HiFiMAN HE400i Over Ear Full-Size Plannar Magnetic Headphone

Brilliant headphone + quick delivery.

Those are my first open back planar headphones and they are worth any money.Give them a time to break-in and they will deliver fantastic clear sound.The big disadvantage is that HIFIman doesn't recognise Amazon as their dealer so they are not cover by their warranty.The other issue is the headphone cable.This is the next version of HE400i with a 1 x 3.5 mm jack to 2 x 3.5 mm jack. Cable is very stiff and quite short. An angled jack is a mistake if you are listening from you amplifier or computer. It maybe OK if you are listening from a mobile device.Because of the new cable, there are no aftermarket replacements. All of them are for the old one (1 x 3.5 mm to 2 x 2.5 mm jack) so be careful when you are buying them and double check which version you need.Because of the above I gave 4 out of 5 stars. If the cable would be a little bit longer, more flexible and with the straight jack then totally 5 out of 5.

This are very good headphones...but the plastic holding the ear pieces just break. It's a common flaw which I looked up after this happened. I never over used them. Always put back into the box. Then one day I felt a sharp pain in my left side of my head and realised they had snapped. Shame, but amazon refunded with no arguments.

Ok, so, these are planars. They are quite good. Sound is nice, accurate, bass is strong and they really pick up on details. I don't know what they are doing but man, I got a few surprises when I was watching some movies. All in all they are really nice. Also good build quality, I would gladly recommend them to anyone. So why the 4 stars then? Well. These aren't as good as they can be when you get them. In order to improve them you need to buy new pads and those plastic rings to mount them on (Cheers Zeos). The Brainwavz Angled pleather pads seem to be the rule of thumb on these. You can get the pads from amazon and the plastic mounting rings from the official hifiman store. But boy, when you get them, and hear the difference for the first time, then, these headphones become amazing.So the 4 stars on these are because you need to invest more money in order to make them sound as good as they can be. Oh and because they were squeezing my head sooo hard I had to physically unbend them.All in all, good headphones but after you tweak them, then they become great.

