Hifiman he4xx vs. 400i vs. 400s vs. sundara

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	This item Drop + HIFIMAN HE4XX Planar Magnetic Over-ear Open-back Headphones,midnight-blue	Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black	HIFIMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones with High Fidelity Design Easy to Drive by iPhone /Android Comfortable Headband Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping Black	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	HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphones Adjustable Headphone with Comfortable Earpads Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping	Beyerdynamic 459038 DT 990 PRO open Studio Headphone
Customer Rating	4.4 out of 5 stars (81)	4.6 out of 5 stars (4596)	4.3 out of 5 stars (292)	4.7 out of 5 stars (24)	4.1 out of 5 stars (651)	4.7 out of 5 stars (4883)
Price	$180.00$180.00	$144.99$144.99	$349.00$349.00	$169.00$169.00	$299.99$299.99	$158.99$158.99
Sold By	Amazon.com	J.WALKER LLC	HIFIMAN	HIFIMAN	Amazon.com	Electronics Expo
Color	midnight-blue	Black	Black	Black	Gray	Gray
Fit Type	over-ear	over-ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Circumaural	Over-Ear
Headphones Form Factor	Over Ear	Over Ear	Over Ear	Over Ear	open-back	On Ear
Special Features	Tangle-Free Cord, Open-Back	Tangle-Free Cord, Lightweight	ultra-fine diaphragm, 3.5mm connectors for enhanced durability	Lightweight	lightweight	lightweight

Zastosowania i synergiczność

Ciepło, scenicznie i z wygarem – tak można byłoby najprościej opisać źródło docelowe dla tego modelu. W dobrej cenie szukałbym definitywnie takich urządzeń jak Chord Mojo, Aune S2, cokolwiek ciepłego i mającego w sobie spory potencjał mocowy będzie tu moim zdaniem jak najbardziej wskazanym dla tych słuchawek kompanem. Definitywnie bowiem mają one swój apetyt.

Dla porównania satysfakcjonujący poziom głośności uzyskiwany przeze mnie na Conductorze dla HE-4XX wynosił 30-32%, czyli mniej więcej tyle ile każą sobie wykręcić na potencjometrze K270 Studio/Playback. Dla porównania na HE-500 było to 29-31%. 26% wynosiła głośność dla LCD-2F oraz 28% dla HD800. Idąc zaś w górę, na K340 ok. 40% i wreszcie K1000 – 44 do 46%. Jak więc widać między tymi modelami HE-4XX plasuje się w połowie.

W zakresie zastosowań, raczej nie ma przeciwwskazań przed ich stosowaniem w jakimkolwiek gatunku czy przeznaczeniu. Aczkolwiek w grach średnio bym widział ten konkretny model z racji typowej dla HiFiMANa małej sceny o umiarkowanej holografii. Wszystko jest tu „w porządku”, ale to bardziej model do solidnego słuchania różnorodnej muzyki, a nie „słyszenia kroków przeciwnika na mapie kilometr dalej przez ściany” itd.

Niestety słabo też widzę je w zastosowaniach mobilnych. Izolacji nie mamy żadnej, a apetyt na prąd wymaga albo odtwarzacza z dużą baterią i wbudowanym wzmacniaczem (Shanling M3s, TEAC HA-P90), albo dodatkowych urządzeń wzmacniających jakkolwiek sygnał (jak np. rzeczony Mojo). Inaczej będzie ciężka sprawa. Dlatego też widzą mi się tylko i wyłącznie jak typowe słuchawki domowe.

Introduction

I have had the opportunity to demo all of these headphones on numerous occasions, in various settings, and with a plethora of different amplifiers dating back to around 2017.

When I started frequenting my local Audio Advice back then, the 400i was one of the first really good headphones I ever tried out. Before they started using the incredible NAIM DAC V-1 for headphone demoing, there was of course the famed Bryston BHA-1 – still the best Amp that I’ve personally ever tried.

I’m not going to tell the story again as I’ve talked about it ad-nausea, but the combination of the 400i with the Bryston and a FLAC file of Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin really made me stop and go “Yeah now I kind of understand why people obsess over this sh**”

Lol. My opinion of audiophiles and this whole prick waving contest has definitely shifted over time, but I digress.

