We have a really nicely priced headphone here, with a price tag of about 200 USD in most places (after tax and shipping). I will be comparing HE400SE with HIFIMAN Sundara (350 USD), Sivga Phoenix (250 USD), and Soundmagic HP1000 (300 USD). Most of the competitors are more pricey because HE400SE is supposed to be fairly close to Sundara, which is selling for 350 USD, but started at 500 USD.
这是一个价格非常好的耳机，在大多数地方的标价约为200美元（税后和运费）。我将把HE400SE与HIFIMAN Sundara（350美元）、Sivga Phoenix（250美元）和Soundmagic HP1000（300美元）进行比较。大多数竞争对手的价格都比较高，因为HE400SE应该与Sundara相当接近，后者的售价现为350美元，但原价为500美元。
Introduction
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with HIFIMAN, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I’d like to thank HIFIMAN for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in HIFIMAN HE400se find their next music companion. I would like to remind everyone that me reviewing it is not free for me, and I pay sometimes even more than the full price on VAT and taxes alone .
简介
我事先声明，我与HIFIMAN绝对没有任何关系，我没有因为这篇测评而收到任何奖励，也没有为了奖励而给测评包糖衣。我想感谢HIFIMAN为这次测评提供的样品。所表达的每一个观点都是我自己的，我坚持我的观点。这次测评的目的是帮助那些对HIFIMAN HE400SE感兴趣的人找到他们的下一个音乐伴侣。我想提醒大家的是，我评测它对我来说不是免费的，我支付的关税有时候比耳机全价还要高。
Packaging
First things first, let’s get the packaging out of the way:
So I have reviewed most models from HIFIMAN, including their Arya, HE6SE, and Sundara, and even HE400i 2020. I have to say, they have products where they really invest in everything, and products that are made to be affordable. He400SE falls in the later category, and it is made on the cheap, the package is mostly plastic, and I dislike the overall presentation.
That being said, I love the cable, it is better than the one Sundara and HE400i 2020 had, the cable of HE400SE is so awesome that some companies are selling a cable very similar to this one at the price HIFIMAN sells the entire HE400SE for (Meze Silver Cables are a good example of this). The performance ain’t even that far off, so the package of HE400SE is presented plasticky, but the contents, what actually matters, are quite good. No points shall be discarded from HIFIMAN.
包装
首先，让我们把包装的事情说清楚。
我测评过HIFIMAN的大部分型号，包括他们的Arya、HE6SE和Sundara，甚至是HE400i 2020。我不得不说，他们有那种不惜成本的产品，也有做得很实惠的产品。He400SE属于后者，它的制造成本很低，包装大多是塑料的，我不喜欢它的整体包装。
话虽如此，我还是喜欢这根耳机线，它比Sundara和HE400i 2020的那根线要好，HE400SE的线非常棒，有些公司以HIFIMAN卖整个HE400SE的价格出售与这根线非常相似的线（Meze Silver Cables就是一个很好的例子），性能甚至也没有那么大的差距，所以HE400SE的包装虽然呈现出塑料感，但内容，也就是真正重要的内容，是相当不错的。HIFIMAN公司在这里不被扣分。
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
The build quality on the HE400 series has always been below the sundara series, and now I can feel that a bit more than ever. It is about the cups being made of plastic, and every component being made as affordable as possible. I do not care that much about this as long as the comfort is good, and indeed, HE 400 SE is as comfortable as most HIFIMAN Headphones, excellent really. They do not creak like some expensive Focal headphones, and I noticed just one minor inconvenience on the HE400SE. That is driver flex, which can be heard on most planars, even Audeze Headphones, and for some reason, on HE400SE it is present only on the right side for me. It is audible only while adjusting or moving them, so it is driver flex and not some issue with the headphones.
