Humblepie
500+ Head-Fier
Well I have done the buy and try on more than a few headphones. I list out my reviews, small reviews, on each in my personal info.
https://www.head-fi.org/members/humblepie.478484/
HiFiMan HE4XX
- Thread starter ProtegeManiac
- Start date
Well I have done the buy and try on more than a few headphones. I list out my reviews, small reviews, on each in my personal info.
https://www.head-fi.org/members/humblepie.478484/
Drty LilBits
New Head-Fier
Oh cool, ty. I will check that out then. And now I don't feel so bad. haha
I just saw the InnerFidelity measurements of HE4XX and got really confused by the efficiency measurements. As per this, HE4XX efficiency is only 88.2 dB/mW SPL and not 93, as rated at Massdrop. How reliable is this? InnerFidelity measurements seems to be accepted my most, but as I am new to this, I am not sure.
Humblepie
500+ Head-Fier
Not sure about efficiency, I haven't measured them, but I will say they take extra juice than my low resistance/higher sensitivity headphones require.
That is understandable, but this is around 5 dB/mW worse than the rated value. Relatively, those measurements show HE400i to have an efficiency within 1 dB/mW of the rated values. How can be the rated values be this off the mark?
ProtegeManiac
Headphoneus Supremus
Sensitivity is xxdB/1mW, efficiency is xxdB/1V. Generally the latter has a higher dB value. Also it isn't all that uncommon for manufacturers to take the efficiency value and call it "sensitivity" (AKG used to do this), advertise only efficiency given the higher dB value (Sennheiser, AKG, etc), only state the dB value with no denominator/ratio to mW or V, if not outright take the higher dB value from efficiency and slap it over 1mW.
Or since this is measured at a particular frequecy, some manufacturers will not state "at 1000hz" and instead measure it at a frequency where it's stronger than 1000hz, like somewhere between 50hz and 150hz. Then buyers don't complain about it being "hard to drive" since they get loud and clean enough bass if the driver isn't as susceptible to driver distortion and damping factor issues.
Sorry, it seems like I mistook sensitivity for efficiency. But the matter at hand remains. Hifiman or any other manufacturer should have their own standard method for testing all their headphones, right? They quote 93 dB SPL/mW for 400i and 98 dB SPL/mW for 400s. Innerfidelity measurements shows similar values. But for 4XX, eventhough they quote 93 dB SPL/mW, the measurement shows 88 dB SPL/mW. With this, most sub-$300 (or even sub$500) portable headphone amplifiers that I was looking at won't be able to drive them to 115 dB.
PS: I was seriously considering ditching my desktop amp for a fully portable solution as some tests showed that I can make do with 115 dB.
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Fuzziekiwi
1000+ Head-Fier
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Just got these. Not really a fan, actually. I guess I like REALLY warm headphones... love how fast this driver is but the SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. You know what I mean. Not the typical planar bass either. Treble reminds me like a less harsh DT770. Guitars really shine. If you hate how warm HD650's and want more treble, these are for you.
philk34
100+ Head-Fier
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Burn in give them better bass (as well as a capable amp) but they are not basshead phones, sure.
For my ears, like them, without grills.
Lot of air and details. At the price of somewhat arsh treble on bad recordings, of course.
Nice bass, to my taste.
It let me enjoy my music.
For my ears, like them, without grills.
Lot of air and details. At the price of somewhat arsh treble on bad recordings, of course.
Nice bass, to my taste.
It let me enjoy my music.
riffrafff
1000+ Head-Fier
Does anyone make a decent two or three meter replacement cable for these (that doesn't cost an arm and leg)?
SolaVirtus
100+ Head-Fier
The only compatible replacement I've got is a balanced Periapt cable. It's great, but maybe getting into "arm and a leg" territory at a little less than half the cost of the HE-4XX. A single ended version is a bit cheaper.
riffrafff
1000+ Head-Fier
Thanks for that. Yeah, looking for single-ended, for now. It's a bit more than I had hoped, but the only others I'm finding are Chinese cables with 1/4" adapters (which I detest). I'll check them out. Thanks again.
buldogge
100+ Head-Fier
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Thanks for that. Yeah, looking for single-ended, for now. It's a bit more than I had hoped, but the only others I'm finding are Chinese cables with 1/4" adapters (which I detest). I'll check them out. Thanks again.
I've had good luck with Dyson Audio...Reasonable builds, reasonably priced, IME.
https://www.dysonaudio.com/collecti...iman-he400s-he400i-he1000i-oppo-pm-1-cable-2m
-Mark in St. Louis
mrjimmybob
New Head-Fier
Would the Alex Cavalli Tube Hybrid (CTH) by Massdrop be a good match for the HiFiMAN HE-4XX?
What about the Little Dot mk II?
What headphone amp would you recommend for these headphones?
I currently have a FXAudio SQ5, an SMSL sanskrit 6 and an Allo BOSS Dac mounted on a Raspberry Pi with the before mentioned headphone amps.
Thanks.
What about the Little Dot mk II?
What headphone amp would you recommend for these headphones?
I currently have a FXAudio SQ5, an SMSL sanskrit 6 and an Allo BOSS Dac mounted on a Raspberry Pi with the before mentioned headphone amps.
Thanks.
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