[Liver]

Comparing these two specific headphones.  I'm not going to deny it, I'm an addict and looking for a reason to buy more stuff.  However, this time I am asking, well, because I have too much stuff.  No need in getting more stuff just for the sake of getting more stuff.
 
At any rate.  I listen to a wide variety of music including Texas country, some rap, R&B and mainly rock.  No classical and very little blues.  I'd rather poke holes in my tympanic membranes than listen to jazz.  No, not literally.
 
I do watch movies and play video games with my headphones.  The games I play do not require absolute positional information.  So no first person shooters.  More single player story games, MMOs, and such.  I do watch all my movies (BluRays) with my headphones.
 
Currently I do have the Sony 5ks and I do like them (at one point I had 3 pairs in case one broke, now I have 2).  What I like about them:
 
1.  They are fast and resolving.  Very very fast.  I like the separation between sounds.  No muddy waters.
2.  They are a bit bright and that goes well with movies (vocals).
3.  Big sound stage.  Very immersive environment.
4.  Comfortable.
 
I do not have the HE-400.  If I buy them, only one will remain.  I just moved to a new house and although I don't have a lot of stuff, I did witness a lot of stuff that I no longer use, but can not part with.  I will part with it.  It is a new goal for me.
 
I'm happy with the SA5000s.  I'm curious if the HE-400 will do all that better.  In high school I was happy with my Diet Coke, then in college I discovered rum and Diet Coke.  Whole new level of happy.
 
Wondering if the SA5000 strengths can be made stronger with the HE-400.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

Comparing these two specific headphones.  I'm not going to deny it, I'm an addict and looking for a reason to buy more stuff.  However, this time I am asking, well, because I have too much stuff.  No need in getting more stuff just for the sake of getting more stuff.
 
At any rate.  I listen to a wide variety of music including Texas country, some rap, R&B and mainly rock.  No classical and very little blues.  I'd rather poke holes in my tympanic membranes than listen to jazz.  No, not literally.
 
I do watch movies and play video games with my headphones.  The games I play do not require absolute positional information.  So no first person shooters.  More single player story games, MMOs, and such.  I do watch all my movies (BluRays) with my headphones.
 
Currently I do have the Sony 5ks and I do like them (at one point I had 3 pairs in case one broke, now I have 2).  What I like about them:
 
1.  They are fast and resolving.  Very very fast.  I like the separation between sounds.  No muddy waters.
2.  They are a bit bright and that goes well with movies (vocals).
3.  Big sound stage.  Very immersive environment.
4.  Comfortable.
 
I do not have the HE-400.  If I buy them, only one will remain.  I just moved to a new house and although I don't have a lot of stuff, I did witness a lot of stuff that I no longer use, but can not part with.  I will part with it.  It is a new goal for me.
 
I'm happy with the SA5000s.  I'm curious if the HE-400 will do all that better.  In high school I was happy with my Diet Coke, then in college I discovered rum and Diet Coke.  Whole new level of happy.
 
Wondering if the SA5000 strengths can be made stronger with the HE-400.

It's hard to compare these two since they are voiced so differently:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDRVSA5000.pdf
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HiFiMANHE400.pdf
 
But just objectively (from the measurements) speaking, the HE400s will massacre the SA5000s in the bass department; under $1k only LCD2 could trump HE400s in bass quality. Also looks like the HE400s will have relatively smoother mids and treble compared to the SA5000 so you'll get much more realistic timbre and effortless presentation. The SA5000s do have a 'cleaner' mids in terms of distortion but the two are comparable in treble distortion, and there is no comparison in bass distortion.
 
Also the planar magnetic sound with HE400s means extremely good instrument separation and imaging; its soundstage is medium-sized for open headphones, so a touch intimate. Be very sure to get velour pads for the upper mids and treble of these babies to open up for a more balanced tonality.
 
Looks like your music preference has a lot of bass as well as a lot of instruments, yeah you'll love these.
 
Comfort-wise with velours they are great.

 

[SoundFreaq]

I have the SA5Ks, and there is indeed something special about that super dry transparency. They are detail MONSTERS. It's legendary. I hope there is a leftover around here that still has the 5Ks that also has experience with the HE400. I am very interested in how this turns out. 

 

[KG Jag]

I have the 5000 and the HE-500.  The 5000 are headlighters--much brighter than the HiFiMan.  The planars are not nearly as fast as the 5000.  The HE-500 is in the same ball park as the Sony with regard to clarity and accuracy, but I doubt that the HE-400 would make it to that level.  The HiFiMan is somewhat similar in sound to the HD 600, but with more bass--and more neutral bass than delivered by the HD 650.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

I have the 5000 and the HE-500.  The 5000 are headlighters--much brighter than the HiFiMan.  The planars are not nearly as fast as the 5000.  The HE-500 is in the same ball park as the Sony with regard to clarity and accuracy, but I doubt that the HE-400 would make it to that level.  The HiFiMan is somewhat similar in sound to the HD 600, but with more bass--and more neutral bass than delivered by the HD 650.

