HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone : I don’t usually write reviews but I am so pleased with these headphones I felt compelled to write something

Headphones & Earphones
1

Outstanding and really good qaulity.

Outstanding and really good qaulity.

Amazing masterpiece from hifiman. Fantastic masterpiece from hifiman. I pay attention to all types of music and this headphone is quite multipurpose. Sound quality is just excellent .And a headphone with this seem good quality normal price tag a lot much more than this. On major of that, it is the 1 of the most at ease above ear headphone in the market the only disadvantage is the open up back structure. I can’t definitely pay attention to this in my place of work nor in my college considering that absolutely everyone can hear what i am listening to. But the open up back style also assists to produce the organic seem. It worthy of every penny, hugely recommended .

If you are just after your initial planar magnetic headphone then this is the a person for you. . Hi-end sound from a mid-priced headphone. Wonderful on any substance with seamless overall performance base to major. Wealthy and in depth but neither about-blown nor way too analytical. An exceptional introduction to planar-magnetic headphones. Incredibly comfortable but i do wish the cable was .

Superb seem high quality, but suffers from buzzing at very low frequencies. These headphones measure superior, and they audio great far too: [.there was one problem, however: testing with swept tones revealed a noticeable buzzing sound around 75-95 hz. The noise was significantly louder on one side. This problem is fixable by disassembling the driver (all the way, including the diaphragm) and then simply reassembling it. I suspect it’s a manufacturing issue where the diaphragm is not mounted properly. After doing this intervention, the buzzing sound disappeared completely. I should not have to do this, and such quality control issues are not acceptable considering the price at which these headphones are sold. The fact that this issue affected *both* sides on my unit makes it likely that i’m not the only one. Caution: if you have the same issue and want to fix it yourself like i did, be *extremely* careful when disassembling the driver, as the solder on the internal writes is *extremely* brittle (which, again, is eyebrow-raising considering the price). I broke one of the wires during the procedure and had to resolder it, which was not easy. ]

Reviews from purchasers :

  • Excellent sound quality, but suffers from buzzing at low frequencies
  • Very impressive.
  • Pretty fantastic sound

My established up is a area pill, an audioquest dragonfly red and tidal streaming. My previous headphones ended up the philips fidelio x2. I constantly thought the x2’s sounded amazing but was truly eager to test planar headphones. I considered extensive and hard and browse all the critiques and decided to consider the plunge. The packaging is great as is the develop excellent of the hifiman’s. They are exceptionally light-weight pounds with a light clamping force. Originally they have been not fairly as comfortable as the x2’s as not as substantially cost-free room in the earcups, prime to bottom. Just after a number of hours even though that experience disappeared.

