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Author Topic: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions  (Read 11112 times)

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altrunox

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #40 on: August 13, 2015, 12:48:11 PM »
so if I have a super simple setup (the amp is a Fiio E11K and I don't plan to upgrade it ATM), and I'm interested in the sound of the HE400S and the HD650, the HE400S is the way to go, right?

BTW, maybe Brainwavz Hybrid pads could be a cheaper alternative to the HE560 pads?
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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #41 on: August 13, 2015, 02:55:16 PM »
Quote from: jerg on August 13, 2015, 11:02:52 AM
What are your thoughts on HE1K's resolving power vs HD800? I felt when I did some comparisons that HD800 still had a tad more treble detail, but midrange/bass the two are quite neck-to-neck.

FWIW, not that I'm crazy about the HD800 (through, from that Uber7...was something else), but the HE1K didn't really impress me all that much with resolution relative to the HD800 when I tried it at the Boulder meet. Both seem to have a sort of rough or etched character due to some odd treble spike(s), but the HE1K just didn't sound as refined or technical to me. It did have good bass and mids, though. Someone like Anax or Merv could answer better, though.
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #42 on: August 13, 2015, 03:21:27 PM »
Quote from: jerg on August 13, 2015, 11:02:52 AM
What are your thoughts on HE1K's resolving power vs HD800? I felt when I did some comparisons that HD800 still had a tad more treble detail, but midrange/bass the two are quite neck-to-neck.

Gets closer, but not quite. Honestly about equal to HD6x0 (which is turn is slightly less resolving than HD800) if we isolate the bass distortion from ability to reproduce low level information. (IMO, distortion doesn't necessarily mask low level information). Not a bad reflection of the HEK as it is a more a testament to how well the HD6x0s scale.

This is on TOTL type setups. Differences will be less noticeable on mid-fi or lesser amps and DACs.
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #43 on: August 13, 2015, 03:32:22 PM »
Quote from: altrunox on August 13, 2015, 12:48:11 PM
so if I have a super simple setup (the amp is a Fiio E11K and I don't plan to upgrade it ATM), and I'm interested in the sound of the HE400S and the HD650, the HE400S is the way to go, right?

BTW, maybe Brainwavz Hybrid pads could be a cheaper alternative to the HE560 pads?

Yup. HE400S is the way to go for more modest setups.
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audiofrk

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #44 on: August 13, 2015, 05:52:53 PM »
Quote from: Anaxilus on August 13, 2015, 07:25:43 AM
HE6 driver is clearly superior to 560 in resolution and it's still waaay behind the HD800. The idea of the 560 being close is from people who haven't heard and HD800 properly. Their gear is probably mediocre. Yes, I know that's a typical line that gets eyes rolling. Unfortunately it's usually true wrt HD800 impressions.
Mediocre gear is rampant on head-fi if you can't make it sound good with a fiio stack its shit

That being said I'm starting to feel that for me the hd800 is too resolving.  the Yggy/Rag combo + anax 3.0 was excellent but hearing how distinctly the cash register  was not part of the song (Money-Pink Floyd)  wasn't my idea of musical.  The more I think about it on a day to day basis I'd run into this problem more often than less.
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Anaxilus

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #45 on: August 13, 2015, 08:57:17 PM »
Quote from: audiofrk on August 13, 2015, 05:52:53 PM
Mediocre gear is rampant on head-fi if you can't make it sound good with a fiio stack its shit

That being said I'm starting to feel that for me the hd800 is too resolving.  the Yggy/Rag combo + anax 3.0 was excellent but hearing how distinctly the cash register  was not part of the song (Money-Pink Floyd)  wasn't my idea of musical.  The more I think about it on a day to day basis I'd run into this problem more often than less.

Yes, that's correct. That actually points to the discrepancy of the master using the cash machine and blending it into the music. you are actually noticing what's actually on the recorded master as they did it. That may not be musical to most, but it's the truth. You can hear the same incoherence on the simulated didgeridoo-esque intro from the start of Aerosmith's 'Sweet Emotion' using the HD800 too. Clearly a separately mastered track spliced in by the audio engineer without proper blending.

To me, I think it's cool hearing what happened from the mastering side. Does that distract you from the music? Yes. Is it the phone's fault? No, shitty mastering.
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audiofrk

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #46 on: August 13, 2015, 09:48:36 PM »
Agreed that's why I'm doubting that there's a hd800 in my future , to many less than ideal recordings in my collection. With the hd800 I'd be listening to the master not the music
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playboiiz

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #47 on: August 16, 2015, 05:52:03 AM »
What a good value amp to go with this cans? How is Val2 with this
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Marvey

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #48 on: August 16, 2015, 06:34:06 AM »
Quote from: playboiiz on August 16, 2015, 05:52:03 AM
What a good value amp to go with this cans? How is Val2 with this

Magni 2 or Magni 2 Uber for sure. Let me try out Vali.
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playboiiz

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Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #49 on: August 16, 2015, 12:16:19 PM »
Quote from: marvey on August 16, 2015, 06:34:06 AM
Magni 2 or Magni 2 Uber for sure. Let me try out Vali.


Thanks marvey, how about Valhalla2? If its a good match then I can  add hd650 in the future without the need to buy additional amp with it.
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