Hifiman HE400i Review (planar headphone)

[_thelaughingman]

Folks, someone told me today that there's a new EQ from Oratory out for the Drop Hifiman HE4XX, I've checked it out and it's really very good, here is the link to Oratory's new EQ:

Thank you so much for digging up the new measurement info and EQ. Plugged it in on my sound source and definitely have made a huge difference and very enjoyable.

I've illustrated the differences in the EQ between the old and new below:

Old Oratory Hifiman HE4xx EQ
Filter No Type Fc Q Gain
1 Peaking 22 Hz 0.5 6.0 dB
2 Peaking 237 Hz 0.92 -1.5 dB
3 Peaking 989 Hz 2.83 -2.8 dB
4 Peaking 1805 Hz 2.61 3.5 dB
5 Peaking 5328 Hz 5.04 3.7 dB
6 Peaking 2245 Hz 6.37 1.5 dB
7 Peaking 2847 Hz 3.79 -1.6 dB
8 Peaking 9395 Hz 1.5 2.3 dB
9 Peaking 12032 Hz 1.74 0.7 dB
10 Peaking 19544 Hz 0.34 -10.2 dB

New Oratory Hifiman HE4xx EQ
Filter No Type Fc Q Gain
1 Low Shelf 38 Hz 0.71 3.5
2 Low Shelf 105 Hz 0.71 5.5
3 Peaking 570 Hz 1.4 1.5
4 Peaking 1020 Hz 2.5 -2.2
5 Peaking 1950 Hz 1.3 4.8
6 Peaking 2850 Hz 2.5 -3.0
7 Peaking 4300 Hz 4.0 -1.4
8 Peaking 5200 Hz 1.4 4.0
9 Peaking 6400 Hz 5.0 -1.7
10 Peaking 8150 Hz 6.0 -3.2

I have attached the new EQ with the thread if anyone wants to drop it into their EQ software.

 

[Robbo99999]

Thank you so much for digging up the new measurement info and EQ. Plugged it in on my sound source and definitely have made a huge difference and very enjoyable.

I've illustrated the differences in the EQ between the old and new below:

Old Oratory Hifiman HE4xx EQ
Filter No Type Fc Q Gain
1 Peaking 22 Hz 0.5 6.0 dB
2 Peaking 237 Hz 0.92 -1.5 dB
3 Peaking 989 Hz 2.83 -2.8 dB
4 Peaking 1805 Hz 2.61 3.5 dB
5 Peaking 5328 Hz 5.04 3.7 dB
6 Peaking 2245 Hz 6.37 1.5 dB
7 Peaking 2847 Hz 3.79 -1.6 dB
8 Peaking 9395 Hz 1.5 2.3 dB
9 Peaking 12032 Hz 1.74 0.7 dB
10 Peaking 19544 Hz 0.34 -10.2 dB

New Oratory Hifiman HE4xx EQ
Filter No Type Fc Q Gain
1 Low Shelf 38 Hz 0.71 3.5
2 Low Shelf 105 Hz 0.71 5.5
3 Peaking 570 Hz 1.4 1.5
4 Peaking 1020 Hz 2.5 -2.2
5 Peaking 1950 Hz 1.3 4.8
6 Peaking 2850 Hz 2.5 -3.0
7 Peaking 4300 Hz 4.0 -1.4
8 Peaking 5200 Hz 1.4 4.0
9 Peaking 6400 Hz 5.0 -1.7
10 Peaking 8150 Hz 6.0 -3.2

I have attached the new EQ with the thread if anyone wants to drop it into their EQ software.

