HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets Version Over-Ear Open-Back Full-Size Planar Magnetic Wired Headphones for Audiophiles/Studio, Great-Sounding, Stereo, High Sensitivity, Comfortable, Sliver
$109.00
Price: $109.00
(as of Jan 03, 2025 09:27:40 UTC – Details)
Product Description
About HIFIMAN
Founded by Dr. Fang Bian in 2007, HIFIMAN is widely regarded as one of the leading manufacturers of high-performance headphones and portable audio products. HIFIMAN is especially known for its critically-acclaimed Planar-Magnetic headphones that feature state-of-the-art driver technology. The company also designs and manufactures world-class dynamic in-ear drivers which have also garnered awards and rave reviews
Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnet
Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference.
HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz Impedance: 32Ohms Sensitivity: 91dB Weight: 385g
What is a planar headphone? What are its benefits over other designs?
Dynamic headphones utilize conductors that vibrate in limited areas of the diaphragm so that a large portion of the diaphragm is not driven to its full capacity. Planar headphones, on the other hand, feature conductive layers that cover nearly the entire diaphragm, resulting in significantly lower distortion than conventional dynamic headphones.
Form follows Function
High Sensitivity
The HE400SE’s high sensitivity makes it the perfect match for low-voltage sources. The sound is rich and pure without the need for a bulky amplifier.
Maximum Comfort for Hours of Listening Pleasure
Thanks to its newly designed adjustable lightweight headband, the HE400se remains cool and comfortable for hours, even in excessively warm weather.
Durable Connections
A dual-sided high-performance 3.5mm cable is packaged with a 6.35mm adapter for maximum compatibility with a wide range of devices.
The headphone’s drivers are protected by a newly designed casing for enhanced durability and protection from the elements.
What is a planar headphone? What are its benefits over other designs? Planar headphones feature conductive layers that cover nearly the entire diaphragm, resulting in significantly lower distortion than conventional dynamic headphones.
Acoustically Invisible Stealth Magnet Unlike the sound waves created by a conventional magnet, the special shape of Stealth Magnets enables the waves to pass through the magnets without generating interference. HIFIMAN’s advanced magnet design is acoustically transparent, dramatically reducing wave diffraction turbulence that degrades the integrity of the sound waves. The reduced distortion yields pure sonic output that is accurate and full-range.
Durable Connections The headphone’s drivers are protected by a newly designed casing for enhanced durability and protection from the elements. A dual-sided high-performance 3.5mm cable is packaged with a 6.35mm adapter for maximum compatibility with a wide range of devices.
The HE400SE’s high sensitivity makes it the perfect match for low-voltage sources, including portable hi-res. audio players.
Maximum Comfort for Hours of Listening Pleasure Thanks to its newly designed adjustable lightweight headband, the HE400se remains cool and comfortable for hours, even in excessively warm weather.
Customers say
Customers appreciate the headphones for their value, comfort, and clarity. They find the earpads soft and well-distributed clamping force. The frequency response is good, though opinions vary on sound quality, build quality, weight, and cable quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
8 reviews for HIFIMAN HE400SE Stealth Magnets Version Over-Ear Open-Back Full-Size Planar Magnetic Wired Headphones for Audiophiles/Studio, Great-Sounding, Stereo, High Sensitivity, Comfortable, Sliver
Add a review

$109.00
Daniel Six –
Probably the best headphones you can buy at this price
I’m blown away by these things. They did sound a little tinny at first, but ten days of blasting later and they are just shockingly good. Planar magnetics are noticeably more responsive and detailed than conventional drivers, and the low bass is actually more convincing than the closed back ear cannons I was using–expensive Sony studio monitor phones, which were never comfortable to begin with. The Hifiman phones are *very* well built, and extremely comfortable to wear for the duration of my customary sixteen hour workday in 3D animation.One thing though; you will definitely need a dedicated headphone amp if you want to rock out; they *cannot* be adequately powered by most conventional electronics. I got a Fosi Audio DAC/amp for sixty bones that will drive these Hifiman phones to a decent blasting. It has a rated output of 130 milliwatts, which is about the minimum for a planar magnetic design.Incredible deal for the single Benjamin they cost!
