[TMRaven]

So what made you get the he-400 over the hd650?

 

[earphiler]

Much more exciting and lively.
 
bass is considerably more.
 
not uncomfortable like i was expecting. actually less clamp than a new pair of 650's.
 
Plus i wanted to try planar, makes sound individual sound/instrument isolation and detail would be there.
 
650's are still excellent, but I think HE-400 are more my cup of tea. Has more of that WOW effect, to be sure. And not as heavy as I was fearing, though definitely heavier than HD650. Build is excellent too.
 
So good for EDM, jazz, even vocals sound pretty good despite me reading on here they can be harsh. Tried male and female.
 
I'm very impressed.
 
HD595 to HE-400 feels a lot more of a substantial leap than to HD650, but HD650 still knocks the socks off HD595.
 
 
And HE-400 looks A LOT better in person than photos, particularly flash blasted stock amazon ones.
 
That was my immediate reaction, a major concern for me. Even though I listen in solitude.
 
I didn't hear any HD650 veiling but when I compared it to HE-400, that was the best way I could describe it. The sound shooting out of the back with the headphones on the table is much richer than hd-650, if it's any indication.
 
Hifiman, you have blown my mind - a sennheiser fanboy.

 

[Kommando]

Quote:

Much more exciting and lively.
 
bass is considerably more.
 
not uncomfortable like i was expecting. actually less clamp than a new pair of 650's.
 
Plus i wanted to try planar, makes sound individual sound/instrument isolation and detail would be there.
 
650's are still excellent, but I think HE-400 are more my cup of tea. Has more of that WOW effect, to be sure. And not as heavy as I was fearing, though definitely heavier than HD650. Build is excellent too.
 
So good for EDM, jazz, even vocals sound pretty good despite me reading on here they can be harsh. Tried male and female.
 
I'm very impressed.
 
HD595 to HE-400 feels a lot more of a substantial leap than to HD650, but HD650 still knocks the socks off HD595.
 
 
And HE-400 looks A LOT better in person than photos, particularly flash blasted stock amazon ones.
 
That was my immediate reaction, a major concern for me. Even though I listen in solitude.
 
I didn't hear any HD650 veiling but when I compared it to HE-400, that was the best way I could describe it. The sound shooting out of the back with the headphones on the table is much richer than hd-650, if it's any indication.
 
Hifiman, you have blown my mind - a sennheiser fanboy.

Had a similar experience when I bought my HE-400's. Sold my HD650's after a week of having the HE-400's. Just love the lively, well separated sound!

 

[ninjames]

Quote:

A little teaser for what's to come:
 

 
 
What cord would I need to buy to use the HE-400 with the Magni? As in, what's the input jack on the magni? I'm assuming I can't just plug the HE-400 right in.

 

[MattTCG]

Seems that it accepts a 1/4" plug which comes with the he400 as an adapter. I assume that's what you were asking. 

 

[preproman]

HE-4 vs. HE-400
 
 
I just picked up a pair of the HE-4s from Justin at Headamp.   At the same time I’m borrowing a friends HE400.  They both got here about two days apart.  The 400s came first then the 4s.   So I got a chance to put good time on both.   I have some very interesting results.  The HE-4 is a very surprising headphone.  I really didn’t except this kind of performance.
 
For starters the HE-4 requires juice.   Not as much as the HE-5LE or HE-6 but more that the HE-400 and HE-500s for sure.
 
I used the a-100 speaker amp and the B22 with the HE-4.  I used the B22 with the HE-400s.  I tried both on the M&M stack.  The HE-4 sounded cold thin and shrill.  The HE-400 sounds like a blob of bass.  Both did ok at very low listening levels.  On the M&M stack the HE-400s did better. 
 
