[canthearyou]

Ow, I guess no 560 killer. From a positive purchase to a pass :/

Were you expecting them to beat an $800+ headphone?

 

[DaemonSire]

This is disheartening...Like the others, I was hoping for a 400 successor.
 
I'm sure it is a great headphone and I actually like the looks of it as well.  If I didn't already have similar, I would grab it but I want a bassy-fun 400 sound to add to my collection.  I was really hoping that this was it.
 
Went from a buy to pass...
 
 
 
With the 400i and 560 (and the 500 still going strong), why release the 400S?  Basically just trying to hit the sub-$300 market and be the first planar in the range?
 
 
From what I have gathered, the naming should really have been:
 
400S = 300i (i.e. budget HFM)
400i = 500i (similar to the 500)
560 = this actually makes sense (500 + 6)
 
 
So what we really WANT is a true 400i = the 400 successor.
 
Before the new line, the 400 had a great following, why not give the people what they want?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Trying to be more 'business' less 'pleasure'?

I still would like to hear the 400S to see how well it fares against other balanced headphones, but there is a difference between wanting to hear and compare, and NEEDING IT LIKE A DRUG, like I'd want a HE-400 MKII.

Hifiman just keeps playing it 'safe'. Safe is boring.

Can't wait until a new planar dev caters to the fun crowd. Like a Denon/Fostex (though not that drastic TH-500RP, but more along the lines of their dynamic headphone tuning.)

 

[rovopio]

  This is disheartening...Like the others, I was hoping for a 400 successor.
 
I'm sure it is a great headphone and I actually like the looks of it as well.  If I didn't already have similar, I would grab it but I want a bassy-fun 400 sound to add to my collection.  I was really hoping that this was it.
 
Went from a buy to pass...
 
 
 
With the 400i and 560 (and the 500 still going strong), why release the 400S?  Basically just trying to hit the sub-$300 market and be the first planar in the range?
 
 
From what I have gathered, the naming should really have been:
 
400S = 300i (i.e. budget HFM)
400i = 500i (similar to the 500)
560 = this actually makes sense (500 + 6)
 
 
So what we really WANT is a true 400i = the 400 successor.
 
Before the new line, the 400 had a great following, why not give the people what they want?

 
Them naming man. Sometimes it's confusing the heck out of new people.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

 Basically just trying to hit the sub-$300 market and be the first planar in the range?

MrSpeakers Mad Dog was the first, IIRC. Of course, the T50RP was much cheaper.

 

[money4me247]

MrSpeakers Mad Dog was the first, IIRC. Of course, the T50RP was much cheaper.

first modern open planar in this price range I believe. quite competitive pricing. basically only $50 more than their discontinued dynamic driver he-300. price-point-wise, this headphone is going to be a great affordable intro to planar tech for budget shoppers

 

[tmello56]

Can anyone compare these to the mad dogs
Have a pair of 3.2s and am wondering if the open vs closed is worth a purchase. Haven't purchased a hifiman product prior.

 

[john57]

 

   
 
 
This is the 400i. It looks a little different in comparison to the previous 400s pic. 

Here is the previous shot of the 400S looks like 7 magnet bars
glued equal distance from each other.   
                                                                                                     
 

 
 
 
 
 
The 400i loook like the magnets are tied together? They should sound a bit different but maybe not as great some would expect. The magnet structure seems to be more substantial on the 400i

 

[obsidyen]

   
 
*This headphone needs WAY more power than I expected. I'm using a Project Ember on high gain, which can drive the he-6 to respectable levels and I don't feel that I'm overpowering the 400s at all. Plugging these into my HTC one (m8) , which is one of the better smartphones for powering full sized hp's, sounds somewhat anemic. There's just not nearly enough power there to get this hp going. 
 
 

 
I don't like to say "I told you" but I told you. 

 

[gr8soundz]

All this talk of a true HE-400 successor makes me think I should get the 400 instead of the 400s (the 400 is now down to $289 new).
 
Have yet to hear either headphone so now I'm wondering what are the cons for the old 400?
 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Scooped upper mids (if you like prominent upper mids, the 400 will disappoint), and really emphasized treble.

 

[Cotnijoe]

 
All this talk of a true HE-400 successor makes me think I should get the 400 instead of the 400s (the 400 is now down to $289 new).
 
Have yet to hear either headphone so now I'm wondering what are the cons for the old 400?
 

 
Right off the bat though, the 400S will have the benefit of being much more comfortable. I dont know how the two sound in comparison, but assuming they are somewhat similar, the comfort honestly makes the 400S quite worth it

 

[gr8soundz]

Scooped upper mids (if you like prominent upper mids, the 400 will disappoint), and really emphasized treble.

 
So I guess its a choice between not enough bass on the 400s vs. less mids and irritating treble on the 400. Damn you Hifiman!
 

   
Right off the bat though, the 400S will have the benefit of being much more comfortable. I dont know how the two sound in comparison, but assuming they are somewhat similar, the comfort honestly makes the 400S quite worth it

 
Comfort is a priority for me so that's good news and wouldn't mind adding a cheap, open planar to my collection. Should at least give more soundstage than my PM-3s.
 
Speaking of cheap, open planars, anyone know how comfy (or not) the new Fostex mk3s are?
 

 

[rovopio]

   
So I guess its a choice between not enough bass on the 400s vs. less mids and irritating treble on the 400. Damn you Hifiman!

 
More Mids, Okay Treble, Adequate Bass = 400i
 
Seems like Hifiman is playing Connect4 with the 400 Line.

 

[sonicaudio]

HE-400 mods include, Focus Pads, shelf liner, grill mod (same as HE-6, HE-4), and HE-6 cable to an amp with some power, ie, speaker amp etc.

Hi cutie, could you please tell me more about the shelf liner mod? Thanks