Juj –
Fantastically full-sounding & consistent, preferred over more expensive models
Iâm picky when it comes to my musicâs sound, and have tested a ridiculous number of open-back/over-ear headphones in the last year, including Philips Fidelio X2HR, Sennheiser 599, 600, 650, 660s2, and 6XX, AKG k702 & k712, as well as HiFiMan Sundara (2020 version), Edition XS, and Ananda Nano. All but one pair went back, but it made for some really good perspective re comparing cans.I have spent the last 9 months happy as a clam with my AKG k702 + Schiit Stack (Modi Multibit, Loki Mini+, Vali 2++/3), but recently fell back into the research rabbit hole (oops) and decided to give the HiFiMan he400se a try, and boy am I glad I did.These deliver full and warm sound very consistently via an orb-like soundstage, i.e. music feels like itâs coming from all directions around your head, like being at the center of a large globe.The Edition XS & Ananda Nano are applauded for a large soundstage, but I found it to be too vertical in both, like having a âwall of soundâ on each side of your head, and the headphones themselves were comically large for my small head.The he400se are super comfortable by comparison; they do not clamp too hard but arenât too loose either, the ear pads are amazing, and the body is hefty without being too heavy (as someone who gets headaches really easily, this is a big win).They only ever sit on my head or their stand, so I canât really speak to their durability as Iâm not tossing them into a backpack or anything like that (be gentle with your beloved audio gear!!), but their brushed metal grilles, padded PU leather headband, and stepped per-ear adjustment feel very high-quality. I know people have had issues with HiFiMan products in terms of defects, but this pair was perfect right out of the box.There were no issues with the stock cable either, but it was too short for me (at around 3ft), so I am replacing it with a custom 6ft Hart Audio cable (Amazonâs replacement options are great as well; there shouldnât be any difference in sound quality).Compared to the AKG k702, in my opinion, the HiFiMan he400se are better for passive music enjoyment due to their warmer tuning & ability to bring out the best in all genres*, while the k702 would be preferable for mixing/mastering, certain games, and other analytical listening, as they have a very wide & accurate soundstage (like being in a large, flat/horizontal disc-like space with musicians scattered across it).*Note re âbringing out the best in all genresâ: open-backs arenât known for boomy bass, and I am not a bass-head. But I can confidently say that the planar magnetic drivers in the he400se brings more bass presence than any of the open-back headphones with dynamic drivers Iâve tried, and the mid-bass-boosted tuning compensates for the imminent lack of âthump.âI do recommend having some way to fine-tune the EQ. With the Loki Mini+, Iâve increased the low bass as well as the treble â because of the warmer tuning, the highs (e.g. lead instruments & vocals) can sound a little recessed stock.These can easily be driven without a super-expensive amp, but having an amp/DAC *will* make them sound better than plugging them directly into your PC or phone (either of which can be sources of lossless music with the right equipment & >40gbps USB-C cable to the source).Not only are these great value, theyâre great in general. I prefer them over several much more expensive counterparts. Nobody else can speak for your ears but you, though, so youâll only know if you give them a try 🙂
Zahid H. –
Only open back headphones you really need
Left driver failed within a few days. I’m going to have to get a return going.Shame, because when it was working, these sounded fantastic, at any price let alone the bargain price they sell at. At least the right driver still sounds great, but I kind of need more than 1 working.Update: I initially wrote a glowing review for this, but the driver failed on me within a few days. I recently purchased this again, and this one looks to be holding up so far. I also did get it even cheaper and was resolved to just open it up and fix it myself in case there was an issue. So far so good though.It is my opinion that this is the best deal in headphones on the market. Planar sound edges out dynamics imo, especially when it comes to piano and violin (I think nothing perfectly replicates a violin, maybe electrostats are close but they’re more expensive and finicky) so if you enjoy those instruments, this will be particularly enjoyable for you. Bass extension is very good and accurate—they don’t have “slam” or an emphasis, they are a straight line pretty much, tight and fast, which is what you want, and is more like what a quality subwoofer gives you. There’s a small dip in mid-range around 1-2k but otherwise these are neutral, which is also what I want. I don’t understand why people want colored sound, accurate is always better, if you don’t like what you hear accurately then you don’t like what you’re listening to, and could just EQ it anyway.At this price you just don’t need anything else. You do need an amp, but you don’t need an expensive one either. You may even be able to get by without an amp, but a decent amp is a one time purchase that lasts pretty much forever as well and is good for this hobby. I’d say if you don’t want an amp, you’d probably be best off with an ATH-AD500x/700x/900x as they don’t need amps. For everything else, including the HD6XX series or the AKG 7XX series, you’d need an amp. Those are the two other recommended headphones in mid-fi, I don’t like the HD650 at all and don’t see why anyone would use it over the HE400SE. The AKG 702 however is an interesting choice, although still more similar to the HE400SE, it does do some things better that you might want (better 1-2k and wider soundstage). Thing is the other options are more expensive too. So at this price get the HE400SE.Again my previous one failed on me. This one is holding up fine so far. I’m taking a star off for that, just cross your fingers. Honestly even if one fails, probably just exchange it/return it, the issue is a wire in the left driver, it’s easy to open these and fix it if you can solder as well, so that’s an option. You’d want to open these if you want to mod them as well, the grill mod is popular. I’ve read the earcups wear down quickly, there are replacements available for that too, although they cost almost as much as the entire thing new so…you’d probably just replace these every few years if that’s an issue.
