[wje]

Quote:

I'd gladly pay $80 for them

 
You'll be waiting an awfully long time then.  Do you happen to own the HE-400s?  Have you followed Jerg's thread on pads?  Have you been present during many of these discussions?  For the price, this is an outstanding pair of headphones.
 
Is it my "end-all, be-all" pair of headphones?  No. I do like to keep a few headphones in inventory so I can have some variation in my listening patterns and music genres.
 
 
 
 

Originally Posted by MattTCG /img/forum/go_quote.gif

^^ You can get a nice set of pads for them for $80. 

 
Or half a custom cable. 

 
 
I'd gladly build a whole custom cable for $80.  I just don't want to be a MOT.  My local Guitar Center now sells the Mogami Quad Neglex for $1.08 a linear foot.  One of the best "bang for the buck" cable materials, IMO.
 
 
 

Here is a nice custom cable made by one of our own members MOT...looks nice and very reasonably priced.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/647755/hifi-man-cable-for-he-6-he-500-he-400-he-300-he-4
 

 
I saw that cable a few days earlier.  When it comes to Techflex, I'm not a fan of it when used on headphone cables.  The non-microphonic nylon sleeve materials are quite a bit more flexible and comfortable.  But, $50 for that cable is literally a steal.

 

[MattTCG]

Here is a nice custom cable made by one of our own members MOT...looks nice and very reasonably priced.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/647755/hifi-man-cable-for-he-6-he-500-he-400-he-300-he-4

 

[Errymoose]

Well, I picked up a pair of the HE-4 last night (well, collected them last night... bought them a few weeks back) planning to compare them to the HE-400.
 
Not really A/Bed them yet, but it sounds like the HE-4 suffers a lot less from the recessed mids I feel throws the HE-400's balance out.  Listening to this track:

 
The trumpets and mark knopfler's voice are just so there and with such an amazing texture with the HE-4.  I don't recall being this amazed by the sound with the HE-400.  My initial impression is that the HE-4 is more balanced, and a bit slower and thicker.  The double bass on that track sounds a lot 'fatter' than i recall hearing it before.  Fares less well with fast recordings, so the HE-400 definitely better for people who like that bass amount for dubstep and the like.

 

[jiggahwhat]

While the HE-400 is a relatively economical headphone solution, looking around the entire market, you routinely see MSRPs well above any reasonable COGS estimate. Quality audio is becoming a luxury good and it's a shame it has to be this way. 
 
I was reading a thread last week about how $500 has become the new mid-range. Where will we be in 2020? A $1000 mid-range headphone? Certainly the sound quality is not appreciating at this rate.  
 
So I support any sort of campaign for consumers to exercise their market power to further affordability. 

 

[varyV]

Quote:

Here is a nice custom cable made by one of our own members MOT...looks nice and very reasonably priced.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/647755/hifi-man-cable-for-he-6-he-500-he-400-he-300-he-4

 
I can actually vouch for Tim's cable for the he-400. Got it to see how much difference a balanced connection could make to the headphones. After a few days of use, I can definitely notice a better impact on the bass, brighter highs and overall improvement in sq. Factor in the low price, and this is one of the cheaper ways of going balanced.

 

[wje]

Quote:

Well, I picked up a pair of the HE-4 last night (well, collected them last night... bought them a few weeks back) planning to compare them to the HE-400.
 
Not really A/Bed them yet, but it sounds like the HE-4 suffers a lot less from the recessed mids I feel throws the HE-400's balance out.  Listening to this track:
 
 
The trumpets and mark knopfler's voice are just so there and with such an amazing texture with the HE-4.  I don't recall being this amazed by the sound with the HE-400.  My initial impression is that the HE-4 is more balanced, and a bit slower and thicker.  The double bass on that track sounds a lot 'fatter' than i recall hearing it before.  Fares less well with fast recordings, so the HE-400 definitely better for people who like that bass amount for dubstep and the like.

 
I'm not a fan of just trumpet music. I have Botti's CD, the original one, though.  The same goes for Dave Koz and the sax, Mindi Abair on the sax, Joe Satriani on guitar, etc.  Too much of one instrument is way too much overload, IMO.
 
I have had Mark Knopfler playing for the past few hours though.  
 
 

 

[ninjames]

As far as cables are concerned, I took my first "plunge" into buying something "better" when it came to my RCA cable for my Modi + Magni. I bought the cheapo ones from Monoprice and they required me bending them for them to fit properly. Sound isn't an issue, I just wanted the piece of mind in knowing I have a strong, well-built cable with good bend that isn't going to fall apart. So I bought a Blue Jeans RCA cable for around $25. Perfect price for me, I think.
 
I will eventually fork out a bunch of money for a new cable for my HE-400, but not because I think it will improve things or whatever. I just don't like the stock cable.

 

[wje]

Quote:

While the HE-400 is a relatively economical headphone solution, looking around the entire market, you routinely see MSRPs well above any reasonable COGS estimate. Quality audio is becoming a luxury good and it's a shame it has to be this way. 
 
