Pros: Orthodynamic, Efficiency, Comfort, Vocals, Bass, Overall Sound, Build Quality.

Cons: Packaging could have been done more nicely.

Introduction:

HiFiMAN needs no introduction. As everyone knows, they’ve been one of the most active companies in the audio market, and have introduced some solid products, including (but not limited to) their acclaimed flagship, the HE-1000.

This HE400S model, however, needs a little preface. HiFiMAN produced the HE-400 in 2012, and many Head-fi’ers enjoyed its sound. Not stopping there, they released another model in the series, the HE-400i, in early 2014, and many praised its sound quality as well. However, price tags for the HE-400i run at about $450-$500, which is substantially more than the HE-400’s (now closeout) $300 standpoint.

Looking at the price discrepancy, HiFiMAN decided to come out with the HE400S, another revision on the original HE-400, providing even better sound than the original while keeping the price at a low $300. The HE400S takes a departure from the original by using beveled ear pads, a more comfortable headband design, and plug-in connectors – all the result of the new discoveries they’ve made with better technology and design. As such, there is much improved besides for the sound differences; at 22 ohms, it’s extremely efficient, and is lighter and more comfortable as well.

You may feel like I’m focusing too much on the price here. I’m doing so because of the major discussion regarding the “budget king” of headphones. Over the years, the Sennheiser HD 600 has been regarded as overall one of the best audiophile headphones with a relatively low price tag. While it isn’t cheap at $250-$300, many have decided to go with them as their primary headphone, and haven’t felt the need to upgrade further. Seldom do I find a HD 600 owner that is unhappy with it. As such, it isn’t surprising that many write great reviews of it, and it is actually rated the #2 over-ear headphone on Head-fi! I’ve had the pleasure of listening to the HD 600 in the past, and as arguably the budget king of headphones, it will be interesting to see how they fare against the new HiFiMAN HE400S, which can essentially be had at the same price.

The other “budget” headphone that has been garnering huge attention on Head-fi is the new AKG K7XX, the joint effort of Massdrop and AKG that was introduced only 8 months ago. At $200, it has a massive price/performance ratio, and over 2500 pairs were sold in the first week alone. While not always available, Massdrop has made every effort to list a few hundred pairs every 2-3 months. I myself got one of the first 400 pairs during the first week, and have been extremely happy with it as my primary headphone. While picky when it comes to equipment and power needs, with the right amplifiers it sounds phenomenal. It is no wonder that everyone recommends the K7XX when someone asks for a great budget headphone. Many believe that it goes side by side with the HD 600 when it comes to the budget king, yet others say it surpasses the Sennheiser cans. As it stands, the AKG K7XX is undisputedly the best open-back headphone at $200, and known as a “giant killer,” it would be wrong for me not to compare it to the HE400S.

Many great headphones are getting introduced into the market in the “budget” range, generally under $500. This only benefits us Head-fi’ers – now even us poor men can still get our hands on a good pair of cans. Because of this, it is all the more important to compare and contrast headphones, to maximize the opportunity we now have. So without further ado, let’s get right into it!

Packaging & Accessories:

The HE400S came in a light gray box, with a picture of the headphones on the front, and specifications on the back. When I opened the box, I was greeted by the HE400S, and the cable. If I had to describe the packaging in one word, it would be “clean”. There’s no frills or distractions on the box, and none inside it either. There’s no extra accessories to speak of, and frankly it doesn’t need any. It does, though, come with a warranty card, a HiFiMAN contact card, ¼’’ headphone adapter, and an owner’s manual. The warranty card and manual comes in both English and Chinese, so there shouldn’t be any language confusion there.

In short, the packaging is nice and simple, and while it doesn’t look as fancy as the boxes other headphones come in, I personally am not too bothered by that. I do wish though that they would have made a bit more of an effort in this area – many people spending $300 on this headphone want it to look good in the box as well as out. This is a minor nitpick though, and it definitely shouldn’t make or break the decision to buy these.

Build Quality & Design:

The quality of the HE400S is definitely one of its strong points. The headband arch is made of metal, and the headband itself of a nice leather. While the outside ring of the cups and the hinge are made of glossed plastic, it doesn’t by any means take away from the build of the HE400S. The look, though, suffers a bit from the glossed plastic in initial impressions, but you get used to it after a day or two. The back of the cups has metal grills, and I’m pretty happy with that.

The earpads are well made and soft. While they don’t look fancy, they do the job well, and that’s what counts - more on that later. The cable is also one of the best made cables I’ve seen in this price range. It happens to be braided, and has two ends that connect to the headphone, one for each side. It feels really solid, and is definitely better than my AKG K7XX cable by far.

