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Thread: Opinions on Hifiman 400 headphones?

  1. #11
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    After having quite a complex headphone journey, I've settled on a pair of Fostex HD600, and they are more detailed and dynamic and more open sounding than the Hifiman 400(i?) I heard. I found the 400 a bit too smooth, tbh.
    The Fostex are quite a bit more expensive though - I got mine for £270 used, iirc - I'd say if you can pick up the Hifiman 400 new for £180 or so they are a great buy. Although maybe you should give a listen to some Grados as well for a rather different presentation.
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  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post
    After having quite a complex headphone journey, I've settled on a pair of Fostex HD600, and they are more detailed and dynamic and more open sounding than the Hifiman 400(i?) I heard. I found the 400 a bit too smooth, tbh.
    The Fostex are quite a bit more expensive though - I got mine for £270 used, iirc - I'd say if you can pick up the Hifiman 400 new for £180 or so they are a great buy. Although maybe you should give a listen to some Grados as well for a rather different presentation.
    Jerry,

    perhaps you heard the 400s which I understand has a fuller sound than the 400i in the bass and a softer treble. I was surprised by the quality of the treble on the 400i. It is not immediately obvious but it is very extended and very very fast. Transients are reproduced extremely well.

    I have had a couple of Grado headphones including the 225 model. I would say that the 400i is much better than the 225.

    Geoff

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    Ime, the key to getting best sound out of the cheaper Grados is to upgrade the ear cups to those used on the GS1000 etc models.
    Quite an astonishing improvement imo.
    (Much more comfortable too)
    £50 a pair for pukka Grados cups, but you can sometimes get a copy for £25 or so.
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  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandl100 View Post
    Ime, the key to getting best sound out of the cheaper Grados is to upgrade the ear cups to those used on the GS1000 etc models.
    Quite an astonishing improvement imo.
    (Much more comfortable too)
    £50 a pair for pukka Grados cups, but you can sometimes get a copy for £25 or so.
    +1 on that!


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  5. #15
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    I’m not so sure. A friend actually invested in three different sets of ear cups. The genuine items, third party ones and the original smaller ones. I listened to them all and they all sounded obviously different - but in the end they were just different with none winning in an outright sense.
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  6. #16
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    I'm astonished at that, Mark.
    Night & Day is not an exaggeration in this instance!

    Ah well, we all hear differently and are listening out for different things.

    They did lose just a little in bass impact with the larger cups, but everything was just so much more spacious and real sounding. It sounded like what you'd expect from a doubling (or more) of the headphone price, to me.
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  7. #17
    Join Date: Jun 2012

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    Jerry,

    perhaps you heard the 400s which I understand has a fuller sound than the 400i in the bass and a softer treble. I was surprised by the quality of the treble on the 400i. It is not immediately obvious but it is very extended and very very fast. Transients are reproduced extremely well.

    I have had a couple of Grado headphones including the 225 model. I would say that the 400i is much better than the 225.

    Geoff
    From that I would assume the 400i does piano very, very well
    I love magneplanars, same technology, and have heard references to planar bass in headphones, is it the same bass as in speakers essentially, which I'd describe as deep, linear and rhythmic?
    Without music, powerboat racing, photography and a whole stack of other stuff that floats my boat, life is just a non stop procession of deadlines and bills.

  8. #18
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    I have the Massdrop HE-4xx which are based on the 400i, compared to my AKG Q701 they are more detailed and have better bass extension without being overblown, I thought the Q701 were good but the 4xx are even better.
    Build is good too, but the screws can come loose but loctite fixes that.
    Steve.

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  9. #19
    Join Date: May 2016

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    Quote Originally Posted by hal55 View Post
    From that I would assume the 400i does piano very, very well
    I love magneplanars, same technology, and have heard references to planar bass in headphones, is it the same bass as in speakers essentially, which I'd describe as deep, linear and rhythmic?
    Yes, the 400i does piano very well. If you are familiar with the sound of Maggies you will appreciate how they reproduce the leading edge of notes. This means that with instruments like the piano you can differentiate between the sound of the hammers striking and everything that follows. I know that some people find the 400i "dry" but I would say that they do not have the various peaks that are introduced into other designs to make them sound punchy and weighty. That may be OK if you are listening to bass driven music like reggae but it soon becomes tiresome.

    I should add that although they are relative easy to drive, they do benefit from a good headphone amp. I am using mine with a recently upgraded Caiman SEG DAC with a 15v power supply.

    Geoff

  10. #20
    Join Date: Jun 2012

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    Thanks Geoff, piano is sort of my go to instrument for deciding whether something sounds
    s right or wrong, and it's that ability planars have of catching everything from initial strike to decay that appeals massively to me . It's also a reason that, although I enjoy Apple Music and internet radio, piano never sounds right to me on them, too much likes a babies supermarket toy piano rather than a baby grand so to speak..
    Re the Massdrop planar, glad it's working out, the feedback on the Massdrop forum was lovely sound, shame about the build, glad yours is okay and you have a solution to the main issue people were reporting.
    Without music, powerboat racing, photography and a whole stack of other stuff that floats my boat, life is just a non stop procession of deadlines and bills.

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