[Shane D]

I don’t have the 400i’s but I do have the He4XX’s And it has good sub bass as long as it’s supplied with a sufficient amp because they do need a lot of power. So far for for mobile amps the Xduoo XD-05 or the Topping NX3s. Both work great and the HE4XX’s have a very full sound.

Have you received your NX3s already?

Shane D

 

[hsdrggr]

Have you received your NX3s already?

Shane D

Yes, I posted this on Massdrop.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/topping-nx3s-headphone-amp/talk/2271535

 

[hsdrggr]

I just received and unboxed the Topping NX3s from Massdrop. That was fast: Thanks Massdrop!!! Looks like Topping has a winner here for a lightweight portable amp that will drive the HifiMan HE4XX’s well. So far I’ve driven the NX3s with my FiiO X7 Mkii, and the EarStudio ES100 BT DAC/Amp. Obviously both are in amp-only mode. Those two combinations drive the HE4XX’s well, playing both Tidal and HiByMusic player. I generally listen to my music fairly loud and like some accentuated bass. The NX3s seems to have a slightly warm signature and I didn’t need bass boost to really enjoy it. However, Bass Boost works fine and the HE4XX handles it well. I’m running the NX3s at between 70-90% volume to get the music to my personal listening levels. To me, the ES100 supplied by BT from my iPhone 8 produced the cleanest sound and I was able to tweak the sound signature slightly to my likeing with the built-in EarStudio EQ, (adjustable by app). But I had to push the ES100’s gain up (overdrive) by about 4db to get levels up to the max where I like them. Probably 105-110db at headphones. When driven by the FiiO X7 Mkii there was plenty of power but I noticed a little distortion at High volumes. Lowering the X7’s output slightly, cleared that up and still produced good clear listening levels. Right now my go-to setup will be the iPhone > ES100 > NX3s just because of it’s convenience and portability. Maybe some time with my Hiby R3 too once I try it. For now my X7 Mkii will stay dedicated to my home tube amp, where it pairs nicely.
If if anyone is wondering about how the Topping NX3s compares with the Xduoo XD-05 amp, the XD-05 does win hands down. Much more headroom on gain 3, slightly fuller sound and cleaner. But the XD-05 is a lot of luggage to carry around on my belt or stacked.
So the NX3s will be suiting me very well as my new go-to portable amp for the HE4XX’s along with my Little Bear B4 tube amp rolled with Burson’s V5i op amp and Urbanfun’s Transound One bertilium driver headphones. I am continuously amazed how exemplary sounding the Transound One headphones are when it comes to detail, bass and fast driver response. Also, it’s combo with the modded Little Bear B4 is absolutely sublime. Cheers

Edit: been listening to Lindsey Stirling with the NX3s, ES100 & HE4XX’x headphones OMG they sound so incredible!!! The subbass on the HE4XX’s is amazing. Actually have goosebumps.

 

[Shane D]

I just received and unboxed the Topping NX3s from Massdrop. That was fast: Thanks Massdrop!!! Looks like Topping has a winner here for a lightweight portable amp that will drive the HifiMan HE4XX’s well. So far I’ve driven the NX3s with my FiiO X7 Mkii, and the EarStudio ES100 BT DAC/Amp. Obviously both are in amp-only mode. Those two combinations drive the HE4XX’s well, playing both Tidal and HiByMusic player. I generally listen to my music fairly loud and like some accentuated bass. The NX3s seems to have a slightly warm signature and I didn’t need bass boost to really enjoy it. However, Bass Boost works fine and the HE4XX handles it well. I’m running the NX3s at between 70-90% volume to get the music to my personal listening levels. To me, the ES100 supplied by BT from my iPhone 8 produced the cleanest sound and I was able to tweak the sound signature slightly to my likeing with the built-in EarStudio EQ, (adjustable by app). But I had to push the ES100’s gain up (overdrive) by about 4db to get levels up to the max where I like them. Probably 105-110db at headphones. When driven by the FiiO X7 Mkii there was plenty of power but I noticed a little distortion at High volumes. Lowering the X7’s output slightly, cleared that up and still produced good clear listening levels. Right now my go-to setup will be the iPhone > ES100 > NX3s just because of it’s convenience and portability. Maybe some time with my Hiby R3 too once I try it. For now my X7 Mkii will stay dedicated to my home tube amp, where it pairs nicely.
If if anyone is wondering about how the Topping NX3s compares with the Xduoo XD-05 amp, the XD-05 does win hands down. Much more headroom on gain 3, slightly fuller sound and cleaner. But the XD-05 is a lot of luggage to carry around on my belt or stacked.
So the NX3s will be suiting me very well as my new go-to portable amp for the HE4XX’s along with my Little Bear B4 tube amp rolled with Burson’s V5i op amp and Urbanfun’s Transound One bertilium driver headphones. I am continuously amazed how exemplary sounding the Transound One headphones are when it comes to detail, bass and fast driver response. Also, it’s combo with the modded Little Bear B4 is absolutely sublime. Cheers

Edit: been listening to Lindsey Stirling with the NX3s, ES100 & HE4XX’x headphones OMG they sound so incredible!!! The subbass on the HE4XX’s is amazing. Actually have goosebumps.

I am really surprised you wear these out and about. I love them, but they are very open. If you are playing them loud, people must hear the music from ten to fifteen feet away?

Shane D

 

[hsdrggr]

I am really surprised you wear these out and about. I love them, but they are very open. If you are playing them loud, people must hear the music from ten to fifteen feet away?

Shane D

Yeah, Not in public. Walking around the house, mowing lawn, in the car (illegal, oh well). I'm retired, wife still works and kids are grown or in college. So no one home to bug me in general.