Hello-fi diamond amid the mid-fi priced headphones. He-400i are serious audiophile headphones with distinct, clear audio and a very reasonably priced selling price that won’t split the financial institution. The build good quality is on pair with it’s larger brother he-560 and basically even greater in some specifics. As opposed to the more mature designs he400 and he500 the variance in construct high quality and ease and comfort is like working day and evening. He500 was a excellent sounding headphone without a doubt but pretty unpleasant. 400i appears magnificent with mirroring surface end. The ease and comfort is splendid with delicate concentrate pads and adjustable headband that will suit even the largest of heads. Some people today have been complaining about hifiman’s cable and connectors. I basically feel they are fairly wonderful.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Fantastic headphones, really nicely balanced. Some may want a bit more bass but to my ears the bass response is spot on, with a nice amount of slam and control. Treble has a nice amount of sparkle and never reaches levels of sibilance or harshness. Mids are slightly forward which gives vocals and instruments a nice presence in the mix. As a reference i’ve owned the he-560, audeze lcd 2 and shure srh1540 all of which are pricey but didn’t really do it for me. I ended up sticking with the he-400i as i found them much more fun and engaging than any of those others. It goes to show, more expensive does’nt mean better, just different.
Fantastic headphones, really nicely balanced. Some may want a bit more bass but to my ears the bass response is spot on, with a nice amount of slam and control. Treble has a nice amount of sparkle and never reaches levels of sibilance or harshness. Mids are slightly forward which gives vocals and instruments a nice presence in the mix. As a reference i’ve owned the he-560, audeze lcd 2 and shure srh1540 all of which are pricey but didn’t really do it for me. I ended up sticking with the he-400i as i found them much more fun and engaging than any of those others. It goes to show, more expensive does’nt mean better, just different.
Clear but disappointing sound. I haven’t fully broken them in yet as it takes ages to do that, but so far they are disappointing. Not nearly as good as my sennheiser hd600. They are a little too cold and analytical. Very clear sound though but doesn’t give me the emotion i get when i listen with the hd600. Bass is a bit light, which i don’t really mind as it means the vocals are nice and clear, but the bass may not be enough for many. I also just bought the hifiman he400s thanks to an excellent review by tyll from inner fidelity and i’m blown away by them. Those are the best sounding headphones i have ever used. Here is the order from best to worst of open back headphones that i own or have owned in the past :hifiman he400s >sennheiser hd600 >philips x2 (original version) >hifiman he400i >sennheiser hd700.
Clear but disappointing sound. I haven’t fully broken them in yet as it takes ages to do that, but so far they are disappointing. Not nearly as good as my sennheiser hd600. They are a little too cold and analytical. Very clear sound though but doesn’t give me the emotion i get when i listen with the hd600. Bass is a bit light, which i don’t really mind as it means the vocals are nice and clear, but the bass may not be enough for many. I also just bought the hifiman he400s thanks to an excellent review by tyll from inner fidelity and i’m blown away by them. Those are the best sounding headphones i have ever used. Here is the order from best to worst of open back headphones that i own or have owned in the past :hifiman he400s >sennheiser hd600 >philips x2 (original version) >hifiman he400i >sennheiser hd700.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Comfortable to wear with balanced, quality sound. I bought these to pair with a desktop headphone amp / dac for a high quality pc audio setup. My version came with the newer style 2. 5″ jack connectors rather than the old screw in type. Observations after a few months of listening:- they are extremely comfortable to wear for long periods (even while wearing glasses). As full sized headphones go they’re mid-weight but the headphone band distributes it well over your head. I don’t find the clamping force high at all but i’m used to hd-25’s which grip your head like a vice so i may be biased. 5″ plug implying they work with portable sources, but they need amplification to bring out their best.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Comfortable to wear with balanced, quality sound. I bought these to pair with a desktop headphone amp / dac for a high quality pc audio setup. My version came with the newer style 2. 5″ jack connectors rather than the old screw in type. Observations after a few months of listening:- they are extremely comfortable to wear for long periods (even while wearing glasses). As full sized headphones go they’re mid-weight but the headphone band distributes it well over your head. I don’t find the clamping force high at all but i’m used to hd-25’s which grip your head like a vice so i may be biased. 5″ plug implying they work with portable sources, but they need amplification to bring out their best.
Minor flaws, great sound when amped. Needs to be amped, fiio x3 2nd gen is not enough, fiio x3 2nd gen paired with fiio e12a sounds a lot crispier and punchier on high gain (volume knob at 4/10 is loud) and relaxed yet more detailed on low gain (9/10 is loud), and a bass boost on e12a gives he-400i a body that it was missing before (finally). There is still a room for improvement though. In a soundstage (if it was 25 percent larger, it would be perfect), in a bass amount (this problem is completely fixed with fiio e12a bass boost and with fiio x3 2nd gen equalizer) and maybe from direct comparison with lcd-x something else may be revealed. Otherwise i like this headphone a lot. Previous headphones tested (hd598, dt880 250ohm). It is not as comfortable as dt880, but sound is better.
Minor flaws, great sound when amped. Needs to be amped, fiio x3 2nd gen is not enough, fiio x3 2nd gen paired with fiio e12a sounds a lot crispier and punchier on high gain (volume knob at 4/10 is loud) and relaxed yet more detailed on low gain (9/10 is loud), and a bass boost on e12a gives he-400i a body that it was missing before (finally). There is still a room for improvement though. In a soundstage (if it was 25 percent larger, it would be perfect), in a bass amount (this problem is completely fixed with fiio e12a bass boost and with fiio x3 2nd gen equalizer) and maybe from direct comparison with lcd-x something else may be revealed. Otherwise i like this headphone a lot. Previous headphones tested (hd598, dt880 250ohm). It is not as comfortable as dt880, but sound is better.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

My set up is a surface tablet, an audioquest dragonfly red and tidal streaming. My previous headphones were the philips fidelio x2. I always thought the x2’s sounded fantastic but was really keen to try planar headphones. I thought long and hard and read all the reviews and decided to take the plunge. The packaging is excellent as is the build quality of the hifiman’s. They are exceptionally light weight with a light clamping force. Initially they were not quite as comfortable as the x2’s as not as much free space in the earcups, top to bottom. After a few hours though that feeling disappeared.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

