Hifiman HE400SE Review (Headphone)

[Zensō]

Great to see this review. This is one of the best buys in audio, along with the Sennheiser HD58X. It really brings into question the existence of $4k headphones.

 

[pjn]

Very glad to see this review - thanks Amir. Good to see that my audible impression is confirmed by data. Comparing them with HD650s and Clears - the Clears I like a lot for jazz and the HD650s sound better with classical. But these are good all-rounders.
I find these quite comfortable and while initially thinking them a little plasticky have come to quite like them.
Agreed - the stock cable is atrocious and was replaced immediately.

 

[ishouldbeking]

It's heartening to see these measuring so well. The only caveat people should keep in mind when they see "excellent measurements" at a "bargain price" is that there are other factors to consider when buying headphones, such as durability, comfort, customer and warranty support, and so forth. If I remember correctly, Hifiman has decent customer support, but they've got an absymal reputation on the various audio forums for quality control, and there's a reason their headphones so frequently go through v1, v2, v3 revisions. I can't speak to any of these in particular as I've never bought a Hifiman product due to their QC woes, but across most of their product lines (regardless of price) there have been endless reports of driver failures, issues with headbands and pads, and terrible cables (right up there with Focal). I'm sure they sound great for what they are, but I suggest doing some online diligence so you know what you're getting into. I've come so close to pulling the trigger on the Susvara over the years, but it'll drive me nuts if it dies on me, so I always back off.

One last clarification: these can be bought direct from HifiMan, on Amazon, and elsewhere for $129.

 

[PatentLawyer]

Just ordered these, plus a Topping L50 amp. Am expecting a pretty dandy setup for the $$$.

 

[Yasuo]

According to the Hifiman website, this V2 version has improved sound. And another good news is that they have warehouses in China, EU and US.

 

[TagoMago]

And another good news is that they have warehouses in China, EU and US.

the shipping cost to europe is roughly $45 so they are stocked only in the CN and US warehouses at the moment.

 

[Pugsly]

I have both the HE400SE and HD650.
My copy of the HE400SE has a collection of very high-Q, high magnitude spikes between 8-12kHz located in quite different spots between the left and right channels that I find unbearable to listen to without EQ, and available EQ presets don't correct them. Could simply be a case of sample variation though.
They sound different after application of EQ presets to the same target but for reasons that could entirely be caused by the FR still being different with my on samples on my own head.

I guess I am either lucky and there is no major mismatch in my pair, or I'm not trained, or whatever, enough to notice... Either way, I guess I'm fine

What is weird to me is just how different these sound from the HD6xx even when eq'd, although it is admittedly difficult for me to volume match/switch between equally transparent sources quickly. Nonetheless, I would like to know if/how/why the subjectivist descriptors seem to match not only my own impressions (which could be explained by my having been 'primed' before purchase) but the impressions of my wife and friend both of whom expressed opinions that tracked with those descriptors even though I did not share any suggestions as to how they 'should sound' and just asked what they heard, e.g., that the the HD6xx is more 'intimate' and not fatiguing, the HE400SE are more open sounding, 'wider' and more clean or 'faster' (whatever that means), but also more prone to sound harsh. The HD 6xx sound good with everything, but I sometimes miss the details with it. Given they are both eq'd to harman, is this all just due to the difference is pads/associations from their build aesthetic? That seems doubtful. Is it a question of where/how they distort? Distance of driver from the ear? Shape of cups and interaction with ear shape? I don't know, and would love to have someone explain it...

 

[abdo123]

the shipping cost to europe is roughly $45 so they are stocked only in the CN and US warehouses at the moment.

I ordered mine (400SE) from amazon.fr this morning if you’re interested.

 

[Leiker535]

I guess I am either lucky and there is no major mismatch in my pair, or I'm not trained, or whatever, enough to notice... Either way, I guess I'm fine

What is weird to me is just how different these sound from the HD6xx even when eq'd, although it is admittedly difficult for me to volume match/switch between equally transparent sources quickly. Nonetheless, I would like to know if/how/why the subjectivist descriptors seem to match not only my own impressions (which could be explained by my having been 'primed' before purchase) but the impressions of my wife and friend both of whom expressed opinions that tracked with those descriptors even though I did not share any suggestions as to how they 'should sound' and just asked what they heard, e.g., that the the HD6xx is more 'intimate' and not fatiguing, the HE400SE are more open sounding, 'wider' and more clean or 'faster' (whatever that means), but also more prone to sound harsh. The HD 6xx sound good with everything, but I sometimes miss the details with it. Given they are both eq'd to harman, is this all just due to the difference is pads/associations from their build aesthetic? That seems doubtful. Is it a question of where/how they distort? Distance of driver from the ear? Shape of cups and interaction with ear shape? I don't know, and would love to have someone explain it...

The EQing following online measurements, even when said measurements/EQs are redone after the suggested EQ curve, like with Oratory,does not guarantee an 100% match with other headphones of the same model, specially considering human heads. There will be differences perceived by your head's shape and your ear's shape. There is also difference in perception following driver size (6xx is a tiny driver with a big resonator filling the cup, 400se's cup is itself a big driver); and unit variance and resonant frequencies that are not picked by the FR curve graph (and will determine some of it), but only shown in group delay and CSD waterfall graphs. See for instance Sundara's CSD vs HD 6XX/650's, as per solderdude:

Spoiler

Though these graphs, as I see it, give way to the opposite of subjective verbose descriptions, that planars are faster and dynamics wonkier. Here, and with most other hifimans, even the very top Susvara, we see the exact opposite.

