7 HIFIMAN 400 Series Headphones, Ranked

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For the sake of simplicity, this article will follow a rankings format with regard to the 400 Series specifically and all of my experiences dating back to 2017.

We’ll rank and compare the following headphones: OG 400i, OG 400S, HE-4XX (Drop/HFM collaboration), 400se, DEVA, Sundara, and we’ll even throw in the Drop/HIFIMAN Cobalt collaboration.

Any future headphones and revisions will be added to the list accordingly!

So definitely bookmark/share as I will likely be updating/adding to it every so often. If you have any requests, contact me or leave a comment below!

Big Shoutout to my friend Luke Wagoner for the 400S, InToIt Reviews for the 4XX, HIFIMAN for the DEVA and 400se, and Audio Advice for the 400i and Sundara!

Note: Audio Advice has since dropped HiFiMan from their lineup due to ongoing Quality Control issues, but stick around as we unpack everything.

All specs, photo gallery, video shootout, and songs/albums will be at the end. I will also put a “Caveats”, Amp & Genre section after the rankings so you can get an idea of what you’re in for/what it’s like to own a HIFIMAN headphone.

With that, let’s dive in!

Introduction

I’ve had the opportunity to demo all of these headphones on numerous occasions, in various settings, and with a plethora of different amplifiers dating back to around 2017.

When I started frequenting my local Audio Advice back then, the 400i was one of the first really good headphones I ever heard. 

Before they started using the incredible NAIM DAC V-1 for headphone demoing, there was of course the famed Bryston BHA-1; still, the best Amp that I’ve personally come in contact with.

I’m not going to tell the story again as I’ve talked about it ad-nausea, (read it here) but the combination of the 400i with the Bryston and a FLAC file of Led Zeppelin’s Over the Hills and Far Away really made me stop and go “Yeah now I kind of understand why people obsess over this shit.”

My opinion of audiophiles and this whole prick-waving contest has shifted over the years, but I digress.

Since that day I haven’t experienced anything close to what I felt with that combo, save for a Chord Mojo paired with the Dan Clark Aeon Flow Closed.

The other eye-opener was the Audeze LCD-3 and Bryston playing Pink Floyd’s “Time.” That was also a face-melter for different reasons which we won’t get into right now, but click the article for a cool story, bro.

• Required Reading: Audeze LCD-3 Review: A Visceral Odyssey Into The Unknown

The point is that I feel comfortable enough giving a rock-solid recommendation based on the headphones we’re going to discuss today.

Part of that is because I understand and have experienced firsthand some of the pitfalls that come along with having a HiFiMan headphone in your possession for a long time (it can be both a blessing and a curse), but also how they all compare in relation to one another.

With that, let’s rank them!

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#7

HIFIMAN x Dekoni Cobalt

Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!

At A Glance

• Type: Closed Back
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 16 Ohm.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 35kHz.
• Detachable: Yes.
• Amplification Needed: Not mandatory but still recommended
• Recommended Amps & DACs: iFi Go Link, FiiO K11, DragonFly Red. You don’t need much to drive them.
• Recommended Genres: Typically works pretty well for everything.

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Kicking things off at #7 is Dekoni’s collaboration with HIFIMAN; an unfortunate failure in many ways but not a complete bust I suppose.

They follow the general design of HIFIMAN’s structural/build overhaul of 2019-2020 that was first seen in the OG DEVA.

Lightweight and incredibly portable, the Cobalt feels great in your hands and fits even better on your head. It’s mostly plastic, but dons the velour padding we’ve all come to adore and clamps almost perfectly on the sides of your melon.

The protein leather headband contains ample padding (memory foam inside I presume) and for the most part, doesn’t intrude on the top of your skull either.

Likewise, the headband adjustments feel excellent, making a satisfying clicking sound with plenty of real estate for even the largest of heads.

The inside of the metal pieces on each adjustment contain small circular dots so you can match the right and left cup if you’re OCD like me.

The cups don’t fully rotate in any direction, but they do move a little up and down and side to side to get a good fit on your noggin.

Both cups utilize 3.5mm female jacks and can be easily swapped out with any cables of your choosing. More on that later.

Since receiving them, I haven’t had to adjust the Cobalt in any way at any time during any of my listening sessions. Both sets of provided cups are wide, deep, and do an excellent job of enveloping your ears while keeping them away from the drivers.

So what gives?

Sound & Overall Tuning

• Amps/DACS used: AudioQuest DragonFly Red, iFi Go Link, FiiO K11 (Balanced/Unbalanced), Universal Audio Volt 2, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K7 (Bal/Unbal), iFi Zen (Bal/Unbal)
• Sources: Tidal, Spotify, FLAC, iPhone.
• Playlist: Here!

