[Sonic Defender]

  I'm trying to decide if I should keep these headphones and get the shure se846 or buy the audeze LCD-2 and get the shures at a later date.  Such a challenging decision!  

I really enjoyed the few times I was able to listen to an LCD 2. I'm not sure for me if I would stay as happy with the sound, but it is initially a very nice sound signature. Like the HD 650 has going for it, but even more so I think, the LCD 2 is lush and euphoric. I didn't have enough time with them to say whether or not the level of detail they provide would float my boat or not, but based on the impressions I have read that is where the LCD 2 is somewhat polarizing with some thinking them just the right balance while others seem to feel they give up a little too much detail in order to be forgiving and warmer. Ideally you get to try them first. Based on my limited experience the LCD 2 does not put the 400i to shame at all, but that is ultimately highly subjective.

 

[urbino]

On amps, I'm finding the 336SE drives them much more easily than the HA-1 (using the 1/4" jack and low gain).  Given the specs, I expect the HA-1 would struggle a lot less if I used an XLR cable.

 

[fjrabon]

 
I really enjoyed the few times I was able to listen to an LCD 2. I'm not sure for me if I would stay as happy with the sound, but it is initially a very nice sound signature. Like the HD 650 has going for it, but even more so I think, the LCD 2 is lush and euphoric. I didn't have enough time with them to say whether or not the level of detail they provide would float my boat or not, but based on the impressions I have read that is where the LCD 2 is somewhat polarizing with some thinking them just the right balance while others seem to feel they give up a little too much detail in order to be forgiving and warmer. Ideally you get to try them first. Based on my limited experience the LCD 2 does not put the 400i to shame at all, but that is ultimately highly subjective.

yeah, I don't think they're comparable headphones at all, they do different things very well.  People tend to think "a planar is a planar" but these days especially, I think planars actually vary more in sound than most dynamics do, there are just more dynamics.  But IMHO, for example, a LCD2 and a HE400i differ more than a HD800 and K812 do.  I think the HE400i is actually more similar to the HD600 than it is any of the Audezes.  The HE400i and Audeze line both obviously have the flat planar bass, but once you get past that, they're entirely different headphones.

 

[a44100Hz]

 
yeah, I don't think they're comparable headphones at all, they do different things very well.  People tend to think "a planar is a planar" but these days especially, I think planars actually vary more in sound than most dynamics do, there are just more dynamics.  But IMHO, for example, a LCD2 and a HE400i differ more than a HD800 and K812 do.  I think the HE400i is actually more similar to the HD600 than it is any of the Audezes.  The HE400i and Audeze line both obviously have the flat planar bass, but once you get past that, they're entirely different headphones.

Funny you say this; my music producer friend has used his HD-600 for mixing for many years now and has hated every headphone I've had him try (M50x, Q701, X2, 325e) except for the 400i which he said was "quite good." Which planar headphones are NOT like the HD-600, IYO? The Audeze line? Are any of them <$500?

 

[nokialover]

 
yeah, I don't think they're comparable headphones at all, they do different things very well.  People tend to think "a planar is a planar" but these days especially, I think planars actually vary more in sound than most dynamics do, there are just more dynamics.  But IMHO, for example, a LCD2 and a HE400i differ more than a HD800 and K812 do.  I think the HE400i is actually more similar to the HD600 than it is any of the Audezes.  The HE400i and Audeze line both obviously have the flat planar bass, but once you get past that, they're entirely different headphones.

I have listened to the audeze lcd-2 for around two hours and I really did enjoy the headphones.  Now that I've had my 400i's for 3 days I am seeing the headphone shine, but there are other things that piss me off and it all comes from the build quality.  I did feel that the LCD-2's had more impact in the bass, and might be a bit faster.  I will probably have to bring in my 400i's to the store I tried to LCD-2's from and compare and contrast the headphones.  Are the headphones different enough to where the two can complement each other?

 

[fjrabon]

 
Funny you say this; my music producer friend has used his HD-600 for mixing for many years now and has hated every headphone I've had him try (M50x, Q701, X2, 325e) except for the 400i which he said was "quite good." Which planar headphones are NOT like the HD-600, IYO? The Audeze line? Are any of them <$500?

yeah, the audeze line are very unlike the sennheisers.  The various T500RP based headphones aren't all that sennheiser like.  I've not yet heard either of the Ethers or Oppos, so I can't really comment there.  I don't think any of the Audeze line is anywhere close to less than $500.  The T500RP is under $500, but I don't think it's all that great.  

 

[NeoWilson]

welp.. i just bought the LCD2+AKJR ... barely 1 month after i bought the 400i
 
barely used the 400i as I was overseas the last 3 weeks

 

[nokialover]

  welp.. i just bought the LCD2+AKJR ... barely 1 month after i bought the 400i
 
barely used the 400i as I was overseas the last 3 weeks

I just found out about that deal and I think i'm going to bite.  Might end up keeping the 400i's, I'm liking them the more I listen to them.  

 

[pbarach]

The 400i manual recommends breaking them in for 150 hours. My wife asks a sensible question: Why doesn't the manufacturer do the break-in so the cans will sound at their best brand-new out of the box?

 

[DavidA]

  The 400i manual recommends breaking them in for 150 hours. My wife asks a sensible question: Why doesn't the manufacturer do the break-in so the cans will sound at their best brand-new out of the box?

Time & cost would be my guest

 

[mysticstryk]

I wouldn't worry about the 150 hours recommendation. The only thing that will change in that amount of time in a significant way is brain burn in as you get intimately familiar with the headphone over the course of listening for 150 hours.

Imo

 

[ChesterYonany]

I wouldn't worry about the 150 hours recommendation. The only thing that will change in that amount of time in a significant way is brain burn in as you get intimately familiar with the headphone over the course of listening for 150 hours.

Imo

yeap, pretty much..
i think "brain in" just makes more sense, for me at least.

 

[fjrabon]

 
yeap, pretty much..
i think "brain in" just makes more sense, for me at least.

yeah, especially for planars.  One of the benefits manufacturers touted when magnetopan speakers were first introduced was not needing as much burn in a traditional cone speakers.  But I do think it takes some time for people to get used to even the physical sensation of planars.  Even just the way they push sound relatively evenly across the whole membrane, unlike mini-cone based traditional dynamic drivers, which are much hotter around the center cone than the edges.  At first your brain is going to mostly notice what is different, and exaggerate that, and then as it gets more used to it, the sound will become more balanced, as your brain stops over-emphasizing the differences.  Also your brain will slowly get better at reconciling minor differences in phase and frequency response between the sides of the drivers, which is why soundstage will typically improve a lot with brain burn-in.  

 

[a44100Hz]

I've been using these with a solid state Magni 2 so far; my APPJ tube amp arrives today. Interested in seeing if I can hear a difference.

 

[Astral Abyss]

 
yeah, especially for planars.  One of the benefits manufacturers touted when magnetopan speakers were first introduced was not needing as much burn in a traditional cone speakers.  But I do think it takes some time for people to get used to even the physical sensation of planars.  Even just the way they push sound relatively evenly across the whole membrane, unlike mini-cone based traditional dynamic drivers, which are much hotter around the center cone than the edges.  At first your brain is going to mostly notice what is different, and exaggerate that, and then as it gets more used to it, the sound will become more balanced, as your brain stops over-emphasizing the differences.  Also your brain will slowly get better at reconciling minor differences in phase and frequency response between the sides of the drivers, which is why soundstage will typically improve a lot with brain burn-in.  

 
That's exactly what I assume whenever I'm told an item needs 100-200 hours of burn-in to sound best.  Basically they're telling me "You'll get used to it."