The HiFiMan HE400se are planar magnetic over-ears ideal for audiophiles who value high audio quality at a more affordable price. If you're not already familiar with planar magnetic headphones, this driver design can offer three benefits over more conventional dynamic drivers, such as the AKG K371: a better bass response, more immersive soundstage, and less distortion. Adding to this, HiFiMan has refined their drivers with 'Stealth Magnets,' a design choice they advertise as further lowering audio distortion without degrading audio quality. However, their wallet-friendly price point comes with a couple of caveats. The manufacturer has already made one silent revision, replacing the original braided audio cable with a thicker rubber cable due to user reports of poor build quality and breakage. There's a chance you still may receive the headphones with the original cable, though, depending on the manufacturing batch.
Our Verdict
The HiFiMan HE400se are inadequate for sports and fitness use. They're not stable enough to reliably stay in place while exercising, and they're bulky over-ears, which aren't convenient and trap heat. Their cabled design can snag on gym equipment, too. While they're comfortable to wear and sound good, their design is too impractical for workouts.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Leak audio, even at moderate volumes.
- Won't block out any background noise.
- Not stable enough during moderate movement.
The HiFiMan HE400se are bad for traveling. Despite their comfortable fit, these open-backs don't block out the noises on planes or buses. They also let a lot of your audio escape into the space and disturb people around you. If that's not enough to deter you from taking these on a flight, they don't have a case, resulting in their bulky size taking up a lot of room in your bag. All that said, they sound good, but everyone else on the flight doesn't need to know.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Leak audio, even at moderate volumes.
- Won't block out any background noise.
- Not stable enough during moderate movement.
The HiFiMan HE400se are poor for office work. These open-backs leak virtually all of your audio into the space, and they don't block out sounds around you either. They don't have a mic, so they're not ideal for online meetings, unless you provide your own microphone. The main upside is that these feel very comfortable, thanks to their plush padding.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Leak audio, even at moderate volumes.
- Won't block out any background noise.
- No mic or controls.
The HiFiMan HE400se are wired-only headphones, so you can't connect them wirelessly.
The HiFiMan HE400se are acceptable for wired gaming. Their open-back housings offer a somewhat immersive listening experience to match their flat sound signature. Sound effects and dialogue play back sounding natural, though not overly bassy. This versatile tuning suits all sorts of games and media, and the headphones' plush padding ensures a comfortable fit. With that said, if you need a mic to chat with friends, these don't include one.
- Very comfortable fit.
- Consistent audio delivery.
- Leak audio, even at moderate volumes.
- No mic or controls.
The HiFiMan HE400se are good for audio reproduction accuracy. They're fantastically low in harmonic distortion. They comply well with our target curve, but like most open-backs, they roll off the deep bass. Still, they output a good amount of boom, the mids sound natural, while the top-end is mostly balanced. They're well-matched between the L/R drivers overall, though our unit has deviations in the phase. The peaks and dips performance is good through the lower frequencies, but it's a little less smooth in the high-mids through the treble, depending on the pitch. The headphones do an acceptable job of mimicking an angled reference monitor when it comes to PRTF. Lastly, their group delay performance is disappointing, but most of the loose bass is in frequencies that are rolled off, and higher registers still sound transparent.
The HiFiMan HE400se are open-backs and can't block external sounds. They leak the majority of what you're listening to into the space at audible volumes, which means they're meant to be worn in quiet spaces, away from others.
The HiFiMan HE400se don't have a microphone.
The HiFiMan HE400se have impressive frequency response consistency. Regardless of your head size or shape, hair length, or whether you wear glasses, these headphones create an even seal around your ears. As a result, they sound nearly the same to different people and over the course of multiple listening sessions.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jul 28, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and corresponding side-by-side comparisons. This update also includes testing updates to Isolation.
- Updated Jul 10, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
- Updated Jul 04, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.8, which updates our target curve and Sound tests. You can read more about this in our changelog.
- Updated Jun 27, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.7, which updates our Noise Isolation test. We've also expanded the scope of this test to include Common Scenarios in addition to Voice Handling and Wind Handling.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The HiFiMan HE400se come in two batches that are differentiated primarily through their audio cables. The first batch has a silver braided audio cable. However, users reported breakage issues with this cable, and as a result, the manufacturer produced a second batch that has a black rubber cable. This change was also done in a stealth revision, so it's possible that you may not know which batch your product comes from until you open their box. In terms of colorways, these headphones come in only one color variation: 'Silver,' and you can see our model's label here. Our model is also from the second batch and comes with the black rubber cable.
If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The HiFiMan HE400se are budget-friendly audiophile headphones. They stand out from the affordable, open-back crowd, thanks to their planar magnetic drivers. This design helps them create a more immersive soundstage than many of their dynamic driver competitors, such as the Philips Fidelio X2HR, and they can produce a bit more low bass. As HiFiMan also produces a wide lineup of planar magnetic headphones, these over-ears are often compared to some of this manufacturer's mid-range products, such as the HiFiMan Sundara 2020. The HE400se are similarly great for neutral sound, but their high-mid to low-treble is more recessed, which weakens and veils vocals and instruments compared to the Sundara, which have a flatter overall response.
That said, if you're on the market for great-sounding headphones, you'll want to check out our best audiophile headphones article. You can also take a look at our picks for the best headphones for music and the best wired headphones.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 perform similarly to the HiFiMan HE400se, and your best choice depends on your preferences for sound profiles. While both headphones are very comfortable and well-built, the Sundara follow our target curve more closely for a smoother sound profile, particularly in the treble, and a bit warmer than the HE400se. They're also a bit more stable on the head. That said, these are minor differences, and if you want a brighter sound, the HE400se might suit you.
Depending on your preferences, you may want to check out either the Sennheiser HD 560S or the HiFiMan HE400se, which are both comfortable audiophile headphones and share similarly consistent sound between people and sessions. The Sennheiser are dynamic headphones and are a bit lighter, with a tuning that complies a bit better with our target. However, the HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones with better build quality. Most people will pick based on their preferred tuning.
The Philips SHP9500 and the HiFiMan HE400se are great entry-level audiophile headphones with small differences. The Philips are less bulky and more comfortable for extended sessions. On the other hand, the HiFiMan are better built and are a good entry point for trying planar drivers. They deliver slightly more consistent sound on different people and are a little more spacious-sounding with remarkably low harmonic distortion. However, there are plenty of reasons to choose either, depending on your priorities.
The Philips Fidelio X2HR and the HiFiMan HE400se are comparable audiophile headphones. Both headphones are comfortable and well-built, with sound profiles that lack low bass but feature detailed mids and inconsistent highs. However, the HiFiMan are planar magnetics with a more immersive passive soundstage. Due to fit, positioning, and seal, they're also less sensitive to deviations in bass and treble delivery.
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.
Test Results
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