Since that day I haven’t really experienced anything close to that moment, save for a Chord Mojo paired with a MrSpeakers Aeon Flow Closed. The other eye opener was the Audeze LCD-3 and Bryston playing Pink Floyd’s “Time.” That was also a face melter for different reasons which we won’t get into today.

The point is that I feel comfortable enough in going back and forth with these and giving a rock solid recommendation. Part of that is because I understand and have experienced first hand some of the pitfalls that come along with having a HiFiMan headphone in your possession (it’s both a blessing and a curse), but also how they all sound in relation to one another.

So let’s dive in shall we?!

Product description

PLANAR MAGNETICS LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE: Many headphone companies have tried their hand at planar magnetic drivers, but none have done it quite like HIFIMAN. The result of founder Dr. Fang’s PhD research at Columbia University, its driver technology has landed the company in TIME, Forbes, and CNET’s “The Audiophiliac, ” and won it the CES Editors’ Choice Award. Now, that tech is available at an unheard-of price in the Mass drop x HIFIMAN HE4XX: a pair of high-efficiency, open-back planar magnetics that don’t need a fancy amp to sound amazing. Listen to them directly from your smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer, or add a headphone amp to take them to the next level. The sound is smooth, engaging, and even across the frequency range, with airy, sparkly highs and the planar bass slam that HIFIMAN is known for. PREMIUM AESTHETIC, COMFORTABLE FEEL: Comfort is king for the HE4XX, which features HIFIMAN’s Focus-A hybrid ear pads: the best-feeling, best-sounding pads the company has to offer. The foam has extra cushioning and is specially angled for acoustics, and the part of the pad touching the ear is made of soft, luxurious velour. A revival of the original HIFIMAN style with some structural improvements, the headband is made of spring steel—so it can bend without losing its shape—and hand-stitched with breathable protein leather. Done in an exclusive midnight-blue colorway, the matte finish is soft to the touch and resistant to fingerprints. The attention to detail is evident throughout, down to the robust steel gimbals with a black oxide finish and matching Allen screws. HIFIMAN: FOR AUDIOPHILES, BY AUDIOPHILES: Born in New York City in 2007, HIFIMAN has had a big influence on the audiophile world in the 10 years since its founding. Dr. Fang has always had close ties with the community. He started out on Head-Fi and attended local meetups while pursuing his doctorate at Columbia. When he realized his PhD research could be relevant to his passion—the music-listening experience and the audiophile products that improve it—he started talking with forum members and meetup attendees about what they’d like to see in the next generation of headphones. HIFIMAN is a natural partner for Mass drop because our goals are so aligned. At its core, it represents a member of the audiophile community building a company that serves the rest of the community.

Дизайн и удобство ношения

Во внешнем виде в единое целое слились и старый, и новый поход HiFiMan, подарив покупателям весьма забавный гибрид. Нижняя часть наушников явно осталась от классических моделей: круглые пластиковые чашки серебристого цвета, металлическая решётка, тут облик похож на то, что мы уже видели не один год. Единственная особенность — вилки крепления чашек, традиционно позволяющие вращение вокруг двух осей, сделаны из пластика, что, конечно, не особо внушает доверие. Хотя жалоб на поломки этого узла я в Интернете не видел, но относиться к HE-400S надо поаккуратней. Верхняя же половина наушников сделана в более современном стиле и напоминает HE-1000. Оголовье П-образной формы, выполнено из пружинящей стали. На нем закреплены две подвижных детали из пластика, соединённые «наголовником» из кожзаменителя, именно двигая его крепление и можно регулировать размер данной модели. За месяц использования я понял, что это достаточно удобный и простой способ регулировки. Собраны наушники без оглядки на цену, никаких огрехов и недоработок нет.

их замена на Focus Pads

Модель эта полностью открытая, поэтому она мало подойдёт для улицы или офиса, где работают другие люди: шум будет проникать внутрь, а ваша музыка также без проблем будет слышна всем окружающим. Данные наушники явно ориентированы на домашнее применение.

