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Sennheiser 6xx or Hifiman HE4XX ?

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My latest iem’s arrived (JVC HA-FW1800 IEM) and love them. I also picked up a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and really enjoy listening through them for an extended time as really comfortable. I now have a small room where I can now use open back headphones but am limited to $250 max for the headphones. so my question is the Sennheiser 6xx or Hifiman HE4XX ? I like bass but not boomy and if travelling will likely drive them with an iBasso DC05 and at home iFi HIP DAC connected to either iPad Pro, iPhone 12 or LG V30. What might be the better purchase or based on what I have would be a step up again? cheers!
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Well, some would argue that you cannot go wrong with either choice, because both are high performers. If you wanted to try something different, the HE4xx is a planar magnetic headphone with mild amping requirements, though they are revealing enough to show the benefits of dedicated audio gear vs a computer’s built-in headphones jack. Planar drivers have very low mass and the impulse (push/pull force to vibrate the driver membrane) is applied to the entire surface of the driver, so there is very low distortion which is especially noticeable in the highs, though the drivers have to be larger in size to reproduce bass with good air displacement without hitting the limits of how far from center the driver can move (excursion). The HE-4xx is an entry level model without being too cheap, and you can read some of its many positive reviews to see its commercial success and favorite aspects among owners. As you might guess, I haven’t heard this model myself… but I am familiar with a wide variety of Planar Magnetic headphones from different brands, including HiFiman’s own older HE-400. I found that model to be a bit more amp picky than theoretically the HE-4XX would be, but I found the older model to sound clean and exciting with clear highs and bass, though apparently the HE-4XX has improved (less recessed) mids for a more balanced, well rounded sound. The Sennheiser HD 6XX is Drop’s best selling audio product, ever. The HD 650 launched in 2003 as Sennheiser’s flagship dynamic driver headphone, this true classic is revered for its timbre quality and highly refined sound, and is a mainstay in audiophile collections even among options several times its price while also often used by reviewers as a basis for comparison. The HD 6XX is an exclusive colorway of the HD 650 in eco-friendly packaging, but it offers the same performance and legendary ability to deliver more and more performance the better the gear you feed it with. I do own one of these, and the sound signature has a bit of tight bass emphasis (tighter and more impactful as you use better amps), slightly laid back treble to increase listening comfort with long listening sessions, and the famous mids reproduction that is lauded for sounding very natural (and I personally detect a bit of upper mids emphasis to prevent the headphones from sounding dark), though the brain quickly accumulates to the sound to perceive it as “natural.“ One potential negative is also a benefit worth mentioning: like raw denim jeans, the fit is initially tight to the head, providing better bass response and a staying secure on your head, but with time the headband and pads relax to mold perfectly to your head. After 7 years of owning mine, I never “forget” I am wearing them, but nonetheless they are still one of my most comfortable headphones that I can wear all day without developing sore pressure points. The iFi Hip DAC should serve them well (I just had the opportunity to spend a few weeks living with iFi’s ZEN line of products, which left me overall pleased with the price to performance), but they sound even better on high-end desktop amps like my Sennheiser HDV 820 ($2400 when I got it) and more addictive on nice tube amps. I believe either would please you, and I’m curious which one (or both?) you end up getting 😁
The construction quality of the HE-4xx and HE-400SE aren’t significantly different from each other… Its hard to guess what someone else will enjoy more, so I wanted to be fair and leave the choice up to Wolfamjohn… but personally I would also choose the HD 6xx (or HD 58X Jubilee if you want more bass and easier amping requirements). I HAVE the HD 650 (= HD 6xx) and HD 58X Jubilee (and HD 660S). Both Sennheiser’s have renowned mids timbre… fun fact of history, the HD 58X Jubilee is like if you took the driver from the highly regarded HD 560S (it’s newer than the one in the HD 599, and lower distortion), tuned it to be more fun, and put it in the Sennheiser HE60 “baby Orpheus” enclosure. I also have a pair of Etymotic Evo and older ER•6i. Good stuff. I’m rocking IE 900 and grell TWS1x on the go though… and the ANC is surprisingly good for an in-ear in the latter.
novazero
7
Mar 13, 2023
EvshrugI also have the ER6i, they were my introduction to Etymotic that I bought for my iPod 4th Gen 40GB. I liked them enough to want the ER4SR so I could put a balanced cable on the IEMs for use with higher end equipment. Thanks for the info about the Sennheiser models and origins, very interesting.
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