My set up is a surface tablet, an audioquest dragonfly red and tidal streaming. My previous headphones were the philips fidelio x2. I always thought the x2’s sounded fantastic but was really keen to try planar headphones. I thought long and hard and read all the reviews and decided to take the plunge. The packaging is excellent as is the build quality of the hifiman’s. They are exceptionally light weight with a light clamping force. Initially they were not quite as comfortable as the x2’s as not as much free space in the earcups, top to bottom. After a few hours though that feeling disappeared.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Fantastic masterpiece from hifiman. Fantastic masterpiece from hifiman. I listen to all kinds of music and this headphone is very versatile. Sound quality is just brilliant .And a headphone with this sound quality typical cost much more than this. On top of that, it is the one of the most comfortable over ear headphone in the market the only drawback is the open back design. I can’t really listen to this in my office nor in my university since everyone can hear what i am listening to. But the open back design also helps to deliver the natural sound. It worth every penny, highly recommended .

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Fantastic masterpiece from hifiman. Fantastic masterpiece from hifiman. I listen to all kinds of music and this headphone is very versatile. Sound quality is just brilliant .And a headphone with this sound quality typical cost much more than this. On top of that, it is the one of the most comfortable over ear headphone in the market the only drawback is the open back design. I can’t really listen to this in my office nor in my university since everyone can hear what i am listening to. But the open back design also helps to deliver the natural sound. It worth every penny, highly recommended .

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

I don’t usually write reviews but i am so pleased with these headphones i felt compelled to write something. I don’t usually write reviews but i am so pleased with these headphones i felt compelled to write something. I don’t want to enter into all the technical detail written about these headphone’s, all i want to say is wow. I have been using a pair of sennheiser hd650 headphones for about three years and have to say they are very good. That said, it is like entering a different world with the hifiman he 400i’s. The quality of sound is absolutely amazing, i have been hearing instruments and sounds that i have just not experienced before which is an absolute delight. The manufacturer recommends running them in for 150 hours to achieve maximum performance, i am no where near that in hours terms yet but every time i use them the sound just gets better and better.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

I don’t usually write reviews but i am so pleased with these headphones i felt compelled to write something. I don’t usually write reviews but i am so pleased with these headphones i felt compelled to write something. I don’t want to enter into all the technical detail written about these headphone’s, all i want to say is wow. I have been using a pair of sennheiser hd650 headphones for about three years and have to say they are very good. That said, it is like entering a different world with the hifiman he 400i’s. The quality of sound is absolutely amazing, i have been hearing instruments and sounds that i have just not experienced before which is an absolute delight. The manufacturer recommends running them in for 150 hours to achieve maximum performance, i am no where near that in hours terms yet but every time i use them the sound just gets better and better.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Excellent sound quality, but suffers from buzzing at low frequencies. These headphones measure good, and they sound good too: [. ]there was one problem, however: testing with swept tones revealed a noticeable buzzing sound around 75-95 hz. The noise was significantly louder on one side. This problem is fixable by disassembling the driver (all the way, including the diaphragm) and then simply reassembling it. I suspect it’s a manufacturing issue where the diaphragm is not mounted properly. After doing this intervention, the buzzing sound disappeared completely. I should not have to do this, and such quality control issues are not acceptable considering the price at which these headphones are sold. The fact that this issue affected *both* sides on my unit makes it likely that i’m not the only one. Caution: if you have the same issue and want to fix it yourself like i did, be *extremely* careful when disassembling the driver, as the solder on the internal writes is *extremely* brittle (which, again, is eyebrow-raising considering the price). I broke one of the wires during the procedure and had to resolder it, which was not easy.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Excellent sound quality, but suffers from buzzing at low frequencies. These headphones measure good, and they sound good too: [. ]there was one problem, however: testing with swept tones revealed a noticeable buzzing sound around 75-95 hz. The noise was significantly louder on one side. This problem is fixable by disassembling the driver (all the way, including the diaphragm) and then simply reassembling it. I suspect it’s a manufacturing issue where the diaphragm is not mounted properly. After doing this intervention, the buzzing sound disappeared completely. I should not have to do this, and such quality control issues are not acceptable considering the price at which these headphones are sold. The fact that this issue affected *both* sides on my unit makes it likely that i’m not the only one. Caution: if you have the same issue and want to fix it yourself like i did, be *extremely* careful when disassembling the driver, as the solder on the internal writes is *extremely* brittle (which, again, is eyebrow-raising considering the price). I broke one of the wires during the procedure and had to resolder it, which was not easy.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