Претерпела изменения и система подключения кабелей, на смену закручивающимся разъёмам, знакомым по предыдущим моделям, пришли 2,5 мм джеки. В целом это положительный шаг, упрощающий замену проводов. Комплектный кабель достаточно короткий, около полутора метров, в забавной черно-белой тканевой оплётке. Он немного шумит от трения, но в целом вопросов особо не вызывает.

Final Word

The major point to take away here is that the HE400S is more abrasive and colder sounding, while the HE400i is smoother and warmer.

As noted above, the 400S seems like it’s trying really hard to be analytical and in comparison to the 400i, falls a little bit flat although I do like listening with it. I personally enjoy the sound of the 400i. It’s more musical with better resolution, while the 400S is perhaps a bit more detailed in theory, but doesn’t quite hit the mark like the 400i.

Out of these 2, I would go with the 400i, but today I’m going to recommend something else. The updated HIFIMAN Sundara improves upon all the shortcomings of the original 400i with regard to build. It also sports a tighter bass with more impact, better mid-range and cleaner highs. It’s one of the best mid-fi headphones I’ve reviewed. Interested in learning more?

Porównanie z HE-500

Słuchawki grają nieco bliższą średnicą od 500-tek, mniej przestronną sceną w ramach głębokości oraz bardziej zaznaczoną wyższą górą, która przybiera w efekcie bardziej nosowy charakter i wraz z całą sygnaturą zmierza do liniowej prezentacji muzyki. HE-500 mocniej czarują dźwiękiem i przede wszystkim oferują większą czystość samego sygnału.

Co ciekawe, model 500 jest o ok. 2-2,3 dB głośniejszy od 4XX. Obie pary bardzo mocno się do siebie zbliżają strojeniem w sytuacji, gdy na HE-500 zamontowane zostaną pady typu Focus, dokładnie takie jak w 4XX. Owszem, na tle obu tych modeli moje Audeze są bez wątpienia wyżej stojącymi słuchawkami jeśli chodzi o klasę. Scena, głębia, eufonia, czystość, wszystko jest tu na swoim miejscu i prezentuje się bardziej wciągająco, ale 500-tki mimo wszystko je ścigają za mniej, zaś HE-4XX już w ogóle bez przeszkód wygrywają na opłacalności w pojęciu całościowym. Każda para ma więc tu swój namacalny atut.

Staging/Imaging

Hifiman was never known for excellent sound imaging properties, so don’t expect any improvements there. But, do expect a nice, coherent sound field that sounds great for lively, forwardly recorded audio. If you like vocalists, this is a solid pick for a headphone sub $300usd.

Hifiman gets it right here and right often when referencing Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, Buble’ and similar big band/jazz singers. Well-formed, but a lacking width was always the Hifiman sound type and this one is, of course, no different.

The depth of field is the strongest point of the imaging prowess of the headphone, which to me and my ear, engages a moderate “a-ok” dynamic kick and reach into the stereo void. It doesn’t sound cavernous, but the depth of field and space in forwardness is what my ear always focuses on when listening to this model.

I forget that there is a lacking sense of width because I tend to use this headphone as a reference tool for intimate recordings and usually always pick forward tracks to listen to because I know they sound great on this headphone. The lacking width is the only real downfall here.

Звук

Для прослушивания использовалось следующее оборудование.

• NuPrime DAC-10H и Resonessence Labs Concero HP в роли ЦАП и усилителя
• Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 в роли источника
• Fidelia в роли плеера
• Fiio X7 и Luxury&Precission L5Pro в роли портативных плееров
• Записи высокого разрешения в Lossless-форматах (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc и другие)

Перед прослушиванием наушники были прогреты на протяжении 48 часов.

Оценивать эти наушники достаточно интересно. С одной стороны, чуда не произошло, и в HE-400S нет того, что ожидаешь от изодинамических моделей HiFiMan после многолетнего знакомства с ним, звучат они ближе к традиционным динамическим моделям. Судя по весу, HiFiMan ещё сильнее упростили магнитную систему этих наушников, что слышно по звуку. С другой стороны, HE-400S звучат как очень хорошие динамические модели, и явно оправдывают свою цену.