Actually your Old Oratory Hifiman EQ is wrong (you probably listed Jaakopasenen's AutoEQ), following is Oratory's previous version (dated 25/10/2019):

Preamp: -7.5 dB
Filter: ON PK Fc 28 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 1
Filter: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.5 dB Q 0.707
Filter: ON HSC Fc 580 Hz Gain 6 dB Q 0.707
Filter: ON PK Fc 1050 Hz Gain -7.3 dB Q 1.2
Filter: ON PK Fc 2000 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 1
Filter: ON PK Fc 2850 Hz Gain -7.3 dB Q 1.2
Filter: ON PK Fc 4300 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 4
Filter: ON PK Fc 5450 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 2
Filter: ON PK Fc 6450 Hz Gain -4 dB Q 4
Filter: ON PK Fc 8130 Hz Gain -6 dB Q 3

and this is the new one he released a few days ago (dated 18/2/2021):
Preamp: -9 dB
Filter: ON LSC Fc 38 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 0.707
Filter: ON LSC Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.5 dB Q 0.707
Filter: ON PK Fc 570 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 1.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 1020 Hz Gain -2.2 dB Q 2.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 1950 Hz Gain 4.8 dB Q 1.3
Filter: ON PK Fc 2850 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 4300 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 4
Filter: ON PK Fc 5200 Hz Gain 4 dB Q 1.4
Filter: ON PK Fc 6400 Hz Gain -1.7 dB Q 5
Filter: ON PK Fc 8150 Hz Gain -3.2 dB Q 6

You listed his new EQ correctly though

 

[_thelaughingman]

@Robbo99999 Can I just say that after listening to a bass heavy track, I literally had to ask myself "are these even the same headphones I was listening to before?" The response and clarity are so much better than before.

Cirez D - Ruby if you need to hear what I'm hearing.

 

[Robbo99999]

@Robbo99999 Can I just say that after listening to a bass heavy track, I literally had to ask myself "are these even the same headphones I was listening to before?" The response and clarity are so much better than before.

Cirez D - Ruby if you need to hear what I'm hearing.

I'm glad you like it, we can thank Oratory! I know, I was quite surprised by how it transformed these headphones, to be fair I haven't flipped between my different EQ's to compare in a back to back manner, but I'm quite sure they never had the overall clarity & smoothness that this EQ gives.

 

[FM1]

Tonality seems rather dull and closed in. So comes out the EQ tools:
Wow, what a difference this made. The sound is now impressive with fantastic dynamics and very clean bass. Detail is improved substantially.

Lately I've been giving some ear time to many headphones I haven't listened to in years. I listened to these yesterday for a bit and remembered why they've been sitting on the shelf collecting dust. Kind of dull, kind of robotic, annoying mids that sound distorted and lack body, etc.

I happened to see this thread today and ok let's give it a try. Definitely an improvement. Certainly makes the bass more fun.

If I recall, people weren't happy with the stock cable on these. Or maybe the cable just broke a lot. I happened to have my HE400s off the shelf too, and that came with an aftermarket cable when I bought it used. I just plugged that into the 400i and it fixes even more problems than the eq did. These still are on the robotic side and lack a "soul" to me though.

 

[ehabheikal]

What do you guys use for equalization usually, i would love to have something that works on qobuz android if possible.

 

[sejarzo]

Hey, well that's fair enough, I have close to zero experience when it comes to relating recorded music to live music, so I have to take your word for that, so I'm only basing my comments on recorded music as played on 2 channel reference speakers - that's my benchmark standard.

(At the same time "Live Music" is influenced by your position in the room & the room it's being played in, amoungst other variables, so there's confusion within that reference too.........in fact I would actually surmise that carefully crafted recorded music is the final version of what is intended to be heard so I think "Live Music" as a reference is probably a bit of a diversion).

I agree when it comes to pop/rock. I disagree when it comes to classical. Sure, there is the the question of perspective in orchestral recordings, but when it comes to synthetic sounds in pop/rock/electronic, there seems to be an implicit assumption that one's own system response matches that of the monitor/control room combination. That's never the case.

 

[bobbooo]

What do you guys use for equalization usually, i would love to have something that works on qobuz android if possible.

Unless you've rooted your phone, system-wide parametric equalizer software for Android isn't possible, in which case I'd recommend the excellent Qudelix 5K USB DAC/amp with its built-in 10-band parametric equalizer (and optional Bluetooth connectivity as a bonus).

