[NZtechfreak]

Got mine today.
 
My ear is nowhere good enough to advise anyone in these forums, so I'll refrain from commenting on the sound quality (I'm enjoying them, but they are my first 'real' headphones).
 
I can make some comments that may be useful to some.
 
Firstly, I'd echo the comments here that these cannot be driven from portable devices. I have a Galaxy Note, and it's definitely too quiet - the Note's output via headphones is neck and neck with all the best phones so if it's not enough here I think it's safe to assume it won't be with virtually all other phones/portable players. Fortunately there is the Voodoo Louder app from Supercurio to give a +10.5dB increase, which makes it doable (to the person above talking about the S II, Voodoo Louder is also available for that handset but only gets a +6dB increase, still it's probably enough to make it worthwhile without using a headphone amp).
 
Given they are billing these as suitable for use with portable devices the lack of a 6.5mm-3.5mm adapter is a bit mystifying. Hardly a big deal, but a little disappointing given how they are being marketed don't you think?
 
The blue colour is really nice in person I think, it's dark so gives it's look an understated lift. Naturally that is purely subjective, but I think people who are put off by the colour should probably get some 'eyes-on' time to see how they find it in person.
 
They are very comfortable, but certainly the weight is noticeable. I have yet to have a really extended listen with them, so I don't know how they'll hold up comfort-wise over long periods. My initial thoughts are that some people will find them a bit heavy for long-listens.
 
Anyways, that's about I can contribute here, I'll leave comments on the sound quality to those better qualified than myself.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Got mine today.
 
My ear is nowhere good enough to advise anyone in these forums, so I'll refrain from commenting on the sound quality (I'm enjoying them, but they are my first 'real' headphones).
 
I can make some comments that may be useful to some.
 
Firstly, I'd echo the comments here that these cannot be driven from portable devices. I have a Galaxy Note, and it's definitely too quiet - the Note's output via headphones is neck and neck with all the best phones so if it's not enough here I think it's safe to assume it won't be with virtually all other phones/portable players. Fortunately there is the Voodoo Louder app from Supercurio to give a +10.5dB increase, which makes it doable (to the person above talking about the S II, Voodoo Louder is also available for that handset but only gets a +6dB increase, still it's probably enough to make it worthwhile without using a headphone amp).
 
Given they are billing these as suitable for use with portable devices the lack of a 6.5mm-3.5mm adapter is a bit mystifying. Hardly a big deal, but a little disappointing given how they are being marketed don't you think?
 
The blue colour is really nice in person I think, it's dark so gives it's look an understated lift. Naturally that is purely subjective, but I think people who are put off by the colour should probably get some 'eyes-on' time to see how they find it in person.
 
They are very comfortable, but certainly the weight is noticeable. I have yet to have a really extended listen with them, so I don't know how they'll hold up comfort-wise over long periods. My initial thoughts are that some people will find them a bit heavy for long-listens.
 
Anyways, that's about I can contribute here, I'll leave comments on the sound quality to those better qualified than myself.

Cool, glad you didn't receive a defective pair (a number of people did).
 
There are a few questions I have regarding the sound, that you should be able to answer though.
 
1) Is the treble dark? i.e. Do you feel that the highs are under-represented when you listen through these headphones? Or just right? Or too bright?
 
2) How would you place the presence of the mids from a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being there is no 'body' to voices / everything sounds nasal and shallow, and 10 being everything sounds overly lush, humid and thick like you're in a rainforest in the summer?
 
Also what are you driving it out of, if your DAP is not loud enough?

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

Cool, glad you didn't receive a defective pair (a number of people did).
 
There are a few questions I have regarding the sound, that you should be able to answer though.
 
1) Is the treble dark? i.e. Do you feel that the highs are under-represented when you listen through these headphones? Or just right? Or too bright?
 
2) How would you place the presence of the mids from a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being there is no 'body' to voices / everything sounds nasal and shallow, and 10 being everything sounds overly lush, humid and thick like you're in a rainforest in the summer?
 
Also what are you driving it out of, if your DAP is not loud enough?

Oh wow, what defects were people having?
 
In terms of treble it's very difficult for me to advise people - I've attended a few too many rock concerts in my time and have some high frequency hearing loss as a result (I'm a doctor so I got audiology testing done one day when I was visiting an audiology clinic, so I know this for a fact). With that in mind it's definitely not too bright for me, if anything a little under-represented. That said, others without my specific pattern of hearing loss may find it just right (you can see how I'm not the right person to field this particular question).
 
I'm not finding a lack of body to voices or things sounding narrow and shallow, but I don't think I can put a number on that (if I had more experience with higher quality gear I could, but I think it'd be dishonest of me to put an arbitrary number on that knowing I'm not really qualified to do so).
 
I can drive it from my Galaxy Note with Voodoo Louder (a specific application that requires Root access on the Android device in question), it's just that without this specific app I couldn't use the HE-400 with the phone. It's made by a developer Supercurio, who is widely regarded as one of the premier authorities on phone music playback and sound quality.
 
I've been trying it with my laptop via a HiFi-Man Express too, and for me it's a rather sharp step up from what I'm accustomed to.
 
I know people are hungry for impressions here, wish I could be more assistance in that regard, but hopefully the stuff I can say with some conviction is useful to a few of you.
 