Средние частоты — самая сильная сторона этих наушников. Именно в этом диапазоне изодинамический излучатель всё-таки показывает себя, и наушники обходят по скорости динамические модели сходной цены. При этом они не пытаются выдавать себя за нейтральную модель с диким разрешением, как их старшие братья, в подаче HE-400S чётко слышится смягчение, призванное скрывать огрехи записей и источников. Именно такой окрас обычно любят ошибочно называть «ламповым» и «мультибитным», он во многих случаях весьма приятен и делает звук комфортным. При этом на верхних СЧ есть небольшие следы шероховатости, похожие на пик в области 2-4 кГц, хотя замеры АЧХ, доступные в интернете, показывают, что никакого криминала там нет, но на слух это слышно. Воображаемая сцена наушников где-то чуть больше среднего по ширине и средняя в глубину, наушники нормально для своей цены справляются с разделением планов и передачей объёма инструментов. У них нет характерной для многих «динам» манеры «сплющивать» инструменты, представляя их в виде точек, но до топовых изодинам HE-400S, конечно, далеко.

Верхние частоты обычно служат основным камнем преткновения, но в этой модели они почти идеальны, их не много, чтобы не порождать резкость, но и не мало, чтобы не сделать звук тёмным и замкнутым, так что резкими эти наушники найдут только совсем уж заядлые ВЧ-фобы. Очень неплохо подобрано количество ВЧ, нет каких-то заметных больших пиков и резонансов, все на соответствующем цене уровне. Конечно, ВЧ этой модели сильно упрощены по сравнению с более дорогими изодинамами, но сложно ожидать обратного в недорогой модели с чувствительностью, достаточной для смартфонов и планшетов.

Выше я уже писал о том, что эти наушники можно хорошо «прокачать», купив для них гибридные амбушуры Focus Pads. С ними HE-400S обретают больше глубокого баса, и плюс уходит тот пик в начале ВСЧ, хотя общая тональность смещается немного в сторону темноты. Сцена становится чуть уже, но на мой вкус это все равно выгодный обмен, тем более что Focus Pads ещё и меньше ворса собирают.

Compare with similar items

	This item HIFIMAN HE400S Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphone	Philips Audio Philips SHP9500 HiFi Precision Stereo Over-Ear Headphones (Black)	HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphones Adjustable Headphone with Comfortable Earpads Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping	HIFIMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones with High Fidelity Design Easy to Drive by iPhone /Android Comfortable Headband Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping Black	Beyerdynamic 459038 DT 990 PRO open Studio Headphone
Customer Rating	4.1 out of 5 stars (169)	4.6 out of 5 stars (4596)	4.1 out of 5 stars (651)	4.3 out of 5 stars (292)	4.7 out of 5 stars (4883)
Price	$229.00$229.00	$74.99$74.99	$299.99$299.99	$349.00$349.00	$158.99$158.99
Sold By	Audio Advisor, Inc.	PHOTOTECH	Amazon.com	HIFIMAN	Electronics Expo
Color	Silver	Black	Gray	Black	Gray
Fit Type	Over-Ear	over-ear	Circumaural	Over-Ear	Over-Ear
Headphones Form Factor	Over Ear	On Ear	open-back	Over Ear	On Ear
Item Dimensions	3.43 x 3.90 x 5.39 inches	6.70 x 7.90 x 3.90 inches	8.00 x 7.00 x 4.50 inches	11.00 x 6.80 x 12.10 inches	8.70 x 4.70 x 9.10 inches
Item Weight	0.77 lbs	0.66 lbs	0.82 lbs	0.82 lbs	0.55 lbs
Special Features	Long Hours of Comfortable Listening; Lifelike clarity, detail, extended bass and wide sound stage	Lightweight	lightweight	ultra-fine diaphragm, 3.5mm connectors for enhanced durability	lightweight

Summary

The biggest things to keep in mind with these headphones are the following:

1. They sound grainier and more abrasive than the smoother sounding 400i. More on that later.
2. They won’t sound their best with the stock ear pads. More on that later.
3. The cable is very suspect. This was pretty much unanimous in all of the reviews including the positive ones.
4. There is a lack of bass extension that can be remedied with the Brainwavz Focus Pads and/or the grill mod. This isn’t a deal breaker per se, but there is a definite bass roll off starting at 7oHz, and completely rolling off by 30Hz. Just think of them as bass lean. You’re not going to be blown away by it.
5. They sound best with high quality source files. 320 kbps should be the standard here.

