[DivineCurrent]

  Veiled, hard to think of the 400i sounding like that. I'm wondering if the more forward mids and fairly solid bass is a different signature than you are used to. Perhaps you just prefer a brighter signature in which case the HD 700 might appeal to you. The TH 600 also comes to mind.

I never thought they were veiled, however I see how he may think that, since there is a drastic frequency drop starting from 9khz down to 10-11 khz. It slowly rises after that, but frequency graphs show that cut in frequency.

 

[nk126]

blank post

 

[nk126]

  Veiled, hard to think of the 400i sounding like that. I'm wondering if the more forward mids and fairly solid bass is a different signature than you are used to. Perhaps you just prefer a brighter signature in which case the HD 700 might appeal to you. The TH 600 also comes to mind.

 
HE-560. I can related to the "veiled" comment relative to the 560.

 

[DavidA]

I'm wondering if everyone is using the description of "veiled" to mean the same thing?
I got this from the Head-Fi glossary for describing sound:
 

Veiled - Like a silk veil is over the speakers. Slight noise or distortion or slightly weak high frequencies. Loss of detail due to limited transparency.

To me the HE-400i is none of those but since we all hear differently and have different setup who knows.
As @nk126 noted if you compare HE-400i to HE-560 then they could be described as "veiled" but in comparison to other headphones I would consider them bright.  Maybe what is missing is a reference point.

 

[Russian1]

So I am trying the OPPO PM-2 right now from the Demo Program here at head-fi and I have to tell you that I like my HE-400i better. I find the PM-2 to be way way way to rolled off on the high end, and the warm mids really flood me. But the biggest thing i did not like about it was that I never felt captured and moved by the music when listening on the PM-2. Voices sounded flat and non-realistic. Finally, it sounded the same no matter what amp I connected it to (solid state). A tube helped a bit but not much. The things that it does better than the HE-400i is that the low end is way more present and in control. The tight response of the low end and its presence are welcome in my world but not at the expense of the highs. Finally the build is amazing on the PM-2 but I again found the HE-400i more comfortable for long long listening sessions (I work all day with them on).


 


So if I had to rate my HE-400i i would say 7/10 where the last 3 points are about low end control and details and the rating for the PM-2 would be 5/10. With a price point at 200 bucks less, i would go with the 400i or buy something around 700 bucks that is not the PM-2.


 


Though i would share.

 


I'm seriously considering buying PM-2 (as opposite to my HE-560) and this is the first time when I hear kind words about the 'low end' of PM-2.
I guess I'll buy them

 

[CSdread]

Know that i listen very loud, the low end respond is only good when you get loud. This is the same for most magnetic planer headphones. I think if you are a bass head then the HE-560 which i consider very balanced is not for you. Have you thought about the Fostex X Massdrop?

 

[Russian1]

 
Know that i listen very loud, the low end respond is only good when you get loud. This is the same for most magnetic planer headphones. I think if you are a bass head then the HE-560 which i consider very balanced is not for you. Have you thought about the Fostex X Massdrop?

No, I am not a bass head. 
I am a "diversity head"  
I like different cans as difference is a spice of life. 
 
I already have Fostex TH-600 which are close to Fostex X Massdrop. 
 
I also have PM-3, so my basshead needs are covered  
 
I'm thinking about mids now

 

[marhol]

  I'm wondering if everyone is using the description of "veiled" to mean the same thing?
I got this from the Head-Fi glossary for describing sound:
 
To me the HE-400i is none of those but since we all hear differently and have different setup who knows.
As @nk126 noted if you compare HE-400i to HE-560 then they could be described as "veiled" but in comparison to other headphones I would consider them bright.  Maybe what is missing is a reference point.

Yeah HE-560 or HD 800 have more treble energy and airiness/extension on top end and a bit better overall transparency in comparison to HE-400i but even then I would not call HE-400i veiled... I use HE-400i with iBasso DX90 and the sound is very transparent to my ears. DX90 is doing fine job powering them. I have no experience with DX80, but specifications regarding headphone output level are similar (2.8 Vrms vs 2.9 Vrms on 32 Ohm load) so it seems DX80 should not drive HE-400i any worse than DX90.

 

[NaiveSound]

I just feel that 400i lacks resolution and detail compared to say se846 (I know, large $ difference too) I just always imagined a open back to outperform a iem. I guess that's what I mean by *veiled*

 

[ntrinsik]

I picked up HE-400i's months ago.. but I've barely used them. I tend to gravitate towards my TH-X00 whenever I'm listening to music. Just more fun. But the 400i is infinitely more comfy and I don't get fatigued with them.

 

[CSdread]

I would agree that the 2 downfalls of the HE-400i is a) not a detail monster b) low end can be a bit loose, not bleeding per se, but just not in perfect control with tightness and speed. Though I got my pair for $299 on sale last winter holiday season. I can say that not many other headphones in that price range (at least the on sale one) have huge detail resolution. The 560 (i have only heard them once) to me sounded like the two shortfalls of the HE-400i are nonexistent.

 

[HungryPanda]

I like my HE-400i's through my Little dot Tube amp but spend as much time with my HD650's. Both headphones have their own qualities and are great for the price. I even usually pick one of these to listen to rather my T1.2's

 

[fjrabon]

  I would agree that the 2 downfalls of the HE-400i is a) not a detail monster b) low end can be a bit loose, not bleeding per se, but just not in perfect control with tightness and speed. Though I got my pair for $299 on sale last winter holiday season. I can say that not many other headphones in that price range (at least the on sale one) have huge detail resolution. The 560 (i have only heard them once) to me sounded like the two shortfalls of the HE-400i are nonexistent.

I feel like you're not going to beat the HE400i's detail and resolution until you hit the HE560/HD800/Ether range.  And bass tightness is absolutely as good as anything in the $300-500 class/range of headphones.  So, I mean I get what you're saying, but I tend to think of those aspects as the strengths of the HE400i when it's compared to other headphones in its price class.  The HE400i are absolutely more detailed than, say, the HD650, even well amped (detail has never been the HD650's strong point).  I'm not really sure what beats the HE400i's detail in the $300-500 range.  But yes, I totally agree that the HE560 beats the HE400i in detail and bass tightness, though if you EQ the bass down so that its level is the same as the HE560, a good chunk of that difference goes away, leading me to believe that part of the HE400i's lack of bass control as compared to a headphone twice its price is simply that the HE400i was tuned to be warmer than the HE560.

 

[CSdread]

That is a good point on all fronts about price and about it all. And yes I do consider the 400i to be warm, but not as warm as the PM-2

 

[RERO]

I think the worst thing about the 400i's sound is the soundstage. It's jarringly small for its physical size and openness (in terms of sound leakage/isolation).