[hakuzen]

ordered them to a big audio seller in UK, near 3 months ago. they were not able to stock and ship them, so i've cancelled the order, and have ordered directly to a big/reputable? seller in taobao, via agent.
i hope they will be legit, and not worse than those you can get from any of the european resellers.

 

[DavidA]

   
 
 
It was an authorized reseller. Condition of the box is now moot; I looked at the phones, little scratches and dings all over. Havent even listened to them, gonna return. I don't like being lied to. And now I don't even know what authorized Hifiman resellers I can even trust.

can you post some pictures?

 

[taetertot]

  can you post some pictures?

 
 
I heard back from the reseller and figured it out.
 
I got these at a lower price, but advert'd as shipping sealed direct from the manufacturer, which I misread as "new". They are units where SMC connectors were converted to 2.5mm. The scratches on the cups are around the connectors. And that's why the packaging isn't quite right.
 
So now I have a dilemma. I'm ok with the cosmetic blemishes now, it's what you give up for the lower price. But the tech who scratched up the cups while converting the connectors, how careful was he in the job? I mean if it looks like that outside, how does it look on the inside?
 
Surely some of you guys have bought these at the $300 price? Did you get units with scratches around the connectors, or other blemishes?

 

[DavidA]

 
Quote:

   
 
I heard back from the reseller and figured it out.
 
I got these at a lower price, but advert'd as shipping sealed direct from the manufacturer, which I misread as "new". They are units where SMC connectors were converted to 2.5mm. The scratches on the cups are around the connectors. And that's why the packaging isn't quite right.
 
So now I have a dilemma. I'm ok with the cosmetic blemishes now, it's what you give up for the lower price. But the tech who scratched up the cups while converting the connectors, how careful was he in the job? I mean if it looks like that outside, how does it look on the inside?
 
Surely some of you guys have bought these at the $300 price? Did you get units with scratches around the connectors, or other blemishes?

It could also mean that it might have been an older SMC connector version that was returned for warranty work, the drivers and connector were replaced and they resell them.  I'm one that likes the SMC connector over the 2.5mm, a more secure connection, and less intrusion into the cup and I've had problems with 3.5/2.5 TR/TRS jacks used in M50, MDR-7506, K553 and other removable cable mods where they tend to ware out faster than the SMC connector.
What does the back of the driver look like? does it have the metal backing plate?  should look like this:

 

[Djsenjaya]

I heard back from the reseller and figured it out.

I got these at a lower price, but advert'd as shipping sealed direct from the manufacturer, which I misread as "new". They are units where SMC connectors were converted to 2.5mm. The scratches on the cups are around the connectors. And that's why the packaging isn't quite right.

So now I have a dilemma. I'm ok with the cosmetic blemishes now, it's what you give up for the lower price. But the tech who scratched up the cups while converting the connectors, how careful was he in the job? I mean if it looks like that outside, how does it look on the inside?

Surely some of you guys have bought these at the $300 price? Did you get units with scratches around the connectors, or other blemishes?

Where did you buy your he400i? I've ask my friend on china to buy it from taobao (hifiman authorized seller) for very cheap price (1249rmb) and it arrived with some minor scratches. I hope it was not refurbished product.

 

[bugeyed]

   
 
I heard back from the reseller and figured it out.
 
I got these at a lower price, but advert'd as shipping sealed direct from the manufacturer, which I misread as "new". They are units where SMC connectors were converted to 2.5mm. The scratches on the cups are around the connectors. And that's why the packaging isn't quite right.
 
So now I have a dilemma. I'm ok with the cosmetic blemishes now, it's what you give up for the lower price. But the tech who scratched up the cups while converting the connectors, how careful was he in the job? I mean if it looks like that outside, how does it look on the inside?
 
Surely some of you guys have bought these at the $300 price? Did you get units with scratches around the connectors, or other blemishes?

Nope, mine were new & perfect @ $300. New driver & jacks, no scratches or blemishes. Purchased from AC Gears in USA little over a month ago. 
kev

 

[Gordhifi]

  Nope, mine were new & perfect @ $300. New driver & jacks, no scratches or blemishes. Purchased from AC Gears in USA little over a month ago. 
kev

What Bugeyed said. Same seller, price etc....

 

[Ancipital]

  ordered them to a big audio seller in UK, near 3 months ago. they were not able to stock and ship them, so i've cancelled the order, and have ordered directly to a big/reputable? seller in taobao, via agent.
i hope they will be legit, and not worse than those you can get from any of the european resellers.

 
Hmm, I got mine from Analogue Seduction in the UK- they were the latest revision, and not a refurb. Proper sockets, no back plate, properly packed etc.. Their service was really quick, and they were very nice when I phoned up to check stock and delivery timeframes. The price was competitive too- they might be a good option for people who want a brand new pair.
 
(Actually, that pair are up for sale now, as I ended up picking up HE-560. Beware, the HE-400i is a gateway drug... 

 )

 

[hakuzen]

   
Hmm, I got mine from Analogue Seduction in the UK- they were the latest revision, and not a refurb. Proper sockets, no back plate, properly packed etc.. Their service was really quick, and they were very nice when I phoned up to check stock and delivery timeframes. The price was competitive too- they might be a good option for people who want a brand new pair.
 
