[d4rkch1ld]

Planar headphones usually have very flat and well extended bass it is also very fast and not boomy.

 

[Yaroslav]

   
I dont know much about planar magnetic headphones a lot so what is it with "bass" and "planar magnetic" that makes it good? Doesn't Dynamic headphone have good bass also?
Yea the reason why I didnt go with a planar magnetic headphone in the first place is because all of them look ugly as hell when Im wearing on my head.  
And the only Fostex that I know is the 900, which is really expensive, like around $1100+.

Google for "planar bass".
 
As for options, as I've said there is a lot of them, Fostex has a new collab with Massdrop that was featured on the homepage, Mr. Speakers stuff is supposedly very good, and open HiFiMans produce very good bass as well.

 

[LEGendARY]

Got mine today. Just had a few hours on them. I have owned several cans over the years, and currently using the Beyer T90 since early 2014.
 
My initial impressions of the 400i paired to a Matrix Cube DAC/AMP are:
 
1-The headphones are very light weight. But the materials are cheap, I mean the headphones have that cheap Chinese rubber smell to them, not representing at all.
2-The headband adjustment knobs scratch the headband on the inside, but they are very tight and secured which is a pro. And the earcups swivel mechanism is perfect.
3-Comfort is great; soft earpads, good & adjustable clamping force, good weight distribution on head. But not as comfortable as the beyers. 
4-The cable is a bit short, less flexible than my liking, with a 90 degree angle, but it's a 3.5mm detachable so you can replace it anytime. 
5-These are the most open of the cans I have, isolation is almost non existent. But, surprisingly, sound stage is narrow. 
6-The bass is great, for an open can, it's awesome with extension and slam.
7-The mids are a bit farther back than the T90s, which is more comfortable and laid back, but also make it less analytical.
8-The highs are tamed in comparison to the T90; which is very hot up top.
9-Clarity, transparency, and instrument separation are not as good as the T90s. Nonetheless, it does not bother me. I don't feel I'm missing out.
 
Overall, I decided to use the 400i for everything but gaming, which the T90 does a better job at. 
 
For $299, these are a good value.

 

[lowmagnet]

Here you go.

http://www.hifiman.com/products/detail/187

I over that that is basically a simple in-store display stand you would see at your local shop.

 

[Dionysus]

So I've had an hour or so to add some first impressions.
Listened to a couple of Norah Jones, Alanis tracks. A little Rush and some James Taylor just to get some sense of the cans.
Coming from a year plus of exclusively listening to HD800 on my current rig my initial thoughts are,....
The HE400i have really good mid presents and vocal are excellent, the sound stage is a lot smaller than I'm use to.
The bass is very good on these can with excellent control not muddy, fast with an excellent attack. The treble is not its best attribute it's not none existent, but certainly not as pronounced as the mods and bass.

. For those asking about these vs Senn Hd650 which I also owned and remember well, I find that the HE400i are better overall phones especially because of how well the bass is good punch not bloated or uncontrolled and loose like I remember from HD650, the 650 soundstage I remember being wider and the treble a little more forward, but overall I find these a better overall value.

So far the only thing I've noticed is how much more volume I have to give these cans vs what the HD800 need for similar volume levels. I'm guessing this is a planar inherent attribute.

So far at $299 Black Friday price and as a secondary set of can with a different SQ I'm trilled with the purchase. Next I'll let them play for a few days and have a good listening session and report back.

 

[titaniumx3]

I think I must be overly sensitive to treble, because I find the treble piercing at times on my HE400i. Also, whilst they do have better treble extension than my HD650, I find the treble sounds a little thin an screechy, where as on the HD650 it sounds more fleshed out.

 

[jincuteguy]

  Planar headphones usually have very flat and well extended bass it is also very fast and not boomy.

So if you're a BassHead, you should'nt be looking for Planar Headphone then?

 

[fjrabon]

So if you're a BassHead, you should'nt be looking for Planar Headphone then?

Yes, you should. By "flat bass" he means that the sub bass isn't rolled off like on dynamic drivers. The Audeze LCD is one of the best bass head cans out there.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  So if you're a BassHead, you should'nt be looking for Planar Headphone then?

If you are a dynamic headphone user it takes a little time to adjust to the way bass is presented with planar headphones. Dynamics can often seem to have more impact, but once you get used to the more diffused sound of planar bass you quickly realise that the speed, low distortion and typically flat response into the lower extremities they exhibit  is pretty awesome. The impact I find very good if a tad less on planars. I would say the planar sound is more for the "enlightened basshead".

 

[richpjr]

I ordered the 400i's like a lot of you with the sale and they arrived today.   Naturally my wife was there when UPS came and said to me as she took the box "Oh good, the Christmas present you ordered for yourself came today.  I'll wrap it so you have something to open Christmas morning." 
 
Damn.

 

[MasterChef]

  I ordered the 400i's like a lot of you with the sale and they arrived today.   Naturally my wife was there when UPS came and said to me as she took the box "Oh good, the Christmas present you ordered for yourself came today.  I'll wrap it so you have something to open Christmas morning." 
 
Damn.

Haha oh well, just something to look forward to
I bought a pair during the sale as well and I really like these HE-400i. Everything from the build quality to the sound is great. I like the cable too. I will say that the ear pads kinda clamp down and get uncomfortable after a while - and they get very warm inside. The sound is neutral and fatigue-free, yet very enjoyable. At the sale price this is currently one of my favorite audio purchases yet.

 

[Born2Cuddle]

  I ordered the 400i's like a lot of you with the sale and they arrived today.   Naturally my wife was there when UPS came and said to me as she took the box "Oh good, the Christmas present you ordered for yourself came today.  I'll wrap it so you have something to open Christmas morning." 
 
Damn.

Women can be so cruel.

 

[hifi808]

  I ordered the 400i's like a lot of you with the sale and they arrived today.   Naturally my wife was there when UPS came and said to me as she took the box "Oh good, the Christmas present you ordered for yourself came today.  I'll wrap it so you have something to open Christmas morning." 
 
Damn.

 
Similar story here.
 
I unboxed them long enough to test them and make sure they weren't DOA.  Re-boxed, wrapped and under the tree.  Hey, maybe my Liquid Carbon and balanced cables will make it here by Christmas too.
 
Patience is a virtue. Right?

 

[bracko]

  Which one has better bass and more bass? HD650 or 400i?

HE-400i has more bass and better quality bass. HE-400i has a more textured and tuneful bass too. A good song for testing this is No surprises by Radiohead. On a resolving system you can hear those subtle "one note" displacements on Colin's fretless bass. My HE-500 and T90 are far far better in resolving this than HD650. And I also remember that HE-400i was better than HD650 because I use this song to test bass resolution. HD650's bass sounds many times more like one tone oomph. Tuneless (no matter what amp you use)

 

[ChesterYonany]

  I think I must be overly sensitive to treble, because I find the treble piercing at times on my HE400i. Also, whilst they do have better treble extension than my HD650, I find the treble sounds a little thin an screechy, where as on the HD650 it sounds more fleshed out.

for how long you used the 650 and 400i? also which amp are you using?
you need to get used to it.
400i arent bright, just very detailed.
 
im treble sensitive too but 400i are very smooth, non fatiguing HPs.
i always give the example of the DT770, i felt like the headphones are shooting tiny nails into my ears

.