Hifiman he-400i headphones review

Staging/Imaging

Hifiman was never known for excellent sound imaging properties, so don’t expect any improvements there. But, do expect a nice, coherent sound field that sounds great for lively, forwardly recorded audio. If you like vocalists, this is a solid pick for a headphone sub $300usd.

Hifiman gets it right here and right often when referencing Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, Buble’ and similar big band/jazz singers. Well-formed, but a lacking width was always the Hifiman sound type and this one is, of course, no different.

The depth of field is the strongest point of the imaging prowess of the headphone, which to me and my ear, engages a moderate “a-ok” dynamic kick and reach into the stereo void. It doesn’t sound cavernous, but the depth of field and space in forwardness is what my ear always focuses on when listening to this model.

I forget that there is a lacking sense of width because I tend to use this headphone as a reference tool for intimate recordings and usually always pick forward tracks to listen to because I know they sound great on this headphone. The lacking width is the only real downfall here.

Genre Pairing

Both of these headphones will work with a wide variety of genres, from Jazz, to Hip-Hop, and really anything in between. Both have a sound signature that just lends itself very well to most types of music.

You’ll be able to enjoy these at low volumes as well as stuff that needs a little bit more power and intensity like Rock or EDM. I wouldn’t make this my go to metal headphone, but it will sound pretty good. The Best Headphones for Metal!

Here are some genres that work well:

• Jazz
• Acoustic
• Instrumental
• Classical
• Electronica
• Techno
• Pop
• Dance
• New Age
• Ambient
• Vocals
• Violin
• Guitar
• Piano
• Rock (Classic & Modern)
• Gaming

Like the HD600, this is sort of a jack of all trades when it comes to genre, but will fare better for Jazz and Classical because of the wider Soundstage. What is Soundstage?  I do listen to both of those genres with the 600’s, but I wouldn’t call it an ideal or even preferred pairing. Both the 400i and Sundara will excel better as far as that’s concerned.

So what’s the final word?

Sundara

The Sundara’s Sanskrit term meaning “beautiful” certainly fits the bill. I loved every second of my time spent with this headphone.

It takes the concept of the 400i and improves upon it tremendously. Instead of plastic for those pieces we just discussed, they are now thinner in width, longer, and made of anodized aluminum. They feel really rugged and you’ll immediately notice the difference in durability between the 2.

The headband has also been modified, instead of a weird deformed rectangle shape, we have a smooth circular one with the same Spring Steel rising over the same style of synthetic leather headband padding apparent on the 400i.

Both have a long cylindrical type of hole spanning across in the top of the metal piece as well.

As for the ear cups, the Sundara retains the same protein leather velour mix that we saw in the 400i, but the cups themselves are designed a bit differently.

First, the Sundara sports a beautiful matte black finish donning Anodized Aluminum vs. the ABS Plastic/Polymer of the 400i. It just feels and looks a bit better in my opinion. While I liked the look of the original 400i, I feel as though this is an aesthetic upgrade as well as a durability upgrade. It just feels more solid and rugged.

The outer portion of the cups on the Sundara are a bit different this time around. The grill is now a lattice design, thicker, and more abstractly intertwined vs. the smoother honey comb design of the 400i . On the 400i, the holes were smaller. Here, they are more rectangular in shape and also a hare larger in diameter.

Both headphones have dual entry cables inserting into each cup, but the Sundara now has 3.5mm insertions into both vs. the weird coax that the 400i had. Still not understanding why HIFIMAN made that design decision, but I digress. The new 3.5mm is a welcome change.

Aside from those differences, the way the cups swivel and move is the same, but the piece that attaches to the ear cups is shaped differently as well. Again, we have a more modernized look with the Sundara vs. the slightly more utilitarian feel of the 400i’s piece. You also cannot fold the Sundara’s cups flat on a surface like you could with the 400i.

The jack is still an L-Jack for both, but it’s much more rugged feeling on the Sundara and comes gold plated.

