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The ONE DOLLAR headphone mod for HE400SE!
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2023
- The HE400se is known for being a great budget planar, but with a simple and extremely cheap mod... it can be even better!
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Waiting for a tuning comparison on the variations between different tape choices, and wondering if somewhere on Etsy we will soon see Audiophile grade tuning tape for sale.
That might be on Amazon even earlier. With 500000000 positive feedbacks.
You gonna again start a stupid saga !!!!
Don't give them any idea😅
OMG, I modded the mod by only using enough tape to cover about 75% of the width, leaving gaps at both ends. The treble is still tamed, but the bass doesn't seem to roll off. Punchy and fun. This now sounds like the ideal headphone for me. Worth a try!
It's indeed a smart and easy hack to tweak the sound profile. Personally I'm still more inclined towards EQing (or using damping foam or pad-rolling if you can't EQ on your device). If I've got it right, the tape mod seems to reduce the effective area of the planar driver, especially in dialling down those direct high-frequency waves at the ear's entrance. As the FR shows it does change the driver's overall linearity and potentially compromise the bass extension. So, for me, PEQ's still the way to go.
I have the old HE400i and a [not so cheap but not too expensive] fix is swapping the pads. I tried with some Brainwavz perforated pleather and some lambskin ones and I settled on the latter. It makes them warmer and cuts the treble down, with the perforated ones the change is minimal. It also affects the timbre positively to my ears. They are also a lot more comfortable than the stock ones.
It may not be for everybody as it loses the analytical feel quite a bit and makes the bass less tight but it's worth experimenting
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for. Just so happened to stumble across this video. I now know the dawn pro will power these.
Love these short videos about easy ways to improve audio and doing it affordably…TY for your hard work and willingness to teach others about this hobby… 😊
Okay, I just tried this and the effect is amazing - many thanks for posting this video.
Hey there, what tape did u use for the mod?
@@seant4838 Blue painter's tape.
@@seant4838 tente usar "micropore tape"
Uh... there's this new invention that's all the rage...!!! It's called an equalizer or 'EQ' for short...? A much better option than buggering a perfectly good set of headphones...!!!
I'm afraid such a mod will introduce distortions at listenable volumes, and maybe even affect the linearity of phase response. It would be nice if DMS measured it, I'd appreciate it a lot.
But by adding just a few dozen dollars you could replace the dawn pro with qudelix-5k which not only adds bluetooth support to the setup, but also provides 20-band parametric equalizer that can help you tune any headphone response closer to your preferred target.
I’ve been heavily considering getting a 5K for wayyyy longer than I’m willing to admit 😅
spoken like an educated man
Thinner pads lifts the treble slightly and with the tape mod you get pretty close. Must try mod for owners :)
Thanks for the video. The heights didn't really bother me but since I am into mods I just tried this one with my HE400se out of curiosity and listened briefly and measured it with my minidsp EARS. Resulted in a noticeable dip of 4dB in the mids from 300 to 500 Hz and an (incomplete but significant) reduction of the peak and the heights from 6 kHz on. Did not really enjoy this sound signature but it might be an improvement for some.
Did I miss it, or did DMS not mention what kind of tape he used? Looks like it could be some sort of medical tape (so like an adhesive cloth) rather than like duct or Scotch tape? I would assume Scotch tape would just make it sound worse and possibly rattly. Maybe duct or electrical tape could work too?
He didn't mention anything about the tape, but it seems like he's using a heat-resistant ptfe teflon tape to cover those magnets.
I own multiple headphones at a higher budget than the he400se. but that didn't stop me from getting a pair for myself. Frankly, I don't use it nearly as often as my other headphones and collects dust. This video though gives me something worthwhile to do at the very least so I'll consider modifying my he400se for giggles. Thank you!
I modded my set in a couple of ways to get to an acceptable sound quality. First, change out the ear pads to Brainwavz XL Pleather (improves bass quality). Second, remove the foam liner and change out the metal grills to something more open, I used aluminum grill liners that cost $5 for a pack (improves sound stage). Last, I lined the inside of the outer half of the ear cups with 1/2" long pieces of 1/4" thick foam (used for filling gaps in window frames to seal them) spaced about 3/4" apart (improves sound clarity by reducing reverb inside the outer ear cup shell). If you like modding, these changes made a significant difference.
What's the foam liner ? Is this the foam ring being the screws when you take out the earpads ?