The HE-4 is a real airy headphone; some will call it bright when compared to the HE-400s.  I don’t think it’s a bright headphone in general just real airy.  Not thin at all, but not as full as the HE-400s.  Sense it seems like I’m immune to bright headphones I’ll call it bright but with lots of hesitation.  I say this because the treble is right, not etchy or spiky or peaky to my ears. It just fits right in line with the music.  The HE-400s treble can be spiky, etchy and peaky at times, that’s odd coming from a dark type of headphone.   It’s funny because sometimes the HE-400s will feel like a ice pick just went through my ears.  I don’t get that with the HE-4s but it’s still brighter.   OK so lets not call it bright lets call it airy.  Because that’s what it is airy.
 
I asked Jerg if we can get the FR graphs and plots for the HE-4.  It will be very interesting to see.
 
The soundstages on both are not anything to write home about.  We’re not talking about AKG or HD800 soundstage here so – they’re just OK.
 
The mids are not that great on the HE-4s, better on the HE-400s but not like mids on the HE-500 or the HD650. 
 
Where the HE-4s excel at is detail retrieval, speed, accuracy and instrument separation.  In this case it beats the 400s hands down.  To me the tonal balance is better than the 400s.   The HE-4 is not a bass head headphone at all.   It sure does not have HE-400s bass, but the bass is right in line with the tone and the presentation of the music.  If your track calls for bass punch or bass impact or bass attack it will give it to you in spade.  Where if fails to the HE-400s is bass extension and overall bass presence.  The HE-4 won’t extend down as low as the 400s.  However, I think the bass on the HE-4 is right according to the music it just don’t have that bass hump or bass dip whatever you want to call it.  In short, the bass is there.  For those of you who know.  It’s like the bass on the Paradox but more in all areas.   
 
The instrument separation is really good on the HE-4.  It sounds like each instrument has air and space to breathe.  It makes the HE-400 sound on the congested side.  I know the HE-400 is not congested but beside this airy, detailed, fast monster it does.
 
It sounds like the HE-400s are built around bass and the HE-4s are built around highs / treble.   Both excel at each one wonderfully.   Still the HE-500s – yes 500s have smoother highs and lush mids.  I’ll say the HE-400s are dark, the HE-500s are warm, the He-4 is bright airy.  Still the HE-4 wins in detail and clarity. 
 
The HE-400 sound more full and has more emotion. With bass.
 
The HE-4 will give you all the micro detail the HE-400s are missing. Without being clinical or shrill.
 
The HE-500 will give you those lush mids.

 

[Madmollusk]

Quote:

HE-4 vs. HE-400
 
 
I just picked up a pair of the HE-4s from Justin at Headamp.   At the same time I’m borrowing a friends HE400.  They both got here about two days apart.  The 400s came first then the 4s.   So I got a chance to put good time on both.   I have some very interesting results.  The HE-4 is a very surprising headphone.  I really didn’t except this kind of performance.
 
For starters the HE-4 requires juice.   Not as much as the HE-5LE or HE-6 but more that the HE-400 and HE-500s for sure.
 
I used the a-100 speaker amp and the B22 with the HE-4.  I used the B22 with the HE-400s.  I tried both on the M&M stack.  The HE-4 sounded cold thin and shrill.  The HE-400 sounds like a blob of bass.  Both did ok at very low listening levels.  On the M&M stack the HE-400s did better. 
 
The HE-4 is a real airy headphone; some will call it bright when compared to the HE-400s.  I don’t think it’s a bright headphone in general just real airy.  Not thin at all, but not as full as the HE-400s.  Sense it seems like I’m immune to bright headphones I’ll call it bright but with lots of hesitation.  I say this because the treble is right, not etchy or spiky or peaky to my ears. It just fits right in line with the music.  The HE-400s treble can be spiky, etchy and peaky at times, that’s odd coming from a dark type of headphone.   It’s funny because sometimes the HE-400s will feel like a ice pick just went through my ears.  I don’t get that with the HE-4s but it’s still brighter.   OK so lets not call it bright lets call it airy.  Because that’s what it is airy.
 
