HIFIMAN HE400se Bargain Review – Excellent planar headphones for 100 euros with only few weaknesses for music and gaming

1 - Introduction, scope of delivery and technical data 2 - Unboxing, wearing comfort and connectivity 3 - Material analysis 4 - Measurements in the lab - frequency response and decay 5 - Subjective sound check and conclusion

Subjective sound check

After all the technical details, we finally come to the most important thing: How does the headphone actually sound? Let’s continue where it hurts a little more: the individual hearing test. The headphone was diligently played for almost 72 hours, so this argument is no longer applicable. My Tidal playlist is used, this time alternating in a loop with stuttering techno, Güttler’s Bach trumpet and chamber music.

Bass range

The HIFIMAN HE400se offers a slight emphasis in the bass range at 6 5Hz, which gives it a subjectively more “voluminous” sound. Although the bass range delivers the necessary punch, it is not overemphasized. However, there is a noticeable roll-off in the low bass starting at 80 Hz, which results in the bass level dropping by around 3 dB down to 40 Hz. This can lead to a somewhat “spongy” sound with some music styles such as rock and metal, but it doesn’t have to. This is where the parametric EQ comes into play again, which can be used to make improvements.

This range appears confident and is perfectly fine. The male vocals are modeled quite voluminously and are slightly above a purely neutral fundamental. The instruments are also very cleanly connected, which doesn’t sound completely mass-compatible per se, but still sufficiently neutral. You certainly have to get used to it first if you’re not used to it, but I definitely like it. The minimal bathtub orientation is quite successful, because even male voices are given a foundation that is not too strong. So you can leave it as it is.

Midrange

Now it’s almost as warm as a fireplace, because the mids come to the fore a little more. Nevertheless, many details of the fundamental frequencies remain very close to the original, so it is still acceptable. You may even like it, because this style of play radiates warmth and, above all, fullness. Female vocals still sound very confident in the foundation, but somewhat more powerful than male vocals. The resolution of the drivers is simply good enough to reproduce everything accurately. You can confidently leave it that way.

First of all, there is a small valley at around 1.5 KHz, only to increase enormously again from 2.5 KHz, which is minimally detrimental to the differentiated reproduction in this range and results in a picture of misunderstood neutrality. Despite everything, the stage is quite wide and the subjectively perceived quality of the spatial resolution here is above average. High levels with many sources playing together are not a problem despite the 3 KHz peak, but localization gains immensely if the range around 1.5 KHz is raised a little and the 3 KHz is reduced slightly (bell filter is sufficient). In gaming, the level is not quite as critical and it is much as a certain group of gamers would like it to be. However, the localization of the sound sources is significantly better after the aforementioned intervention with the equalizer, although it is already well above average even without help.

High frequency range

The quality of the reproduction is good, but it is a little heavy on the treble. It is based on the sometimes restrained mid-range and the concise upper mid-range, which balances the whole thing out somewhat, but calls for EQ. The speech intelligibility and the quality of the vocals in terms of recognition, on the other hand, are really good and it always gets much better, right up to the edge of perfection, if you reduce this area a little on the EQ. A matter of taste, as always. Exactly the same applies to gaming, so the result is completely acceptable for gaming too. However, some peaks are annoying. Well, that’s what the EQ is for.

The treble is brilliant and can be left as it is or improved further. Sibilants and blow-out noises are very present, but not too prominent, and there’s nothing that slips off into the metallic and sharp. Some icy treble air forms above this, but you can adjust it. In terms of sound, the headphones are right on trend, even if I personally don’t like it that much. The open T5 of the 3rd generation from Beyerdynamic used for comparison costs almost ten times as much and produces even more question marks, especially in the high frequencies. So either the T5 is an overpriced disaster or the HIFIMAN HE400se is a real bargain with a great sound. Everyone should decide for themselves.

Summary and conclusion

Where should I classify the whole thing now? For a street price of currently 99 to 109 euros, the HIFIMAN HE400se is an extremely cheeky challenge to the “established”. Offering magnetostatic headphones in this price range is a real challenge. Especially as hardly any cuts have been made to the material that would immediately attract negative attention. Yes, you could even convert these good hi-fi headphones with a microphone into an almost unbeatable headset, but then you would first have to find the right cable with microphone.

In terms of sound, the HIFIMAN HE400se is right on the money, with the dry and largely well-contoured bass in the context of open headphones. The mids are warm and flattering right up to the upper registers, even if I don’t particularly like the peak at 3 KHz. However, you can make some adjustments here and get very close to the ideal Harman curve. In any case, the nimble drivers with excellent transient and response behavior and great resolution are impressive. For this price range, this is outstanding and actually unique.

The level stability is almost epic, but you won’t have much fun with the onboard sound of the mainboards, as everything there sounds flat and far too weak, despite the 32 Ohm impedance. With a little more drive, however, a real flight of fancy takes off and there’s not a dry eye in the house. Neither does the ear, by the way, but it is blown clean through. This is actually a real recommendation to buy, if it weren’t for the three little things already mentioned at the beginning: a cable that is a little too short with a silly angled plug, the necessary output power at the headphone output and the somewhat clunky headband, which could have been made differently for a few euros more. But let’s be completely honest: This is all purposeful complaining at the very highest level.

The HIFIMAN HE400se was purchased anonymously. If anyone owns headsets such as the newer MMX 100 and MMX 150 from Beyerdynamic or models from Teufel and would like to make them available for a genuine, influencer-free test, please contact me. Since I would rather not have something like this in my collection at my own expense (see Custom One Pro), I am dependent on the community. Thanks for participating!