[theLiminator]

  You should hear them after 120-150 hours. Sound gets darker and bass gets punchier and detailed.
 
 
I still can't understand how the pads are changing the sound. Normally I would buy them and try but in Turkey we have crisis now. I mean in this times 40$ means 7/1 of a normal person's salary. Giving it to a pad would be a waste. But at least someone can tell me the logic of this Focus Pas changing sound thing? I really don't get it. 

 

You're the guy that says cables affect the sound a lot right? In fact, pads have a much larger effect on the sound of a headphone than the cables. The difference between cables is probably on the order of 1% or less, whereas pads can totally change the sound of a headphone by maybe 10-20% sometimes more.

 

[Cotnijoe]

Think of pads as the room youre in for speakers. Different size of room or resonance of the room changes how the sound is from the speakers. How the speakers are angled changes the sound. How close or far the speakers are changes the sound.

Similar idea with pads. Pads change the angle, distance, etc. Different pad material also change the sound as well. Similar to how different esrphone tips make all the difference.

Pads make a hell lot of difference

 

[Shembot]

I got my HE-400S yesterday. My first impression is that it's absolutely incredible for the price. The subbass is a bit rolled off, but the sound signature is neutral yet rich and lively, and it sounds amazing. I've had trouble taking them off! Now I guess I see what people have been raving about with HiFiMAN (these are my first from HiFiMAN).
 
The stock pads do suck, though. They feel cheap. A friend is letting me borrow some FocusPads, so I'm planning to try them out and see if they're better. If so, I'll buy a set.
 
I recently tried the Oppo PM-3 because of all the hype, and I was disappointed -- I found the PM-3 very unengaging. It didn't do much wrong, it was just rather boring and very overhyped. These, on the other hand, really impress me, and they're $100 cheaper! I'm not sure why people are so quick to compare these two models in particular; to my ear, the 400S is in a different league despite being less costly. 

 

[Aegruin]

  I got my HE-400S yesterday. My first impression is that it's absolutely incredible for the price. The subbass is a bit rolled off, but the sound signature is neutral yet rich and lively, and it sounds amazing. I've had trouble taking them off! Now I guess I see what people have been raving about with HiFiMAN (these are my first from HiFiMAN).
 
The stock pads do suck, though. They feel cheap. A friend is letting me borrow some FocusPads, so I'm planning to try them out and see if they're better. If so, I'll buy a set.
 
I recently tried the Oppo PM-3 because of all the hype, and I was disappointed -- I found the PM-3 very unengaging. It didn't do much wrong, it was just rather boring and very overhyped. These, on the other hand, really impress me, and they're $100 cheaper! I'm not sure why people are so quick to compare these two models in particular; to my ear, the 400S is in a different league despite being less costly. 

They're both Planar. This is the reason peoples are comparing them I guess.
After 150 hours of burn-in roll off slightly disapears but it is still exist. I think subbass roll off gives a neutral and detailed sound to the headphone at the end.

 

[BenWaB3]

Hey, glad to see this thread kick back in!! The last post on it had been Thursday afternoon & since it's been such  busy thread I was afraid something might have happened to it on the servers. I may get a chance to audition them tomorrow & have been following the thread pretty closely.

 

[Gino]

I've seen measurements elsewhere and the Focuspads do extend the bass.

 

[Lohb]

Anyone else running these off vintage iron (old school amps) on speaker taps ?
That current really must snap the low-end into life.

 

[michaelgordon]

Anyone bough these in the UK?  If so where did you get them, google not bringing anything up

 

[Aegruin]

  Anyone bough these in the UK?  If so where did you get them, google not bringing anything up

I don't know if there is a local store in UK selling them but you can get them from the site of Head-Direct. 

 

[Ultrainferno]

  Anyone bough these in the UK?  If so where did you get them, google not bringing anything up

 
Doesn't custom-cable.co.uk sell Hifiman?

 

[skeames1214]

These sound pretty ******* good with the schiit stack.

 

[Dudco]

Just finished reading this thread from page 1 till 94 and as a result I know that I don’t know anything.
Personal opinions are just so different sometimes especially if we talk about music and sound in general.
 
Anyway my short list looks like this now :
1.    HiFiman HE-400S – 400 Canadian dollars (new)
2.    AKG 7XX -300 Canadian dollars (used)
Will use these headphones with Fiio A12 (880mW at 32 Ohm's)
What do you think which one to buy? I will be very appreciated for your opinions, thank you
 
P.S. Just sold my Sennheiser HD 598, music was just so harsh for my ears so much bright that I couldn’t listen to it more than 1 hour. Now I am using my amperior (Sennheiser HD 25 aluminium ) and I like them more.

 

[skeames1214]

That's the exact decision I just had to make too, haha. Went with the 400s, got em for 250 on eBay, using them with my schiit stack. Can't speak to the 7xx (though I've heard good things), but I really like the 400s, and like you I was a somewhat dissatisfied 598 owner. They were my first set of niceish headphones, but they didn't really wow me. The 400s' are better in every way.

 

[Gino]

Paired my 400S with an Asgard and it still wows me month later. I do not believe I've hit the 150hrs yet. 

 

[sgtbilko]

  Anyone bough these in the UK?  If so where did you get them, google not bringing anything up

Audio-affair have them
 
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/hifi-man-he-400s-planar-magnetic-headphones?gclid=Cj0KEQjwgeuuBRCiwpD0hP3Cg4kBEiQAHflm1tHwKIKRBEYIKDyz_wDZ4a5Pf4cw1K0UqqAAybw0w9MaArD08P8HAQ