Hifiman makes great planar magnetic headphones in all price classes. From the super expensive, high-end Susvara, to the two headphones in this article: The HE400SE and the Deva PRO.
The original HE400 came around in 2011/2012 and has been through several revisions. It was replaced with the HE400i, then the HE400S, there was the HE4XX (Drop collaboration), and now the latest version; the stealth magnet equipped HE400SE.
The Deva PRO is all new, though. At least almost. It’s a development of the Hifiman Deva. It can be used with the Bluemini Bluetooth adapter for wireless operation, but in this article, we will use it in wired operation only.
They are very similar in size and shape except that the HE400SE has the classic Hifiman circular cup design l, whilst the Deva PRO has slightly oval-shaped cups with a protruding part at the bottom, like all Bluemini compatible headphones. The Deva PRO also is thinner and lighter.
This page is supported by users when they donate or use affiliate links to shop for anything on Amazon via our link here .
HIFIMAN DEVA PRO SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Type: Planar Magnetic Driver with Stealth Magnet Design.
- Double-sided magnet driver construction
- Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm
- Frequency Response: 20-20kHz.
- Impedance: 18Ω
- Sensitivity: 93.5dB.
- Weight: 360g.
- Cable connector on headphones: Dual 3.5 mm or single-sided TRRS 3.5mm Balanced input socket (for Bluemini)
- Included cable 1.5 meter or 4.9 Feet; 3.5mm plug with 6.3 mm adapter
- Optional external Bluemini Bluetooth adapter.
HIFIMAN HE400SE SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Type: Planar Magnetic Driver with Stealth magnet
- Double-sided magnet driver construction
- Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-35KHz
- Sensitivity: 91dB
- Impedance: 25 Ohms
- Weight: 390g
- Cable connector on headphones: Dual 3.5 mm
- Included cable 1.5 meter or 4.9 Feet; 3.5mm plug with 6.3 mm adapter
These headphones are very similar. The headband is identical. The Deva PRO has slightly larger cups. The Deva PRO is 30g lighter. It’s also easier to drive for the amplifier. Both have dual-sided magnets, but the HE400SE has a thicker cup construction and are heavier.
COMPARISONS
The amplifier used in the comparison is the Auralic Taurus. I am using the RME ADI-2 DAC FS as a source.
Tiznit Stomp by Medeski, Martin and Wood
The HE400SE sounds fabulous. Nothing at this price point should sound that good. The bass is very full-bodied and tight, and the soundstage is quite spacious.
Swapping it for the Deva PRO, the most immediate difference is that the soundstage gets more airy. The general sound is less meaty. The detail level seems similar.
Doppler by Medeski, Martin and Wood
Again the bass is especially impressive with the HE400SE. The sound is warm, detailed and delicious. The Deva PRO is good too, but I find it a bit less coherent with this track. The bass is a bit detached from the rest, a bit bloated. The rest is very good, though. The percussion is snappy, and the soundstage is airy.
10:15 On A Saturday Night by The Cure
The Deva PRO sounds very spacious. The bass is tight and controlled, not bloated at all. The tuning is very good. Also the HE400SE impresses. It’s not as spacious sounding as the Deva PRO but pretty close.
Nightmusic by Tonbruket
With this nice and chill electronica track, the HE400SE is a treat. Is so coherent and well balanced. The Deva is airier, the sound-stage is bigger. The bass is less controlled, though. It’s good, but not as good as the HE400SE.
Overgrown by James Blake
The Deva PRO delivers a stunning performance. With deep, full bass, clear mids, delicate highs and a wide-open soundstage. The HE400SE delivers the goods but in a more intimate manner. However, the highs are a bit edgy, which makes the presentation less smooth than I’d prefer.
Plane Temp by Glasser
In the outro, there last minute, the music basically has ended but there are many ambient/random sounds. This sounds incredibly lifelike with the Deva PRO, I turned my head checking where the sound came from several times. The openness and detail is great.
The HE400SE doesn’t achieve the same openness and sounds more like a headphone. Even though the Deva sounds brighter, the HE400SE is the one struggling a bit with occasional sibilance.
