[DavidA]

I'm happy with the bass on these compared to my now sold fostex thx00's. I also prefer the bass on these over my HD600's. However, I still love my HD600's. They still get a ton of head time. Partly because they can reach the couch without an extension. I don't feel like I'm missing much with either. Aside from the thought of a total upgrade to all TOTL gear would do, I'm very pleased.

Curious as the difference between TH-X00 and HE-400i?  I have a TH-600 and was thinking of getting the TH-X00 to replace it.  Also have the HE-400/400i/560 and a few other headphones, just looking for another different bass heavy headphone like the TH-600 and HE-400.

 

[1800yolk]

  by the way, the APPJ is on massdrop now.  It's a real class A, fully tube amp (ie not a hybrid amp or an amp where the tubes just light up for visual effect).  It's the one that E8armydriver always raves about.  I like the APPJ amps design. 
 
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/appj-1502a-tube-headphone-amplifier/talk
 
Will need a tube upgrade, but these days why in the world buy a tube amp if you're not going to tube roll?  But just make sure you factor in the cost of a tube upgrade and buying a power cable for it into the cost.  Otherwise I think it definitely competes with the little dot series amps.  I can't make heads or tails of the output impedance specs on it though.  But it didn't sound like it was underdamped the times Ive heard it.  I personally still prefer solid state class A with the HE400i, but I can definitely understand people who'd like this sound on their HE400i.

i will keep my eye out for stuff like this in the future! i haven't gotten the 400i yet, but will as soon as the money is right. I'll feel out what kind of amp i want by starting out with just my yamaha reciever, then go from there. thanks for all the technical help though! I'll definitely be paying attention to the wattage factors, maybe find a headphone shop in my area to test out amps with.

 

[urbino]

  by the way, the APPJ is on massdrop now.  It's a real class A, fully tube amp (ie not a hybrid amp or an amp where the tubes just light up for visual effect).  It's the one that E8armydriver always raves about.  I like the APPJ amps design. 
 
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/appj-1502a-tube-headphone-amplifier/talk
 
Will need a tube upgrade, but these days why in the world buy a tube amp if you're not going to tube roll?  But just make sure you factor in the cost of a tube upgrade and buying a power cable for it into the cost.  Otherwise I think it definitely competes with the little dot series amps.  I can't make heads or tails of the output impedance specs on it though.  But it didn't sound like it was underdamped the times Ive heard it.  I personally still prefer solid state class A with the HE400i, but I can definitely understand people who'd like this sound on their HE400i.

 
At that price, I'm tempted to snag one to compare with the DarkVoice.

 

[Aradea]

Also tempted to join the drop!

 

[Sonic Defender]

Hell if I needed one that would be a very tempting price for what sounds like a great amp, needing new tubes aside of course as that brings the cost up. I hear the stock tubes are rather poor so tube upgrading is pretty much required if this is true.

 

[fjrabon]

  Hell if I needed one that would be a very tempting price for what sounds like a great amp, needing new tubes aside of course as that brings the cost up. I hear the stock tubes are rather poor so tube upgrading is pretty much required if this is true.

I don't think the stock tubes are "poor" just that they can be improved, for sure.  For the price point it's a bargain with the stock tubes, it sounds like a $250ish amp with the stock tubes.  With upgraded tubes it's still a bargain.  I also think, these days, the only point in owning a tube amp is to mess around with tube rolling. 
 
It's a well designed pure tube circuit, for sure.  Meaning that you get near the full quality of the tubes out of it.

 

[braaam]

I don't think the stock tubes are "poor" just that they can be improved, for sure.  For the price point it's a bargain with the stock tubes, it sounds like a $250ish amp with the stock tubes.  With upgraded tubes it's still a bargain.  I also think, these days, the only point in owning a tube amp is to mess around with tube rolling. 

It's a well designed pure tube circuit, for sure.  Meaning that you get near the full quality of the tubes out of it.

I agree. The stock chinese power tubes are surprisinly good soundwise. The pre-tube isn't great but you can improve that with a cheap NOS 12at7 (at about $20).

