Our Verdict
The HE-400i are good reference headphones that shine in the sound department. They're comfortable for long listening sessions and deliver an excellent representation of instruments and vocals. They sound a little sharp and bass is a bit lacking compared to the Edition X, but their sound is sufficiently balanced and open to please most neutral listeners.
- Great sound quality.
- Decent build quality.
- Comfortable.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Big and bulky.
- High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.
Not designed for commuting. The open ear cups do not block any noise, which is not ideal for loud environments.
- Great sound quality.
- Decent build quality.
- Comfortable.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Big and bulky.
- High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.
Not meant for sports. They're big, bulky and slightly unstable. Even if they can be powered by a mobile device these headphones perform poorly outdoors and will fall if used during physical activity.
- Great sound quality.
- Decent build quality.
- Comfortable.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Big and bulky.
- High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.
Sub-par for office use. They will not block the office chatter and also leak a lot. Unless you work in an isolated environment, anyone will be able to hear your audio.
- Great sound quality.
- Decent build quality.
- Comfortable.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Big and bulky.
- High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.
Mediocre for gaming. The HiFiMan HE-400i are comfortable, they sound great and have a low latency wired design. However, they do not have a microphone for voice chat when gaming, and no customization options which are typical for most gaming headsets. Also, they do not have the convenience of wireless design or multiple connection options for an optimized experience on Xbox one or PS4.
- Great sound quality.
- Decent build quality.
- Comfortable.
- Sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Big and bulky.
- High leakage by design, cannot be used in public.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 22, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 13, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Hifiman HE-400i are great-sounding headphones with a comfortable fit and a balanced audio reproduction. They're a good choice for critical listening but will not be as good for other use cases. Unfortunately, their build quality, though premium looking is a bit fragile and weak at the hinges. This may be a deal breaker for some, especially since similarly designed models, like the ones compared below, have an equally as good sound but a better build quality. See our recommendations for the best studio headphones, the best DJ headphones, and the best over-ear headphones.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 have better build quality and a more stable fit than the step-down HiFiMan HE-400i. They also have a more accurate bass response, which some listeners may prefer. However, the HE-400i have a slightly lighter clamping force, which may make them more comfortable over a prolonged session. They also come with a longer, 10-foot audio cable.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the HiFiMan HE-400i are both good headphones if you like a neutral sound. The HiFiMan have less bass, but they also sound less piercing. However, they feel a lot less durable, and there have been many reports of issues with their build quality. The Beyerdynamic feel much better-built, although their tight fit is less comfortable.
The HiFiMan HE-400i and the HiFiMan Sundara 2018 are fairly similar models, but the Sundara are better headphones. They are better-built than the HE-400i and they don’t sound as sharp in the treble range. However, these differences are fairly minor, and the HE-400i might offer better value for some since they are cheaper.
The HiFiMan HE-400i are better headphones for neutral sound than the Beats Solo Pro. The HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones with an open-back design. They're much more comfortable and have a significantly better passive soundstage performance. However, the Beats are more versatile wireless headphones. They have a closed-back design, a much better build quality, and a great ANC feature. They also have onboard controls and an integrated mic, unlike the HiFiMan.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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