Overall, the Sundara is more streamlined across the board. I feel as though it utilizes space better and functions in a more practical way than the somewhat stone age looking 400i.

Jakość wykonania i konstrukcja

HE-4XX przychodzą do nas w prostym Massdropowym opakowaniu, ale dobrze zabezpieczone w transporcie. Słuchawki te to praktycznie niemal ta sama konstrukcja, co HE-4/5/6/400/500.

Charakterystyczne owalne muszle, typowe grille, a także nieśmiertelna w ich ofercie technologia magnetostatyczna, którą to właśnie HiFiMAN jako pierwszy wskrzesił i przybliżył na masową skalę.

Różnice w wariancie Massdropowym wychodzą na jaw jednak już po pierwszym wzięciu słuchawek do rąk. Choć konstrukcja została zachowana, producent przyciął troszkę na materiałach. Zamiast metalowych kopuł, czy nawet plastiku znanego z HE-4, dostajemy zwykły matowy ABS o chropowatej fakturze. Identycznie z kapslami zawierającymi nazwę modelu oraz zaznaczoną polaryzację kanałów.

Jest to jednocześnie wadą i zaletą. Zaletą – bo ma to oczywiste korzystne przełożenie na niższą wagę słuchawek i czuć to całkiem skutecznie na tle HE-500. Wadą – niestety tak jak na np. HD6XX, Sonorous IV czy K7XX widać na nich wszelkie otarcia i uszkodzenia, bowiem faktura zmienia się w gładkie i świecące rysy. Plastik zbyt łatwo się przy codziennym użytkowaniu poddaje, toteż od razu zachęcam do odkładania ich w sposób nie narażający ich stanu na pogorszenie. Na zdjęciach daje się tu i ówdzie zobaczyć, że faktycznie są na nich różnego rodzaju otarcia. Pozwala to też ocenić jak słuchawki po czasie będą się prezentowały.

Kolejnym elementem oszczędnościowym jest opaska. Wykonana została z fakturowanego materiału skóropodobnego i w dotyku nie sprawia tak przyjemnego wrażenia jak ta z innych modeli HE. Jest też sztywniejsza.

Ogromnym plusem jest natomiast rezygnacja z typowych gniazd stosowanych przez HiFiMANa w tych seriach i zastąpienie ich wtykami micro-jack 2,5 mm. Sam kabel również jest znacznie praktyczniejszy, choć krótszy i zakończony zwykłym małym wtykiem stereo, do tego kątowym. Wprowadza to moim zdaniem użytkownika w błąd, bo sugeruje zastosowanie pod sprzętem mobilnym. Są to jednak na tyle prądożerne słuchawki, że bardziej widzą mi się w zastosowaniach stacjonarnych.

Dlatego też kabel ostatecznie jest trochę za krótki, z niepotrzebnie kątowym wtykiem oraz równie niepotrzebnie zakończonym małym jackiem zamiast dużego lub bardziej poręcznym gwintem, który nie powodowałby konieczności zwracania szczególnej uwagi na to za którą część wtyku łapiemy podczas wypinania słuchawek z urządzenia źródłowego.

Nausznice to standardowe pady typu Focus-A, będące hybrydowym odpowiednikiem welurów, ale mieszając w sobie cechy różnych słuchawek. Z zewnątrz jest to miękki materiał syntetyczny, w środku zwykły materiał, na styku z powierzchnią głowy zaś – miękki welur.

Są to te same nausznice, jakie HiFiMAN stosuje w swoich nowszych słuchawkach. Wcześniej mieliśmy klasyczne welurowe i skóropodobne nausznice. Mimo dodatkowych otworów na zaczepy, ich montaż nadal pozostaje delikatnie mówiąc mozolną, frustrującą i problematyczną czynnością.

Podczas użytkowania słuchawki nie sprawiały mi problemów. Na uszy mamy sporo miejsca, nie ma efektu ciążenia, parności, a masa ładnie rozkłada się za sprawą opaski.

