HIFIMAN HE400se vs FiiO JT7

Short answer: the HIFIMAN HE400se. It ranks #18 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $109; the FiiO JT7 ranks #32, rated 4.2/5, and costs $119.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.

The case for the HIFIMAN HE400se: A preference score of 89 and a neutral tilt make this an accurate sounding planar for the money. The catch: Sub-bass is about 5 dB light and bass from 60 to 200 Hz is about 1 dB under target, so low end impact is limited.

The case for the FiiO JT7: The median of five hobbyist measurements on squig.link gives the JT7 a preference score of 87 with a nearly flat tilt, so it sounds balanced rather than warm or bright. Watch for: Sensitivity of 92 dB/mW is low, so a phone or laptop jack may run out of volume and a small headphone amp is a sensible addition.

Buy the HIFIMAN HE400se. It is rated higher for sound quality than the FiiO JT7 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

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Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Headphones In Full

HIFIMAN HE400se: $109.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 89 and a neutral tilt make this an accurate sounding planar for the money. Treble is within a fraction of a dB of target and the air band is only 1 dB high, so the top end is smooth and free of sharp peaks, with the largest at about 2.4 dB near 11.9 kHz. It matches the rating of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 at a lower price, with a modest 396 g weight.

Cons: Sub-bass is about 5 dB light and bass from 60 to 200 Hz is about 1 dB under target, so low end impact is limited. The low mids are about 1.6 dB elevated while a 4.8 dB dip near 2 kHz and a 2 dB upper mid shortfall can push vocals slightly back. At 91 dB/mW sensitivity it benefits from a headphone amp, and the open back leaks sound and provides no isolation. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full HIFIMAN HE400se review and specifications →

Released	Mar 2021 (5 years ago)
Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	1.98 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Drivers	1 x planar magnetic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	89 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Sensitivity	91 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 45 Hz (-7.3 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.05 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.9 lbs (396 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.7 dB	0.70
Peak	1,968 Hz	+5.1 dB	2.37
Peak	861 Hz	-2.3 dB	1.86
Peak	101 Hz	-2.4 dB	0.32
Peak	1,619 Hz	+1.1 dB	3.53
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-2.6 dB	0.70
Peak	138 Hz	+0.7 dB	1.98
Peak	64 Hz	-0.7 dB	1.95
Peak	251 Hz	-0.4 dB	2.33
Peak	29 Hz	+0.5 dB	2.63

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the HIFIMAN HE400se (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • HIFIMAN HE400se vs Sony MDR-7506
  • HIFIMAN HE400se vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x

FiiO JT7: $119.99 Amazon eBay

Pros: The median of five hobbyist measurements on squig.link gives the JT7 a preference score of 87 with a nearly flat tilt, so it sounds balanced rather than warm or bright. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz sits right on target and the upper mids are level, which keeps voices and instruments natural. It uses a large 95 by 86 mm planar magnetic driver at a moderate 318 grams, and its 18 ohm load is easy for most sources to control.

Cons: Sensitivity of 92 dB/mW is low, so a phone or laptop jack may run out of volume and a small headphone amp is a sensible addition. Those measurements show a 4.9 dB peak near 5.8 kHz that can add edge to vocals, while sub-bass sits about 3.5 dB under target and the open back leaks sound and blocks no outside noise. The HIFIMAN HE400se rates slightly higher and costs less. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full FiiO JT7 review and specifications →

Released	Nov 2025 (11 months ago)
Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.11 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Drivers	1 x 95x86mm planar magnetic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	7Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	86 (median of 6 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ)
Impedance	18 ohms
Sensitivity	92 dB/mW
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 28 Hz (-5.6 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.03 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.7 lbs (318 g)

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • Frequency response measurements of the FiiO JT7 by 6 squig.link measurers
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • FiiO JT7 vs Beyerdynamic TYGR 300 R
  • FiiO JT7 vs Sony MDR-7506