Reddit reviews HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-Size Planar Magnetic Headphones Adjustable Headphone with Comfortable Earpads Open-Back Design Easy Cable Swapping

Great guys, deal with confidence.

However, Amazon.ca has same price https://www.amazon.ca/HE400i-Full-size-Planar-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672 in case this sells out.

This sale is legit. Here is the price history on Amazon http://imgur.com/a/bF5G9

Source: http://camelcamelcamel.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/product/B00MULH672

Ummm, I will just leave this here: https://www.amazon.com/d/Electronics-Store/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/B00MULH672

They are routinely on sale for around this price. I bought mine for $220 a year ago.

The info in this thread should be helpful to you:

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/9xmsye/got_he400i_on_sale_are_massdrop_he4xx_better/

Personally, having owned an HE-400i for about 2 years, selling it off a year ago, and only just getting a used pair of HE-400 in recent months, I prefer the older HE-400 sound by far - and I provided some of my thoughts in the above thread as well. With that said, these are just my opinions, having experienced both, and at the end of the day, a working headphone is going to be vastly superior to one that is falling apart.

If it is an available option for you, Amazon has vendors that are currently offering it for less than Hifiman themselves, at $165, and as long as it is offered through Prime, will have a much friendlier return policy in case you may not find the newer 400i's sound to your liking:

https://www.amazon.com/d/Electronics-Store/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/B00MULH672

Although I would give some thoughts to do a headband swap, as a viable option as well, if you want to preserve the original HE-400.

https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480348475&sr=8-1&keywords=hifiman+he400i
HE400I on sale half off.

This can’t be right, The HE-400I is showing as $179 (64% off) right now:

HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5i2yCb4H3Z88Y

I'd vote for these, Planar Magnetic HifiMan HE-400i. Add a little low end with Equilizer APO and you've got a great set of cans. I use mine with a Schiit Modi Multibit and Vali2 tube headphone amp. Some people complain of the yokes cracking over time, but it seems that issue has been remedied with latest production from what I can tell. Mine have been nothing but blissful. https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

​

This question can be answered easily or we can take a trip down the rabbit hole....
Also, best place to look is def /r/headphones

If you already have a headphone amp and want over the ear headphones - I would recommend these beauties: HiFiMan HE-400i

If you are looking for any other type of headphone in any price range, the best place to look is the /r/headphone buying assistant. They really did an excellent job putting it together, just take a quick look, i don't think you will be disappointed.

It was on Amazon, I was looking at headphones in passing and mistook them for the lower end model (still getting into the hobby).

http://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/HE400i-Full-size-Planar-Magnetic-Headphones/product/B00MULH672?context=browse

Here's the price history for them, they dropped to $200 around the end of November

someone r8 my headphones. https://www.amazon.com/d/Electronics-Store/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/B00MULH672

meanwhile in England

400i because it's on sale:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MULH672?keywords=he400i&qid=1450544177&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Hey kutekarma,

​

So what I ended up going with in the end was the HD-58x's. But I also now have a Schiit Stack. (Modi/Magni)

​

I started at a pair of HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones. These were bulky and uncomfortable to me. The sound quality was great, but clamping force was a bit high in my opinion. I still have them, but don't use them anymore.

I then switched to the HD-58x's. And I really like them. Very comfortable, very clean sound, I would say fairly neutral sounding, so if that's not your thing, these might not be for you, but don't be fooled, a little bit of EQ adjusting and they still perform pretty well on either side of the spectrum. (bass or highs)

They are indeed very open and they do bleed sound, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. My stream hasn't suffered due to it, and people on comms (discord, etc.) do not notice it at all, and I mainly use voice activated as well, it doesn't pick it up either.

Really the only thing that I can complain about is just knowing that they are so open, but that's just my ocd kicking in.

​

On to the DAC/AMP that I went with and my setup now. I have it connected like this Internal Sound Blaster Z -> (out via SP-DIF) -> Modi (DAC) -> Magni (AMP) -> Headphones. With this setup, I'm not actually using the DAC functionality of the Modi, I tried it, and it worked just fine, however, I do prefer the Sound Blaster's "virtual" surround sound. Many audiophiles will point out that this is simply a "gimmick" and/or "trickery", but I personally like it, it does seem to help when playing certain games, and I like what it does with the EQ in some regards to music, it's also easy to turn off/on with the Logitech control panel.