Other than that, these are a fantastic sounding headphone with a pretty good build quality aside from the cable issue. They aren’t very amp specific, and will sound fine with many different combinations.

Amplification & Genre Pairing

Absolutely. But don’t get too carried away.

• 400S – 22 Ohm Impedance/98dB Sensitivity
• 400i – 35 Ohm Impedance/93dB Sensitivity
• 4XX – 35 Ohm Impedance/ 93dB Sensitivity
• Sundara – 37 Ohm Impedance/94dB Sensitivity

The 400S is the easiest to drive out of this lot, as you can plug it into your phone and get loud enough levels with most newer devices sporting better internal DACs. Beginners Guide: What is a USB DAC?

On paper, the others will need some juice from an amp to reach acceptable levels, but they aren’t that much harder to drive. I’ve never had an issue with anything I’ve used, even something like an E10K or K3 from FiiO will work.

If you weren’t aware, Sensitivity is just a measure of efficiency. How efficient is the headphone at using the power it receives? In the case of these 4, not so much. What is Sensitivity in Headphones?

Good efficiency is somewhere in the ballpark of 98-99dB, and anything above that. 97dB sits in a middle ground (HD600), while anything below that isn’t efficient at all. AKG headphones also reside in this area, mostly coming in at around 91dB or thereabouts.

Fortunately, the Impedance of these models is also low, meaning they won’t resist the power being fed into them. This is what kind of makes them fairly easy to drive, all things considered.

As mentioned in the open, I’ve demoed each of these with a wide array of different amps:

• DragonFly Red into Bravo Ocean
• iFi Zen
• Centrance DACport HD
• AudioQuest DragonFly Red/Cobalt
• iFi’s hip-dac
• Bryston BHA-1
• NAIM DAC V-1
• Oppo HA-2
• FiiO E10K
• JDS Labs Objective 2/ATOM

The list goes on. Here are all of the Amps & DACs I’ve listened to thus far if you were interested!

I would say the Bravo Ocean paired with one of these is probably going to sound ever so slightly better than the others being that it’s a Class A Tube Hybrid, but it’s not a huge difference. I really did enjoy the pairing though, specifically with the 4XX. It helps in providing a liquid smooth, buttery sound, but any of the other Amps also sound great.

What’s great about the DragonFly Red is that you can reap the benefits of Tidal’s MQA while still running it into the Bravo Ocean via 3.5mm interconnect.

DragonFly Red + Bravo Ocean + 4XX =

The DragonFly Red in this sense becomes especially useful if you purchase it first, but then decide to upgrade Amps later on down the road. You can use it with your phone, as an Amp with your PC, or as a DAC into another Amp. It has loads of power and sounds great with every headphone I’ve used.

Wondering about the Cobalt? Well that’s another long and complicated story: AudioQuest DragonFly Red vs. Cobalt vs. Chord Mojo

With the E10K or K3, the same concept applies. Let’s say you bought one of those to get your feet wet. They’re cheap and sound great, so it’s understandable. I still have both in my studio. Because each have line out, you can easily upgrade amps down the road if you need more power. In that way, the K3, E10K, ad DragonFly Red become incredibly versatile in studio as you can mix and match with any headphone amp that supports line in or RCA in.

Amp/DAC requirements

An amp isn’t required for the 400S, but will greatly aid you in the studio when you’re sitting at your desk. I absolutely love these straight out of my phone though. They aren’t too loud or too quiet; it’s a nice happy medium. At 98dB/mW, they are a bit more efficient than a 400i at 93-94dB. Related: How to choose a headphone amp!

