HIFIMAN Headphone Compendium

@E_Schaaf - do you have documentation of your HE-4 mods? I got wind of them in another thread and, being a long time HE-4 owner, was curious what you came up with.

Mine have been gathering dust over the years but quarantine has brought me back to headphones. Unfortunately, I'm more sensitive than ever to the sibilance on these. Any chance anyone has had luck mitigating this? I once played around with a passive resistance filter (thanks to advice from Solderdude) which helped reduce treble intensity:



Blue: stock
Red: filter to bump up treble surrounding the 8k peak in an attempt to flatten the response
Purple: filter to drop treble

Note: the 200Hz - 1kHz sawtooth region is the result of removing the star felt on the back of the driver (the only other mod on these headphones). This was much flatter with the felt still present, though I don't have that measurement on-hand anymore.

 

@Thujone - first of all, hi! I remember lurking and reading your posts way back when on Changstar and HF. Seems like you were inactive for a while, but it's good to meet you.

HE4 is really difficult to work with, and no matter what you do, the distortion profile cannot be remedied. It's a tapey sounding headphone. Treble sounds 'lit' and crunchy. I like that about it, but I can see why others might be put off by it. Lots of color.

My mods involve a 2-ply TP sandwich (I forget the brand and have tried dozens, this particular one I've settled on seems to damp dynamics the least but really great at reducing 6.5k and above), with a small cut of melamine and woven fabric (I have what I have and probably can't get more because honestly forgot where it came from, but it's the best for HE4 I've found) in between. And finally a layer of rug liner on top, and a melamine cut on the back above the stock star felt mostly used to protect against dust and particles since I have no grills. No star felt on the ear side, I forget how it came stock.

Earside sandwich filling (not pictured is the second TP layer and rug liner) -



Backside (the melamine layer is very thin) -



Given the mods are asymmetrical, FR measurements are all over the place depending on positioning. I moved it around a bit this was more or less in-between ears all the way forward in the pads and ears all the way back. Measurements below are with EARS+SBAF comp -

1.

2.

Don't mind the sub rolloff on the graph - sweep confirms dead flat below 100hz as expected for this planar phone. It's hot in my apartment today so lots of fans and AC running probably throw off the low end reading quite a bit. The pads do add a bit of midbass. Just need to add more double-stick tape to maintain optimal seal (I'm using ZMF Ori Lambskin non-perforated pads on these - the height of these makes measurements extra difficult to replicate).

Pretty sure I have stock measurements on my work computer but won't be able to post those until shelter in place is over. You can see this thread for reference measurements with my same comp curve and coupler for the sake of comparison - https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...easurement-dump-zmf-focal-audeze-extras.8087/

 

Glad to meet you too! It's always exciting to find another HE-4 lover out there. The treble etch and overall distortion is definitely troublesome, but these are really dynamic headphones. Even the HE-6 and LCD2C have less punch. On top of that, the HE-4 is super light!

Thanks so much for the pictures, you've given me some inspiration. I have never used melamine foam for anything but Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but it looks promising as a dampening element. It looks like the back of your driver has the star felt intact, did you glue the melamine on top to keep it in place?

I spent an embarrassing amount of time this morning googling toilet paper patterns to see if I could figure out what you used... ultimately I'm okay with some experimentation. I've also had great luck with using basic fabric in the past.

Pads are... well, I'm going to figure that out last. Years ago the Audeze vegans were promising for the treble grain but less so for the dynamics. Regardless, this isn't a cheap thing to experiment with and I need to see if TP mods are going to save it or not. What pads does Luis put on the Code series headphones?