Звук

Для прослушивания использовалось следующее оборудование.

• NuPrime DAC-10H и Resonessence Labs Concero HP в роли ЦАП и усилителя
• Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 в роли источника
• Fidelia в роли плеера
• Fiio X7 и Luxury&Precission L5Pro в роли портативных плееров
• Записи высокого разрешения в Lossless-форматах (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc и другие)

Перед прослушиванием наушники были прогреты на протяжении 48 часов.

Оценивать эти наушники достаточно интересно. С одной стороны, чуда не произошло, и в HE-400S нет того, что ожидаешь от изодинамических моделей HiFiMan после многолетнего знакомства с ним, звучат они ближе к традиционным динамическим моделям. Судя по весу, HiFiMan ещё сильнее упростили магнитную систему этих наушников, что слышно по звуку. С другой стороны, HE-400S звучат как очень хорошие динамические модели, и явно оправдывают свою цену.

Средние частоты — самая сильная сторона этих наушников. Именно в этом диапазоне изодинамический излучатель всё-таки показывает себя, и наушники обходят по скорости динамические модели сходной цены. При этом они не пытаются выдавать себя за нейтральную модель с диким разрешением, как их старшие братья, в подаче HE-400S чётко слышится смягчение, призванное скрывать огрехи записей и источников. Именно такой окрас обычно любят ошибочно называть «ламповым» и «мультибитным», он во многих случаях весьма приятен и делает звук комфортным. При этом на верхних СЧ есть небольшие следы шероховатости, похожие на пик в области 2-4 кГц, хотя замеры АЧХ, доступные в интернете, показывают, что никакого криминала там нет, но на слух это слышно. Воображаемая сцена наушников где-то чуть больше среднего по ширине и средняя в глубину, наушники нормально для своей цены справляются с разделением планов и передачей объёма инструментов. У них нет характерной для многих «динам» манеры «сплющивать» инструменты, представляя их в виде точек, но до топовых изодинам HE-400S, конечно, далеко.

Верхние частоты обычно служат основным камнем преткновения, но в этой модели они почти идеальны, их не много, чтобы не порождать резкость, но и не мало, чтобы не сделать звук тёмным и замкнутым, так что резкими эти наушники найдут только совсем уж заядлые ВЧ-фобы. Очень неплохо подобрано количество ВЧ, нет каких-то заметных больших пиков и резонансов, все на соответствующем цене уровне. Конечно, ВЧ этой модели сильно упрощены по сравнению с более дорогими изодинамами, но сложно ожидать обратного в недорогой модели с чувствительностью, достаточной для смартфонов и планшетов.

Выше я уже писал о том, что эти наушники можно хорошо «прокачать», купив для них гибридные амбушуры Focus Pads. С ними HE-400S обретают больше глубокого баса, и плюс уходит тот пик в начале ВСЧ, хотя общая тональность смещается немного в сторону темноты. Сцена становится чуть уже, но на мой вкус это все равно выгодный обмен, тем более что Focus Pads ещё и меньше ворса собирают.