I wouldn’t purchase a 400i without an amp. With the 400S you can get away with it although a great Amp/DAC will help the sound in both cases regardless.

My Top Recommendations

• Portable. Audioquest Dragonfly. Learn more: Audioquest Dragonfly Red Review!
• Desktop. JDS Labs Objective 2 or Element. JDS Labs Element vs. Objective 2

Podsumowanie

Tanie i praktyczne słuchawki od HiFiMANa, które dostaniemy jako owoc kolaboracji z Massdropem na tamtejszym serwisie od czasu do czasu. Przemawia za nimi prosta konstrukcja, banalna obsługa, nienajgorsza ergonomia, wysoka ekonomia oraz stosunkowo równe, przewidywalne brzmienie o dużej poprawności.

Cena odbiła się jednak trochę na materiałach, na których widać wszelkie rysy i uszkodzenia. Z wad tradycyjnie można wymienić również idiotyczny system montażu nausznic, krótki kabel na mały jack który wprowadza w błąd sugerując możliwość sparowania także ze sprzętem przenośnym wszelkiej maści (nasadka na duży jack nie jest gwintowana), czy wreszcie brzmieniowo: małą scenę oraz nie do końca tak nisko schodzący bas jak w innych modelach tego producenta. Osobiście odbierałem je również jako nieco monotonne od czasu do czasu, ale to wynika akurat z ich poprawności.

Niemniej słuchawki nadal można ocenić wysoko i traktować jako ciekawą alternatywę dla HD600, HE-4 czy też chyba najbliższego im modelu od tego samego producenta: HE-400i, choć te ostatnie same w sobie przy ostatnich bardzo mocnych promocjach i obniżkach cen są moim zdaniem bardzo kuszącą opcją. Wybór jak zawsze należy tu więc do użytkownika. Jeśli szuka czegoś uniwersalnego gatunkowo, w miarę też synergicznie i jako kandydata na domowe słuchawki codziennego użytku, prawdopodobnie to właśnie HE-4XX pokryją mu wszystkie te oczekiwania. Dla zwolenników krajowej gwarancji i lepszego pałąka pozostają się HE-400i. Dla fanów czegoś cieplejszego w rozważaniu powinny pojawić się HE-400S, zaś jeśli wciąż oscylować wokół sprzętu z Massdropa, można zwrócić się w stronę sprawdzonych HD-6XX.

Zalety:

• wciąż niezgorzej wykonane
• konstrukcja lżejsza od swoich bardziej utytułowanych braci
• mimo sporej wagi na papierze całkiem wygodne nawet podczas dłuższych odsłuchów
• wymienne okablowanie i łatwa jego konfekcja
• metalowy pałąk podatny na ewentualne korekcje docisku
• równe, solidne brzmienie o dużej neutralności
• uniwersalność zastosowań
• podatność na modyfikacje
• potencjał przy parowaniu z cieplejszym torem
• duża opłacalność, zwłaszcza jeśli udałoby się uniknąć opłat celnych

Wady:

• tańsze materiały użyte przy ich konstrukcji
• najniższy bas słabszy niż w innych modelach tego producenta które testowałem
• scena mogłaby mieć więcej czaru z holografią
• czystość sygnału również mogłaby być trochę bardziej przystająca do konstrukcji magnetostatycznych
• typowo problematyczny w tych modelach montaż nausznic
• wymagające w napędzeniu, mimo kabla sugerującego zastosowania mobilne

Jeszcze raz serdeczne podziękowania dla Pana Mateusza za użyczenie Audiofanatykowi sprzętu do testów.

WYKONANIE I WYPOSAŻENIE 7

JAKOŚĆ DŹWIĘKU 8

MOŻLIWOŚCI I ERGONOMIA 9

OPŁACALNOŚĆ 9

Oceny odzwierciedlają subiektywne odczucia w danej klasie recenzowanego urządzenia.

Build Quality & Changes

Massdrop made sure to add a significantly more comfortable and plush feeling leather headband, over the original HE400’s much harder, less comfortable counterpart from years back.

