Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
Drop + HIFIMAN HE-X4 Planar Magnetic Headphones
$129
01 / 16
Drop + HIFIMAN HE-X4 Planar Magnetic Headphones
bookmark_border
$129
4.7k Sold
·
Ready to Ship
·
Free Returns in USA
●
Members who purchase earn
387
Drop Rewards
Frequently bought together:
search
close
Sort by: Newest
keyboard_arrow_downBlakyl
2
Mar 4, 2023
Is it easily doable putting one of the cups apart and putting it back together? I can hear something on the left cup, like a small piece of metal or plastic just moving arround on the inside.
awi5951
87
Feb 1, 2023
Has anyone else had problems with the cables falling apart on these mine came apart?
Izuzo
50
Oct 11, 2022
Does anyone know if the build quality has changed for these from just glue adhesive connecting to the headband?
Gobbelcoque
9
Jan 8, 2023
IzuzoThat issue seems to have been fixed quite a long time ago with the he4xx. No issues with a newer he4xx or these x4's for me in a TON of use including backpack and travel. And if they do ever break for some reason, replacements and upgrades are cheap.
I will say the x4's REALLY need more amplification than the 4xx, which are otherwise identical, and these absolutely dazzle with tube amplification. So if you have a light duty amp like a BTR5, get the he4xx, but if you can give these more power, there's a small but noticeable improvement. And a big improvemet when the tubes come out
Vanteyern
1
Sep 26, 2022
I just unboxed the X4 and must say that on first listen I'm a little confused / disappointed. I plugged my 6XX into my onkyo receiver and they sounded great at about 60 volume. I then plugged in the X4 and had to crank them to about 75 volume.
Whats going on here?
I've heard that the X4 need a strong receiver to be cranked, I've also read that they need to be 'burned in' for s few weeks. will these sound substantially better over time compared to out of the box or do I just stick with the 6XX?
thanks
(Edited)
redrooster
9
Sep 30, 2022
Vanteyernmeh, a bit of research and reviews would of informed you of the power required for planar mags. be good to yourself... be informed!
Gobbelcoque
9
Jan 8, 2023
Vanteyernuser error, the same error (and brand) that I made for years myself! AV receivers might as well not have a headphone jack at all. They universally suck. You need a dedicated headphone amp. For the x4, it kinda needs to be even more than the portable options like the BTR5 and BTR7 can put out. These things are really power hungry, and they LOVE tube amps.
All headphones sound like arse through a receiver, no matter how low their power use. Even my grados sound bad through an $800 Onkyo and you can power them by just yelling loud enough.
If you are using a PC, just get a USB/optical separate DAC/AMP for headphones. I personally use the xduo ta10r tube amp/DAC. Only drawback is a A little bit of EMF hiss through the 1/4 inch jack on the most sensitive headphones but I got a little 32 ohm connector on Amazon for $10 and it solved that. But connected to the TA10, the x4's literally made my wife cry. Not kidding. "Flight of the birds" by the London philharmonic. Tears.
If you want to be thrifty, I'd sell the x4's and get some 4xx's. Functionally identical down to the build, slightly brighter, and much happier to run off something as light and easy as a little $100 Fiio BTR5 that works via USB or Bluetooth. I have both and think the 4xx's are the better low cost option due to lower amo needs. But if you're willing to spend a little bit on a nice amp (preferably tubes) the x4's will dazzle you like nothing else under $500.
Teee
40
Oct 1, 2022
almostkindaI use a Sennheiser OEM HD-6XX/650 headband pad. Amazon sells them. I attach tiny strips of 3-M velcro tape (just enough to reasonably secure either end) and attach it to the existing headband. Put the soft fuzzy side of the velcro tape on the HE-X4's headband as you can take off the Senn pad and use the cans normally without the Senn pad, and not have the hook side digging into your scalp. The headband has to be opened up to the max but it's a decent fit and no more top of the head hot spot. Make sure to get the OEM pad as the aftermarket ones can be made of harder foam. I also use this solution on my SIVGA SV-021's.
Gobbelcoque
9
Jan 8, 2023
almostkindaYou can also upgrade to the Ananda headband. Similar ones are also for sale cheap on AliExpress.
Honeybadgers
371
Apr 18, 2022
I got the 4xx's and then decided to try the X4's on a whim. They look the same as the 4xx, they supposedly use the drivers from the 5xx, and they're like $60 cheaper?
there has to be a catch.
There isn't. THERE IS NO CATCH. These are built identically to the 4xx. Down to every single detail, including the cord. The only way you could tell them apart is the 4xx has the "hifiman" and "drop" in white silkscreen, and on the X4, they're stealth black. You gotta hold them at just the right angle to see the words. They did the same for the "L" and "R" on the back of them, which is slightly annoying, but since the pads are asymmetrical and my Hart cables are labeled, I don't have a problem.
Sound wise, these are daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn close to the 4xx. I spent a good two hours just switching between the two and I think that the 4xx's are a miniscule-amount more detailed and the X4's have a miniscule amount more bass extension. They do take a wee bit more power to drive, though. 27-28 was nice on the balanced 2.5 with the 4xx on my BTR5, these liked 30-32.
