[jerg]

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Hi, is there a noticeable difference with using an e7 and e17 with these..? thanks..

Yes, huge difference.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Hi, is there a noticeable difference with using an e7 and e17 with these..? thanks..

Amp-wise, the E17 is much more powerful than the E7's amp, which isnt much of an amp at all.

The DAC on the E17 is clearer, more detailed, and fuller sounding. The E7's DAC, is very entry level. I felt the cheaper Fiio D3 to be better.

 

[RushNerd]

The he400 and he4 thing have always confused me, is the he4 older, and is it any better? It looks to have a different driver than the 400.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The HE4 is older. Looks like the HE6. Its actually an HE-5LE with a single magnet instead of the driver being sandwiched between two.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

The he400 and he4 thing have always confused me, is the he4 older, and is it any better? It looks to have a different driver than the 400.

It's older, much older. Basically the Hifiman HE- planars series lineage goes something like HE5 -> HE5LE -> HE6 -> HE4 -> HE6p (aka HE500) -> HE400. The HE4's have drivers that look like HE5LE drivers but with magnets only on one side, it boasted decreased weight but unfortunately suffered from a V-shaped response unlike all the other (two-side magnets) HE planars, plus extra-hard to drive due to the halved orthodynamic magnetic field.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Unfortunate for you. Im glad it has a different curve from the rest. Why have all headphones that sound so similar to one another? At least the HE4 is different, and just as good. Just...different.

Think of it as a super DT880. People love the 880. They would love the HE-4. More body, less harshness... who can hate on that? The only problem is that its ridiculously hard to drive. Get a Lyr or SA-31, or some equivalent, and they shoul reward you handsomely.

Really I the only reason they got overlooked is because the HE500 came out soon after and stole the spotlight. However, they are known to be quite different. Then comes in the HE400 which is dark and musical and a lot easier to drive. The HE4 found itself in a bad place.

Still those of us that do like slight v shaped cans brighter sounding than the HE400 (bright in the way the DT880 is) though with similar treble to the he400 should have tried the HE4, assuming they have a beastly amp to drive them.

 

[rawrster]

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Quite a few people still sell them, including Head-Direct. They may just be selling off whatever is left. Got mine from Kraft Street Audio aka Audio Advisor. Got the from the KSA listing as it's fulfilled by Amazon.
I wonder if it's gonna have the old Hifiman crate (wish they still had these for the HE400), braided cables (loved them), and oh god, the horrible plastic teeth on the old velours... lol. Guess I'm not removing those pads until I absolutely have to.

I thought they were completely gone. I had the old velours on my HE6 until yesterday. I won't be putting them back on. I had the old velours with the HE500 and broke them trying to put it back on but those were just temporary anyway.
 
I really liked the HE4. Until the HE6 they were my favorite Hifiman can. The HE500 is better but the HE4 was a better signature for me. I kinda wish I didn't sell it but I had too many headphones with the same signature then. 
 
 
On another note I'm starting to warm up to the HE400. I changed the direction of the pads since they are angled and they fare better now. Signature is still the same but more comfortable. For $400 they are a pretty good deal for this kind of signature and it doesn't have heavy amp requirements in order to sound good which means less money spent on an amp. I wish I had the HE4 to compare a bit since I liked that one at a similar price range.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Unfortunate for you. Im glad it has a different curve from the rest. Why have all headphones that sound so similar to one another? At least the HE4 is different, and just as good. Just...different.
Think of it as a super DT880. People love the 880. They would love the HE-4. More body, less harshness... who can hate on that? The only problem is that its ridiculously hard to drive. Get a Lyr or SA-31, or some equivalent, and they shoul reward you handsomely.
Really I the only reason they got overlooked is because the HE500 came out soon after and stole the spotlight. However, they are known to be quite different. Then comes in the HE400 which is dark and musical and a lot easier to drive. The HE4 found itself in a bad place.
Still those of us that do like slight v shaped cans brighter sounding than the HE400 (bright in the way the DT880 is) though with similar treble to the he400 should have tried the HE4, assuming they have a beastly amp to drive them.

 
 
uummmm.....   I have the HE-6, HE-5LE and the HE-500s  Will the HE-4 be a different sound signature all together?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I believe they're supposed to be very similar to the HE5LE (I think they're directly based off them, just without outer magnets). Not sure what that'd do to the sound, other than slow down the PRAT a bit. Pretty sure you're not missing anything since you own the HE5LE already, unless you want slower decay.

 

[Kjeldsen]

I'm pretty happy with the stock cable that comes with the HE-400, but it's too long (and a tad too stiff) for portable use for me. Can anyone recommend a decent, flexible, shorter cable for portable use? 
 
Thanks!

 

[Jenxer]

It's been two weeks and I still haven't heard from Head-Direct!

 

[Kjeldsen]

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It's been two weeks and I still haven't heard from Head-Direct!

 
Have you tried posting in the HeadDirect/Hifiman Customer Service thread?

 

[giedrys]

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It's been two weeks and I still haven't heard from Head-Direct!

 


That's why I'm still on the fence doing this exchange. I mean my "yellow" version with velours sound mighty fine to me i like it more and more with each listening. Question is- is it really worth the hassle?

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 


That's why I'm still on the fence doing this exchange. I mean my "yellow" version with velours sound mighty fine to me i like it more and more with each listening. Question is- is it really worth the hassle?

 
The hassle is to just pack it up and mail it, then scan and email the shipping receipt to Headdirect so they refund that. Then forget about it until the replacement arrives at your door some weeks after.
 
The reward is you get the proper sound HE400s, not the defective version. There is a huge difference in the treble where the proper version is many times smoother than the yellow driver units.

 

[yonitaun]

Quote:

I'm pretty happy with the stock cable that comes with the HE-400, but it's too long (and a tad too stiff) for portable use for me. Can anyone recommend a decent, flexible, shorter cable for portable use? 
 
Thanks!

 I would recomend checking out  Chris_Himself for good quality  lightweight cabes for the HE-400. Excellent  cables, and Chris is a great guy to deal with.