Clamping force may be a bit strong for some – it definitely isn’t loose on the head. If I remember correctly from my time with the HD 600’s, the HE400S has less clamping force than the infamous Sennheiser’s though , so I would only suggest caution for those with large heads. The headphone adjusts using a slider system, which seems more solid than other headphones with this system I’ve tried. The leather headband at the top is thin and comfortable, and despite that, doesn’t feel flimsy at all.

Overall, build quality is really top notch – these will last for quite a long time. While there can be some things improved in the overall look, the design works very well, and I have no complaints there either. The parts seem to be built like a tank, and there is good potential for upgrading the pads if need be. Well done, HiFiMAN. The quality is well above what you’d expect at $300.

Comfort:

The ear pads are soft, and a mix of pleather and velour. While its looks don’t impress so much in person, and I can’t say what material they used as cushioning (it’s not memory foam), I can confirm they are extremely comfortable and can be worn for hours without fatigue. The pads themselves are sloped, to direct the sound properly, and I found it very comfortable as such. Do note that medium to bigger ears may touch the outer ring of the pad, but – surprisingly enough - it doesn’t affect the comfort, at least in my experience. I asked HiFiMAN whether they can reduce the width of the “outer ring” of the pads, to make more room for the ear, and will hopefully be back with an update soon.

Despite everything in the last paragraph, the HE400S is one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn in this price range, and is definitely the most firm. I had slight problems with the AKG K7XX headband that it seemed too loose while worn. The HE400S has none of that - the headband system is solid, and despite having slightly large ears, I had no problems with comfort when it came to the ear pads either. The design/look of the pads can be greatly improved with the HiFiMAN focus pads, but as a home-use headphone, I think we can all agree that function comes before aesthetics. And stay tuned for the next section – there’s some very good news there indeed.

Sound:

This is where the HE400S really shines. First off, before any testing, it’s already unique with being an orthodynamic/planar magnetic headphone at this price. I won’t go into the differences between planar and dynamic headphones, but suffice it to say that planar have their benefits. It is also incredibly efficient at 22 ohms. This is not a small feat - it means good results with portable players and phones, even without an amp – which is huge.

Equipment Suggestions: For this I would like to elaborate on that last point. Many people were not happy with the results from their portable devices, and started to blame HiFiMAN for deceiving them. I would just like to say that it is extremely important to have a good DAC for great results. The HE400S is a very unforgiving headphone – if there’s any limitations with your soundcard, DAC, or player capabilities, you will hear it with this pair of cans. There’s more of a need for the amplifier to bring out the details and soundstage, rather than “the cans need more power”. If your source sounds bad with the HE400S, chances are it is a bad source, rather than a headphone requirement.

So given all that was said, these headphones are demanding – maybe for power, but definitely for a great source. I found this out when I paired the HE400S with the Shozy Alien – one of the best sounding music players under $700, with and without an amp (the Beyerdynamic A20). Although it sounded much better with the A20, it definitely sounded great without it too. So to get the full potential? A smackin’ good amplifier is necessary. But even what is more required is a source that is nothing short of rave reviews, because I can promise you, that is where the true potential lies with these cans.

Bass: As a planar magnetic headphone, these are supposed to do bass better than dynamic headphone – and they do, quite well. The bass is solid on here, and a strong point of the HE400S in general. Coming in at full force, it is very layered, extended, and anything but tame. Some may find these slightly abrasive, because the bass is so strong; all others will enjoy what this has to offer. The lower end is also quite warm, but isn’t bloated – though any more would be categorized as such. It’s also pretty flat in terms of quantity – I don’t hear any bass “bumps” along the lower end. While it remains quite large, it stays evenly large to my ears, and no sub, mid, or upper bass surprises. Sub-bass is great on normal listening tracks, although lower than 30hz and it’s kinda hard to hear, but that’s expected. Sub-bass music tracks did quite well, so I’m happy with it. Just don’t expect this to be a subwoofer, and you’ll be fine.

The good thing about the HE400S is that the bass doesn’t bleed into the mids – ever. There’s always enough “space” for each part of the frequency to play out on its own, and not interfere with each other. When it comes to volume, it may seem like the HE400S is slightly loud– since when the mids and highs are at normal hearing levels, the bass is a bit stronger and louder than the other two, in my experience. Deep drums are absolutely fantastic, and there’s the “thump” everyone loves – not thunderously loud, like with bassy headphones, but there.

The thing is, if someone would call the HE400S a “bassy” or “bass oriented” headphone, I would vehemently argue. Yeah, there’s bass, but at the same time it’s done in a moderation where it becomes a part of the frequency, like it should, and not a summary of the overall sound. Think of the K7XX – sure, it has a bass bump, but the sound is so much more than that. I would say the same applies here.