(Actually, that pair are up for sale now, as I ended up picking up HE-560. Beware, the HE-400i is a gateway drug... 

 )

Curious. When did you get your pair?
 
I ordered  to Analogue Seduction, on August the 16th, together with Mojo, cables, and HE400i accessories. Good prices (379€, HE400i) and very good pre-sale customer support.
They sent me everything fast except the HE400i. They told me the HE400i would take about 2/3 weeks to arrive there; but nope. Last week, they told me that HiFiMAN sent them stuff, but there were not HE400i. So I had to ask for a refund at last, after 3 months. I'm waiting for the transfer being effective now.
 
They treat customer well, but I'm a bit disappointed about the HE400i issue. First, why do you show an item as stocked, when you don't have stock of it. Then, if an order is paid, and you have not stock, you should ask for it to the providers immediately. Last, if such big delay, you should inform the customer about the real problem. I really can't understand how HiFiMAN is not able to send them a pair, in 3 months, when China market is flooded with HE400i.
 
I've ordered to an HiFiMAN seller (they sell the players, and most of their stuff, don't know if it's an authorized reseller) in taobao, about $205, 2.5mm version. With shipping, agent's fees, and currency conversion fees, they will cost me about 250€ (import taxes excluded). I expect they aren't SMC refurbished. I'll tell you in about 15-20 days.
 
LOL, I expect them to be a drug, even a gateway drug (but I'll have to suffer the abstinence syndrome till my wallet recuperates).
Thanks for the info.

 

[Ancipital]

Oh wow, I might have sniped the last pair from under you then, sorry about that! I ordered mine on the 16th of Aug, and paid £335.49 including shipping and VAT. They arrived the next day.
 
There is a massive issue with supply of HFM stuff in Europe right now, I think. A lot of dealers say that they're having trouble getting stock, when you ask. It took me ages to find a decently priced current revision HE-560. Something changed in the way that things are handled, and ordering isn't great. Several very reputable UK dealers said similar. I guess I was just lucky getting the tail end of the stock, in both cases.
 
There's a selfish bit of me that hope that will make my (lightly) used pair sell better, if they're getting hard to find.. but really it sucks. HE-400i is a great-sounding headphone for the money, but HFM's poor distribution doesn't make it easy!

 

[hakuzen]

lol, you got my he400i!
 
yep, you must be right, because saw many "out of stock" in european shops.
 
i know Analogue Seduction did try everything to get them, but they didn't tell me about the difficulties they were finding.
 
hope you will sell yours quickly, then!

 

[Ancipital]

Argh, I am a bad person, I stole your headphones, shame on me.
 
I have heard similar problems about trying to get stock from a bunch of dealers. When I got my 560s, the display box was grubby and beaten up (inside a sealed carton), and the dealer was horrified. Unable to source a replacement in a hurry, they gave me a discount in lieu of a replacement.
 
It's a bit of a crapshoot in Europe. They are great if you can find a new pair. "If". Best of luck with your Taobao order. They sound surprisingly nice with even modest amplification, so it's worth persisting...

 

[hakuzen]

at the price i paid for the he400i in taobao, i don't mind they look used, while they sound like thy should.
 
yea, i'm absolutely decided to get them. i already have their case and pads replacement, and bought sources just thinking about feeding them correctly. because they have very low sensitivity (and low impedance), so i guess they need sources capable to deliver high current. got mojo, ibasso d14, an used cayin c5, and ghost audio dydi zishan dsd + mini a1 amp. i'll have a good time finding the best pairing; i'll report.

 

[Ancipital]

For what it's worth, I found that they sound OK right out of the Mojo, but even a cheap Magni 2 Uber gave a noticable improvement- especially to the sound stage. Everything sounded quite "narrow" when the Mojo was driving them directly. Putting an amp in the chain before the headphones worked wonders. The Mojo isn't an awful DAC at all, but it's an uninspiring amp for anything more than IEMs.
 
If you aren't thrilled with any of your options, putting the ever-popular Vali 2 between the Mojo and the HE-400i will sound good, especially with a nice EH6CG7 tube. It's a cheap and simple option that sounds really solid. The airy, pleasant sound really grows on you.

 

[DavidA]

  For what it's worth, I found that they sound OK right out of the Mojo, but even a cheap Magni 2 Uber gave a noticable improvement- especially to the sound stage. Everything sounded quite "narrow" when the Mojo was driving them directly. Putting an amp in the chain before the headphones worked wonders. The Mojo isn't an awful DAC at all, but it's an uninspiring amp for anything more than IEMs.
 
If you aren't thrilled with any of your options, putting the ever-popular Vali 2 between the Mojo and the HE-400i will sound good, especially with a nice EH6CG7 tube. It's a cheap and simple option that sounds really solid. The airy, pleasant sound really grows on you.

Love the Mojo as a DAC, as an amps its not that great.  Funny how the Hugo is rated the same output as the Mojo but it just pairs better with the headphones that I've tried it with.