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Oh wow, what defects were people having?
 
In terms of treble it's very difficult for me to advise people - I've attended a few too many rock concerts in my time and have some high frequency hearing loss as a result (I'm a doctor so I got audiology testing done one day when I was visiting an audiology clinic, so I know this for a fact). With that in mind it's definitely not too bright for me, if anything a little under-represented. That said, others without my specific pattern of hearing loss may find it just right (you can see how I'm not the right person to field this particular question).
 
I'm not finding a lack of body to voices or things sounding narrow and shallow, but I don't think I can put a number on that (if I had more experience with higher quality gear I could, but I think it'd be dishonest of me to put an arbitrary number on that knowing I'm not really qualified to do so).
 
I can drive it from my Galaxy Note with Voodoo Louder (a specific application that requires Root access on the Android device in question), it's just that without this specific app I couldn't use the HE-400 with the phone. It's made by a developer Supercurio, who is widely regarded as one of the premier authorities on phone music playback and sound quality.
 
I've been trying it with my laptop via a HiFi-Man Express too, and for me it's a rather sharp step up from what I'm accustomed to.
 
I know people are hungry for impressions here, wish I could be more assistance in that regard, but hopefully the stuff I can say with some conviction is useful to a few of you.
 

At least three people over on the other HE400 thread have their left channel cutting out.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Oh that's interesting... Mine did that when I got them home, but I assumed that was because the only old 6.5-3.5mm adapter I had was mono... I'd better check that adapter again.

 

[TMRaven]

Can anybody with an HE-400 and a 600Ω Beyer compare the two's volume outputs on an iPod?  For me a 600Ω beyer gets a good amount of volume out of an iPod at 80% volume.  

 

[Katysax]

A few more observations.
 
I am having some trouble with the left channel cutting out.  The problem is definitely related to the cable connection.  If the channel goes out and I jiggle the cable at the connection, the sound comes back.  Unfortunately making sure the connection is as tight as possible doesn't avoid this from occurring occassionally.
 
The HE-400 requires an amp coming from the Samsung Mobile Player - I can turn the volume all the way up and it is still not too loud.  I've tried various portable amps on it, and just about any one is enough.  However, obviously the sound is better with a better amp.
 
Despite the weight of the headphone I am able to wear them for fairly long periods.  The sound does not become uncomfortable or harsh.

 

[Vonx]

Quote:

 


The E6 is marginal but acceptable and the E7 is a little better with volume and clarity but I find I am running it almost at max (50-58). The E17 is now on my list. The good thing is the longevity of my hearing will be the beneficiary of slightly more sedate listening. 
 
Oh, and FWIW, my son tried them and promptly started looking for an ignition source to burn his Beats Pro.  "Sigh", looks like I am having to make an early birthday present.
 
As for the claim that they can be driven, unassisted, by an iPod like portable device is not really true. I have now tried them on 5 different portable devices and the volume is just too low so, as a minimum, consider the Fiio E6 for those kind of devices.

hahaha almost skipped over that. nice to see someone of that age group see there are better things out there
 

 

[Phos]

This just keeps getting weirder...
 
Last night I tested my HE-400 again with a different (probably better) multimeter, and that showed the left cup to have 80 ohms of resistance.  Someone in this thread mentioned that they tightened the screws on the cup to get sound out of it, and long story short, I discovered that I substantially can change the resistance of these phones by adjusting those screws, as in take them from more than 80 ohms to about 45 ohms.  
 
So they're pretty much working for now.  Guess I'll evaluate them.  

 

[JetJock]

Darn it.  Getting the cut out as well.  Strange thing is it swaps sides.  It will run fine for a while and start cutting out then be fine for a while and then the other side will do the same.  Going to email Wifiman tonight.
 
Otherwise, these sound very nice.  Assuming the channel drop can be fixed I don't regret buying these at all. 

 

[ulogin]

I am one of those whose phones haven't been shipped yet. 
 
Am just wondering if Fang can assure us that, for the next batch, he will get the imbalance issue taken care of. Seriously, these are $400 product, not $.40.

 

[detoxguy]

Instead of cutting and pasting this in multiple threads you could just email him. He's busy but very personable.
 
Quote:

I am one of those whose phones haven't been shipped yet. 
 
Am just wondering if Fang can assure us that, for the next batch, he will get the imbalance issue taken care of. Seriously, these are $400 product, not $.40.

 
 

 

[jerg]

 

Quote:

Instead of cutting and pasting this in multiple threads you could just email him. He's busy but very personable.
 


 
 

 


I PM'd him, linking to 7 posts describing the issue all from different users who have received the cans already. Hopefully he acknowledges the issue soon and starts an investigation.
 
 

 

[r_russ08]

How long until they hit retail stores?  I'm going to try and demo some HE-300's in a couple weeks but not giving my hopes up they have the full Hifiman lineup there (I'm most interested in the HE500).  With the manufacturing defects I'm assuming the product will see some delays.  It would be perfect if I could have a listen to the 300, 400 and 500 in a single sitting.

 

[Ultrainferno]

Mine just arrived, can't wait to go pick it up in a bit. will try to get some impressions up this weekend.
I wonder how it will compare to its big brother