While the bass of the Cobalt is mostly excellent and follows the general response of all 400 series models (i.e. flat and has impact without the bloat), both the mid-range and treble are sore spots.

Most HIFIMAN headphones have a gradual decline after 1kHz, but with the Cobalt, it feels excessive; to the point where vocals and instruments start to sound very pushed back and almost underneath the frequency response.

This can be heard in Raekwon’s “Guillotine (Swordz)” most notably, with his vocals sounding lost and directionless, in addition to sounding too boxed in and ultimately congested in these very important regions.

By contrast, a headphone like the K702 portrays those same vocals with just the right amount of presence, cutting through the mix nicely while sounding clear and forward.

The other issue with the Cobalt is the treble, which tends to hiss a lot; sounding peakier than a K702 but also slightly artificial and thin when going back and forth. Ultimately there’s a papery quality about the Cobalt that I couldn’t shake and the overall tuning sounds fairly wonky to my ears.

Resolution, Soundstage, & Separation

Resolution on the Cobalt is about average, and OK for a mid-fi offering I suppose. You’re not going to feel like sounds are being placed under a microscope, but I suppose that’s fairly typical for a headphone of this caliber. To be honest, I expected a bit better here though.

I may be in the minority (or not) but I found the separation of instruments to be a bright spot in an otherwise fairly dismal headphone.

It almost makes up for the Cobalt’s pitfalls and is one of the few reasons it’s at least tolerable to listen to.

No, the overall image/Soundstage isn’t exactly spacious, but the separation between sounds is.

ThAT sAID, listening to these is super underwhelming and akin to a dentist apppointment you’re not really all that thrilled about.

Final Verdict

My main concern with these headphones is that they sound compressed, boxy, metallic, and just meh.

Timbre is also fairly disappointing, as, continuing off of the last point, there’s no sense that the music you’re listening to contains actual instruments with unique tonality and realism.

In other words, the immersion factor is close to zilch and it just sounds like vibrations through a driver. I don’t feel close, connected to, or in tune with the music all that much. 

This goes back to the papery, thin quality of the headphones that I just can’t shake – even after many hours of demoing.

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#6

HIFIMAN HE-4XX

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Drop! | Check eBay!

At A Glance

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 35 Ohm.
• Sensitivity: 93dB/mW.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 35kHz.
• Material: Spring Steel, Synthetic/Protein Leather, Plastic.
• Weight: 406g.
• Color: Midnight Blue.
• Cable Length: 4.9ft.
• Detachable: Yes.
• Amplification Needed: Yes
• Recommended Amps & DACs: Bravo Ocean, FiiO K5 Pro/K7, ATOM 2.
• Recommended Genres: Typically works pretty well for everything: Rock, Hip-Hop, Indie, Pop, etc.

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I toyed with the idea of placing these last, but the sound of them is mostly in line with 400 series models: Good bass, good mid-range, and good resolution. The problem is that the treble is hissy and very sibilant; even more so than some of the others in the lineup.

My other concern was build quality.

When I first received them back in 2020, the headphone bale/adjustment wouldn’t even budge on one side. For fear of breaking them, I left it alone.

That’s a huge red flag right off the bat, and something you don’t want to mess with because it feels like applying too much pressure is going to result in the same thing that happens when your Grandpa tells you NOT to reach down into that freshly opened cereal box for the toy and you do it anyway.

*catches breath*

In other words,

an earth-shattering explosion and subsequent mess on the floor.

The other issue is the choice of materials and how they interact with each other. The combination of the strange protein leather stitched headband, spring steel headphone bale, faulty adjustment blocks, and cheap-ish ear cups is a complete mish-mosh, both structurally and aesthetically.

There have been reports of the screws coming loose, and I wouldn’t doubt it considering they’re essentially being drilled into plastic. Who would have thought that wasn’t the best idea?

*Rolls eyes*

Comfort is about the same as the rest of the line (i.e. very good) but I found the headband pad to dig more than the others and become a bit uncomfortable after around 45 minutes to an hour.

Final Verdict

If you can get over this poorly implemented arts and crafts project (which you shouldn’t) the 4XX sounds OK, but the treble issue makes this a hard pass and you can do much better nowadays.

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#5

HIFIMAN HE400S (OG)

Price: Amazon | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

At A Glance

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic
• Fit: Circumaural (Over-ear).
• Driver Size: 80mm. What is a Headphone Driver?
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 98dB.
• Impedance: 22 Ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
• Weight: 12 Oz. (350 grams).
• Color: Silver with Black trim.
• Accessories: 1/4″ headphone adapter, headphone cable (1.5m).
• Amplification Required: No, you can run them out of almost anything.
• Recommended Amps & DACS: iFi Go Link, FiiO K3, or E10K, typically anything cheap is perfectly fine.
• Recommended Genres: Rock was their bread and butter, but the OG 400S, like all HIFIMAN headphones, worked well with almost anything.

