[coletrain104]

  Yeah, that's the only reaosn I don't have the GS1000e, which I had on the Tour when they first came out.
 
I feel like a brocken record, but the 400i's really have me re-considering what "high end" may be all about. I might, might that is, be at end-game with them and the Alpha Primes.  I'm waiting for the Cavalli Liquid Carbon to arrive to seriously evaluate my options.
 
edit: except for Stax.  I can't really have a final opinion until I try electrostatics.  I mean, can I?

400i and Alpha Primes are a great combo. If I could get the same tonality out of the 400i and open up the soundstage, it'd be engame for me, I think. The HE-500 is great, but soooooo heavy. I didn't love the HE-6 until modified and speaker amped (heard both at a meet). I really enjoyed the K7XX, but there was maybe a bit too much at one point in the treble, and it didn't bug me a bunch then, but if I notice it immediately, I feel like it will come to  bother me. Didn't particularly love any audeze, though I thought the LCD2 was pretty good for the time I spent with it. LCDX and XC didn't seem right to me. hmmmmmm. Honestly, I could see myself giving in to the HE-500, or maaaaybe the Dharma.
 
EDIT: also I would like to hear the 560 again. Even though it is bright for my personal tastes, I haven't heard it with the Focus-A pads, and only heard it briefly with stock. I threw a song that was inherently sibilant at them and moved on because of the brightness. I should've given them a better listen. Though they have a fairly small soundstage too, regardless of what people say. Not too different from 400i

 

[Thazzz]

How does the 400i with fiio x1?
I know it does not have much power, but it is only portable that I have...

 

[coletrain104]

  How does the 400i with fiio x1?
I know it does not have much power, but it is only portable that I have...

I have tried them with X3ii and always felt like something is missing. For some reason vocals feel more distant, though I can't be sure this is because it is underpowered or just a bad match between the two. Open cans aren't really good portables anyways. Since the X1 has USB DAC functionality, you could get a cheap desktop amp and run the X1 as the DAC, as long as the line out still works when used as a DAC. You might have to ask the X1 thread about that.

 

[Thazzz]

  I have tried them with X3ii and always felt like something is missing. For some reason vocals feel more distant, though I can't be sure this is because it is underpowered or just a bad match between the two. Open cans aren't really good portables anyways. Since the X1 has USB DAC functionality, you could get a cheap desktop amp and run the X1 as the DAC, as long as the line out still works when used as a DAC. You might have to ask the X1 thread about that.

Oh no, i've the ampli iCAN.
But sometimes i like go out with the headphones and i like to know if the X1 can move "correctly" the 400i.
 
 
Thx for answering 

 

[ronnel0918]

   
Uh, not yet it's not. God dammit man, I was excited for a second.

 
Hahaha! Yup, it's next week. 

 

[bwcgrx]

I'm very likely to pick up the 400i when it goes on sale next week.  The $299 price has me hooked.
 
I do own and really like both the HE-400 and HE-400s.  I'm asking those who are familiar with the 400, 400s, and 400i, what would the 400i bring to the table that the other HD-400 series lack.  I'm thinking that owning all three in this line may be a bit redundant.  Chances are I would consider selling one of the others if I liked the 400i.  Its less about the money and more about a modicum of practicality.  Not that I'm about to get too practical when it comes to this headphone hobby/fanaticism.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I'm very likely to pick up the 400i when it goes on sale next week.  The $299 price has me hooked.
 
I do own and really like both the HE-400 and HE-400s.  I'm asking those who are familiar with the 400, 400s, and 400i, what would the 400i bring to the table that the other HD-400 series lack.  I'm thinking that owning all three in this line may be a bit redundant.  Chances are I would consider selling one of the others if I liked the 400i.  Its less about the money and more about a modicum of practicality.  Not that I'm about to get too practical when it comes to this headphone hobby/fanaticism.

Yes, very redundant, extremely redundant. I would sell the other two and get the 400i. Of course you may have a tough time for the next three or four months selling due to the HFM sale, but if you ask a fair price you should be able to move the 400 and 400s easily enough. The 400i is widely received as an excellent headphone value and beyond the value proposition, as an excellent sound signature. $299 is a stellar price.

 

[chowmein83]

  I'm really considering trying out the 400i with the $300 black friday deal coming up.  Do we have any info if this deal will only be on their webstore? Time the deal goes live?
 
Currently I have an HD650 running out of a Magni2/Modi2 uber stack.  How do these two headphones compare?
 
EDIT: Plus, how would the 400i sound out of my amp/dac setup?

