Has anyone tried tubing this? I know Zeos did on his Darkvoice. I have the SMSL SU-8 hooked up balanced to my LCX at the moment and was looking at the Loxjie P20 ($95ā¦) after seeing Zās review.
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It really depends on the amp tbh. It works well with a hybrid, and the p20 is a hybrid so doing balanced with that would be just fine 
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I havenāt seen a review with such a strong stance in awhile lol
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Very good to hearā¦ Iām glad you like them so much and Iām also glad to hear these and the 58x compliment each other well (as I have those coming).
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yes i definetly like them alot, and they definetly compliment eachother. But donāt get me wrong, both the 58x and 4xx as opposite sound signatures as they are (warms vs bright) both are suuuuuuper good for all genres very good all rounders. To the point that honestly you might end up choosing one over the other, or maybe you will use both for different purposes. Iām actually curious about that for you, whether you will choose them as complementary for different genres and purposes, or prefer one over the other
Well at least if its warm vs bright then I can pin down what I prefer (which will probably be both for different circumstances then moving up in price Iāll always have to buy at least 2 sets of cans lol I love audio)
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Haha nice, exactly it will be good for you to figure out which you like. Or like others you may actually enjoy both for different situations. For example, one easy one is that the 58x you can carry around, as in its lighter and you can power it pretty well off your phone, laptop etc. While the 4xx might be your desk setup as it for the most part really needs an amp. Maybe just depending on ur mood tbh, sometimes you might want more Soundstage and fast paced action, while at other times you might want the more intimate calm sound signature of the 58x. Either way we will find out. For sure keep us updated when you get the 4xx
When I get the 58x Iāll keep you postedā¦ for now Iām enjoying the 4xx and the others have stayed on the ārackā lol definitely the most detailed set I currently own and probably the widest as wellā¦ very enjoyable once I broke them in
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Yesssssssssssss itās a pretty crazy detailed
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My HE4XX is relatively new (received in late November 2019). The jack on the left earcup is a little bit loose, I feel it move when I remove and plug in the cable. So far, there doesnāt appear to be any connection issues and it doesnāt appear that the jack is going to fall out anytime soon. I know Hifiman has struggled with their quality control issues. Has anyone experienced similar on their 4XX? Is it something I should be concerned about long term? Does anyone have a recommended, non-invasive fix?
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hmmm itās definetly not good. i guess all i could say for now is to keep the cable connected as much as possible instead of removing it.
They are pretty fantastic sounding $130 cans, though. The performance for the dollar is way up there.
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definetly, very impressive. anyone i show them too has their mind blown
IDK, when I first got them in '16 I was pretty happy with the out front bass and treble. I havenāt changed my gear since, but, after exposure to the HE-500 w/ and w/o mods, HEX v2, HE-6, some Fostex, some MrSpeakers, and some LCDās I donāt view these very favorably anymore. I guess Iām just a snob now. They are fun and they are rugged, never leave them home for yardwork or hikes - and they sound as good on an old X-3 as they do on a Rag 1 & Gumby 1. No question if you get a functional pair for $130, its a good deal.
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I mean those are all considerably more expensive than the 4xx to be fair
Well the HE-500 is only available used and can be picked up for about $350, and there are lots of of HD-600ās used - and they go for what $150-180 range.
I guess it depends on how driven one is. A random buy that would never come to a site like this is one sort of user. One who comes here is different and more involved. Of course someone who buys an Abyss Phi is way out there.
My opinion and point for those that want to get beyond 4XXās, like I did, is that the HE-500 and HD-600 available for not that much more are distinctly better - again IMO.
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I thought about going the used route but decided to avoid it after a couple bad experiencesā¦ I may go that route with higher end purchases in the future.
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The he500 demand a better amp as well, so that increases the cost a bit as well. Also the hd600 is very different from a 4xx, so I donāt think I would consider them really comparable since they have a pretty different sound tbh
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Sorry to hear that, going used is definitely always a bit of a gamble
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With the HE-500 my rough estimate that 5 years ago, 25% of desktops sold could drive it. Today I think that the number is closer to 60%. But yes, its a consideration. Also high impedance tube amps donāt seem to be able to push it.
Leaving out estats, the HD-600 has the purest tone of any can Iāve heard sold under $2k including both 800ās, HE-6, etc. The Clear is maybe the closest at a much higher price w/ a bit more dynamic kick. Go ahead and pull out recordings done w// acoustic instruments in acoustic settings with proper miking, mixdowns, and pressings and its nearly astonishing. Add a tube amp like the BH Crack and that missing octave of bass (35-70 Hz) is magically found - solving by far the largest complaint against it. Of course used that amp is over $375.
For a long time Iāve used the HD-600 and HE-500 in complimentary fashion to cover all the music I listen to. Added in a HEX v2 later for a more relaxing vector which the E2 could also fill, But yes, those last two are a lot of money, and off topic.
My main beefs against the 4XX:
midbass sloppy/fat - largely mitigated with dynamat around driver from the screen side. Some people love the bass - OK, leave it.
treble - splash, ringing - āfuzzorā mod canāt be carried out, taking off screen besides cutting off some extra crufty reflections from 100-350Hz, also seems to drain off some tizz.
Whats left is a can that still editorializes by adding things. The mids and highs are short of detail and staging, there is cancellation of notes which obscures and muddies.
If you must buy new and have only $130 + shipping to spend, then itās tough to beat.
It doesnāt give much of a reaction to cable changes, SE -> balanced (even on an amp that does MUCH better in XLR), so its not liable to tempt people into over spending to improve it.
Since about 2010 when HFM supplanted the HE4/HE5/HE5LE with the HE-6/500, the 400/400i/400s/MD-4XX has carried the banner for entry level planar headphone for them. Then they went to the big cups, dropped a new round form can with the Sundara, then two supposed redux of old classics. Of all those cans, only my version of the HE5SE is less pleasing/accurate to my ear then the 4XX - and its believed to be an inferior rev of the HE5SE. Of course all of those others outside the 4* line are more or a lot more expensive.