[calumniate]

I really like the build quality of he-400. It also sounds good at this price. It is a little bright to my ear that gives me more fatigue than hd650 in long listen sessions.

I switched to the dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads and it seemed to dial down the brightness a bit

 

[Melting735]

I switched to the dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads and it seemed to dial down the brightness a bit

Good to know that. I may give it a try later. Thanks for your tip!

 

[Oregonian]

Thanks for the tip about the HE-6SE, I'll keep an eye out when it's on sale again.
Right now I still can't believe the change in sound, no more weird mid harshness and it's more open/smoother and still have that amazing bass.
That weird mid thing was also affecting some lower kick sounds,can't really explain but it had some plastic quality to it, which is now completely gone.
(I'm a nitpick in these things I now).
I was at my work office but couldn't wait to get home to get back to listening again.
This completely rekindled my interest in hearing more music with my HE-400 again. And also interesting in maybe looking out for some other amp/dac.

Guys, keep in mind a lot of mods help these things A LOT...............open grill mod, headband suspension mod (Lohb strap) for comfort, pads (I've used Audeze Vegans on my pair for years), cables..................etc.

 

[xkonfuzed]

The right connector’s gone on my HE400 cable. Anyone know a solid replacement cable for these that is reasonably priced? Hifiman’s OEM price for their cable is ridiculous, and out of stock.

 

[gruiz3]

https://www.amazon.com/Quality-Head...88c44&pd_rd_wg=ZZH63&pd_rd_i=B012TUJOFU&psc=1
And
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07H..._3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07H3NKNBKp13NParams

 

[Chamade]

I just dug up these from storage (have velour hifiman earpads on…I think back in the day these were recommended to tame the treble) and they are still an enjoyable listen compared to the Arya. Much more forward detail and ice pick treble variety, but fun.

Comfort and headband pressure…not so good.

 

[MarcelE]

Just attached a HD 580/600 replacement band with velcro and the top of my head likes it.
I always had to move it somewhat after listening for a longer period. Not anymore.
Had to adjust the band to the highest setting otherwise the cups wouldn't fit my ears, but this is fine.
(now a decent stand haha)

 

[calumniate]

Kind of beats my mod of the he 400i 2020

 

[Blindspy]

I'm not usually a very expressive person, but I recently rediscovered my old pair of HE-400s, and they excited me to the point where I couldn't resist the urge to come here and gush over them.

I had these tucked away in my closet for the longest time due to the notorious cable/connector failure issue. They are the 2012 originals, not the i or SE model. I got a new cable for them and applied some gentle threadlock and they've been issue-free for a few months now. The "foam" on the thin velour earpads went stale and when I put them on it feels like I'm clamping a pair of sharp rocks around my ears. They're heavy, but the headband is so thin it's basically a thong.

Despite the horrible comfort, I constantly find myself reaching for them over newer headphones that are many times their price because they just sound *that* good. It doesn't make sense. The rest of my equipment has improved significantly from the original Schiit Magni/Modi I was using almost a decade ago, but I'm still in a state of utter disbelief at how much of a makeover it's given these cans. In my immediate vicinity, I have an Audeze LCD-2 (revision 1), Meze 99 Classics, Hifiman Sundara, and DCA Aeon 2 Closed, but the HE-400 is the one I'm in love with and it's not a very close competition.

I heard the original models crop up on ebay from time to time and go for about $100, which is an absolute steal in my opinion. If anyone winds up pulling the trigger on one, I'd recommend the following:

• Get a low-strength thread-lock for the cables so they don't loosen and go bad over time. This is what I used: https://www.amazon.com/Loctite-5553...d=1&keywords=B0002KKTT0&qid=1631174451&sr=8-1
• Pair them with a neutral DAC/amp. They are by no means a neutral headphone and I think they sound best when they get to sing as they were originally tuned. My favorite match was with a THX AAA 789 and a Topping E30.
• The velour pads sound so much better than the leather ones. They're less comfortable but the leather ones really muffle/neuter the sound.
• Pre-game a long listening session with an over-the-counter painkiller of your choice
• Be prepared to feel sad when they sound better than the really expensive headphones you like showing off to your friends.

 

[MrMateoHead]

I'm not usually a very expressive person, but I recently rediscovered my old pair of HE-400s, and they excited me to the point where I couldn't resist the urge to come here and gush over them.

Mine are back in rotation after a long, long break. Forgot how awesome they can be (despite comfort issues and a cable that's slowly falling apart).

These days I'm running Equalizer APO through windows and I used it to tune these to the Harmon Curve, with the exception that I run the bass a couple dB hotter than "neutral". The stock sound is very good, though I've always needed a bit of treble cut and a bass boost as they've always been a little too polite on the bottom and too hot at the top. But the speed and resolving power seem intrinsic to the drivers and deliver what I think is true audiophile enjoyment. Tuned to the Harmon Curve, I think the HE-400 basically just take on a next-level sound that is just enjoyable and awesome.

I also changed my stack to an Atom / Topping combo which has so far been totally clean with tons of power.

I also got some JBL 650BTNC on a deep discount and absolutely love the things. Even EQ'd to take some of the bass out and fix other little niggles, they seem to somehow pound a little harder than the HE-400s. Fun cans (not quite perfect but what is?). Even tuned carefully, however, I don't think they have the treble/detail resolving power of the HE-400s at the top, which seem a bit more extended.

Long-live the HE-400.

 

[Blindspy]

Long-live the HE-400.

Heck yea! I bet they sound great on your Atom - I feel like neutral solid state is really the way to go with these.

 

[DavidA]

Heck yea! I bet they sound great on your Atom - I feel like neutral solid state is really the way to go with these.

Agree that a neutral SS is good but I've come to love my HE400 on my old Project Ember best.

@MrMateoHead, have you tried to get a new cable? I've build quite a few cables using SMC jacks (HE400, HE400i gen1, HE560 gen2, all my Grado's, TH600, MDR-7506)and I haven't had one fail yet but getting the SMC connectors is getting harder since not many vendors are selling them these days, used to be dirt cheap (5 pairs for $10 IIRC)

 

[MrMateoHead]

No new cable yet - there are some good ones out there. Many moons ago, I looked for SMC cables and figured I'd just make my own. But they were surprisingly hard to find!

 

[DavidA]

No new cable yet - there are some good ones out there. Many moons ago, I looked for SMC cables and figured I'd just make my own. But they were surprisingly hard to find!

If you can't find any let me know since I have a few spares that I don't use built with Mogami, Canare or some SPC wire (can't remember where I got the wire from)
PS: if you click on the link to my gallery you can find pictures of cables that I've built

 

[MrMateoHead]

Thanks! Will do.