The Package

HiFiMAN ships the new HE400i 2020 Edition in a study, well-padded box.


On the cable front, the HE400i now has the same mini-jack plugs on the ear cups as other recently released HIFiMAN headphones. This simple solution works great and is cheap to source in case you want to build your own cables. Durability of the normal male/female mini-jack parts is much better than that of the micro-jack used before, which should bode well for the longevity of these headphones.

Closer Examination

The 2020 Edition looks similar to the versions before it. The biggest change is the Deva-like headband accompanied by the new ear cup forks. The design is very neutral compared to the older models, and even though it is still a full-size headphone, it looks smaller than the versions before it due to the slightly sleeker headband and fork design. Aesthetics are of course a very subjective matter, but to these eyes, the 2020 Edition is better looking from any angle compared to older versions. That said, they are by no means fashion statements.


The ear cup design has not changed much except for the area around the plug. It is still the same diameter as the old ones, which means they are big enough to accommodate pretty much any ear out there. The surface finish is very fine satin (matte), and over the past couple of weeks of testing, it has been holding up well. Although not perfectly so, it is not a fingerprint magnet and seems durable enough.


The pads are one of the great features of the HiFiMAN headphones of the last generation. While not the most durable out there, they are incredibly comfortable. Not only do they distribute the pressure evenly, they are also good at dissipating heat and sweat. They are still angled, which improves imaging a bit and leaves more room for your ear tips to prevent rubbing. The build quality of the ear pads is not the best, but it is also not often that you see vented and angled multi-material pads on headphones in this price range.


The headband for the 2020 Edition is similar to the Deva's, but black. In terms of comfort, the new headband is the best yet from HiFiMAN. It works really well with the new lightweight headphones. I did not miss the suspended design of previous models once while wearing the HE400i 2020 Edition. The forks can twist a little, which makes it easy to get good pad alignment with your head. Precious headbands from HiFiMAN missed this feature, and it was one of my main annoyances with the SUNDARA—it is great to see it has been fixed. In terms of functionality and durability, the new headband design is a massive step up. The only thing that could be slightly better is perhaps the look as the plastic-end covers look a bit out of place matched up again the pleather headband and powder-coated steel ear cup forks.