 

I've had his modded HE6 and HE5LE and spent a good bit of time with some other friend's LFF modded HE5's too. Always the same pads and the mods are fairly straightforward too (though I'm hesitant to post publicly about it since he's worked to keep it fairly secretive). His pads are the same exact dimensions as these - https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/products/headphone-pad-angled

Pretty sure he gets them batch from aliexpress - his pads aren't pairs either, one needs to be flipped upside-down when you stick it on.The leather feels slightly different, but FWIW I actually preferred the sonics of the HM5 over his, and the Ori pads over either at least on the HE4. LFF uses the plastic ring to maintain circular shape on the oval pads so they can stick on to the headphone via double stick tape.

The key to melamine is to cut it as thin as possible - like just a mm or two. And not a complete covering either. It's also really great stuff for putting in cups on closed back headphones. The pic above of the front damping is flipped upside-down since I work on the headphones with the cups turned around. So the melamine is meant to be around where my ear canal is when I put the headphones on.

I don't use any adhesive - the melamine sticks to the back just with friction (and the wires keep it in place), and my cuts for the front have enough overhang that screwing the plastic ring down simply holds everything in place. I'm scared to use adhesive given I undo and redo the mods a lot and never settle on one config (though the one above has been on there for maybe 4 months).

 

I too am a connoisseur Looks like Kirkland Signature:



https://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature™-Bath-Tissue-2-ply-White-30-count.product.100142093.html

This guide needs updating with modding properties:

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-toilet-paper/

 

Makes sense, Upscale supplies toilet paper and office stuff from Costco. Thanks for that @Biodegraded !

That stuff is really great for toning treble on TH900 too without acoustically impeding the frontwave excursion - this headphone's very sensitive to that and will sound overdamped with even 1-ply of some thicker TPs, which (believe it or not) can measurably reduce both deep bass and treble while increasing midrange distortion (yuck).

Not the case with Kirkland Sig 2-ply, even folded. You can wet and air dry it for an even lighter effect.

This conversation is hilarious.

 

Have you tried Kleenex or similar tissue? That's more subtle still, I found one ply to have less effect on the treble than one ply of the Costco (which itself had more effect than 2 others I tried, both Purex IIRC) when AKG modding. All papers also had a subtle effect on the midrange FR (second graph).

My distortion results are always crappy, but after what you've said here I'll go back and check them to see if there's anything...

 

Damn. You're good.

 

I had to fix a broken internal driver connection cable on my HE-6SE. Those tiny silver wires are fragile and poorly soldered. I've also decided to more tightly screw the driver assembly into the ear cups. Additionally uncovered an additional high quality felt pad under the big metal nut, which is likely responsible for some sonic improvement these have over original HE-6.
Tightening the screws further reduced resonance and the remaining "sharp" quality to the sound.

Seems Hifiman should either invest in some better electric screwdrivers, and/or feed their workers more meat.
I screw my screws well.

I'll attempt some advanced composite custom pads, since it seems to be the last avenue to improve on these. (Also check the Dekoni pads, but I suspect they won't be a great match.)

 

Has anyone upgraded the internal wiring on Hifiman headphones? Does / would it give audible / measurable benefits?

 

I have not, but a measurable difference is unlikely. No hifiman is that low-impedance (high current requirement) as to require anything special whatsoever. As long as the stock internal cables are made somewhat sensibly (which should be the case), there will be essentially no measurable difference. On one side of my ananda, the internal wiring has started to oxidize, but even then the run is so short, and the current/voltage requirements are so low that I doubt it'd affect the FR or anything else.

The headphone Show recently made a nice video talking over external headphone cables, most of what they're talking about will also apply to any internal wiring.

TL;DW: Don't have an ultra low-impedance headphone such as the raal sr1a? Then you'll pretty much never see a measurable impact to the sound from even comparatively long external headphone cables. Internally, this is true as well. The shorter runs makes it so that you can get away with a more resistive cable. With an external cable, perhaps if you have something like a susvara or he6se with an abnormally long cable running to the amp, you will start to see some measurable differences.

Subjective differences? welllll... that's up to you.

 

Internal wiring on HE6 (or SE) is totally irrelevant. They do have a small resistor however hidden in that cable.

