[mandrake50]

Did you buy the 560 with the intention of it being more mellow than the 400i? Therein might lie in the problem

Not an edit, but an observation from the forum thread preview - didn't mean to embed any crap here! Bah

No I did not buy the 560 expecting it to be more mellow than the 400i. I bought it expecting, from all of the reviews, to like it. Initially I did not. After much tweaking to the DAC/AMP part of the chain, grill mods, then most of the Jerg damping mods, pads, and cables. I got the tonality to the point where I can appreciate the other qualities that they have which make them mostly highly praised.

 

[earChasm]

Either some new sets are more sibilant than others OR they are all sibilant and some people just happen not to play songs where the sibilance comes out. I remember that it only occurred in certain songs, with most songs sounding fine. I think you described a similar experience. Just to be sure, maybe you should exchange it for another pair. But if you encounter the same problem then I recommend breaking the headphone in for about 50-100 hours because the sibilance on my pair, while still there slightly, has been tamed.

I tried looking up "Winter" by Allan Taylor but couldn't find it on Tidal. Is it the violin that sounds harsh to you? Because one thing about the HE400i, violins sound smooth and lush to me. That's one of the reasons why I love this headphone so much for classical music.

First of all, thank you for input :.)

I talked to the shop owner and I'm sending my HE400i back. If the unit is fine, I can at least sell them with a clear conscience (after trying the 100 hours burn-in). In that case, "phthora" might be right about frequency sensitivity.

The violin in the song "Winter" feels like a knife cutting my eardrum. Like nails scratching a schoolboard (if that is the right word) or being kicked in the balls (twice).


[crossing my fingers its the unit and not my brain/ears]

 

[DavidA]

Im using it with a micro iDSD BL and cant listen to music for more than 15 minutes. "Winter" from Allan Taylor (violin) destroys my ears just like "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" but in a different way. What strikes me as bizar, I do have albums that gives me no problems whatsoever, like Simply Red 25 or Tracy Chapman greatest hits?!?!

(All flac)

I guess im super sensitive to treble :.(

Love the song "Winter", while it sound good on my HE400i with no sibilance/harshness in the highs, its even better on my EL-8 open and Nhoord Red V2, listen to it 6 times straight, twice with each headphone. Will be looking for more from Allan Taylor from now.

 

[HirschiAUT]

amazing, they look so good... few days can't wait for mine AHHHHHH! any tips for putting on the pads? is heat needed to stretch and if so what method?

Well, i have to quote myself i guess

The pads went on the rings very easily, the problem for me was to properly get them onto the headphone again.

This was because the leather that goes over and behind the outer edge of the rings goes way further than the originals, to the point where the leather slids under the 4 clips that attatch them to the cups.
This made it really hard to attatch them, but the benefit is that the seal between pads and cups is superb once you managed to get them on.

 

[earChasm]

Love the song "Winter", while it sound good on my HE400i with no sibilance/harshness in the highs, its even better on my EL-8 open and Nhoord Red V2, listen to it 6 times straight, twice with each headphone. Will be looking for more from Allan Taylor from now.

If you like him you might also like the music of Eliza Gilkyson. The song "Wildewood Spring" had a similar effect on me. I love discovering artists I never knew before like Susan Wong.

 

[rez11]

my reason for ordering the Ori pads.... 2nd time this has happened after buying replacements, as careful as i could be taking them off and on, didnt touch the pads at all with fingers.

 

[DavidA]

I've noticed that the newer Focus pads are not as well built as the older ones that came with my HE400i and HE560 with the older SMC jacks since both are still in great condition after 3-1/2 years of use. I've had one Focus pads that I got last year fail like shown above.

 

[koover]

This is probably the 1000th quick impression post on the 400i's but here's another one after about a week of listening.
Firstly, I'm noticing my listening levels have dramatically dropped with these HP's.

I'm used to listening at some pretty good levels seeing I like it loud with the genre of music I mostly listen too. But with these, they definitely shine on the quieter side. The detail is tremendous and I'm hearing small little intricacies that I've never noticed before.

I'm a bass head and will admit it. Initially these were way too light on the bass coming from the THX PH's, Heavily modded Denon AH-2000 and even the Meze 99 classics. But after a lot of critical listening, these are not bass light at all. They're perfect to my ears. Very balanced and right where the bass should be. My issue was I kept AB'ing rapid fire style and of course I'm going to have the opinion I "had" before. But just staying with these, there's no comparisons anymore. I don't want to put them down and am changing how loud I like to listen to all my HP's.

As for the highs, I don't believe these are sibilant at all as I'm running with a Jot which has a brighter SS. But pairing with a Mimby which is not as bright, it sounds absolutely fantastic

I could keep going, but I believe the trade of my Sony MDR-1A's, the price you can buy brand new for these right now, I couldn't be happier.

I know price versus what you're ears say to you doesn't really matter much, but if you were to pay full retIl before the price drop, one would expect quality for the money. From just a weeks listening, I would have done just that.

DavidA, thanx for the "little" push to go for it. Don't know if I would have if you would have said "don't do it"

 

[DavidA]

This is probably the 1000th quick impression post on the 400i's but here's another one after about a week of listening.
Firstly, I'm noticing my listening levels have dramatically dropped with these HP's.

I'm used to listening at some pretty good levels seeing I like it loud with the genre of music I mostly listen too. But with these, they definitely shine on the quieter side. The detail is tremendous and I'm hearing small little intricacies that I've never noticed before.