If you are after your first planar magnetic headphone then this is the one for you. . Hi-end sound from a mid-priced headphone. Wonderful on any material with seamless performance bottom to top. Rich and detailed but neither over-blown nor too analytical. An excellent introduction to planar-magnetic headphones. Very comfortable but i do wish the cable was 0.
If you are after your first planar magnetic headphone then this is the one for you. . Hi-end sound from a mid-priced headphone. Wonderful on any material with seamless performance bottom to top. Rich and detailed but neither over-blown nor too analytical. An excellent introduction to planar-magnetic headphones. Very comfortable but i do wish the cable was 0.
Really can’t fault these headphones much. Upgraded from a pair of sennheiser hd598’s and they are a huge improvement in pretty much every way, bar a few small cons. Pros:- these headphones sound clean.Seriously the only word i can think off, every genre of music i try sounds so clear compared to the sennheisers, almost like the 598’s are muffled. – highs are great, listening to string instruments like the violin are a real treat. – mids are also fantastic, vocals sound very clear. Quite a bit of mid bass on these cans too. – lows are a bit subjective, for me, the bass on these does the job. Now, i would say if you listen exclusively to dubstep, electronic or the like, then you might want to go with some closed headphones or the philps fidelio x2’s which are bass cannons.
Really can’t fault these headphones much. Upgraded from a pair of sennheiser hd598’s and they are a huge improvement in pretty much every way, bar a few small cons. Pros:- these headphones sound clean.Seriously the only word i can think off, every genre of music i try sounds so clear compared to the sennheisers, almost like the 598’s are muffled. – highs are great, listening to string instruments like the violin are a real treat. – mids are also fantastic, vocals sound very clear. Quite a bit of mid bass on these cans too. – lows are a bit subjective, for me, the bass on these does the job. Now, i would say if you listen exclusively to dubstep, electronic or the like, then you might want to go with some closed headphones or the philps fidelio x2’s which are bass cannons.
Writing after only 2 days, this review is obviously only an immediate response, and i would hope that after continuous use the positive qualities of these headphones will improve, but, out of the box, the most impressive thing about these is the natural manner in which all the frequency areas are integrated. My usual listening environments are studios with atc or genelec monitors, and i’m wary of headphones for making judgements. For years i’ve used the same battered pairs of beyer dt990s (open back) supplemented occasionally by akg k1000 ‘off ear’ headphones on the frequent occasions i’ve had to use headphones. In comparison with the beyers the he-400i has much better bottom end, without this being in any way exaggerated. There’s more sense of air, and of the bass being integrated with mid frequency material, at present things are less wonderful at the other end. I miss a bit of hf detail and air here, but again the way it all holds together is most impressive. I really like the mid range – voices have the same natural inevitability as on ls3/5a monitors – and so far i don’t agree with reviews which suggest that the soundstage is inadequate. Listening to radio 4 i found myself turning to address people who’d come into the room behind me, only to find that this was in fact background disturbance in the broadcast studio – the space was very plausible. The other real positive is that i found myself wearing them for several hours without discomfort.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Writing after only 2 days, this review is obviously only an immediate response, and i would hope that after continuous use the positive qualities of these headphones will improve, but, out of the box, the most impressive thing about these is the natural manner in which all the frequency areas are integrated. My usual listening environments are studios with atc or genelec monitors, and i’m wary of headphones for making judgements. For years i’ve used the same battered pairs of beyer dt990s (open back) supplemented occasionally by akg k1000 ‘off ear’ headphones on the frequent occasions i’ve had to use headphones. In comparison with the beyers the he-400i has much better bottom end, without this being in any way exaggerated. There’s more sense of air, and of the bass being integrated with mid frequency material, at present things are less wonderful at the other end. I miss a bit of hf detail and air here, but again the way it all holds together is most impressive. I really like the mid range – voices have the same natural inevitability as on ls3/5a monitors – and so far i don’t agree with reviews which suggest that the soundstage is inadequate. Listening to radio 4 i found myself turning to address people who’d come into the room behind me, only to find that this was in fact background disturbance in the broadcast studio – the space was very plausible. The other real positive is that i found myself wearing them for several hours without discomfort.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

