[TRapz]

Some people keep up with all the posts in this thread, I mean.

Some people keep up with the posts in this thread? Nahhhh! XD

 

[Music Alchemist]

Some people keep up with the posts in this thread? Nahhhh! XD

 
I'm the only one?! Jeesh...

 

[TRapz]

 
I'm the only one?! Jeesh...

Kidding 

 This is the one thread I follow pretty thoroughly. I'm pretty much satisfied with audio gear for now (until I start looking at open headphones, and I've mostly decided on those), and the people/stuff here is cool, so I hang around the help and recommendations, members' lounge, and music forums. I throw in stuff to help when possible, but it's not often because I don't own/haven't tried a lot of headphones. After a few more meets/gear purchases I'll probably do more. I would like to review my SRH440 at some point.
 
YKYAAW you hang around Head-Fi, just because
 
This has turned more into a general conversation thread, hasn't it? 

 

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Kidding 

 This is the one thread I follow pretty thoroughly. I'm pretty much satisfied with audio gear for now (until I start looking at open headphones, and I've mostly decided on those), and the people/stuff here is cool, so I hang around the help and recommendations, members' lounge, and music forums. I throw in stuff to help when possible, but it's not often because I don't own/haven't tried a lot of headphones. After a few more meets/gear purchases I'll probably do more. I would like to review my SRH440 at some point.
 
YKYAAW you hang around Head-Fi, just because
 
This has turned more into a general conversation thread, hasn't it? 

 

 
YKYAAW you find many headphones you enjoyed in the past to be unlistenable now that you've heard better ones...and fully expect those better ones to sound unlistenable once you upgrade in the future.
 
It's only because a few of us frequent the thread so often.

 

[Dobrescu George]

YKYAAW you follow in depth every thread you had commented on. i actually read every reply from every single thread i had ever commented on...

 

[TRapz]

 
YKYAAW you find many headphones you enjoyed in the past to be unlistenable now that you've heard better ones...and fully expect those better ones to sound unlistenable once you upgrade in the future.
It's only because a few of us frequent the thread so often.

Listening to the Stax SR-009, the HE-400i, and the HD800 haven't destroyed my listening experience at all with lower-end headphones. I really enjoy my SRH440 when it's nice and quiet; you can hear many of the details in every song, and nothing is congested. There's a point when headphones don't have any major flaws. Once you get to better headphones, minor flaws start to go away. With my SRH440, I feel like it has no flaws. Of course if I got a better headphone, minor flaws would go away and things would sound more accurate. I think that anything past $300-$400 is really just getting rid of very small flaws; the HE-400i is my favorite headphone out of all that I've tried, and only costs $500. I've found that it has no flaws and that almost nothing could be improved.
 
YKYAAW you go to headphone meets

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Listening to the Stax SR-009, the HE-400i, and the HD800 haven't destroyed my listening experience at all with lower-end headphones. I really enjoy my SRH440 when it's nice and quiet; you can hear many of the details in every song, and nothing is congested. There's a point when headphones don't have any major flaws. Once you get to better headphones, minor flaws start to go away. With my SRH440, I feel like it has no flaws. Of course if I got a better headphone, minor flaws would go away and things would sound more accurate. I think that anything past $300-$400 is really just getting rid of very small flaws; the HE-400i is my favorite headphone out of all that I've tried, and only costs $500. I've found that it has no flaws and that almost nothing could be improved.

 
You're lucky you're not as picky as I am! I find flaws with everything I've ever heard, no matter how good it is.
 
I didn't know you heard the SR-009. Which amps and music did you hear it with? Any comments?
 
What did you like about the HE-400i more than the SR-009 and HD 800?

 

[TRapz]

 
You're lucky you're not as picky as I am! I find flaws with everything I've ever heard, no matter how good it is.
I didn't know you heard the SR-009. Which amps and music did you hear it with? Any comments?
What did you like about the HE-400i more than the SR-009 and HD 800?

Yikes, I don't remember the amps I used and stuff. I really should have written everything down at the meet, but at the time I didn't even think of it. I could ask over in the thread about the meet who had it and what their set up was. All I know is that it was paired with some very expensive stuff 

 I heard "Drops of Jupiter" by Train on it as well as a few other songs I can't remember; it was the most transparent and clear headphone I'd ever heard. My problem with it was that I found vocals seemed to be in the background a bit. I love forwards vocals and neutral vocals were fine, but on the 009 they seemed to be somewhat in the back. 
 