The new Focus-A pads add a new level of comfort to the experience, at least for me and on a subjective level. A combination of leatherette and velour padding combined makes for a better seal all around the circumference of the pads themselves, and likely acts as a bit of a canon for coherency in the audio wave itself coming from the driver and into your ear.

Similar to Grado-quarter mods maybe? Hmm. Could very well be the case for the newer sound signature being pipped through this headphone and into my brain.

Beyond that, they’ve included a short, portable length and detachable 3.5mm cable! YAY! I love this cable. It feels fantastic to be able to go out and about for short walks and do not have to lug around a massive cable or purchase a custom cable just to use my HE4XX outside on the go.

True, the headphone is fairly large by most standards today for the “portability” factor. But, I’ll get into that in a moment and why it is awesome for that usage. At 370g, the headphone is not exactly a lightweight.

Compare with similar items

	This item HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphones Adjustable Headphone with Comfortable Earpads Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping	Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black	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	HIFIMAN SUNDARA Over-ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones with High Fidelity Design Easy to Drive by iPhone /Android Comfortable Headband Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping Black	Sennheiser HD 599 Open Back Headphone, Ivory	Beyerdynamic 459038 DT 990 PRO open Studio Headphone
Customer Rating	4.1 out of 5 stars (651)	4.6 out of 5 stars (4596)	4.7 out of 5 stars (24)	4.3 out of 5 stars (292)	4.7 out of 5 stars (1891)	4.7 out of 5 stars (4883)
Price	$299.99$299.99	$144.99$144.99	$169.00$169.00	$349.00$349.00	$199.95$199.95	$158.99$158.99
Sold By	Amazon.com	Bsd Wholesale	HIFIMAN	HIFIMAN	Buy Top Tech	Electronics Expo
Color	Gray	Black	Black	Black	Ivory	Gray
Fit Type	Circumaural	over-ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear	Over-Ear
Headphones Form Factor	open-back	Over Ear	Over Ear	Over Ear	Over Ear	On Ear
Item Dimensions	8.00 x 7.00 x 4.50 inches	4.33 x 7.48 x 9.06 inches	4.02 x 3.43 x 1.85 inches	11.00 x 6.80 x 12.10 inches	8.10 x 3.95 x 10.25 inches	8.70 x 4.70 x 9.10 inches
Item Weight	0.82 lbs	0.91 lbs	0.79 lbs	0.82 lbs	0.55 lbs	0.55 lbs
Special Features	lightweight	Tangle-Free Cord, Lightweight	Lightweight	ultra-fine diaphragm, 3.5mm connectors for enhanced durability	noise-isolation	lightweight

Porównanie z HE-4

Ilość analogii między tymi modelami jest już trochę większa, głównie za sprawą nausznic welurowych, jakie są tam spotykane w standardzie. Klasa dźwięku między nimi jest zbliżona, ale Czwórki lepiej radzą sobie ze skrajami pasm.

Oferują lepiej wykończony najniższy bas (i w sumie w ogóle równiejszy bas jako taki), ale też bardziej zaznaczony sopran, przez co mogą wydawać się w pierwszym kontakcie bardziej od HE-4XX chropowate. Bardziej od HE-4XX premiują ciemniejsze tory z tego tytułu. Plusem z tego wynikającym jest lepsze prowadzenie pogłosów na scenie, głównie na szerokość. Są też wyraźnie trudniejsze w napędzeniu.

Compared to other headphones

The Hifiman HE-400i are great-sounding headphones with a comfortable fit and a balanced audio reproduction. They’re a good choice for critical listening but will not be as good for other use cases. Unfortunately, their build quality, though premium looking is a bit fragile and weak at the hinges. This may be a deal breaker for some, especially since similarly designed models, like the ones compared below, have an equally as good sound but a better build quality. See our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best DJ headphones, and the best over-ear headphones.

HiFiMan Sundara

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

Our Verdict

5.0

Mixed Usage

Mediocre for mixed usage. The HiFiMan HE-400i are critical listening headphones, not intended for other use cases except maybe home theater. They deliver an great sound quality and comfortable design but have poor isolation and a bulky, cumbersome build. They are best used at home and in isolation and will not be suitable for commuting or sports.

