The Hifiman HE400i is an exceptional entry-level planar magnetic headphone. I consider myself a seasoned audiophile. I have an array of headphones both closed back and open back as well as IEMS. I have the Sennheiser HD6xx, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD380 Pro, Shure SE215 Bluetooth, KZ ZST, Audeze iSine 10, Verum 1, Monolith Monoprice M565C and Grado SR325e. My amp/dac is an Audinst HUD-MX1.
My initial impression was utter awe. These are so much more analytical and clean sounding, even compared to the 6xx. While you sacrifice a little on the soundstage, the treble and mids more than make up for that. That isn’t to say the soundstage isn’t expansive. These cans do take some power to drive for it being low impedance (ohms). I was surprised I had to turn the gain on all the way up on my amp/dac to get it to listenable levels. Whereas, my Sennheisers and all other headphones are all easily driven by the amp. That is the nature of the planars though. Don’t buy these and expect to get good audio out of the box without a dedicated amp/dac.
Below, I broke down the review into sections (treble, mids, bass, soundstage), and I also graded them accordingly.
Treble (A) : The treble is very detailed with no roll off. Some songs are a touch sibilant, but you can EQ that to make sure they aren’t too shrill. This is where these headphones shine. Female and male vocals sound very, very clear. I would say they are slightly better than the 6xx’s in terms of treble response.
Mids (A+): A lot of headphones really struggle with recessed mids, and it is hard to find a headphone that is as neutral as this. This headphone pulls out the mids and makes a really balanced sound. You can really hear every nuance, and as with the treble, you get a balanced, neutral, and crystal clear midrange.
Bass (B+): Depending on what genre of music you like, you may be a tad underwhelmed with the performance of the bass and sub-bass. Hip-hop heads and bass heads may be upset. However, the bass you do get is punchy and accurate, which I much prefer to muddy bass that overtakes the treble and mids. As I have said before, if you do want more bass, you can always EQ these cans and tailor them to whatever sound signature you choose.
Soundstage (A): There is great instrument separation and a wide soundstage, only beaten by the 6xx’s. I was very impressed, and if I hadn’t already had a pair of 6xx’s I would’ve been absolutely delighted by the soundstage. Still very impressive.
Overall, these headphones are the best headphones I have ever heard before, and they have a very modest pricetag of $169. In this price range, they are unbeatable. The Sennheiser 6xx have a wider sound stage, and they are easier to drive. However, the dynamic driver just can’t keep up with the planar magnetic drivers in the HE400i. Make sure when you purchase these to get an amp, so you can enjoy these to the fullest! I can’t co-sign these enough!
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This Item  HIFIMAN HE400i 2020 Version Full-Size Over-Ear Planar Magnetic Professional Headphones with Enhanced Headband, 3.5mm Connector, for Audiophiles, Great Sound Quality, Stereo-Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | -27% $109.00 List: $149.00 | $149.00 | -24% $379.00 List: $499.00 | $221.54 | $69.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Monday, May 13 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| Value for money | ||||||
| For gaming | ||||||
| Sold By | — | HIFIMAN | Audio Advisor, Inc. | HIFIMAN | Amazon.com | Bsd Wholesale |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | — | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3.5mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack, 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | 1/4-inch, 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack, 1/4-inch |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable |
| control type | control | Media Control | — | Media Control | control | Media Control |
Reviews with images
Hifiman HE400i Review
The Hifiman HE400i is an exceptional entry-level planar magnetic headphone. I consider myself a seasoned audiophile. I have an array of headphones both closed back and open back as well as IEMS. I have the Sennheiser HD6xx, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD380 Pro, Shure SE215 Bluetooth, KZ ZST, Audeze iSine 10, Verum 1, Monolith Monoprice M565C and Grado SR325e. My amp/dac is an Audinst HUD-MX1.My initial impression was utter awe. These are so much more analytical and clean sounding, even compared to the 6xx. While you sacrifice a little on the soundstage, the treble and mids more than make up for that. That isn’t to say the soundstage isn’t expansive. These cans do take some power to drive for it being low impedance (ohms). I was surprised I had to turn the gain on all the way up on my amp/dac to get it to listenable levels. Whereas, my Sennheisers and all other headphones are all easily driven by the amp. That is the nature of the planars though. Don’t buy these and expect to get good audio out of the box without a dedicated amp/dac.Below, I broke down the review into sections (treble, mids, bass, soundstage), and I also graded them accordingly.Treble (A) : The treble is very detailed with no roll off. Some songs are a touch sibilant, but you can EQ that to make sure they aren’t