​

I also really like this because if your speakers also have an on/off switch easily accessible, as mine do, it's so much easier to switch between headphones and speakers, without using windows to do it, and/or having a goofy delay when doing so, which I got when using the Logitech control panel to do so. The Stack does still take a couple seconds to turn on, but the ease of switching them on and pressing the power button on my speakers far outweighs having to do this through the Logitech control panel, and the delay of the power on of the stack isn't even noticeable by the time I grab my headphones and put them on, the sound is playing in them.

​

Overall, I probably spent too much on what I am using it all for, but I really like how it's setup now, and the sound quality and comfort definitely improved over the crap logitech gaming set I was using, I also now have more options with having a DAC/AMP if/when I decide to switch or replace.

Theyre also on amazon for 250$ USD

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ia9lybBWSA2YT

I don't disagree about their quality, but I'm not sure about "lucky".

I was also considering getting these HIFIMAN HE-400I as well. Your opinions? I've heard about needing amps to get the most out of my headphones, that isn't much of a concern for me!

The Hifimans are awesome. You can get the HE-400i for under $200. Amazing light planar sound. Extremely neutral and well resolving. Lacks a little bit in the bass department for some, but you can get a headphone amp (like the FiiO E17K that I have) that has some bass boost and be QUITE happy. I have the sibling 400S, which has a little bit more bass, was originally a little less expensive, but I paid around $300 (4 years ago) and was happy to.

The downsides to them are they are large and open backed. If you can't accommodate open backed, look elsewhere.

Edit: Ima put mine on now.

for around 200

Sennheiser HD599, AKG K701, Fidileo X2, dt990 600ohm would be good options. The AKG and Beyer will need an Amp.

This is pretty good option at 200 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/HE400i-Full-size-Planar-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_16?crid=EOVB99LKK50C&keywords=open+back+headphones&qid=1570302774&sprefix=open+back+headphones%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-16

I've listed a few options, feel free to ask more questions.

Closed:

Alpha dog by MrSpeakers is a closed headphone that rivals some of the big boys out there, even the flagship open cans. The TH900 by fostex and LCD-XC by Audeze are their closest competitors, and those headphones cost almost 3 times as much.

Mad Dog by MrSpeakers is my other recommendation for a closed headphone, this one being almost half the price and not that much worse in most regards. Less refined than its older brother, but it's very often the go to choice for someone who wants a comfortable, premium closed headphone at a reasonable price.

Open:

The Hifiman HE-500 is an astonishing headphone for its price range, competing with flagship headphones, and it is a direct competitor with the LCD-2 by Audeze, which costs 1000$. Your biggest problem with these are the weight and their comfort issues, might not be your top choice, but it's still an excellent headphone

The Hifiman HE-400i might be a successor to the HE-400, but its sound signature is much more similar to the HE-500. Not as refined, but much lighter, this might hit your sweet spot for comfort and sound.

The AKG K712 is a really comfortable and relatively light headphone, and it's really well balanced. Some people experience issues with the treble peak that the K7XX series by AKG have, but this might the best price performer that I've listed.

The HD 650 by Sennheiser is a headphone that I personally own am very pleased with, and so are many, many others on this sub and on Head-fi. If someone wants to spend big on their first headphone, these are usually their first choice. Slight clamping, but generally really comfortable, I don't have any issues with them. The sound is beautifully warm and luscious, it's really nice for a relaxed and long listening.

I use Hifiman HE-400i's and they are fantastic. I have an Antlion Modmic attached to that. Setup is killer for squad.

EDIT: $500 headphones on sale right now for $185 (https://smile.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539835247&sr=8-3&keywords=Hifiman+HE-400i)

He-650’s are always a safe bet:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

I’m also a big fan of the he-400i:
https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

They are both open back, so not good for listening with other people around.

For closed back I would also consider the Ath-m50x:
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86

> Hifiman HE400i

these ones? thats a hell of a deal on amazon right now.

i'm very biased to the HD599s right now, i'd like to have something super comfy since i wear em for hours on end. the m50x do look fairly nice though, i like the solid color designs and the cushions seem decent- but if they're not that comfortable that's probably a dealbreaker :(

I have a bose companion 5. I find the sound very satisfactory but I live in an apartment, so I'm trying to get a headphone for nights.

Does this count as DAC amp people talk about?

If not, what's a good one that will go with Sennheiser HD 598 Cs or HIFIMAN HE-400I? or X2s?