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Despite new headphones coming out almost weekly, the original 400S should never be forgotten.

The moment I first heard one will vividly stand out in my mind for the rest of my life, mostly from the standpoint of realizing that planar headphones really are a cut above like Jersey Mike’s.

Fortunately, this smooth, effortless sound with fantastic resolution and excellent tuning continued in later iterations, but there’s something about your first time that makes everything else pale in comparison.

That said, the 400S was not a perfect headphone, and thus why it’s relegated to 5th on the list. For all of its great qualities (and there certainly are a plethora of them) it sometimes had this papery, thin sentiment that was hard to reconcile at the original price point.

Still, the treble was handled better than some of the others and sounded almost perfectly crisp to my ears – without the sibilance associated with headphones like the 4XX.

While I enjoyed the original all-velour padding, it collected a lot of undesirables and also flattened out pretty quickly over time. This can be said for most of HIFIMAN’s padding, but the 400S’ pads were particularly concerning.

I never had serious issues with the overall build, but the 400S’ design is mostly defunct and only exists today in the Arya variants.

In other words, HIFIMAN’s design choices have flip-flopped back and forth quite a bit over the years, but newer 400 series headphones don’t employ this OG aesthetic anymore.

I will also say that yes, HIFIMAN headphones have a tendency of geting nicked and scratched if you so much as fart in the wrong direction, and admittedly it’s very annoying. (See Exhibit A below.)

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Final Verdict

While I don’t officially recommend these due to them being discontinued and likely “very exsthpensive” like Mr. Dink, I still think they’re worth a listen from a purist’s perspective if you can snag a good deal. 

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#4

HIFIMAN HE400i (OG)

Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

At A Glance

• Type: Open Back
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 35 Ohm.
• Sensitivity: 93dB.
• Sound Output: Stereo.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-35kHz.
• Material: ABS Plastic, Polymer.
• Weight: 370g.
• Inputs Supported: 3.5mm, 1/4″.
• Cable Length: 1.5m.
• Additional Features: Detachable Cable.
• Amplification Required: Yes, at 93dB, the 400i is rather inefficient.
• Recommended Amps & DACs: Bryston BHA-1, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K7.
• Recommended Genres: All, but especially Rock and Hip-Hop.

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The 400i is ranked higher than the 400S because the resolution was a bit better and it also didn’t suffer from that somewhat thin, papery quality. No, hearing the sound of a planar for the first time is something you will never forget ever.

• Required Reading: HIFIMAN’S HE400i And The Moment Everything Changed

All of the trademark qualities are there: great tuning, fantastic mid-range, excellent bass response, great overall separation, unreal timbre, eXtrEmE ReZolUtiOn whaaooo!, solid comfort, and great overall separation. Because the 400i and 400S are lighter, the thin sliver of padding worked extremely well.

Moreover, the smooth, effortless quality of the 400S continues in the 400i, but I will caution you the treble had a habit of sounding a bit essy at times. Still, the 400i was a remarkable achievement in audio and will live on forever in the hearts and minds of music lovers everywhere.

That said, one of the main issues with it was the build quality after the original production run.

The model I first demoed at Audio Advice was perhaps one of the best-built headphones HIFIMAN ever manufactured; as they hung on the shelf unscathed even after hundreds (and likely thousands) of people demoing them over the years.

I too had a taste of that sweet sweet audio and took it home on numerous occasions; never having an issue.

Then I started hearing rumblings about it breaking down, but couldn’t figure out why.

It all made sense after I stumbled across a post on Reddit that talked about HiFiMan outsourcing cheaper materials for the headband in the newer production line of 400i models.

So if you can believe it, the image above (and below) is of one of the first 400is that ever came out, and boy was it a fantastically built product.

Oh well. RIP, wherever you are.

Final Verdict

The OG 400i was certainly one of the best HIFIMAN headphones ever assembled, both structurally and sonically. As with the 400S, if you can snag a deal on an original, I say it’s well worth it considering the life-changing experience that will likely ensue.

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#3

HIFIMAN Sundara

Price: Check Apos Audio! | Check Amazon! | Check eBay!

At A Glance

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 37 Ohm. What is Headphone Impedance?
• Sensitivity: 94dB/mW. What is Sensitivity in Headphones?
• Frequency Response: 6Hz – 75kHz.
• Color: Matte Black.
• Weight: 379g.
• Amplification Needed: Yes. At 94dB, these are pretty inefficient.
• Recommended Amps & DACs: AudioQuest DragonFly Red, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K5 Pro/K7. Anything with a bit more juice.
  
