HIFIMAN HE400I

amazon HIFIMAN HE400I reviews

Hifiman is a famous brand in the audio headphone world with great RE400, EF6, HE400. Like Audeze, Hifiman uses high-end Planar Magnetic drivers with lower headset prices.

After successfully launching the HE400i to keep up with the tastes of the times, the company has launched the HE400i version in 2020 with a simpler, more modern design.

Unboxing

Outside of the box, the HiFiman HE400i (2020) is wrapped in a black box with a product information image outside; the box is quite large and heavy.

Headphone design

Through the external appearance, we easily realize that the HE400i New has a masculine and modern appearance that is much more eye-catching than the old version with too soft software

HiFiman HE400i (2020) has a full-size design in the basic form, weighing 250g lighter than the old model weighing up to 370g; the headset can be folded in the form of a semicircle.

The outside of the housing is covered with high-grade black painted metal, so it is very heavy, holding the dress in hand.

The core headband frame is made of steel, sturdy, hard to deform. The artificial leather head cushion covering the frame is thicker than the Beyerdynamic DT770 pro models, very comfortable to wear.

In addition, the folding part is quite heavy; you have to use relative force to expand the headset to wear it on your ear.

The frame connecting the earcup with the headband is made of plastic instead of metal like the HE400. Quite a few people are buying HE400 in a hot and humid climate; these two frames will be stained and will be a bit bad after a long time.

The artificial leather earpad has soft, comfortable, covered with leather, but the press and ears and inside near the driver are covered with velvet. Hifiman engineers call this FocusPad to make them sound more directed to the ear; this velvet fabric helps absorb excess treb.

The velvet fabric makes the wearer not feel hot when wearing it, even for nearly two hours of continuous music listening.

The frame that hugs the pad is also very curved and soft, with two side screws that look classic and personality.

The outer housing is surrounded by a very nice, black eye-slider with a large size that embraces the large earlobes. When the light shines through, you will see that the pangolin scales look very solid and sturdy.

Driver Planar magnetic

Using the Planar Magnetic Driver is usually only used on high-end headphones, but with the Hifiman HE400i, you can already own it at an affordable price. Large diameter Planar drivers allow high signal input and flexible tonal control, high quality, high detail, providing a wider stage than conventional dynamic drivers.

This driver offers fast response times due to its ultra-lightweight diaphragm design, which combines evenly distributed magnetic force to minimize distortion and increase true-to-life sound reproduction.

Large diameter driver 90mm, high sensitivity 93dB, impedance 35 Ω medium, making it easy to use with many phone and tablet devices. Typically, I use it regularly with the Apple iPhone 6s.

Conductor

The HE400i cord is wrapped with a stronger cloth; the length is shortened, only about 1m5, not 3m long like the HE400. Detachable plug for easy replacement or connection.

The HE400i headphone jack comes with a shiny gold-plated 6.3mm DJ jack. One drawback of the He400i line, like the Audeze LCD-1, is that the jack to the speaker driver has not yet been locked, so you have to pay attention when plugging it in.

Accessory

The boxed He400i has a rather desirable cotton fabric lining; inside is a headset, a gold-plated 3.5mm jack, 3.5mm to 6.5mm jack.

The sound quality of HiFiman HE400i headphones (2020)

To test the sound of the HiFiman HE400i (2020) headset, I use familiar high-quality music such as Let Her Go, Hotel California, Kenny G, Hello.

I refer to the early HE400i and DT770 Pro headset models through a simple combination such as the iPhone 6s, Laptop + Konnect 8 recording soundcard to get the closest comparisons to the company reference.

The bass of the HE400i has a lot of soft and melted, fast-hitting the frame with a crispy treb and creating a feeling of excitement and fun. Perhaps, HE400i has strengths with modern music, a little vibrant. Alan Walker’s version of Alone sounds quick vs. definitive.

The HE400i’s mid has a thick, sweeter, slightly more advanced mid sound quality that lacks sweetness. HE400i is bright and harmonious, so Adele’s female vocals perform well, go up gently, and don’t have the same glare as in the old HE400i.

Compared to the calm and precise Beyer DT770 pro, the HE400i’s smoothness further enthralls the listener.

Treble is quite energetic, smooth, crackling, thorny, and sharp sounds smooth, not forced. The low treble vs. mid-treble range is very smooth, feeling like an ear massage.

Summary

HE 400i headphones listen to good multi-instrument, high detail. The speed of note surfing is quite slow, listening smoothly for a long time without getting tired, the volume is quite loud compared to other ear models of the same price range. Dynamic is more improved when listening vs. DAC. The normal 35-ohm resistor is quite suitable for pairing. The sound has a fairly dynamic background, beneficial mid vs. treble range. The stage space is average; the vocals reverberate straight into the center area.

Advantages

– Beautiful design, luxurious dress

– Durable premium jack

– Top sound quality beyond the price range

Defect

– Round jack

– No carrying case

where can you get a HIFIMAN HE400I online

HIFIMAN HE400i Over Ear Open Back Magnetic Planar Reference Studio Headphone with 3.5mm Plug-in Connector-Extended Manufacturer’s Warranty: Buy it now

HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphones Adjustable Headphone with Comfortable Earpads Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping: Buy it now

HiFi-Man HE400i Headphones: Buy it now