[drwlf]

   
Thanks for the reply. Yes, these won't be living room headphones. The Senns lasted about a year. I appreciate the other suggestions.
 
As for the Leckington, no changes. Using it just the way Nick sent it to me. I just got the 400is a few minutes ago, so I won't be able to try the Leckington until later this evening. But I'll let you know!
 
Interesting, though, about the 400is....they come to life with an amp!  When I got them I plugged them straight into my Nexus 6 - not enough gain, not much bass, not much of anything. So I tried them direct into my XPS. Again, not a whole lot of volume, hardly any bass. But then I remembered I had an 6-year old NuForce DAC, which cost maybe $30....tried it with the XPS and the 400is - and they opened right up! They sound phenomenal, with just that tiny little push.
 
So I'm really excited to try them with the Leckington!

Agreed with @DavidA, I don't think the 400i will last too long when subjected to your described use, especially if the 650s broke within a year - they have the plasticky feel, but are quite durable nonetheless. But who knows, eh?
Do keep us updated, and welcome to the bunch!

 

[DavidA]

@HD_Dude
, its not the watts that is important, some gear just goes better together, like they were made for each other.  Lately I've been building some Grado alternative headphones using drivers from Elleven Acoustica and Nhoord, this is the latest one with the Nhoord Red V2 driver:

I still have to mount the SMC connector in the cups and patch the opening with wood putty but I just wanted to hear what they sounded like
 
FWIW they have more bass punch than the HE-400i, mids like a HD-650 and highs like a RS series Grado, but they don't have the wide sound stage of a HD-700/800 but over all a very musical sound signature and easy to drive from even my crappy S5 phone.  DIY but not cheap, part are $300+

 

[jimrowe0]

Good to hear im testing out my 400i tonight when i receive them with my little dot 1+ and objective 2 amps.

 

[mrs1986]

Good to hear im testing out my 400i tonight when i receive them with my little dot 1+ and objective 2 amps.

Please I would love some insight, if it's stock the better, I won't be able to tube roll because I'm outside of US, nothing available here...

 

[HD_Dude]

 
Agreed with @DavidA, I don't think the 400i will last too long when subjected to your described use, especially if the 650s broke within a year - they have the plasticky feel, but are quite durable nonetheless. But who knows, eh?
Do keep us updated, and welcome to the bunch!

 
 

  @HD_Dude
, its not the watts that is important, some gear just goes better together, like they were made for each other.  Lately I've been building some Grado alternative headphones using drivers from Elleven Acoustica and Nhoord, this is the latest one with the Nhoord Red V2 driver:

I still have to mount the SMC connector in the cups and patch the opening with wood putty but I just wanted to hear what they sounded like
 
FWIW they have more bass punch than the HE-400i, mids like a HD-650 and highs like a RS series Grado, but they don't have the wide sound stage of a HD-700/800 but over all a very musical sound signature and easy to drive from even my crappy S5 phone.  DIY but not cheap, part are $300+

 
Thanks, drwlf & DavidA
 
As for bulletproof headphones, I do have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT48e, which are built like a tank. Trouble is, they sound awful with the board and amps we use at the studio....very muddy.
 
I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again.

 

[jimrowe0]

Please I would love some insight, if it's stock the better, I won't be able to tube roll because I'm outside of US, nothing available here...

I have the stock tubes which i wasnt fond of so I switched them to the GE JAN5654W. Huge difference in sound quality, but I can throw the stock tubes back in as well for reference.

 

[spookanide]

  @spookanide, the treble of the HD-700 is a problem for some but most who don't try them on a decent tube amp don't get to appriciate them.

 
That's certainly something neither I nor the salesman (with pretty decent knowledge) tried. Thanks for enlightening me!

 

[spookanide]

I need something that can take daily travel....pack 'em up in a backpack, take 'em out at a recording studio, put 'em away when the session's finished. I'm careful with my headphones but it was apparently too rough for the Senns. The cable connectors are shorting out. So, hello HiFiMan.

If you're going for studio monitoring/mixing, beware that the sound of the HE400i really feels spiced up a little. In terms of construction it's rather hard to judge, but I don't see obvious weak points like inwards folding cups.

 

[trivium911]

If you're going for studio monitoring/mixing, beware that the sound of the HE400i really feels spiced up a little. In terms of construction it's rather hard to judge, but I don't see obvious weak points like inwards folding cups.

Spiced up?

 

[CoFire]

Can anyone give a comparison of the 400i against the TP50RP Mk3? I had a friend ask but I haven't heard the Fostex. I do own the 400i. Thanks.

 

[drwlf]

Spiced up?

The attack/decay properties and transients are IMO unnaturally fast, works wonders in some music, but not all
I guess I won't be commenting on the tonality.

 

[trivium911]

The attack/decay properties and transients are IMO unnaturally fast, works wonders in some music, but not all
I guess I won't be commenting on the tonality.

True but i havent found a genre that they didnt sound decent with, plus everyone says they pair well with hybrid tube amps so that should mellow things out a bit. If you like balanced armeture iems, thats probably about the beat tobalty i can describe them.

Edit.
*Best tonality

...stupid phone

 

[GunnaNeedHelp]

Anyone hear slight distortions every now and then with the 400i? I hear these slight screeches every so often in the same portions of certain songs, only on the right side. The same occurred with my e12/iphone 5s and mimby/vali2(stock and nonstock tube) with the same songs. 

 

[DavidA]

  Anyone hear slight distortions every now and then with the 400i? I hear these slight screeches every so often in the same portions of certain songs, only on the right side. The same occurred with my e12/iphone 5s and mimby/vali2(stock and nonstock tube) with the same songs. 

Switch the cables around so the left signal is going to the right cup and if the screech goes moves its the song, if it doesn't move then its a problem with the driver.

 

[jimrowe0]

Can anyone give a comparison of the 400i against the TP50RP Mk3? I had a friend ask but I haven't heard the Fostex. I do own the 400i. Thanks.

 

 
I'm working on that over the next couple of days.   I listened to both last night and my initial impression was the t50rp mk3 are no where near as detailed as the he400i.  However, I am listening more this morning and really enjoying the t50rp.  I think they need to break in a little bit.  I also was hooked into the little dot 1+ last night, but I am going to try the objective 2 today.   
 
I will post more comments as I get to listen more.