The black metal grills on the outside of the ear cups are held in place by a thin black plastic ring that snaps into place. You can carefully remove the plastic ring using a small flathead screwdriver. With that done, the metal grills just fall out. Underneath the metal grills is a thin, circle shaped piece of grey foam. I think it is there to keep dust out of the ear cups, or maybe to reduce sound waves from bouncing off the grills (probably dust prevention though). This foam restricts air flow and decreases soundstage and should be removed in my opinion. You can use the metal grills as a template to cut out replacement grills from a more open meshed metal screen to further improve soundstage. You can get metal screen with cool patterns from the hardware store if you want them to look nice, or just use whatever if your only concern is sound quality.
Thank you posting this as I owned the 400se as my first and only planar headphone that I can afford. I’m planning to change the cups and get a dac and am surprised yet grateful for seeing this hack from you. I might try it when I get a dac and oh yes the cable to see if there is any difference to my listening exprience. Now I have something to look forward to do with my 400se. Thanks!
THIS WORKS! THANK YOU!
removing the grill improves a sound-stage a lot. custom cans has great 3D printable grill for 2GBP which protects the drivers but is acoustically invisible.
I got custom cans 3D printed grills for my he400i 2020s and it definitely makes a positive difference to the sound. Looks great, too!
How can i get those grilles is i dont have a 3D printer?
And i wont buy another pair of headphones just for the grilles lol
My main issue with HE400se is not treble, it's the 1.5K dip; it's like the whole center part of music just gets sucked out, and shoved into a cupboard. I'm using Wavelet and Poweramp on Android and Peace on Windows with a modified Oratory's preset, and honestly - it's a hassle, but I'd rather do that and have actual control over the tuning, rather than take apart and risk damaging a device for some hacky unpredictable result.
I've used PowerAmp for years! It's incredible what it can do to enhance music listening pleasure. It's a HIGHLY underrated app for Android, I just wish they made a proper Windows version 🤔😏👍
😎🇬🇧
I just discovered the same fix in EQ (a little more dB in 1.5kHz) and I found it very useful, there's no need to physical mods.
I think with headphones that have a minor frequency response problem but otherwise are excellent everywhere else, a parametric eq is basically a free solution to fix them completely. APO Equaliser is one of those things I can't listen to my headphones without because I can basically fix any annoyances in the frequency response easily.
I'm all for EQ to fine tune a set of headphones/earphones. Yes there are some that think EQ is bad period, but if the piece of gear can be EQ'ed (granted, some don't take to any EQ at all) , then tweek it a little to fix the issues it has. It's better than buying multiple headphones to get the sound you want and wasting your money.
@@paultomaszewski1964 I actually spent years EQing many types of headphones and speakers and I learned that when done right, almost all headphones or speakers improve with EQ but some improve more than others. But yes, there does exist small portion of gear that while would improve under EQ, would not be able to fix their deal breaking underlying acoustic issues. These are the headphones people describe that don't take to EQ.
I think if you’re into tinkering and your gear is not so expensive that you’ll cry if you f it up, then experimentation is definitely acceptable. It’s something you can’t really do with IEMs and you’ll never do with headphones above that $300 tipping point ($200 for me). If you can improve sound, why not try? Thanks for the cool vid D!
this tube toasting illustration in the back is amazing!
I ordered a Dawn Pro. Thanks for the budget content!
I did a similar thing but for Bass reduction. Years a go I got some Sony MDR-XB950s (cabled version), and found when I used small squares of gaffa tape to cover the Bass ports (at the top of the cups between the headband mounts), it knocked off a lot of the 'Boomy bass' and gave a tighter, cleaner deep bass that didn't overpower the rest of the frequencies. I'd imagine this mod would work with MOST of the MDR-XB series, and possibly some of their newer stuff/Bluetooth headphones too... 🤔😏👍
😎🇬🇧
Great pair for the price and in many ways above, but EQ like Oratory's preset does so much for it that I see no reason to go that way instead slapping tape inside. If mods can improve macrodynamics or soundstage then I'm interested. The HE400se btw has rather rounded bass lacking definition even if the depth and weight are best in class.
Can't wait for audiophile grade tape to come out
Ask Audi*Quest hahaha 10000_$ audiophile tape made in Chinaaaaaa
I have that headphone. I’ll give it a try. But I like the sharp treble.
I modified my EQ on the 6k, 7k, 8k, 9k and 10k to a V-Curve, smoothly up on the 12k and 20k, it's working great (for my ears at least)
This headphones is the single best deal in Headphone market IMO.
I thought you couldn’t touch the magnet drivers. This is a game changer for my Hifiman x4!
