[Sebastiaan156]

I just got my HE4XX and the soundstage in PC games is very constricted and small. I cannot hear what's happening outside my direct vicinity. Huge night and day difference in soundstage between this and my Ad900x and K702. I dont expect the HE4XX to match the soundstage of those 2 headphones but it is not even %40 as large in terms of soundstage. This goes against the mainstream reviews i read about the HE4xx. Also i cannot hear footsteps as they are too quiet (recessed). Imaging is good though. What could be the problem? Not enough amplification power? I am using on-board audio chip on gaming laptop which drives my AKG k702 loud enough. Or could it be a faulty product?

Just got mine and the thing that amazed me was the sound stage, bought them for gaming purpose. I use a Creative zxr soundcard and they can drive them fine. But might be they sound better with more power but i wouldn't know as i dont have balanced cables for them yet.

 

[ronfifer]

Just got mine and the thing that amazed me was the sound stage, bought them for gaming purpose. I use a Creative zxr soundcard and they can drive them fine. But might be they sound better with more power but i wouldn't know as i dont have balanced cables for them yet.

Have you used any other large soundstage open back headphone before or is this your first? I used ad900x and akg k702 and the he4xx pales in comparison in terms of soundstage. Could be power issue but i doubt.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

Have you used any other large soundstage open back headphone before or is this your first? I used ad900x and akg k702 and the he4xx pales in comparison in terms of soundstage. Could be power issue but i doubt.

Noop used to Phillips fidellio x1/x2hr and Senheisser hd599 all dynamic open headphones.

hd599 good positioning but really close to the head.
x2hr larger stage but poor positioning.

 

[fm540i]

Hello owners, I just placed an order for the HE-4XX and have 2 questions. My application is online competitive FPS gaming (Battlefield) and hence I aim for solid imaging and 3D positional accuracy features in my headphone.

1. Will replacing the stock cable with a balanced cable improve the soundstage and/or the imaging capabilities of the HE4XX? A few owners tested it out and said yes it does, other users make fun of this claim. So I am confused. If yes, which cable do you recommend for this purpose? The periapt 4-pin XLR balanced cable is $93+shipping.

2. Which AMP or AMP/DAC do I need? I prefer one with a balanced output but I am also on a budget. I game on an MSI GT62VR gaming laptop with a Sabre onboard chip and also have a Yamaha YSP2500 soundbar with Headphone output.

Thank you!

Running balanced out of my ADI-2 Pro firmed up the bass a bit and increased the soundstage. I’ve already modded the grills. I built an inexpensive cable Mogami mini Quad mic cable is no more than $1.50ft. Some high quality yet cheap connectors off of amazon and some shrink wrap..both my 4XX and Sundara’s are better with the home built cable. I bought the 4xx on initial release..Sundara’s are big step up for only $150 more

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Mine just arrived. Giving them a listen now. I had the HE400 a few years ago. A/B'ed them against the Phillips Fidelio X2 and I was torn but the X2 just barely edged out and I returned the HE400. Not sure I had the amp to really power the HE400 at the time. Now I have a Schiit Audio Modi2 Uber (bought it right after I returned the HE400 so I'm able to push somewhere around 2 watts to the HE4xx. So far...I can't say I remember exactly what the HE400 sounded like....but the HE4xx are SOLID! With no break in they sound really good. I think the extra power is helping and just something new on my ears is a nice change too. I'll A/B against the X2 later and see how my thoughts have changed if they have. For $130...I'll be hanging on to the HE4xx for sure.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Now I just need some good song suggestions to run through these.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

Mine just arrived. Giving them a listen now. I had the HE400 a few years ago. A/B'ed them against the Phillips Fidelio X2 and I was torn but the X2 just barely edged out and I returned the HE400. Not sure I had the amp to really power the HE400 at the time. Now I have a Schiit Audio Modi2 Uber (bought it right after I returned the HE400 so I'm able to push somewhere around 2 watts to the HE4xx. So far...I can't say I remember exactly what the HE400 sounded like....but the HE4xx are SOLID! With no break in they sound really good. I think the extra power is helping and just something new on my ears is a nice change too. I'll A/B against the X2 later and see how my thoughts have changed if they have. For $130...I'll be hanging on to the HE4xx for sure.

