I will be honest. These did sound thin and bright at first with my Zen Dac. But after dabbling with some Eq presets from Oratory and adjusting some more, I found these became exceptionally good! Coming from my Fidelio X2s I do miss the expansive soundstage, but for everything else, He400se is just superior. You cannot go wrong here under 10k.

Here are the EQ settings I settled on with Peace GUI: https://ibb.co/RTYYj12Y

Coming from my old Sennheiser HD 206, the Hifiman HE400se is a HUGE, HUGE upgrade. The improvement in sound quality is nothing short of astonishing. The level of detail in every note, the expansive soundstage, and the overall clarity make this an incredible purchase for anyone looking to step into the world of planar magnetic headphones.

I paired the HE400se with the FiiO KA13 DAC-Amp, as my total budget was around ₹20,000. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my 2020 M1 Mac Mini could drive these headphones without any external amplification. Still, having a dedicated DAC-Amp always helps in refining the sound, and the KA13 is a solid addition.

Sound Quality – A Game Changer
The first thing I noticed was the remarkable separation between instruments. Every sound has its own space, making music feel more layered and immersive. The soundstage is wide, and imaging is precise, which makes listening to live recordings and orchestral music an absolute treat.

The bass is tight and controlled—not exaggerated but present enough to be satisfying. Mids are natural and well-balanced, making vocals sound incredibly lifelike. The treble is detailed yet non-fatiguing, though it might be slightly sharp for some users. For my taste, it’s just the right amount of brightness to bring out the finest details in music.

Comfort & Build Quality
At first, I was a bit skeptical about the build quality, but after using them for a while, I found them quite sturdy. The ear pads are comfortable, though swapping them for velour or hybrid pads might enhance comfort even further. The clamping force is light, making them great for long listening sessions without causing discomfort.

Amping & DAC – Is It Necessary?
A lot of people say planar magnetic headphones need an amp, but in my case, my 2020 M1 Mac Mini was able to drive them just fine at around 70–80% volume. However, with the FiiO KA13, there was a noticeable improvement in dynamics, bass response, and overall clarity. If you have a decent onboard DAC, you can still enjoy these headphones, but adding an external DAC-Amp will definitely enhance the experience.

Final Verdict – Worth Every Rupee!
For the price, the Hifiman HE400se is an absolute steal. It provides a true planar experience at an entry-level price, offering phenomenal detail, a spacious soundstage, and a natural sound signature. Whether you’re upgrading from basic headphones or looking for an affordable audiophile-grade option, these are 100% worth it.

✔ Pros:

Amazing detail and separation
Expansive soundstage
Planar magnetic clarity at an affordable price
Comfortable for long sessions
Can be driven by most modern devices
✖ Cons:

Treble might be slightly sharp for some
Needs a bit more power to reach full potential
Would I recommend them? Absolutely! If you're stepping into the world of audiophile-grade headphones, the HE400se is one of the best budget choices out there. 🎧🔥

Amazing set, clear sound and excited by the Planar Magnetic sound.

I decided to buy this headphone as a test if I'd like Planar Magnetic drivers. I thought worst case I'll return them and buy something else on store credit.

After hearing these, I realised I unneccessarily worried about the sound. These sound amazing and It's really hard to believe these only cost 10k!

It does not have thumping bass, but what it does have is well defined bass. However, if you feel you need bass, these EQ very well, just adjust the bass via EQ to your preference and you would still get all the resolution in the mids and top end.

Overall It is a worthy buy for anyone. 5 stars because it is a 10k headphone though. Had it been 15k or higher it would be 4 stars as there would be some decent competition in that price point and obviously any higher than 20k and it will just compete with the sundara.

Do keep in mind that this is a Planar Magnetic headphone and will need a decent amount of power even though it is just a 25 ohm headphone (i know it is listed as a 32 ohm headphone but in reality it is 25 ohm as measured by several reviewers out there). I would recommend using a dac/amp capable of 100ohm or higher at 32ohms, that would be enough power to listen to these at a comfortable level, however you can definitely go higher if you wish to.

Headphone are absolutely stunning. Really very nice good for Mix and mastering.

Budget head phones and liked it already and first ever headphones .... still more to go

Well nuanced sound that takes you on an entirely satisfying musical journey that you want to experience over And ovepr again. Thanks to Headphone Zone for another great offering

I bought these headphones just to experience the sound produced by planar magnetic headphones. I was a bit sceptical about these headphones considering the mixed reviews it got online. Nevertheless, I bought them in the sale as the much popular Sundaras were beyond my budget and some reviews suggested that it sounded similar to the Sundaras and for their price, they provide great value.

As someone who is new to this hobby, I can't really describe the sound quality in detail but I can easily say that I am really satisfied with its sound. The sound is detailed and you can identify each instrument along with their positions. The soundstage is decent though not very wide. The bass is on the lower side but it can be compensated using EQ. I used the wavelet Eq along with TrueBass enabled on my IFI Zen DAC V2 and the bass was sufficient. The vocals sound good and the treble is sparkly without being harsh.
Overall, I am satisfied with the headphones and they are complementing my Meze 99 and HD660S very well.