Hifiman HE400SE Review (Headphone)

[_thelaughingman]

When did they do it? Does it look different than mine in the review picture?

I think that cable in your photo looks like an aftermarket cable cuz the stock cable is black for the one I have.

 

[Timbo2]

I think that cable in your photo looks like an aftermarket cable cuz the stock cable is black for the one I have.

The ones I ordered from Amazon had the one @amirm photographed as well as a black and much softer cable outside the box.

I agree with Amir, the ones he shows are quite stiff and unpleasant. They were inside the box itself.

 

[Curupira]

When did they do it? Does it look different than mine in the review picture?

I got a new Hifiman today and I think this is the new supplied cable, it is a black rubber cable, no microphonics and doesn't retain any shape unlike the previous ones I'd seen on youtube.

 

[Budgeter]

Got one during Black Friday on Amazon, with Hifiman as a seller, I also received a stealth magnet version with black rubber cable. This certainly sounds good out of box to me, it's ear cup is very comfortable, however, its headband really do hurt my head. Maybe it's just me, but leather headband in general does not work with my head, velour does though (e.g. HD 58x or Audio-Technica "wing" headband). That said, I decide to keep this pair.

Compare to my HD58x, I cannot really hear the difference in mid range, aside from the fact that 58x mid range is really forward (loud, compared to other frequency range), while HE400SE is more laid back. I will not say HE400SE has a wider sound stage, both 58x and 400se have an in-your-head vocal, but HE400SE gives me a better feel of instrument sound. For example, in the clip below, It's harder to hear instrument sound on 58x, but Adele's vocal is better, and vice versa on HE400se.

One thing I feel weird about both HE4xx and HE400se is whenever I put my hand near or cover back of my ear cup, the sound drastically changes, but that is not the case with any other open back headphones that I have tried.

 

[Yaiba]

I've not heard the Sundara's. What makes them superior?

Sound stage/ spatial quality very different (Sundara better, Arya the best).

even if you eq them, it didn't sound the same.

May be my ears is not right. But I own HE400SE v1,Sundara,Arya V2, AKG 371,R70x,HD650...All different sound and I used for different situation(casual ,listen to concert recorded, tracking, monitoring). I don't think that HE400SE V2 have any different in sound stage than V1 from many subjective review.

Anyway. For quality and reliability. I read many complaint/report from my country' community, it look like planar magnetic headphone did not last long because it easy to crack magnetic when it have small drop from table or have something accidently hit to it. Dynamic driver headphone seem stronger in the same situation. Also the bundle cable of Hifiman look cheap(even Arya's cable look like cheap rubber) and seem to not last long at the connector, it easy to tear.

 

[GeekyBastard]

@amirm “The included cord is this thin, horribly coiled wire.”

They have changed that. The included cable that came with my model is neither thin nor horribly coiled. For those who like it loud. With my Shanling UA2 on single ended it gets quite loud. With the balanced cable of course really loud…

Apparently the black straight wire only came with products distributed inside China, for international market it's still sold with coiled transparent wire.

 

[GeekyBastard]

I think that cable in your photo looks like an aftermarket cable cuz the stock cable is black for the one I have.

Hifiman used to (or still?) include that transparent wire with the international market version of HE400SE(V2).

 

[Timbo2]

I might add that despite these being 25 ohms and roughly the same efficiency in Amir’s chart as my Senn 650s I needed to use high gain on my JDS Atom. Something I never felt the need to do with my Sennheiser headphones on the exact same music.

So I’m turning them up louder. The interesting question is that because they sound better louder i.e. less distortion or they really take take more power for the same SPL.

 

[MDT]

I might add that despite these being 25 ohms and roughly the same efficiency in Amir’s chart as my Senn 650s I needed to use high gain on my JDS Atom. Something I never felt the need to do with my Sennheiser headphones on the exact same music.

So I’m turning them up louder. The interesting question is that because they sound better louder i.e. less distortion or they really take take more power for the same SPL.

Compared to my DT1990, these do require more power for the same volume.

In the chart, the 650s are more sensitive than the He400SE. Maybe you're looking at the HD600?

 

[Deleted member 27694]

When did they do it? Does it look different than mine in the review picture?

I bought it in Switzerland. I would assume but dont know for sure that they canged it in general. But it seems to be a change within the v2 version.

 

[Deleted member 27694]

Compared to my DT1990, these do require more power for the same volume.

In the chart, the 650s are more sensitive than the He400SE. Maybe you're looking at the HD600?

650s? I have the 560s and the HD 600. The 560s are far more sensivtive than the HE400. The HD 600 are roughly the same. And yes my DT 1990 gets a tad louder. (I only have a single ended cable for my DT 1990)

 

[Deleted member 27694]

Based on objective measurements from Amir of these 2 headphones.

For me it is obvious that Amir himself came to a different conlusion. But I am unable to read measurments and I do not think that I am able to make conclusions about SQ without listening to the hp in question.

I quote Amir on the Sundara:
"Objectively we miss the bass by a mile but otherwise, compliance to our target is very good. Distortion while not best in class, is kept much more under control than Ananda. Likely the smaller driver is able to be much more optimized here.