制造质量/美学/贴合度/舒适度
HE400系列的制造工艺一直低于sundara系列，现在我比以前更能感受到这一点。外壳是由塑料制成的，每一个部件都是尽可能的实惠。只要舒适度好，我其实并不关心这些；事实上，HE 400SE和大多数HIFIMAN耳机一样舒适，真的很好。它们不像一些昂贵的Focal耳机那样吱吱作响。我只注意到HE400SE上有一个小的不便之处。那就是驱动单元的弯曲，这在大多数平板耳机上都能听到，甚至是Audeze耳机，但由于某些原因，在HE400SE上，我只在右侧出现了这种弯曲。只有在调整或移动它时才能听到，所以这只是驱动单元的弯曲，而不是耳机的某些问题。
If I had more talent I would probably take them apart and see if I can fix it, but from the looks of it, they are really well put together. The earpads are HIFIMAN’s usual top quality stock pads, large enough for my ears and head. I also love the fact that HE400SE is not only the most affordable Planar headphone I know of, but also the lightest I can think of that’s over the ear. Planar drivers are usually quite heavy and hard to drive, and HIFIMAN somehow made the ones in HE400SE light, but they are still plenty hard to drive.
如果我有更多的动手天赋，我可能会把它们拆开，看看能不能修好，但从外观上看，它们组装得不错。耳垫是HIFIMAN一贯的顶级质量原装耳垫，对我的耳朵和头部来说足够大。我还欣赏HE400SE不仅是我所知最实惠的平板耳机，也是我能想到的最轻的耳罩式型号。平板驱动单元通常都很重，很难驱动，而HIFIMAN虽然驱动单元做得很轻，但仍然很难驱动。
In fact, HE400SE is so hard to drive I have to place it above the Sendy Audio Peacock, Verum one, and slightly above Sundara. Although the specifications don’t look quite so threatening at first, when getting them to play really loud, at maximum SPL, I am having a harder time keeping control and getting proper SPL with HE400SE. You really won’t be able to drive them from a smartphone and without an Amplifier, at least like FiiO K5 PRO. This being said, I should warn you, they have slightly less control at maximum volume than Sundara or HE400i 2020, so they distort a bit more, even with high-end sources like SE180 or DX300.
事实上，HE400SE是如此难以驱动，我不得不把它的难推程度放在Sendy Audio Peacock、Verum one之上，并略高于Sundara。虽然这些规格起初看起来并不那么有威胁性，但当让它们真正大声播放时，在最大声压级下，更难保持控制力，并获得适当的声压级。如果没有放大器，你真的无法用智能手机驱动它们，至少得有像FiiO K5 PRO那样的放大器。尽管如此，我还是要提醒你，它在最大音量时的控制力比Sundara或HE400i 2020稍差，所以它的失真度会更高一些，即使是使用SE180或DX300这样的高端音源。
All in all, HE400Se is an extremely comfortable headphone, with excellent build quality for the price, and quite honestly nothing in this price range comes even close, most of the alternatives being plastic trashy ones. HE400SE is also made of plastic, but it is comfortable and well put together. They do not isolate at all from the outside noise, and they leak a lot, so only recommended in situations where you can afford for everyone else to hear what you’re listening to at similar volumes to those you’re listening to.
总而言之，HE400SE是一款非常舒适的耳机，对于这个价格来说，它的制造工艺非常好。老实说，在这个价格范围内没有任何东西能与之相比，大多数其他产品都是塑料的垃圾。HE400SE也是由塑料制成的，但它很舒适，而且做工精细。它们完全不能隔绝外界的噪音，而且漏音严重，所以只推荐在你能不介意其他人在耳机外能听完全到你耳机中放的东西的情况下使用。
Sound Quality
The overall sonic presentation of the HE400SE depends on how well it is driven, and on how warm the source is. While sundara was delightfully bright, He400SE is quite bright and needs a warm and smooth source to sound alright. I recommend a FiiO K5 PRO for most folks, as it is cheap, powerful enough, and has a DAC embedded too. Or an Atom AMP+ Amplifier should do fine. Do not try HE400SE with most portables like Lotoo Paw S1, or you may be disappointed by the maximum volume you can get. I am maxing out on both Audient EVO 4, Cyrus One Cast, Astell & Kern SE180, and iBasso DX300 most of the time. They sound the best out of Cyrus One Cast from my collection, most probably because it has the best power deliver on Single Ended, where SE180, and DX300 both have the best power deliver on the Balanced ports. Lotto Paw 6000 also works really well with HE400SE, as it has good power delivery over SE.
