#11 overall · open-back planar wired
HIFIMAN HE400se
Entry ticket to planar sound for just over $100.
PlanarBudgetAmp helpsUnder $200
- Owners on record
- 6
- Threads
- 5
- Say they own it
- 2
Check price on Amazon · $109
Own these? Vote
Typical price, checked Sep 2026. HIFIMAN's own HE400se page was not fetched; the $109 figure is the list price cited by a Head-Fi member in Nov 2023 and matched by Amazon listings seen during the search. Treat as approximate.
Why people like it
- Cheapest planar-magnetic headphone people take seriously; called hands-down the best budget headphone by one owner
- Open, fast sound well above its price
- Open-box units direct from HIFIMAN keep the full warranty
What owners complain about
- Needs more power than a phone gives
- Same HIFIMAN quality-control worries as the Sundara
- Basic comfort and build
The 5 sources
Owner = the person says they use it. Recommendation = passed on without saying so. Dates are when the thread started.
- Favorite headphones?Steve Hoffman Music Forums · Apr 2024 · owner
- Budget headphones recommendationHead-Fi · Jul 2024 · owner
- Looking for headphones under $200?Head-Fi · Nov 2025 · recommendation
- Best Headphones for under $200AudioKarma · Jul 2021 · recommendation
- Headphone AdviceSteve Hoffman Music Forums · Feb 2024 · recommendation