The Best 'HEADPHONE channel' in the planet Earth.
100% absolutely.
No doubt.
DMS and other guys - You can be proud.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU GUYS
What kind of tape is that?
Why should you cause an uncontrolled change in the frequency response, when you can specifically influence / change it, with the help of an EQ.
In addition, it is completely unclear, what effects this "mod" has on other parameters, such as distortion...
I did it and I like it, thanks for sharing this tip
Thanks for the video DMS. I just tried the mod using some gaffers tape on my Drop (Hifiman) HE-X4's and on first impression, I like the effect. The gaffers tape is the same width as the height of the magnets, so it was rather easy to get a good fit. After the mod, the sound signature seems to similar to the EQ settings I was using on my Qudelix 5K with the Auto EQ Preset for these headphones. I will keep listening for a few days with some different music and then remove the tape to see if I still like the mod better than the non-mod version. I'm currently listening to them using my Schiit Modi/Magni stack.
Jason at "Custom Cans" did some really nice modding for the HE400SE (3d printed and all). They also make really pretty cables and mods/ ballanced conversions for some sennheisers, beyerdynamics and the Sundara closed back.
I'd reckon they are quite a bit less..uhm..."esoteric" and more hands on than you guys, but maybe give him a ring regarding the 400SE.
I was about to mention their “SuperGrills”. Would definitely like to see how this tape mod compares to or combos with it.
I agree it would be cool if DMS give @CustomCans mod a go. Also i found that swapping to the Dekoni hybrid pads on my Sundara really helped streamline the sound. I’d be curious to what those pads would do for the 400se.
@@JohnRob98 I would be really interested to ;) If DMS wants to give it a go we would be happy to send out some supergrills and one of our new comfort leather head straps
thanks for the info. i have a pair of he400se and i’m going to try your mod.
This mod results can be achieved with hybrid tube amp like Xdouu MT-602 easy and this is the right modification for this headphone in my opinion
Well, one costs 1 usd and the other 99 usd.
@@palmito22 he talked about using the moondrop dac with 60 usd .. u can use the amp with 90 usd and get more power and worm sound
I wish I knew this before I sold this headphone, specifically due to the spicy treble. Other than that, I loved the technical performance of this headphone a lot, given its price.
Because you mentioned 3D printing; that should absolutely work, considering DCA uses the same idea for their AMTS. In fact I've been wondering whether anybody has taken it upon themselves to recreate an AMTS for the less expensive DCAs out there
Starts at 4:12. Mod is NOT shown how to install/do.
My wife bought these (HE400SE) for my up and coming birthday this 27th of September. My old Sennheiser HD598 died and my current Sennheiser HD 555's are cracking in the plastic and are held to together with glue but still sound good but I've heavily modded them.
My home setup is a non-stealth HE400SE ($65!) with a Topping DX1 ($75). Pretty hard to beat for the price imho! I do have the Dawn Pro coming so gonna be fun to test it out - was planning to use it mainly with my IEMs.
I'm about to buy Topping dx1 too because can't afford DX3 pro.
Please update I also do have the non stealth. I am also wondering how the moondrop dawn pro sound with the headphone.
Btw please do a comparison between the dx1 and moondrop for the he400se. See which is better.
Also how does the dx1 sound with the he400se?
@@gavinxq2274 Go for it! I genuinely think it's perfect for what it is. You *could* go for the recently released Fiio KA13 - smaller form factor but not as much power as the DX1 (but more than many other dongle-type dacs). If using only for a home/dekstop setup, i really don't think you can go wrong with the DX1. I may be shallow, but there's something much more satisfying about using a volume knob vs clicking volume buttons 😅 The Ifi Uno is also an option if you want the extra features it offers. But something about the simplicity and straightforward-ness of the DX1 is appealing to me.
@@calvinyip364 Yes, i'll give the combo a listen once the Dawn arrives! If i don't get back to you in a couple weeks, do send another comment here to remind me 😅
And i guess it would be hard for me to really say, since the DX1 is the only dac/amp i've ever used with the HE400SE. But i really enjoy listening to them - more than my also-budget IEMs (7hz Zero, Wan'er, Z300, Sonus). Really love the bass response - quick and present, but not overbearing (i'm not a basshead). Mids/vocals are clear but not shouty. And to be honest, i've never really had any treble issues so far - i might just not be as sensitive as others. Overall sound is full (aka not thin), but still clear and detailed. I can't comment on timbre coz i don't think i have enough experience to really differentiate. But again, i can't say if the DX1 has anything to do with any of this. Just that the combination doesn't seem to have any negative impacts for me.