Product description

PLANAR MAGNETICS LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE: Many headphone companies have tried their hand at planar magnetic drivers, but none have done it quite like HIFIMAN. The result of founder Dr. Fang’s PhD research at Columbia University, its driver technology has landed the company in TIME, Forbes, and CNET’s “The Audiophiliac, ” and won it the CES Editors’ Choice Award. Now, that tech is available at an unheard-of price in the Mass drop x HIFIMAN HE4XX: a pair of high-efficiency, open-back planar magnetics that don’t need a fancy amp to sound amazing. Listen to them directly from your smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer, or add a headphone amp to take them to the next level. The sound is smooth, engaging, and even across the frequency range, with airy, sparkly highs and the planar bass slam that HIFIMAN is known for. PREMIUM AESTHETIC, COMFORTABLE FEEL: Comfort is king for the HE4XX, which features HIFIMAN’s Focus-A hybrid ear pads: the best-feeling, best-sounding pads the company has to offer. The foam has extra cushioning and is specially angled for acoustics, and the part of the pad touching the ear is made of soft, luxurious velour. A revival of the original HIFIMAN style with some structural improvements, the headband is made of spring steel—so it can bend without losing its shape—and hand-stitched with breathable protein leather. Done in an exclusive midnight-blue colorway, the matte finish is soft to the touch and resistant to fingerprints. The attention to detail is evident throughout, down to the robust steel gimbals with a black oxide finish and matching Allen screws. HIFIMAN: FOR AUDIOPHILES, BY AUDIOPHILES: Born in New York City in 2007, HIFIMAN has had a big influence on the audiophile world in the 10 years since its founding. Dr. Fang has always had close ties with the community. He started out on Head-Fi and attended local meetups while pursuing his doctorate at Columbia. When he realized his PhD research could be relevant to his passion—the music-listening experience and the audiophile products that improve it—he started talking with forum members and meetup attendees about what they’d like to see in the next generation of headphones. HIFIMAN is a natural partner for Mass drop because our goals are so aligned. At its core, it represents a member of the audiophile community building a company that serves the rest of the community.

Who these headphones benefit?

Good for:

• Jazz
• Acoustics
• Classical
• Electronica
• Indie
• Indie Pop
• Pop
• Dance
• New Age
• Ambient
• Vocals
• Violin
• Guitar
• Piano
• Hip-Hop. No they’re not a bass heads headphone, but listening to some of my favorite artists on Soundcloud I started to hear things that I hadn’t before. It was like I was aware of the artist and how they intended for the mix to come out.

With the Brainwavz FocusPads (replacement ear pads), more bass driven music comes to life. The problem with this is that they cost an additional $40 when they should be included for no extra cost, or used as the original ear pads! It really defeats the entire purpose. They also add bass at the expense of the luscious 3D sound signature.

Дизайн и удобство ношения

Во внешнем виде в единое целое слились и старый, и новый поход HiFiMan, подарив покупателям весьма забавный гибрид. Нижняя часть наушников явно осталась от классических моделей: круглые пластиковые чашки серебристого цвета, металлическая решётка, тут облик похож на то, что мы уже видели не один год. Единственная особенность — вилки крепления чашек, традиционно позволяющие вращение вокруг двух осей, сделаны из пластика, что, конечно, не особо внушает доверие. Хотя жалоб на поломки этого узла я в Интернете не видел, но относиться к HE-400S надо поаккуратней. Верхняя же половина наушников сделана в более современном стиле и напоминает HE-1000. Оголовье П-образной формы, выполнено из пружинящей стали. На нем закреплены две подвижных детали из пластика, соединённые «наголовником» из кожзаменителя, именно двигая его крепление и можно регулировать размер данной модели. За месяц использования я понял, что это достаточно удобный и простой способ регулировки. Собраны наушники без оглядки на цену, никаких огрехов и недоработок нет.

их замена на Focus Pads

Модель эта полностью открытая, поэтому она мало подойдёт для улицы или офиса, где работают другие люди: шум будет проникать внутрь, а ваша музыка также без проблем будет слышна всем окружающим. Данные наушники явно ориентированы на домашнее применение.

Претерпела изменения и система подключения кабелей, на смену закручивающимся разъёмам, знакомым по предыдущим моделям, пришли 2,5 мм джеки. В целом это положительный шаг, упрощающий замену проводов. Комплектный кабель достаточно короткий, около полутора метров, в забавной черно-белой тканевой оплётке. Он немного шумит от трения, но в целом вопросов особо не вызывает.

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.

• Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay!
• 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.

Now that the technical crap is out of the way, let’s dissect build.

Final Word

The major point to take away here is that the HE400S is more abrasive and colder sounding, while the HE400i is smoother and warmer.

