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uRookVet
2
Jul 1, 2020
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Hifiman is selling the H400i 2020 for 169USD. Which is only 9USD more so the Drop aspect isn't really there anymore. These headphones were being sold cheaper than 160USD before which should be the price. The 180USD list price is too much considering Hifiman sell similar ones for cheaper
Shin_Dig
47
Jul 7, 2020
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uRookVetI just ordered one from amazon, currently have the He-4xx I also bought used on Amazon. One of them are going to get returned.
Shin_Dig
47
Jul 18, 2020
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JackG02Okay so I've had had the He-400i for a little over a week and I'm pretty confident in giving a side by side comparison.
Starting with the difference in build, the He-400i's are LIGHT! the difference in weight is actually quite dramatic and that "lightweight" feel translates to the rest of the attributes. The 4xx has thicker, denser pads, and heavier cans in general. BUT, that headband on the 4xx being so wide and flat really does help distribute the weight on the crown of your head. I have somewhat of a pointy head so I actually found the 400i headband to be a bit uncomfortable as the leather padding on it is NOT soft at all, and that rounded leather padding concentrates the weight on a smaller area. Although I would say that the 4xx does get uncomfortable as well after long sessions as its just heavy, and I find that weight translates to pressure on my jaws(I also have a really square Jaw so might be different for others). For build quality, I would give it to the He-400i for the simple fact that it has less "stress points" where the headphone might break. I will get back to this later.
For Sound quality, they are quite different. The 4xx has such a pleasant sound signature and these being my first Planar magnetic's, I was honestly blown away when listening to certain tracks, especially when it came to dubstep or EDM genres like that. These also EQ very well and just take whatever you throw at it. And its difficult to explain, but the High's, Mid's, and the low end are all presented with this "layered" vibe. They're all presented neatly and sound incredibly clean. But the main difference between them two is that the 4xx has a punchier low end with a wider sound stage. Overall a warmer sounding headphone compared to the 400i's. The 400i's have a sound signature that is a bit more forward, and again, a "lighter" vibe to the sound signature. The bass is there, but its not banging, and it does sound a bit more cleaner in certain genres. But the sound stage performance does suffer as a result.
I think that is basically the main points I want to express when it comes to the differences. Now i said I would come back to the build quality topic, and the reason being that my pair of 4xx's did develop a default. The headphone adjustment knob on the right side is starting to peel off the headband just a bit. Not enough to be considered broken, but enough where the right adjustment mechanism is now noticeably more loose. So I am returning these for now sadly :(
Now does that mean I'm keeping the He-400i's? No, and that's not to say they are bad. They are still amazing, but my only problem is that I have the Sennheiser HD58X Jubilees. So If I want a pair of headphones that offer an intimate sound signature with a clean mid and high end, I have those to satisfy my need. I am going to order another pair of He-4xx because simply, and I find myself picking these up and listening to music more than any other headphones in my collection.
JackG02
49
Jul 18, 2020
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Shin_DigYou just addressed all my concerns, I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and comparing the two. I also have the 58x so I don’t think I’m going with the 400i. I like your description of the sound of the 4xx’s but weight and qc issues make it difficult to justify the purchase. Thanks again!
Shin_Dig
47
Aug 5, 2020
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JackG02Actually I kept the He-400i's in the end, the low end really opened up after a few more weeks, but still not as deep and spacious as the 4xx but I might experiment with different ear pads, because both the 400i and 4xx's have crap quality pads. But sparkly mids, enough to differentiate from the HD 58x's, highs are incredibly detailed and no hint of sibilance. If you listen to EDM, trance and female vocals are breathtaking! I will further update if I end up getting new pads from Brainwavez and notice an improvement.
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