$349 is Canadian pricing.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00MULH672/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482359290&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=he-400i&dpPl=1&dpID=51YKnsHFbUL&ref=plSrch

You can also get them on Amazon for the same price with no tax if you buy from summit hi-fi. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B00MULH672/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

https://smile.amazon.com/d/Electronics-Store/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543521412&sr=8-3&keywords=HIFIMAN+HE400i

Decided a pair of HIFIMAN HE400I's and a Modmic 5 should do the trick!

Thanks as always, dear leader.

For a standard desktop PC setup, is this and this all I need to start using the headphones? In other words, are there any additional cables or components that I'll need to buy?

$180 brand new on Amazon

If you want something outside of the AKG line to consider, the HE-400i is on sale at the moment.

For her, the ATH-M40x is a respected, balanced set under $100. Don't get the Philips SHP9500 for her, it fits very loosely even on big heads.

Schiit Magni or Objective 2 would be good choices for an amp. If you don't have enough to get the matching DAC's for them, your Fiio 10K can be used as a DAC with the line out on the back.

http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE400i-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451327461&sr=8-1&keywords=he400i

HE400i, definitely one of the best deals of the year on a $499 headphone that was considered a steal even at that price.

Compared to DT770: better comfort, open-back, less mid-bass (kick drum), more sub-bass (dubstep bass drop), middle frequencies that sound distant on the DT770 will be brought more forward into the mix - you get a more balanced sound, closer to how your music was made to sound, this is also just my opinion but I notice these headphones really bring out the little details in hip hop, you can hear exactly how the rapper is moving his mouth, if that makes any sense

Get a Magni/Modi 2 for $200 and enjoy one of the best set ups for your music tastes

If you haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet, the HE-400i is $299 on amazon right now here

Rush, 400i is on sale for $250 right now, personally, I am not a basshead and find the x2 not overbearing, the bass lift is tasteful, but not my mojo. Again tho, my own opinion.

https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482560299&sr=8-1&keywords=hifiman+he+400i

HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_43.wybTFFFZF4

Are these not these same model going for 250?

You can get HIFIMAN HE-400I for $300 new and they are open backed headphones.

Hey,

So I have been looking to get some new headphones, and have already have an Amp and DAC, but I am really stuck between two right now. The two I am debating between are the Sennheiser HD 700's and the HIFIMAN HE-400I (or S possibly). I am looking to buy them through Amazon and the HD700's are sold directly by Amazon for ~$430.00 while the HE-400I's are sold by "Real Deal Sales" but fulfilled Amazon for $300.00. I know there are a lot of variables but I would really appreciate some help here?

No it isnt:
https://www.amazon.ca/HE400i-Full-size-Planar-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

What will you be using for a headphone amp? Just curious in case we need to leave room in the budget for that.

It might be down to personal preference so if you can get your ears on any of these headphones in person then that'll go a long way in making a decision. If I'm looking at this as my own $300 and I were looking to buy, I'd be interested in checking out the following pairs:

• Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO (always wanted a 770 or 990 for myself)
  
• HIFIMAN HE-400I or HE-400S (the S model seems to be lower impedance so would need a good amp to drive them)
  
• Sennheiser HD 600
  
• Shure SRH1440
  
• Bose QuietComfort 35 (wireless and noise-cancelling)
  
  See if you can check any out at your local electronics store. Might consider buying used or setting up a deal alert at slickdeals.net to get a good price.
  
  Also, I already own a pair of M50's and they're very popular. Sits at about $150.

Thanks for the response! What are your thoughts on the HD650 compared to HIFIMAN HE-400I - currently at $250.

Also, I'm not very familiar with amps, so would an extra $100 investment be worth it, or would the ones you recommended (I think these) be just fine?

Did you get these: HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PsTnyb1RVJ8CH

From Kraft Street Audio?

$500, It was that price last week and just today it went down by like $300

www.amazon.com/HE400i-Full-size-Planar-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

The 400i is pretty neutral, not completely. But you won't find more detailed headphones for the price. https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537626980&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=he400i

I'll go from cheapest to most expensive here:

Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7GM - $199

AKG K702 - $232 (I have the older version of these, the K701s, and they've been going strong for ~8 years. Can't recommend them enough.)

HIFIMAN HE-400I - $249

Sony MDR1A - $298

Monoprice Monolith M1060 - $299

Sennheiser HD 650 - $315.99

AKG K712 - $379

Most of these headphones will really shine with a little headphone amp to give them a bit more power than your computer or phone's audio output can deliver. Something like a FiiO E10k works amazing. Or the FiiO A3 for a portable solution. Or if you want something that looks a bit sexier and is more of a stay on your desk kind of thing, you can go for something like this or this. Either way, any of these headphones will blow your Bose cans away no question - like not even in the same league of sound quality.

