[Ancipital]

 
Well, good for you. They did for me that's why I prefer to listen to more capable headphones than HD650. I enjoy listening to the HD650 but I enjoy even more listening to the HE400i and specially the LCD 2.2

 
LCD 2.2 is an interesting benchmark of excellence, tell us more.

 

[WriterHead]

   
LCD 2.2 is an interesting benchmark of excellence, tell us more.

A step up from HD650 except in comfort. If you like HD650 it's impossible not to love them. 

 

[Ancipital]

 
A step up from HD650 except in comfort. If you like HD650 it's impossible not to love them. 

 
Comfort? 

 

[WriterHead]

   
Comfort? 

 
Are you surprised?

 

[Ancipital]

While I admire your sense of humour, I 

   
Are you surprised?

 
While I admire your sense of humour, I fear that this discussion has run its productive course. Thanks 

 

[WriterHead]

I don't follow. Don't you agree that Audeze LCD2 are more uncomfortable than HD650? You are the one that asked me about them.

 

[MWSVette]

 

[peter123]

Unfortunately this thread seems to have run into a dead end. Enjoy your HE400i (the ones of you that still has them) I sure enjoy my pair

 

[Nekrosov]

Hi,
 
I've recently got my pair of HE-400i and I really like its sound. My amp/dac is Fiio E10K. Last day I listened to HE400i + Beyerdynamic A2 and it was a gorgeous pairing. Much more body in bass and Midrange department and a tamed treble, made it a great headphone. But, that amp is really expensive!
 
Can you recommend me a warm tube amp that pairs well with HE-400i? (My budget is less than 200$)
Do you think Vali or Vali 2 is a good choice? what about xDuoo tube amps?
 
Thanks in advance

 

[fjrabon]

Hi,

I've recently got my pair of HE-400i and I really like its sound. My amp/dac is Fiio E10K. Last day I listened to HE400i + Beyerdynamic A2 and it was a gorgeous pairing. Much more body in bass and Midrange department and a tamed treble, made it a great headphone. But, that amp is really expensive!

Can you recommend me a warm tube amp that pairs well with HE-400i? (My budget is less than 200$)
Do you think Vali or Vali 2 is a good choice? what about xDuoo tube amps?

Thanks in advance

Vali2 is great though you'll eventually want to change out the tube.

 

[Nekrosov]

Vali2 is great though you'll eventually want to change out the tube.

Thanks for your reply!
 
1- It seems that you own EF2C. Is it a better choice than Vali or Vali 2? How does it pair with HE400i?
2- Do you think that I can attain to the fullness/warmness that I want through Vali or Vali 2?

 

[fjrabon]

Thanks for your reply!

1- It seems that you own EF2C. Is it a better choice than Vali or Vali 2? How does it pair with HE400i?
2- Do you think that I can attain to the fullness/warmness that I want through Vali or Vali 2?

I like the EF2C a little more than the Vali2, but mostly because I like the tube type the EF2C uses better for options for tube rolling. The DAC on the EF2C is terrible though. Luckily I don't use the DAC and never planned on using the DAC. The EF2C pairs very well with the HE400I. The stock tubes the EF2C comes with are pretty mediocre though. With the stock tubes the HE400i is a little piercing. I put voshkods in mine and it really sings.

Fullness and warmness will mostly depend on the tube with both amps. You can have everything from syrupy bloated bass and rolled off highs with some mallards to bright with the stock Chinese tubes.

Overall, if you like the tube family of the vali2 I think it's a slightly better built amp, but with both these amps, the tube is king, so your sound will depend more on what tube you end up with than the actual amp itself. If you aren't sure which tubes you'd like, go for the vali2

 

[CJG888]

Go for the EF3 then. Same as EF2C, but without the dodgy DAC...

 

[Nekrosov]

I like the EF2C a little more than the Vali2, but mostly because I like the tube type the EF2C uses better for options for tube rolling. The DAC on the EF2C is terrible though. Luckily I don't use the DAC and never planned on using the DAC. The EF2C pairs very well with the HE400I. The stock tubes the EF2C comes with are pretty mediocre though. With the stock tubes the HE400i is a little piercing. I put voshkods in mine and it really sings.

Fullness and warmness will mostly depend on the tube with both amps. You can have everything from syrupy bloated bass and rolled off highs with some mallards to bright with the stock Chinese tubes.

Overall, if you like the tube family of the vali2 I think it's a slightly better built amp, but with both these amps, the tube is king, so your sound will depend more on what tube you end up with than the actual amp itself. If you aren't sure which tubes you'd like, go for the vali2

 
Thanks again for your informative post!
 

Go for the EF3 then. Same as EF2C, but without the dodgy DAC...

Thanks for your reply!
 
Really? EF3 is the same amp as EF2C? if so, that's great! I can use E10k as a DAC and EF3 as an amp!

 

[CJG888]

AFAIK it is.