Lovers on the Sun by David Guetta
This is my go-to track for testing harsh highs. Even though the HE400SE has had some sibilance with other tracks, this one is handled quite well, although some harshness is present (as with most headphones). The bass is ridiculously good. The Deva PRO puts up a good performance, with a more refined treble.
Lucus by Thomas Strønen
Continuing with some pleasant jazz, the Deva PRO is airy and detailed, with a great tonal balance. The HE400SE sounds good, but not as relaxed and effortless. There’s less separation between the instruments.
AMPLIFICATION
The Auralic Taurus used for the comparison is a solid performer. However, it’s no longer in production and it’s quite expensive.
TOPPING A90
The A90 is ultra clean and does nothing wrong to these headphones. Lots of power and control with a neutral tuning.
SPARKOS LABS GEMINI
The Gemini is a hybrid tube amp. This isn’t exactly a cheap amplifier, but it’s definitely delicious sounding with both the HE400SE and the Deva PRO, inducing some tube liquidity to the sound.
SCHIIT MAGNI HERETIC
FIIO K5 PRO ESS
These two amps are more reasonably priced. The Fiio K5 PRO ESS has a quite good built-in DAC too. They both drive the Hifiman Deva PRO and HE400SE very well. I find the Schiit Magni Heretic to be a bit tighter and slightly better defined while the K5 has a warmer tonality especially notable in the midrange. Both are very enjoyable and are worthy partners for these headphones. I’ll elaborate on amplification in my dedicated reviews on the Deva PRO and the HE400SE.
WRAPPING IT UP
Treble
They both have good treble. The Deva PRO is however more refined and effortless. The HE400SE has more bite and body to the high notes. I find the HE400SE occasionally to be somewhat more upfront, not only in the treble but also in the high mids.
Midrange
Both have a present and detailed mid-range. The HE400SE does however have a bit more mid-range energy, more tonal weight and body. Vocals etc. are closer, more upfront and thicker sounding. Whether this is a pro or a con depends on the track.
Bass
Again, they are both good but they are different. The HE400SE seems to have a tighter bass, often with better definition and control. The Deva can sometimes sound a bit loose and bloomy in direct comparison. However, this is relatively marginal and never really an issue. Both have a deep and present bass response, worthy of real planar magnetic headphones.
Timbre
I cannot really decide which has the best timbre overall. The Deva PRO is the most natural sounding in the highs. The mids are more of a tie, it depends on the track. The bass I think is objectively the HE400SE’s strong point. If forced I think I find the HE400SE more natural overall, but the Deva has a great presentation so I’m not saying the HE400SE is the better headphone.
Soundstage
Both are fairly open-sounding headphones. The Deva PRO is however painting a wider, taller and deeper soundscape. It’s quite impressive. The HE400SE isn’t especially small, though, so they’re not miles apart but it’s significant.
Amplifier Requirements
The HE400SE is, unsurprisingly, more demanding on the amplifier than the Deva PRO. It’s not a problem to drive the HE400SE with a desktop amp, but for portable setups, it might be something to bear in mind, it needs some extra juice compared to the Deva PRO.
CONCLUSION
I am thoroughly impressed by what Hifiman can offer at this price point. These cans deliver the goods. There are no obvious flaws: They have great planar magnetic bass, a well-balanced tuning and plenty of detail. I honestly don’t know what more to expect from the HE400SE and the Deva PRO. Well done, Hifiman!
Stay tuned for in-depth reviews of these two great budget headphones and further comparisons with other cans.
You can support this site by shopping with our affiliate links. You can check out the Deva PRO on Amazon here , the Deva PRO wireless here and the HE400SE here.
We make earnings through affiliate links and any purchase you make on Amazon or Linsoul clicking one of our links will give us a small provision at no cost to you.
We only get a provision for items that are not returned, so there’s no incentive for us to recommend something that’s not good.
Linsoul : Headphones, Earbuds, Wireless Earbuds, Desktop DAC/AMP, Portable DAC/AMP, Digital Audio Players,
Amazon: Headphones, IEMs, Headphone Amplifiers, Home Audio or Anything else.
.
If you enjoyed this article or other content on The Headphoneer, you might consider leaving a small donation to keep this website up and running. No donation is too small. Thanks for supporting us!
If you like our work please follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter , it will help us grow. Sharing is caring 🙂
