[NaiveSound]

I wonder what headphones I should move up to from 400i, I feel it's lacking some clarity I need

 

[fjrabon]

I wonder what headphones I should move up to from 400i, I feel it's lacking some clarity I need

Stax SR009.

 

[NaiveSound]

Would. You explain main differences, are they even above se846?

 

[drwlf]

  Why wouldn't a simple EQ adjustment for the peaks you didn't like be a better solution than pads which globally changes many things at once?

 
I hope I conveyed myself as enjoying the peaks for the most part, where I feel the aggressiveness and excitement for HE-400i stems from, along with the speed of the driver - which I truly enjoy un-EQ'd.
 
I don't find the peaks in HE-400i fatiguing, or the HE-400i in general as a sibilant or a _very_ bright headphone (for example what my Q701 is, to the point of ear-bleedingness), but combining the peaks, speed/decay, along with the IMO great resolution (not soundstage or the detail per se), some EDM has has had "ripping" fatiguing properties, caused by either/and the higher frequencies of the song/master of an album, or the how the higher frequency effects are mixed in stereo. To remedy these few situations, either EQing, or the xfeed has helped - early on the album might sound fantastic and exciting, but listening to it for a longer time, the remedies are required due to the strain on my ears.
 
So, I've done the global adjustments via software EQ (or the m9XX crossfeed circuitry), and now (tho after just a few hours of listening), it seems, I could do away with them by swapping the pads! I don't intend to ditch the stock FocusPads at all due to the changes in the sound signature, but swapping the pads is basically as much as of a hassle as EQing or pressing a few buttons, hence my enthusiasm I wouldn't go as far as to say that I have a different headphone, when changing the pads.
 
And in general, as personal preference, I don't really enjoy EQing even though I'm rather careful and conservative with it, and to my brain this "hardware" EQing via the pads seems a more enjoyable choice. I guess the sonic difference can be achieved either way to _identical_ results, but my mind or subconscious remembers the difference between the FocusPads pleather/velour combo with the tiny holes inside the cup, vs. these angled pads' pleathery plushful memoryfoamedness!
I guess it's more of an art, than science for me!

 

[DavidA]

@NaiveSound, your questions are not asked in a logical sequence, first you ask about Mojo and HE-400i and then you are asking about upgrading from HE-400i, you also don't have anything listed in your profile or signature so when you ask a question like
 
Quote:

I wonder what headphones I should move up to from 400i, I feel it's lacking some clarity I need

We other posters have a hard time knowing what you have and where you want to go since you have no prices or other criteria for us to consider.  After reading your post above I would give you the same answer as @fjrabon, SR-009 since all you asked for is something with clarity.  I sorry if it feels like I'm picking on you but you need to provide a little more than very simplistic Q&A.

 

[fjrabon]

Would. You explain main differences, are they even above se846?

When paired with the right amp (KGSSHV Carbon being the best I've heard it with) it offers the greatest clarity of any headphone I've ever heard. Also, with the right setup the bass quantity is decent, but the bass quality is near perfect. Stunningly lifelike soundstage.

Yes they are above the SE846

 

[520RanchBro]

I wonder what headphones I should move up to from 400i, I feel it's lacking some clarity I need

HE-560 is worth looking at too, if you don't have $3800 for the SR-009, not to mention an electrostat amp too.
 
I've only listened to the Shure briefly and I've never been great at comparing IEMs, I think over-ear headphones are far superior. I can't really weigh in there.
 
But the 560, in the clarity and imaging department just blows away the 400i in my opinion. Some still prefer the 400i overall though so not a unanimous recommendation.
 
What's your budget?

 

[marhol]

I wonder what headphones I should move up to from 400i, I feel it's lacking some clarity I need

Besides of Stax SR009 there are also other (cheaper) headphones with great clarity like HD 800, HE-6 or LCD-X...

 

[fjrabon]

  HE-560 is worth looking at too, if you don't have $3800 for the SR-009, not to mention an electrostat amp too.
 