Removing that will make the frequency response kind of interesting, but totally wack peakier. Don't do it.
Also blutack mod still applies. The biggest problem I have with mine is that they catch hair and it can get into the drivers.
The fix for that is gluing or taping the pads. I hope. The hair are extremely hard and dangerous to get out of the driver, and they will ruin the sound with harmonics.
(Personally, E8000 elastic glue is best, but stinky.)

Now that these are again cheap, they're definitely worthy. I'm considering a Lyr finally for these, to upgrade the Jotunheim, which needs some love in the XLR connector.
Also considering finally changing the Hilo combo DAC/AMP to something serious.

 

Great to see you here!

I have ordered some StP Biplast 5 to try your mods below.. should arrive in a couple of days. Any thoughts about it or your other mods after all these years?

 

Alright, trying to resurrect this thread with a few photos I took the other day. I've come to sincerely appreciate my OG Anandas. They're easy to drive, pretty resolving, and have decent tonality overall. They're a bit bright 4-8k, and relatively dark at 1-2k, which to me seems to be the reason for most complaints of bad timbre on these cans. Bass extension is decent but a little low in amplitude, but it can be eq'd up. People have measured mediocre distortion across the board on these cans but I haven't really noticed it. These things are very airy and open, and have a thing for imaging and stage. Of the headphones I've heard (LCD2-4, all the senns, focal Clear M.G, Clear, elex, and a couple other more inexpensive cans) they take second place for stage, just behind hd800s which I felt wasn't a huge step up. I'm happy with the $600 I paid for them, I personally feel they slap around LCD2c, focal clears, and all the inexpensive Sennheiser, and compete favorably against lcd3/4 and hd800s. At this rate, I might have to save up for he1kv2 or susvara for a proper upgrade..

 

Not seen many measurements of the Ananda Nano yet apart from Amirs which is the equivalent of watching Z reviews for me, not my thing.

I think overall these is a similar experience to what you would've heard with Arya, HE1000, Ananda, I find all Hifimans with this type of design to sound very similar regardless of price. For those who havn't heard them here's some impressions.

I tend to prefer headphones on the warmer, lusher, impactful side of things, think LCD-2 of 2010-2011, HD650 worn in pads, I'd prob throw the HE-500, porta pro in that category as well. My chain is the warmer side, was pretty much picked to aid those traits too.

Using the cheapo Fulla E, works great as a DAC hooked up to my Asgard 2, sold the Asgard 3 because I think the 2 sounds nicer with my phones.

Headphones I've owned in the past are. Every Audeze LCD-2 revision, HD800, HE-500/HE-400/Ananda/Sundara/HE5XX most Fostex Biocellulose variants to name just a few of my favs, the list would be ever growing.

I like old school rock, pop, rap, guilty pleasures, Japanese's composers, very varied, love soulful female vocals.

Ananda Nano have that out of head experience that the egg shaped Hifimans all have but they decay very quick and hitting hard, very typical "NEW SKOOL" Hifiman sound. I much prefer the way Hifiman has taken their sound, Audeze have gone a route where they sound weird compared to Audeze of old, more peaks stand out, weird dips, they sound artificial in comparison to what I always used to enjoy. Audeze def lost something where I feel Hifman have hit a comfortable stride.

Hifiman with their egg shape phones have stuck to the same formula but have tweaked them, I will say I hate how Hifiman has a cluttered profile but I won't get into it too much.

Nanos bass is very clean, fast as expected, very room like. The LCD-2 Classic for example has very linear, direct bass but it comes across as more one note, but I also feel this is due to the more direct sound where as the newer Hifimans sound almost holographic, hazy. The Nano is very lush, full in the bass while going just as low. Wet, open is how I'd describe them, sultry type of sound? If you've heard the Ananda original, similar to that but I'm getting more dynamics compared to the previous Ananda, just a bit.