 

[automaton]

I am driving the 400i with the SMSL SD 793ii DAC/amp (went a little low-end on the DAC/amp, figuring I could upgrade the amp later on).  From what I could dig up online, the amp is rated for 65mW@16Ω and 130mW@32Ω.  Not sure how this amp matches up with the 400i on paper, but in practice, I have the volume set around 1 o'clock--the mids seems a bit absent, and if I give them any more juice, the high end starts to become a little shrill.  The SD793ii is feeding a vintage Kenwood amp, and the 400i might sound a tad better out of the headphone jack on the Kenwood.
 
So I'm wondering if people have good advice on my next step from here.  I actually like the DAC on the 793ii OK--bypassing my old X-fi Platinum and it's a noticeable improvement.  Should I go RCA out from the 793ii to the Kenwood, and then use the preamp outs on the Kenwood to send to a dedicated amp?

 

[canthearyou]

I am driving the 400i with the SMSL SD 793ii DAC/amp (went a little low-end on the DAC/amp, figuring I could upgrade the amp later on).  From what I could dig up online, the amp is rated for 65mW@16[COLOR=222222]Ω and 130mW@32Ω.  Not sure how this amp matches up with the 400i on paper, but in practice, I have the volume set around 1 o'clock--the mids seems a bit absent, and if I give them any more juice, the high end starts to become a little shrill.  The SD793ii is feeding a vintage Kenwood amp, and the 400i might sound a tad better out of the headphone jack on the Kenwood.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=222222]So I'm wondering if people have good advice on my next step from here.  I actually like the DAC on the 793ii OK--bypassing my old X-fi Platinum and it's a noticeable improvement.  Should I go RCA out from the 793ii to the Kenwood, and then use the preamp outs on the Kenwood to send to a dedicated amp?[/COLOR]

Go RCA'S out of your DAC into a dedicated amp. You don't need the Kenwood.

 

[automaton]

Go RCA'S out of your DAC into a dedicated amp. You don't need the Kenwood.

Kenwood's got to stay--that's what pushes my speakers! 43 years old and I'm not ready to retire it yet...

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I am driving the 400i with the SMSL SD 793ii DAC/amp (went a little low-end on the DAC/amp, figuring I could upgrade the amp later on).  From what I could dig up online, the amp is rated for 65mW@16Ω and 130mW@32Ω.  Not sure how this amp matches up with the 400i on paper, but in practice, I have the volume set around 1 o'clock--the mids seems a bit absent, and if I give them any more juice, the high end starts to become a little shrill.  The SD793ii is feeding a vintage Kenwood amp, and the 400i might sound a tad better out of the headphone jack on the Kenwood.
 
So I'm wondering if people have good advice on my next step from here.  I actually like the DAC on the 793ii OK--bypassing my old X-fi Platinum and it's a noticeable improvement.  Should I go RCA out from the 793ii to the Kenwood, and then use the preamp outs on the Kenwood to send to a dedicated amp?

Another solid option, which is also lots of fun is to have speakertaps made so that you can run your headphones right from the speaker terminals of the Kenwood, or any amp for that matter. I drive my 400i that way, and I did that before with my TH 900, HE 560 and Sony Z7. All from the same integrated NAD. Frankly, if you have any amp with decent power supply or supplies, it likely is a good candidate for this. Planars love current, and big beefy power supplies can certainly generate current right?
 
Anyway, there is plenty of information here in the forums about using speaker terminals to drive headphones. I learned about it as I have a fairly nice NAD but it has no headphone output. I used to look at it and think, if it can drive big speakers with authority and stability, why not my headphones. Upon research it became pretty clear there wasn't a great deal to it so I had Trevor at Norne Audio make me some custom speaker tap cables. Really, really solid option and now I would have to be in the territory of those boutique Cavali or Eddie Current amps to drive my headphones better. I'm not sure about your Kenwood, but if it has been maintained meaning having the old capacitors replaced, which hopefully is the case, and the power supply is still performing well for the price of a decent headphone amp, say $300-350 you can have speaker tap cables made. Just a thought. Cheers.

 

[automaton]

  Another solid option, which is also lots of fun is to have speakertaps made so that you can run your headphones right from the speaker terminals of the Kenwood, or any amp for that matter. I drive my 400i that way, and I did that before with my TH 900, HE 560 and Sony Z7. All from the same integrated NAD. Frankly, if you have any amp with decent power supply or supplies, it likely is a good candidate for this. Planars love current, and big beefy power supplies can certainly generate current right?
 