The HE-400i really just had a preferable sound signature (for me) while still having great clarity and airiness. The HD800 was a little bright for me, and didn't have enough bass; just short of it. The HE-400i was perfect. It didn't have the exact clarity of the others, but it wasn't terribly far behind. It was the sound signature that really got to me, as well as the texture; the texture of the bass was probably one of the best I've ever heard. Vocals were perfect. Everything about it just fit what I loved, while holding onto 90% of the quality of the HD800. It was a bit further from the Stax, obviously in clarity.
 
All of these were very good headphones, but I think the HE-400i had the best mix of my favorite sound signature and great clarity. The texture especially on the HE-400i blew me away as well, I noticed it instantly. It was paired with a Magni/Modi stack, which I also really liked.
 
Edit: Found this review, which pretty much matches my impressions.

 

[TripBitShooter]

This thread acquired 5 more pages while I was asleep. Wow...

 

[Music Alchemist]

This thread acquired 5 more pages while I was asleep. Wow...

 
Hey! Haven't seen you here in fur-ever! (Lame attempt at a cat joke, since my avatar is now cat-related.)

 

[Lethe]

   
Some people keep up with all the posts in this thread, I mean.

>_< I can't keep uuuuuup. 
 
 

 
The HE-400i really just had a preferable sound signature (for me) while still having great clarity and airiness. The HD800 was a little bright for me, and didn't have enough bass; just short of it. The HE-400i was perfect. It didn't have the exact clarity of the others, but it wasn't terribly far behind. It was the sound signature that really got to me, as well as the texture; the texture of the bass was probably one of the best I've ever heard. Vocals were perfect. Everything about it just fit what I loved, while holding onto 90% of the quality of the HD800. It was a bit further from the Stax, obviously in clarity.
 
All of these were very good headphones, but I think the HE-400i had the best mix of my favorite sound signature and great clarity. The texture especially on the HE-400i blew me away as well, I noticed it instantly. It was paired with a Magni/Modi stack, which I also really liked.
 
Edit: Found this review, which pretty much matches my impressions.

See @Music Alchemist ? This is why people go to meets/auditioning sessions X) he wouldn't have found out that he liked the HE-400i over those 2 kilo dollar monsters if he didn't get to audition them all despite the other 2 wiping the floor with the HE-400i specwise.
 
 @TRapz how is the extension of the HE-400i at both high and low ends? Have you had the chance to compare them to any of the LCDs?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  >_< I can't keep uuuuuup. 
 
See @Music Alchemist ? This is why people go to meets/auditioning sessions X) he wouldn't have found out that he liked the HE-400i over those 2 kilo dollar monsters if he didn't get to audition them all despite the other 2 wiping the floor with the HE-400i specwise.
 
 @TRapz how is the extension of the HE-400i at both high and low ends? Have you had the chance to compare them to any of the LCDs?

 
My purpose in getting an ultra-high-end headphone is to have an ultimate reference headphone that reproduces recordings more accurately than others.
 
I can get a collection of headphones under $500 with various sound signatures much more easily. I already have, to an extent.

 

[Lethe]

   
My purpose in getting an ultra-high-end headphone is to have an ultimate reference headphone that reproduces recordings more accurately than others.
 
I can get a collection of headphones under $500 with various sound signatures much more easily. I already have, to an extent.

I was just teasing X) you've mentioned your dislike for meets, and I do understand what you're aiming for (I think). After going through the links you posted, I must admit I'm quite a bit more interested in the measurements and readings. That state of flagship headphones document gets quite close to my subjective opinions on several flagships and the mid-end headphones they've used as comparisons, I wonder how much consensus do other objective metric checklists overlap with my own objective/subjective opinions.
 
Do you have a fav <$500 pair of headphones? Also, I don't think you've mentioned about your personal pref in sound signature.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Do you have a fav <$500 pair of headphones? Also, I don't think you've mentioned about your personal pref in sound signature.

 
I will receive the Focal Spirit Professional in a few hours. I'm pretty sure it will end up being my favorite. (Some people like it more than the four figure flagships!)
 
Look at my signature. "90% audiophile, 10% basshead." Most of the time, I want to reproduce the recording accurately, but other times (particularly with electronic music), I want to crank the bass. I also like all kinds of other sound signatures, but I want it to sound realistic above all.

 

[reddog]

I will receive the Focal Spirit Professional in a few hours. I'm pretty sure it will end up being my favorite. (Some people like it more than the four figure flagships!)

Look at my signature. "90% audiophile, 10% basshead." Most of the time, I want to reproduce the recording accurately, but other times (particularly with electronic music), I want to crank the bass. I also like all kinds of other sound signatures, but I want it to sound realistic above all.

I have heard MrSpeakers Mad DOG Pro's are great for electronic music. I am looking forward to hearing your impressions about th e Focal Spirit Professional headphones.