Frustrating issues with HE400i (2016), JDS Labs Atom amp, and Schiit IEMagni (rant)

[shaney777]

This is somewhat of a rant but also me genuinely needing help. For my first mid-fi headphone, I chose Hifiman HE400i (2016) because of its very low price, planar tech, and respect the line has. I went with the JDS Labs Atom stack, but that turned out bad because of the mids sounding very weak/low resolution/channel imbalance compared to unamped. I took John's recommendations to try to fix the issue, but nothing worked. I sent that all back and lost quite a bit of money from buying a new adapter, return shipping, insurance, and restocking fee. Next I bought Schiit IEMagni to use without a DAC (trying to save a little money now), and this turned out bad as well. Somehow on low/mid gain, I have to turn the volume up far higher than I had to with Atom, which doesn't make sense because Atom has much less power per channel. Using a reference bass-heavy song, Atom sounded wordlessly better in terms of impact/body and level of bass. That doesn't make sense either unless there is some problem with going 1/8" to RCA. But now I am going to lose even more money sending it back as well. This is not the end of my issues, however. I believe the headphones themselves are faulty too. Compared to Grado SR60i and Hifiman RE-400, the mids sound congested/lower resolution/lower quality when unamped. This should certainly not be considering that HE400i is a mid-fi headphone and used to cost $500. Additionally, when you switch left and right cable ends, channel imbalance is apparent. This will be more money to send back and get replaced. The entire experience from start to finish has been horrendous, and at this point, I'm ready to just go back to using unamped entry level headphones and cut my losses. Maybe there are too many variables or I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[twsecrest]

Do you max out the volume control on all the sources and just use the external headphone amplifier to control the volume?

 

[shaney777]

Do you max out the volume control on all the sources and just use the external headphone amplifier to control the volume?

Yes, 99 on computer volume and 100 in Amazon Music program.

 

[twsecrest]

Might try installing the free program Foobar2000, with WASAPI and play a FLAC music file.
It will bypass the Windows OS, see if that changes anything, for the better.

 

[solderdude]

Reads like nothing was particularly wrong with the source nor electronics but the issue was with the HE400i from day one.
HFM usually as excellent L-R balance (channel matching).
Could be the cable (if the imbalance switches cups when the cable L and R plug are swapped) or the headphone (when the cable L-R is swapped but the imbalance doesn't swap along with the cable.

When all of what you wrote didn't happen with the Grado (I assume you tested the combos with the Grado as well) then it makes sense the HE400i or its cable is faulty.

 

[shaney777]

Might try installing the free program Foobar2000, with WASAPI and play a FLAC music file.
It will bypass the Windows OS, see if that changes anything, for the better.

Thank you!

 

[shaney777]

Reads like nothing was particularly wrong with the source nor electronics but the issue was with the HE400i from day one.
HFM usually as excellent L-R balance (channel matching).
Could be the cable (if the imbalance switches cups when the cable L and R plug are swapped) or the headphone (when the cable L-R is swapped but the imbalance doesn't swap along with the cable.

When all of what you wrote didn't happen with the Grado (I assume you tested the combos with the Grado as well) then it makes sense the HE400i or its cable is faulty.

I appreciate your response. I am trying to rationalize what you wrote about the cable plugs. Are the instruments supposed to change channels when swapping L-R? I believe, based on what you wrote, the cable is faulty. But can that explain all the amp weirdness as well?

 

[solderdude]

The HE400i has 2 similar plugs. One into the L cup (marked L) and one into the right cup (marked R)

When used normally L plug in L cup and R plug in R cup and there is an imbalance (one side playing softer) and for instance the L side is playing softer (use mono music) and you swap the R plug into L cup and L plug into R cup and still the L side is playing softer it is the drivers (headphone) that is not O.K.
When swapping the plugs and now the R side is playing louder either the cable is defective OR the source (amplifier) is playing one side a bit louder.

I cannot place the amp weirdness unless something is wrong with a 3.5mm plug where the screen is disconnected.
In that case the sound is weird and kind of mono-ish with less bass.

 

[shaney777]

The HE400i has 2 similar plugs. One into the L cup (marked L) and one into the right cup (marked R)

When used normally L plug in L cup and R plug in R cup and there is an imbalance (one side playing softer) and for instance the L side is playing softer (use mono music) and you swap the R plug into L cup and L plug into R cup and still the L side is playing softer it is the drivers (headphone) that is not O.K.
When swapping the plugs and now the R side is playing louder either the cable is defective OR the source (amplifier) is playing one side a bit louder.

I cannot place the amp weirdness unless something is wrong with a 3.5mm plug where the screen is disconnected.
In that case the sound is weird and kind of mono-ish with less bass.

It had not occurred to me to try out mono music. Wonderful idea. I will try that and see what happens. Thank you again for all the help!
Oh, one more thing. What do you make of the IEMagni having significantly less bass body/impact than Atom stack? Is that just the way its built?

 

[solderdude]

Bass should be exactly the same. Both amps are very low in distortion, have very low output resistance and are perfectly 'flat' to well below and above audible thresholds. There cannot be any difference in sound between these 2 amps unless there is something wrong the used cables, source or headphone used or a headphone socket in the used amp was faulty.

When your observation/evaluation is found on direct comparison the most likely explanation is an overall level difference or something wrong with cable(s) or headphone.
Going from memory (your impression of a previously owned combo I would not trust the findings.
Auditory memory is extremely poor/incorrect in this aspect and circumstances , without doubt, will not have been comparable.

 

[shaney777]

Bass should be exactly the same. Both amps are very low in distortion, have very low output resistance and are perfectly 'flat' to well below and above audible thresholds. There cannot be any difference in sound between these 2 amps unless there is something wrong the used cables, source or headphone used or a headphone socket in the used amp was faulty.

When your observation/evaluation is found on direct comparison the most likely explanation is an overall level difference or something wrong with cable(s) or headphone.
Going from memory (your impression of a previously owned combo I would not trust the findings.
Auditory memory is extremely poor/incorrect in this aspect and circumstances , without doubt, will not have been comparable.

Thank you! <3

 

[solderdude]

You can also do the following simple test (using mono music) to check your hearing.
Connect everything as normal.
Listen out for imbalance.
Rotate the headphone 180 degrees (so left cup on the right ear and vice versa) and check if channel imbalance goes to the other ear.
This will even work when pads/driver is angled.
Most likely it sounds the same but you wouldn't be the first one with asymmetrical hearing.

Another thing to check which is easy to do (when you found it is the headphone itself) is to swap pads from left to right and check if the imbalance moves along with the pads or stays on the same driver side.

 

[shaney777]

You can also do the following simple test (using mono music) to check your hearing.
Connect everything as normal.
Listen out for imbalance.
Rotate the headphone 180 degrees (so left cup on the right ear and vice versa) and check if channel imbalance goes to the other ear.
This will even work when pads/driver is angled.
Most likely it sounds the same but you wouldn't be the first one with asymmetrical hearing.

Another thing to check which is easy to do (when you found it is the headphone itself) is to swap pads from left to right and check if the imbalance moves along with the pads or stays on the same driver side.

Excellent information. I appreciate you availing yourself as a reliable source of free education
I am going to return the amp soon. Next step will be evaluating the headphones and cable based on your info.
I might pick up another Atom amp after this process, not sure yet.