I'm a bass head and will admit it. Initially these were way too light on the bass coming from the THX PH's, Heavily modded Denon AH-2000 and even the Meze 99 classics. But after a lot of critical listening, these are not bass light at all. They're perfect to my ears. Very balanced and right where the bass should be. My issue was I kept AB'ing rapid fire style and of course I'm going to have the opinion I "had" before. But just staying with these, there's no comparisons anymore. I don't want to put them down and am changing how loud I like to listen to all my HP's.

As for the highs, I don't believe these are sibilant at all as I'm running with a Jot which has a brighter SS. But pairing with a Mimby which is not as bright, it sounds absolutely fantastic

I could keep going, but I believe the trade of my Sony MDR-1A's, the price you can buy brand new for these right now, I couldn't be happier.

I know price versus what you're ears say to you doesn't really matter much, but if you were to pay full retIl before the price drop, one would expect quality for the money. From just a weeks listening, I would have done just that.

DavidA, thanx for the "little" push to go for it. Don't know if I would have if you would have said "don't do it"

You're welcome.
Do you have an app for your phone where you can get a rough estimate of the levels you are listening at? I use this setup which is decent to get within 1-2db of a calibrated meter:

The closed cell foam sheet keeps outside sound from affecting the readings.

I'm usually listening at 65-75dB and find that at 85dB its getting painful for me which I find a little strange since our hearing gets worst with age so I would have figured that one would listen at a louder level with age. I believe the 85dB level is where prolonged listening at this level can cause hearing damage.

 

[Slim1970]

You're welcome.
Do you have an app for your phone where you can get a rough estimate of the levels you are listening at? I use this setup which is decent to get within 1-2db of a calibrated meter:

The closed cell foam sheet keeps outside sound from affecting the readings.

I'm usually listening at 65-75dB and find that at 85dB its getting painful for me which I find a little strange since our hearing gets worst with age so I would have figured that one would listen at a louder level with age. I believe the 85dB level is where prolonged listening at this level can cause hearing damage.

Very cool way to block out external noice!

 

[misteral201103]

This is probably the 1000th quick impression post on the 400i's but here's another one after about a week of listening.
Firstly, I'm noticing my listening levels have dramatically dropped with these HP's.

I'm used to listening at some pretty good levels seeing I like it loud with the genre of music I mostly listen too. But with these, they definitely shine on the quieter side. The detail is tremendous and I'm hearing small little intricacies that I've never noticed before.

I'm a bass head and will admit it. Initially these were way too light on the bass coming from the THX PH's, Heavily modded Denon AH-2000 and even the Meze 99 classics. But after a lot of critical listening, these are not bass light at all. They're perfect to my ears. Very balanced and right where the bass should be. My issue was I kept AB'ing rapid fire style and of course I'm going to have the opinion I "had" before. But just staying with these, there's no comparisons anymore. I don't want to put them down and am changing how loud I like to listen to all my HP's.

As for the highs, I don't believe these are sibilant at all as I'm running with a Jot which has a brighter SS. But pairing with a Mimby which is not as bright, it sounds absolutely fantastic

I could keep going, but I believe the trade of my Sony MDR-1A's, the price you can buy brand new for these right now, I couldn't be happier.

I know price versus what you're ears say to you doesn't really matter much, but if you were to pay full retIl before the price drop, one would expect quality for the money. From just a weeks listening, I would have done just that.

DavidA, thanx for the "little" push to go for it. Don't know if I would have if you would have said "don't do it"

Very pleased to read this, I have just ordered a pair and am currently flitting between interested/excited to hear them and worried that I'll hate them. They should be a very different signature to what I have pursued in the past and I'm hoping they will be a more analytical/crisp alternative to my beloved Nighthawks. Just slightly slightly concerned that they might be a bit too crisp for my ears. Reading your quick impression has set my mind at ease, so I'm back to excited (for now!)

 

[koover]

It took me a little bit to get used to them, but after just sticking with them, I'm REALLY enjoying them and only listening to them. They're definitely lighter in the low end for sure from what I'm accustomed too, but again, I stuck with them and they're...well.....just balanced. They're so different from everything else I have. I didn't own the Nighthawk but I did own the Owls and I will say they are not anywhere near as bright as those were. Looking forward to your thoughts.

 

[koover]

You're welcome.
Do you have an app for your phone where you can get a rough estimate of the levels you are listening at? I use this setup which is decent to get within 1-2db of a calibrated meter:

The closed cell foam sheet keeps outside sound from affecting the readings.

I'm usually listening at 65-75dB and find that at 85dB its getting painful for me which I find a little strange since our hearing gets worst with age so I would have figured that one would listen at a louder level with age. I believe the 85dB level is where prolonged listening at this level can cause hearing damage.

Yes, I need to get an app. I would be curious to find out what levels I listen at. I'm sure it's 90dB or above.... some of the time.

 

[393699]

Did you end up getting those HM5 pads, and pairing with my EQ ? I know two people now who have done the upgrade, and they are both very impressed with the pad and EQ pairing. Here is a graph of the HE400i, and the HE400i with the HM5 pads, by the way.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=he40...AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=971#imgrc=Dmg8arZtpq8jwM:

Here is the stock pads.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=he40...AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=971#imgrc=Nm_MperEyxfaGM:

Here is the HM5 pads. The difference speaks for itself.

 

[drwlf]

Did you end up getting those HM5 pads, and pairing with my EQ ? I know two people now who have done the upgrade, and they are both very impressed with the pad and EQ pairing. Here is a graph of the HE400i, and the HE400i with the HM5 pads, by the way.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=he40...AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=971#imgrc=Dmg8arZtpq8jwM:

Here is the stock pads.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=he40...AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=971#imgrc=Nm_MperEyxfaGM:

Here is the HM5 pads. The difference speaks for itself.

Thanks to @James Myers
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hif...-and-discussion.698974/page-502#post-12321098