I asked Jerg if we can get the FR graphs and plots for the HE-4.  It will be very interesting to see.
 
The soundstages on both are not anything to write home about.  We’re not talking about AKG or HD800 soundstage here so – they’re just OK.
 
The mids are not that great on the HE-4s, better on the HE-400s but not like mids on the HE-500 or the HD650. 
 
Where the HE-4s excel at is detail retrieval, speed, accuracy and instrument separation.  In this case it beats the 400s hands down.  To me the tonal balance is better than the 400s.   The HE-4 is not a bass head headphone at all.   It sure does not have HE-400s bass, but the bass is right in line with the tone and the presentation of the music.  If your track calls for bass punch or bass impact or bass attack it will give it to you in spade.  Where if fails to the HE-400s is bass extension and overall bass presence.  The HE-4 won’t extend down as low as the 400s.  However, I think the bass on the HE-4 is right according to the music it just don’t have that bass hump or bass dip whatever you want to call it.  In short, the bass is there.  For those of you who know.  It’s like the bass on the Paradox but more in all areas.   
 
The instrument separation is really good on the HE-4.  It sounds like each instrument has air and space to breathe.  It makes the HE-400 sound on the congested side.  I know the HE-400 is not congested but beside this airy, detailed, fast monster it does.
 
It sounds like the HE-400s are built around bass and the HE-4s are built around highs / treble.   Both excel at each one wonderfully.   Still the HE-500s – yes 500s have smoother highs and lush mids.  I’ll say the HE-400s are dark, the HE-500s are warm, the He-4 is bright airy.  Still the HE-4 wins in detail and clarity. 
 
The HE-400 sound more full and has more emotion. With bass.
 
The HE-4 will give you all the micro detail the HE-400s are missing. Without being clinical or shrill.
 
The HE-500 will give you those lush mids.

Great job. Your comparisons really seem to sum up the essential differences between these headphones. Thanks a million!  

 

[MattTCG]

^^ +2 nice impressions. This will help many. I appreciate you sharing!! 

 

[Errymoose]

Quote:

^^ +2 nice impressions. This will help many. I appreciate you sharing!! 

I don't, cause damn the HE-500's sound more appealing the more of this kind of impression I read...
 
This place really needs a "sorry for your wallet" emoticon.

 

[joetjie2000]

Someone loves le phones

 

[MattTCG]

^^ I wonder if this would work with the wife....nah. 

 

[Madmollusk]

Quote:

^^ I wonder if this would work with the wife....nah. 

Ha! My wife can't even look at me if I'm wearing headphones nowadays, or if she does, she's sure to roll her eyes. She does this, in part, because I've asked her one time to many to "Listen to this track, babe" or "Does this headphone sound dark to you?" or "How about that sound-stage, hun?" etc. Now when I ask her for an opinion on just about anything, she just gives me the stink-eye. 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

....
 
The HE-4 will give you all the micro detail the HE-400s are missing. Without being clinical or shrill.
 
The HE-500 will give you those lush mids.

 
So HE4(treble)+400(bass)+500(mids), by their powers combined, translates to HE6?

 

[TMRaven]

I really love using Trentemoller's Moan for my comparisons.  When listening to it tonight, I swear I have a whole new mastering, I'm hearing effects deep within the layering on this magni/modi.  Excited, I switch it over to the Objective combo, and it plays those deep details with the same proficiency.  This looks like it'll be a hard comparison.  They seem to be neck and neck in performance so far.

 

[Wild]

Quote:

Ha! My wife can't even look at me if I'm wearing headphones nowadays, or if she does, she's sure to roll her eyes. She does this, in part, because I've asked her one time to many to "Listen to this track, babe" or "Does this headphone sound dark to you?" or "How about that sound-stage, hon?" etc. Now when I ask her for an opinion on just about anything, she just gives me the stink-eye. 

Sounds about right. If I even say the word "headphone" around my girlfriend she just laughs at me and rolls her eyes.