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Drue
241
Apr 14, 2018
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I like my bass to have a little punch, but not anything too artificial. Are these a good buy, or the Planar HE4xx, or the AKG 7xx? I currently am using Sennheiser game zero, and they don't have any punch at all. Bass is almost non existent.
Apr 14, 2018
DingBong
2
Apr 14, 2018
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DrueThe bass on these headphones aren't really quantitative as they are more quality and rich to my ears. The base is there but it's more subtle than extensions of planars. The 6XX do have more clarity than most headphones but if you want really quantitative bass than I'd look at T50rp mk.III argons
Apr 14, 2018
TuanLe
4
Apr 19, 2018
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DrueI'm giving this to you straight: the bass on these is non-existent. And it's not like Im comparing to bass heavy headphones like Beats or something. You may hear more equal or more bass on Apple Iphone earbud than these. I don't listen to bass heavy music but even for pop some healthy amount of impact would be nice. Compare to a live acoustic performance, the bass these can play back is very lacking.
Apr 19, 2018
Eli35
653
Apr 19, 2018
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TuanLeIf you drive the HD6XX on a nice OTL amp, you'll get a good amount of bass. On a low-power solid state amp, they might sound anemic, but they're bass capable (and quite bassy for being a balance-sounding headphone) if properly driven. What these really lack is sub-bass, but that's a common thing with a lot of mid-priced open back headphones. If you want solid sub-bass on sub-$300 headphones, look for some closed back cans like the Beyerdynamic DT 770 (80 or 250 ohm are both great, 32 ohm not that much) or Audio Technica ATH-M50x (replace stock pads for some good pleather or true leather ones and you're ready to go).
Apr 19, 2018
Drue
241
Apr 19, 2018
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Eli35I guess you can't have that wide sound stage with bass as well. I never tried open back headphones, but I hear a lot of positive things about them and how much fuller they make the sound.
Apr 19, 2018
Eli35
653
Apr 20, 2018
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DrueOf course they do, and you can have wide soundstage with good bass (MD x Hifiman HE4XX have reasonably good bass for me, and better soundstage than HD6XX). But some good closed-back headphone in this price range will have deeper bass and stronger sub-bass response, at the expense of airyness/soundstage/clarity. My advice: get some mid-priced bassy well known closed back headphones for bass rich music (let's say M50x or DT770 250ohm) and another open back (like HD6XX or HE4XX) so you listen one or the another depending on the music you wanna listen. According to a lot of audiophiles, it's better to have two mid-priced headphones than one single expensive, and if you think about it it makes sense: would you rather have two pairs of mid-priced shoes, one for running and another for formal dressing, or just one pair of top notch Asics runners and wear them everyday looking like an idiot on formal situations?
Apr 20, 2018
Drue
241
Apr 20, 2018
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Eli35Alright I think thats a good idea. I will continue to do my research and see what I am really looking for cause I really don't even know what I like or don't. I currently have the Sennheiser Game Zero, and they have literally no bass. I'm guessing the 6xx are going to be similar to that.
Apr 20, 2018
Eli35
653
Apr 21, 2018
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DrueThe Game Zero have just a bit of bass, just enough, according to my readings. HD6xx have some good bass if properly amped (not sub-bass, the sub-bass rolls off pretty fast). HE4XX have more and better bass IMHO, and some more sub-bass too, but they're not bass heavy by far. If you want serious bass, consider some closed back like I said.
I suggest you to try at least one pair of open back headphones, just to know how does it feel. You won't regret, trust me. If you're more into gaming, consider the AKG K701/K702/K7XX (very similar), Q701 (better bass) or K712 pro (best bass on AKG K700 family, but lacking some imaging compared to the previous models). If you want a solid all-rounder with a warm&relaxed sound, HD6XX is great. If you prefer a faster and more forward sound with better extension, HE4XX are a steal for the price. And if you're on a tight budget or just wanna go step by step, the legendary Superlux HD668B never fails to impress me given the price tag, they sound really good and the only thing I dislike about them are stock pads (you can get some upgraded ones for $5 and forget about them).
Good luck!
