[fjrabon]

Maybe once you reach the summit-fi tier, alah the HD800/S, Ether, etc. I can only dream of spending that much for a headphone, so meets and such would be the only way I ever get to try them.

eh, even those type of headphones have compromises, albeit fewer.  The only headphone I've heard that I didn't feel like made any real compromises was the SR009 out of a KGSSHV Carbon.  I feel like the HD800 makes as many compromises as the HE400i does, and to my preferences, the compromises the HD800 makes are a bigger deal.  
 
IMHO, least compromises I've heard in a headphone (not even necessarily saying this is the order I liked them, though it's not that far off):
1) SR009
gap
2) Balanced HE1000
3) Abyss
 
After that it was a fairly large gap, and I actually felt the HE400i stood up to most everything as far as what matters most to me.  (musicality, transparency, speed, neutrality, limited bass roll-off are my biggest concerns in a headphone).  That's ultimately why the HE400i is still my go-to headphone.  It's not just that I think it's "good for the money" though it certainly is, it's that of the things I value, I'd have to spend a ton more money and perhaps more of a deal-breaker to me, be completely chained to a huge stationary setup.  
 
If there was something the size/weight of the HE400i + m9XX combo that could give me SR009 + KGSSHV sound, I'd drop $10-15K for it tomorrow, without even thinking twice about it.  

 

[pavement714]

 
eh, even those type of headphones have compromises, albeit fewer.  The only headphone I've heard that I didn't feel like made any real compromises was the SR009 out of a KGSSHV Carbon.  I feel like the HD800 makes as many compromises as the HE400i does, and to my preferences, the compromises the HD800 makes are a bigger deal.  
 
IMHO, least compromises I've heard in a headphone (not even necessarily saying this is the order I liked them, though it's not that far off):
1) SR009
gap
2) Balanced HE1000
3) Abyss
 
After that it was a fairly large gap, and I actually felt the HE400i stood up to most everything as far as what matters most to me.  (musicality, transparency, speed, neutrality, limited bass roll-off are my biggest concerns in a headphone).  That's ultimately why the HE400i is still my go-to headphone.  It's not just that I think it's "good for the money" though it certainly is, it's that of the things I value, I'd have to spend a ton more money and perhaps more of a deal-breaker to me, be completely chained to a huge stationary setup.  
 
If there was something the size/weight of the HE400i + m9XX combo that could give me SR009 + KGSSHV sound, I'd drop $10-15K for it tomorrow, without even thinking twice about it.  

As someone with an HE-400i considering those endgame headphones, it's nice to hear that my itchiness to see what "summit-fi" sounds like doesn't need to be scratched quite so soon. Good thing for my wallet. If I did do it, I'd probably get the HE-1000.

 

[fjrabon]

 
As someone with an HE-400i considering those endgame headphones, it's nice to hear that my itchiness to see what "summit-fi" sounds like doesn't need to be scratched quite so soon. Good thing for my wallet. If I did do it, I'd probably get the HE-1000.

honestly I didn't feel like the HE1000 was worth it unless it was played in a balanced configuration with a very punchy amp to give it some "bite" when needed; otherwise, to me, it sounded too "soft" during aggressive music.  

 

[nk126]

Maybe once you reach the summit-fi tier, alah the HD800/S, Ether, etc. I can only dream of spending that much for a headphone, so meets and such would be the only way I ever get to try them.

I cannot imagine spending that much, either. Though, frankly, two years ago I would have thought the 400i, even for what I paid used, were crazy expensive. 
 
And an amp? Wut? Sheer madness. 
 

 

[chowmein83]

 
As someone with an HE-400i considering those endgame headphones, it's nice to hear that my itchiness to see what "summit-fi" sounds like doesn't need to be scratched quite so soon. Good thing for my wallet. If I did do it, I'd probably get the HE-1000.

 
Honestly, while I do have an HE1000 I actually listen to my HE-400i more often. The HE-400i isn't a better headphone, but it's significantly lighter (good for my somewhat weak neck) and it sounds good enough even in comparison to its much more expensive sibling.