As noted above, the 400S seems like it’s trying really hard to be analytical and in comparison to the 400i, falls a little bit flat although I do like listening with it. I personally enjoy the sound of the 400i. It’s more musical with better resolution, while the 400S is perhaps a bit more detailed in theory, but doesn’t quite hit the mark like the 400i.

Out of these 2, I would go with the 400i, but today I’m going to recommend something else. The updated HIFIMAN Sundara improves upon all the shortcomings of the original 400i with regard to build. It also sports a tighter bass with more impact, better mid-range and cleaner highs. It’s one of the best mid-fi headphones I’ve reviewed. Interested in learning more?

Treble

I can hear some artificial treble boosting. It is apparent, but it is not a problem. Do not confuse the Hifiman titled models though. The HE400S, the HE400i, and the original standard HE400 are not the same. They each sound different. Here, the HE4XX still sounds a lot like the HE400i.

The major difference between this model and the original HE400, as well as the S version, is substance factor in the upper areas of the frequency response. There is simply less heft and physicality in this HE4XX and the HE400i, at least in my opinion. I hoped for the old school, stunning substance and vitality of the HE500 and HE-6, but gosh, that was a stretch of a desire and of course I don’t expect a $169 headphone to sound like some of the best Planar’s in the $500-1000 tier from yesteryear.

But, a call back to that tonality is something I desire a lot because I think those two models were among the best for treble response on the market at the time. I yearn for that old Hifiman treble tone and sadly, the newer gen models don’t offer that.

Is that a big deal? Nah, we are talking tonality terms here and not quality. For $169, you are getting very nice quality. If I had a gripe about the HE4XX’s treble end, it would be that lack of stunning, beautiful and jaw-dropping sparkle and tone that was prevalent in the other older generation drivers of the original HE-series. As mentioned, the HE4XX here and the HE400i share a lot of similar sound traits. Both of which are different from the original HE400.

400i

The overall build of the 400i was a little awkward to be honest. It didn’t feel cheap at all, but instead felt kind of wonky.

The ear cups do rotate and fold flat which is nice, but the headband framing was kind of strange looking. These headphones made you look like an alien almost.

The circular pads are made of a sort of velour/protein leather combo, and for the most part are pretty comfortable. The only real issue I have is that they tend to slide down onto the tops of your ear lobes, proving uncomfortable after a short spell.

The rest of the build is fairly solid. The cable is encased in a fabric material, and the plug terminates in a 3.5mm jack.

The headband is a sort of protein/faux leather, and very thin. I don’t find it uncomfortable though and it provides enough padding for the head.

Lastly, the small pieces of plastic that are used to adjust the headband up and down the frame do feel a bit cheap, but fortunately the Sundara fixes that.

Product description

Color:Gray

Product Description

The HIFIMAN HE-400i is a high quality, full-size planar magnetic headphone designed for critical listening in the home or studio. At little more than twelve ounces, HE-400i is 30% lighter than comparable planar magnetic headphones allowing the listener to comfortably enjoy music for hours on end. In addition, a newly-designed headband and beveled hybrid ear pads provide added comfort as well as improved sound quality. Using single-ended drivers, HE-400i delivers a lifelike soundstage and spatial imaging. Its increased efficiency of 93dB allows it to be driven with a modest size amplifier or can even be used with a portable audio player or smartphone. A premium cable is included comprised of Crystalline metal with Oxygen-free copper and silver. HE-400i features ABS polymer ear cups in a gloss charcoal finish.

