[Semont]

C5D here, I don't have anything else to compare it to :/

 

[swannie007]

Use my 400i's with a Shanling PH300(Hybrid) to good effect as well as a Cayin HA-2i(SS), both fed by a Rotel RDD-06 DAC. They also sound good fed by the Schiit Vali/Modi(Tube/SS) stack and the Cayin HA-1A (Tubes)fed by a Beresford Bushmaster Mk II DAC(SS) and also the Breeze Audio Lehmann copy(SS) fed by the Breeze Audio DAC(SS).
All of these combos sound good to my ear with the 400i's. I use different combos with different music as the mood takes me. These are good all round headphones and I find them non fatiguing and can listen to them for hours.

 

[Semont]

 
Use my 400i's with a Shanling PH300(Hybrid) to good effect as well as a Cayin HA-2i(SS), both fed by a Rotel RDD-06 DAC. They also sound good fed by the Schiit Vali/Modi(Tube/SS) stack and the Cayin HA-1A (Tubes)fed by a Beresford Bushmaster Mk II DAC(SS) and also the Breeze Audio Lehmann copy(SS) fed by the Breeze Audio DAC(SS).
All of these combos sound good to my ear with the 400i's. I use different combos with different music as the mood takes me. These are good all round headphones and I find them non fatiguing and can listen to them for hours.

 
Do you actually hear any audible differences when you're using any combination of your various amps/dacs?

 

[chowmein83]

What amp are you using with your 400i? Me Asgard 2 and fiio e12 DIY

 
My 400i's are mainly driven by my NuForce UDH-100 (which barely anybody on Head-Fi seems to have here - there's like 2 forum threads on it, each with not that many replies), and sometimes by my Creative X-Fi sound card on my computer.
 
I think the NuForce does an excellent job of driving the 400i - good soundstage size, good imaging, and the DAC/amp combo does seem to have enough power to fully bring out the dynamics. The sound tonality is what I would call slightly warm of neutral - you get lots of detail, but it's not fatiguing and easy to listen to.
 
The Creative X-Fi sound card also does a decent job of driving the 400i - but that's mainly because I think the 400i is somewhat forgiving of the amp it's plugged into. The X-Fi will get loud, and seems to have decent dynamics with the 400i. The fatiguing treble of the X-Fi is somewhat tamed by the somewhat smooth nature of the 400i.
 
Edit*: Accidentally quoted the wrong person, oops.

 

[swannie007]

   
Do you actually hear any audible differences when you're using any combination of your various amps/dacs?

Yes. Don't ask me to explain the differences as I am not an audio writer and don't understand all the fancy descriptions used by them but, to my ears, there is a definite difference in sound. Say what you will but I think that all audio gear in an audio chain imparts a signature to the overall sound no matter how subtle. This is just my 2c worth.

 

[imac2much]

 
This is a great question for this thread.  I'd like to read about what other people are using with the 400i's.
 
I've got my Burson Soloist in my main rig.  As much of an objectivist as I have been over the years, the Soloist is definitely warmer and more dynamic than my other amps. I also the FiiO E10 for my laptop/kitchen table rig, and the Schiit Magni in the bedroom.  And yes, the Magni is clear and cold, just like the Asgaard.
 
The FiiO is amazingly good.  Not in league with the Soloist, but darn good in its own right.

I love the Soloist!  I tested it and the Soloist SL, and I found that they sounded the same so I purchased the SL (for the 400i that is... for the 560 I could tell some improvement with the regular Soloist but I decided to go for the 400i anyway.  This was all tested at a Hifiman retailer in Beijing).  I also had the Asgard 2 but I sold it.  I find that the Soloist SL sounds slightly better than the Asgard 2... I don't know how to describe but I do notice more of a "punch" than I did with the A2. However, the A2 was a wonderful amp as well, but the Soloist SL edges it out in additional ways that probably are not relevant to most other people.  One, the A2 gets way too hot, which Schiit states is intended and required for solid state amps, but I have no such problem with the Soloist SL.  Additionally, I live in China right now so I love the fact that I can change the power source from 110V to 220V with a flip of a switch on the Soloist SL.  For the A2, you need a completely new amp.

