[taetertot]

I'm blown away by how good the HE 400i's are. I think I like these as much as my Alpha Primes. I'm debating right now whether I can possibly justify getting cables for the HE 400i that are more expensive than the headphones themselves. Anyone here using cables that cost more than the HE 400i?
 
Anyway I'm so impressed I ordered a Hifiman Supermini, and I think if I ever do suspend all reason and buy a stupid expensive set of cans, I'll go for the HE 1000 V2.

 

[DavidA]

  I'm blown away by how good the HE 400i's are. I think I like these as much as my Alpha Primes. I'm debating right now whether I can possibly justify getting cables for the HE 400i that are more expensive than the headphones themselves. Anyone here using cables that cost more than the HE 400i?
 
Anyway I'm so impressed I ordered a Hifiman Supermini, and I think if I ever do suspend all reason and buy a stupid expensive set of cans, I'll go for the HE 1000 V2.

A while ago got a 10ft Forza Claire Hybrid, for me there was no difference compared to Mogami 2893.  Also had Double-Helix for my HD-800 which made no difference compared to a Canare starquad.  The cables are really works of art and if money was not a issue I would use them but i'd rather spend my limited funds on other headphones which a better bang for the buck IMO.  Cables are a sensitive topic so this is all I will say, YMMV, yada, yada, yada.

 

[swspiers]

I'm blown away by how good the HE 400i's are. I think I like these as much as my Alpha Primes. I'm debating right now whether I can possibly justify getting cables for the HE 400i that are more expensive than the headphones themselves. Anyone here using cables that cost more than the HE 400i?

Anyway I'm so impressed I ordered a Hifiman Supermini, and I think if I ever do suspend all reason and buy a stupid expensive set of cans, I'll go for the HE 1000 V2.

I totally agree. I've had the 400i's and the Alpha Primes as complementary headphones for a couple years now. I always felt they were a fantastic pairing, that left little room for anything else to be desired. Until I bought the Sennheiser HD 800S's, that is. I freely admit I've been using the Sennheiser's more often than all my other headphones combined, but at that price I'd better be listening to them, LOL.

I did take some time this past weekend to listen exclusively to the 400i's, and I have to say I'm as impressed today as I was when I wrote my effusive review after I first got them.

As far as this ridiculous claim about "graininess" is concerned, there's nothing I enjoy more than reading a relative newbie lecture me and my friends about how "we don't know how to listen to music yet", and the proof being that we don't agree with the opinion. I have yet to hear so much as hint of graininess, and that's with some fairly decent gear, thank you very much. What I do hear, especially after paying attention to the HD 800S's for so long, is a loss of detail in complex musical passages. Dream Theater is a good example of this, as when the band shifts into fifth gear the 400i's lose a decent amount of detail and definition.

Other than that, these are simply ridiculously fun headphones to listen to, especially considering the price. Still one of the best bargains in audio, IMHO.

YMMV and all that…

 

[drwlf]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I totally agree. I've had the 400i's and the Alpha Primes as complementary headphones for a couple years now. I always felt they were a fantastic pairing, that left little room for anything else to be desired. Until I bought the Sennheiser HD 800S's, that is. I freely admit I've been using the Sennheiser's more often than all my other headphones combined, but at that price I'd better be listening to them, LOL.

I did take some time this past weekend to listen exclusively to the 400i's, and I have to say I'm as impressed today as I was when I wrote my effusive review after I first got them.

As far as this ridiculous claim about "graininess" is concerned, there's nothing I enjoy more than reading a relative newbie lecture me and my friends about how "we don't know how to listen to music yet", and the proof being that we don't agree with the opinion. I have yet to hear so much as hint of graininess, and that's with some fairly decent gear, thank you very much. What I do hear, especially after paying attention to the HD 800S's for so long, is a loss of detail in complex musical passages. Dream Theater is a good example of this, as when the band shifts into fifth gear the 400i's lose a decent amount of detail and definition.

Other than that, these are simply ridiculously fun headphones to listen to, especially considering the price. Still one of the best bargains in audio, IMHO.

YMMV and all that…

 

 
I have to agree with @DavidA, lovely comment describing the grain/400i technical capabilities. I just had to add, IMO grain translates to lacking finesse in some department(s), but perhaps it's not the right word for your description. Smeared/congested seem pretty close, but a wee bit off, gets choked perhaps?

 

[PJ97559]

I'm wondering what would be the best computer dac/amp under $100 to pair with the HE-400i?

 

[shuto77]

I'm wondering what would be the best computer dac/amp under $100 to pair with the HE-400i?

There are some decent USB dacs available for about $100. I'm aware of the Dragonfly Black, Audioengine D3, and other similar ones.

 

[mike138]

  I'm wondering what would be the best computer dac/amp under $100 to pair with the HE-400i?

The Schiit Fulla isn't bad, but if you are willing to go up a little you can get a magni/modi stack that gets a lot out of the 400i.Maybe try your luck on ebay?

 

[DaveLT]

 

 

 
Got mine about 2 weeks back. 25th november!
 
Loving it so far apart from the mids.

 

[WriterHead]

 
 

 

 
Got mine about 2 weeks back. 25th november!
 
Loving it so far apart from the mids.

That is like saying I love my new car apart from the motor.

 

[PJ97559]

  The Schiit Fulla isn't bad, but if you are willing to go up a little you can get a magni/modi stack that gets a lot out of the 400i.Maybe try your luck on ebay?

 
I don't have enough money for a full Magni/Modi stack right now. I also am debating on if I want something portable or not as it'll be with a laptop which I carry around a lot in the house. If I do decide on the stack and were to build up to it, what would be best to get first and have the most impact on sound the Mangi or Modi? 

 

[mike138]

   
I don't have enough money for a full Magni/Modi stack right now. I also am debating on if I want something portable or not as it'll be with a laptop which I carry around a lot in the house. If I do decide on the stack and were to build up to it, what would be best to get first and have the most impact on sound the Mangi or Modi? 

Well, for your computer you would need both for them to work. To keep it under $100, I would go with something like the Audioquest Dragonfly. People have said a lot of great things about the Dragonfly. Fortunately the 400i is pretty easy to drive.

 

[PJ97559]

Thanks for the help on the Schiit stack. As I think more about it, for now I might stick with something more portable.
 
I hear that the Fiio E17 paired well with the original  HE400. Anyone have any experience with the E17 and the 400i? After some research I'm leaning towards the Dragonfly, but the battery component of the E17 is intriguing too.

 

[fjrabon]

Thanks. I think that's my one fear with the stack too is that portability factor. I hear that the E17 paired well with the HE400, anyone have any experience with the Fiio E17 and the 400i? After some research I'm leaning towards the Dragonfly, but the battery component of the E17 is intriguing too.

Why is needing to charge a battery intriguing? Just curious. To me the game changing feature of the dragonfly is that it can run off an iPhone without needing to plug it in or charge a battery.

 

[PJ97559]

Why is needing to charge a battery intriguing? Just curious. To me the game changing feature of the dragonfly is that it can run off an iPhone without needing to plug it in or charge a battery.

 
I have a portable rig with an old iphone 4s and line out that I sometime use around the house. I have an Fiio e11 currently, but not sure if that's gonna power the 400i enough so something with a battery could supplant that. I do have an iphone 6, so I guess the DF would allow me to completely ditch my 4s rig. Didn't really think of that.

 

[mike138]

 

I mostly leave my 400i at my computer as a stationary headphone, but if I'm puttering around the house with them on, you'd also be fine using your phone with something like the Fiio Kilimanjaro, which runs about $60.