Mids: I thought the bass was good, but oh boy, the vocals are even better. Listening to Sultans of Swing, their voices really shocked me the first time I listened to them. The only thing I can say is the detail and clarity are unreal- this is basically the next best thing after a live performance. If your equipment is good, then the vocals will really shine here, male or female. Vocal lovers will love this headphone, hands down.

Instruments don’t disappoint either. Guitars are fantastic and captivating, and pianos sound good too – albeit a bit “stronger” on the lower end than neutral because of the bass. While we’re on the subject, violins sound simply excellent as part of the high end. Cellos, as an example of the bass, sound much cleaner than expected, which is a relief, and are brilliant overall.

Highs: The high end here isn’t what I would call tame. However, since the rest of the frequency is so “forward,” it’s easy to see why someone might think so. It doesn’t get left behind though – not in the slightest. Highs are as present as ever, and may even be a bit bright on some electronic tracks. Everything else sounds neither bright or flat – but perfectly in middle, like I would want them to be. They sound great, too – drums leave nothing to be desired, and neither do violins. While I won’t write much else here, there’s not much else to be said – I enjoy the highs immensely, and it brings the entire sound spectrum together. It’s clear, spacious, and detailed – everything I could want for this section. They are more laid back than the bass or mids, but are in no way cold – the perfect place for highs, in my opinion.

Soundstage: Larger than average, but still snug. These have enough “legroom”, while refraining from sounding too spacious. Front and back have slightly more depth than left/right, but still sounds great nonetheless. These may not do justice to the orchestral stage, but are spacious enough with a good amplifier to enjoy orchestras too. Straight from a PC, these may sound slightly claustrophobic. Same goes for any other good headphone though, so to get the best out of these, use good equipment.

Instrument Separation: The separation is fantastic on the HE400S. With a slightly warm signature, you’d think this is lacking, but not in the slightest. While these cans are not reference geared, they put a mighty good effort in this regard.

Coloration: There’s not much coloration, if any, in the HE400S. However, it is darker sounding, in addition to having a planar magnetic signature, so it may take a bit of time to get used to.

Imaging: This is another strong point of the HE400S; imaging is done to a “T”, and there is a very 3D-like effect that is easy to enjoy. You can tell where each instrument comes from, and front-to-back differentiation is done very well here.

Detail & Extension: The detail aspect is the crowning glory of the HE400S, so to speak. Lows, mids, and highs are all loaded with detail, and it especially comes to play by vocals and the lower end in general. This will play a huge role in the HE400S vs. HD 600 shootout later, so stay tuned.

Coherency & Flow: It isn’t as great as some of the other headphones I’ve tried, but still decent nonetheless. The HE400S goes in the “audiophile” category, rather than the “smooth” or “enjoyable” category of headphones, at least for me, so that takes some impact on the flow of the headphone.

Immersion Factor: Despite what I just said, the immersion factor is actually quite good here. While it isn’t the usual get-in-the-groove type, it’s actually pretty easy to, well, get in the groove. You aren’t going to sleep to the HE400S, but you will block out other things and focus on the music.

Genre Recommendation: Electric guitars and otherwise “harsh” sounds will sound more abrasive on the HE400S. EDM is great here, dubstep is not. Classical music is interesting in that given the sound signature, I thought it would fail epic-ly, but to my surprise it did very well for most of my classical collection. Like I said before, most instruments sound fantastic with these set of cans, with the possible exception of piano pieces. Regardless, acoustic music performs well here. Electronic music will be an amazing ride on these – just don’t pair it with harsh songs and it should do just great.

Vocals, like I said before, are simply sublime. So hip hop, rap, opera, etc. will sound fantastic. Rock music may fall into the first category, just given its nature, metal and heavy metal definitely do. Just think of the genres you usually listen to – if they seem “harsh,” be careful. All other genres I’ve tried do great.

Sound Summary: The HE400S offers a prominent but nuanced bass, excellent mids, and highs that don’t disappoint. While the planar magnetic sound may seem “bigger” to some compared to dynamic headphones, and the sound is of a darker nature, it doesn’t take much time to get used to, and after that you can treat yourself to a sweet audiophile-type headphone – the details it produces are well above what most headphones offer in this price range.

Now, let’s do some comparisons. I’ve used a variety of equipment for this, and good ones too, so no complaining:

HiFiMAN HE400S vs Sennheiser HD 600:

Differences between the HE400S and the HD 600

I’ve actually wanted to get the HD 600 for a long time, so I’m actually prejudiced towards it, but comparing the two side by side showed me some things I wasn’t expecting.

Detail: For me, this was the biggest difference - the HE400S wins by a large margin here. In comparison to it, the HD 600 sounds like it’s missing out on a lot of what is in the track. When hearing the HE400S, you hear everything that is supposed to be there, and much more nuance as well.

Soundstage: This was the next big difference to me. While the HD 600’s soundstage is more well-rounded (think circle rather than oval), it seems much more claustrophobic in comparison to the HE400S. I’m not talking about “airy” here – the HD 600 seems closed back in comparison to the HE400S.