 
Had to dig out some of my old posts, but here are some comparisons of the HD650 and the 400i by me:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion/3195#post_11252415
http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion/3195#post_11253207
http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion/3195#post_11251072
http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion/4440#post_11748830
 
 

  How is the treble on the HE-400i? I'm considering to buy them but worried about if they will be sibilant. HD800, T1 and HE-560 were sibilant to me. Also curious to hear if anyone in here has heard both Ether and HE-400i and would compare the treble on them as well. I've heard a person say that HE-400i is smoother in the treble compared to Ether even when the graph suggests otherwise. Any comments?

 
HE-400i treble is extended but well-controlled and never really sibilant, unless you pair it with something that has aggressive highs.
 
Looking at my old posts, I also seem to have said:
 
"The HE-400i to me seemed a bit warmer, while the Ether was more neutral. Ether seemed to have a bit more treble emphasis and extension, while the 400i had more bass emphasis and lower mids of the 400i seemed a bit warmer/thicker."
 
I do still feel that, but the one thing that the Ether has over the 400i is that even with its greater treble emphasis, the Ether never sounded strident on sibilant on anything I've ever heard it on, even with the brightest of amps.

 

[coletrain104]

  I'm very likely to pick up the 400i when it goes on sale next week.  The $299 price has me hooked.
 
I do own and really like both the HE-400 and HE-400s.  I'm asking those who are familiar with the 400, 400s, and 400i, what would the 400i bring to the table that the other HD-400 series lack.  I'm thinking that owning all three in this line may be a bit redundant.  Chances are I would consider selling one of the others if I liked the 400i.  Its less about the money and more about a modicum of practicality.  Not that I'm about to get too practical when it comes to this headphone hobby/fanaticism.

400i is very similar to 400S but it is slightly less warm, which really clears up the sonic image, adding to clarity. It also has cleaner highs, when listening side-by-side the treble of the 400S seemed unrefined. the 400i feels like a very direct upgrade to 400S

 

[Sonic Defender]

  400i is very similar to 400S but it is slightly less warm, which really clears up the sonic image, adding to clarity. It also has cleaner highs, when listening side-by-side the treble of the 400S seemed unrefined. the 400i feels like a very direct upgrade to 400S

Good to know.

 

[mysticstryk]

Considering the 400i with that black friday deal.
 
How do these compare to my HD650?  I've been wanting to try a planar for awhile now.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Considering the 400i with that black friday deal.
 
How do these compare to my HD650?  I've been wanting to try a planar for awhile now.

I had an HD 650 for the better part of a year and I vastly prefer the 400i, but that is quite subjective. The 400i will be more treble extended, faster and to my ears much more engaging. The 650 was a headphone I liked quite a bit, and I wanted to love it, but despite having a really solid amp (SPL Auditor) the 650 just didn't grab me. The 400i is a very interesting headphone, like the 560, a new classic I think and an awesome value.

 

[chowmein83]

  Considering the 400i with that black friday deal.
 
How do these compare to my HD650?  I've been wanting to try a planar for awhile now.

 
Agree with @Sonic Defender here. I do appreciate what the HD650 brings to the table, but I too much prefer the 400i.
 
Also, see my other post on this page (scroll up).

 

[mysticstryk]

   
Agree with @Sonic Defender here. I do appreciate what the HD650 brings to the table, but I too much prefer the 400i.
 
Also, see my other post on this page (scroll up).

 
Thanks, I completely missed that other post of yours.

 

[MadMike]

 
My GF used to use Apple headphones that came with her phone or ipod and once she tried a Momentum on-ear she realized that the Apple headphone was really bad.  She has become very keen in noticing the differences in headphones and since her hearing is still really good (per on line hearing test, she is still able to hear up to 19KHz) compared to mine I don't argue.  She can tell the difference in the amp used when listening to the HE-400i (level matched to .5db is the best that I can do) between Lyr2, Ember, Fiio X3, and Asgard2.
I think another thing is that many over state the difference in sound that is perceived, as you say you can notice the difference but you are not blown away with the difference, its not a "WOW" factor of difference, so the G-Cube Luxy 500 could actually be a pretty decent headphone to begin with.
As to your note on an amp making both headphones equally better, this is not always true, some headphones with or without an amp would sound the same while others an amp that has good synergy with the headphone will make a fairly noticeable difference (ie: BH Crack and HD-650).
Good luck and hope you get to try the HE-400i with a better system so you can appreciate the sound quality of it.

Hello David. I currently have the HD600, Bottlehead Crack and the TEAC UD-301- great combination!! I want to pick up the 400i on Black Friday but am worried about amplification. How will the 400i sound driven directly from the UD-301? Eventually I can pick up a decent amp for the 400i but would rather not if the 301 will drive them well. Thanks!