[chowmein83]

  This might be a shot in the dark, but one of the obvious selling points of the HE-400i aside from the sound is the comfort. Does anyone have experience with the 400i and the AD900? Those are the first high-end headphones I bought, and their comfort still can't be matched by any other can, even Beyerdynamic.

I don't exactly have the AD900, but I do have the Sennheiser HD598, which many regard as extremely comfortable. I can definitely tell you that the 400i is not lacking in comfort compared to the HD598. When I demoed it and listened to it for about a half-hour straight, I didn't feel any fatigue on my head at all. I'm confident that I could wear the 400i for hours without any discomfort. And even though the 400i weighs something like 12-13 oz, it sure doesn't feel like that - the weight is distributed extremely well across your head.

 

[Acknown3]

I owned the HD600 and I actually found it rather uncomfortable solely due to the clamping force. Maybe I just have a big head.

 

[ThePianoMan]

I owned the HD600 and I actually found it rather uncomfortable solely due to the clamping force. Maybe I just have a big head.

I found the 600 uncomfortable just for that sole reason as well (though I know I've got a big head too) I imagine some headband stretching would help. But man those 400i... I don't know who the industrial designer was they hired for comfort consulting on those but they must have been an ex-sleep number or Tempurpedic worker because I could fall asleep with those on my head!

 

[Lohb]

From the photos are the 400i black or deep purple ? Has the color been decided ?

 

[HeretixAevum]

Pretty sure they're chrome.

 

[chowmein83]

I found the 600 uncomfortable just for that sole reason as well (though I know I've got a big head too) I imagine some headband stretching would help. But man those 400i... I don't know who the industrial designer was they hired for comfort consulting on those but they must have been an ex-sleep number or Tempurpedic worker because I could fall asleep with those on my head!

Totally agree with this.

 

[roflcopter159]

  From the photos are the 400i black or deep purple ? Has the color been decided ?

If the color stays the same as what it was at the meet, they are a (in my opinion) very nice black chrome type color. It's hard to see in some of the pictures of them that are out there, but they are definitely black.

 

[MrMateoHead]

So - "everything is better" and nothing is worse?
 
I wonder if going back to the HE-400s made it clear what some of the trade-offs are.

 

[Ron12]

  If the color stays the same as what it was at the meet, they are a (in my opinion) very nice black chrome type color. It's hard to see in some of the pictures of them that are out there, but they are definitely black.

 
Chrome black finish, single-ended drivers, very lightweight for an orthodynamic headphone => inspired by the HE-4? 

 

[zanderwebb]

Ugh so tempting to sell my he400's for these!

 

[roflcopter159]

I wonder if the 400i will come in the same packaging as the 560... Anyone know?

 

[tinyman392]

  I wonder if the 400i will come in the same packaging as the 560... Anyone know?

 
No clue, I would doubt it though (price difference of headphones), but I could be wrong.  I do know, from what I asked at Chicago, that they will ship with the older cable style the 560 pre-productions came with; they aren't fabric.  Pads should be identical though. 

 

[skyline315]

  I wonder if the 400i will come in the same packaging as the 560... Anyone know?

 
 

   
No clue, I would doubt it though (price difference of headphones), but I could be wrong.  I do know, from what I asked at Chicago, that they will ship with the older cable style the 560 pre-productions came with; they aren't fabric.  Pads should be identical though. 

 
Did the HE-400 and HE-500 come in the same packaging?  I think that's your giveaway...

 

[tinyman392]

   
 
 
Did the HE-400 and HE-500 come in the same packaging?  I think that's your giveaway...

 
I actually don't know how those two were packaged. 

 

[dxanex]

 I also checked these out for a good bit at the HiFiMan table during the ChiUniFi meet as well, and I loved them at first listen. I won't regurgitate what's already been eloquently described by others here, other than that the bass didn't extend super low like the HE-400's, which I was hoping (maybe they can, to be fair the meet got pretty loud at times) but it's still weighty, clean and really accurate. I'd describe them as a more refined HE-500 with greater soundstage. And comfy as heck! Comfort was the breaking point for me and the HE-400, these are super light and the cups felt great.
 
I'll be picking them up. I also tried them directly out of my iPhone and they still sounded surprisingly good with Spotify. This was one of the only headphones that I came back to several times. Looking forward to listening to them at home.