• Recommended Genres: Like the others, the Sundara works well with almost anything.
  

Meaning

Sundara (सुन्दर) is a Sanskrit term meaning “beautiful, lovely”, or generally “noble; well, right”.

As a personal name, it may refer to: Maravarman Sundara Pandya, a Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1216 and 1238.

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The introduction of the Sundara in 2018 was the first radical revision that occurred; as HIFIMAN gave the line a complete structural makeover for the first time.

This streamlined, simplistic design replaced all of the plastic with a rock-solid and robust metal – also seen in the Ananda.

The headband padding retained the look of the 400i and 400S, but the piece over top supporting it rounded off in a more aesthetically pleasing way.

The pad itself also seemed to be made from better-quality material, and the headband adjustment (The small piece that you use to move the pad up and down), was replaced with a more reliable piece of metal on both sides.

The same 3.5mm terminations appear, but the ear cups on the Sundara no longer swivel as they did with both the 400i and 400S.

At the business end, all terminate in a 3.5mm jack and come with a 1/4″ adapter.

Drop’s (Formerly Massdrop’s) newer model 4XX does hearken back with those same swiveling cups, but they still don’t swivel all the way around (90 degrees) as they did with the originals.

Notice how both the original 400S and 400i (above) fold flat in the same ways, and also move and contort in a myriad of directions.

They moved around a lot more freely which many people, including myself, enjoyed.

The 4XX stops at around 45 degrees now, while the Sundara’s don’t move or rotate at all.

I kind of liked the swivel action, but in the grand scheme of how the headphone sits on your head, it’s not that big of a deal.

They sport the same circular comfy velour pads that appear in a lot of HIFIMAN headphones, but they are still the Focus pads, and they’re still awful.

My issue with them is not that they aren’t comfortable, but that they’re built horribly and utilize poor design choices with regard to the piece of faux/protein leather on the back that wraps around the cup and attaches.

It should be noted that the original 400i had a protein leather outside with the velour seen on the front of the cups. This is the focus pad variety.

The 400S’ original pads, as mentioned earlier, were all velour. Inside them is of course memory foam.

As for the piece of protein leather wrapping around the back, it’s haphazardly glued on and ends up peeling off over time if you switch out ear cups a lot.

If you don’t do that, but only replace the cups when they wear out, it’s not an issue because you’ll only be swapping once and then not handling them at all for a while.

However, a lot of pad swapping results in the material breaking off from the plastic and leaving you wanting to gouge your eyes out.

I’ve read plenty of reviews that echo the same sentiment and have had it happen to me on more than one occasion.

In fact, I had to re-glue the one from Audio Advice because it just fell apart.

Dekoni makes good sheepskin replacements for all of these headphones, but you’ll be paying out the nose for it.

I’ll give you a hint; it ain’t the one on the right.

There’s no glue needed.

The piece (now sheepskin) still wraps around the plastic, but notice how there’s more real estate.

With the old cup, they glued a tiny sliver of it around its circumference and called it done.

Yeah, that’s not going to lead to issues down the road .. said no one, ever.

Other minor differences

The Sundara boasts a somewhat updated “look” and feels more aesthetically pleasing than the others.

The lattice grilles are in stark contrast to the honeycomb configuration of the 400i, 400S, and 4XX, but that’s really about it as far as the outside of the cup.

The Sundara feels extremely solid to the touch and I think you’ll agree that it’s a marked improvement over the earlier models when you finally hold one in your hand.

Sound

• Source: Tidal Hi-Fi, Spotify Premium
• Amps: iFi Zen, AudioQuest DragonFly Red, Bravo Audio Ocean, and many more (See Amp Section)

Bear with me.

I’ve always felt like the sound of the 400S presents the starkest contrast to the others, but in the grand scheme of things, they all sound very similar.

The main difference between the 400S vs. the rest is that its bass rolls off considerably more, and does sound a bit lean by contrast, even though it’s still immensely textured and detailed.

This kind of makes the 400S sound cooler, a bit more sterile, and a bit crisper, if a tad grainier in comparison to the warmer sound of the Sundara, and somewhat more refined (but still bright at the top) 400i.

The Sundara is certainly the warmest out of the bunch, opting for a more subdued treble while retaining the same house sound inherent in the other models.

So the treble never gets bright or essy, but it can sometimes sound a bit dull, similar to an HD650. 

This warmth is something that permeates every aspect of the headphones and just so you know it’s not for everyone. I personally have always felt this headphone was a bit too syrupy, and for the price? Meh. You like that word salad?

