[drwlf]

currently I am leaning more towards nighthawks,oppo and then hifiman

 
Having tested out all three, the 400i is technically superior, even after running NightHawk with an aftermarket cable.

 

[drwlf]

 
I'm having somewhat the same reaction.  Got these today, so zero burn-in.  Listening to some tracks, there is definitely a bit of harshness in the highs (~13khz).  It's often perceivable with vocals.  It doesn't seem to be so severe that it's constant and will be introduced constantly by the headphones, but where in the recordings there is a slight harshness, these do seem to bring out it; bit more in evidence.  For this particular issue Senn 598 < AKG Q701 < HE400i.  Hopefully will mellow out burn-in...  But on the upside, while it can be somewhat distracting on some vocals, it does seem to give some twang to strings, ex; acoustic guitar, or any type of electronic/bell type sound.
 
Listening to more tracks, it definitely doesn't happen on every or even most recordings, seems more limited to some recordings...  Hmmm.. I'm actually not even sure it's the headphones now, as some have none of it...  Or maybe it's related to the dynamic vs magnetic planar?  An example of a song where there is no voice harshness on Q701, but definitely noticeable harshness on HE400i; Def Leppard's Women; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtgF2q-zEmU  Actually throughout the entire song you can hear the sort of constant hashness; a sort of overtone...  :/
 
PC (flac) -> Modi -> Magni

 
Could it be that you're distracted by the resolution of 400i vs. the Q701?
With Q701, different (re)-masters/mixes did not matter anywhere near as much as it does on the 400i. Your ranking with the headphones do seem to suggest that - technically less capable headphone can deal better with a lower quality source, and not reveal the flaws. Otherwise, the attack/decay properties of 400i can create an unnatural feel, especially to vocals - depending even more so on the actual mix. This could be called 'metallic', 'harsh', 'grainy' etc.
 
Otherwise, I feel that the Q701 brightness is unbearable, where as with 400i (backplateless) is manageable. Too much for some, I have to admit.

 

[drwlf]

  Listen to Björk - Pagan Poetry ! =D
The recording in this song defeats every headphone. regardless of volume^^ pretty much my favorite song tho.
Therefore the additional harshness of the 400i is a bit annoying. 
Don't get me wrong.. otherwise the 400i sound much better than the 400s...
I think with the 400s sound boomy because of the mid-bass and the HM5 pads don't help there.
The 400i sounds much more exiting but at times a bit fatiguing especially with loud music.  
All using HM5 pads but they don't really change the treble difference 

 
Funny, I can't seem to find these electronic sounds offensive at all. (Tidal lossless)
Try Kavinsky's "ProtoVision", now there's a synthwave mix which takes it over the edge for me on 400i, and I really need to EQ down the treble. Regarding Q701, it's just unbearable. The mix is intentional.
Then again, Infected Mushrooms "Psycho" from their debut The Gathering, the electronic ripples starting at around 0:27, combined with the attack/decay properties make them IMO as harrowing, exciting and deconstructive as the duo intended. Too much for some of my friends, especially when they're coming from slower dynamic drivers, some seemed to miscontrue the attack/decay properties as harshness.

 

[DavidA]

  Listen to Björk - Pagan Poetry ! =D
The recording in this song defeats every headphone. regardless of volume^^ pretty much my favorite song tho.
Therefore the additional harshness of the 400i is a bit annoying. 
Don't get me wrong.. otherwise the 400i sound much better than the 400s...
I think with the 400s sound boomy because of the mid-bass and the HM5 pads don't help there.
The 400i sounds much more exiting but at times a bit fatiguing especially with loud music.  
All using HM5 pads but they don't really change the treble difference 

I think it might be your pair of HE-400i or something in your audio chain (source, DAC or amp), I can listen to Pagan Poetry with my modded Grado 225e and its not harsh or sibilant, even to my GF who is much more sensitive with her HD-700 which is known for being harsh/sibilant to many its quite listenable.

 

[Voxata]

Made a few more 400i upgraded cables, the stock one sucks!

