[wildlife2011]

   
What would you recommend?  I saw you mention the iFi iDSD Micro in an earlie

   
What would you recommend?  I saw you mention the iFi iDSD Micro in an earlier post but I think it's outside my budget.
 
Will the E10K that was mentioned still be viable?

 
 

   
If you can afford the idsd micro, get it. It's in a completely different class than all fiio amps I've tried. I would step down to the Nano if necessary or just want and save for the micro. 
 
The dac in the micro is worth the price of admission without even considering the very decent amp stage. 

 
Any other suggestion for amp? Budget is like $100 to $300.

 

[Bootshark]

Single-sided; but I fully agree that they are still lightweight.

 

[MattTCG]

Is the 400S single sided magnet, or the traditional double sided magnet layout? That can account for the weight being on the heavier side for a plastic housing (350g is still quite light for a planar), while the HE-400i was metal but with only single sided magnets.

It's a single sided magnet array. 

 

[john57]

Is the 400S single sided magnet, or the traditional double sided magnet layout? That can account for the weight being on the heavier side for a plastic housing (350g is still quite light for a planar), while the HE-400i was metal but with only single sided magnets.

"HE-400S are “HiFiMAN’s lightest headphone to date”. Underneath the covers sits a brand new, rectangular, single-sided driver that’s designed and made in China"
 
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/06/hifiman-debut-299-he-400s-at-t-h-e-show-newport-2015/
 
On the 400i
 

The Look

- ABS polymer ear cups in a gloss charcoal finish give the HE400i a striking contemporary look.
http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE400i-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

 

[Fidelity King]

Has anyone been able to compare the 400s to the R70x?

 

[Dan--]

What's the difference between a headphone that naturally has a lot of bass presence (such as the HE-400) versus a similar headphone with tight, accurate bass in slightly less quantities, but boosted by EQ, tone controls, or a colored amp?

 

[Hardtrancing]

As for tonality it sounds like I shouldn't bother with these since I already have the 400i. But I am curious about the sound quality difference between 400i and 400S.
Can anyone comment on that?

 

[cute]

  As for tonality it sounds like I shouldn't bother with these since I already have the 400i. But I am curious about the sound quality difference between 400i and 400S.
Can anyone comment on that?

I sent a PM to @Hifiman-us, and here is his response from Peter, maybe this will help!
 
"Understood. It is funny some people accuse the HE400 as having too much bass while for others one can never have too much. 
 
400S is more in line sonically with newer HE models. Has the new headband, light weight, sensitivity and even plug in connectors. It will be a smash success but not for everybody." 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I sent a PM to @Hifiman-us, and here is his response from Peter, maybe this will help!

"Understood. It is funny some people accuse the HE400 as having too much bass while for others one can never have too much. 

We're not asking for too much, we're asking for HE400 levels of bass. Far from too much, compared to actual basshead headphones.

Just sounds like another excuse to me. So yeah, let's just make yet another headphone that lacks the bass output of the actual original 400.

It's like they're only listening to a demographic that wouldn't normally even BUY a $300 headphone, but ones costing a bit more.

Like "Hey guys who own the 560 or 400i, here's a cheaper alternative for you, even though you already own the 560/400i"

.

 

[conquerator2]

That's kinda true... But then it did pique my curiosity so they succeeded
Still I'd be interested in a HE400 esque headphone too, with fixed treble... Never got to try it so I sure would!

 

[grizzlybeast]

^^yup sold them for some monitors

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Eventually, we're gonna get an oversaturation of the same general sound signature at every $100 tier, with no actual variety.

 

[manbear]

What's the difference between a headphone that naturally has a lot of bass presence (such as the HE-400) versus a similar headphone with tight, accurate bass in slightly less quantities, but boosted by EQ, tone controls, or a colored amp?

It really depends on the headphone. I boost up the bass on HE-400i via EQ and it is maybe 90% as good as the HE-400's bass. But the HE-400i is always going to have a certain character and texture to the bass that's different from the HE-400. Same story to a greater or lesser extent for any two headphones. 

 

[tinyman392]

What's the difference between a headphone that naturally has a lot of bass presence (such as the HE-400) versus a similar headphone with tight, accurate bass in slightly less quantities, but boosted by EQ, tone controls, or a colored amp?

You'll raise the quantity, but there is also a time-domain that you forget about which makes as big of a difference if not more.  Sometimes the time domain can make a bass heavy phone really feel a lot less heavy or a bass light phone actually seem like it has more bass.  Sound is a very weird thing that is dependent on so many factors.  
 
_____
 
I really can't wait to go home tomorrow...  

 

[Dan--]

How does the time domain aspect materialize differently if you're listening for it?