[CADCAM]

So are the current crop of 400i's coming through with 3.5 to the cup? I still find this difficult to believe.
Gonna have to make a call...

 

[HungryPanda]

Makes it easy to get cheap aftermarket cables

 

[phthora]

Makes it easy to get cheap aftermarket cables

Except for the ones companies have been specifically making for HiFiMen for the last few years...

 

[HungryPanda]

They can still sell them for all us previous buyers and there are a lot of us

 

[phthora]

They can still sell them for all us previous buyers and there are a lot of us

Of course. But, it is also a matter of remembering that a change in connectors has been made. There are still companies selling cables with the SMC connectors and listing those as simply HiFiMan cables. Now there's a third version. Makes it easy to get burned buying the wrong thing.

 

[HungryPanda]

Yes it pays to research before buying any cables as quite a few headphones have had revisions

 

[BrotherKathos]

Yea I purchased a neomusica cable from amazon without being completely sure of what earcup connectors I needed. I just figured I needed the 2.5mm ones since I could tell from looks they were not the original screw on kind.

 

[HungryPanda]

I hope you returned them to amazon

 

[BrotherKathos]

Yea, I promptly returned them. Gotta love Amazon for easy returns.

 

[Fasterball]

could anyone recommend a tube that they feel is a good pairing with the HE400i?

 

[DavidA]

could anyone recommend a tube that they feel is a good pairing with the HE400i?

if just "a tube" then it would help to know what amp its for

 

[Fasterball]

Oh crap I meant tube amp . . . derp derp

 

[DavidA]

Oh ****e I meant tube amp . . . derp derp

I figured as much, but wanted to be sure

For me the Ember is one amp that would recommend since it a good way to get started rolling tubes since you only need one and its also one of the most flexible around since you can change the output impedance on the fly and quickly see the effect that a different output impedance has on a headphone. Its not cheap but I consider it a bargain at $350, most like that it has a small footprint on a desk, the open nature is debatable due to dust but I think its a good trade off for cooling.

 

[Fasterball]

I figured as much, but wanted to be sure

For me the Ember is one amp that would recommend since it a good way to get started rolling tubes since you only need one and its also one of the most flexible around since you can change the output impedance on the fly and quickly see the effect that a different output impedance has on a headphone. Its not cheap but I consider it a bargain at $350, most like that it has a small footprint on a desk, the open nature is debatable due to dust but I think its a good trade off for cooling.

Is there perhaps a more budget friendly option?

 

[yangian]

Is there perhaps a more budget friendly option?

I have a portable tube/hybrid amplifier and it can drive 400i very well. I bought on Ebay but it has ended. You can try something like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Little-Bea...adphone-Amplifier-HiFi-for-Phone/263341636266

Or as Matt recommended before, Vali 2 is a wise choice