They (both the 4xx and X4) really do like to have some kind of amplifier, even a tiny portable one. Out of a little unpowered dongle dac they sound good, but with my BTR5, they opened up ENORMOUSLY. And they loved a balanced cable. The only included cable was a little obnoxiously short, and I adored these cans so much that I dropped an unreasonable amount of money on a custom hart cable with an extension and multiple adapters.
I also tried them with a balanced class A tube amp, and "Arrival of the birds" by the london metropolitan orchestra legit made my wife cry.
Both my 4XX and X4's are the recent revisions and I've seen zero quality issues with either. But even if they do eventually develop the dreaded cracked headband (which I have seen no complaints about since hifiman said it was fixed), Hifiman will sell you a band from the sundara or you can buy lots of nice all-metal ones on aliexpress.
It's genuinely bananas how great these are. Don't even look at the 4xx. You won't notice the extra detail of the 4xx or the extra bass of the X4 unless you had a pair of each sitting next to you, swapping them around like a madman, and even then, the differences are meaninglessly tiny.
Sound wise, these are glorious. Nothing comes close for the money. They're not crazy neutral, but they're nowhere near the punch of meze 99's or the sparkle of grado's. They just make everything sound good, and have an energy to them that I love. They sound nice and wide, the imaging is great, the sub-bass goes all the way down and the detail and separation is stellar. I was wondering if this was gonna be my entry into planars, but now I don't know if I need anything else. I listen to absolutely all kinds of music, and I haven't found a genre that they don't love to play.
And they're absolutely superb gaming headphones, too. Lots of detail and separation, so you can pick out exactly where sounds are coming from. Just factor in the price of a small, light duty amp and maybe a longer cable. A fiio BTR5 and a balanced 2.5mm cable for these is outstanding.
(Edited)
Gobbelcoque
9
Jan 8, 2023
HoneybadgersI did find one small caveat vs the 4xx with time. The x4's took on a whole new level with a n xduo t10r, and I now think they aren't quite as good when powered portably by a BTR5 or BTR7 as the 4xx. But still. Jesus. These are too good.
MRFUTURE111
8
Apr 7, 2022
I wish the 4xx had this colorway it would be perfect I enjoyed this color more than the blue
Bedlam-Inside
56
Mar 16, 2022
For the price point of my ATH50's, I wonder if they will perform better despite the difference of being open back. Very desirable looking "in" to the Hifiman brand. I've tried their Susvara's and Aria's with great results, but never any of their entry level stuff.
Honeybadgers
371
May 5, 2022
I can't really speak to mixing, and I don't really have any true REFERENCE cans but I can say that if there's sub bass, the X4's will recreate it clean and tight. "The Droid Invasion" from the star wars prequel soundtrack has those distant, low, rumbling tympany drums that just sound like a muddy rumble on most of my other headphones, but you can hear the texture of the beaters with the X4's. And by "worryingly cheap" I more mean as an outsider, looking in, seeing these cans for that price and thinking "there has to be a catch". Because once they're in the hand, the build quality is immaculate. The only complaint I could level at them is the included cable is too short for anything but portable use, but they're a bog standard dual 3.5mm plug and I loved mine enough that I spent half-again the price on a nice custom hart cable with switchable 3.5 and balanced 2.5, and a long home-use extension.
I put them through a nice class A tube amp and "arrival of the birds" by the london metropolitan orchestra legit made my wife cry.
Bedlam-Inside
56
May 6, 2022
HoneybadgersWow that's always great to get the spouse into it. Soundtracks, classical, Jazz, strings, Latin styles are all music types I test my headphones with for dynamics, wide mixes, acoustic instrument textures and the detail I can hear in those styles always shows me the worthiness of headphones, DACs, Amps, etc. Just like your description of the tympany drums: you heard the space it was in, the balance of it in the mix, and it's sound as the musician played it. Balanced and unbalanced options sound great! Always good to have balanced option, but I'm curious with 2.5mm is there any 4.4mm adapters that would still qualify as officially balanced?
ScubaManLakeHuron
48
Mar 2, 2022
It appears the reviews on these 'phones are somewhat uneven. I reviewed the most critical 2021 reviews of this product. (a) inconsistent build quality. (b) dead drivers. (c) small cups. QUESTION - for the novelty aspect, is their sound significantly different from an HD6xx? I have a variety of high/low powered headlamps... Lemme know, eh.
Honeybadgers
371
Apr 18, 2022
ScubaManLakeHuronI can say the build quality is identical to the HE4xx. I've had no issues. The cups aren't small unless you have enormous ears. I can't speak to the sound difference to 6xx's, but I will say that all planars have a uniqueness to their sound. The way they generate that sub bass doesn't really "hit" like a dynamic driver, it just kinda "snaps" in and out.
Honestly, get them. These things are just unbelievable for the money. The sound differences between them and the 4xx are microscopic (not necessarily better or worse, a hair less treble detail, a hair more bass extension) and every other detail in the build and design is the same.
Showing 24 of 135
Recent Activity
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop