[jtinto]

Ha. I read through your whole post once, but I won't read it three times in a row.

Thanks for the comparisons.

 

[amcananey]

I just realized I could go back and edit the duplicate posts, so I deleted them. Sorry again to all...

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

I really can't imagine that being true.  Driving to painful levels doesn't really mean "well driven" either.  Just because the sound gets loud doesn't mean that it sounds any good.  People say the e9 can drive the he-500 to painful levels too, but they all say that it also sounds terrible.  That's what I meant when I said power isn't everything.  Volume is only one factor.  I'm not an electrician so I can't really explain any further than that without lying or giving false information though.

That was me, definitely loud enough to be painful, but as to sound quality hard to say - my ears are nowhere up the standard of most in here so I wouldn't presume to really venture an opinion (I guess I could say more if I really listened to them a lot more, but mine are being returned because a couple of days later the left channel cut out). I suspect you're right about the sound being rubbish, but obviously if you can drive them that loud then you have some headroom to drop the volume a bit too and perhaps find a happier medium.

 

[LarsHP]

Quote:

That was me, definitely loud enough to be painful (...)

 
Agree. With my HM-801 (amp power is 75 mW) I too can get a painfully loud level - if the track has a high level (mostly newer rythmical music). My Master-6 amp (9 Watts in 40 Ohms) delivers in excess of 100 times more power than the HM-801, but I actually prefer the sound from the more humble HM-801.
 
I understand when people with a small portable with only around 30 mW (or less) power finds it insufficient, but this doesn't mean that all portable players are insufficient to drive the HE-400.
 
Frankly I think the sound of the HE-400 / HM-801 combo is very good indeed and it is only a few albums that aren't loud enough. In terms of sound quality (purity, transparency, resolution) the HE-400 is significantly better than K-701, which in turn is considered one of the "old" top of the world headphones.
 
I don't find the bass lacking, thin or uncontrolled when HE-400 is driven by the HM-801.
 

 

[dorino]

Anyone who's gotten theirs have any problems with driver mismatch? Is the sound pretty right across both ears?

 

[LarsHP]

Quote:

Anyone who's gotten theirs have any problems with driver mismatch? Is the sound pretty right across both ears?

There has been reports of loosing sound comepletely in one channel. I had no problems until yesterday, when the R channel disappeared completely. I measured the impedance and it was about 127 Ohms vs. about 43,5 Ohms in the L channel. Then I disassembled both sides, tightended the screws and assembeled again. Now it's about 42 and 43 Ohms on L and R (directly on the headphones contact points).
 
You could try measure the impedance on both sides to see if they measure very differently or pretty close.
Also - try turning the headphone left to right on your head and/or changing the L & R cables around to see if the difference moves or stays.
 
I embarrassed myself in a PM to Fang Bian because I thought I heard a mismatch or the drivers on my HE-6, that was in fact not a fault in the headphone, but a "mismatch" of my ears I believe ...

 
 

 

[dorino]

Quote:

There has been reports of loosing sound comepletely in one channel. I had no problems until yesterday, when the R channel disappeared completely. I measured the impedance and it was about 127 Ohms vs. about 43,5 Ohms in the L channel. Then I disassembled both sides, tightended the screws and assembeled again. Now it's about 42 and 43 Ohms on L and R (directly on the headphones contact points).
 
You could try measure the impedance on both sides to see if they measure very differently or pretty close.
Also - try turning the headphone left to right on your head and/or changing the L & R cables around to see if the difference moves or stays.
 
I embarrassed myself in a PM to Fang Bian because I thought I heard a mismatch or the drivers on my HE-6, that was in fact not a fault in the headphone, but a "mismatch" of my ears I believe ...

 
I'm aware of that issue with the first batch. That's not really what I was talking about. Thanks, though.

 

[RodSmith]

Anyone seen a review for these?

 

[tiesto141141]

a 400$ heaphone with all that kind of technical issues, i don't think it is normal in that price range.....

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

a 400$ heaphone with all that kind of technical issues, i don't think it is normal in that price range.....

The LCD-3 is having pretty much the same issues at 2K.
 
I don't really think its acceptable at either price though.

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

The LCD-3 is having pretty much the same issues at 2K.
 
I don't really think its acceptable at either price though.

Seriously, at this price range and up, these issues are unacceptable.  I mean c'mon, I expect a perfectly function headphone at these prices.

 

[john57]

That makes me wonder if these planner headphones will hold up down the road.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

That makes me wonder if these planner headphones will hold up down the road.

If they make them right in the first place they should last forever.  I have some old Yamaha orthos that date to somewhere between 1978 and 1985 and they still work just fine.
 
They just haven't worked out getting those two models produced properly in the first place as far as I can tell.

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

If they make them right in the first place they should last forever.  I have some old Yamaha orthos that date to somewhere between 1978 and 1985 and they still work just fine.
 
They just haven't worked out getting those two models produced properly in the first place as far as I can tell.

If that's the case, why release a product that isn't properly finished?  Problems like this can damage consumer confidence in future product.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Remember, it doesn't reflect on the technology as a whole.  More the new, small manufacturers combined with an unexplored, lesser understood technology. 
 
I don't think it's that big a deal as long as Hifiman treats customers right, which they are.  If you want something safe, traditional, etc buy a Sennheiser or a Beyer.