Tengo 2 años 10 meses con ellos, me esperé para hacer una reseña completa, una vez conociendo extensivamente el producto, fueron comprados el 5 agosto de 2018 a 4,507.19 pesosResumenExcelente calidad de sonido en general, muy abierto, textura y timbre genial, muy detallado, excelente soundstage, posicionamiento(imaging) y separación de instrumentos, gran rendimiento de bajos bien controlados, medios cálidos y placenteros, agudos detallados, aunque algunas veces pueden ser filosos y molestos, sobresaliente construcción de la estructura metálica de la diadema(headband), buena estructura de plástico reforzado de los sujetadores de las carcasas(yokes), excelente construcción de polímero ABS de las carcasas(housing) y magnífica construcción de los drivers(imanes y membrana), mala calidad del cable, las almohadillas se despegan del aro de plástico que las sujeta, la banda de piel sintética(headstrap) de la diadema(headband) se descarapela, buena respuesta de la compañía por garantía.La razón por la que le doy 5 estrellas aún teniendo características en contra es porque en verdad amo su sonido.PROS:* Excelente calidad de sonido en lo general* Excelente soundstage, posicionamiento(imaging) y separación.* Bajos presentes, bien controlados y con excelente textura(firma de sonido magnético planar).* Buena extensión de bajos sub bass, sin ser exagerada.* Bajos sólidos y bien controlados.* Revelan muchos detalles.* Medios cálidos y espaciados.* Agudos espaciados.* Timbre increíble.* Generan muy poca fatiga auditiva(con pequeña modificación).* Excelente clamp force(fuerza de agarre a tu cabeza).* Muy cómodos.* Se pueden amplificar(drive) con iPhone u otros dispositivos portables (35 Ohms).* Extraordinario valor por el precio(probablemente no encuentres nada mejor en ese rango).* Buenos audífonos para segunda referencia en mezcla y masterización, revelan una buena o mala producción de audio.* Sonido neutral con respuesta considerablemente plana.* La empresa respondió muy bien por garantía de cable y almohadillas.CONTRAS:* Agudos a veces filosos y molestos* Construcción de la banda de piel sintética de la cabeza(headstrap) defectuosa después de un tiempo.* Construcción de las almohadillas defectuosa después de un tiempo* El cable es muy delicado y se daña rápidamente.Pros.El sonido es genial, muy abierto, bien balanceado y neutral, tienen mucha claridad, su textura es placentera y cálida sin dejar de ser excelentes para la escucha crítica y analítica, el soundstage es sobresaliente, el posicionamiento y la separación son justos, generan excelente sensación tridimensional, tienen buena profundidad y altura pero no a un grado impresionante. Los bajos son bien controlados y concisos, muy rara vez llegan a ser retumbantes(boomy bass) o exagerados(depende de la canción obviamente, hay canciones con sub bass muy difuso y molesto), por el contrario, son nítidos y exquisitos, la extensión del sub bass es buena, aunque no son audífonos con bajos monstruosos. Los medios son cálidos, orgánicos y presentes, exponen muy bien las voces y los instrumentos acústicos, revelan muchos detalles y proporcionan momentos muy placenteros. Los agudos son espaciosos y con buena textura aunque, aquí encontramos uno de sus problemas, en muchas canciones son filosos y molestan al oído, creando fatiga auditiva, lo que yo hice para solucionar este problema fue agregar un pedazo de fieltro al fondo de las almohadillas, encima de la tela delgada que da al driver, como lo hace Massdrop en sus Ether CX o Dan Clark(Mr. Speakers) en sus Ether C flow, y problema resuelto, no generan fatiga auditiva en lo absoluto y puedo escuchar música por horas, aunque se pierde una minucia de soundstage, pero en realidad vale la pena este truco. Creo que con esta modificación el sonido en todo el espectro es redondo y sin fallas y tendrás una experiencia audiófila sin ninguna duda.También me han funcionado como referencia de audífonos en mezcla y masterización, tienen una respuesta considerablemente plana y reflejan bien lo que está en la producción, aunque es injusto lo que voy a hacer, pero comparándolos con monitores de estudio como los JBL LSR305, no son tan distantes en neutralidad, digamos que están al 70% de su neutralidad y comparándolos con audífonos de estudio como los Beyerdynamic DT770, son por mucho mejores para analizar y tomar decisiones en general.Contras.El cable que viene es muy delicado, a mi se me daño como a los seis meses, fuí cuidadoso con él pero no de forma extrema y obsesiva y se daño muy rápido, a lo que me puse en contacto con la empresa para exigir garantía y respondieron de inmediato enviándome un cable idéntico de reemplazo, ahora cuido mi cable de reemplazo de forma exagerada y obsesiva, jamás lo aplasto, doblo imprudentemente o enredo y afortunadamente me ha durado 2 años, pero continuamente estoy con la preocupación de que empiece a fallar. Ahora bien, las almohadillas se despegaron del aro que les da forma como al año y dos meses, y el producto estaba a fuera o casi fuera de la garantía, no recuerdo bien, pero contacte a Hifiman y me enviaron un repuesto sin problemas desde China, cabe resaltar que yo soy muy cuidadoso con mis productos y nunca abusaba de las almohadillas jalándolas o quitándomelas de golpe, todo era suavemente. Y la última sorpresa que tuve, fue que la banda de piel sintética que va sobre la cabeza se empezó a descarapelar de arriba y a soltar levemente de abajo, como a los 2 años 6 meses de uso(en las fotos se aprecia), y como ya estaba fuera de la garantía, no reclame nada, resalto que jamás la expuse al sol y no vivo en una zona con clima extremo. Otra cosa es que las almohadillas son difíciles de quitar y de poner así que tengan cuidado, porque se pueden desprender del aro. El cable es de 1.5 metros y podría dar problemas de largo para quien tiene su equipo de sonido en escritorio pretende grabar conectandolos a una interfaz con ellos.ConclusiónUna maravilla de audífonos con sonido exquisito y abierto, rico en detalles y prestaciones acústicas(soundstage, separación, posicionamiento, rango dinámico), se puede manejar con dispositivos portátiles debido a su bajo Ohmiaje. No he encontrado algún otro producto de ese nivel y que en reseñas hablen tan bien de él por ese precio, y encima de todo esto, ahora Hifiman ha lanzado la versión 2020 a 170 dólares, y según la compañía, tiene los mismos drivers pero con diferente headband y aros(yokes) de donde se agarran los cascos(housing).