Amazon Customer –
The sound is good, not much on the bass side , if u have a dac, they sound amazing.
ALUISIO S PINHEIRO –
Muito be construÃdo. Médios excelentes. à interessante ter um amplificador para headphones.
John –
These really do offer a wonderfully clear and detailed sound at a low price. They are very well made too. They do take a bit of power to get to a decent sound level. A bit heavy but comfortable.
Memo Aréchiga –
Empezaré diciendo que hace poco empecé a interesarme en el mundo del buen audio. No voy a decir que soy “audiófilo” porque me parece un término irrelevante, soy alguien que ama la música más que cómo se escucha, aunque no significa que no me guste el buen audio. He pasado por los famosos (¿por qué?) AirPods, audÃfonos Bluethooth in-ear, Bluethooth con cancelación activa, JVC HARX700, Samson SR850 y desde hace 1 mes con estos Hifiman, sin duda, lo mejor que he escuchado por lejos. Los he escuchado con un DAC/AMP de la marca Ciglow comprado aquà en Amazon.El unboxing en general es simple, pero sólido. VenÃa muy bien empaquetado y protegido.Construcción: Bastante decente, no la mejor por este precio (Fidelio X2HR imbatibles en este aspecto), pero se siente muy bien. La headband es de piel sintética de buen tacto y el arco que une las copas a ésta es de metal. Las copas en sà son de plástico, pero para nada se sienten de mala calidad. Las mayas que protege el driver se sienten bastante firmes.Primero los compararé con los Samson y los Fidelio.Los Samson son muy buenos, pero tienen un espectro en V marcado y sin duda son sibilantes (frecuentemente tenÃa que bajar al volumen por los agudos) y al ser semi-abiertos el soundstage es algo limitado al igual que el imaging. Pese a esto, creo que por el precio que pagas es de las mejores opciones.Los Fidelio son maravillosos, la construcción es de lo mejor, el sonido es increÃble; sus bajos y el soundstage son sorprendentes, además de super fáciles de alimentar (celulares sin problema). Sin duda una excelente opción.Pasé una tortura decidiendo entre los Fidelio o los Hifiman. Si estás en esta misma situación, déjame decirte que solo por situaciones especÃficas te recomiendo escoger los Fidelio y es 1: Si eres amante total del bajo y si 2: Rehúsas determinantemente comprar un DAC/AMP para los Hifiman. De ahà en fuera yo me quedo con los Hifiman, pero debo decir que me dolió dejar ir los Fidelio.Sonido: Estos Hifiman, fueron chocantes para mi. Nunca pensé que el audio (de música, pelÃculas y videojuegos) pudiera sonar de la manera que lo reproduce. Es el sonido más natural que he escuchado, los bajos aunque son menores que los Fidelio, son igual de profundos y mucho más rápidos (naturaleza de planares), y antes que pienses que es algo negativo, he de admitir que desde que tengo estos audÃfonos he tenido más interés en géneros como Electrónica o música Pop (que antes no escuchaba mucho). Los medios son lo mejor que he escuchado, y es sorprendente cuando vuelves a audÃfonos en V para comparar, donde generalmente quedan rezagados. Música acústica como Adele, Johnny Cash, Gipsy Kings se escucha asombroso. No tengo nada malo para los agudos, son extensos pero nunca se sienten sobrepasados o sibilantes. En general y en mi experiencia, TODO se escucha grandioso. El soundstage es estupendo, al grado de nunca saber con seguridad si mi TV está con el sonido encendido, y créeme, muchas veces me he asustado pensando que alguien me habló o que algo pasó, cuando en realidad era lo que estaba reproduciendo los audÃfonos. El imaging en música es igual de increÃble, cierras los ojos y sabes donde están los instrumentos, y no me refiero solo a derecha o izquierda, sino a la derecha arriba, en medio o abajo, igual en el lado izquierdo, yendo hasta abajo mezclándose con los graves donde tienen su propia extensión dependiendo de qué tan profundos sean en lo que escuches, igual con los agudos. Incluso he llegado a sentir sonidos proviniendo de delante. Es difÃcil