Apr 21, 2018
Drue
241
Apr 21, 2018
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Eli35I think you sold me on the HE4xx. Looking for something to add a little more color to my music. Hopefully they come back up soon. Also what is so specially about planar headphones? I tried to do something research on it, and it is hard to find a non bias answer.
Apr 21, 2018
Eli35
653
Apr 21, 2018
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DruePlanars are a different technology, they have some good pros but a few cons too. Sound-wise, planars usually are faster and give better texture to the sound, revealing some details that would be really hard to reveal with dynamic drivers (unless you spend a shitload of money on some Focal or something like). I have Fostex T-x0 and Hifiman HE4xx, the Fostex require some mods to sound good because stock they have a rather bad resonance-like sound, and the Hifiman are amazing, period.
A friend of mine prefers the warm and relaxed sound of the HD6XX, and I also love them too, specially for low quality recordings or poorly mastered songs (a lot of new songs are awfully mastered and sound like shit on very detailed headphones, just listen some vocal trap and you'll know what I'm talking about).
The HD6XX have just enough detail to be revealing enough, but at the same time they forgive some minor flaws and make everything sound "just right". HE4XX are way more detailed, and they can make some well mastered songs sound GORGEOUS, but at the same time low quality music sounds like shit (typical trash in - trash out).
Tonal balance is also quite different: HD6XX have a very balanced sound matching almost perfectly the Harman target frequency response curve, witht a touch less treble for less fatigue and a bit more mid-bass for a warm sound, and they lack some sub-bass; HE4XX have better bass extension, with more sub-bass and treble, but they're not exactly balanced, I'd say they are a bit bright and mids are pretty forward, they can cause some fatigue and a slight sibilance on some tracks.
If you never had open back headphones before and wanna know what's the difference, I strongly suggest you to buy the Superlux HD668B: they're bright, detailed, have a touch of bass, and with better pads (without those thick foams in between your ears and the drivers) they're a keeper you won't regret having. They're super cheap and sound pretty good, you can't go wrong with these, and this way you can wait for the HE4XX drop with something good on your ears ;)
Apr 21, 2018
Drue
241
Apr 21, 2018
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Eli35I genuinely can't thank you enough for this response. I don't listen to modern trap rap and shit like that, so I don't think I would have a problem with that. I think the HE4xx are what I am going to wait for. Maybe they will have some left over after the May 31st shipment that I can pick up quickly. I just ordered the Superlux on your recommendation. One more question when it comes to DAC/AMP would the FiiO E10K be decent for the HE4xx? I am seeing some dac/amp that are more expensive then the headphones, and I probably wouldn't get much out of them anyway since I am such a noob. Again thanks a million for working with me here lmao.
Apr 21, 2018
Eli35
653
Apr 23, 2018
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DrueI'm glad to help, no problem :) Yeah you should wait a few weeks for the HE4XX, hit the "request" button and stay tuned to your email in case they become available again, because these sell out real quick. Speaking of the DAC/amp, E10K will be "just enought" to enjoy the HE4XX but they'll benefit from a dedicated amp, so eventually you should buy a dedicated amp and use the E10K line out as a source (if you don't wanna buy a dedicated DAC too). IMO the best would be first trying straight from your E10K and ordering the amp in the meantime, so after a few weeks you've already got used to it and you'll be able to hear the difference and enjoy the upgrade. If you want an amp suggestion, Schiit Magni 3 seems to be an excellent mid-game amp that offers so much for it's price. Other remarkable amps are Objective 2 (O2) and Little Dot I+ (hybrid tube/ss amp, I have it and it's a great match with this headphones because it gives them a bit more warmth while sounding great, not like most OTL amps that struggle to drive them because of their low impedance).
Welcome to the audiophile world, you're gonna feel the urge to buy real quick so get your wallet ready hahaha
Apr 23, 2018
Drue
241
Apr 23, 2018
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Eli35Will do haha. Thanks again!
Apr 23, 2018
MarcSpence
180
May 3, 2018
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Eli35Yep, i agree the 4xx are great set of cans and a steal at around 200 bucks.. also i personally think the build quality is much better than the 400i and 400s
May 3, 2018
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