Home The Audio Company Conundrum Are HIFIMAN Headphones Any Good?

Are HIFIMAN Headphones Any Good?

by Stuart Charles Black
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Part of the Audio Company Conundrum Series!!

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HIFIMAN Headphones.

Are they any good?

Where are they made?

What are the BEST HiFiMan headphones?

Let’s take a deep dive into a company I’m really familiar with, find out if any of their products are worth a long-term investment, and if so, which you should consider first.

Greetings Friend-OH and Welcome aboard. Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear) all over again, so…

Be sure to stick around until the end of this article as I’ll be going over a couple of potential downsides to owning one.

HIFIMAN Headphones.

Where are they made and are they any good?

They’re made in China and absolutely.

Your first foray into the line will likely make your jaw drop like Alex from Clockwork Orange, eager for more.

LOL.

Let’s take a look at a few ways that a HIFIMAN stands out:

Planar Drivers

HIFIMAN HE400se Review

Being that HIFIMAN headphones are planar magnetic, there are more magnets placed around the diaphragm, and they are placed evenly.

In Dynamic headphones, there is only one Magnet employed.

This allows the sound to enter your ears more naturally.

A Planar Magnetic headphone really does sound more realistic, giving you more of that theater-like presentation and better Soundstage.

In some instances, it kind of feels like you’re there in front of the band! Kind of.

Check my video on What is an Audiophile for some dirty humor about all that.

There’s much lower distortion at higher volumes, and in fact, it’s basically non-existent (you likely will never be able to tell or hear any).

My first time listening to the 400i with a Bryston BHA-1, in particular, was a moment I’ll never forget and something I talk about often here on the blog and channel.

Diaphragm

Planar Magnetic headphones have a larger and more powerful diaphragm.

This allows air to move with more authority, resulting in a more powerful yet natural bass response that nearly everyone is going to love.

Both HIFIMAN and Audeze bass really stand out from the crowd in terms of having loads of low-end impact without sounding muddy or bloomy.

They are also a bit easier to drive from an Amp. Even at pretty low efficiency, I don’t find HIFIMAN headphones that hard to drive and never have.

I’ve always said that for as much snake oil, lies, deception, and gimmicky bullshit there is in the hobby, transitioning from a dynamic headphone to a planar headphone (i.e. a HIFIMAN) is certainly none of those things.

It is a true upgrade, and anyone who tells you otherwise is LYING.

Jokes aside, most people are going to instantly be able to tell the difference between a dynamic and a planar, especially at first.

My Over the Hills and Far Away experience with the original 400i and Bryston was simply breathtaking and a moment that will be seared into my memory banks for as long as I live.

There’s really nothing like the performance of a good planar.

So what are the best HIFIMAN headphones?

Which should you consider first?

HIFIMAN DEVA Review

HIFIMAN’s DEVA.

At the time of this writing, I’ve had experience with the 400S, 400i, 4xx, Sundara, 400se, DEVA, Edition X, Arya, Edition XS, and Ananda.

I also know that the newly updated 2020 revision 400i is identical in build to the much-improved DEVA and mimics the overall sound of the original 400i.

Right now I’d go with the dirt cheap 400se and then upgrade to the Edition XS if you’re so inclined.

The Sundara is the outlier because it opted for a more subdued and relaxed treble response but also has a gradual decline after about 1kHz.

HIFIMAN DEVA vs. Sundara

This can become problematic at times as the headphone sometimes sounds a bit dull/relaxed/overly glossy.

Not a deal-breaker, but definitely something to keep in mind.

The 400i’s bright treble can get essy/sibilant at times, so be mindful of that as well.

Why not go for the others?

BECAUSE I SAID SO!

Nah, it’s because of build issues.

The 4XX is notorious for being constructed terribly, and you’re taking a gamble with the 400S/400i variants.

I would personally never invest in a 4XX – I don’t care how many silly Drop revisions come out.

Until they construct it better than a Jenga tower, I ain’t buying!

HIFIMAN HE4XXHIFIMAN HE4XX

The original production run of 400is was flawless until they started outsourcing cheaper materials for the headband yokes.

The 400i I demoed for 3 or so years was a flawlessly built piece of equipment and had been through thousands of hands without an issue.

The ones that followed were not and thus why Amazon ratings had kind of tanked for a while.

At one point the 400i had something like a 3.7/5 rating which was sad to see. It’s gone up quite a bit since then.

2020 Improvements

Fortunately, the 2020 revision and DEVA rectified most of those issues.

The build on them is basically flawless now and the design actually improves the comfort level.

The DEVA is definitely in my top 5 most comfortable headphones ever.

The other 2 issues were the glue on the pads coming undone, as well as connection issues with the cups.

AFAIK, the latter has been completely fixed. I’ve been demoing the DEVA since June 2020 and haven’t had an issue.

The cups?

That’s a bit of a different story and really my last main gripe with HIFIMAN.

Please, for the love of God, manufacture Dekoni-style pads.

There’s no reason a third party should have to make the pads that you were supposed to make in the first place.

It really makes no sense to have to pay an arm and a leg for pads that should be included in the box.

As you’ll see in the images, the HIFIMAN pads barely wrap around the plastic whereas the Dekonis do with plenty of real estate and require no glue.

HIFIMAN Sundara vs. HD650 vs. HD600

The original hybrid pleather/velour Focus pads used on many variants felt great on your head and ears but were constructed terribly at the back.

Why can’t HIFIMAN just make a simple fix here?

Using glue in that way is pretty much the worst idea ever, especially considering how much people modify headphones these days.

The DEVA’s pads have the same issue and it’s infuriating.

As long as you don’t change pads too often you should be okay, but the more you handle them, the more likely the glue will start to come undone and it really does make you want to pull your hair out.

The Focus pad also wears out fairly quickly but that’s to be expected with any pad really. Be prepared to replace them after about a year or so depending on usage.

So, are they worth a long-term investment? Absolutely.

As mentioned, go with the 400se first, then upgrade to the Edition XS later.

Ready for an in-depth review of one of the most controversial headphones around?

 

Now, are you ready to travel to our next destination and take a look at another manufacturer of high-end audio? Click here to my right/below and I’ll see you there!

COMING SOON!!

Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this discussion on HIFIMAN headphones and gained some valuable insight into my experiences.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

What do you think of HIFIMAN Headphones? Which are worth an investment? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…

All the best and God bless,

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

Be sure to also check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

 

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2 comments

Barnabas July 8, 2021 - 12:18 pm

About quality:
I dont know about other 4XX revisions, but mine is from the 1st or 2nd batch (serial number 1972) and still no issues with the headband or the drivers.
3 and a half years old and has thousands of listening hours and still looks like new, except I had to replace the poorly made earcups about a year ago and the cable is starting to have contact failures.

Off topic:
I ordered Brainwavz sheepskin memory foam earpads which i had to cut with a knife to match the mounting rings and they are way better than the originals. This headphone never ever causes any sort of discomfort with these pads. I can wear them all day every day and forget about them.
I still want to invest in these headphones in the form of a Periapt cable.

Reply
Stuart Charles Black July 8, 2021 - 2:15 pm

Hey man! So great to hear! Yeah, that cabling issue is apparent in a lot of models which is still troubling. I thought they rectified it completely but I think the actual HIFIMAN models (not Drop) are fine now. I know that Audio Advice here in my hometown dropped them because of QC issues a couple of years ago but after that, they really started improving their line. I’ve had their DEVA for over a year now with no issues so I’m happy.

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