Head-Direct HiFiMan HE-400

Overview

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Browse 8 expert reviews so far

Excellent:

1
Good:

2
Average:

0
Bad:

0

Pros:

Affordable (for this technology), Open, spacious sounding, Excellent sound quality for the price
The HiFiMan HE-400 is a large, full-size set of headphones that use planar-magnetic drivers for exceptional sound quality usually reserved for pricier models.
Good Price / Performance ratio, Can be driven well by a modest headphone amplifier, Very pleasant sound signature, Can be driven out of powerful portable sources, Comfortable, Quality cable, Durable construction

Cons:

Large, Not for commuting, Still not cheap, Blue is the only color choice
They're expensive, and comfort isn't a strong suit.

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Last revision on October 21, 2013

Reviewers Liked

Affordable (for this technology), Open, spacious sounding, Excellent sound quality for the price
The HiFiMan HE-400 is a large, full-size set of headphones that use planar-magnetic drivers for exceptional sound quality usually reserved for pricier models
Good Price / Performance ratio, Can be driven well by a modest headphone amplifier, Very pleasant sound signature, Can be driven out of powerful portable sources, Comfortable, Quality cable, Durable construction

Reviewers Didn't Like

Large, Not for commuting, Still not cheap, Blue is the only color choice
They're expensive, and comfort isn't a strong suit
Blue color might not appeal to all, Needs a decent amplifier to sound their best, Treble performance not impressive

Expert reviews and ratings

First-rate clarity, detail, and bass impact by way of new driver technology help propel the HiFiMan HE-400 headphones to the top of their price...

By cnet on June 29, 2012

The HiFiMAN HE-400 is definitely one of the best sub $400 headphones around for at home listening. It has the distinct orthodynamic sound and is tweaked to resemble the HiFiMAN house sound which is smooth with an emphasis on the bass and midrange. The...

By techPowerUp! on April 12, 2012

True confession: I’m a great admirer of the most recent crop of planar magnetic headphone designs from firms such as Audeze and HiFiMAN. What attracts me to planar magnetic designs is the fact that they offer many of the benefits of electrostatic...

By AVguide on March 06, 2012

So far, all the headphones I have reviewed have been based on a single speaker technology. While the sound signature from all of them has ranged from bass heavy to bright sounding, the tech is basically similar. It’s tweaking and build quality...

By The Gadgeteer on July 20, 2012

July 2012 When Chinese company HiFiMAN developed their HE-6 headphones ($1299 USD), they used a planar-magnetic driver. This driver’s very low efficiency specification of 83.5dB meant that the HE-6 required an amplifier with a 2W output. If you...

By Home Theater Sound on July 01, 2012

This is a follow up to Playback Editor Chris Marten’s review of the HiFiMAN HE-400 (click here to read the review), HiFiMAN’s groundbreaking low-cost planar magnetic headphone that debuted this year at CES. I remember the first time I sat...

By AVguide on June 04, 2012

We’ve been hearing people complain about the rate at which Hifiman releases a new product into the market, and the release of the HE-400 shows that Hifiman is not slowing down in any way. This certainly presents a real dilemma to the current...

By Headfonia on February 01, 2012

HiFiMAN's HE-400 are the cheapest and easiest-to-drive planar magnetic headphones the audio specialist has made yet. Selling for just a third the price of the top-end models, while offering a similar sonic personality and build quality, they are...

By Trusted Reviews on January 16, 2012