From the Manufacturer

The HIFIMAN HE-400i is a high quality, full-size planar magnetic headphone designed for critical listening in the home or studio.  At little more than twelve ounces, HE-400i is 30% lighter than comparable planar magnetic headphones allowing the listener to comfortably enjoy music for hours on end. In addition, a newly-designed headband and beveled hybrid ear pads provide added comfort as well as improved sound quality. Using single-ended drivers, HE-400i delivers a lifelike soundstage and spatial imaging. Its increased efficiency of 93dB allows it to be driven with a modest size amplifier or can even be used with a portable audio player or smartphone. A premium cable is included comprised of Crystalline metal with Oxygen-free copper and silver.   HE-400i features ABS polymer ear cups in a gloss charcoal finish. Consumer Alert: For Your Protection HIFIMAN products are sold through carefully selected, authorized retail partners to ensure the highest levels of professionalism and service. HIFIMAN products not sold by us, or one of our authorized partners, cannot be verified as authentic and will not receive the HIFIMAN manufacturer’s warranty or factory service. Before purchasing, please verify that you are dealing with an authorized HIFIMAN retail partner. You can do that by checking our official website. Help us help you.

Amplification

At 35 Ohm, the HE400i won’t resist power much, but it isn’t efficient at 93dB and needs more from the amp to reach an acceptable volume level.

So in short, the 400i does need some sort of good amp/DAC to sound it’s best. Something like the BHA-1 which I mentioned above would be sort of like an end game pairing with this headphone.

That said, you don’t need to spend $1400 on that to get the most out of the 400i. To start, I’d recommend something like a JDS Labs Objective 2 for your desktop. It provides 88mW into 600 Ohm, which is more than enough here. The signal is incredibly clean and neutral, so you’ll hear exactly what the headphones are supposed to sound like at all times.

Lego men discuss the wonders of a great DAC.

For your phone or PC, something like an Audioquest DragonFly Amp/DAC (pictured above) hits the sweetspot, outputting 2.1W which is also a fantastic amount of power for something that small (and impressive even regardless of size).What is a USB DAC?

The Sundara benefits from either of these as well, and it’s numbers are just about the same: 37 Ohm and 94dB Sensitivity.

Learn more about how your headphones relate to these numbers!

• What is Headphone Impedance?
• What is Sensitivity in Headphones?

All in all, I wouldn’t be worried too much about what you go with here. As long as whatever it is provides enough power, you should be fine. Related: How to Choose a Headphone Amp!

If you need help deciding, do let me know!

How about genre?

Our Verdict

Come on. Best deal in the entire headphone arena. At $169, this is a monster of a deal. Right now, you can score an original HE400i for around $219+ tax and shipping on some websites. It seems a wiser idea to just opt for the Massdrop edition when it is on Drop and save a lot of cash to get pretty much the same headphone in setup and style, although not 100% the same as the HE400i…but, damn close if you ask me.

Also, a slightly superior quality overall to the HE400i in this newer HE4XX, at least again, in my humble opinion.  Hifiman and Massdrop knock it out of the park, of course. The HE4XX is a monster of a “portable” headphone at $169. With a pure bass tone, plentiful oomph down below and a well-formed midrange that is nicely set up for intimate tracks, this is probably the best deal on the market outside of the Massdrop HD6xx from Sennheiser.

My only real gripe? The portability branding is not really accurate on power needs. My phone can hardly drive them to sufficient levels for me as an audiophile and with more power came more substance to the experience overall. I feel like you’d need to drop a solidly powerful portable amplifier to enjoy the headphone as it was intended to sound.

Porównanie z HE-4

Ilość analogii między tymi modelami jest już trochę większa, głównie za sprawą nausznic welurowych, jakie są tam spotykane w standardzie. Klasa dźwięku między nimi jest zbliżona, ale Czwórki lepiej radzą sobie ze skrajami pasm.

Oferują lepiej wykończony najniższy bas (i w sumie w ogóle równiejszy bas jako taki), ale też bardziej zaznaczony sopran, przez co mogą wydawać się w pierwszym kontakcie bardziej od HE-4XX chropowate. Bardziej od HE-4XX premiują ciemniejsze tory z tego tytułu. Plusem z tego wynikającym jest lepsze prowadzenie pogłosów na scenie, głównie na szerokość. Są też wyraźnie trudniejsze w napędzeniu.

