Hifiman Headphones HE-400 The Good And The Bad

The ATH-M40X is a very good headphones above it's price. Double up the money spent, you get for the higher spec headphones like this one, Hifiman Headphones HE-400. But is it worth for the money? Let's find out.

The package comes in hard paper box. Once I pull the top cover, the headphones itself is underneath of thick foam sheet. It is also some documents for instruction manual and guarantee card. This unboxing experience is pretty nice, especially when you see the product you buy is treat very well.

Once I open it, I can find the headphones sit down in elegance satin fabric with the detachable cable at the center.

The cable is braided with all 3.5 mm phones jack from input deliver to each headphones driver. This make the cable looks very professional. It is a stiff cable indeed, which when I put it on the headphones and wear it, I struggling with the cable make wearing it not very comfortable.

The headphone it self is open planar type headphones. Unlike the ATH-M40x, this Hifiman HE-400 headphones driver is not isolated by the headphones cover. People surrounding you can hear what music you play and you also can hear clearly all noises around. This type has it's own benefit and most professional user will pick this type at the first place for better sound-stage.

Build quality is beyond my expectation. Mostly all material is steel. But don't get me wrong. This headphones is not really heavy when put on my head.

The headphones pad is made from fabric in center and leather surrounded. It is feel comfortable when put on my ears. The diameter of the pad is larger than ATH-M40X, it feel all surrounding pad cover my whole ears.

The metal finish on the headphones cover is smoky grey, good quality finish with no edgy on the surface.

Sound wise, it is ahead of the Audio-technica ATH-M40X. The sound-stage is wider, the detail is very good, especially at the vocal detail, thus the most important is the high frequency is softer and more natural. This is a normal advantage for open headphones compares to sealed one. And of course, with this kind headphones, don't expect the bass will be louder than the sealed. But don't get me wrong, even the bass is not louder, it doesn't feel boomy or overwhelmed others frequency. It is correct!

My first finding for the downside is the comfortably when wearing this headphones. It is just because the braided cables is actually annoying when wear this headphones as portable. Just like I said earlier, the cables is very stiff. But for putting on the desk as desktop headphones, it is perfect.

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