声音质量
HE400SE的整体音质表现取决于它的驱动力道，以及音源的温暖程度。虽然sundara有种好听的明亮的声音，但HE400SE是相当亮的，需要一个温暖和平滑的音源才能听起来不错。我推荐大多数人使用FiiO K5 PRO，因为它很便宜，足够强大，而且也自带解码器。或者一个Atom AMP+放大器应该也可以。不要用大多数便携设备如Lotoo Paw S1尝试推动HE400SE，否则你可能会对你能得到的最大音量感到失望。我在大多数时候都是用Audient EVO 4、Cyrus One Cast、Astell & Kern SE180和iBasso DX300来实现最大音量。在我的收藏中，Cyrus One Cast的声音是最好的，很可能是因为它在单端有最好的功率传输，而SE180和DX300在平衡端口有最好的功率传输。Lotto Paw 6000与HE400SE的配合也非常好，因为它在单端上有很好的功率传输。
Driven from Cyrus One Cast, which is the best case scenario I could get (ain’t gonna review the worst case scenario for sure), HE400SE sounds really deep, fun, rounded and controlled, with a V-Shaped sound, large soundstage and incredibly good overall detail. You could be listening to Sundara or HE400SE and barely realize the difference, HIFIMAN can deliver those at 200 USD, and they do, which is incredible for all music lovers out there. The only drawback is that as soon as they begin to be underpowered or you use something that has low power over single ended, the bass goes away, and the sound becomes detailed, airy, and bright.
The bass, when they are driven well, is deep, fun, impactful, and has good nuance and overall detail. It is one of those natural bass sounds, with just the perfect amount of texture to be fun for both Pop and Metal, Rock and EDM. It is not a bass for bassheads for sure, but it satisfies my thirst for some lows fairly well, and HE400SE can vibro massage my head with the right music at the right volumes. I absolutely love their low delivery which is free from boominess or sluggy notes, and free from distortions.
由Cyrus One Cast驱动时，这是我能得到的最好的搭配（肯定不会测评最坏的搭配），HE400SE听起来真的很深沉，有趣，圆润和控制良好，有一个V型的声音，大声场和令人难以置信的良好的整体细节。你可以听着Sundara或HE400SE，几乎不能分辨它们的区别，HIFIMAN以200美元的价格售卖这些耳机，这对所有的音乐爱好者来说是不可思议的好事儿。唯一的缺点是，一旦它功率不足，或者你使用单端功率低的东西推动，低音就会消失，而声音变得只有细节、纤细、明亮。
当它被很好地驱动时，低音是深沉的、有趣的、有冲击力的，并且有良好的韵味和整体细节。这是一种自然的肥厚声音，具有完美的质感，对流行音乐和金属、摇滚和EDM都很有趣。它肯定不是一个适合重低音爱好者的低频，但它能很好地满足我对低频的渴求，而且HE400SE可以在适当的音量下用适当的音乐对我的头部进行振动按摩。我绝对喜欢它的低频传递，它没有轰鸣声或拖泥带水的感觉，也没有失真。
The midrange is happy-bright toned in tonality, very detailed, clean and crisp. I also love the overall voicing, which works beautifully well for both male and female voices. The soundstage is wide, with a fair amount of depth as well. The control over the bass is what gives HE400Se such a nice overall presentation, as it creates good contrast with the thinner sounding midrange. If you need a lush mid, this ain’t it, but it is grain-free and fatigue-free at the same time, so HE400SE knows how to play with your heart and ears.
