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At a glance
- Brand
- HiFiMAN
- Type
- Over-Ear
- Fit
- -
- Connection
- Wired
- Noise cancelling
- No
- Released
- 2021
Score breakdowngreat overall
Sound8.0
Value9.4
An open-back over-ear planar-magnetic headphone aimed at affordable audiophile listening. It is a wired full-size model with a listed 32-ohm impedance.
The HearWiki takeAI-condensed
The HiFiMAN HE400SE is an affordable open-back planar magnetic headphone that delivers a neutral-to-bright sound signature with balanced mids and treble, making it a strong entry point into planar audio. It offers impressive clarity and detail for the price, though its deep bass rolls off and the open-back design leaks sound and provides minimal isolation, limiting its use to quiet environments. It performs well out of the box and can be further enhanced with EQ, but benefits from a dedicated amplifier to reach its full potential.
What works
- Excellent value for planar magnetic sound
- Balanced and detailed midrange and treble
- Lightweight and comfortable for extended listening
- Responds well to EQ adjustments
- Solid build quality for the price
What doesn't
- Bass rolls off in the lower frequencies
- Open-back design leaks sound and offers poor isolation
- Requires a decent amp for optimal performance
- Not suitable for travel, office, or sports use
Paraphrased from published reviews & specs - not an original hands-on test. Our AI disclosure.
Specifications
| Driver | planar magnetic |
|---|---|
| Driver type | planar |
| Impedance | 32 Ω |
Audio
| Driver | planar magnetic |
|---|---|
| Driver type | planar |
| Impedance | 32 Ω |
Features
| Active noise cancelling | No |
|---|
Design
| Weight | 385 g |
|---|
What the reviews said
5 source(s) feeding this product's score.
What YouTube reviewers say
Video reviews we found, each condensed to its verdict. They do feed the HearWiki score, at a measured weight below what a published written review carries.
The consensus
Positiveacross 4 videosReviewers agree the HiFiMAN HE400SE is an excellent value entry-level planar headphone, offering balanced tuning, good detail, and performance reminiscent of pricier HiFiMAN models.
Reviewers liked
- Excellent value for money
- Balanced and neutral tuning
- Good detail and resolution with amplification
- Comfortable and lightweight with improved build quality
Reviewers flagged
- Requires a powerful amplifier to perform well
- Stock cable quality is poor
- Some sibilance or harshness in treble on certain tracks
- Soundstage width is inconsistent across reviews
17:30HiFiMAN HE400se Review - Baby Sundara
The reviewer considers the HiFiMAN HE400SE a strong entry-level planar magnetic headphone that offers much of the Sundara's performance at a lower price. They highlight its balanced tuning and good detail retrieval, though they note it requires adequate amplification to sound its best. Overall, it is recommended as a great value for those new to planar headphones.
PositiveWatch on YouTube
8:22Stealth Magnets for UNDER $200!? HE400SE Review
The reviewer finds the HE400SE offers impressive speed, detail, and resolution for the price, but notes it requires a good amplifier to perform well and has notable weaknesses in soundstage and vocal presentation, which can be harsh. Overall, it's a good value for focused listening, but the HE400i 2020 is considered a better all-rounder.
MixedWatch on YouTube
11:36HiFiMAN HE400SE Review - Best value planar headphone of 2021?
The reviewer finds the HiFiMAN HE400SE to be an excellent value at $149.99, offering a balanced and enjoyable sound signature with good technical performance, especially in resolution and soundstage. While it has some minor flaws like a lean bass, a slight mid dip, and a 7kHz peak, these are easily addressed with EQ, and the structural and comfort upgrades make it a strong recommendation for newcomers and planar enthusiasts alike.
PositiveWatch on YouTube
12:58I drove 621 Miles for This Review! - Hifiman HE400SE
The reviewer finds the HiFiMAN HE400SE to be an excellent value at $107, offering strong build quality and planar magnetic sound characteristics similar to much pricier models. However, he notes two potential deal breakers: the headphones require a decent amplifier due to low sensitivity, and they exhibit some sibilance. Overall, he recommends them for beginners with proper amplification and EQ access.
PositiveWatch on YouTube
Summaries are AI condensations of each video's own conclusion, not transcripts. Titles, thumbnails and view counts belong to their channels.
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