Sometimes, having headphones that deliver some solid sound substance is an audio blessing.
The HE400se Planar open-back headphones from HIFIMAN are a comfortable marvel to behold. Flat and stylish, the headphones are some of the best-looking, sounding, and feeling that I have had the pleasure of reviewing. There truly isn’t anything to complain about.
Let’s get this review going.
Design
The design of the HE400se headphones is akin to a more stylish and artsy version of Apple’s Beats. The ear cups are flat and built to cover every size of ear, while also having some cool design to them that doesn’t make you look like you’re carrying giant muffin tops on your ears (Beats for that win). While that might seem funny, the Apple design is lifeless, as it is dull, and there’s nothing to love about their design effort, or the lack thereof.
With the HE400se, you’ll immediately notice upon use how much effort went into the design. The headphones have an old-microphone-from-the-50s pattern on the outside of the ear cups, gripped and surrounded by sturdy silver metal, while sporting soft comfort on the inside that covers and nearly suction cups your ears to the experience. There is some depth to the outside, but not too much that it becomes a replica of the HIFIMAN HE-R9, which are incredible but somewhat too big for regular use as headphones.
Anyway, in terms of comfort with the design, the HE400se sports a comfortable ear cup bridge that is essentially a ghost when you’re wearing these for a long time. My giant head is typically sensitive to headphone bridges, especially when I have to wear them long-term for editing or reviewing. With these headphones, there is nothing, zippo, nada when it comes to uncomfortable extended use. It’s one of the most comfortable headphones because of this.
To cap it off, the HE400se features a detachable 3.5mm cable that ties the overall look together. While I don’t like the risk of losing the detachable wire, it’s long and flexible enough to make everything pretty.
Overall, the design is damn cool, stylish, and comfortable.
Functionality
While the headphones don’t hit as hard as the HE-R9’s when it comes to isolation and bass, the planar design helps to deliver a perfect and distortion-free audio experience that is hard to rival. Of course, you can praise the planar design, as it has two magnets surrounding the diaphragm and coil, which lie flat like meat between bread pieces.
The planar design helps to evenly distribute high-fidelity audio that comes through without much trouble. I tried these headphones with my Samsung Fold Z and Spotify, and they delivered some gorgeous audio. I played my go-to GOAT Goldfrapp with these headphones, as well as my main man Trent Reznor and his TRON: Ares soundtrack. Both delivered some wicked industrial and electronic music that was led by bass and the occasional mean guitar. I was impressed with how the headphones handled and distributed the instruments evenly, while also emphasizing the very different sound functions of the layers. It divided them and allowed for some pretty sweet music that could be fully enjoyed and appreciated for what each layered instrument brought to the audio experience.
Now, to throw in another entertainment medium into this review, I also tried the HE400se with MLB The Show 26. That series typically has some good audio. I was fascinated with how well it separated the on-field action of the baseball game, giving me all the hits, pitches, and catches perfectly. While the action in the game is nice to hear in a smooth, distortion-less audio delivery, the coolness went from 10 to 11 when the commentary came into the picture. Typically, the commentary is just mixed in with the action when coming through a television. When it traveled through the HE400se, it separated the action and the commentary impressively well, as the commentary sounded like you were listening to the radio (which I appreciated – that was cool). It was smooth and silky, but with a defined and distributed separate purpose.
Overall, I truly enjoyed my time with the HE400se. It delivered audio as advertised, while also bringing some gorgeous design into the mix. You should consider these headphones when you’re not looking to break the bank, while also searching for something that is more than just an inexpensive audio solution.
Conclusion
I highly recommend the HE400se from developer HIFIMAN. The headphones are beautiful, stylish, and the functionality is as advertised.