Funny, my main headphones for years where the Fidellio x1 and got an x2hr. Recently I was looking for a set of cans and my eyes where drawn towards the HE4xx.

Bought mine used from a guy who had them but recently got the x2hr and there for sold the HE4xx as he thought the x2 where just a little better.

To be fair for general use I like the x2 better too, but u use the HE4xx for gaming and movies. They also destroy the x2 in classical and vocal goth music. They are cleaner and faster in metall music but they make it sound a little to controlled and life less imo.

Music I like on the HE4xx:
-Dvorak 9th symphony (classic)
-A feather in the breath of God by Emma Kirby and Christopher page (goth music, church style)
-Nightwish female focal rulled mettal.
-pink Floyd sounds awsome too, specially another brick in the wall series of the album the wall.
- I always like Ray Vaughan with his little wing cover in general.

Amazing is lennard Cohen with famous blue rain coat.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Funny....first thing I listened to was some Pink Floyd but Darkside of the Moon. Currently listening to Tool Inoculum. I'll have to check out the stuff you posted. I plan to take these on a spin later today with some Modern Warfare...see how they are for gaming. Been using the X2's for that and they are decent. Not fantastic...but decent.

So I wonder....if the X2 eeked out the HE400 back then...but now I'm thinking the HE4XX is a little better than the X2...will the newer X2HR be better than the 4XX? Like it's going to be a see saw battle...lol...I don't plan to find out though. Next step after this is either a higher end planar or maybe the jump into electrostatic...especially if the MASSDROP X KOSS ESP/95X goes on sale again.

Might have to break out the Little Dot too later and see how these do on that amp. I didn't feel like it powered the HE400 very well and that was the amp I had at the time. The HE400 just seemed...I don't know how to describe it...just kinda...stifled. Like they had more to give me but I just wasn't giving them what they needed. I don't remember the specs of the HE400. To those that have had or still have a pair...are they in fact a bit harder to drive than the HE4XX? Seems everyone is saying the 4XX is quite easy to drive which is nice if that's the case even though I'm pushing 2 watts through them at the moment. I'll try them on the Little Dot and on my Cmoy as well and see how they fare.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

Funny....first thing I listened to was some Pink Floyd but Darkside of the Moon. Currently listening to Tool Inoculum. I'll have to check out the stuff you posted. I plan to take these on a spin later today with some Modern Warfare...see how they are for gaming. Been using the X2's for that and they are decent. Not fantastic...but decent.

So I wonder....if the X2 eeked out the HE400 back then...but now I'm thinking the HE4XX is a little better than the X2...will the newer X2HR be better than the 4XX? Like it's going to be a see saw battle...lol...I don't plan to find out though. Next step after this is either a higher end planar or maybe the jump into electrostatic...especially if the MASSDROP X KOSS ESP/95X goes on sale again.

Might have to break out the Little Dot too later and see how these do on that amp. I didn't feel like it powered the HE400 very well and that was the amp I had at the time. The HE400 just seemed...I don't know how to describe it...just kinda...stifled. Like they had more to give me but I just wasn't giving them what they needed. I don't remember the specs of the HE400. To those that have had or still have a pair...are they in fact a bit harder to drive than the HE4XX? Seems everyone is saying the 4XX is quite easy to drive which is nice if that's the case even though I'm pushing 2 watts through them at the moment. I'll try them on the Little Dot and on my Cmoy as well and see how they fare.

I do not own the x2 only the x2hr and the x1, as far as I understood the x1 and X2 are close, So is the x2hr to be fair but it's more detailed little less bass driven and way better detailed trebble. Does not mean I like the x2hr better for gaming like the darkish sound of the x1 better.

But soundstage placement on the he4xx is way Superior to both, needed to boost bass to enjoy them in gaming but now they are my 1st pick combined with monolith m300 (for gaming that is).