Pros

• Great sound quality.
• Decent build quality.
• Comfortable.

Cons

• Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
• Big and bulky.
• High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.

8.1

Neutral Sound

The HE-400i are good reference headphones that shine in the sound department. They’re comfortable for long listening sessions and deliver an excellent representation of instruments and vocals. They sound a little sharp and bass is a bit lacking compared to the Edition X, but their sound is sufficiently balanced and open to please most neutral listeners.

See our Neutral Sound Recommendations

3.7

Commute/Travel

Not designed for commuting. The open ear cups do not block any noise, which is not ideal for loud environments.

See our Commute/Travel Recommendations

5.1

Sports/Fitness

Not meant for sports. They’re big, bulky and slightly unstable. Even if they can be powered by a mobile device these headphones perform poorly outdoors and will fall if used during physical activity.

See our Sports/Fitness Recommendations

4.5

Office

Sub-par for office use. They will not block the office chatter and also leak a lot. Unless you work in an isolated environment, anyone will be able to hear your audio.

See our Office Recommendations

4.6

Wireless Gaming

Mediocre for gaming. The HiFiMan HE-400i are comfortable, they sound great and have a low latency wired design. However, they do not have a microphone for voice chat when gaming, and no customization options which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they do not have the convenience of wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox one or PS4.

See our Wireless Gaming Recommendations

6.6

Wired Gaming

1.6

Phone Calls

• 5.0

  Mixed Usage

• 8.1

  Neutral Sound

• 3.7

  Commute/Travel

• 5.1

  Sports/Fitness

• 4.5

  Office

• 4.6

  Wireless Gaming

• 6.6

  Wired Gaming

• 1.6

  Phone Calls

+ Create your own

1. Update 2/13/2020:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
2. Update 11/21/2019:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
3. Update 11/21/2019:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
4. Update 2/16/2018:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
5. Update 8/10/2017:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
6. Update 3/1/2017:
   Converted to Test Bench 1.0.

Bass Quantity

It does make me sad that they did not copy and paste the original HE400 low end and drop it into this model. My older HE400 from ye’ last age of Hifiman, rocks a noticeably deeper, more prominent low end in terms of quantity. You simply got more of it.

However, the new version sounds audibly cleaner and the texture is less thick sounding and purer in the HE4XX.  If anything, I do agree with some others insisting that this Massdrop HE4XX is more like the HE400i in that regard and that is not a bad thing.

If you want more depth and quantity in this style, opt for the original discontinued HE400 from years ago instead of and buy on the used market. If you want a noticeably more pure feeling bass, but still with plentiful quantity and response to bass boost, this newer version might be more to your liking.

Treble

I can hear some artificial treble boosting. It is apparent, but it is not a problem. Do not confuse the Hifiman titled models though. The HE400S, the HE400i, and the original standard HE400 are not the same. They each sound different. Here, the HE4XX still sounds a lot like the HE400i.

The major difference between this model and the original HE400, as well as the S version, is substance factor in the upper areas of the frequency response. There is simply less heft and physicality in this HE4XX and the HE400i, at least in my opinion. I hoped for the old school, stunning substance and vitality of the HE500 and HE-6, but gosh, that was a stretch of a desire and of course I don’t expect a $169 headphone to sound like some of the best Planar’s in the $500-1000 tier from yesteryear.

But, a call back to that tonality is something I desire a lot because I think those two models were among the best for treble response on the market at the time. I yearn for that old Hifiman treble tone and sadly, the newer gen models don’t offer that.

Is that a big deal? Nah, we are talking tonality terms here and not quality. For $169, you are getting very nice quality. If I had a gripe about the HE4XX’s treble end, it would be that lack of stunning, beautiful and jaw-dropping sparkle and tone that was prevalent in the other older generation drivers of the original HE-series. As mentioned, the HE4XX here and the HE400i share a lot of similar sound traits. Both of which are different from the original HE400.