HiFiMAN HE400SE vs Sundara: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

The Upgrade Question

The HiFiMAN HE400SE costs around $109. The Sundara costs around $299–$349. That’s roughly a $200 gap. Is the Sundara worth the premium?

Short answer: Yes — but only if you have the right amplifier. The Sundara’s improvements are real and audible, but they require proper power to materialise. Pair the Sundara with an inadequate source and the HE400SE will outperform it in perceived dynamics. Pair both with quality amplification and the Sundara is noticeably better.

Specs Comparison

Both are open-back, both are planar magnetic. The driver design, magnet structure, and diaphragm quality differ significantly.

Sound Character

HE400SE — The Budget Planar Revelation

For $109, the HE400SE is genuinely extraordinary. It offers most of the core benefits of planar magnetic technology — low distortion, fast transients, tight bass — at a price that undercuts dynamic-driver competition.

The bass is the HE400SE’s calling card: extended, controlled, and with planar texture that dynamic drivers rarely achieve at this price. The midrange is slightly thin compared to more expensive planars — there’s a mild scoop in the upper-bass/lower-midrange that can make instruments sound slightly lean. The treble is present and somewhat peaky around 6–8kHz, which gives good detail retrieval but can cause brightness on certain recordings.

Soundstage is wide for a closed-back but not exceptionally deep. Imaging is decent, not precise.

Sundara — Refined Planar Performance

The Sundara uses a different driver design — thinner diaphragm, steeper magnet arrays — that HiFiMAN has refined through multiple revisions (the current 2020 version is significantly improved over the 2017 original).

The key differences over the HE400SE:

• Treble: The Sundara’s treble is more extended, more even, and significantly less peaky. High-frequency detail is greater without the harshness.
• Midrange: More accurate, fuller bodied, more natural timbre on voices and instruments.
• Imaging: Noticeably more precise — instruments have clearer positions in the soundstage.
• Soundstage: Slightly wider and considerably more three-dimensional.
• Bass: Similar quantity to the HE400SE but with tighter control and better texture.

Amp Requirements: This Is Critical

The Sundara at 37Ω and 94dB/mW is not particularly hard to drive on paper. In practice, planar magnetic headphones benefit enormously from amplifiers with high current output, and the Sundara is no exception.

The HE400SE reaches full potential with the Magni Heresy. The Sundara benefits from the Asgard 3 or K7 level of amplification. If you’re budgeting for the Sundara, factor in an Asgard 3 as the minimum recommended amplifier.

Value Calculation

HE400SE + Schiit Magni Heresy: ~$218 total. Outstanding value. You get planar magnetic performance that rivals headphones costing 3× as much.

Sundara + Schiit Asgard 3: ~$498 total. A genuine audiophile rig at a non-audiophile price. This combination competes with setups costing $800+.

Which Should You Buy?

Buy the HE400SE if:

• Your budget for headphones + amp is under $300 total
• You’re new to audiophile headphones and want to explore planar magnetics
• You primarily listen to electronic, hip-hop, or bass-forward music
• You want the best possible value for money in planars

Buy the Sundara if:

• You have a quality amplifier (Asgard 3 / K7 or better) or are budgeting for one
• You listen to acoustic music, jazz, or classical where midrange accuracy matters
• You want the best treble quality in this price range
• You plan to keep these headphones for 3–5+ years

The HE400SE is not a “cheap substitute” for the Sundara — it’s a genuinely impressive headphone in its own right. But the Sundara is a meaningful step forward when properly driven.