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LX_Emergency
214
Jul 16, 2018
Mine arrived yesterday. I really like them. But the description doesn't mention (for us noobs) how much power these really need. Don't be fooled by the low impedance rating. They need a LOT of power from an amp in order to actually produce enough volume to be enjoyable. My portable amp is pretty close to MAX volume on High gain in order to be usable with this set.
Other than that, nice set heavier than I expected, very nice sound, good Bass. Much more solidly constructed than my other HifiMan adventure (the HE-350 that broke after less than a month).
Looking forward to listening to more music on these.
FriedEgg
10
Jul 17, 2018
LX_EmergencyThis is true. I don't yet own a desktop headphone amp (will be getting the Aune X7S as soon as I can afford) so I run these from my dac. To listen properly I need the dac at -15dB to -10dB, classical music actually needs 0dB :/
If I plug them into the Little Bear B4 I can have my dac at -25dB to -20dB and the Little Bear at max, but they get super bassy. I listen to my powered monitors at -35dB on my dac just for comparison. Having said that, it is possible to listen to them on my Galaxy Note 4 with the volume at max and not be dissappointed.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Jul 17, 2018
LX_EmergencyWell, these don't really need a lot of "power" per se but have a healthy current requirement. They also really don't require much voltage (4Vrms @ 120dB) when compared to something like the 6XX (7Vrms @ 120dB) but need almost 5 times the amount of current (119.71 mA vs. 23.6 mA) to reach the same loudness. Hence why many says planars tend not to sound great out of tube amps due to current demands typically not being met.
Jlumibao
4
Jul 17, 2018
LX_EmergencyYep, same here my portable set up is (S6 edge paired with ak xb10 ,unbalanced) i gotta turn my DAP to max and my xb10 is one step lower on max vol,to enjoy the music ,but the SQ is amazing, but compare to my Sony MDR 1AM2 i dont even reach 60percent vol on my set up cause its already blasting at 50percent, i know that im underpowering my HE4xx ,still saving for the amp/dac.
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VBar
46
Jul 22, 2018
jaydunndidditWell,the 93 dB/mW rating itself is not accurate. InnerFidelity measurements shows it to be 88mW/dB at 49 ohms. That would raise the voltage needed for 120 dB above 8V (1.5 W @ 49 ohms)
jaydunndiddit
3262
Jul 22, 2018
VBarYup, agreed. These cans need power and they definitely enjoy a good supply of current compared to many other sets. Just hate hearing people buying them and not quite knowing what they're getting into or having the equipment to really push these. For the dollar, they're a very good pair of planar headphones.
VBar
46
Jul 22, 2018
jaydunndidditSill, even an O2 can get them to 115 dB. That would be adequate for most. Most portables, except stuff like iFi Micro BL, may not be able to power them as well as some people would like. There are a few that could get it to 110 dB.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Jul 22, 2018
VBarSure, a majority of amps will get them plenty loud but it will take a more capable amp to push them to their intended limit. Once you compensate for headroom to avoid any potential clipping issues, they really open up and perform quite well at this price point. It's also not just about sheer power but control as well. With your measurements, you would need a healthy dose of 180 mA (and a bit more) to compensate for headroom. That's nothing to sneeze at. Even by your claim, the 02 maxes out at 7Vrms and 200 mA (peak). Whereas from what I just checked these can max out around 8.8Vrms (when going by the specs you provided). So, the 02 would do a pretty good but still wouldn't bring out everything the 4XX can do. I've had the joy of listening to them SE on an iFi Pro iCAN and it really made them sound on a completely different level when compared to my MCTH or otherwise.
Heavyboxer
380
Jul 24, 2018
JlumibaoI was initially disappointed with my 4xx, being driven by mimby and magni3 stack...
until my audio gd R2R-11 arrived yesterday and I am discovering newfound love for the 4xx.
People say the amp gets better after 300~500 hours of burn in so the only way is up!
Long story short, i recommend matching the 4xx with the R2R-11 dac/amp.
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