[DavidA]

  Hmmm, which of the quotes is correct?  Does the Magni have enough juice for the 400i or is it lacking and as a result sounds lean?  Magni measurements (can't link due to head-fi link restrictions) show that it's almost flat to 10hz, so if it sounds lean with 400i, then it's not performing as it should and so is lacking?  Would more juice help then?
 
The issue is that I have an Aune T1 and a Magni, and I'm under the impression that the T1 isn't driving the 400i as well as the Magni, but I don't know how much of an improvement I'd get with the Topping A30 vs Aune or Schit...  Would extra power help or does the Magni already drive the 400i to its potential?   Does the 400i benefit from Magni 2 Uber vs a normal Magni?
 
The A30 specs are very similar to Magni 2 Uber, at less than 60% of the price for me!   So if it the Aune T1 dac to Topping A30 was an improvement vs Schiit modi+magni, that could be something interesting.  And I could even go Modi + A30 and T1 + Magni, in case the A30 did better than the Magni but the Modi did better than the T1...
 
Sigh...  So I'm 50/50... From search results in that thread, majority seem to think the T1 isn't the greatest with the 400i, imho, it works and sounds 'good', but does not drive the 400i to its full potential.  In the short term, think I'll repatriate the Schiit stack, as for A30...  I'm starting to lean away from it, but...  Upgraditis dictates is could be an upgrade! 

The Magni is a good amp, just not a great pairing with the HE400i, the Aune T1 is also good amp also, just does not have the current the HE400i likes but is quite good with HD650 and K7XX.  Best combo DAC/amp that is reasonably priced is a Teac UD-301.  It pairs very well with the HE400i to me and you can use the DAC output at the same time you are using the amp.
 
The thing to remember is you also need to consider how loud you want to listen at, for me its a very safe 68-75dB with peaks in the lower 80's dB.  If you are listening at much higher volumes then the choice amp becomes more important.  I would suggest saving until you can get to the $500 range for DAC and amp since I feel this is the sweet spot in price to performance, at this price you can get a Modi MB and Project Polairs, a really go pair that can drive almost everything.  Or you can go one piece at a time and DACs and amps in the $500 range are quite good.

 

[musedesign]

  it's $399 on headamp.com, with free international shipping, if that helps.

bogde,
  Thank you !  
 
Just pulled the trigger, ordered the 400s from headamp $399 delivered.  Suggestions on pads ?  Seems either the HiFiMan focus pads and / or the Brainwavz Angled Pads.  Guess you need to buy both to use the "ring" for the Brainwavz Angled Pads.
 
All the best.

 

[drwlf]

  bogde,
  Thank you !  
 
Just pulled the trigger, ordered the 400s from headamp $399 delivered.  Suggestions on pads ?  Seems either the HiFiMan focus pads and / or the Brainwavz Angled Pads.  Guess you need to buy both to use the "ring" for the Brainwavz Angled Pads.
 
All the best.

The Focuspads are stock,comes obviously with the 'phones, and doesn't have a removable ring. The cheapest removable ring alternative is the official Velour, or just buy the ring directly for the same price from HiFiMAN.
There's a lot of discussion on the thread about the Brainwavz.

 

[dc430]

Hi dc430,
  So far I have not had luck with Taobao.  I am using taobaoring.  First they said the price was $479, now they are saying they are unable to ship. 

It was a flash sales, Hifiman do that quite often on Taobao. There were 3 since I bought mine last November. I reckon another one may comes up at the end of April because of the national holidays in China

 

[bogde]

  bogde,
  Thank you !  
 
Just pulled the trigger, ordered the 400s from headamp $399 delivered.  Suggestions on pads ?  Seems either the HiFiMan focus pads and / or the Brainwavz Angled Pads.  Guess you need to buy both to use the "ring" for the Brainwavz Angled Pads.
 
All the best.

congrats, welcome to the club! i hope you'll enjoy them. i got mine from headamp too, last black friday.
 
the rings are in stock now: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html
velour pads, which include the rings afaik, are not though: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/accessories/velour-earpads.html
 cheers!

 

[musedesign]

  congrats, welcome to the club! i hope you'll enjoy them. i got mine from headamp too, last black friday.
 
the rings are in stock now: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html
velour pads, which include the rings afaik, are not though: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/accessories/velour-earpads.html
 cheers!

Thank you bodge !  They arrived today.  
 
Was having a tough day and now Dave Brubeck is flowing through my mind, all is well.
 
The sound quality is "lighter" and more "airy" than I was expecting the soundstage is very "exact".  Fun pinpointing instrument locations.  With only 20 minutes can tell a very different SQ than Sennheiser 650, faster, more open, less in-my-head, more a V shaped SQ (hghs and lows).
 
Listening with ifi Nano.  Is there a home amp that is "the set-up" for the 400i? 
 
Next will buy the rings http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html.
 
What do you think ? Seems the Brainwaves are the pads to get https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Angled-Memory-Foam-Earpad/dp/B00ZY8PGJI
 
Would like the SQ to be "more in my head" seems there is too much separation between left and right channels and a lacking bass. 
 