Mid-Range

Mid-range fidelity is still excellent, though the same roll-off after 1kHz is apparent; giving the Sundara its trademark relaxed character. 

Regardless, the Sundara, like the others in the line, rises back up around the presence region (2-3kHz) and recovers nicely all things considered.

Overall, planars like the Sundara have better intimacy and immediacy than something like a K702 (and that’s saying a lot considering how great the 702 is).

In Sufjan Stevens’ “Tahquamenon Falls,” I hear an extra layer of detail and subtlety that is simply not there with other dynamic driver headphones. Come to expect these types things to happen; a lot. And in many songs. All kinds of stuff you missed before. That’s the resolution advantage of a planar.

 

Sufjan’s voice especially feels a little bit more dynamic and delicate with headphones like the Sundara, as if he’s closer and in the same vicinity. 

Not like an “OMG iT’Z liEk YoUr’E tHeRe!”, but certainly noticeable if you’re paying attention. It’s subtle but incredibly immersive at the same time. 

Notes also have better attack, sustain, decay, and release. They trail off better and feel more fully fleshed out.

A great example of this (and specifically excellent decay) is Shallou’s “Begin” feat. Wales.

Overall, you’re able to hear more subtleties in the human voice, and how certain vocal inflections may sound in reality.

Likewise, the Timbre of a planar is also better in listening to a track like “Anemone” by Slenderbodies.

The sound of the fretboard at 57 seconds provided an almost insane level of resolution and timbre, with the character and tone of the instruments standing out in a way that simply doesn’t with other headphones.

Tracks that you’re very familiar with and have been listening to for years suddently take on an entire different personality and may sound slightly foreign to you.

 

This is one of the best things about owning a headphone of this caliber as it makes you excited about listening to music again.

In “Holland”, many of the same sentiments apply.

Sufjan’s guitar sounds incredibly lifelike and detailed, but also delicate in a way that simply astounds me; almost like catching lightning in a bottle.

You’re still listening to it through said device (Amp + headphones), but the presentation of what you’re hearing is more accurate and true to life.

Soundstage & Separation

The Soundstage is also above average, but it doesn’t have as much width or depth as something like a K702.

Still, you’ll be frequently taking off the headphones to look around, and/or pausing the track to figure out if the sound came from the song, your apartment, your house, or even outside!

With the K702, you’ll most certainly do more of this, but the 400 series is not far behind with regard to the overall spaciousness of the image.

Final Verdict

The Sundara is certainly still a solid contender, but in my opinion, pricing has always held it back. Originally around $349+, it was a good purchase in 2018 but I stopped recommending it in the years that followed. It’s since dropped to around $279 which is a much better value although there’s nothing about it that I like better than my #1 recommendation on this list. 

 

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#2

HIFIMAN DEVA (OG)

Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!

At A Glance

• Type: Open back
  
• Driver: Planar Magnetic
• Fit: Circumaural (Over-Ear)
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  
• Impedance: 18 Ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
• Sensitivity: 93.5dB/mW
• Material: Cloth, Memory Foam
• Color: Beige, Silver
• Cable: Detachable 3.5mm TRRS (balanced)
• Weight: 360g
• Amplification Needed: Yes. At 93.5dB, these are pretty inefficient.
• Recommended Amps & DACs: Provided Bluemini, AudioQuest DragonFly Red, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K5 Pro/K7. Anything with a bit more juice.
  
• Recommended Genres: Works well with almost anything + great for gaming and film.

Bluemini Specs

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• AMP Output in fact: 230mW
• AMP Output in theory: 1125mW
• THD: <0.1 @ 1W/1kHz
• SNR: 95dB
• Battery Life: 7-10 Hours
• Weight: 25g
• Bluetooth Codecs: LDAC, aptX, AAC, SBC
• Transmission: Bluetooth/USB Type-C

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I think HIFIMAN took a giant leap forward with the arrival of the DEVA back in 2019.

It marked the second revision of the lineup behind the 2018’s Sundara, and has mostly been consistent in newer models during the years leading up to the present day.

The DEVA represented a complete overhaul of the 400i and 400S design, but it’s also quite different from the Sundara.

Like the Sundara, the cups don’t rotate, but the headphone is now much more robust than its predecessors and doesn’t have any of the cabling issues inherent in some Sundara and Ananda models.

Note: Those issues have since been rectified AFAIK and in my own experience.

Everything about the new build is dummy thicc though.

The headphones are a bit bulkier than the older models, but I don’t mind it much.

The design is more streamlined and practical looking, though out of all the ones I tried, I like Sundara’s aesthetic the most.

Comfort

Comfort on the DEVA has improved tremendously, but the headphones will slide a bit. This phenonemon varies; happening with some headphones but not others.

