Hifiman HE400SE Review (Headphone)

[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"

 

[Zagorski]

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"

Hi,
Did you try sth of that?
I have a similar situation. Trying to find dac/amp desktop which worth he400se under similar budget conditions. Just comparing prices new Fiio KA13 is almost the same money (+20$) as fiio k5 pro ess.
Not sure btw I should consider a dongle-like devices...(I read through the thread but still confused by this option).

 

[music_lover]

I am also using the ifi go link. It drives them sufficiently, but it is kinda bright sounding which makes the already bright treble of the he 400se brighter. Excellent sound quality regardless.

 

[Sha1rholder]

P.S. Linsoul listing says "V2." I am not sure if there is a V2 and if there is, that is what I have. I received this headphone back in July of this year.

Based on the impedance of 25 Ω, this should be he400se V1. Hifiman claim that V1 is 25 Ω while V2 is 32 Ω. He400se V1 has never been discontinued so it is possible that your model is V1. The difference between V1 and V2 is whether they use stealth magnet. He400se V2 is also known as he400se stealth in China.

 

[Rõlnnbacke]

Based on the impedance of 25 Ω, this should be he400se V1. Hifiman claim that V1 is 25 Ω while V2 is 32 Ω. He400se V1 has never been discontinued so it is possible that your model is V1. The difference between V1 and V2 is whether they use stealth magnet. He400se V2 is also known as he400se stealth in China.

Hi @Sha1rholder, that is a bit strange:

It does have a sticker saying stealth magnet design.

More about it on that page and later, I don't know about the impedance differences, but @solderdude measured 28 Ω for the 'v2': https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/hifiman/he400se/ ... He also told us somewhere that the V2 has black magnets as seen from the outside and the v1 metallic, if I remember correctly.

 

[Rõlnnbacke]

A few weeks ago I got headphone fever... Today, at last, this he400se arrived and also with a bit of 'B& O play' eq, that's standard in my laptop, it sounds very HIFI: There is just nothing wrong with it, which sometimes also is called musical: Voices and instruments sound very raelistic and 'palpable', in a beautifull litlle soundstage. I find that they look beautifull, too: Simple, big and cute at the same time!

 

[Rõlnnbacke]

Based on the impedance of 25 Ω, this should be he400se V1. Hifiman claim that V1 is 25 Ω while V2 is 32 Ω. He400se V1 has never been discontinued so it is possible that your model is V1. The difference between V1 and V2 is whether they use stealth magnet. He400se V2 is also known as he400se stealth in China.

That is a bit strange:

It does have a sticker saying stealth magnet design.

More about it on that page, and later.

Edit: found this:

The 2021 version (25ohms 91db) has fewer and more spaced wires than the 2022 version (32ohms 91db). Also the 2022 version covers more area than the 2021.

 

[ironwolf60]

if to get normal listen volume i need 22 in high gain, or about 50 in low gain.
should i use low or high? (volume is 1-99 on smsl c200)

 

[staticV3]

if to get normal listen volume i need 22 in high gain, or about 50 in low gain.
should i use low or high? (volume is 1-99 on smsl c200)

Always use the lowest gain that can still give you satisfying volume.

If Low gain gets loud enough for you, use that.

 

[Saponetto]

Just gave a HE400SE a try.

First approach, HE400SE sounds quite different than Senn HD560S and Beyer DT770Pro X 250 Ohm I currently use.
Not better, just different... It seems to work nicely with my combo D30Pro+A30Pro, a couple notches above the Senns in matter of power handling, that is pleasant.
Less shouting than ther Beyers, for sure.
Not so exhilarating when plugged on a Little Dot MkII, maybe due its lower impedance, but fine anyway for classical, prog and jazz listening.
Good endorphines also when pluggen on a Sabaj A20 I kept long time unused, waiting for my nephew to come and pick it.

Is there any based factuality about the... uh, required "burn-in pediod of 150-200 hours" the welcome sheet inside the box tells?
Just curious.

 

[InfiniteJester]

Is there any based factuality about the... uh, required "burn-in pediod of 150-200 hours" the welcome sheet inside the box tells?

I don't think so. But there is factuality about the "try EQ".

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

 

[Saponetto]

Hehe thanks, already seen this thread and it was one of the things that drove me to try the HE400SE
IMHO, the so-called burn-in for an amount of 150-200 (!) hours seems just good to pull you way out of the return windows of AMZ, that was recently shortened at just two weeks.

Even if these planar headphones are somewhat different than a voice-coil headphone, I cannot explain myself how a so-called burn-in should extend over 10-20 hours of normal use.

 

[AryaStealth]

InfiniteJester, could you please share the exact EQ settings that your musician friend liked so much?

 

[InfiniteJester]

InfiniteJester, could you please share the exact EQ settings that your musician friend liked so much?

I'm not exactly sure about what profile was the one she liked the most. I have dozens of profiles. It was probably a Harman tuning made with AutoEQ and Oratory's measurements.

But have you started from here?

Preamp: -9.3 dB
Filter 1: ON LS Fc 30 Hz Gain 3.8 dB Q 0.71
Filter 2: ON LS Fc 105 Hz Gain 5.5 dB Q 0.71
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 600 Hz Gain 0.4 dB Q 1.4
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 950 Hz Gain -2.3 dB Q 1.4
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1900 Hz Gain 7.0 dB Q 1.2
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2950 Hz Gain -1.2 dB Q 3.5
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 8000 Hz Gain -1.0 dB Q 6.0
Filter 8: ON HS Fc 10000 Hz Gain 1.0 dB Q 0.71

 

[AryaStealth]

Yes, I tried this EQ already, I thought you had one that was fine tuned.