P.s. HE4xx is not easy to drive. My Meizu dac and fiio m5 cant cant handle them properly, creative ZxR can but need to crank the volume to near 80% on 300 ohm mode (Fidellio and m1060 stay below 50%) . Now waiting for adapter to try them with the pdv2 and 9038s.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

P.s. HE4xx is not easy to drive. My Meizu dac and fiio m5 cant cant handle them properly, creative ZxR can but need to crank the volume to near 80% on 300 ohm mode (Fidellio and m1060 stay below 50%) . Now waiting for adapter to try them with the pdv2 and 9038s.

Interesting you say that because I've been reading older posts and someone stated they were and they were running them just fine off their phone. I'm using my Schiit Audio Magni 2 Uber on high gain and my volume pot is at like 2 o'clock to get suitable volume and this amp should be putting out somewhere between 1.2w and 1.5w. So not exactly what I'd call easy to drive either.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Thinking about maybe grabbing a Schiit Jotunheim and building/buying a balanced cable. 5 watts per channel should do the trick. And I'd like to clean up my desk so a combo unit would be nice assuming that the DAC's that Schiit puts in their all in one amps are decent. Something I need to look into. If not...maybe the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 amp and just keep rocking with my Keces which I'm happy with. The 789 would put out 6 watts....so I don't think I'd ever be under powered again.

 

[bagwell359]

Thinking about maybe grabbing a Schiit Jotunheim and building/buying a balanced cable. 5 watts per channel should do the trick. And I'd like to clean up my desk so a combo unit would be nice assuming that the DAC's that Schiit puts in their all in one amps are decent. Something I need to look into. If not...maybe the DROP + THX AAA™ 789 amp and just keep rocking with my Keces which I'm happy with. The 789 would put out 6 watts....so I don't think I'd ever be under powered again.

I have the 4XX, and have run them with Rag 1 SE and balanced (hugely better than SE) as well as Fiio X3, and of all the cans I've owned or had here it seems the most insensitive to amp scaling. 5 or 6 watts into the 4XX? Get ready for a hearing aid as you age!

Pad changes show real changes as does putting anti resonant stuff on the screen side (dynamat and/or sorbothane - if you find the mid bass/upper bass fat), also screen off helps them.

 

[Sebastiaan156]

You should not run 5 wats treu them indeed.
0.04 (40mwh) is to little but on 110mwh they are loud enough mabey even to loud.

But the thing is you need something that can out 200mwh steady and easy so you can have the right volume and the amp is not on its last legs.

The pdv2 is made to run he400 series and that has an output off little above half a watt. That thing can go to loud on the he4xx for sure.

 

[Philimon]

Interesting you say that because I've been reading older posts and someone stated they were and they were running them just fine off their phone. I'm using my Schiit Audio Magni 2 Uber on high gain and my volume pot is at like 2 o'clock to get suitable volume and this amp should be putting out somewhere between 1.2w and 1.5w. So not exactly what I'd call easy to drive either.

I may have said it was fine off iphone. I meant volume wise its fine but I listen at low volumes. For example, Ill have an amp’s pot set to minimum of non channel imbalance (8oclock) and then have my computer source control volume and that will be set to 2-3clicks from 0 (mute).

Even though the 4XX can easily reach listening volumes from iphone - it doesnt sound great. Good but not great.

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Yeah...not sure. I know that with my Magi2 Uber on high gain I have the volume up to around the 2 O'clock position for normal listening and I can max it out and it not be too loud for song here and there that I really want to hear loud. That's supposedly over 1 watt. Between 1.2 and 1.5 watts. So either my amp isn't pushing the watts it claims...something is wrong with my HE4XX...or my hearing is worse than I thought. My thinking was that I'd rather have an amp that's over powered that I can listen to on lower gain and with the volume turned down but the amp will push out the power effortlessly than I would a weaker amp that has to run at nearly max power to get the same volume. I'm not dead set on a new amp. Just something I was thinking about.