de explicar jaja, pero lo que si estoy seguro es que nunca he sentido que las frecuencias estén mezcladas o poco claras. En videojuegos es igual de genial, lo he probado primordialmente en Battlefield 5, ya que los Battlefield’s tienen de lo mejor en audio. Y con estos audÃfonos es gloria pura, te sientes realmente dentro del videojuego por la naturaleza del sonido de los Hifiman, las explosiones no se sientes carentes, las pisadas, sea pasto, tierra, concreto se oyen reales y cercanas, los disparos son como deben de ser, estruendosos y muy satisfactorios, aviones pasando encima de ti o volando a lo lejos, sabes dónde ocurre. De nuevo, la mezcla de todo lo que he dicho en un videojuego como este es una gloria, pero no por eso son solo para juegos “competitivos”, lo he probado con Detroit Become Human y se escucha igual de alucinante. En pelÃculas es igual de gratificante, las voces son súper claras y en pocas palabras, es como si estuvieras ahÃ.Amplificación: Siendo honesto no los uso con celulares, pero revisando rápidamente para esta reseña puedo decir que alcanza un volumen medio. Como los uso es conectando el DAC Ciglow a través de óptico a mi TV Hisense H8G y por USB a mi PC y en ambas alcanza un volumen alto, más que disfrutable. Dato extraño: Conectando este DAC al PS5 no alcanza un volumen alto, es muy deficiente asÃ, pero directo al control si se escucha fuerte, sin embargo, el sonido cambia, se vuelve más “lodoso” o menos claro y los bajos se vuelven más invasivos. Por esto lo uso conectándolo a la TV y no directamente al PS5. Sin duda recomiendo tener o comprar un DAC/AMP para disfrutarlos al máximo.Empezando por lo menos negativo o “arreglable”.-El cable con el que viene es muy corto para mi gusto y es francamente horrible, plasticoso, se enreda como resorte. Yo solucioné esto comprando el cable NewFantasia en Amazon de Estados Unidos (sale más barato). Vale mucho la pena comprar este cable.-Las pads son más que decentes, la verdad, sin embargo soy algo exigente en la comodidad, y las pads son algo delgadas, el agujero donde van tus orejas es algo pequeño y el velour que usan no es el felpudo como las almohadillas TRANSTEK, sino rugoso como las Brainwavz (que no soy muy fan) y llegan a dar picor. Yo solucioné esto comprando las pads Defean (de nuevo en Amazon de Estados Unidos) de cuero real y con el anillo ya incluido, esto si es caro ($1331) pero si eres como yo, créeme son de lo mejor y lo más cómodo (y huelen delicioso).Llegamos a lo que para mà es lo más negativo (ni tanto, pero bueno)-La Headband pese a que mencioné positivamente la sensación del cuero, tiene una espuma que se siente bien en la mano cuando la presionas, pero al principio es dura, necesitas aflojarla con las manos antes de usarla por un tiempo o con el uso mismo. Sin embargo, a mi me sigue molestando un poco después de unas 2 horas, lo único que tienes que hacer cuando pase esto es adelantarla o hacerla ligeramente hacia atrás de tu cabeza aprovechando que es delgada. Esto junto con que el plástico en el que acaba (donde viene Hifiman y el modelo) que se siente un poco barato, es lo más negativo. Creo que si hubieran decidido un sistema de banda de suspensión como los Fidelio o los Samson hubieran sido PERFECTOS. Pero bueno, nada en esta vida lo es.
Sayantan K. –
Primarily I didn’t want to buy this because of two things . 1. The flimsy wire given with the box 2. QC issues with Hifiman. But I did take a chance. And amazed. This is a pair of wonderful cans. Wire is not that flimsy according to other reviews, but not good also. The seller added an extra good wire , that was a bonus. I’ve not faced any QC issues till now. But one amp/dac is needed to unlock hidden magical sound. I’m using Shanling UP4, which is not that great of a dac/amp. But it does it’s job. I would recommend Fiio Q3/Ifi Zen Dac 2 for better performance. And also if possible buy a balanced cable , you’ll in the moon. Take care of your cans. Adios!