HifiMan HE400se V1, a 50 $ Headphone – Turns Into a Beast After the Upgrade

Hello everyone,

I have been using the HIFIMAN HE400se V1 as my main headphone for initial testing for more than a year now, especially when trying new headphone cables, whether they are cables I purchased or cables I built myself.

The reason is simple: when testing a new cable, you never know if there might be a wiring issue, a bad connection, or something that could potentially damage a headphone.
With the HE400se, the cost is low enough that I do not feel stressed using it as a test unit, unlike my more expensive headphones.

During that period, I started noticing something interesting.
This headphone reacts very clearly to every cable I connect to it.

In my setup, every cable change had an audible effect on its performance, and honestly, I see that as one of the strengths of the HE400se.
Even at its low price point, it scales and responds to changes more than I expected.

For a long time, I used it without any major modification.
The only thing I did was enable the bass mod using this method:

https://youtube.com/shorts/fl8XrrqlFx8

After living with it for that long, I finally decided to upgrade the internal wiring.
Unfortunately, once I opened it up, the stock internal wires turned out to be extremely poor quality.
In my opinion, they were clearly holding the headphone back and limiting what the driver could actually do.

Before doing the internal wiring upgrade, I had already identified the main areas I wanted to improve:

1. Soundstage width

The stage width was decent, but still somewhat average. I wanted to see if I could open it up a bit more.

That being said, one thing I have always found impressive about the HE400se V1 is its stage depth.
To my ears, this headphone is genuinely excellent in depth layering, and in that specific area, I have even preferred it over many more expensive headphones, including the Sennheiser HD800S.

Of course, the HD800S is well known as kings of soundstage width, but when it comes specifically to depth, the HE400se V1 has always surprised me.

1. Treble quality

I wanted to improve the treble quality and add a bit more sparkle and air, but without making it sharp, harsh, or fatiguing.

1. Bass quality and sub-bass depth

I also wanted to improve the bass texture and give the sub-bass more depth and authority. The HE400se can already deliver good bass with the right setup, but I felt there was still more potential in the driver.

1. Upper-mid balance

This was probably the hardest part to improve through wiring alone. Cables can slightly affect the presentation, but I do not think they can fully fix this area by themselves.

For the upper mids, the real solution is pad rolling. That is where the biggest change happens, and I will talk about that later.

After that, I started choosing the metals that I felt would best help me push the HE400se V1 in the direction I wanted.

Thankfully, I have experimented with many different conductor materials over time, so I already had a good idea of how each one tends to affect the presentation in my own builds and system.

For this mod, I decided to use a combination of OFHC copper and sterling silver.

The reason behind this choice was simple: I wanted the OFHC copper to preserve body, note weight, and bass foundation, while the sterling silver would help bring more openness, clarity, treble refinement, and a cleaner sense of air without pushing the sound into harshness.

After finalizing the material choice, I started working on the headphone itself.

I know the work is not perfect, but the main goal here was experimentation and learning, not making it look like a factory-finished mod.

About two weeks ago, I did the same internal wiring upgrade on another HE400se V1 for a friend, and the result was much cleaner than my first attempt.

At that point, I felt the pads were the next thing I had to change. I wanted to see how far this headphone could actually go.

Luckily, I already had a pair of pads that I originally bought for my HE500, and they also fit the HE400se V1 perfectly:

ZMF Hifiman+ Hybrid pads

I took a photo of them next to the stock HE400se pads, and the difference is very clear.

With these pads, I also applied the bass mod again, but this time using a different method, which I personally find better.

After installing these pads, I can say with confidence that the bass response surpassed my HE500, especially in terms of sub-bass depth, and overall impact.

And honestly, this is what makes the whole project special to me.

The fact that a headphone that can be found for around $50 was able, after these modifications, to reach a level that reminds me of the HE500 is something I consider exceptional.

And There is also another pad option that costs much less than the ZMF pads.

I have personally tried it as well, and the results were also excellent with the HE400se V1.

You can find it here:

Link:
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005008393194206.html

In the end, I can honestly say that these modifications brought the HE400se V1 much closer to the level I was aiming for.

The soundstage became more open and spacious, while still keeping the excellent depth that made me appreciate this headphone in the first place.
The treble gained better refinement, more sparkle, and a cleaner sense of air, but without becoming sharp or fatiguing.

The bass was probably one of the biggest surprises.
With the internal wiring upgrade, the pad change, and the bass mod, the sub-bass became deeper, more controlled, and more satisfying than I expected from a headphone in this price range.

The upper mids also became more balanced after changing the pads. This confirmed what I expected from the beginning: wiring can help with refinement and technical presentation, but pads are the real key when it comes to reshaping the upper-mid behavior.

So, for me, this project was a success.

I am not saying this turns the HE400se V1 into a perfect headphone, or that it can replace every higher-end planar.
But after these modifications, it reached a level of performance that I personally find exceptional, especially considering that this headphone can often be found for around $50.

What makes the HE400se V1 special is not just its price.
It is the potential inside the driver.
With the right tuning, better internal wiring, proper pads, and careful experimentation, this headphone can scale far beyond what its price suggests.

For me, that is exactly what makes this mod worth sharing.

Links

I’ve already reviewed both versions of it at this link:
https://youtu.be/SBEPcm5k9xA

Link to the headphone from the company’s official store:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3wU6T1h

ZMF Hifiman+ Hybrid pads:
https://shop.zmfheadphones.com/products/zmf-hifiman-subs?variant=44061750624419

Now everyone can order the upgrade through this link:
https://iem-world.com/eQgBzGX

Source recommendation for a low budget:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c3Ydhe6R
And if you want something cheaper:
https://hangout.audio/products/crinear-protocolmax

Balanced cables (4.4 or XLR) we make, and they can be customized:
Vera https://iem-world.com/XzrGQmj
Pure https://iem-world.com/YzABPzW
Blue Orbit https://iem-world.com/WzAARZP

My test video, original cables vs the new cables:
https://x.com/IemWorld/status/2002348727319548248

With my Blue Orbit cable:
https://x.com/IemWorld/status/1973667594679857576

Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps anyone who is thinking about experimenting with the HE400se V1.

IEM World

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