[DavidA]

  Hello,
 
Im gonna buy little dot mk3 for my hifiman he400i's, iv never had a tube before. What dac would suit well? Im currently using O2 + ODAC combo, DAC-budget at 300€ ~ i think i saw dacmagicplus for little over 300€ used, would that be good buy?

The O2+ODAC was not a good amp for most of my headphones when I had it but if you are looking for neutral then its decent.  Paired with the HE400i it was a touch thin and harsh to me.

  Not sure with that setup, but from what I've read the planars don't usually pair well with tube amps?

​The LD Mk3 is a OTL amp and its not an amp that is recommended for most planar headphones.  Hybrid tube amps on the other hand do pair well with planar headphones, my Ember and Lyr2 go with the HE400i quite well.

 

[Kermeli]

I was originally gonna buy the lyr 2 + modi multibit? but saw the little dot on sale which is pretty rare in finland to find 2nd hand ( it has upgraded tubes, not sure yet which ones ) which is why im interested, also i just love the look of it. Iv been reading the little dot is just not enough for most of planars but should do just fine with the 400i's, really mixed results.
 
I have no previous experiences with any other amps +´dacs, this o2 combo is my very first, but it does sound little boring to me, it is very neutral indeed. Im looking little more bassy sound out of these hifimans, i mostly listen to all metal genres.

 

[Ancipital]

  Not sure with that setup, but from what I've read the planars don't usually pair well with tube amps?

 
OTL (output transformerless) tube amps aren't always so good with planars, which like plenty of current. However, transformer-coupled amps are often fine. The gotcha there is that almost all cheap transformer-coupled amps sound like hot crap, other than the Laconic NBM. Winding decent output transformers is hard. A Schiit Vali 2, which is a hybrid amp with a solid state output stage, will drive the HE-400i just fine, though....
 
..but then, so will a gnat fart. The HE400i is easy to drive. It's easy to get it to sound close to its best- the downside, however, it is that it doesn't scale much further with better gear. It's an accessible and fun headphone.

 

[peter123]

Am I the only one who need to put the volume higher on all my sources to reach the same volume level with the HE400i compared to the HD650?

 

[phthora]

Am I the only one who need to put the volume higher on all my sources to reach the same volume level with the HE400i compared to the HD650?

 
No, I find the same. These seem to require more oomph than they should, based on the numbers.

 

[Mr Trev]

Am I the only one who need to put the volume higher on all my sources to reach the same volume level with the HE400i compared to the HD650?

 
 

   
No, I find the same. These seem to require more oomph than they should, based on the numbers.

Agreed. These easily push my volume knob the furthest.

 

[DavidA]

Am I the only one who need to put the volume higher on all my sources to reach the same volume level with the HE400i compared to the HD650?

​Its amp dependent for me:
 
HE400i is about 1-2 dB louder than the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to low
HE400i is about the same as the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to medium
HE400i is about 1-2 dB softer than the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to high
 
About the same with the Lyr2
 
HE400i is about 1-2 dB softer on headphone output of UD-301
 
HE400i is about 2-3 dB softer on BH Crack

 

[peter123]

No, I find the same. These seem to require more oomph than they should, based on the numbers.

Agreed. These easily push my volume knob the furthest.

​Its amp dependent for me:

 
HE400i is about 1-2 dB louder than the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to low
HE400i is about the same as the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to medium
HE400i is about 1-2 dB softer than the HD650 on Ember with output impedance set to high

About the same with the Lyr2

HE400i is about 1-2 dB softer on headphone output of UD-301

HE400i is about 2-3 dB softer on BH Crack

Thanks for confirming guys

 

[Selfish Android]

  I was originally gonna buy the lyr 2 + modi multibit? but saw the little dot on sale which is pretty rare in finland to find 2nd hand ( it has upgraded tubes, not sure yet which ones ) which is why im interested, also i just love the look of it. Iv been reading the little dot is just not enough for most of planars but should do just fine with the 400i's, really mixed results.
 
I have no previous experiences with any other amps +´dacs, this o2 combo is my very first, but it does sound little boring to me, it is very neutral indeed. Im looking little more bassy sound out of these hifimans, i mostly listen to all metal genres.

I found the Little Dot + (chinese stock tubes and Voshkods) too warm with the HE400i, i don't like warm signatures so that's just me, i mainly listen metal too, i preffer the 400i with my Magni 2 which is a bright neutral amp.

 

[tygr1]

Hey kids, first post here. I had a chance to pick up some gently used 400Is last week for $200 shipped. I thought I deserved some nicer phones so I bought them. I'm loving them so far! I listern through my Aune T-1 amp with an RCA labeled Mullard tube and they simply sound great.

Just today I removed the rear grilles and removed the fabric underneath and WOW! The sound stage is wider and the highs are a little more pronounced. I'm really liking them this way.

Without reading this entire thread, is there perhaps anything else I am missing with my mod and setup? I'm listening to FLAC files from a hard drive.

 

[chowmein83]

Hey kids, first post here. I had a chance to pick up some gently used 400Is last week for $200 shipped. I thought I deserved some nicer phones so I bought them. I'm loving them so far! I listern through my Aune T-1 amp with an RCA labeled Mullard tube and they simply sound great.

Just today I removed the rear grilles and removed the fabric underneath and WOW! The sound stage is wider and the highs are a little more pronounced. I'm really liking them this way.

Without reading this entire thread, is there perhaps anything else I am missing with my mod and setup? I'm listening to FLAC files from a hard drive.

Welcome to Head-fi!

As for whether you're missing anything with your mod, not really, unless you want to use something else to act as a grill and/or put some kind of free-flowing material to act as a dust filter (I believe somebody mentioned organza, like @DavidA)?

As for your setup, I think you're good too. It's been a while since I've last listened to my 400i's with the T1 (I've sold my T1 off), but I do remember it sounding better with upgraded tubes - and you've already got that covered. Of course, you could always upgrade in the future, but if it sounds good to you now you don't have to be in that much of a hurry.

 

[drwlf]

@chowmein83 nicely said!

And welcome to the bunch @tygr1.
There's always this:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/h...-and-discussion.698974/page-810#post-13444118
if you want to venture into a quest to tweak them better for your personal needs. where perhaps reinforcement theory plays a larger part than actual measurable changes in the sound, bordering madness. Which is why we're here, eh?
What I'm trying to say, do try to enjoy them as much as possible, like @chowmein83 said, if they sound good to you now.

 

[Kermeli]

anyway to get new plastic ring that is in the pads? I bought Mrspeakers alpha pads, installed one pad well but the other plastic ring broke and now right side pad is not attached really well, its staying there okayish but its bugging me now

or maybe ill just glue it in

 

[drwlf]

anyway to get new plastic ring that is in the pads? I bought Mrspeakers alpha pads, installed one pad well but the other plastic ring broke and now right side pad is not attached really well, its staying there okayish but its bugging me now

or maybe ill just glue it in

http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/earpad-mounting-rings.html
Or buy the official velour pads from e.g. Amazon, it's the cheapest option with the removable rings.

 

[Kermeli]

thanks alot

definately good upgrade, i wanted more "hit" in the bass and its exactly what alpha pads delivered, oh and not forgetting the comfort.

Now on the verge to pull the trigger on the Lyr 2 And modi DAC since mimby is out of stock, O2 combo you did well.