too shrill. This is where these headphones shine. Female and male vocals sound very, very clear. I would say they are slightly better than the 6xx’s in terms of treble response.Mids (A+): A lot of headphones really struggle with recessed mids, and it is hard to find a headphone that is as neutral as this. This headphone pulls out the mids and makes a really balanced sound. You can really hear every nuance, and as with the treble, you get a balanced, neutral, and crystal clear midrange.Bass (B+): Depending on what genre of music you like, you may be a tad underwhelmed with the performance of the bass and sub-bass. Hip-hop heads and bass heads may be upset. However, the bass you do get is punchy and accurate, which I much prefer to muddy bass that overtakes the treble and mids. As I have said before, if you do want more bass, you can always EQ these cans and tailor them to whatever sound signature you choose.Soundstage (A): There is great instrument separation and a wide soundstage, only beaten by the 6xx’s. I was very impressed, and if I hadn’t already had a pair of 6xx’s I would’ve been absolutely delighted by the soundstage. Still very impressive.Overall, these headphones are the best headphones I have ever heard before, and they have a very modest pricetag of $169. In this price range, they are unbeatable. The Sennheiser 6xx have a wider sound stage, and they are easier to drive. However, the dynamic driver just can’t keep up with the planar magnetic drivers in the HE400i. Make sure when you purchase these to get an amp, so you can enjoy these to the fullest! I can’t co-sign these enough!
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2021
The Hifiman HE400i is an exceptional entry-level planar magnetic headphone. I consider myself a seasoned audiophile. I have an array of headphones both closed back and open back as well as IEMS. I have the Sennheiser HD6xx, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD380 Pro, Shure SE215 Bluetooth, KZ ZST, Audeze iSine 10, Verum 1, Monolith Monoprice M565C and Grado SR325e. My amp/dac is an Audinst HUD-MX1.
My initial impression was utter awe. These are so much more analytical and clean sounding, even compared to the 6xx. While you sacrifice a little on the soundstage, the treble and mids more than make up for that. That isn’t to say the soundstage isn’t expansive. These cans do take some power to drive for it being low impedance (ohms). I was surprised I had to turn the gain on all the way up on my amp/dac to get it to listenable levels. Whereas, my Sennheisers and all other headphones are all easily driven by the amp. That is the nature of the planars though. Don’t buy these and expect to get good audio out of the box without a dedicated amp/dac.
Below, I broke down the review into sections (treble, mids, bass, soundstage), and I also graded them accordingly.
Treble (A) : The treble is very detailed with no roll off. Some songs are a touch sibilant, but you can EQ that to make sure they aren’t too shrill. This is where these headphones shine. Female and male vocals sound very, very clear. I would say they are slightly better than the 6xx’s in terms of treble response.
Mids (A+): A lot of headphones really struggle with recessed mids, and it is hard to find a headphone that is as neutral as this. This headphone pulls out the mids and makes a really balanced sound. You can really hear every nuance, and as with the treble, you get a balanced, neutral, and crystal clear midrange.
Bass (B+): Depending on what genre of music you like, you may be a tad underwhelmed with the performance of the bass and sub-bass. Hip-hop heads and bass heads may be upset. However, the bass you do get is punchy and accurate, which I much prefer to muddy bass that overtakes the treble and mids. As I have said before, if you do want more bass, you can always EQ these cans and tailor them to whatever sound signature you choose.
Soundstage (A): There is great instrument separation and a wide soundstage, only beaten by the 6xx’s. I was very impressed, and if I hadn’t already had a pair of 6xx’s I would’ve been absolutely delighted by the soundstage. Still very impressive.
Overall, these headphones are the best headphones I have ever heard before, and they have a very modest pricetag of $169. In this price range, they are unbeatable. The Sennheiser 6xx have a wider sound stage, and they are easier to drive. However, the dynamic driver just can’t keep up with the planar magnetic drivers in the HE400i. Make sure when you purchase these to get an amp, so you can enjoy these to the fullest! I can’t co-sign these enough!
My initial impression was utter awe. These are so much more analytical and clean sounding, even compared to the 6xx. While you sacrifice a little on the soundstage, the treble and mids more than make up for that. That isn’t to say the soundstage isn’t expansive. These cans do take some power to drive for it being low impedance (ohms). I was surprised I had to turn the gain on all the way up on my amp/dac to get it to listenable levels. Whereas, my Sennheisers and all other headphones are all easily driven by the amp. That is the nature of the planars though. Don’t buy these and expect to get good audio out of the box without a dedicated amp/dac.
Below, I broke down the review into sections (treble, mids, bass, soundstage), and I also graded them accordingly.