Дизайн и удобство ношения

Внешний вид наушников — типичен для HiFiMan и отличается разумным минимализмом. Оголовье сделано из обычной пружинистой стальной пластины, обшитой кожей, к нему крепятся две вилки, удерживающие круглые чашки. Наружная их сторона забрана сеткой, так как наушники совсем открытые. Комплектные амбушюры — очень неплохие, как акустически, так и по комфорту, для желающих добиться большего, HiFiMan предлагают гибридные амбушюры Focus Pad. Эти амбушюры сделаны угловыми, поэтому помимо комфорта еще и способствуют улучшению воображаемой сцены, так что их покупка оправдана практически для любых моделей HiFiMan HE.

В целом качество сборки наушников неплохое, все добротное и надежное. Комфорт ношения — на высоком уровне, разве что оголовье может слегка давить на макушку, но это легко решается покупкой специальной накладки на него, коих на eBay немерено.

Наушники полностью открытые, поэтому вашу музыку будет слышно наружу, а внешние звуки будут так же хорошо слышны, это наушники не для ношения на улице, в офисе или шумной обстановке, они предназначены для спокойного и вдумчивого прослушивания в уютной домашней обстановке.

Sound & Imaging

This is a very interesting comparison indeed, my friend.

I’m going to actually start with another headphone in the HIFIMAN line, the 400S, as it makes for an easier time comparing to both the 400i and Sundara given how similar they are in sound.

With the S, we saw a bit of a grainier sound, as if it was trying a bit too hard. Don’t get me wrong, a 400S is a fantastic entry level planar, but the 400i definitely improved upon it by mellowing out the sound a bit while still retaining that fantastic sense of detail and intimacy.

I still vividly remember the first time I heard a 400i with the Bryston BHA-1 playing Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away.” It was one of those musical experiences that you’ll never forget. The instruments and vocals sounded so alive, as if they were actually breathing and had a life of their own. Robert Plant’s voice sounded different and foreign. The song hit hard but retained a sense of precision and control that really hasn’t been matched to my ears since I heard it. The song stayed within the confines of being aggressive but never sloppy. It just had so much impact and weight without being overbearing or intrusive.

These are common experiences you might have with audiophile grade headphones. They tend to shed new light on old favorites. You may feel as though you’re hearing the song for the first time, in it’s most genuine and raw form. You will most certainly feel a sense of space and depth with both the 400i and Sundara. Soundstage on them is going to be above average, but still not as wide as something like an Audeze LCD-2.

Marcus over at Headfonics put it well in his HIFIMAN Sundara Review:

The Sundara’s excellent transient response and dynamic range delivers an accurate and engaging imaging experience within a fairly spacious soundstage. It does tail off a little in terms of absolute depth with sub-bass presence just a little lower around 50Hz and below but I never got the feeling it was a shallow sounding experience and it is fairly punchy sounding also when required. Height and width are where the Sundara excels. Staging is not unnatural sounding either for my tastes. It is not a “left-right” experience, with enough crosstalk and a neutral vocal presence to deliver a fairly open but natural sounding presentation and avoiding sounding diffuse or vague. Marcus, Headfonics

Be prepared to have more of an out of your head type of experience than you would would with an HD 600 or 650, but don’t expect to feel like you’re actually there. You’ll start to hear some nice detail outside of your immediate vicinity – the mark of a great headphone.

As far as the 400i vs. 400S, the detail is still apparent in the I version, but it feels and sounds more natural and more organic vs. that of the S version.

The Pitch

$169 Planar? What more needs to be said here. Years ago, Hifiman HE400 had been a very nice entry into the world of mid-fi audio in what seems like ages ago, in audiophiles years, that is. A few years after, Hifiman released the “S” and “i” series generation models.

Now, Massdrop has re-released the HE400i of sorts, but this time, under the logo of Massdrop with a new title designation of HE4XX. Hifiman and Massdrop have indeed altered the sound of the  HE400i just a bit, so if you are looking for an old-school HE400 with a new logo and upgrades, or a true copy of the HE400i, this isn’t going to be your ticket in…well, sorta.  Maybe?