Nice setup! Remember to stay away from those pesky YouTube reviews man!
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Yeah, make sure to only watch reviews of stuff under what you have or stuff super high end so you can’t just buy it on a whim lol
Thoughts on Hifiman he400i in this race?
Rtings put them very high so I looked them up and they are cheaper than anything else I’m looking at!? What?
Edit: looking at the original post I see we’ve come full circle.
The 4xx and 400i are pretty great imo, something I would recommend for sure, but not over the lcd1 or m570 (or other sendy types). But I do think it’s a benchmark for it’s price
Rtings ratings are not really accurate lol for most people. Their data on objective aspects are solid, but when it comes down to the subjective bits they kinda don’t do a good job imo
The thing that made them really stand out for me on rtings was their rating for imaging and soundstage. I don’t think they are very up to date with new headphones though in general.
They have pretty good soundstage, I would say wider then the LCD 1 and m570 but not as good imaging
Throw the Sundaras in the mix. Supposedly the improvement to the HE 400i.
They are rated for very good imagining and almost as much soundstage.
I’m realizing I’ve understated how important soundstage is for me since I’ve gotten my Blon 03s.
They sound great… But damn do they sound fake. Sound doesn’t exist like in life that except for when one is listening to IEMs.
Well I think the sundaras best the m570 imo, because of their actual mid-range detail, more even sound signature, and light an airy sound. The m570 are more exciting, but for most music I would prefer the sundara. The LCD 1 has a more warm and a bit darker signature while the sundara is brighter, so it more comes down to preference imo
Damn, this is where it gets hard to make decisions without actually getting to try stuff out…
Yeah, if you buy from Amazon, you could pick 2 higher end headphones and return the other one you didn’t like as much (if you had the funds)
Also if you want more specific comparisons just ask
I’m guessing that doesn’t apply to Drop? 
The comparison I’m most concerned with right now is what you just mentioned. Is the 4xx essentially the he400i just built better?
Although another important comparison is just hd800 s soundstage. Lots of people say that it’s exaggerated, but when I got to try some at a headphone bar years ago it blew my mind with Adele. (Again, not an Adele fan unless I’m listening on HD800s 
)
built better? debatable these hays the h400i has less build quality issues these days I would just say its the h 400i but cheaper and 95 % of the way there
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So the 800s imo after living with one you realize how unnatural it can sound and how the soundstage just doesn’t sound right. The wow factor is pretty crazy, but once that wears off…
Fair enough. Would the Ananda be the sweet spot then maybe?
HD700?
Just throwing out soundstage headphones at this point.
Well what type of soundstage do you actually want? Something wider and more distant? Something more intimante? Something with high or low range?
Also the 700 is a bit flawed imo so I would make sure you have a good return policy if you decide on those
I think what I would go for would be listening to Symphonies in a way that sounds like I have a middle close to front row seat. Like where the conductor stands. That may seem close compared to other sections of the chamber but still some instuments will be way back in the back several rows of musicians away.
Or if it’s an “In the studio” type of recording… Just put me there. In the studio.
Hmmm, well something like the dt1990 I feel would do a good job with that. The elex would do a good job with that as well imo. The ananda might be good but it does have a stranger presentation then some other headphones.
The audioquest nighthawk might be interesting but the sound signature might not be for some (kinda polarizing)
I think the 1990 might be a little polarizing as well. Some love it and some think it’s fatiguing.
Honestly I have never heard anything about the Elex that sounds like I wouldn’t love it. I will probably end up getting them one of these days.
Actually… The way things are going I may end up having a massdrop only collection o.O
Seriously considering getting the 4xx now and my 58x hasn’t even arrived yet. The 4xx is $130 though… How is the soundstage on those compared to other things we’ve talked about? (God I hate being such a noob. Lol)
What’s strange about the Ananda?
Sorry for so many questions. I really appreciate your help a lot.
Lol, make sure you have your budget in check and I would wait until you get the 58x before you pick up anything else to see what you like
Drop has free 30 day returns on specific items as long as it is like new condition. It’s just not as easy as Amazon where you can select ‘I no longer need/want’ then take to the nearest UPS store or Kohl’s.
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