中频在调音上是快乐明亮的，非常细致、干净和清脆。我也喜欢它的整体声音，它对男声和女声都有很好的效果。声场很宽，也有相当的深度。对低频的控制使HE400SE具有非常好的整体表现，因为它与声音较薄的中频形成了良好的对比。如果你需要一个丰满的中频，这不会是你的菜，但它同时没有砂纸感，也没有听觉疲劳。HE400SE很知道如何俘获你的耳朵和心。
We get a bright, airy and detailed treble. Even switching from fairly expensive headphones like Sendy Audio Peacock straight to He400SE, the cheapo 200 USD headphone can surprise me with the amount of air and detail it is able to present. The sound is also fairly dynamic, especially at loud volumes.
I need to insist though, they are incredibly hard to drive to get those results, and out of everything I have only Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, Cyrus One Cast, and AAdac from Audio Analogue were able to get those results, which makes the entry-level price of HE400SE something to take into account only if you have a good source already.
HE400SE有一个明亮、空气感良好、细致的高音。即使从相当昂贵的耳机（如Sendy Audio Peacock）直接切换到HE400SE，这个200美元的廉价耳机也能让我惊讶于它所能呈现的空气和细节的量。声音也相当有活力，特别是在大音量时。
但我需要坚持的是，它非常难驱动到获得这些结果，在我拥有的所有设备中，只有Mytek Brooklyn DAC+、Cyrus One Cast和Audio Analogue的Adac能够获得这些结果，这使得HE400SE的入门级价格只有在你已经有一个好音源的情况下才有意义。
Comparisons
It is custom for us Reviewers to try and compare the thing we are reviewing to more pricey stuff, if it performs well. If you ever see a reviewer, me, or someone else, reviewing and comparing a 300 USD product (in review) to something worth 200 USD or less, it means that the item reviewed underperforms for some reason. Equal is at most what we should be doing. With this out of the way, I chose more pricy competitors for HE400SE, and we’re talking about some badass well established headphones, including Sivga Phoenix priced at 250 USD, Soundmagic HP1000 priced at 300 USD, and HIFIMAN sundara priced at 350 USD. I personally would have not included Sundara, but you guys requested it so much that I had to.
比较
我们写测评的习惯是尝试将我们测评的东西与更昂贵的东西进行比较，如果它表现良好的话。如果你看到一个评论员，不论是我还是其他人，拿个300美元的测评产品与价值200美元或更少的产品去比较，这意味着所测评的产品由于某种原因表现不佳。等价竞争是我们最应该做的事情。虽然如此，我为HE400SE选择了更昂贵的竞争对手，我们谈论的是一些很厉害的成熟耳机，包括售价250美元的Sivga Phoenix，售价300美元的Soundmagic HP1000，以及售价350美元的HIFIMAN Sundara。我个人意见是不会包括Sundara的，但读者要求的太强烈了，我不得不把它放进来。
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs Sivga Phoenix (200 USD vs 250 USD) – This ain’t even a comparison, most of you guys are better off with Sivga Phoenix if you are looking for a portable that’s easy to manage. The sonics of the two are similar, Phoenix has slightly more bass. HE400SE can manage more detail, more impact, better dynamics, and just a better overall sound, but if driven properly. As I couldn’t figure a way to do this while staying within a reasonable price, I do think that it is an interesting headphone for sure, but for someone who wants to pay 300-400 USD for the entire setup, you can squeeze a better sound, especially portably, from the Phoenix. The HE400SE will suit desktop guys more, especially as the cups are larger and more comfortable. If you drive both, eye for eye, from the same source, the Phoenix manages more performance until you reach a ceiling with 500 USD desktop DAC/AMPs, after which HE400SE begins to shine more.