I Actually prefer the non-stealth HE400se. Best deal in audio history!
Another common mod to help open up the soundstage a bit is to remove the stock grills which have a layer of foam over thek and replace them with more open grills!
I believe that HE 400i ver 2020 have the most balanced sound in the entire Hifiman 400 series.
Unfortunately discontinued
What kind of tape? It kind of looks like masking tape or medical tape. But is it paper or cloth tape?
Looks like cloth tape. I have the same question
I love headphone mod suggestions. I think this is a great direction for this channel for content between gear reviews.
So why not just use EQ?
What kind of tape is that??????
Next step is HarmonicDyne Zeus Elite + MusiHIFI M3 ii ?
around 500$
MID-FI
AD900x gets down to 110 and that is a really good value
I would love to see some more Headphone mods. I would like to see a review of Custom Cans (Jason's) mods like the Grill replacements for those HE400s.
I'm really torn between these or the K361 at around the same price. Dac and amp is not an issue. I understand they are different and a little tough to compare. But for the money and purely based on sound, what should I go for?
I have a k371, unless you really need a closed headphone, this far outshines it
What tape was that used in this video?
It did not look like a plastic film type "invisible" tape to me. Looked more like a paper tape like used for masking when painting.
Would a hospital type dressing tape, the type with the cross weave appearance (HypaFix comes to mind) that has holes in it provide a different effect?
.
I tried the mod with a good powerful amp fiio q7 good results
What kind of tape did you use?
my he400se (china edition) improves a lot, sound has more body, not hollow anymore. I prefer modded he400se over my hd6xx or focal elex(cuz it's heavier). thanks for information!
Cutom cans has a 3d printed mod for them
Okay.. But what kind of tape? There's quite a lot out there
hello. I enjoyed it.
I currently have fiio ka17.
I'm looking for headphones here,
he400se and sundara,
beyerdynamic dt770or990 pro
I'm thinking about it.
I'm looking for headphones to use for watching movies/playing a bit. Are there any headphones you can recommend?
Otherwise, other products are also fine.
Please feel free to recommend, thank you!
I had one, the right cup died after 3 months only, and it seems that’s a common issue with this headphone. I was starting this hobby and it was my first planar The high frequency didn’t bother me, maybe because of my age, I’m 48. Now a I have a dt1990 pro , a fidelio x2 hr and hifiman edition xs, I’m generally satisfied but curious about Focal headphones.
Great video. Would love to try this @ Home on my own Hifiman HD400. Can you tell what kind of tape you use ? Is it all plastic, airtight, or more like a plaster you would put on your skin ?
It looks like a heat-resistant ptfe teflon tape to me.
We would like to see the comparison between the regular version and the Stealth Magnets Version. Thank you!
I wonder if it's bad for a dongle DAC to be put right next to powerful magnets like that ...
Magnets only effect physical storage media like hard drives and tapes. Will not effect a solid state digital device.
@@austingalan3872 Don't they have some updatable firmware? I could be overthinking this, but was surprised to see him do that. He also mentioned a slight problem with the DAC.
I will have a look at that mod, as I use my 400SE with my iFi Zen as its a darker sound
Gonna try this on my drop and hifiman hex4 and my 5xx and maybe my Sundaras
WHERE IS YOUR DACAMP ????
:D
i would to buy it :D
..worldwide please ...
I may try these again. Compared a gaming headset to these to sundara and thought the Sundara sounded a bit better. Would be interested to compare them again, after being used to a higher standard in audio after using the Sundara for a year almost.
From what I remember, these are a basically sundara but cheaper. I wonder if I can tell the difference in soundstage
You may need to use a different choice / brand / material, etc. with tape
How about tea bags? Would those work? Of 1-2 or maybe even 3 layers of felt or speaker grill cloth?
I simple use Wavelet app to eq HE400se. No physical alteration needed.
Version Stealth Magnetic?
I found these at my local audio shop at 50 dollars brand new, its just crazy
Could these headphones work just fine being plugged into powered desktop speakers or would you still need something like the moon drop dawn pro for power? I would only be using these headphones at my desk with my computer or would I be better off to look else where?