I've only listened to the Shure briefly and I've never been great at comparing IEMs, I think over-ear headphones are far superior. I can't really weigh in there.
 
But the 560, in the clarity and imaging department just blows away the 400i in my opinion. Some still prefer the 400i overall though so not a unanimous recommendation.
 
What's your budget?

I'm a guy who prefers the 400i over the 560, but I certainly wouldn't argue that the 400i wins out on clarity/transparency.  I don't think anybody would disagree that the 560 is more transparent than the 400i.  

 

[thatonenoob]

 
I'm a guy who prefers the 400i over the 560, but I certainly wouldn't argue that the 400i wins out on clarity/transparency.  I don't think anybody would disagree that the 560 is more transparent than the 400i.  

Strangely, I recently the chance to audition the 400i and 560 side by side...and while the 400i lost squarely in clarity...it simply sounded far more musical.  The bass had more body and to a certain extent, slam, and it sounded rather nice indeed! 

 

[fjrabon]

  Strangely, I recently the chance to audition the 400i and 560 side by side...and while the 400i lost squarely in clarity...it simply sounded far more musical.  The bass had more body and to a certain extent, slam, and it sounded rather nice indeed! 

that's my take as well.  I will never short change the HE560, it's a brilliant headphone.  I simply preferred the HE400i, which also has the upside of being less amp picky, whereas the HE560 needs very precise synergy to really sound its best, I can plug the HE400i into the Dragonfly red and it ROCKS.  I think a lot of people assume that all HE400i owners use it because they couldn't afford the HE560.  I'd buy the HE400i over the HE560 if they cost the same price, without thinking twice.  I also completely understand people who take the opposite viewpoint.  They're fairly different sounding headphones.
 
My next hope is that the Focal Elear takes what I like about the HE400i and adds some more transparency, bass impact and soundstage. 

 

[520RanchBro]

In my experience, quick side-by-side comparisons tend to lend you to pick the signature you're most familiar with. When I first moved from the 400i to the 560, I missed the more prominent mids of the 400i. After two weeks of listening just to the 560 and then switching to the 400i, I couldn't even finish a song as it just sounded so congested in comparison. With brief impressions, I tend to gravitate towards the signature I'm used to so its hard to really make an informed comparison without exclusive, extended time with everything I'm comparing.
 
I will say that I think the bass on the 560 extends lower and is more detailed and responsive compared to the 400i, the hotter treble response might mask that a bit but I've seen measurements that back that up as well, the 560 has a stronger bass presence.

 

[fjrabon]

  In my experience, quick side-by-side comparisons tend to lend you to pick the signature you're most familiar with. When I first moved from the 400i to the 560, I missed the more prominent mids of the 400i. After two weeks of listening just to the 560 and then switching to the 400i, I couldn't even finish a song as it just sounded so congested in comparison. With brief impressions, I tend to gravitate towards the signature I'm used to so its hard to really make an informed comparison without exclusive, extended time with everything I'm comparing.
 
I will say that I think the bass on the 560 extends lower and is more detailed and responsive compared to the 400i, the hotter treble response might mask that a bit but I've seen measurements that back that up as well, the 560 has a stronger bass presence.

I had a 560 for a week.  I liked it a lot when sitting in my chair, with the right amp, and the right EQ setting.  However, I rarely get to listen that way.  

 

[marhol]

I also thought HE-400i sounded more musical than HE-560 when I was comparing them side by side. Both were great, but I picked HE-400i regardless of price because it better fitted with my preferred genre (melodic rock with prominent male vocals and electric guitar). Besides of that HE-400i is much easier to drive as fjrabon pointed out. 

 

[520RanchBro]

 
I had a 560 for a week.  I liked it a lot when sitting in my chair, with the right amp, and the right EQ setting.  However, I rarely get to listen that way.  

Ah and that's the way I spend most of my time listening so makes sense why our preferences differ.