 

[dcd564]

Made a few more 400i upgraded cables, the stock one sucks!

Dang.  Those look great. 

 

[katzolik]

   
Funny, I can't seem to find these electronic sounds offensive at all. (Tidal lossless)
Try Kavinsky's "ProtoVision", now there's a synthwave mix which takes it over the edge for me on 400i, and I really need to EQ down the treble. Regarding Q701, it's just unbearable. The mix is intentional.
Then again, Infected Mushrooms "Psycho" from their debut The Gathering, the electronic ripples starting at around 0:27, combined with the attack/decay properties make them IMO as harrowing, exciting and deconstructive as the duo intended. Too much for some of my friends, especially when they're coming from slower dynamic drivers, some seemed to miscontrue the attack/decay properties as harshness.

Its not about the electronic sounds but about the mixing of her voice. 
The S ant T louds clip every time on my 400i "

A SSSSSSSSecret code carved"
Yeah Photovision is cool but on most headphones unbearable ^^​

 

 

[Gordhifi]

Made a few more 400i upgraded cables, the stock one sucks!

 

[phthora]

  My post was meant as a general recommendation.  To make myself clear I had positive results with putting the headband forward. I felt headphone driver got better angle towards my ear canals and that resulted in subjectivelly better sound to me. He-400i bass became tighter with better slam and soundstage/imaging became more precise. It added airness to treble and timbres sounded more realistic to the recordings. Also the overall clarity of HE-400i was simply better. I would say the difference was quite noticeable to me,  maybe 10-15 % better (?), its difficult to quantify. Pictures are bellow:
                                                                                        
 
  "traditional" position - HE-400i is more warmish, bass is more bloomy, worse seal and bass extension, imaging is slightly fuzzier, soundstage more compressed, overall clarity still very good albeit not the best I got from HE-400i
 

 
headband is put more forward, pads got better angle for my ear canals - bass is tighter and deeper with better slam, imaging is more precise, soundstage more holographic with increased width and depth, more detailed treble, overall sound signature moved towards neutral (still slightly warm), best overall clarity and transparency I got from stock HE-400i
 
As always YMMV, try to experiment with positioning on your own and use the angle which fits you best. My impressions are with older stock HE-400i with the backplate.

 
This guy is on to something here!
 
I've been playing around with his recommendations above. I haven't noticed his reported results with moving the headband forward like he recommends. However, sliding the cups themselves around creates a massive difference in sound quality and signature. Sliding them forward so that my ears bend out a little against the cups kills the bass and brings up a lot of sibilance. This is without making any changes to music through my DAP. Pushing the cups back so that they are resting on the front edge of my ear makes everything muffled and wooly and brings the mids closer. Fortunately, for me both ways are too uncomfortable to be my natural way of wearing these headphones. But, people's heads and preferences are different. Experimentation is key.
 
I would recommend any having issues with sibilance or lack of bass try out some different ways of wearing these cans. Even weird ways. The changes in sound can be surprising. You may not be lucky enough to have the Chinese engineers' ideal of a human head.

 

[CoFire]

Listen to Björk - Pagan Poetry ! =D

The recording in this song defeats every headphone. regardless of volume^^ pretty much my favorite song tho.

Therefore the additional harshness of the 400i is a bit annoying. 

Don't get me wrong.. otherwise the 400i sound much better than the 400s...

I think with the 400s sound boomy because of the mid-bass and the HM5 pads don't help there.

The 400i sounds much more exiting but at times a bit fatiguing especially with loud music.  

All using HM5 pads but they don't really change the treble difference 

I listened to a YouTube version of Pagan Poetry and it was a bit harsh maybe approaching sibilant. I couldn't imagine this song being this bad. I searched amazon for a streaming copy and it was much better. I don't have the cd or a high resolution for Pagan Poetry nor can I confirm the streaming Amazon copy was better resolution but it sure did sound better. The sss's were less sharp and everything was more cohesive. I'm not a big you gotta have this gear and these files guy but the difference was there. Listening with the m9XX/400i on amazon was better and imo not sibilant. The highs were present and accurate but not painful. I listened to the song like 5 times. Good tune. I don't listen loud, like 60-62 on the m9XX but I'm wondering if it's not something in your chain.