I was reading a thread last week about how $500 has become the new mid-range. Where will we be in 2020? A $1000 mid-range headphone? Certainly the sound quality is not appreciating at this rate.  
 
So I support any sort of campaign for consumers to exercise their market power to further affordability. 

 
I'll have to disagree again.  If the new mid-range happens to go to $1,000 - - which it won't in just 7 years, then it will and only because the market is doing what it does. We could discuss economics all day long, and not get anywhere, so I won't take it there.
 
However, I've lived a life of "audio chapters" in my book and where we are in 2013 is a fabulous position.  Why?  You might ask.  Well, in 1986, when I was in the 6th grade, I drooled over the Nakamichi "Dragon" cassette deck.  At the time, it was $1,800 (I believe.)  In today's dollars, that would equate to over $3,700.  Granted, it was a great piece made of impeccable quality in Japan.  Also, cassette systems are a thing of the past, so the argument doesn't hold a lot of water.  But, it points out that today in 2013, investing about $700 - $800 in a headphone rig can get you a very tremendous value.  Finally, though, with your thought pattern regarding the "scorched earth" method of pricing, companies would only be able to start up, operate for a few years, then go bankrupt.
 
Again, just speaking from life experience as I've witnessed and studied business cycles ad nauseum for quite a few years.  I'm a traditionalist.  Slow and steady, is a proven method for success.

 

[CPhoenix]

So if you guys want to be in heaven with your HE-400's, you gotta listen to this album:
 

 
Absolutely incredible stuff...

Is that flac?  Igt sounds great, but I'm supposed to be hearing a crackling sound in the beginning right?  Like the kind of "raspy" like effect from a turntable?  

 

[chewy4]

Quote:

Is that flac?  Igt sounds great, but I'm supposed to be hearing a crackling sound in the beginning right?  Like the kind of "raspy" like effect from a turntable?  

I don't know what the quality is, but yes that crackling is intentional. 

 

[CPhoenix]

I don't know what the quality is, but yes that crackling is intentional. 

Oh.. thats just me being a bit paranoid then 

  My he-400s are my new shiny toy...

 

[BrokeStudent]

Quote:

Is that flac?  Igt sounds great, but I'm supposed to be hearing a crackling sound in the beginning right?  Like the kind of "raspy" like effect from a turntable?  

Youtube audio is never flac. Here is a handy table. You'll never get insane quality out of it but 192 AAC isn't bad for streaming.
 

1080p	192 kbps	AAC
720p	192 kbps	AAC
480p	128 kbps	AAC
360p	128 kbps	AAC
240p	60 kbps	MP3

 

[chewy4]

Quote:

Oh.. thats just me being a bit paranoid then 

  My he-400s are my new shiny toy...

Haha I know what you mean. When I first got them I was freaking out at every little pop I heard. Turns out a lot of different electronica uses grainy stuff intentionally.
 
 

Youtube audio is never flac. Here is a handy table. You'll never get insane quality out of it but 192 AAC isn't bad for streaming.
 

1080p	192 kbps	AAC
720p	192 kbps	AAC
480p	128 kbps	AAC
360p	128 kbps	AAC
240p	60 kbps	MP3

Nice, thanks for the chart. 192kbps AAC is good enough for me, that's really close to transparent. 

 

[CPhoenix]

Youtube audio is never flac. Here is a handy table. You'll never get insane quality out of it but 192 AAC isn't bad for streaming.
 

1080p	192 kbps	AAC
720p	192 kbps	AAC
480p	128 kbps	AAC
360p	128 kbps	AAC
240p	60 kbps	MP3

Hmm.. that's interesting.  Is there some program out there that lets you test tracks to find out what their bitrate is?

 

[merkil]

Ok guys,
 
So this was perfect timing as the questions about cables had came up today. I posted that mine was in the mail and low and behold it was in my mailbox today. Now before I go any further I just want to say that I wasn't looking to buy a cable for a large sum of money and that I wasn't looking to replace the stock cable to improve the sound. All I wanted was something that was more flexible than stock and I wanted something that kept the same sound as stock (if cables actually change sound).
 
Well, never owning an aftermarket cable, I ended up with this
 
6ft Stranded OCC 26 AWG Teflon Coated Quad Braided Copper Wire from Neotech
Hifiman Connectors
Cardas GRQ SS 1/4 inch plug
Black MDPC-X Sleeve
Basic heat shrink for the Y connect
 
Really nothing fancy, very minimal looking. He could have done anything I wanted as it was a custom cable but I liked the look and he went away and made it. After holding the cable today I can say that the quality is very good. I love the over all look, it is very light and very flexible. No more snagging on things and the Y connect is up higher than stock which I like. Overall I don't notice huge change in sound but I was told that it will sound better after 100 hrs use. The hifiman connectors are snug and I had to tighten them with some needle nose pliers but now they are tight and not coming off.
 
Overall, I would say if you are looking to replace your stock cable, cables from "teds headfood" are very good. He will give you a good price, answer all your questions, is very good to deal with and will make the cable anyway you want, completely custom. I was actually really shocked when he told me the price that including shipping to my house. I thought it was very very good compared to what I was seeing on websites.