Still, the DEVA easily has a place in my most comfortable headphones of all-time list.

It’s simply a dream to wear, and one of the only headphones I’ve never found myself adjusting even once, for any reason at all.

I can even wear it with a hat and glasses and feel completely fine.

Potential downsides

What frustrates me is that HIFIMAN hasn’t learned its lesson about the cups.

They still utilize the same stupid design as the previous models and the material doesn’t wrap around the back of the cup properly as it does with the Dekoni variety.

Aside from that, it was a great update.

Sound

The DEVA’s sound is similar to that of the original 400i and the more recent 4XX from Drop. It’s much more crisp and lively than that of the Sundara, with somewhat better separation, clarity, and overall spaciousness.

It pretty much follows the same general sound trajectory as the others, but the treble is admittedly a bit hot and essy. It’s not as bad as a 4XX, but I still found that a 2-5dB reduction via EQ is almost mandatory here.

I also messed with the bass a little, but you don’t have to. I found that,

• +1dB at 125Hz
• +2dB at 100
• +4dB at 60
• +5dB at 30Hz

works extremely well.

This gives you some nice sub-bass extension and adds some meat on the DEVA if you’re feeling like you want to be an obnoxious, out-of-control bass head.

Go ahead, gas up Majid Jordan – Gave Your Love Away, and tell me I’m wrong. 😛

That said, you may be wondering, “Why is ranked #2 on this list if the treble is out of line?”

Glad you asked.

Soundstage

400 series models, in general, have always had above-average Soundstage (400se is a clear exception), but the DEVA’s is excellent. While I wouldn’t rely on any of the others for serious gaming duties, I absolutely believe the DEVA is one of the best for FPS shooters/general gaming and also for watching film.

It’s much more open and expansive and works incredibly well for directional cues and overall immersion.

With music, you’ll start to notice smaller details and subtle textures going on in the background. Attack, sustain, decay, and release are especially noteworthy on tracks like Martha My Dear from The Beatles – and songs you’ve heard hundreds of times (if not thousands) take on new life as if a veil was lifted and the sound was set free.

Think of these headphones like flowers, after they’ve opened up and bloomed completely.

You’ll often wonder to yourself:

• “How did I miss that subtle breathy sound in the vocal passage so many times previously?”
• “The background instrumentation sounds so incredibly clear.”
• “I can make out what the instruments are doing much better than I could before.”
• “I can hear each individual bass note and exactly how it relates to the composition as a whole”
• “The vocals sound more present and lively, but still sit in the mix rather nicely.”

etc. etc.

Value

In addition to that, it’s a remarkable value at the price point.

1. You can use it wirelessly with a phone, using either the Bluemini or something like a FiiO BTR5.
2. You can also use it wired with your phone, with something like a DragonFly Red or hip-dac.
3. You can use it wired on your desktop, with the supplied Amp/DAC, or with a separate Amp/DAC of your choosing.
4. They aren’t too hard to drive but do happen to be fairly inefficient, meaning they require quite a bit of power from an amp to reach an acceptable listening level. Either a FiiO K5 Pro or Zen is my preferred desktop homie.
5. Because the cable is detachable, you can use it as a gaming headphone with something like the Boom Pro and a Creative G6 on your console. You can also use an attachable Mod Mic if you want.
6. It has a built-in microphone for calls.

Final Verdict

The HIFIMAN’s DEVA was a remarkable leap forward for the company.

Considering the value provided in the package discussed previously, plus the improved Soundstage, made it an excellent purchase and something I still feel is worth a look today.

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#1

HIFIMAN HE400se

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos Audio! | Official Review: Here!

At A Glance

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Impedance: 25 Ohm
• Sensitivity: 91dB
• Weight: 390g
• Amplification Needed: Yes. At 91dB, these are pretty inefficient.
• Recommended Amps & DACs or DACs used: AudioQuest DragonFly Red, JDS ATOM 2, FiiO K5 Pro/K7, Universal Audio Volt 2, HIFIMAN E400 & EF600.
  
• Recommended Genres: Works well with almost anything but steer clear of these for gaming and film.

The 400se easily trumps every headphone on this list due to price alone. 

At a measly $109, it’s one of the biggest disruptions not named the 6XX to ever hit the market.

Consider for a moment that the original 400i retailed at around $449. Normally, prices go up over time, but HIFIMAN has proven countless times over the years that they are a step ahead when it comes to how they value their products.

In other words, they, unlike a lot of other audio manufacturers, understand price to performance and seem truly interested in helping the average person experience great sound without mortgaging away their dignity on street corners in the name of synergistic dynamism. 

Everything about the sound remains intact, only this time they’ve rectified the treble bite that became such a problem in previous iterations.