Edit: listening at 75, Björk hits those higher registers but she's not stabbing me with ice picks. Perhaps the m9XX mellows it them highs?

 

[marhol]

   
This guy is on to something here!
 
I've been playing around with his recommendations above. I haven't noticed his reported results with moving the headband forward like he recommends. However, sliding the cups themselves around creates a massive difference in sound quality and signature. Sliding them forward so that my ears bend out a little against the cups kills the bass and brings up a lot of sibilance. This is without making any changes to music through my DAP. Pushing the cups back so that they are resting on the front edge of my ear makes everything muffled and wooly and brings the mids closer. Fortunately, for me both ways are too uncomfortable to be my natural way of wearing these headphones. But, people's heads and preferences are different. Experimentation is key.
 
I would recommend any having issues with sibilance or lack of bass try out some different ways of wearing these cans. Even weird ways. The changes in sound can be surprising. You may not be lucky enough to have the Chinese engineers' ideal of a human head.

Interesting. I have quite small ears so maybe its easier for me to get the right angle. The best angle concerning sound quality for me is when the bottom part of cups is very closely encircling my earlobes and at the same time the headband is pushed slightly forward - as shown on the picture. As the Focuspads are rather soft, wearing comfort is still very good for me.

 

[bugeyed]

   
This guy is on to something here!
 
I've been playing around with his recommendations above. I haven't noticed his reported results with moving the headband forward like he recommends. However, sliding the cups themselves around creates a massive difference in sound quality and signature. Sliding them forward so that my ears bend out a little against the cups kills the bass and brings up a lot of sibilance. This is without making any changes to music through my DAP. Pushing the cups back so that they are resting on the front edge of my ear makes everything muffled and wooly and brings the mids closer. Fortunately, for me both ways are too uncomfortable to be my natural way of wearing these headphones. But, people's heads and preferences are different. Experimentation is key.
 
I would recommend any having issues with sibilance or lack of bass try out some different ways of wearing these cans. Even weird ways. The changes in sound can be surprising. You may not be lucky enough to have the Chinese engineers' ideal of a human head.

Is it any wonder that people have such varied opinions on the sound of headphones & audio equipment in general. 
Maybe we need to have our ear/head/age/auditory test results data listed in our sig. 
 
kev

 

[phthora]

  Is it any wonder that people have such varied opinions on the sound of headphones & audio equipment in general. 
Maybe we need to have our ear/head/age/auditory test results data listed in our sig. 
 
kev

 
lol... A full cranial topology with a phrenological workup to go along with those! But your point is taken. This is why the tribalism that sometimes goes along with this hobby is aggravating. People are different and you never really know what that guy is actually hearing. No reason to think he's an idiot, if he hears something differently.
 
On the other hand, this is also why I am hesitant to let people "try on" my headphones. It takes some time to get used to them, to learn how to wear them, adjust them, to understand what they do better versus what they simply do differently. And IEMs are ten times worse in that regard.
 
Hell, even when it's not sound. Like this:
 

As the Focuspads are rather soft, wearing comfort is still very good for me.

 
I find them very itchy! How weird is that? Not HiFiMan's fault that I have a ticklish jawline. In the end, nothing's objective.
 
EDIT: Or, I should say, everything's a matter of taste.

 

[bolmeteus]

Can't wait anymore. My pair is supposed to be delivered by December 15th
Was able to grab that blackfriday offer. Though a local HE 500 user told me that he wouldn't have bought the 400i even at 250$ because the 500 is more tonally bla bla bla... :v But I do not own 500. Neither am I willing to spend that much at the moment. So, the 400i it is. 
Narrowed down Dac/Amp selections to the xduoo 05, aun3e x1s , objective o2 dac. If you guys have any suggestions it would be really great!       

 

[Gordhifi]

Nice. Now take some of my money.