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs Sivga Phoenix (200 USD vs 250 USD) 这没什么可比性，如果你正在寻找一个易于驱动的便携式耳机，你们大多数人最好选择Sivga Phoenix。两者的音质相似，Phoenix的低频略多。HE400SE可以呈现更多的细节，更多的冲击力，更好的动态，良好的驱动下整体声音更好。由于我无法在保持合理价格的情况下想出一个好的搭配，我认为这确实是一款有趣的耳机，但对于整个系统配置预算只有300-400美元的人来说，你可以从Phoenix上挤出更好的声音，尤其是便携系统。HE400SE将更适合喜欢台机的人，特别是由于耳罩更大，更舒适。如果你从同一个音源驱动两者，那么Phoenix的性能会在500美元以下的设备上更强，再往上就是HE400SE开始更闪亮了。
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs HIFIMAN Sundara (200 USD vs 350 USD) – The thing here is that Sundara is also incredibly hard to drive, and to reach the sound I was describing in my review of them, I almost always used a DX220 DAP with the AMP7 module. To get the same performance for HE400SE, you need to use more or less the same sources, but since the headphone is less expensive it is even less obvious how hard it will be to properly drive it. Now, if we are doing a serious comparison, HE400SE is a bit more comfortable because it is lighter, although Sundara feels more well built. The cables of HE400SE are considerably better, more flexible, better looking. The sonics are similar, Sundara still has a bit more detail, is smoother and more mature. Somehow, when driven really well and really loud, I end up liking HE400SE a bit more, as it tends to have more bass, more impact and more dynamics. I’m talking about listening at 100-110 dB here though, the kind of listening that leaves you with some ear fatigue. I would generally go for HE400SE more solely for the cable and lighter weight, but Sundara has its own merits still. Wouldn’t go for either if I didn’t have at least a Singxer SDA-2 DAC/AMP to drive them.
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs HIFIMAN Sundara (200 USD vs 350 USD) - 这里的问题是，Sundara也非常难驱动；为了达到我在评论中描述的声音，我几乎总是使用带有AMP7模块的DX220 DAP。为了获得HE400SE的相同性能，你需要使用或多或少相同的音源，但由于该耳机的价格较低，所以更不容易看出正确驱动它的难度。现在，如果我们要做一个严肃的比较，HE400SE要更舒适一些，因为它更轻，尽管Sundara感觉工艺更好。HE400SE的耳机线要好得多，更灵活，更美观。声音是相似的，Sundara仍然有更多的细节，更平滑和更成熟。不知何故，当驱动得非常好、非常响时，我最终更喜欢HE400SE，因为它往往有更多的低频、更多的冲击力和更好的动态。不过我说的是在100-110分贝的情况下听，这种音量听起来会让你的耳朵有些疲劳。我一般会选择HE400SE，因为它的线材和重量更轻，但Sundara仍有其自身的优点。如果我没有至少一个Singxer SDA-2 DAC/AMP来驱动它们，就不会选择这两款。
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs Soundmagic HP1000 (200 USD vs 300 USD) – We get a bit crazy here, and I would say that a properly driven HE400SE can sound more natural and punchy than HP1000, which is quite a bright headphone by definition. I don’t like the sound to be too tilted towards a bright presentation, as it can cut some of the detail and can make everything fatiguing, but HP1000 can be quite great on its own right, especially if driven from a smoother source. The comfort is a bit better on HE400SE, but it does not isolate, and it leaks a lot, where HP1000 is fairly good with the isolation and doesn’t leak all that much. The overall detail level is comparable, but HP 1000 tends to make details more obvious, where HE400SE, when properly driven, has more dynamics, and a wider soundstage. For a closed back headphone, but with excellent detail, HP1000 is really nice, whereas HE400SE is great for a really good sounding open back headphone. It really makes me wonder if HIFIMAN could have made the He400SE sound this good, all without the crazy hard to drive nature, it would have made this entire review much more straightforward.