 

[dgindlespergerd]

I am really surprised you wear these out and about. I love them, but they are very open. If you are playing them loud, people must hear the music from ten to fifteen feet away?

Shane D

I where mine grocery shopping every week. Just sharing the good music..

 

[hsdrggr]

I where mine grocery shopping every week. Just sharing the good music..

 

[472837]

First, I'd like to say that I haven't read through the entire thread (And I don't know if I'm expected to), but I just wanted to share my pad-rolling experiences, and also hear some of yours.

I tried mounting a pair of velour pads with a soild rubber backside (DT880 pads??), which to my ears made the lowend even more pronounced than at stock, and also made it boomy. Like...a lot. So off they came. Then I thought: " Let me try mounting a pair of cheap (wannabe)leather pads that I just got from eBay" I didn't expect improvements to the sound, but to my ears, the lowend came quite a ways down and was "behaving", all of a sudden. No more boomy lowend, but rather a less pronounced but still noticeable and more controlled lowend.

What are your experiences with other pads than the stock ones?

 

[omniweltall]

I tried the dekoni sheepskin dt770/880/990 pads from massdrop. It works well too, bringing down that treble.

 

[Lurk650]

Didnt realize that Dekoni sells the HE pads on Amazon, comes with the rings. SS is $60 and Fenesrated are $70, quite expensive but might willing to give one a go. Has anybody tried either or both?

 

[Shane D]

Has anybody noticed that these get a little "screechy" at the high end? I have been using these every day and find them just amazing. However, there have been four or five songs where certain high passages turn into a screech. This can occur with a strong female voice screaming or guitars really ripping it up. Something to do with the treble I guess. I have listened to hundreds and hundreds of songs and this has only happened a few times and then only for a second or two. I don't know the audiophile term for it, but I have never experienced it before.

I would still rate these as great headphones, as in a 99 out of 100. But when that screech happens, it will go through you like nails on a chalk board. Not sure what that will mean in the long term.

These are pretty hard to drive. I am using a Sony NW-ZX300 through the balanced output, in high gain and going as high as 85/90 (depending on the music) out of a max of 120. WAY higher than any of my other 'phones, but they sound great. I do not feel they need an amp, but I did order a cheapie Topping. Hopefully, one day I will get it.

I didn't expect perfect at this price point, but I still think they are a great value. Great for jazz. Piano, acoustic guitar and horns sound great. The last part surprised me as I feared that the wailing of horns might be a problem, but nothing so far. Miles is sounding great.


Shane D

 

[omniweltall]

Has anybody noticed that these get a little "screechy" at the high end? I have been using these every day and find them just amazing. However, there have been four or five songs where certain high passages turn into a screech. This can occur with a strong female voice screaming or guitars really ripping it up. Something to do with the treble I guess. I have listened to hundreds and hundreds of songs and this has only happened a few times and then only for a second or two. I don't know the audiophile term for it, but I have never experienced it before.

I would still rate these as great headphones, as in a 99 out of 100. But when that screech happens, it will go through you like nails on a chalk board. Not sure what that will mean in the long term.

These are pretty hard to drive. I am using a Sony NW-ZX300 through the balanced output, in high gain and going as high as 85/90 (depending on the music) out of a max of 120. WAY higher than any of my other 'phones, but they sound great. I do not feel they need an amp, but I did order a cheapie Topping. Hopefully, one day I will get it.

I didn't expect perfect at this price point, but I still think they are a great value. Great for jazz. Piano, acoustic guitar and horns sound great. The last part surprised me as I feared that the wailing of horns might be a problem, but nothing so far. Miles is sounding great.


Shane D

Are you using the stock pads? Change it to Dekoni Beyer DT protein pads. ZMF pads work too. Simple fix. The stock sound was too sharp for me too.

It isn't bad for the price. Just need to fix that treble. Actually sounds better than my previous HEKv1 or HE560, after mod and pads change.

 

[leeperry]

It isn't bad for the price. Just need to fix that treble. Actually sounds better than my previous HEKv1 or HE560, after mod and pads change

I'll be trying perforated & non-perforated pleather Brainwavz XL, SRH1540's and good old stock Velours Hifiman. I think I also got some angled velours Brainwavz and maybe others I forgot about.

Are you talking about 2.5mm HE-560? Or the old SMC? Adorama's V2/V3? FWIR only the genuine $1K SMC was good.

 

[Shane D]

Are you using the stock pads? Change it to Dekoni Beyer DT protein pads. ZMF pads work too. Simple fix. The stock sound was too sharp for me too.

It isn't bad for the price. Just need to fix that treble. Actually sounds better than my previous HEKv1 or HE560, after mod and pads change.

I hadn't thought about pads. Good pads are expensive in Canada. Dekoni does sell through amazon.ca, holy crap they are expensive. Right to $276.00, plus 15% sales tax.

I found a Beyerdynamic DT Fenestrated Elite Sheepskin. The price is $219.00 + 15% tax. Yikes!!

I went to Dekoni's site and they actually sell HiFiman pads. Have you tried those? I saw them on MassDrop, but they would have been very pricey landed in Canada.

I realized too that I had a sound processing program turned on (DSEE) and I turned it off.

I am still loving the sound!

Shane D

 

[Shane D]

I'll be trying perforated & non-perforated pleather Brainwavz XL, SRH1540's and good old stock Velours Hifiman. I think I also got some angled velours Brainwavz and maybe others I forgot about.

I'm willing to try any reversible mod so please advise

I see that Brainwavz are sold on amazon.ca. Can you point me to any that would fit these?

Thanks.

Shane D