/Asgard 2 setup. A lot of my listening is with my Pro-Ject TT so I do not use EQ either. You could be more sensitive to treble or, in my experience, an unamped HE-400 usually sounds kind of thin and tizzy compared to what it can be with an amp. Could be just that to get the bass and midrange response that you prefer, you had to turn it up too loud. An amp and DAC definitely made them sound a lot thicker to me.
 
What kind of music do you generally listen to?

Sonically mostly everything from Sufjan Stevens to Fleshgod Apocalypse. Generally lots of Sufjan, Kanye, RTJ, Interpol and Swans. Interestingly I find that the treble doesn't bother me at all on Sufjan's music and actually makes it sound really ethereal and pleasant. It only manifests in the vocals of some other music.

 

[520RanchBro]

  Sonically mostly everything from Sufjan Stevens to Fleshgod Apocalypse. Generally lots of Sufjan, Kanye, RTJ, Interpol and Swans. Interestingly I find that the treble doesn't bother me at all on Sufjan's music and actually makes it sound really ethereal and pleasant. It only manifests in the vocals of some other music.

 
Well I'll say the 400i does vocals a bit better all around, but the 400 should suit what you listen to just fine. Love Turn on the Bright Lights on the 400.