Planar Magnetic Headphone Technology At An Affordable Price!
The Massdrop version of the Hifiman HE-400i, branded as the HE-4XX
is an excellent sounding headphone. When the HE-400i was introduced a few years ago, it retailed for about $500.
At the time it was considered an excellent value for a planar magnetic headphone (most of the planar magnetic headphones on the market at that time were far more expensive). A few years ago Massdrop decided to offer their own version of the HE-400i, while improving the headphone's overall sound signature and build quality.
The result is the HE-4XX; an upgraded version of the Hifiman HE-400i for a paltry $170. Needless to say, the HE-4XX has been a tremendous success for Massdrop and Hifiman.
The only caveat in regard to these headphones (as has been the case with virtually all Hifiman products) is quality control. There have been some issues regarding build quality, so those who would consider purchasing these headphones should understand this in advance. Also read message boards such as Super Best Audio Friends, Head-Fi and AudioScienceReview for more user feedback
on these products.
I am really enjoying my HE-4XX headphones and I'm very pleased that I can run them directly from the headphone output of my Amazon
Fire HD10. At 35 OHMS, the HE-4XX plays to fairly loud levels
directly out of the HD10, however, improves significantly when used with a dedicated headphone amplifier.
For the money, the HE-4XX offers tremendous value.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned