Hifiman HE400SE Review (Headphone)

[staticV3]

I got HE400se not long time ago (during this B-stock sale) and something strange is going on, something that I never experienced before with any other headphones or IEMs. I like the sound and they sound mostly right to me with Oratory EQ (though may be somewhat bright?) but the problem is that they occasionally cause pain in the ears (usually in just left ear). I mean real physical sharp piercing pain. Some songs are triggering it very fast, for example, this one:

Wondering if someone else experienced something like this and how to diagnose and fix it? I guess there is some kind of very sharp peak in FR that is not very audible but, unfortunately, painful at times.

@solderdude's flat plate measurements of the 400se show some troublesome peaking at 7-10kHz, which is usually masked by a dip that GRAS systems have in that region.

HE-400se

back to HIFIMANback to measurementshome published: Dec-10-2021 NO SMOOTHING is applied to the shown plots. Most measurement sites have some smoothing applied which ‘irons flat’ sharp peaks and ‘wig…

diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com

He designed an analog filter to reduce this peak:


I'd try filtering out this peak, using EQ or Solderdude's in-line filter.

 

[Mnoma109]

I had the Edition XS for a few days, but I returned them because they weren't comfortable enough to wear all day and I use my headphones for a LONG time each day. I have SHP 9500s, which I've been using for years. I've tried the Sundara, but same issues, couldn't wear them for long periods of time. Aside from Koss KPH 30 or 40s or my SHP 9500s, the HE400SE that came in a few days ago are next in line for comfort. I can wear them for a long time. I recall the Sundaras being so "clear" without being "thin". The XS to me felt very "thin" without as much soundstage as the Sundaras (maybe my memory is failing me, but I recall the Sundaras sounding SO GOOD.

That said, I'm using a Schiit Hel DAC/AMP with Peace for EQ. I tried the AutoEQ settings of crinacle, oratory, and rtings and they were good, but just not where I wanted them to be. I think I've settled on these settings and I'm loving the way they sound now. (They don't sound as good as Sundaras did - again, if my memory serves me).

I know a lot of people adjust the dB in the higher ends, but I just did small tweaks and I absolutely love the way these sound now.

Hopefully someone else finds this useful.

 

[staticV3]

That said, I'm using a Schiit Hel DAC/AMP with Peace for EQ. I tried the AutoEQ settings of crinacle, oratory, and rtings and they were good, but just not where I wanted them to be. I think I've settled on these settings and I'm loving the way they sound now. (They don't sound as good as Sundaras did - again, if my memory serves me).

This thread might be interesting for you:

Poll: Which HE400se EQ Preset sounds best?

Here's a little experiment to see which HE400se measurement produces the best EQ preset when corrected to Harman OE2018. Note that this headphone has impressively low unit variation, which might make deciding rather difficult, so I'm giving you three votes. The presets can only be used with...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[datobe]

Guys can someone give me harman target EQ settings file for Peace? I don't know how to input it from PDF file.

 

[staticV3]

Guys can someone give me harman target EQ settings file for Peace? I don't know how to input it from PDF file.

You can make your own using https://autoeq.app/:


It's really easy.

 

[datobe]

You can make your own using https://autoeq.app/:
View attachment 344648

It's really easy.

I just did that, thanks, sounds great.

 

[Chagall]

Guys can someone give me harman target EQ settings file for Peace? I don't know how to input it from PDF file.

If you have the newer Peace version you can click on the AutoEQ button and find your headphone (ignore numbers on the image):

But if you want Oratory's EQ then you have to input the numbers into sliders and choose appropriate filter shapes.

The first two filters should be

and the last

with normal peak filters in between.

EDIT: if inputting manually just be sure to set the negative preamp -9.3dB otherwise your source will be clipping

 

[datobe]

If you have the newer Peace version you can click on the AutoEQ button and find your headphone (ignore numbers on the image):

View attachment 344649

But if you want Oratory's EQ then you have to input the numbers into sliders and choose appropriate filter shapes.

View attachment 344650

The first two filters should be View attachment 344651 and the last View attachment 344652 with normal peak filters in between.

EDIT: if inputting manually just be sure to set the negative preamp -9.3dB otherwise your source will be clipping

I tried this way but when I type 3.8 it jumps to 4. and -9.3 jumps to 9.5.


