HIFIMAN HE-400i 2020 Review

Sound – Intro

For this part on sound we have used a multitude of sources and amps.

According to Hifiman, the massive diaphragm allows high signal input and flexible tone control. The HE-400i 2020 is also supposed to have a very fast response time because of a lightweight diaphragm design. And last but not least, you get low distortion because of the evenly distributed magnetic force.

Let’s find out if that makes sense! The HE-400i comes with a single ended cable, but we will highlight the differences in sound when going balanced.

Actually when I first started listening to the HE-400i 2020 I figured I was listening to a +$400 USD headphone. So when I found out about the $169 USD selling price, the price/quality ratio skyrocketed.

Sound – General

The HE-400i has a nice black background, great clarity and good speed. The detail level is good but there still is ample room for improvement. The HE-400i’s sound stage also is good for its level but the higher end headphones of course go wider and deeper. For $169 the HE-400i sounds incredibly good though, no doubt about that.

The HE-400i 2020 to me has a neutral tuning with a high energy level and a preference/focus on higher mids, vocals and lower treble.

The HE-400i sounds open, but you don’t get the huge open, outside of your head experience as with the higher end headphones. For an open design headphone the sound is more inside your head. At the same time it’s not an intimate presentation either, it’s somewhere in between. But it actually doesn’t bother me in any way. Why? Because the HE-400i is musical, engaging and it has a great level of energy.

I’ve been listening to the HE-400i non-stop for the last two weeks, pairing it with both solid state and tube amps, and I haven’t felt the need to go back to a higher end sounding headphone yet. That means the HE-400i has something special. It’s a fun, energetic headphone to listen to and it’s a great all-rounder. The HE-400i plays well with all types of music, but there are limitations. If you desire a highly resolving, detailed sound, the HE-400i will keep you wanting for more. But it at the same time it actually performs quite well and even really good in comparison to the price it’s selling for. If you want a good level of technicity with excellent musicality and fun than you’ll love the HE-400i’s energetic sound.

It is absolutely true that you get more forward upper mids and treble, and the HE-400i 2020 is quit energetic. While I like this I can see why it to some might feel it’s a bit too much (listening fatigue). There re 2 possible solutions. The first one is to use it with a warmer, smoother source such as a tube amp. The other solution is to switch to a balanced output. This softens the vocals and treble section somewhat, delivering a slightly smoother sound but still with good precision and energy. A balanced HE-400i also sounds more spacious and you get a more open and wider signature. I myself most of the time prefer the balanced mode, also because of the better results in regards to depth and layering.

Before going into more detail, I feel it’s important to say that the amount of bass and the overall body of the headphone depends on the source and amp you’re pairing it with. With the SP2000 you in example get a very light sounding HE-400i, while the Headonia and V590 give it more body and bass impact. The Solaris and HE-400i combo goes right in the middle of these two. So do experiment with this.

Sound – Classics

Bass in general is full sounding and really nice with these headphones. It comes in with good impact and body, and it goes down low when needed. Sub bass and layering is ok, but not the very best. This probably is the ideal amount of bass for most listeners. It has good presence but overall is  never too much, and bass never goes out of line, becomes loose or runs into the mids.

It’s not the most precise or detailed bass, but it’s engaging, fun and non-fatiguing. I have to say that the bass presence (body) depends on the source used. With the SP2000 you in example get very little body and with the L&P P6 you get a lot of body (even too much for me). With Cayin’s N3Pro and the Lotoo PAW 6000, you get a more neutral amount of bass, the reference kind of bass you in general get with the HE-400i with a mix of sources.

As said, the upper mids and vocals are more energetic and more to the front. To soften it down you can either switch to balanced mode if you can or use a warmer, smoother amplifier/source with it. I really like the vocals and the mid timbre in this headphone

The mids have a good amount of spaciousness and air, but as we already said, this isn’t the most open and airy sounding headphone. Mids, and especially the lower mids, have enough body and presence, so you can’t label the HE-400i 2020 as a v-shaped headphone. I find the mid timbre very pleasing: it’s musical, exciting and the delivery energetic and engaging. What’s not to like?

The lower treble, as said, has more energy but the upper treble doesn’t. As a result treble never becomes too energetic or harsh. There is no sibilance whatsoever. Treble isn’t the most extended in the HE-400i but it corresponds with the depth of the bass, so in that regards it’s perfectly in balance.

Treble precision is not something the HE-400i will become famous for and it struggles a bit with complicated fast passages, when compared to higher end headphones.

Sound – Conclusion

For only $169 USD the HE-400i simply sounds incredible. No it’s not perfect and yes higher end gear will sound better but come on this is only $169USD. It might sound like I’m being hard on the 2020 version, but the price/quality ratio is extremely high. Hifiman with this HE-400i 2020 version has set a new reference in the entry-level (ortho) segment, and it’s even making several mid-fi headphones look bad. That’s how good it sounds and is.

The Family (Comparisons)

The 2020 version uses the same drivers as the original HE-400i does, but the headband and pads are different. To me there is a difference in sound even though the general characteristics are the same.

The original HE-400i to me sounds more spacious, extended and open than the 2020 version. The note timbre also is a bit better but it also sounds a bit harsher because of extra high mid/lower treble energy presence. To me the later 2020 version has a bit more (lower) mid body, and the harshness just isn’t present here. That being said, both HE-400i’s are great headphones but I do feel the 2020 version could be even better with the added extension, spaciousness and timbre of the original. Maybe for a 2025 edition?

The Hifiman Sundara is a very popular headphone and it’s selling for $349. In the past I haven’t always been positive about it, but it’s actually a nice headphone (even though there’s still room for improvement). So one Sundara buys you two new HE-400i’s, but is it also double as good? Well, it’s a bit more difficult than that. When I listen to the Sundara, I do recognize the signature of the HE-400i in it, but it’s just better at a technical level. It has more details, better dynamics, sweeter timbre and more precision. You get a wider, more airy and typical open sound, with better extension, depth and layering. I do feel the vocals of the Sundara are closer to those of the original HE-400i.

So no surprise here, the HE-400i is not a Sundara killer and the latter still is the better headphone of both.

Sources & Amplifiers

No need to worry here, you can drive the He-400i with as good as anything. Will it always sound identical? No it will not. The biggest impact will be on the lower regions and the bass impact. Tube amps and warmer sounding solid state amps will soften the upper mids and vocals somewhat.

As mentioned before, I do find the HE-400i 2020 to sound best from a balanced output, so I do recommend using a balanced source/amp with this headphone.

Conclusion

When starters or normal headphone users like my friends asks me for a recommendation of a closed headphone, the Beyerdynamic DT770 32 is the easy recommendation. Starting from now the Hifiman HE-400i is my recommendation for an open design headphone.

You don’t have to know a lot about headphones and technology to love these headphones. And for the very accessible price these are going for, they’re the ideal recommendation to a whole lot of people.

It’s a very easy decision to award this headphone with our Recommended buy award, so we’re adding it to our best buy section.