 

[nk126]

 
 
 
If there was something the size/weight of the HE400i + m9XX combo that could give me SR009 + KGSSHV sound, I'd drop $10-15K for it tomorrow, without even thinking twice about it.  

 
x9XX is a great match for 400i, eh? (I know that's not what your statement meant, but I think I read about this combo earlier in the thread as well)

 

[GettingBuckets]

I think I'm going to end up selling mine. I gave myself quite a little bit of time to get used to them, but they are just still too bright for me. I'm pretty sensitive to the upper-mid/treble region, and the sound sig just isn't for me. BTW the m9xx is a great all-in-one DAC/amp that is transportable as well. It does match well with the 400i, but the cans still have way too much bite for me.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I think I'm going to end up selling mine. I gave myself quite a little bit of time to get used to them, but they are just still too bright for me. I'm pretty sensitive to the upper-mid/treble region, and the sound sig just isn't for me. BTW the m9xx is a great all-in-one DAC/amp that is transportable as well. It does match well with the 400i, but the cans still have way too much bite for me.

Bummer, you must prefer a rather smooth signature. I would say try the PM3 as a solid portable/home headphone and of course the age old favorite HD 650. What headphones do you find fit your preferences more?

 

[fjrabon]

x9XX is a great match for 400i, eh? (I know that's not what your statement meant, but I think I read about this combo earlier in the thread as well)

Yes, great match.

 

[GettingBuckets]

Bummer, you must prefer a rather smooth signature. I would say try the PM3 as a solid portable/home headphone and of course the age old favorite HD 650. What headphones do you find fit your preferences more?

Yea I definitely prefer smooth signatures. Im going to try out the heralded 650s with the coin/foam mod since I already have a pair of Momentum 2s for portable use.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Yea I definitely prefer smooth signatures. Im going to try out the heralded 650s with the coin/foam mod since I already have a pair of Momentum 2s for portable use.

Makes sense to me. I'm not sure what your experience with headphones is, but if you haven't been into headphones extensively you may realize that the 400i is actually a brilliant compromise between bright and dark. The 400i is certainly not bright regardless. It is well extended in the treble region, but my middle aged ears couldn't call the 400i bright sounding. If you are younger I could see sensitive hearing having a different perspective on what bright is. As well, even among people with similar hearing acuity individual differences exist and certain treble frequencies are perceived differently so for some, one range can be a zone of brightness where for somebody else it isn't. Anyway, currently the 650 or PM3 based on my experience might be of interest to you, which I know I already said.

 

[fjrabon]

Yea I definitely prefer smooth signatures. Im going to try out the heralded 650s with the coin/foam mod since I already have a pair of Momentum 2s for portable use.

Yeah, there are times every now and again that I miss my HD650, though I find that these adjustments give me back the smoothness, plus retain the inherent advantages of the 400i:
 
This parametric adjustment squelches the HE400i's slight peak at 10kHz, I more or less leave this adjustment on at all times. 
 

 
If I want smoothness with a powerful bass punch I use this 31 band adjustment:
 


It looks subtle, but it really gives the HE400i a lot of girth, assuming your amp is powerful enough to push the adjusted level to the correct total level
 
Then, the final piece, this crossfeed adjustment really gives me a punchy, speaker like presentation, with perfectly connected and coherent soundstage with good depth:
 


THe first two are the default EQ options in Audio Hijack's AU section.  The last is a plug-in from goodhertz, called can opener.  Putting those three adjustments together gets me dang close to a good speaker setup.

 

[EinZweiDrei]

I actually cycle through 2 to 4 of my headphones a day. So it wont hurt to keep the hd650 even though you find the 400i superior. Sold my dt880s though. Didn't like them.

 

[GettingBuckets]

I am a young buck and certain regions up higher really just make me uncomfortable. All my headphone experience has been with mid-fi closed headphones for the most part, so the 400i was a good contrast. I am really interested in trying the 650s since I've heard so much about them

 

[Sonic Defender]

I am a young buck and certain regions up higher really just make me uncomfortable. All my headphone experience has been with mid-fi closed headphones for the most part, so the 400i was a good contrast. I am really interested in trying the 650s since I've heard so much about them

To my older ears the 650 was too rolled off, but I suspect you might like it. The Sony Z7 comes to mind also.