HIFIMAN reviews

Every HIFIMAN product reviewed on The Audio Stuff: 15 headphones and 4 headphone amps. Each category is ranked on its own, because a score compares products of one kind.

Reviews
19
Scores
6.8 to 9.3
List prices
$99 to $1,700
Latest review

Which HIFIMAN to buy

HIFIMAN headphones

  1. HIFIMAN HE1000se

    Open-back Sound: Bright, lean bass

    List price $1,700

    9.3/10 Reference

  2. HIFIMAN Arya Organic

    Open-back Sound: Bright, wide stage

    List price $1,099

    9.2/10 Highly Recommended

  3. HIFIMAN Arya Unveiled

    Open-back Sound: Warm, wide stage

    List price $1,299

    9.1/10 Highly Recommended

  4. HIFIMAN Sundara

    Open-back Sound: Wide stage, analytical

    List price $299

    9.0/10 Highly Recommended

  5. HIFIMAN RE2000 PRO Silver

    In-ear (IEM) Sound: Analytical

    List price $349

    8.8/10 Highly Recommended

  6. HIFIMAN Ananda Stealth

    Open-back Sound: Warm

    List price $359

    8.8/10 Highly Recommended

  7. HIFIMAN Arya Stealth

    Open-back Sound: Warm

    List price $759

    8.7/10 Highly Recommended

  8. HIFIMAN Edition XS

    Open-back Sound: Wide stage

    List price $269

    8.7/10 Highly Recommended

  9. HIFIMAN Ananda Nano

    Open-back Sound: Bright, wide stage

    List price $499

    8.6/10 Highly Recommended

  10. HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth

    Open-back Sound: Bright, wide stage

    List price $1,119

    8.5/10 Highly Recommended

  11. HIFIMAN RE800 Silver

    In-ear (IEM) Sound: Wide stage, energetic

    List price $99

    8.0/10 Recommended

  12. HIFIMAN Svanar Wireless

    In-ear (IEM) Sound: Wide stage, analytical

    List price $499

    7.8/10 Recommended

  13. HIFIMAN HE400se

    Open-back Sound: Intimate stage

    List price $109

    7.6/10 Recommended

  14. HIFIMAN HE-R9

    Closed-back Sound: Wide stage, energetic

    List price $199

    6.9/10 Mixed

  15. HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-back

    Closed-back Sound: Energetic

    List price $229

    6.8/10 Mixed

Do HIFIMAN headphones need an amp?

Worked out for 110 dB peaks from the impedance and sensitivity each review lists. A phone jack or any dongle is enough for the HE1000se and the Sundara Closed-back. The Arya Organic, the Arya Unveiled, the Sundara, the Ananda Stealth, the Arya Stealth, the Edition XS, the HE1000 Stealth and the HE400se need most dongle DACs. The sensitivity figures for the RE2000 PRO Silver, the RE800 Silver and the HE-R9 do not say whether they are per milliwatt or per volt, and the answer lands in a different class depending on which. The Arya Unveiled review asks for more than volume alone, so read it before relying on a phone. Check your own source in the headphone power calculator.

HIFIMAN headphone amps

  1. HIFIMAN Serenade

    List price $999

    9.3/10 Reference

  2. HIFIMAN EF500

    List price $549

    8.2/10 Recommended

  3. HIFIMAN EF499

    List price $299

    8.1/10 Recommended

  4. HIFIMAN EF400

    List price $399

    7.5/10 Recommended

HIFIMAN head-to-head comparisons

Each pair is compared on its own page. The better buy weighs the score gap against the list-price gap.

HIFIMAN in the buying guides

  • Best Open-Back Headphones #1 HE1000se (Best Overall), #2 Arya Organic, #3 Arya Unveiled, #4 Sundara (Best Value), #6 Ananda Stealth, #7 Arya Stealth, #9 Edition XS (Best Budget), #10 Ananda Nano and #11 HE1000 Stealth
  • Best Planar Magnetic Headphones #1 HE1000se (Best Overall), #2 Arya Organic, #3 Arya Unveiled, #4 Sundara (Best Value), #5 Ananda Stealth, #6 Arya Stealth, #7 Edition XS (Best Budget), #8 Ananda Nano and #9 HE1000 Stealth
  • Best Reference-Grade Audio Gear #1 HE1000se (Best Overall), #2 Serenade, #4 Arya Organic, #5 Arya Unveiled and #10 Sundara (Best Value)
  • Best Headphone Amplifiers #1 Serenade (Best Overall), #2 EF500, #3 EF499 (Best Value) and #4 EF400
  • Best Headphones Under $500 #1 Sundara (Best Overall), #2 Ananda Stealth, #4 Edition XS (Best Value) and #5 Ananda Nano
  • Best IEMs #1 RE2000 PRO Silver (Best Overall), #5 RE800 Silver (Best Value) and #6 Svanar Wireless
  • Best Budget Headphones #4 HE400se (Best Value)