Once I started getting interested in audiophilia, a colleague had me try his Mr. Speaker Mad Dogs (he mainly uses the Alpha Dogs). I couldn't remember ever hearing so much detail when listening to music through headphones but I felt that they were actually too revealing (+ not enough bass) and therefore too stimulating for me. So, I ended up getting a great deal on some NAD Viso HP50's which are great and at the time I was just looking for a quality pair of closed cans to listen to music in bed without bothering my wife or spending too much.Regardless, I still couldn't forget the impression planar driver headphones left on me. I have (or had) Sennheiser HD280, HD215, HD380, Urbanites, Beyerdynamic DT770, Treblab Z2 & X5, Sony MX1000m2 and my NAD Visos as closed cans for pleasure and/or studio, but wanted to upgrade my only open cans since 20 years, the popular Koss Portapros, which I leave connected to my desktop for gaming, audio recording and browsing. I didn't want to spend too much and wanted decent bass, even if I'm not a basshead. Mission accomplished with these 400i's.As soon as I plugged them in to my studio soundcard, I was pretty impressed... I let them burn in a few hours and the improvement was quite noticeable, even after only a few more hours too. I'm letting them burn in a good 100-150 hours before I report back or give my final impressions. I also have a Dragonfly Red that had about the same audio quality as my soundcard. Even straight out of a mobile device they sound pretty good.Are they perfect? No, no headphones are... Will I stop buying more headphones for the moment? Definitely... Are they the best headphones I've owned to date? Quite possibly, but I won't use them exclusively as sometimes I want a more relaxed listening experience and/or I need closed backs and/or something more portable and/or ANC, etc..Although the soundstage is perfectly fine for the price, I would have liked it to be even bigger, although separation is excellent. I don't mind the fact that they are so open, because I got them for that as I like to be able to hear what is going on with my family in the house if even I've got cans on. I will also generally use them in my basement with my desktop studio soundcard or on my iPhone/iPad with my Dragonfly Red or without.18 days later: yeah these are killer... Comfy, great detail, not for bass heads but instead they offer sufficient bass which is very clear and musical. If I were a bass player they would easily help me pick out bass lines. Amplification is highly, highly recommended, if not a must.