That said, one thing you may not like is the Soundstage. Admittedly, the 400se is just about the last headphone out of this lot that I’d consider for serious gaming duties, but it’s a small price to pay for such incredible timbre and resolution.

It’s almost embarrassing how good these are when compared to other high-priced trash. In other words, headphones that can only dream of sounding this good are typically overpriced and have loads of issues.

The 400se also shares the same updated build as the OG DEVA, and for the most part, is constructed very well. The same pad issue is still apparent, and for the love of God, I wish HIFIMAN would stop ignoring this. There’s no reason why you should have to pay Dekoni $80 for pads HIFIMAN should manufactur themselves.

Before I go off on a rant you won’t read, comfort is still excellent, and they’re tuned incredibly well.

One minor nitpick is still the somewhat sleepy, relaxed vibe after 1kHz, but again, these are easily some of the best headphones you can buy for $100 and they basically run circles around everything else in and out of their price range.

Final Verdict

The 400se are some of the best headphones to ever come out of the mid-fi category, so just stop what you’re doing and buy a pair now before something catastrophic happens and they’re no longer $109 fucking dollars lol.

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Closing Thoughts

The clear cut choice to me is the 400se at one Benjamin + 9 dollhairs + Tax + Shipping.

The journey and road traveled to this point hasn’t been easy or straightforward, but darn if HIFIMAN doesn’t care at least a little bit.

And in this day and age, that’s admirable in my book.

Learn More:

 

Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve gotten some valuable information out of this rankings shootout and came away with some newfound insight.

Are you convinced that the 400se is the best option here? Be sure to let me know!!

If you have any other questions or feel I’ve missed the mark on something, leave a comment down below or contact me!

If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.

I very much look forward to speaking with you…

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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Caveats

Owning a HIFIMAN headphone is mostly a good thing, but there are some things to keep in mind before purchase.

Over the years, there have been issues with everything ranging from the cable shorting out/sound cutting out on the right or left channel, the headband yokes breaking, the headphones just falling apart, the original Focus Pads coming unglued (worst design choice ever) and so forth.

This is partly why Audio Advice dropped HIFIMAN from their lineup years back, but a lot of these things have improved over time.

That said, the stupid pad issue mentioned earlier still exists and and the headphones still tend to get nicked and scratched way too easily.The great news is that since the overhaul/update, I haven’t had a single issue with sound cutting out. This was perhaps the most concering thing but seems to have been rectified.

Still, expect to reaplace pads a bit more frequently than you would with other headphones, but also remember that this is to be expected and something you should be prepared to deal with regardless.

All pads wear down over time, and it can have a monumental impact on the way a headphone sounds.

Amplification & Genre Pairing

• Cobalt – 16 Ohm Impedance, Sensitivity not specified
• 4XX – 35 Ohm Impedance/ 93dB Sensitivity
• 400S – 22 Ohm Impedance/98dB Sensitivity
• 400i – 35 Ohm Impedance/93dB Sensitivity
• Sundara – 37 Ohm Impedance/94dB Sensitivity
• DEVA – 18 Ohm Impedance/93.5dB Sensitivity
• 400se – 25 Ohm Impedance/91dB Sensitivity

The DEVA is the easiest to drive out of this lot, as you can plug it into your phone and get loud enough levels with most newer devices sporting better internal DACs.

• Related: Beginners Guide: What is a USB DAC?

On paper, the others will need some juice from an amp to reach acceptable levels, but they aren’t that much harder to drive.

I’ve never had an issue with anything I’ve used, even something like an E10K or K3 from FiiO will work.

If you weren’t aware, Sensitivity is just a measure of efficiency.

How efficient is the headphone at using the power it receives? In the case of these, not very good.

• Read: What is Sensitivity in Headphones? [Explained]

Good efficiency is somewhere in the ballpark of 98-99dB, and anything above that generally speaking. 97dB sits in a middle ground (HD600), while anything below that isn’t efficient at all.

AKG headphones also reside in this area, mostly coming in at around 88-91dB or thereabouts.

Fortunately, the Impedance of these models is also low, meaning they won’t resist the power being fed into them.

This is what kind of makes them fairly easy to drive, all things considered.

As mentioned in the open, I’ve demoed each of these with a wide array of different amps:

• DragonFly Red into Bravo Ocean
• iFi Zen
• Centrance DACport HD
• AudioQuest DragonFly Red/Cobalt
• iFi’s hip-dac
• Bryston BHA-1
• NAIM DAC V-1
• Oppo HA-2
• FiiO E10K
• JDS Labs Objective 2/ATOM

The list goes on. Here are all of the Amps & DACs I’ve listened to thus far.