Anyway, there is plenty of information here in the forums about using speaker terminals to drive headphones. I learned about it as I have a fairly nice NAD but it has no headphone output. I used to look at it and think, if it can drive big speakers with authority and stability, why not my headphones. Upon research it became pretty clear there wasn't a great deal to it so I had Trevor at Norne Audio make me some custom speaker tap cables. Really, really solid option and now I would have to be in the territory of those boutique Cavali or Eddie Current amps to drive my headphones better. I'm not sure about your Kenwood, but if it has been maintained meaning having the old capacitors replaced, which hopefully is the case, and the power supply is still performing well for the price of a decent headphone amp, say $300-350 you can have speaker tap cables made. Just a thought. Cheers.

Thanks.  That sounds pretty interesting, but maybe a more involved option than I'm up for right now (and I'm not at the point with this hobby where I want to drop significant $$$ on cables--seems like it would be better spent elsewhere).  Would be a cool DIY project if I had the chops...but also seems like it has the potential to damage the cans if done wrong, yeah?
 
I still have the manual for the Kenwood (passed down from my father--it's been thoroughly cleaned inside, but haven't replaced the capacitors since I received it).  The manual is crazy detailed on the specs, but unfortunately, nothing on the rating for the headphone jack. 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Thanks.  That sounds pretty interesting, but maybe a more involved option than I'm up for right now (and I'm not at the point with this hobby where I want to drop significant $$$ on cables--seems like it would be better spent elsewhere).  Would be a cool DIY project if I had the chops...but also seems like it has the potential to damage the cans if done wrong, yeah?
 
I still have the manual for the Kenwood (passed down from my father--it's been thoroughly cleaned inside, but haven't replaced the capacitors since I received it).  The manual is crazy detailed on the specs, but unfortunately, nothing on the rating for the headphone jack. 

​Blowing headphones isn't a huge issue really, just turn the volume down before hitting play. My NAD is a full on 180watts so I had to be careful, but really it is never an issue. What is the model number of the Kenwood? Some of those vintage units are still sought after by collectors and many people report the headphone jack output sounds great. If it is a good unit you will be shocked what improvement in sound can be had from changing the old electrolytic capacitors to new ones. It can be night and day. The old capacitors leak and drift out of tolerance very easily once they are this old. They can still work, but the quality of their output and stability is diminished. A good web community is audiokarma.org. You can find tons of information on this and there are many really dedicated headphone people there who rock vintage gear, but also have TOTL current gear as well so they know what they are talking about. Anyway, seriously, if the power supply is still good and the unit is clean, new caps make a world of difference. Well worth considering if you are intending to keep the old monster going strong.

 

[automaton]

 
​Blowing headphones isn't a huge issue really, just turn the volume down before hitting play. My NAD is a full on 180watts so I had to be careful, but really it is never an issue. What is the model number of the Kenwood? Some of those vintage units are still sought after by collectors and many people report the headphone jack output sounds great. If it is a good unit you will be shocked what improvement in sound can be had from changing the old electrolytic capacitors to new ones. It can be night and day. The old capacitors leak and drift out of tolerance very easily once they are this old. They can still work, but the quality of their output and stability is diminished. A good web community is audiokarma.org. You can find tons of information on this and there are many really dedicated headphone people there who rock vintage gear, but also have TOTL current gear as well so they know what they are talking about. Anyway, seriously, if the power supply is still good and the unit is clean, new caps make a world of difference. Well worth considering if you are intending to keep the old monster going strong.

It's a KR-5150--40 watts per channel on the speakers, drives my Energy RC-10 as loud as I can stand them at about 30% volume (400i are at about 45% before they get unlistenable).  The lamps are all blown, so it needs to be opened up soon anyway, would be a good excuse to swap out the capacitors.

 

[urbino]

Just unboxed and powered up the Grace M920 from Massdrop.  Driving some Greg Brown through my 400i's.  It turns out there's a tiny harmony part in the chorus of "Mattie Price" that I'd never heard/noticed before.