Massdrop x Hifiman HE-350

next, massdrop should do a HE-666 with @ohhgourami 's mods and comfy headband.

 

I'm glad Massdrop could confirm the 'Best of Massdrop' badge is meaningless with these.

 

From the photo, the cups sure look like my 500s.

 

Why the hell would they do that? It's people have been asking for since the he400 original. Never ever give the people what they want, right? Because people would buy in mass and they'd sell a shit load of them. That's just crazy talk.

 

From pictures, I do not see the 4 clip receptacles on the baffle where the pad rings clip in. Any idea or pictures of how the pads fit on these headphones? Are they the same plastic rings from the 400i/560? Very interested to see how Focus or Focus-A affect the sound, assuming they will fit on.

 

Will said the (velour) pads are not glued to the ring on their samples

So I'm assuming Focus Pads / A will work on the He350 (or we can use brainwavz pads or others with the ring I guess)

http://www.head-fi.org/t/806364/wor...n-collaboration-announcement/30#post_12537345

 

Yep, boarded this crazy train.
choo-choo!

 

Just got my MassDrop HE-350 hp today. Must have been a second drop. I've been worried about them due to the reviews saying that they were bright sounding.

I'm running the MassDrop HE-350 from my Asus Xonar D1 Sound Card using Dolby Headphone setting. That is output to my Quinpu M-6000 tube amp. The MassDrop HE-350 ia plugged into the Quinpu amp.

Initial sound thoughts.....

Listening to one of my favorite country guitarists Jamey Johnson, the guitar and bass sounds right to me. Not too much different at all than my Martin Logan electrostatics in the livingroom. The tube amp seems to be needed to drive these suckers to their full potential. There is only so much volume you can get out of these before you will get distortion, but I do need to loose my hearing. As I keep listening Jason Aldean, another country artist that has a great voice and arrangments sounds great. I have found some recordings that are from the 70s and 80s that show their lousy mastering. As far as I'm concered, the MassDrop HE-350 is not bright in my conditions so far. This is my 1st set of (I thought they were electrostatic) open back headphones. I like this type of sound a lot. Open back has it's advantages with the open feeling and less constraint when wearing a headphone in general. Cord is a little shorter than I'd like. Can't move around at all. Initially the plastic cups turned me off. They don't seem to affect the sound. Comfort is fine, have had better pads around my ears, but that is something that could be fixed. Me like them, glad I took the plunge.

More to come after break-in. Thumbs up for $99 so far.

 

I think these 'phones have dynamic drivers, but I know they are not electrostatics.

 

I stand corrected. I guess it is just Stax heaphones?

 

There are a few others, including HiFiMan and Sennheiser's flagship/statement pieces. All at least expensive, if not very expensive, and requiring a bespoke type of amplifier. Stax are easily the most well-known though.

 

Update on the MassDrop HE-350..... Spent over an hour letting a playlist do it's thing and payed no attention to what was going on. Just computing and sponging up stuff like I normally do. Sound does satisfy. Doesn't excite you like you seen Jesus. I have heard headphones that have done that. The sound is accurate as long as too much is not going on at once. Complex passages are not it's forte so far.

I don't know how you guys go all in with some the hp models available now. Mr Speakers and his new creation is the next top deal..... or is it? I saw the $699 pre-order and was tempted. Oh my.

 

Still liking the sound of these MassDrop HE-350 hp. Starting to break in. I'm playing complex passages no problem now. Really $99 I have to say.... Wow. Doing some Tidal with content that would freak out famliy in the livingroom stereo system. No extra bass. If you want more look elsewhere, but the bass is there, just not powerful like some hp I've heard. I'd call it more accurate to the rest of the tune. But headphones are made to hear things that excite you. So I would like more......... I want to go to the Moon when I throw on a pair...... I'm sure HiFiMan makes a pair that does exactly what I'm looking for. And I'm sure it will cost 10 times the cost of the MassDrop one.

One time I bought a set of $60 hp that were the bomb. Since then I have yet to get sound like that, regardless of price. I was smart. I bought 2 sets. I still have a 2nd pair. These things kick butt, top to bottom. That's a story for another day. Anyway, I like the MassDrop HE-350 hp. They sound freakin' great for the cash. It is beyond me the money for the Focal Utopia and others in that price range when I'm hearing accurtate music from this headphone.

 

A buddy let me borrow his 350's. Some quick impressions. Too lean and bright with the stock pads and velpads (especially the velpads). However, the pleather pads I got with the HE-500's really changed things for the better. Initial listening was from an iPad Pro 9.7, but then I hooked up a DF Red, and things improved further. The whole sound got smoother. Not to say it wasn't still a brighter, leaner headphone, and it still lacked bass, but the sound definitely improved from first listen.

 

@udin
Come over to my little space for a chunk of speak.
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/the-one-and-only-big-d-thread.4005/page-22