 

[GeorgeWalk]

"The truth will set you free but first it will piss you off."

Nice Ted Lasso reference.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

with all due respect to planar headphones designers, I don't know why almost or maybe ALL the planar headphones I've read or tried have issue one way or another. You cannot just say it's hifiman doing a bad job of QC when pretty much audeze, abyss, goldplanar and others were adequately reported to have durability issues as well.

actually I'm really curious if someone can tell me why planar designs are bound to face driver failures this easily. I swear for every 1 pair of dynamic headphones I read died there'd be like 5-7 planar headphones died or so. I love some planar models too much so I can somehow tolerate the risk but still, it's sad to think that my headphones can just suddenly die anytime even though I take good care of them

 

[Larry B. Larabee]

Did you load the impedance graph results? Can it be that perfect?

Ahh,I see. Looking at another review for planar magnetics (hifiman arya) you have an actual zoomed in graph that shows the impedance variation and resonances instead of what looks to be just a cursor.
Sorry, my mistake (I think).

 

[_thelaughingman]

with all due respect to planar headphones designers, I don't know why almost or maybe ALL the planar headphones I've read or tried have issue one way or another. You cannot just say it's hifiman doing a bad job of QC when pretty much audeze, abyss, goldplanar and others were adequately reported to have durability issues as well.

actually I'm really curious if someone can tell me why planar designs are bound to face driver failures this easily. I swear for every 1 pair of dynamic headphones I read died there'd be like 5-7 planar headphones died or so. I love some planar models too much so I can somehow tolerate the risk but still, it's sad to think that my headphones can just suddenly die anytime even though I take good care of them

Are you stats derived from actual reported sources? Are these manufacturer reported failures or just individuals that have reported the failures on forums? It'd be very interesting to see such a correlation in data of number of failures for dynamic drivers vs planars.

 

[PeteL]

It's heartening to see these measuring so well. The only caveat people should keep in mind when they see "excellent measurements" at a "bargain price" is that there are other factors to consider when buying headphones, such as durability, comfort, customer and warranty support, and so forth. If I remember correctly, Hifiman has decent customer support, but they've got an absymal reputation on the various audio forums for quality control, and there's a reason their headphones so frequently go through v1, v2, v3 revisions. I can't speak to any of these in particular as I've never bought a Hifiman product due to their QC woes, but across most of their product lines (regardless of price) there have been endless reports of driver failures, issues with headbands and pads, and terrible cables (right up there with Focal). I'm sure they sound great for what they are, but I suggest doing some online diligence so you know what you're getting into. I've come so close to pulling the trigger on the Susvara over the years, but it'll drive me nuts if it dies on me, so I always back off.

One last clarification: these can be bought direct from HifiMan, on Amazon, and elsewhere for $129.

Yep, I had he400i in the past, they where never my main headphones, With limited use The cable failed in about 1 month, the pads split opened after 2, I was starting to wonder if they where programmed to self destruct.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

Are you stats derived from actual reported sources? Are these manufacturer reported failures or just individuals that have reported the failures on forums? It'd be very interesting to see such a correlation in data of number of failures for dynamic drivers vs planars.

what I've seen is only based on what I read on the internet and what actually happened to people I know including myself.
f.e: ~10 cases of planar failure in 2 years from people I know and hang out with (ranging from hifiman, abyss, audeze and even mr speaker?). All those headphones are less than 5 years old, some are even just a few months after unboxing.

in the grand scheme I know what I said is completely unreliable and cannot be used as evidence for anything however I don't think any manufacturers with resources would be interested to spend the effort to reveal their shortcomings.

 

[Sak]

~10 cases of planar failure in 2 years from people I know and hang out with (ranging from hifiman, abyss, audeze and even mr speaker?). All those headphones are less than 5 years old, some are even just a few months after unboxing.

I have been using Hifimen's headphones for 7 years.
I had: HE4, He400I (first revision), He-560(V2), Sundara, Ananda.
And with none of them there were no problems. Just for statistics.

 

[mr.at]

I have been using Hifimen's headphones for 7 years.
I had: HE4, He400I (first revision), He-560(V2), Sundara, Ananda.
And with none of them there were no problems. Just for statistics.

I attest to this fact. I have the he400i myself, the he4xx and the new Edition XS.
No issues, no QC issues or breakage or anything so far. Have had the he400i since 2017 and did mods etc too.
None of the issues I have encountered that people usually talk about.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

I have been using Hifimen's headphones for 7 years.
I had: HE4, He400I (first revision), He-560(V2), Sundara, Ananda.
And with none of them there were no problems. Just for statistics.

I use edition x v2, he400 original, 400i and 560v3 for awhile too and there was no issue for me (at least until I sold some of them)
I don't believe the failure rate is that high but still it's concerning when it comes to driver failure talks the planars are always brought up more than DD/estat counterparts.

 

[abdo123]

I have been using Hifimen's headphones for 7 years.
I had: HE4, He400I (first revision), He-560(V2), Sundara, Ananda.
And with none of them there were no problems. Just for statistics.

Is this an accidental double negative or did you actually have problems with all of them?

 

[Sak]

or did you actually have problems with all of them?

All of them worked great.