 

[dorirod]

Unless you've rooted your phone, system-wide parametric equalizer software for Android isn't possible, in which case I'd recommend the excellent Qudelix 5K USB DAC/amp with its built-in 10-band parametric equalizer (and optional Bluetooth connectivity as a bonus).

That Qudelix 5K is tempting, but the Wavelet Android app will do in a pinch, and it's free.

 

[bobbooo]

That Qudelix 5K is tempting, but the Wavelet Android app will do in a pinch, and it's free.

That's just a graphic equalizer, not a fully parametric equalizer like the Qudelix's which is required to properly correct most headphones' frequency response.

 

[dorirod]

That's just a graphic equalizer, not a fully parametric equalizer like the Qudelix's which is required to properly correct most headphones' frequency response.

You can actually convert a PEQ to the 127-band GEQ used by Wavelet. See this other thread https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/list-of-amirs-headphone-geq-filters.20043/

 

[Jimbob54]

What do you guys use for equalization usually, i would love to have something that works on qobuz android if possible.

USB audio player Pro can handle qobuz (and tidal) playback. Has free 6 band eq, can pay a couple of $ more for 10 band.

 

[Robbo99999]

What do you guys use for equalization usually, i would love to have something that works on qobuz android if possible.

I briefly experimented with Neutron player (think that was it's name), I was able to enter parametric EQ's using that, and it was free too. Fiddly to use, but it did work, and when I tried it on my NAD HP50 headphone the EQ'd sound was the same as when applying the same profile through my PC, so I think it was applying the filters correctly....plus I think it allows you to see the overall EQ Curve, and I think I compared that to what the overall EQ curve is on my PC, and they were the same, so further supports that the filters are being applied correctly in Neutron Player.

 

[Jimbob54]

I briefly experimented with Neutron player (think that was it's name), I was able to enter parametric EQ's using that, and it was free too. Fiddly to use, but it did work, and when I tried it on my NAD HP50 headphone the EQ'd sound was the same as when applying the same profile through my PC, so I think it was applying the filters correctly....plus I think it allows you to see the overall EQ Curve, and I think I compared that to what the overall EQ curve is on my PC, and they were the same, so further supports that the filters are being applied correctly in Neutron Player.

Can you play streaming services through it? I didnt think so but not got the app? Poster wants to play Qobuz

 

[rcmo]

Can you play streaming services through it? I didnt think so but not got the app? Poster wants to play Qobuz

No, you cannot.

 

[Rockfella]

Thanks @amirm now the Sundara please and the Kali Audio IN5

 

[Jimbob54]

Thanks @amirm now the Sundara please and the Kali Audio IN5

@Sean Olive has measured the Sundara https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...iman-sundara-and-dan-clark-aeon2-noire.20329/

 

[bobbooo]

You can actually convert a PEQ to the 127-band GEQ used by Wavelet. See this other thread https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/list-of-amirs-headphone-geq-filters.20043/

According to the calculations in this post, a 127-band GEQ would have filters with a very high Q of ~18, which could induce 'ringing'. Then there's the fact that easy fine tuning due to taste/anatomy of the listener by adding or using broad shelf/peak filters won't be easily doable e.g. Oratory's latest PEQ profiles include broad filters split into frequency ranges such as sub-bass, bass, upper-mid accuracy/'shoutiness', sibilance/detail, airiness etc.

 

[ehabheikal]

Can you play streaming services through it? I didnt think so but not got the app? Poster wants to play Qobuz

I found out bubbleupnp app not the server plays all file types and qobuz and tidal and allows common equalizer apps to work with it. I use wavelet since it has database of headphones for correction if you have the bubbleupnp server installed locally it also streams like roon

 

[ehabheikal]

Unless you've rooted your phone, system-wide parametric equalizer software for Android isn't possible, in which case I'd recommend the excellent Qudelix 5K USB DAC/amp with its built-in 10-band parametric equalizer (and optional Bluetooth connectivity as a bonus).

actually buying a used lg phone and rooting it would be a very good alternative