I never try so far, cos I mainly use the SA3K to watch movie, pair with my super warm TV . The conversation is very clear though.
I can try with BCL if you want.
Hey Steve, I like this one! Can you give us HE-400 owners a few words on what puts these above the HD800 for you so we can feel good, please? (and save me some future misspent fortune!)
No problem! It may just be that the HE-400 is more suited to my tastes. I've gone through a pretty large gamut of headphones over my tenure here, and the HE-400s seem pretty much spot on to what I've been looking for in a headphone. The HD800 is extremely neutral and has a massive soundstage, which may be what many are after but I sometimes find them a tad boring as a result. I really love how involved the music sounds with the HE-400 - bass has weight and authority while not being bloomy, soundstage is large but encompassing and instrument separation is always discernible. Just more dynamic and fun while not being overly coloured. Both headphones are an excellent contrast to each other but I find myself reaching a tad more for the HE-400 - so much so that I'm debating whether or not to keep the HD800 since adding the HiFiman to my stable.
I always get more immersed with what I'm listening to with the HE-400 - it's more enjoyable, while with the HD800 they're a bit too clinical that I find myself listening to the headphone rather than the actual music... If that makes sense??
I figured that ranking might be a tad controversial. You pretty much nailed it there. Don't get me wrong, I love the D7000 (I'm actually listening to the new Daft Punk album on them right now
). I find myself naturally gravitating towards the DT880 over the LA-D7000 since it is so close to neutral. I've really come to appreciate the DT880, especially over the past few months. They sound so good with just about any type of music to my ears. They are also extremely comfortable on my head and I can wear them for several hours.
These however have been recabled for balanced use with a Black Dragon V1 cable so that may have something to do with it. I haven't heard a stock DT880 so I can't say for sure if the cable has had a substantial effect on the sound. It definitely has plenty of thump in the bass, though, which is an area where many have said it lacks.
No problem! It may just be that the HE-400 is more suited to my tastes. I've gone through a pretty large gamut of headphones over my tenure here, and the HE-400s seem pretty much spot on to what I've been looking for in a headphone. The HD800 is extremely neutral and has a massive soundstage, which may be what many are after but I sometimes find them a tad boring as a result. I really love how involved the music sounds with the HE-400 - bass has weight and authority while not being bloomy, soundstage is large but encompassing and instrument separation is always discernible. Just more dynamic and fun while not being overly coloured. Both headphones are an excellent contrast to each other but I find myself reaching a tad more for the HE-400 - so much so that I'm debating whether or not to keep the HD800 since adding the HiFiman to my stable.
I always get more immersed with what I'm listening to with the HE-400 - it's more enjoyable, while with the HD800 they're a bit too clinical that I find myself listening to the headphone rather than the actual music... If that makes sense??
Thanks for getting back with that, Steve, and it makes a lot of sense. I enjoy having a range of cans for different purposes. Like you, I really enjoy the exciting and vivid presentation of music that I get from my HifiMans, but often at night, I end up reaching for my HD598s a lot, due to their supreme comfort and easy going yet detailed approach. Everything sounds slightly rounded off with them, but so smooth and inviting, which is a nice balm from the HE-400s.
Being a musician who has also spent many hours in big studios, hearing stuff played through industry standard setups and monitors, I know what a clinical and analytical approach sounds like and it doesn't always move. Still though, I do like to dig deep into recordings and hear between the lines, especially the great big orchestral stuff that I'm mostly into and I dearly hope that one day I'll be privy to hear the HD800s!
Happy listening! (Just listening to Sibelius's 6th symphony, played by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis through my HE-400s)
I figured that ranking might be a tad controversial. You pretty much nailed it there. Don't get me wrong, I love the D7000 (I'm actually listening to the new Daft Punk album on them right now
). I find myself naturally gravitating towards the DT880 over the LA-D7000 since it is so close to neutral. I've really come to appreciate the DT880, especially over the past few months. They sound so good with just about any type of music to my ears. They are also extremely comfortable on my head and I can wear them for several hours.
These however have been recabled for balanced use with a Black Dragon V1 cable so that may have something to do with it. I haven't heard a stock DT880 so I can't say for sure if the cable has had a substantial effect on the sound. It definitely has plenty of thump in the bass, though, which is an area where many have said it lacks.
Could easily see this. The DT 880 is probably my third favorite overall headphone right behind the HE60 and JH13. Can't believe they can be had for under $200 these days.
Added the HD 600. Shuffled things around. Diversified the ranking scheme.
Personal preference
1 Sennheiser unipolar 2000*
2 Yamaha HP-50*
3 AKG K 250
4 KWH HOK 80*
5 Beyerdynamic DT 990 (1980s version)*
6 Sennheiser HD 530*
7 Sennheiser HD 600
8 AKG K 241
9 AKG K 240 DF*
10 AKG K 141 (1970s version; Monitor drivers?)
11 Audio-Technica ATH-2
12 Beyerdynamic DT 100
Objective; rank by performance
1 Sennheiser unipolar 2000*
2 Yamaha HP-50*
3 Beyerdynamic DT 990 (1980s version)*
3 Sennheiser HD 600
5 KWH HOK 80*
6 AKG K 240 DF*
7 AKG K 141 (1970s version; Monitor drivers?)
8 AKG K 241
9 Sennheiser HD 530*
10 AKG K 250
11 Audio-Technica ATH-2
12 Beyerdynamic DT 100
* = Modded. In cases, the unmodded version would perform far worse; for instance, the HOK would be found very near the bottom on both lists if not for mods.
^So HD600 is the best of the bunch when comparing unmodded to unmodded. What do you like so much about K250 even though it's pretty low on objective performance?
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. The conversation is very clear though.
![size]](http://files.head-fi.org/images/smilies/L3000.gif[size=13px][/size])
