[jerg]

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I was reading David Solomon's review on the SR-007 MKII and yes, it seems it would be the perfect upgrade for me.
 
Thanks for the suggestion.

It comes down to if you like HE400s for its tonality or for its planar technicality. If you happen to like its tonality (laid-back upper mids, sparkly treble) then yes, the 007mk2s are the only high-end cans with a similar tonal balance. However if you like HE400 for more basic things like its bass performance, or overall detail / transparency, then a lot more cans apply as upgrades.

 

[ALSO]

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... like its bass performance, or overall detail / transparency, then a lot more cans apply as upgrades.

A few examples?

 

[Okamoto]

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A few examples?

 
+1

 

[jerg]

Quote:

A few examples?

HE5LE, HE6, LCD3.
 
I wouldn't call HE500 a full upgrade because it has a fairly thick juicy midrange quality that might be a bit less "clear-sounding" than HE400, though definitely more transparent. Some might like that though (e.g. me).
 
LCD2r2 on the other hand, is very natural and balanced but IMO is too closed-sounding, and treble sounds a bit low-fi even directly against HE400. So again, not a full upgrade.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

It comes down to if you like HE400s for its tonality or for its planar technicality. If you happen to like its tonality (laid-back upper mids, sparkly treble) then yes, the 007mk2s are the only high-end cans with a similar tonal balance. However if you like HE400 for more basic things like its bass performance, or overall detail / transparency, then a lot more cans apply as upgrades.

 
I knew I was on to something here, comparing the SR-202 (admittedly no SR-007 Mk2) to the HE-400...seems like this is indeed the direction Stax is taking with their current lineup, sound signature-wise.
 
Only thing is, I still prefer those vintage, Normal bias SR-Lambda sets to both the SR-202 and HE-400 overall due to that midrange (and the light clamping force), so maybe the SR-007 isn't really an upgrade for me. That leaves the SR-Omega, SR-009, and maybe the Orpheus as dream setups to consider whenever I get rich...

 

[Tofujr]

I just got my HE400s last week, about ~120 hours use right now. I love them. I don't have much to compare it to except primarily IEMS, specifically the Shure SE535 and Westone 4. This is what the Hifimans sound like to me.
 
This is through a Little Dot Dac1 via USB into a Little Dot MKIII with Voshkod 6Z1HP-EV drive tubes and EH 6H30Pi gold pins. I listen to metal, rock, and some anime OP/ED.
 
Bass: I wouldn't say that it has the most quantity, I've heard much bassier, consumer headphones. There is certainly enough bass that I wouldn't want too much more or it would start to be overpowering. The main point I love about the bass is that it is extremely punchy and elastic. Bass drums sound amazing in rock/metal music.
 
Mids: I find the mids to be a bit lacking, though I've been used an IEM known for their mids, the Shures. On most songs I listen to, I really enjoy the apparent dip in mids, such in the metal, rock and some electronic music I listen to. However, this suffers when it comes to certain vocal driven songs. It sounds a bit muffled and unclear.
 
Treble: This might be my favourite part of the headphones, and perhaps also my most hated. To me, it is very extended and tons of quantity. Snare drums and cymbals to explode out of the music. However, on some vocal songs it can be very overpowering. Any lyrics that start with an S sound just becomes so shrill that I would need to turn it down slightly from my normal listening volumes. For the most part, I love the treble. Together with the bass, it gives the music the punch, brilliance and sparkle that listening to my old IEMs just doesn't cut it anymore.
 
Soundstage: Well, I can't say much about this since going from zero soundstage IEMs to these open back headphones is an infinite increase.
 
Anyway, this is my interpretation of the headphones. Is it accurate, or is my frame of reference a bit skewed?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I just got my HE400s last week, about ~120 hours use right now. I love them. I don't have much to compare it to except primarily IEMS, specifically the Shure SE535 and Westone 4. This is what the Hifimans sound like to me.
 
This is through a Little Dot Dac1 via USB into a Little Dot MKIII with Voshkod 6Z1HP-EV drive tubes and EH 6H30Pi gold pins. I listen to metal, rock, and some anime OP/ED.
 
Bass: I wouldn't say that it has the most quantity, I've heard much bassier, consumer headphones. There is certainly enough bass that I wouldn't want too much more or it would start to be overpowering. The main point I love about the bass is that it is extremely punchy and elastic. Bass drums sound amazing in rock/metal music.
 
Mids: I find the mids to be a bit lacking, though I've been used an IEM known for their mids, the Shures. On most songs I listen to, I really enjoy the apparent dip in mids, such in the metal, rock and some electronic music I listen to. However, this suffers when it comes to certain vocal driven songs. It sounds a bit muffled and unclear.
 