Without EQ, I would not be a buyer as I love my deep bass response and highs that are a bit more sedated."

I quote Amir on the HE400
"Headphone testing doesn't get simpler than this when the device itself is not too far off the mark as is the case with HE400SE. Add a bit of salt and pepper in the form of bass boost and lower treble energy and you are in business with a very high fidelity headphone."

But as the Czar of IEMs likes to say: "Yes, this is the opinion of one person on the internet"

 

[RHO]

For me it is obvious that Amir himself came to a different conlusion. But I am unable to read measurments and I do not think that I am able to make conclusions about SQ without listening to the hp in question.

I quote Amir on the Sundara:
"Objectively we miss the bass by a mile but otherwise, compliance to our target is very good. Distortion while not best in class, is kept much more under control than Ananda. Likely the smaller driver is able to be much more optimized here.

Without EQ, I would not be a buyer as I love my deep bass response and highs that are a bit more sedated."

I quote Amir on the HE400
"Headphone testing doesn't get simpler than this when the device itself is not too far off the mark as is the case with HE400SE. Add a bit of salt and pepper in the form of bass boost and lower treble energy and you are in business with a very high fidelity headphone."

But as the Czar of IEMs likes to say: "Yes, this is the opinion of one person on the internet"

Looking at the measurements from both I was a bit surprised by Amirs subjective conclusions. I also don't know why he didn't get good bass-extension from the Sundara.

 

[abdo123]

Looking at the measurements from both I was a bit surprised by Amirs subjective conclusions. I also don't know why he didn't get good bass-extension from the Sundara.

maybe because it’s 10 dB below target?

 

[RHO]

maybe because it’s 10 dB below target?

Yes, that is what is so strange to me. I don't think it is in reality. Or at least not all of them. There are measurements out there that show this.
Is it a seating error on the GRAS rig Amir has? doesn't it seal well on his head as well as on his rig?
I don't know.
But I get almost the bass extension from my Sundara that I get from my Aeon RT closed. Which is quite a bit more than what the measurements from Amir show and also what his subjective review (biased by the measurements?) shows.
It not a problem for me, since I really like my Sundara. I'm just wondering where the differences come from.

 

[Deleted member 27694]

Yes, that is what is so strange to me. I don't think it is in reality. Or at least not all of them. There are measurements out there that show this.
Is it a seating error on the GRAS rig Amir has? doesn't it seal well on his head as well as on his rig?
I don't know.
But I get almost the bass extension from my Sundara that I get from my Aeon RT closed. Which is quite a bit more than what the measurements from Amir show and also what his subjective review (biased by the measurements?) shows.
It not a problem for me, since I really like my Sundara. I'm just wondering where the differences come from.

"Based on objective measurements from Amir of these 2 headphones."
From Amir...

 

[solderdude]

For me it is obvious that Amir himself came to a different conlusion. But I am unable to read measurments and I do not think that I am able to make conclusions about SQ without listening to the hp in question.

I quote Amir on the Sundara:
"Objectively we miss the bass by a mile but otherwise, compliance to our target is very good. Distortion while not best in class, is kept much more under control than Ananda. Likely the smaller driver is able to be much more optimized here.

Without EQ, I would not be a buyer as I love my deep bass response and highs that are a bit more sedated."

I quote Amir on the HE400
"Headphone testing doesn't get simpler than this when the device itself is not too far off the mark as is the case with HE400SE. Add a bit of salt and pepper in the form of bass boost and lower treble energy and you are in business with a very high fidelity headphone."

But as the Czar of IEMs likes to say: "Yes, this is the opinion of one person on the internet"

I look at the measurements, look if they are valid and then draw my own conclusions based on what I know and the objective data I see.

 

[abdo123]

Yes, that is what is so strange to me. I don't think it is in reality. Or at least not all of them. There are measurements out there that show this.
Is it a seating error on the GRAS rig Amir has? doesn't it seal well on his head as well as on his rig?
I don't know.
But I get almost the bass extension from my Sundara that I get from my Aeon RT closed. Which is quite a bit more than what the measurements from Amir show and also what his subjective review (biased by the measurements?) shows.
It not a problem for me, since I really like my Sundara. I'm just wondering where the differences come from.

I haven't listened to either of these two, however I have a Qudelix 5K so we can test your opinion easily. I always enjoyed Harman bass with open backs tbh.

 

[RHO]

I haven't listened to either of these two, however I have a Qudelix 5K so we can test your opinion easily. I always enjoyed Harman bass with open backs tbh.

You mean to compare bass extension between your HD400se and my Sundara? Yes, that could be interesting.
I don't mind Harman bass either. I don't need it, but I can enjoy it. Maybe I'm more 2013 aficionado than a 2018 one.

 

[abdo123]

You mean to compare bass extension between your HD400se and my Sundara? Yes, that could be interesting.
I don't mind Harman bass either. I don't need it, but I can enjoy it. Maybe I'm more 2013 aficionado than a 2018 one.

more like compare Harman bass with regular bass between the Aeon RT and Sundara. Since you're under the impression that they're somewhat the same.

For me Harman bass is 'just right' while my partner definitely appreciate regular bass so it's really personal preference imo.