Treble (A) : The treble is very detailed with no roll off. Some songs are a touch sibilant, but you can EQ that to make sure they aren’t too shrill. This is where these headphones shine. Female and male vocals sound very, very clear. I would say they are slightly better than the 6xx’s in terms of treble response.
Mids (A+): A lot of headphones really struggle with recessed mids, and it is hard to find a headphone that is as neutral as this. This headphone pulls out the mids and makes a really balanced sound. You can really hear every nuance, and as with the treble, you get a balanced, neutral, and crystal clear midrange.
Bass (B+): Depending on what genre of music you like, you may be a tad underwhelmed with the performance of the bass and sub-bass. Hip-hop heads and bass heads may be upset. However, the bass you do get is punchy and accurate, which I much prefer to muddy bass that overtakes the treble and mids. As I have said before, if you do want more bass, you can always EQ these cans and tailor them to whatever sound signature you choose.
Soundstage (A): There is great instrument separation and a wide soundstage, only beaten by the 6xx’s. I was very impressed, and if I hadn’t already had a pair of 6xx’s I would’ve been absolutely delighted by the soundstage. Still very impressive.
Overall, these headphones are the best headphones I have ever heard before, and they have a very modest pricetag of $169. In this price range, they are unbeatable. The Sennheiser 6xx have a wider sound stage, and they are easier to drive. However, the dynamic driver just can’t keep up with the planar magnetic drivers in the HE400i. Make sure when you purchase these to get an amp, so you can enjoy these to the fullest! I can’t co-sign these enough!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2021
Top reviews from other countries
Jeremy Steed
My favouritest headphones ever!
Reviewed in Canada on January 20, 2021Miguel Alejandro Gudiño Ortiz
Hacen lucir caros a los de la competencia!
Reviewed in Mexico on September 3, 2020
Miguel Alejandro Gudiño Ortiz
Reviewed in Mexico on September 3, 2020
A pesar de decir 35 ohms por su naturaleza como audífonos abiertos y planares requieren más poder para poder llevarlos a un volumen agradable, sin embargo con un teléfono o una tarjeta madre de gama media actual puedes usarlos sin ningún problema, su sonido es suave, noté un poco de sibilancia pero a medida de que he estado realizando su proceso de ¨burn in¨ (Hifiman recomienda 150 horas), se ha reducido su presencia, las frecuencias graves sobresalen un poco para mi gusto pero no es nada que un poco de ecualización no arregle, tienen excelente imagen así como escena musical, en soundtracks y live sessions puedes decir que instrumento están tocando así como su posición en la canción. La verdad son un 9/10 para mí!
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Client d'Amazon
Hifiman HE400i Excellant et Audiophile
Reviewed in France on March 7, 2021
Luca
Seconda chance, meritata!
Reviewed in Italy on January 1, 2021
Luca
Reviewed in Italy on January 1, 2021
Aggiornamento: Mi è arrivato un prodotto perfettamente funzionante grazie ad un nuovo ordine. Le cuffie suonano molto bene. Alti e medi pieni e cristallini. Rispetto alle classiche cuffie dinamiche noto una spazialità maggiore del suono, meno "racchiuso" delle dinamiche (Sennheiser HD599 che ho come altro paio di confronto), ma comunque di qualità. Bassi presenti anche se per me leggermente meno presenti delle altre cuffie, ma sono riprodotti fedelmente. Consiglio vivamente un amplificatore per cuffie, io ho preso in abbinamento un Fiio K3, dato che così possono dare il meglio. E' consigliato un rodaggio di 120-150 ore perchè si possano esprimere appieno. Siate delicati a connettere i cavi alle cuffie, non si sa mai. Il cavo è un po' corto se pensate di usarle sulla tv stando sul divano, sono più adatte ad uso scrivania/postazione di ascolto, ma con una prolunga potete cavarvela. Design bellissimo a mio parere: stile retrò, griglie e supporto ai padiglioni in metallo, poggiatesta in morbidissima pelle. Padiglioni nella stessa pelle, MA la parte dove poggiate le orecchie è in velluto; questo le rende anti-sudore anche in estate (è stato uno dei motivi per cui ho preferito questa cuffia a tante altre nella sua fascia di prezzo, dove peraltro ve ne sono poche). Ottimo comfort, le tengo addosso varie ore senza problemi. In conclusione non posso che raccomandarle sia a chi non ha mai posseduto cuffie di alta qualità, e vuole approcciarsi a questo mondo, sia a chi vuole provare una differente tecnologia di riproduzione di musica in cuffia.
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