WOW, vocals sound so good and correct with this headphones. I am coming from M50X.

 

[Chagall]

I tried this way but when I type 3.8 it jumps to 4. and -9.3 jumps to 9.5.


WOW, vocals sound so good and correct with this headphones. I am coming from M50X.

Go to Peace Settings - on the tab Size and Amounts - Snap to dB gain - set to 0.1

Yep, free upgrade!

 

[datobe]

Go to Peace Settings - on the tab Size and Amounts - Snap to dB gain - set to 0.1

View attachment 344653

Yep, free upgrade!

Thank you very much.

I think I like adding that low shelf on 30hz 3.8db, because sometimes I listen to electronic music as well

now it looks like this.

 

[Chagall]

Thank you very much.

I think I like adding that low shelf on 30hz 3.8db, because sometimes I listen to electronic music as well

now it looks like this.

Play around with it (you don't need decimals in frequancy - round up or down), and don't go overboard with the boost

EQ should look like this in the end.

 

[datobe]

Hello again guys. I was wondering, can I use flat frequency response to understand what music author has intended to make hearable and what not?

Another way to say, Is flat frequency response the best way to hear song as author intended.

 

[Chagall]

Hello again guys. I was wondering, can I use flat frequency response to understand what music author has intended to make hearable and what not?

Another way to say, Is flat frequency response the best way to hear song as author intended.

No. Stick to Harman because that is actually a flat response - what headphones should measure and sound like.

Watch @amirm video on headphone measurements:

 

[Rhamnetin]

No. Stick to Harman because that is actually a flat response - what headphones should measure and sound like.

Watch @amirm video on headphone measurements:

For a simulated linear in-room frequency response, wouldn't that be the Harman in-room linear frequency response target rather than their preference curves?

 

[staticV3]

For a simulated linear in-room frequency response, wouldn't that be the Harman in-room linear frequency response target rather than their preference curves?

The added bass shelf of Harman OE is required to compensate for the lack of visceral bass impact in your chest, at least that's what I feel.

 

[Chagall]

For a simulated linear in-room frequency response, wouldn't that be the Harman in-room linear frequency response target rather than their preference curves?

What @staticV3 said - people like bass I wanted to keep the answer simple and not confuse @datobe with the finer points of Harman's research.
Amir goes through all of that in the video.

 

[boyboyboy]

So yes, most people want to hear more (low) bass than others. Perfectly shown by Harman research. You clearly belong to the minority that likes less bass. Nothing wrong with that nor with desiring a bit more bass or even a whole lot more bass (bassheads)

Appreciate the detailed reply, however that's not at all the issue here.

My HE400se appears to be more bass-y than the ones measured by oratory (and possibly others).

If I want it to sound similar to my other tuned cans and buds, I need to keep the two bass shelves turned off.

I was hoping another user had a similar experience and found out a reason why, something that I could fix.

Since nobody came forward, there's this creeping suspicion that I might have an outlier of some kind on my hands.

 

[solderdude]

Highly unlikely that yours somehow has more bass.
Breaking the seal a little will elevated bass slightly, that is what might be the case here:

As you can see you can even get an almost Harman alike bass lift 60Hz when the pads are lifted slightly, or leak because of hair between the pad and head or thick armed glasses or wearing it a bit weird so that a small gap appears (red trace).
The blue trace is thick armed reading glasses with a small gap between the skin and arms (so not resting against the skin at the point where the arms and pad meet.

Maybe some aftermarket pads are fitted (when one bought it second hand) ?

Otherwise I am out of reason why yours would sound different.

 

[InfiniteJester]

I ended up buying these and I voted "Great" for them. Although their soundstage is a little bit weird, I love how they sound infinitely wide. They are really fun once you have eqed them, they are very detailed, very comfortable and just a pleasure for every genre; they never feel slow, congested or lacking in any way.

For just 100€, or even less if you find a way to dodge import taxes, I don't think you are going to find a better deal.

I think that they are excellent and I would recommend them to anyone, even if they already have more expensive headphones.

Rtings' EQ makes them more detailed and with less depth. Ideal to simple music like pop.

Crinacles' EQ makes them more easy and adds depth, particularly in the vocals. It makes them excellent to listen to metal and busy, lush tracks.

What can I say. I just love them.

 

[Tafelberg]

Open Box on sale for $89 at Hifiman.com

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