Fair enough. At $179, the HE400i is a great deal. At $319 (or $259 refurbished) the HD650 is less competitive. Of course there are deals to be had in r/AVexchange as buyer and seller for those interested in auditioning.

​

I don't have an opinion on the venerable E10K or the shiny new K3 having tried neither, but FiiO makes comparison easy. As a long-time happy FiiO customer, the only thing which would give me pause before buying the $110 K3 is the $100 Q1 Mark II.

/r/Headphones will be instrumental to your search.

That being said, I would recommend any of the following:

• AT-M50X ($129) – I have these and they're excellent. They whip cans two or three times their price. They're so good they make me want to upgrade to
  
  
• AT-M70X ($229) – AT's new flagship monitors, or
  
  
• ATH-MSR7 ($249), or
  
  
• anything by AT. They have killer offerings at any price.
  
  But outside AT, take a look at:
  
  
• Oppo PM3 ($399)
  
  
• Sony MDR1A ($299)
  
  
• HiFiMan HE400i ($449)
  
  
• Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 ($299)
  
  
• Sennheiser HD600 ($399) (if open back is your thing)
  
  
• NAD Viso HP50 ($249)

HIFIMAN HE-400I Over Ear Full-size Planar Magnetic Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mx18BbHT0EHNP

AKG K702 Reference Class Studio Headphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RCD2DW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1x18BbXZJQBB9

is 400 CAD for HE400i's a good price?

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00MULH672/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ownQybWQ6DCJ5

Is there a reason that the HIFIMAN HE400i are cheaper on ebay? They're $240 on ebay but cost $450 on amazon and on the HIFIMAN website.

Looking at upgrading from ye olde ATH-AD700 to the HIFIMAN HE-400i, any other/better upgrades for the price?

[HE-400i] (https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672)

fritobugger,
last, last question :D
I saw these headphones on sale and it's still around my price
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MULH672/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&smid=A2RJQ91IHY4NS4
should I order these or the k553?

Amazon cut their price... it's 249 at the moment https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

Budget - <$220

Source - Desktop PC

Requirements for Isolation - None

Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-Ear

Preferred tonal balance - Not sure

Past headphones -Sony Mdr-xb950/b Extra Bass Headphone. Nice and comfortable, good bass.

Preferred Music - I watch a lot of movies and play a lot of video games. I listen to EDM/Rock/Big Band/Orchestral/pretty much all types. I cant pick a genre that I listen to the most

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Not sure

I want a good pair of headphones where I can close my eyes and listen to nice orchestral pieces or big band pieces and be taken away, hearing all the individual instruments. But I also want it to have some kick when I listen to edm and play video games. I've done some research for my price range and i've looked at these two pairs of phones: AKG k 550 and HIFIMAN HE-400I

I'm having trouble because I feel like both of these headphones excel in different areas but I don't know which one i'd prefer.

Here are some examples of music: Haywyre, Dave Brubek, Orchestral, ODESZA

is this the same thing? https://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE-400I-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

I just impulse bought it cause it was $155, but then I realized there was a 400i listed elsewhere :|

So currently Amazon has the H400S on sale for $287 but then they have the H400I on sale for $249 would it be a better choice going with the H400I's? This is for purely gaming and according to /u/ZeosPantera he recommends the H400S's just curious if anyone could chime in with a suggestion since to ME the average person the better headphones are less expensive, am I correct in that regard?

Edit: Ok so the X2 keeps popping up everywhere I look, so I am assuming these are the headphones I probably should just go with. I hate headphone chasing lol. But I think I am ready to get rid of the Astro a40's with the mixamp pro and get these X2's and amp them later with the Sennheiser GSX1000...

Hey, so I'm pretty sure they're going for 437 on amazon though. Right? http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE400i-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

http://www.amazon.com/HIFIMAN-HE400i-Full-size-Magnetic-Headphones/dp/B00MULH672

On Amazon for $476 right now.

Are you retarded? A 300$ headphone is going to sound much better than a crappy gaming headset at any price point. Logitech is terrible and so is all the other gaming companies making headsets.

Beyerdynamic-990

Hifiman 400i

Fidelio x2

Here are 3 headphones that are really good for their price