Do keep in mind that I’m not recommending the DF Red anymore as it’s a bit overpriced in today’s market. For something portable, I like the BTR5.

For your desktop, the ATOM, K5 Pro/ K7 are my top choices.

Genre

The other great thing about these headphones is that they all do very well with a wide variety of genres.

To get an idea of what’s good, I mostly listen to Hip-Hop, Indie Pop, Rock, Metal, Classical, Jazz, Downtempo, Folk, Acoustic, and Ambient music.

All of these genres and more sound fantastic with a HIFIMAN and I find that, like the K702, quieter passages like Acoustic are sometimes even better than any of the others.

Moreoever, the 400 series renders Jazz very well, but perhaps not quite as good as the K702.

What’s also amazing about the sound is that it also appeals to bass heads looking for a more realistic type of low-end portrayal in genres like hip-hop and rap.

As a recovering bass head, I used to think headphones like the M50x were what you went for if you were craving some slam and impact. But the 400 series changed me like Luke Christopher.

Video Shootout

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Specifications

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HiFiMan HE4XX

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Drop! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 35 Ohm.
• Sensitivity: 93dB/mW.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 35kHz.
• Material: Spring Steel, Synthetic/Protein Leather, Plastic.
• Weight: 406g.
• Color: Midnight Blue.
• Cable Length: 4.9ft.
• Detachable: Yes.

HiFiMAN HE400i

Original production run

Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 35 Ohm.
• Sensitivity: 93dB/mW.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 35kHz.
• Material: ABS Plastic, Polymer, Spring Steel, Synthetic Leather.
• Weight: 370g.
• Color: Black/Deep Purple/Dark Blue (It’s hard to tell).
• Cable Length: 1.5m.
• Detachable: Yes.

HIFIMAN HE400S

Original production run

Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
  
• Fit: Circumaural (Over-ear)
• Impedance: 22 Ohms.
• Sensitivity: 98dB/mW.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Material: ABS Plastic, Polymer, Spring Steel, Synthetic Leather.
• Weight: 12 Oz. (350/360 grams)
• Color: Silver with Black trim
• Cable Length: 1.5m
  
• Detachable: Yes

HiFiMAN Sundara

Price: Check Apos Audio! | Check Amazon! | Check eBay! | Official Review: Here!

Meaning

Sundara (सुन्दर) is a Sanskrit term meaning “beautiful, lovely”, or generally “noble; well, right”. As a personal name, it may refer to: Maravarman Sundara Pandya, Pandyan king, who ruled regions of South India between 1216 and 1238.

• Type: Open Back.
• Driver: Planar Magnetic.
• Fit: Circumaural.
• Impedance: 37 Ohm.
• Sensitivity: 94dB/mW.
• Frequency Response: 6Hz – 75kHz.
• Material: Spring Steel, Synthetic Leather, Anodized Aluminum, OFC Copper Cable.
• Weight: 372 or 379g. No concrete number on this.
• Color: Black, Silver.
• Cable Length: 5ft.
• Detachable: Yes.

HIFIMAN DEVA

Price: Check Amazon! | Official Review: Here!

DEVA Specs

• Type: Open back, Planar Magnetic.
  
• Fit: Circumaural (Over-Ear).
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz.
  
• Impedance: 18 Ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
• Sensitivity: 93.5dB/mW.
• Material: Cloth, Memory Foam.
• Color: Beige, Silver.
• Cable: Detachable 3.5mm TRRS (balanced)
• Weight: 360g.

Bluemini Specs

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• AMP Output in fact: 230mW
• AMP Output in theory: 1125mW
• THD: <0.1 @ 1W/1kHz
• SNR: 95dB
• Battery Life: 7-10 Hours
• Weight: 25g
• Bluetooth Codecs: LDAC, aptX, AAC, SBC
• Transmission: Bluetooth/USB Type-C

HIFIMAN HE400se

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos Audio! | Official Review: Here!

Specifications

• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Impedance: 25 Ohm
• Sensitivity: 91dB
• Weight: 390g

Album and Song List

My listening experience with these spans hundreds of songs, but here are the most recent ones I listened to – specifically with the 400S and 4XX.

• Atu, Asante – Lately (feat. Asante)
• Vasser – Little Things
• DRAMA – Low Tide
• Death Cab For Cutie – Soul Meets Body
• Ekali, Yuna – Leaving (feat. Yuna)
• Robotaki, City Fidelia – Satisfied
• Kasbo, TENDER – Aldrig Mer (feat. TENDER)
• Alex Lustig – Free Form
• Slenderbodies – Anemone
• Shallou, Wales – Begin (feat. Wales)
• BAYNK – Sinead Harnett – Settle

Albums

More to come!

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