[Gino]

@Heartsmart Focuspad A has pleather outers and velour inner linings. Focuspad has pleather outers, velour mainpad, perforated pleather inner lining. Specify by photo or description. Oh insist on getting a matched set LOL. When mounted, seams should line up at the bottom.

If you don't intend to do the grill mod, Focuspad A sounds the best with the stock grill. It brings out the mids bite. Otherwise, with a grill mod, Focuspad is the ticket. Focuspad A sounds a bit brittle with the grill mod. 

 

[Heartsmart]

@Heartsmart
 Focuspad A has pleather outers and velour inner linings. Focuspad has pleather outers, velour mainpad, perforated pleather inner lining. Specify by photo or description. Oh insist on getting a matched set LOL. When mounted, seams should line up at the bottom.


If you don't intend to do the grill mod, Focuspad A sounds the best with the stock grill. It brings out the mids bite. Otherwise, with a grill mod, Focuspad is the ticket. Focuspad A sounds a bit brittle with the grill mod. 

Thanks!

I have sent Hifiman a mail about it.

 

[YungFrieza]

What genres do these shine with? With Stock Pads and with FocusPads. Also, do these work well with poorly mastered music?

 

[dmallen]

First post on this site... I got the HE-400s over a month ago and using Fulla Schitt to drive them from MBA. Also have the HD650's to compare but until I get my "Play it by Ear" Amp and hook up it with the Schitt Bifrost going to wait to do that.
 
Loving the HE-400s with only about 20 hrs on them, by the posts I have read only going to get allot better with many more hours on them. I have the Focus A pads from the posts I had read and never used the stock. The Fulla drives these easily and seems to be a great match.
 
As I cant add a list yet, I also have the RE-400, Shure 535 SE, Westonw W4R IEMs and Sennheiser Momentum (first model). Think I will using the HE-400s most of time at home for main listening.
 
Once I get to really compare against the HD650's just keep running these awesome headphones in...

 

[JezR]

Hello, can anyone put me in the right direction for a more supple cable for HE-400S (3.5 mm stereo jack to 2 x 2.5 mm mono jacks) I'm not after fancy wire, just regular copper is fine.
 
I'm not used to this woven covered type wire that seems to have a mind of it's own and it's starting to bug me.
 
I've done some googling but I'm not having much luck as I don't know what to call it other than a 3.5 mm stereo jack to 2 x 2.5 mm mono jack cable.
 
Any suggestions or links would be good, Thanks in advance.

 

[jon parker]

  What genres do these shine with? With Stock Pads and with FocusPads. Also, do these work well with poorly mastered music?

Only had mine a week but...
For me the bass/mids/treble are superbly balanced. On mnay tracks thebalance seems almost magically perfect - I never find myself thinking i with there was more of this or less of that. Makes me wonder how well they would perform when mastering some music!?
 
The mids do indeed shine gloriously so if you are listening to someone like Etta James / Billy Holiday Etc - the voices sound butter smooth but very clear and intimate (often you can hear even the in breath as well)
 
Heavy Rock and some IDM shows its perhaps only weakness - the bass. Sometimes I find the bass a little fuzzy, not defined or hard hitting enough BUT this is not what these headphones are designed to do.
I think of them as the 'Gentleman's Audiophile Afternoon Headphones' - They are for the more mature listener I would say  
Bear in mind they have practically had no time to burn in yet.
I will be investing in the FocusPad A's
To answer you question : do these work well with poorly mastered music?
I would say no and yes I cant say for experience because I dont own any poorly mastered audio! - They are one of those headphones that will happily reward you in relation to the quality you give them - the higher the quality (mixing/mastering) the more they give back
I can see how the over all tone would not lend itself well to poor mastering.
 
Over all - these are the most listenable headphones Ive ever heard - the experience is like a well needed hot bath or sinking into a favourite armchair after a hard days work -
Technically the stock set up has some limitations but boy are they a pleasure to just sit back and enjoy music with. Ive had some of the longest listening sessions with these headphones over the last few days than i have had with any other headphone Ive ever heard
 
I love them and am developing a relationship with them like in the way a man loves a wife after many years. Sure the initial excitment has long since died BUT there is a deeper more mature love and an acceptance.
With some headphones Im running from instrument to instrument in the mix / soundstage taking time to enjoy the qualities of each. The HE-400s just want to sit comfortably with you and just . . . enjoy the music

 

[JezR]

  Hello, can anyone put me in the right direction for a more supple cable for HE-400S (3.5 mm stereo jack to 2 x 2.5 mm mono jacks) I'm not after fancy wire, just regular copper is fine.
 
I'm not used to this woven covered type wire that seems to have a mind of it's own and it's starting to bug me.
 
I've done some googling but I'm not having much luck as I don't know what to call it other than a 3.5 mm stereo jack to 2 x 2.5 mm mono jack cable.
 
Any suggestions or links would be good, Thanks in advance.

It's okay now I've sorted out a cable, I have found out it's the same as a HD 700 cable so I got one of those.
 
If anyone is interested in the surplus white and black woven I have please PM me, I'm in the UK thanks.  

 

[BenWaB3]

   They are for the more mature listener I would say

 
How dare you, sir, insult me in such a way?!?!  

  OK, age-wise, you got me, but maturity-wise.....
 
Actually, I do agree with your, and other's, review (up until you called me the dirty "M" word anyway). They just do everything right with no excesses & no deficiencies and are the most enjoyable phones I've ever had. Mine are stock too for right now. If you like them now, wait until they break in a little more. Everything you like about them will improve, in an m-word type of way.

 

[jon parker]

 

   They are for the more mature listener I would say

 
How dare you, sir, insult me in such a way?!?!  

  OK, age-wise, you got me, but maturity-wise.....
 
Actually, I do agree with your, and other's, review (up until you called me the dirty "M" word anyway). They just do everything right with no excesses & no deficiencies and are the most enjoyable phones I've ever had. Mine are stock too for right now. If you like them now, wait until they break in a little more. Everything you like about them will improve, in an m-word type of way.

 
Sir, how dare you insinuate I insulted you . . . you crazy old fart  
(I also am somewhat leaning on the other side of 'young' !)
Thats good to hear - I will be initiating burn in soon
They are interesting cans - everything sounds great BUT the better you feed into them the more they give back. I have had many 'hmmm, quite nice moments' but stick on some properly mastered Hi Res and WoW - Ive had some real  'Mother May I'  moments  

 

[Wubalubadubdub]

Anyone try to eq the he400s to get some more out of the sub bass? Wondering if these respond well to eq.

 

[Lohb]

Anyone try to eq the he400s to get some more out of the sub bass? Wondering if these respond well to eq.

Edit. Wrong 400 model.

 

[MattTCG]

Anyone know if the Oppo pm-1/2 cables are interchangeable with this headphone as well as the he1000. 

 

[Kdraper]

  Anyone know if the Oppo pm-1/2 cables are interchangeable with this headphone as well as the he1000. 

The PM2 cable will fit the 400S but the 400S cable won't fit the PM2 (just tested)

 

[MattTCG]

  The PM2 cable will fit the 400S but the 400S cable won't fit the PM2 (just tested)

 
Thanks for that!! Does it sound fine?

 

[jon parker]

Anyone try to eq the he400s to get some more out of the sub bass? Wondering if these respond well to eq.

 
Ive been burning mine in using the Cowon x9 - it has many eq settings. Each setting i have tried  made a huge differnce audibly.
(some headphones, you don't really hear much difference!)
From from this i would yes, they are very susceptible to EQ'ing
I have the Focuspad A's on order so I will also see how much difference these make to the sound