Midrange is slightly lush, full not unlike other egg shaped Hifimans but the biggest difference is the vastness, vocals sound incredible. On something like a HD650 voices were injected into your ears, focused, direct. The Nano surrounds you and mimics filling the room with it's massive drivers. HD650 are known are vocal kings for this reason but the Nano is just a different experience altogether. For a more vast, experience I'm digging these.

Male voices have good body, maybe slightly leaner than I am used too the lack of mid bass boost doesn't add any extra body, decay is very quick so I could see those who prefer some lingering warmth will prefer something like 650, dynamics just do that aspect better by design.

The treble of the Nano is again, unlike other Hifimans, extended, could be fatiguing for those sensitive, I'm actually more bothered by peaks at 6k instead, luckily no issues for me.

As I've gotten older, I've started to prefer headphones with more treble extension, sounds more complete as opposed to the blunted Audeze headphones. Instruments on those regions have such bite and attack that it does give the Nano a more dynamic and punchy quality compared to an Audeze, that goes across the board.

The best quality though, that spaciousness, room like engaging sound that Hifiman just nails you can get lost and zone out, I love how Hifimans do this, it can be mesmerising. I've always felt the Hifiman eggs did depth better than the HD800, I'm someone who hears the HD800 as having a dip to give depth perception where these don't, they have these massive drivers, extremely open design that just lets the sound breath. I was playing Red Dead 2, every gust of wind, branch crackle, vast open space was heard and it did a fantastic job of mimicking those environments, kudos to Rockstar for having great audio implementation too.

These a priced pretty insane in the UK, £479 which is £300 less than the LCD-2 Classic. I could see those who are less sensitive to 6k and more sensitive to 8-10k leaning towards the Audeze. If you're like me, you don't EQ and want to enjoy as intended by the designer, the Nano are far more open, engaging, resolving and musical to my ears compared to the LCD-2 Classic stock. I did feel the LCD-2F had less snap around 6k than the Classic and sounded slightly smoother but I still feel the Ananda is a smoother, more engaging, fuller sounding headphone than the LCD-2F despite being brighter.

I might hand on to these for quite a while.

 

After all these years...

Short version of the modding:
- Fill em up with Blu-Tack. Glue the Dekoni Fenestrated pad with Blu-Tack. This reduces midrange resonance slightly and does improve subbass due to slightly increased acoustic impedance. (Backside of Dekoni is also fenestrated.)
- Pads broken in for years actually sound a bit better. They come too thick out of the box.
- Needs higher den material, or its getting minimally underdampened in 10 kHz, or two layers of thinner nylon. At least no 5kHz reflection from the metal pads. With only one layer of nylon stocking, you get a slightly brightened sound. Plus it's flimsy.

The cable issue written above was ultimately loose DAC/Amp XLR cables. Got fixed after I traced it part by part.

I also had to tape down the sliders after they ultimately broke from the strain and CA glue couldn't properly fix it. Duct tape fix. Looks ridiculous, but works. Not adjustable anymore though.

No changes to gear, I have more important things to spend money on for the time being.

 

Thanks @wormcycle for bringing up the deal on the HE-560 in the deals thread. Way back when I had just moved to SoCal, @insidious meme let me listen to his early model with the BW2, and that memory always stuck with me. For $169 I couldn't resist and they arrived today, after a quick listen with the Yggdrasil GS feeding the MJ3, I chopped the stock cable, and soldered on a XLR. For $169 I can't believe how clean the lows and mids are, this is ridiculous.

Quick and dirty measurments from my ancient rig

 

My HE560s were delivered a week ago but it will be at least 6 weeks before I get there and can try it..
From my experience with HE500 getting a grill (air-flow) from Arctic Cables https://www.arcticcables.com/ac-store/Hifiman-Grill-Mod-c132077760 will be my next step.

 

I printed a set of these and they work great https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5266814/files

I tried uploading a pic under 1MB and it still says it's too big, oh well. When my Focus A pads get here I'll try punching some Verum 2 style bass vents into the stock pads.