Treble: This might be my favourite part of the headphones, and perhaps also my most hated. To me, it is very extended and tons of quantity. Snare drums and cymbals to explode out of the music. However, on some vocal songs it can be very overpowering. Any lyrics that start with an S sound just becomes so shrill that I would need to turn it down slightly from my normal listening volumes. For the most part, I love the treble. Together with the bass, it gives the music the punch, brilliance and sparkle that listening to my old IEMs just doesn't cut it anymore.
 
Soundstage: Well, I can't say much about this since going from zero soundstage IEMs to these open back headphones is an infinite increase.
 
Anyway, this is my interpretation of the headphones. Is it accurate, or is my frame of reference a bit skewed?

Nope, that's a very accurate depiction of HE400's sound. Tactile non-overpowering bass, midrange that is nice and spacious but lacking for really engaging music, and treble that is hyper-detailed but tizzy at times because of that.
 
Seeing as MLE isn't logged on right now, I would heartily recommend the Jergpad mod to you. It really equalizes the midrange and treble to be nicer (more mids bloom, and less treble emphasis), especially if you transplant the pleather dust screen back, and do the back vent minimod as well.

 

[Okamoto]

Well, it seems that a tube amp like the MKIII doesn't decrease sibilance that much.
 
Good thing i didn't buy a Lyr.
 
@Jerg
 
Transplant the pleather dust screen back? haven't you suggested taking those off on your guide?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Well, it seems that a tube amp like the MKIII doesn't decrease sibilance that much.
 
Good thing i didn't buy a Lyr.
 
@Jerg
 
Transplant the pleather dust screen back? haven't you suggested taking those off on your guide?

Initially I did. But I was still experimenting then and a lot of my hearing impressions were preliminary. Since then I've done a lot more objective comparisons and listening swaps and the pleather screens are invaluable in taming the treble without masking any detail or altering the openness (most other things I tried to tame treble, e.g. putting a foam cutout on the driver under the earpads, have nasty cupping effects on the sound).
 
I actually made a second pair of jergpads, but with the velour dust screens I cannibalized from a pair of HFM velours, and the difference is small but noticible, in that the velour screen jergpads are a bit brighter, but still dark enough in the treble to grant very good sense of balance to HE400 and HE500. They are minor differences compared to overall how pleathers vs velours sound though.
 
 
The tricky thing is that the pads have their own tonal balance that when coupled with HE400 and HE500, produce different resulting sounds for obvious reasons. So I have to phrase it a bit carefully. HE500s are more transparent in general so they are more sensitive to even minor changes on the jergpads, while HE400s are mainly modulated in terms of tonal equalization by the pad mod.

 

[TristenT92]

Hey guys, I got the He-400 mainly for EDM and some alternative pop and r&b music, but I can clearly see it has advantages when used for Jazz music.  I've never owned any Jazz records. would anyone recommened some classic must listen to Jazz albums/artists?  cheers

 

[Okamoto]

Does the same apply to the grills?
 
And how do i put the dust screen back? Do i attach it to the pleather or the ring?

 

[Marleybob217]

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Well, good thing i don't need the HE-400's any brighter.
 
Anyway, i just don't think it's justifiable paying $200 on a cable.

Might as well buy the HE-500

 

[jiggahwhat]

This thread is increasingly convincing me to get the HE-500s instead. Alas, then I won't be able to afford a decent amp within my allotted budget. #firstworldproblems

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Does the same apply to the grills?
 
And how do i put the dust screen back? Do i attach it to the pleather or the ring?

 
The effects messing with the grills are much more subtle than anything you do with the earpad side, because with the earpads it's the direct effects on the sound transmitting from the drivers to your ears, rather than sound bouncing off something and then through something etc etc.
 
Either way is fine really, I opted to superglue the dust screen back onto the mounting ring, this way I have access to the underside of the earpads at any time. However some people have refined the technique recently and not needed to cut out the screen at all (just flip the earpads inside out). The net effect should be the same though.

 

[Sorrodje]

Quote:

Hey guys, I got the He-400 mainly for EDM and some alternative pop and r&b music, but I can clearly see it has advantages when used for Jazz music.  I've never owned any Jazz records. would anyone recommened some classic must listen to Jazz albums/artists?  cheers

 
wow ..what an infinite subject

.. we can make a thread or even a complete forum with this question.
 
I'm fond of jazz . I've played saxophone during 15 years and i could not really give any serious advice without more information. Jazz is a very complex and multiform music. For example Louis Armstrong , Anthony Braxton and Jan Garbarek are some of the greatest jazz musicians but their musics are completely different.
 
Depending on what you listen to now, some kind of jazz are more or less "affordable". If you use Google search and type keyword like "100 greatest Jazz albums" I think you will find a good entry point to the "main" or "classical" jazz.