The heaphones themselves look and feel stunning. Possibly the most comfortable headphones i’ve worn in a long time. Build quality is also very very good. I was unsure how strong the new headband would be but it seems very durable. There’s not a great deal of clamp force but it’s enough to make them feel secure. As for sound quality, amazingly clear and detailed neutrality is the best way a can describe it. May be a little light on the bass for some but the bass that comes through is both low and detailed which is perfect for my ears. Possibly not for everyone but for the money i doubt you’ll find anything better.
The heaphones themselves look and feel stunning. Possibly the most comfortable headphones i’ve worn in a long time. Build quality is also very very good. I was unsure how strong the new headband would be but it seems very durable. There’s not a great deal of clamp force but it’s enough to make them feel secure. As for sound quality, amazingly clear and detailed neutrality is the best way a can describe it. May be a little light on the bass for some but the bass that comes through is both low and detailed which is perfect for my ears. Possibly not for everyone but for the money i doubt you’ll find anything better.
Hi-fi diamond among the mid-fi priced headphones. He-400i are real audiophile headphones with clear, clean sound and a quite affordable price that won’t break the bank. The build quality is on pair with it’s bigger brother he-560 and actually even better in some details. Compared to the older models he400 and he500 the difference in build quality and comfort is like day and night. He500 was a great sounding headphone indeed but very uncomfortable. 400i looks gorgeous with mirroring surface finish. The comfort is splendid with soft focus pads and adjustable headband that will fit even the largest of heads. Some people have been complaining about hifiman’s cable and connectors. I actually think they are quite nice.
Hi-fi diamond among the mid-fi priced headphones. He-400i are real audiophile headphones with clear, clean sound and a quite affordable price that won’t break the bank. The build quality is on pair with it’s bigger brother he-560 and actually even better in some details. Compared to the older models he400 and he500 the difference in build quality and comfort is like day and night. He500 was a great sounding headphone indeed but very uncomfortable. 400i looks gorgeous with mirroring surface finish. The comfort is splendid with soft focus pads and adjustable headband that will fit even the largest of heads. Some people have been complaining about hifiman’s cable and connectors. I actually think they are quite nice.

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

I can say is wow the improvement already is amazing especially when the manufacturer recommends 250 hours of running. Only played these for 8 hours and all i can say is wow the improvement already is amazing especially when the manufacturer recommends 250 hours of running in time. I’m no expert but to my ears the sound is luxurious and velvety. Im using these headphones with an astell&kern 120 titanium and a little dac amp called fiio e07k plus the fiio and a ipod touch and the headphones work great with both. Some of the recordings on the ipod touch ain’t as good as others but overall brilliant headphones(already).
I can say is wow the improvement already is amazing especially when the manufacturer recommends 250 hours of running. Only played these for 8 hours and all i can say is wow the improvement already is amazing especially when the manufacturer recommends 250 hours of running in time. I’m no expert but to my ears the sound is luxurious and velvety. Im using these headphones with an astell&kern 120 titanium and a little dac amp called fiio e07k plus the fiio and a ipod touch and the headphones work great with both. Some of the recordings on the ipod touch ain’t as good as others but overall brilliant headphones(already).

This review is from : HIFIMAN HE-400i Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone

Incredible audiophile headphones from hifiman. Simply stunning set of audiophile quality headphones. For years i have been buying a certain brand of headphone, and have worked my way up through their product range, hoping for increases in sound quality with every purchase. But i found that at the higher end the sound got worse and i was paying more money. I looked at the reviews and an other customer was like myself dissatisfied and suggested we look at hifiman. These are a serious bit of beautifully crafted kit, they are light on your head and look gorgeous. I purchsed these, now heres the comical bit , for half what i paid for the other set of phones(several hundred pounds) they almost have an analogue sound. You must purchase a good quality headphone amp to make these work to the best of their ability( my choice is the fidelity audio hpa 100) they were good before the purchase of this amp but with the fidelity audio everything improves tenfold. My assumptions for this review are after purchasing the amp because this is what the headphones are trulycapable of.
Incredible audiophile headphones from hifiman. Simply stunning set of audiophile quality headphones. For years i have been buying a certain brand of headphone, and have worked my way up through their product range, hoping for increases in sound quality with every purchase. But i found that at the higher end the sound got worse and i was paying more money. I looked at the reviews and an other customer was like myself dissatisfied and suggested we look at hifiman. These are a serious bit of beautifully crafted kit, they are light on your head and look gorgeous. I purchsed these, now heres the comical bit , for half what i paid for the other set of phones(several hundred pounds) they almost have an analogue sound. You must purchase a good quality headphone amp to make these work to the best of their ability( my choice is the fidelity audio hpa 100) they were good before the purchase of this amp but with the fidelity audio everything improves tenfold. My assumptions for this review are after purchasing the amp because this is what the headphones are trulycapable of.
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