[conquerator2]

The 400i is also worth a recommendation!

 

[mandrake50]

Except no one has actually had very much time with them, the design may or may not be finalized, and you can't get them yet. And of course, they are close to double the price.

 

[Oregonian]

  Can someone compare the x1 to the he-400? I'm dying to try the hifimans..

I had the X1 twice, sold both times to help finance other gear.  Really liked them and thought the comfort was exceptional. 
 
Now I just got a HE400 in a trade and after an hour of listening feel it is much better than the X1 in mids and I think I'm finally understanding the whole "planar bass" thing.  The treble is more sparkly as well.  Only negative for the HE400 is the comfort, but that's comparing perfection to merely decent.  I'm adding a HD600 headband pad this evening and have the HE560 pads on order so I figure between those two the comfort will be more than adequate. 
 
I'm a recent HiFiMan convert.  Got my HE6 about three weeks ago, fell in love with it, then promptly blew a driver so I'm just now getting that back to start enjoying it, but the HE400 is a keeper as well.  Runs nicely out of vintage gear as you'd guess and frankly thrilled I traded my Pro900 for it. 

 

[Dragonzeanse]

Not the HE-400... That's for sure. The HD650 would only be better with really good source gear, only because it scales up better than the X1.
Also, the X1's aren't as easy to drive imho as many have made them out to be... I'll have numbers on that later.

Depends on which source you're using to measure how hard it is to drive. I haven't tried them with an amp, but I have no complaints with the Fidelio X1 run off of my onboard audio. Haven't tried a music player like a Sansa Clip+.

 

[conquerator2]

X1 works well off the Clip+, so it is definitely on the easier to drive headphone side.

 

[dakanao]

  Depends on which source you're using to measure how hard it is to drive. I haven't tried them with an amp, but I have no complaints with the Fidelio X1 run off of my onboard audio. Haven't tried a music player like a Sansa Clip+.

I think they sound good with onboard audio as well, but not really worth 200 euro's in terms of sound quality.
 
My slightly modded JVC HA-S400 sounds clearer than them running of the onboard audio.

 

[Za Warudo]

I had the X1 twice, sold both times to help finance other gear.  Really liked them and thought the comfort was exceptional. 
 
Now I just got a HE400 in a trade and after an hour of listening feel it is much better than the X1 in mids and I think I'm finally understanding the whole "planar bass" thing.  The treble is more sparkly as well.  Only negative for the HE400 is the comfort, but that's comparing perfection to merely decent.  I'm adding a HD600 headband pad this evening and have the HE560 pads on order so I figure between those two the comfort will be more than adequate. 
 
I'm a recent HiFiMan convert.  Got my HE6 about three weeks ago, fell in love with it, then promptly blew a driver so I'm just now getting that back to start enjoying it, but the HE400 is a keeper as well.  Runs nicely out of vintage gear as you'd guess and frankly thrilled I traded my Pro900 for it. 

 


Hmm that's interesting. When I compared the X1 and the HE-400 I clearly preferred the X1 even though the HE-400 had better bass. The mids and treble on the HE-400 were simply too messed up for a headphone of that price.

 

[CoiL]

 

  Depends on which source you're using to measure how hard it is to drive. I haven't tried them with an amp, but I have no complaints with the Fidelio X1 run off of my onboard audio. Haven't tried a music player like a Sansa Clip+.

I think they sound good with onboard audio as well, but not really worth 200 euro's in terms of sound quality.
 
My slightly modded JVC HA-S400 sounds clearer than them running of the onboard audio.

Guys... comparing with onboard audio is not even worth of mentioning. X1 is worth every penny imho, soundwise, but needs better aftermarket cable and some amping to tighten up bass & kick and make things clearer and more accurate. Comparing X1 with stock cable with onboard audio vs. Aune T1 @ +10dB gain (recapped with elna SilmicII + Siemens E88CC tube) with custom low impedance cable ...wait, there is NOTHING to compare - absolutely different sound!

 

[Silverwind]

Guys... comparing with onboard audio is not even worth of mentioning. X1 is worth every penny imho, soundwise, but needs better aftermarket cable and some amping to tighten up bass & kick and make things clearer and more accurate. Comparing X1 with stock cable with onboard audio vs. Aune T1 @ +10dB gain (recapped with elna SilmicII + Siemens E88CC tube) with custom low impedance cable ...wait, there is NOTHING to compare - absolutely different sound!

I agree. Please don't compare using onboard audio. I ran with onboard for two weeks before the amp came. (USB soundblaster OMNI). Yes it sounds decent but the amp kicks it up a few notches. Very noticeable difference especially in the bass. I won't go back to onboard audio.

 

[Dragonzeanse]

  Guys... comparing with onboard audio is not even worth of mentioning. X1 is worth every penny imho, soundwise, but needs better aftermarket cable and some amping to tighten up bass & kick and make things clearer and more accurate. Comparing X1 with stock cable with onboard audio vs. Aune T1 @ +10dB gain (recapped with elna SilmicII + Siemens E88CC tube) with custom low impedance cable ...wait, there is NOTHING to compare - absolutely different sound!

I have a Xonar DG, would you say that might work?

 

[Fuzziekiwi]

I have a Xonar DG, would you say that might work?

I found my Xonar DG works fine with everything I own.

 

[CoiL]

Xonar DG should do ok with X1 but separate dedicated amp/dac would be probably better. I personally find ELE EL-D02 DAC/Amp (recapped with ELNA SilmicII) to be good and cheap solution for X1. Aune T1 is another league of course but ELE matches with X1 suprisingly good.

 

[Spenty]

So is there no natural upgrade from the X1's to something that has good bass and warm sound still? Don't get me wrong I love the X1's but wouldn't mind saving for a "better" version of similar sound.

 

[marko93101]

I roll with the V-Moda cable and put it through the C&C BH, that is it. ...and it sounds pretttttty sweet. A lot of you are getting caught up instead of just enjoying them 

 

[mrk]

The thing I like so much about the V-Moda cable is that it's so light that you don't even know it's there 99% of the time yet it's also so tough (V-moda rate it to 1 million bends or something crazy like that) that you don't have to worry about it breaking.
 
For £11 it really is a must have for any headphone taking a 3.5mm jack.