Thank you ! 

 

[drwlf]

  Thank you bodge !  They arrived today.  
 
Was having a tough day and now Dave Brubeck is flowing through my mind, all is well.
 
The sound quality is "lighter" and more "airy" than I was expecting the soundstage is very "exact".  Fun pinpointing instrument locations.  With only 20 minutes can tell a very different SQ than Sennheiser 650, faster, more open, less in-my-head, more a V shaped SQ (hghs and lows).
 
Listening with ifi Nano.  Is there a home amp that is "the set-up" for the 400i? 
 
Next will buy the rings http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html.
 
What do you think ? Seems the Brainwaves are the pads to get https://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Angled-Memory-Foam-Earpad/dp/B00ZY8PGJI
 
Would like the SQ to be "more in my head" seems there is too much separation between left and right channels and a lacking bass. 
 
Thank you ! 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/572327/mission-replace-the-hifiman-ear-pads-with-other-brand-ear-pads/540#post_12665489
http://www.head-fi.org/t/698974/hifiman-he-400i-impressions-and-discussion/9270#post_12667630

 

[drwlf]

@musedesign Should your needs particularly well!

 

[dreambass]

Been listening to some Black Sun Empire it's sinister sounding but sounds utterly astounding on my fostex hp-a8 full of drive and aggression on tidal hi-fi, myself and a pal been checking it out it's well produced stuff too.
I had said earlier that these headphones are hard to drive and need decent application, and after listening to some usb dacs (Meridian explorer 2,and Cambridge audio dacmagic xs) I can say that the difference between the USB dacs and the fostex are night and day even when run through the line out on Meridian to fostex. The smoothness is replaced with outright synergy ( compared to what I've owned previously) on this genre of music. The sounstage and depth are on a different level to me, fair enough considering the price difference.
The hp-a8 does the power the he-400i to a level where outright control is never lost far beyond normal listening levels on well recorded stuff. The difference can immediately be appreciated between the USB dac amp's and the fostex.
Getting a new found appreciation of BSE again after hearing it charged through this setup, 400i has no fatigue in this system , drive, control and bass presence are driven aggressively with control and brutality where called for.
Going through their catalogue on Tidal hi-fi it's excellent, check it out.

 

[evgenetic]

Hey,
Wonder if someone encountered something like that: when running clean sinewaves to test the headphones i noticed that at 10-12 khz there is some weird rustling-sounding noise coming from both channels intermittently, at first i thought it was actually some electric interference from dac, but other headphones i tried are clean and i get get similar noise from other sources. it is only apparent when i play it relatively loud (but not deafening loud). can anyone try running a tone generator (http://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/) at those frequencies and see if you get something like that?

 

[GirgleMirt]

Hey,
Wonder if someone encountered something like that: when running clean sinewaves to test the headphones i noticed that at 10-12 khz there is some weird rustling-sounding noise coming from both channels intermittently, at first i thought it was actually some electric interference from dac, but other headphones i tried are clean and i get get similar noise from other sources. it is only apparent when i play it relatively loud (but not deafening loud). can anyone try running a tone generator (http://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/) at those frequencies and see if you get something like that?

I had some rattling/vibration issue on my 1st pair.  It was most noticeable when running sweeps, it would for instance rattle at 60 hz and 300 hz or whatever.. (think you can find my old posts in the thread for details).  The frequency would actually vary depending on the pressure you would put on the pads, so by having them almost folded could be the earlier frequencies, but when pushing on the pads to simulate a head, it would rattle/vibrate at another frequency.  I never figured out what exactly was the issue.  Youtube has a vid where the guy shows some driver issue, it's like the plastic part of the driver vibrating it seemed like...  (oh... I even put up 2 vids of the issue on youtube also!)
 
Anyway, the sound was sadly audible as distortion for me, during music listening...  Luckily, noticed the issue early and just returned them, the 2nd pair I got didn't have the issue.  If you're out of warranty, you could remove the pads and try to see what causes it...  Might be fixable...

 

[evgenetic]

thank but i don't think that's that what i'm getting, the noise i hear is apparent only in that 11-12.5khz range, and it sounds like some sort of electric interference or rustling rather than rattling or physical vibration or contact with something.

 

[pbarach]

Focus Pads
 
i have had 400i cans for about six months. What do the Focus Pads sold by Hifiman do to the sound quality? Also, how hard is it to replace the original equipment pads with these and not damage the headphones?

 

[peter123]

Focus Pads

i have had 400i cans for about six months. What do the Focus Pads sold by Hifiman do to the sound quality? Also, how hard is it to replace the original equipment pads with these and not damage the headphones?

I'm pretty sure that the stock pads are the focus pads.....

 

[WildStyle-R11]

  Focus Pads
 
i have had 400i cans for about six months. What do the Focus Pads sold by Hifiman do to the sound quality? Also, how hard is it to replace the original equipment pads with these and not damage the headphones?

You just twist them and they come off.