******End of life update******It's now April 2020, 2.5 years into owning these and using them daily. The joint above the left earcup broke, which makes that side want to bend outward away from my head. They are kind of still usable, but only until I order a replacement. I'm debating whether I want to get the same ones again or try something new. They are cheaper now than they were when I bought them, so it's still a pretty attractive value proposition. I'm mildly disappointed that they didn't make it to 3 years even, but at the price I feel like they are excellent headphones. I'll leave this review at 5 stars.However! I just noticed that they have reinforced the yoke for the 2018-2019 models. That might help this issue. If you're considering these and you're okay with the downsides I mention in the original review, I say go for it!******9-month update******I still love these headphones. The sound quality has stayed remarkably stable and they still feel comfortable and like new, even though I use them every day. They are even cheaper now than when I bought them (I got them for ~$220), and I still highly recommend them.One issue: The cable has some problems. It badly wants to twist and kink, no matter how many times I straighten it out. The cable also seems to be failing somewhere, as the sound cuts out periodically in one or both ears. Thankfully, the cord can easily be replaced, which I intend to do. A lot of headphones would be trashed at this point when the cable goes bad, but the replacement cord should extend the lifespan. I'm disappointed that this is happening only 9 months in, but it ultimately does not significantly tarnish my original 5 star review. Original review below:****************Some impressions after about a week with these headphones:Pros:+ Sound quality is excellent overall+ These are by far the clearest headphones I've ever heard. Somehow I never realized that my previous headphones were so... muddled? And I've owned a variety of <$200 headphones and earbuds of different brands.+ The instruments/parts are distinct. That's the best way I can describe it. Each individual instrument can be easily picked out. It's a nice experience.+ There's a sense of space - there is height and depth to the music. In one song, I could tell the cymbals were positioned higher than the drums were. Maybe I'm full of it, but it struck me immediately!+ The EQ is very balanced. If anything, it is skewed toward the treble.+ I can't hear any distortion or muddling, even from "typical" music sources like Spotify or YouTube.+ They are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.+ The cord is replaceable, which should help the headphones last longer!Cons (ish):- Initially, I thought the bass was weak. The more I listen, the more I can tell that it's just that the treble and mid are so clear they can be heard better. If you prefer heavy bass boost, you probably won't like these. That being said, I listen to many kinds of music, including rock and metal, and the bass is sufficient for my ears.- You absolutely could not use these in a public place. They are open-back headphones, so the sound leaks by design. I'm told that's good for sound quality, which may very well be true. I use these at home in my office, so it's not a problem for me, but anyone in the same room would know exactly what I'm listening to. Do not use these around others.- They might be a touch quiet right out of the box. They were fine for me, but when paired with my Schiit Fulla amp/DAC, they do get louder. It's not a drastic problem, at least from my desktop, but a phone could make it even quieter. If you tend to blast your music at high volumes, you might need a cheap amp or amp/DAC combo.- The included cord is a little short.I cannot say much about longevity, since I've only had them a week. They seem well-constructed and I don't have any concerns about build quality so far.Overall: I am stunned at the quality of the sound these headphones put out. I got them for $220, which is an absolute steal. Others have said they are well worth it at $400 (which is what they used to be), and I don't doubt that a bit. If the open-back design doesn't bother you, bite the bullet and get them!

super fast delivery ordered on 17/8/23 and received 19/8/23. Got this at promo price of 138 sgd.I am no audiophile, koss kph30i was my first entry to better headphone. Had tried some of the higher end headphone demo in store (including sennheiser HD800, ananda, focal elegia and AKG 702).using the new 400i with a cheapo entry AMP/DAC ibasso DC05 connect to my laptop USB port. I am able to drive up to very loud level at windows system volume about 50% (even my wife ask me are you deaf, I kept explaining that this is an open back headphone to her, therefore the sound leak).in comparison with kph30i ----Bass- kph30i has more bass in term of volume, however 30i sounds much so muddy in comparison with the 400i, 400i has more well defined low to mid bass, can't comment about sub -bass I don't listen to enough heavy bass music for me to tell the difference. However 400i is definitely not "light in bass", 400i has more bass than Anandamidrange - vocal is very smooth, definitely more forward, and more "out of head" feeling. Both female and male vocal sounds very clean. Oh God the natural timbre of instruments, I don't think I can go back to dynamic driver headphone for now (except focal perhaps.....)treble - nothing to complain, I don't hear much sibliance that was mentioned by some reviewersoundstage - 400i is slightly wider than kph30i, however it has SOOO MUCHH more depth,I can hear different instruments placed one in front of another occupying the same horizontal spot. however the instrument on the left and right extreme sounds a little bit too close to my earI prefer this sweet spot (not too wide) over AKG 702 -which everything sounds too far away.Ananda has better soundstage, however....does it sound 4 times better (x4 price)? I don't think so .imaging - just perfect!! feels I am listen to indie band performing in a speakeasy bar than in a grand concert.I guess this is the end game for me for now.