 
Yeah it's not, the 400 is voiced more to the "fun" side, with a slightly more elevated bass level and suppressed upper mids / lower treble, and lots of upper treble, and a slightly forward mid mids, the colouration does slightly detract it from the clarity of HE500s, but it's a very enjoyable colouration that synergizes well with dynamic types of music. Personally for my ears, it has the perfect level of bass and treble intensity for enjoyment (with velour pads + regrilling mod).

 

[Liver]

In that case what headphones do you recommend to surpass the SA5000? Especially with speed? They are absolutely brilliant in that regard.

 

[dukeskd]

I would recommend the Denon D5000/D7000 for the music you listen to. If you are interested in an IEM that would work well, take a look at Sony MDR-EX1000/EX600.

 

[Ishcabible]

Quote:

In that case what headphones do you recommend to surpass the SA5000? Especially with speed? They are absolutely brilliant in that regard.

 
There really aren't any within a reasonable price range. The HD800? (Don't remember too much about their sound, but when I heard the SA5000 again, they sounded familiar) I was hoping the HE500 would be a better SA5000 for some reason, but they were a warmer flavor. They were extremely pleasant, but one does not replace the other. 

 

[SoundFreaq]

Quote:

I would recommend the Denon D5000/D7000 for the music you listen to. If you are interested in an IEM that would work well, take a look at Sony MDR-EX1000/EX600.

 
Owning the 5K, it's my opinion the Denons would be nearly opposite of what you're looking for. Closed, emphasis on bass, and a much smaller soundstage. Detail and speed definitely not there like the open 5K. But, there might be some high-end (custom) In Ear Monitors that could reach the level of speed and detail you want. Not in a dynamic driver IEM, maybe a Balanced Armature driver. But then you sacrifice soundstage, which is stellar on the 5K. The 5K was really kind of one of a kind. There's nothing quite like it, if that's what you love. 
 
Based on what I've read, the Sennheiser HD800 comes the closest to that 5K transparency and speed. 

 

[daniel521]

Quote:

 
Owning the 5K, it's my opinion the Denons would be nearly opposite of what you're looking for. Closed, emphasis on bass, and a much smaller soundstage. Detail and speed definitely not there like the open 5K. But, there might be some high-end (custom) In Ear Monitors that could reach the level of speed and detail you want. Not in a dynamic driver IEM, maybe a Balanced Armature driver. But then you sacrifice soundstage, which is stellar on the 5K. The 5K was really kind of one of a kind. There's nothing quite like it, if that's what you love. 
 
Based on what I've read, the Sennheiser HD800 comes the closest to that 5K transparency and speed. 

Which one do you think would be better for rock and pop rock, SA5000 or he-400? Also which one do you think is more exciting and more fun? I hate laid back headphones...

 

[SoundFreaq]

I've never heard the HE-400, but from what I've read it has a pretty solid bass response. So I think it would be better (more engaging and fun) as long as you're not looking for the last bit of detail and speed, which is what the 5K is famous for. But someone that has heard both should chime in.

 

[daniel521]

Quote:

I've never heard the HE-400, but from what I've read it has a pretty solid bass response. So I think it would be better (more engaging and fun) as long as you're not looking for the last bit of detail and speed, which is what the 5K is famous for. But someone that has heard both should chime in.

but the he-400 seems to be more of a basshead, and I listen to rock... Do you still thinkb the he-400 will be better since its more fun?
 
edit: just remembered that you didn't hear the he-400

 

[wilzc]

The SA5K that I've heard has some crazy treble energy. This coming from an Ultrasone fan who likes the Edition 10..

 

[SoundFreaq]

Yes sir. The 5K is a special one. You either love it or hate it. 
 
daniel521, I personally am a bit of a basshead, and I like bass in my pop and rock. If you don't need bass, and you want crazy speed, detail, and transparency, the 5K might do it for ya. Amazon still has a few, so you can return them if they don't work out. That treble energy can be fun, or fatiguing. Love em or hate em. When you love em, you REALLY love em. There's nothing else quite like it. 

 

[daniel521]

Quote:

The SA5K that I've heard has some crazy treble energy. This coming from an Ultrasone fan who likes the Edition 10..

is it possible to get the sa5000 for 400 dollars? if so where can i order it?