Hello, I've already ordered the HE400Se and am looking for portable amp-dac on a toght budget. Sadly the Dawn Pro are out of stock in India. Please let me know the best options from below-
Ibasso DC03 Pro - 66$
Shanling UA 2 Plus/UA3 (both under 80$)
Fiio Ka3/Q11 (96$)
Tempotec SOnata BHD Pro -97$
Tanchjim Space - (101$)
Shanling UA4 - 108$
FiiO Btr15 - 120$, pushing the budget, I know, but only if it really is a step above the cheaper ones mentioned above.
From unbalanced output nothing will be enough cause their low sensitivity. Of your options, it is better to choose the most powerful one - Q11 or BTR15 from balanced output. But it's better to look for a desktop budget amp-dac like Fiio K5 Pro, K11, Topping DX3 Pro etc.
I had these lmao... for all of 2 months IF even. I was trying some pad swapping and went to put the pad back on and my nail broke trying to get clip back in and finger slipped right into the driver... its now a mono speaker. feels bad. Wish it had the protection that the he4xx has
I using oluv eq setting and foam for my he4xx and sound perfect
What kind of tape is it ? It has texture, it's not tape for paper, is it medical tape for cuts ?
How do the old HE-400i compare? Especially as you can pick these up second hand.
A friend did the tape mod on his 400se but when I tried it it sounded off, without that barely hearable treble spike it sounds off imo
I never tried these but I had the 400i 2020 and I’d swear the soundstage was pretty big
Very cool!
I must say, the HE 400se is a really cheap headphone, but no comparsion vs. the HD-650 Sennheiser, of course. It does sound especially lame onto a FiiO K5 Pro, the Hifiman. I do even like my plasticky HD 598 much more, with subtle EQ tuning.
Is this mod preferable to using eq like Poweramp? Please explain the difference. Thanks all!
Can't personally judge them as a 100 usd headphone, as they are equivalent of 200 usd here. For that price, there are simply better choices. If someone already has them they are certainly not bad, or needs to be upgraded from, but difficult to recommend for value. As a cheap option for someone who wants to try orthodynamic drivers, they are slightly less expensive than the Fostex ones, whilst also being way more comfortable. The mod seems kind of sus, but I haven't heard it, so won't judge
Did you try cutting the tape a little shorter? Same width, just shorter...
I heard if you take off the grills, it greatly improves the soundstage, have you tried (I don't know if the tape will cancel that)?
It's not ( really) short, it's just right
What kind of tape is that ? nice video btw
Idk about the 400 but I tried a cable with TS plugs on my 560 V4 and they did not work, I needed to use a cable with TRS terminals
Thanks for the heads up 👍
I went with the Schiit Lokius..to help not a cheap headphone..the LCDX 2021 …so nothing is perfect ..and adjust to taste.
Why bottleneck your headphone like that? Pairing good headphone with cheap source is like using eco tyres on a Maserati.
The LCD-X deserves a Decware Taboo with seriously good tubes.
@@MarcelNL I’ve been eyeing the Woo23 …but no matter what amplification is used the inherent characteristics of the tuning of the LCDX MAY be ameliorated…but never cancelled completely.
Nice recommendation tho ‘ thanks.
Sorry these guys here keep deleting my messages. I am not allowed to talk about Decware amps, I guess. @@carminedesanto6746
And they can stick this channel up their arse for that, this is ridiculous. I will avoid this channel like the plague from now on.
have you tried removing the foam and replace the metal mesh ?
I thought it might be cool to replace the metal mesh with a design of my own creation, is there a place I can go to have that done or do I need to 3D print it?
@@JonathanDano i used some thin DIY 304 stainless steel meshes, it should be within 1 to 2 paper thin. Though i have not tried 3d print, you could search up a DIY project on youtube for the HE400se, the result looks pretty good.
removing the grill really changes a sound a lot. (I would say 20% improvement in sound stage). custom cans has great 3D printable grill for 2GBP which protects the drivers but is acoustically invisible.
Hi, does anyone happen to know the make and model of the lamp in the table? I need one like that, and any help would be much appreciated!. Thanks!😮
Can't you just EQ it without opening the headphone?
@JonathanDano and without risk of damaging the drivers
Is this the stealth or non-stealth version? How different is it from the HE-x4 from Drop?
Interesting. Here in the UK Amazon id predictably the most expensive place to buy this!
Silly idea. EQ.
Have you tried multiple different sizes and positions or you just found out somewhere?
I like this type of video as it may bring new life to people that have set these types of headphones aside as they are viewed as meh.
5:13 Have you tried slightly thinner tape?
I have the 400S, would the mod work for that also?
Will this work on the Drop+Hifiman HE-X4?