CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 10:10:22 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 [9]

Author Topic: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions  (Read 11117 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #80 on: September 10, 2015, 05:10:44 PM »

As in no placebo? :D

You need to pay much more for placebo. ;)
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

spoony

  • 5 years late on rickrolling
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +13/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 274
  • ex c61746961
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #81 on: September 10, 2015, 08:24:57 PM »

Frequency Response
Ew, that looks like the TH500RP, only worse.
Logged

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #82 on: September 10, 2015, 08:35:40 PM »

Ew, that looks like the TH500RP, only worse.

No, not really remotely comparable in sound at all. This is one of the better bang per buck phones ever made, TH500RP is a disgusting abomination to the senses.
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

Psalmanazar

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +12/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 58
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #83 on: September 10, 2015, 08:41:35 PM »

So, how does it compare with hd600?
The HD 6XX sound better and scale up better with better gear and recordings. They're just better. This is a hundred bucks cheaper and messes with bass and guitar levels in the upper bass and lower mids due to excessive warmth but it is a hundred bucks cheaper. I was willing to fork over some more bills as that's unacceptable for metal. You might be willing to put up with it though. Your call.
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #84 on: September 10, 2015, 09:06:04 PM »

The HE400S (with better sealing pads) is superior to the HD6x0 in terms of bass articulation. Worthy consideration if you will be using modest gear, or even you plan on getting more powerful solid-state amps. Otherwise, if you plan on better amps or DACs, HD6x0 may be the better choice. I can see some people preferring the overall ortho presentation and/or the more laid back upper mids of the HE400S.

When using the GOv2-> Magni 2, I honestly could have gone either way. On vinyl/Yggy->EC amps, HD650 all the way.
Logged

thegunner100

  • Hentai Master Chief
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +42/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 443
  • A chubby anime cat
    • The Emotional Skyscraper
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #85 on: September 21, 2015, 02:30:51 AM »

Tried them briefly today out of the GO450 -> Leckerton. These are not bad, especially for just $300! I like that they're really lightweight and comfortable to wear. They have a fairly neutral sound but perhaps slightly lacking in bass quantity. I think that they were a bit more open sounding than the he-400i due to the lower bass presence, and I think that area can be improved upon even further with the grill mod. I didn't really notice anything problematic with the HE-400s out of my portable setup. So yep, pretty good entry level ortho!
Logged

Thujone

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +10/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 261
Re: HiFiMan HE400S Measurements and Short Impressions
« Reply #86 on: September 23, 2015, 12:12:07 PM »

I received a used pair yesterday after my curiosity got the better of me. I'm definitely a fan of the fast ortho sound and I'm also a little addicted to Hifiman, so take that for what it's worth.

I gotta say, these are incredible. With stock pads, the bass is not as bad as I would have guessed based on impressions. No oomph down way low but bass kicks have plenty of body. I put on the Hifiman pleather pads and almost immediately removed them for the wonky/hollow sound (as a side note, I still don't understand this. it seems every Hifiman headphone plays differently with the pleather pads. it makes some cans sound terrible and others decent, whatever). I then switched to the Focus Pads and found a very enjoyable listen. The Focus Pads give them more bass presence than the HE-4 or HE-6. No joke. Not in a bloated way either. The mids are right where I like them, maybe slightly shadowed by the bass, but the treble is spot on. My sibilance tracks were barely sibilant, which I can't say for the HE-4 and HE-6. This is the most fun I've had listening to drums anywhere around this price point ($225 used). Very very engaging. Very very comfortable. Very very efficient (happily jamming out of my phone and iPod). The HE-4 and HE-6 have the edge in terms of staging, separation, and resolution, but it's hardly a landslide. Really.

The HD600 vs. HE-400S comparison is more justified than I would have guessed. The warmth in their signatures is very similar. And the pricepoint is very similar. The HE-400S is not as balanced in the midrange, creating a slightly unnatural timbre compared to the HD600. The HD600 also has better treble extension and presence (coming from someone who doesn't mind the upper mid/lower treble on the HD600). Staging/space is better on the HE-400S though. The 400S also has better bass texture and speed but I think I'd prefer the HD600 bass for a more relaxing/musical listen. But, overall, the HD600 simply sounds better with upstream gear. Out of my iPod, the 400S is probably the best headphone I've heard. From Valhalla2, the HD600 has much better resolution/detail and the HD600, in general, has a better tonal balance.

Compared to the Oppo PM-2 I found the 400S to be miles and miles and miles and miles ahead. At half the price. WTF. The PM-2 is probably the most comfortable way to put me to sleep.
Logged
Pages: 1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 [9]