Hifiman HE400SE Review (Headphone)

[FrantzM]

Open Box on sale for $89 at Hifiman.com

HE400se (open-box)

<p><span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;"><strong>Only available for the US, Canada, and EU countries.</strong></span></p> <p><img src="http://hifiman.com/attachments/image/20210303/20210303090126_16767.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="http://hi

store.hifiman.com

+ Qudelix 5 and you are in headphones heaven for around $200...

Peace.

 

[InfiniteJester]

+ Qudelix 5 and you are in headphones heaven for around $200...

Peace.

You can move them perfectly fine with the Ifi Go Link, at half the price.

Just pay 1,49 additional € to install Poweramp Equalizer Premium.

 

[InfiniteJester]

So I'm going out with a girl that is a professional musician, and I couldn't resist showing them my headphones and IEMs.

She was completely, absolutely blown away by these headphones. And she has worked with very expensive ones over the studio.

She was very moved listening to some of her favorite songs. She thought that these were the most expensive headphones I owned. She thought that I was kidding when I said that these were the cheapest ones by a large margin and that you could buy them for less than 100€.

She knows nothing about audio or about headphones, she is extremely knowledgeable about music (and incredibly talented, I must add), and I didn't present these ones as anything remarkable. When I tried to show her some of the more expensive sets, she listened to them for a while, and concluded that something was missing, then turned back to enjoy more of the HE400se.

She described using them as being "engulfed by music" and added that she was glad about not having headphones like these, because she would never do anything but to listen to them.

She was very, very impressed.

I tried to show her the MP145s, as she seemed to really enjoy the planar sound, but they didn't fit her at all, she looked like a weird alien, and she just could get a "very distant sound".

I let her try different EQ profiles and she found Harman the best target. She said that others were more "tactile" (I was surprised when she came with this word on her own after thinking for a while about how to describe what she was hearing), but that the sensation of being surrounded by a wall of sound provided by Harman was spectacular and unparalleled.

I explained to her how the Harman target was created and who Sean Olive was. She now thinks that Sean Olive is an absolute genius.

I showed how the HE400se sounded without EQ at all and she was, again, blown away by the change. She didn't know that EQ could change the sound that much. And she was a little disappointed by the sound without EQ.

I thought that it was interesting to share the experience. I hope you think the same.

Cheers!

 

[Kempler]

Hello everyone
Want to try planar headphones (currently have audio technica ath-m50x + audient id4 mkII)

Saw, that id4 mkII "can" drive he400se, but think good amp/dac 'll be better (or, at first, give it a try?)
So, what do you think about topping dx3 pro+ (used, for 130€), fiio k5 pro ess (new, 120€)?
Or something else, my budget around 200€ (but less - better). For desktop PC, portability doesnt matter for me

'll be glad for any help

 

[InfiniteJester]

Hello everyone
Want to try planar headphones (currently have audio technica ath-m50x + audient id4 mkII)

Saw, that id4 mkII "can" drive he400se, but think good amp/dac 'll be better (or, at first, give it a try?)
So, what do you think about topping dx3 pro+ (used, for 130€), fiio k5 pro ess (new, 120€)?
Or something else, my budget around 200€ (but less - better). For desktop PC, portability doesnt matter for me

'll be glad for any help

With an Ifi Go Link I can play them loud enough to cause hearing damage.

I would probably be able to do the same with the Apple dongle if it wasn't for the incompatibilities with Android and the European limitations.

 

[Ste_S]

Hello everyone
Want to try planar headphones (currently have audio technica ath-m50x + audient id4 mkII)

Saw, that id4 mkII "can" drive he400se, but think good amp/dac 'll be better (or, at first, give it a try?)
So, what do you think about topping dx3 pro+ (used, for 130€), fiio k5 pro ess (new, 120€)?
Or something else, my budget around 200€ (but less - better). For desktop PC, portability doesnt matter for me

'll be glad for any help

Different Hifiman, however, I'm using my Sundara Closed Backs with a Fiio K11 on my iMac, and it drives them well. Apple dongle (lightning) just about drives them, although I'm going to buy something with a bit more power/headroom for laptop/phone use.

 

[Kempler]

Thanks for replies

I didn't even expect a device like the Ifi Go Link could work well with the he400se

Fiio k11 looks interesting. Not worse than fiio k5 pro ess, and has a balanced output for the same price
Also, fiio q11 is interesting too. Judging by the specs, it's a slightly downgraded fiio k11, but much cheaper than its "big brother"