The New HifiMAN HE-400s Budget Planar – T.H.E. Show Newport 2015

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Hot on the heels of the new flagship HE-1000 comes another interesting entry at the other end of the price spectrum. The new HiFiMan HE-400s will retail at a mere $299 when it hits the market this fall. While many will consider $299 for a pair of headphones quite an expense (and rightly so) in audiophile terms this is a cost effective breakthrough for an planar magnetic headphone.

The closest competitor to the 400s is probably the newest headphone product from Oppo called the PM-3 ($399, also a planar magnetic headphone). I did get a chance to compare the new headphone to the formidable HE-560 ($899) at the show and from what I could discern on the noisy show floor was impressive.

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While the din of the large tent that housed the headphone section of T.H.E Show newport was no place for a formal review, even a quick momentary glance at the two headphones left me with a satisfying takeaway. No, the new 400s isn’t a mirror match for the 560 flagship, but the difference was definitely not three times less as the cost might suggest.  Even though the 560 shares a higher price tag, it is one of the frontrunners for value in its price range. I would expect after further evaluation to draw a similar conclusion for the 400s. Combined with the new flagship, there is a lot of hot stuff coming out the HiFiMAN camp in the next couple quarters.

3 thoughts on “The New HifiMAN HE-400s Budget Planar – T.H.E. Show Newport 2015”

  • I love the 560, I’m more in the “I gotta have the new Ether” camp, but mating the new 400 with the Gustard amp would be a stroke of satisfaction, beyond what is expected from entry level.

  • Has anybody played with the new Nighthawk from Audioquest? That should be shipping this month (I hope). The new Dharma is appealing also…..

    • A lot of really fun choices coming out soon!

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