Nach der Lektüre der vorhergehenden Beurteilungen kann ich mich nun auch nicht mehr zurückhalten ;-) .Aber zunächst etwas Grundlagen:Magnetostatische Kopfhörer sind in Bezug auf die Verstärkung in der Regel nicht ganz anspruchslos, weshalb es von Hifiman ja auch Kopfhörerverstärker gibt bzw. der HE 400s auf höhere Empfindlichkeit bei niedriger Impedanz getrimmt wurde, um auch an mobilen Geräten ausreichend laut (vor allem im Bassbereich, wo die meiste Energie benötigt wird) spielen zu können. Deshalb ist bei der klanglichen Beurteilung auch zu berücksichtigen, an welchem Gerät der Kopfhörer gehört wurde.Um eine möglichst kurze Strecke zwischen Musikquelle (CD, LP, file) ohne weitere Einflüsse von Kabeln, Vorverstärkern etc. zu ermöglichen, wurden die Hörtests hier durchgeführt mit:- CD via EMT 982,- Streaming/Festplatte via Thinkpad mit Audioquest Dragonfly red V 1.0 an Jitterbug,- Analog via EMT 938.Der Klangeindruck war an allen Geräten sehr ausgewogen, mit super aufgelösten Mitten und Höhen (die m.E. nicht zurückhaltend sondern schlicht und einfach sehr fein aufgelöst sind, so dass sie weniger prägnant sind als üblich - übrigens eine Effekt, der auch beim Manger-Wandler zu finden ist und aufgrund der ihm, zu unrecht, eine Höhenschwäche angedichtet wurde). Die räumliche Auflösung ist ebenfalls superb, eine Kompression auf Puppentheatergröße war hier nicht auszumachen. Der Bass ist sauber, alles andere als aufgebläht und - gerade für eine Folie - ausreichend tief. Ok, ein Ultrasone Pro 900 hat da deutlich mehr Druck untenrum und rockt hier strammer ab, wo hier allerdings das "Richtige" liegt ist, wie immer bei Komponentenbeurteilungen, nicht festzulegen, es sei denn, man hat mit im Studio gesessen bei der Aufnahme, und also eher Geschmacksache. Kleinere Differenzen fanden sich, erwartungsgemäß, bei der Bassfülle bei Anschluss an die verschiedenen Geräte, wobei der Bass etwas tiefer, straffer und fülliger an den EMT-Geräten daher kam, was dann wohl an den etwas potenteren Treiberstufen liegt (s.o.), was aber auch bedeutet, dass durch geschickte Auswahl des Kopfhörerverstärkers Einfluss auf den Bass genommen werden kann. Soviel zum Klang.Zur Verarbeitung muss hier nicht mehr viel gesagt werden, sie könnte tatsächlich etwas präziser ausgeführt sein, was sich aber lediglich auf die Ohrpolsternähte bezieht (Ersatz- und Alternativohrpolster gibt es auch, z.B. bei Sieveking). Sonst ist alles so wie's sein soll und funktioniert tadellos. Die bemängelten 1,5 m Anschlusskabel (in der Länge völlig ausreichend für Tischbetrieb) sind immerhin aus versilbertem OFC-Kupfer, und die Anschlussmöglichkeiten bieten sogar Optionen für symmetrische Verstärkerausgänge: was will man mehr?Am Tragekomfort ist nun mal aber auch gar nichts auszusetzen: die Gabel hat genau den richtigen Anpressdruck, dass der Hörer gut anliegt aber auch kein Kopfdruckgefühl gemacht, und das Gewicht ist, gerade für einen Magnetostaten, angenehm gering. Der alte DT 880 sitzt auch nicht besser und der Ultrasone ist dagegen ein echter Klotz am Kopf.Insgesamt ein toller Kopfhörer, daher die volle Punktzahl (trotz der einen schiefen Naht am Ohrpolster, die aber rein optischer Natur ist und Funktion wie Tragekomfort in keiner Weise beeinträchtigt).Zum Schluss noch ein, zwei Anspieltips: Temptation von Holly Cole, da ist alles drauf was es braucht: Bass, Frauenstimme, feine Hochtonimpulse und Raum. Und wer es gerne live mag: e.s.t. live in Hamburg, und zum Abschluss noch ein wenig Renaud Garcia-Fons mit Alborea oder Arcoluz, und alles ist schön :-) .Ach, noch eines: die Einspielzeit wird mit 150 Stunden angegeben. Das ist ernst gemeint!