Bass: The HE400S has a stronger, and much more detailed, bass. This will be a hit or miss for some, as the bass on the HE400S is quite strong, like I’ve said. However, if you’re fine with the quantity, the HE400S should win out here.

Tonality: Here the HD 600 wins – the HE400S takes some time to get used to, and is a darker headphone in general. The HD 600 is easier to listen to.

Mids: I just wanted to add this, because the mids of the HD 600 are quite solid, and is usually what people praise the HD 600 for. It’s actually a tie here – the HE400S has some excellent mids, and they don’t disappoint even compared to the HD 600.

Overall? I think the HE400S is a better headphone by far – the detail it provides alone takes it a league above the HD 600. The bass hits harder, for sure, but it’s a planar – what did you expect? Now that I’ve heard both side by side, I don’t feel the need to buy the HD 600. Is it smoother? Yes. But for most head-fi’ers, detail should come first.

HiFiMAN HE400S vs AKG/Massdrop K7XX:

Here are the differences I’ve noticed between the two:

Vocals: The vocals of the HE400S clearly outshine those of the K7XX; they are more realistic, less one-sided, and much more detailed. Vocal lovers deciding between these two should definitely opt for the HE400S.

Clarity: The K7XX seems to win here, although the HE400S isn’t bad by any means. AKG headphones are known for their airiness and soundstage, and the first plays a big role here. The K7XX just seems… more crisp and clear than any other headphone I’ve tried even double the price.

Bass: The K7XX’s bass is good, no doubt – and if I had to live with it, I would with little regret. But the lower end on the HE400S is just more nuanced and pronounced, and thus wins here. K7XX – good. HE400S – even better. The HiFiMAN headphone displays bass like a boss.

Soundstage: It’s a tie for me. Not in quantity, but overall usefulness. Although the K7XX has the bigger soundstage, sometimes it’s just too big for me. The HE400S rarely feels “small” and remedies the previous problem. Call me crazy, but I would call the HE400S soundstage more realistic. The K7XX is fun to listen to though, and its larger-than-life soundstage comes in handy often, so it’s a tough call.

Highs: The HE400S is definitely tamer here, but while the K7XX is crispier here (and more enjoyable), it seems distant at times, and can get bright pretty easily. A tie, and more of a preference thing.

Tonality: The HE400S is obviously darker, but again it’s a matter of preference between the two.

Separation: the HE400S wins here – the instrument separation is clearly better, at least on the equipment I have now.

Equipment Required: The HE400S definitely wins here, without a doubt – the K7XX gave me a lot of headache before I found an amplifier that it works decently with, and its “62 ohm” tag is as misleading as it can get. The HE400S has a 22 ohm rating, and can be played out of any good DAP or DAC, ‘nuff said.

Build Quality: The K7XX isn’t built badly, but the HE400S clearly has better build quality. From the headband to the cable, everything points to the HE400S, with the possible exception of the earpads. The HE400S is the one that will last longer, and I’m willing to say by a large margin too.

Which headphone do I like better, in terms of sound? Well, I don’t listen to vocals often anymore, so for my preferences, on the top of my head, I would say probably the K7XX. However, the more I listen to the HE400S, the more I like it, and now I wouldn’t buy one over the other, as they both have their advantages and disadvantages. The bass and vocals are clearly better on the HE400S, while the airiness of the K7XX isn’t something I’m willing to give up just yet.

However, for the K7XX, you will have to spend another few hundred dollars for it to sound at least somewhat optimal – amplifiers under $200 will not perform well with the K7XX. Add another hundred dollars or so for a Schiit Modi 2 and you already spent more than the cost of the K7XX on just budget equipment for it to sound decent. The HE400S only need an iPhone to sound good, and you can take your time later on getting the best amp or dac for your needs – you don’t have that luxury with the K7XX, and believe me, it’s worth the consideration.

If I had to do it all over again? I’d probably choose the HE400S, because the K7XX is just so darn picky. In pure sound competition though, each outperforms the other in different areas. I mostly listen to one or two genres (not for the review, of course, but for my personal needs), so my personal preference isn’t a fair call, but it really depends on what you listen to. Both are strong contenders, and in my opinion, deserve to be in the list of budget kings.

Value & Conclusion:

The HE400S probably isn’t a headphone that will “wow” you on the first listen - it has a dark signature, and as a planar, also has a unique sound that’s different than most dynamic models. But after a few days of listening, it’s clear that the HE400S is a solid contender, and worth much more than its asking price. It’s incredibly efficient, sounds freakishly detailed, and not only blew the HD 600 out of the water, but also outperformed the K7XX in many areas. So the two budget kings? In my opinion, there are now three.