 

[Ekul61]

I love the Soloist!  I tested it and the Soloist SL, and I found that they sounded the same so I purchased the SL (for the 400i that is... for the 560 I could tell some improvement with the regular Soloist but I decided to go for the 400i anyway.  This was all tested at a Hifiman retailer in Beijing).  I also had the Asgard 2 but I sold it.  I find that the Soloist SL sounds slightly better than the Asgard 2... I don't know how to describe but I do notice more of a "punch" than I did with the A2. However, the A2 was a wonderful amp as well, but the Soloist SL edges it out in additional ways that probably are not relevant to most other people.  One, the A2 gets way too hot, which Schiit states is intended and required for solid state amps, but I have no such problem with the Soloist SL.  Additionally, I live in China right now so I love the fact that I can change the power source from 110V to 220V with a flip of a switch on the Soloist SL.  For the A2, you need a completely new amp.
[/quot so is the soloist sl a big step up? Or should I just keep my asgard 2.

 

[mandrake50]

I  One, the A2 gets way too hot, which Schiit states is intended and required for solid state amps, but I have no such problem with the Soloist SL.  

That statement is just not true. If you are running the output in Class A, and the regulators are being used hard...and you do not have enough heat sinking/air circulation to cool all of that.. sure the thing will run hot. OTH I have lots of SS amps that hardly get warm. The Polaris amp is one, it never gets even warm to the touch. Another is the NFB 11 (2014) that is barely warm to the touch even after running for 8 hours straight and driving the 400i at 80 plus DB for a good part of that time.

 

[Ekul61]

Heat doesnt bother me at all.. just looking for a warmer amp than the asgard2. And enough power to drive the 560 and 400i

 

[mandrake50]

if im reading correct. U enjoy the polaris overthe lyr

Enjoy? I had the Lyr 2 before the Polaris. I was comparing it to my Horizon III and Ember, plus some highly modded Bravo amps.

To me the performance difference in the Lyr 2 (not much to my ears)..and the PIA in finding the matched NOS tubes that I wanted and could actually (rationally) afford, as well as the asking price, simply did not warrant keeping it. I am sure that I would have worked something out if the amp had just impressed the heck out of me. It did not.

I guess that I enjoyed it while I had it, but not enough, on balance, to keep it.

Do I enjoy the Polaris more? Well I guess so, I have it and use it.. and the Lyr is gone.

 

[beaver316]

What amp are you using with your 400i? Me Asgard 2 and fiio e12 DIY

 
How does the E12 drive the HE-400i? I need a portable amp to pair with my iPod for a portable rig. And how much better is the Asgard 2 than the E12?

 

[Ekul61]

How does the E12 drive the HE-400i? I need a portable amp to pair with my iPod for a portable rig. And how much better is the Asgard 2 than the E12?

e12 is great. I actually like is a little better than the asgard2.. little mor bass

 

[beaver316]

e12 is great. I actually like is a little better than the asgard2.. little mor bass

 
A little better than the A2? That's surprising! I hear soundstage is more closed in on Fiios though..

 

[mandrake50]

How does the E12 drive the HE-400i? I need a portable amp to pair with my iPod for a portable rig. And how much better is the Asgard 2 than the E12?

How portable do you consider the Asgard 2 to be? The E12 IS portable, but is in a different class (portable vs Desktop).
I use my E12 out of the X5 to drive my 400i. For a pair that I can put into a shirt pocket they do a very respectable job driving the 400i.
When I am running around using portable gear, I am not often worried about nuances in sound stage or FR. Actually, unless I sit and concentrate in order to evaluate a piece of gear, I usually don't "hear" that stuff. I just hear music. It makes me happy, or not. The E12 and 400i makes me happy..

 

[q2klepto]

How can I tell which Hybrid Pads i have? I ordered Focus Pads for my 400 a few months ago, and they have the stitching at the top.  While the pads that came with the 400i's have the stitching at the bottom. 
 
This if the thicker part of the pad are pointed to the back. 
 
Are they just different versions of the non-A pads?