HIFIMAN HE400SE vs Soundmagic HP1000 (200 USD vs 300 USD) - 我们在这里有点疯狂，我想说的是，良好驱动的HE400SE比HP1000听起来更自然、更有冲击力，而HP1000从本质上讲是相当明亮的耳机。我不喜欢声音过于偏向于明亮的表现，因为它会削减一些细节，并会使一切变得容易疲劳，但HP1000本身就很不错，特别是如果从一个更平滑的音源驱动的时候。HE400SE的舒适度要好一些，但它没有隔音，而且泄漏很多声音，而HP1000的隔音效果相当好，没有那么多泄漏。整体细节水平相当，但HP1000倾向于使细节更明显，而HE400SE在适当的驱动下会有更多的动态，和更宽的声场。作为一个封闭式的耳机，但有出色的细节，HP1000真的很不错，而HE400SE则是一个非常好听的开放式耳机。这真的让我想知道，如果HIFIMAN能把HE400SE的声音做得这么好，是否也可以让它不要那么难推；这将使整个测评更加直接。
Value and Conclusion
The closer we draw to the end of today’s full written review, the more clear it is that HIFIMAN are not just masters of headphones but also masters of affordability and able to make a really high-quality headphone without breaking your banks. He400SE is excellent in terms of price / performance ratio, and I honestly do not know of any other headphone in existence offering the same overall clarity / detail / impact / dynamics at this price, with the caveat that you need an amplifier that usually costs much more to be able to get this presentation.
性价比和结论
越是接近今天测评的尾声，就越能看出HIFIMAN不仅是耳机的大师，也是经济实惠的大师，能够在不亏空你的小金库的情况下做出真正高质量的耳机。HE400SE在性价比比方面非常出色，说实话，我不知道现有的任何其他耳机能在这个价格上提供同样的整体清晰度/细节/冲击力/动态，但需要注意的是，你需要一个通常价格更高的放大器，才能获得这种表现。
The build is improving for HIFIMAN, and they are using lighter materials, but provide the same comfort, they are using better cables, improved sonics, and everything just seems to be going up with their headphones, so much so, that HE400SE is one of the most comfortable headphones out there, a bit more than Sundara even, because I’m a long haired guy and while Sundy likes to steal a hair or two when I take them off, HE400Se does not (different adjusting mechanism and headband).
HIFIMAN的制造工艺正在改进，他们使用更轻的材料，但提供同样的舒适度；他们使用更好的耳机线，改进音质；他们的耳机似乎一切都在上升中，以至于HE400SE是目前最舒适的耳机之一，甚至比Sundara还要舒适一些。我是一个长头发的人，虽然Sundara会在我摘下来的时候扯下一两根头发，但HE400SE不会（调整机制和头带不同）。
At the end of today’s review, if you feel you’re ready to drive them, HE400SE will bring you bliss, and if you ever heard a pair and you didn’t like it, chances are it wasn’t driven well. This is a headphone that will ask the world in terms of driving power, but if you love a dynamic, punchy, natural, light, snappy, detailed, wide and airy sound, HIFIMAN HE400SE is one of the best you can get for 200 USD. And you bet that those headphones spent more time on my desk than most, as I am actually actively using them as workhorse headphones.
今天的测评到了结束的时候，如果你觉得你已经准备好充分驱动它们，HE400SE将带给你幸福，如果你曾经听过而你不喜欢它，很可能它没有被驱动好。这是一款在驱动力方面不能缺斤少两的耳机，但如果你喜欢大动态的、有力的、自然的、轻盈的、爽快的、细致的、宽广的、富有空气感的声音，HIFIMAN HE400SE是你花200美元能得到的最好的耳机之一。而且我敢打赌，这耳机在我的桌子上呆的时间比其他耳机都多，因为我实际上是把它们作为工作用的耳机频繁使用。
