Hifiman EF400 Headphone Amp + DAC Review!

In this video I discuss the new Hifiman EF400 headphone amp/DAC, which retails for $599.99 USD. It uses an R2R DAC instead of Delta Sigma, which comes with its own unique traits. Check out the review to learn more!
Purchase link (supports channel):
apos.audio/pro...
Follow us on Twitter! / gadgetrytechjoe
Follow us on Instagram! / gadgetrytech
Follow us on Facebook! / gadgetrytech
Want us to review something? Contact us!
[e-mail]
#hifiman #headphones

[@dasninjastix]

I've owned the EF400 since its release, it's an interesting unit and I would definitely agree it works best with HiFiMan's own headphones. It just so happens to work extremely well with the Campfire Cascade, one of the stranger synergies I've found for it. Definitely worth the asking price for folks who already have or are looking to buy HiFiMan headphones. I thought the V3 Arya was amazing on it. I'm sure the same is true for the XS, Ananda Stealth, and HE1k variants. For high impedance dynamics like ZMF and the 600 Sennheisers I think it's much less impressive as an amp. I'll run the EF400 into a Lyr3 for those kinds of cans. As a DAC it's a really solid choice but it doesn't out-magic imo a Mojo 2. There is a price discrepancy there but it's worth paying it if you're mostly driving dynamics. I think your overall assessment of the unit is spot on. I prefer the OS mode to NOS but it can be dependent on the recording. Great combo unit, a considerable upgrade from something like a ZEN DAC or Schiit stack. More musical than analytical with decent "snap" in the mid-range.

[@roberta949]

Excellent review. I really enjoyed your information as well as your candor. I too have heard a lot of bussing and hissing noise in these. It was so prevalent for awhile I heard rumors of a recall. I think most balanced amplifiers have these issues. Almost all the $500+ amplifiers now are designed for high end power with mid and lower sensitivity headphones as an afterthought. All of the balanced amps have huge struggles with lower sensitivity headphones. I was sad to see the high end market all but abandon simple high quality single ended amps for the balanced with every input and accessory in the market jammed into them. When you take all that junk like balanced, bluetooth etc etc and all the I/O for running on a home system you got maybe a $300 amplifier tops.

[@antoniovichuaco7790]

Awesome review of the EF400. Would love to watch more from you

[@phanatic23608]

I have this paired with the Xduoo MT-604 tube amp and it's incredible. I have the Xduoo TA 20 Plus Tube amp on the way. Can't wait.

[@7in1]

How big improvement was that?

[@phanatic23608]

@@7in1 Very big improvement.

[@pslsaravanan1338]

Hi sir..very nice review. I have Ifi zen signature one dac and ifi zen signature HFM can...For Hifiman Arya, is buying EF 400 worthy than the combo I have ?

[@zachcheroff7970]

i had the same ifi stack as you and upgraded to the EF400. I'm a fan.

[@wengezhu1]

Have you tried pairing it with HE6SE? Not sure it is powerful enough.

[@a2raya772]

is this better than Zen Dac V2 with Zen Can?

[@newtube1]

Joe, thanks for the video! Were you not happy with how the EF400 fit with the Meze 99 classics headphones? Can you recommend something else for a similar price?

[@InDueTime25]

Great review. Can you tell me if this would work with an hdmi to usb c cable? That way I can also connect my TV to it and listen to my he6se v2.

[@waynewong6570]

i have an arya stealth and goin to get a focal clear soon and i dun do eq. i want to slightly make the arya stealth a little warmer. should i get the a30 pro and d30 pro stack or should i get the hifiman ef400?

[@ZedTen]

Hi Joe. I want to ask you a question about this DAC. I noticed that my EF400 cuts the audio for a very short period of time (about 250/500 ms) every time I start a song or any other audio stream after some seconds of silence (even the sound Windows makes when changing volume from the taskbar gets cut at the beginning). I have this issue with every computer I connected this DAC to, and with both USB ports of the DAC. I wanted to ask you and every other EF400 owner here if you also noticed this issue, or if it is only my unit that has it, and get a replacement. Thank you.

[@khinglouie]

Nice review man! Which sounds better for ayara stealth, the d30pro/a30pro stack or ef400?

[@GadgetryTech]

Thanks! If you just want to plug in and listen to music all night, the EF400 has some magic to it, which is what I have used a lot. If you are taking the time to build out custom EQ presents for different genres, or also want some overhead with more power output, the Topping D30/A30 Pro stack has a little more juice and is more neutral.

[@khinglouie]

Thanks for the response man. Do you think mojo 2 can can be enough for arya stealth when it comes to pure sound quality or ef400 is better?

[@waynewong6570]

@@GadgetryTech to lessen brightness in arya stealth and give more warm, pick ef 400 over the a30 pro/ d30 pro stack?

[@aqbilnaufal]

How do you think EF400 is compared to the iFi Zen Air DAC that you reviewed recently? Would be interesting to hear what are the difference between a 100$ vs 600$ DAC-AMP, provided the headphones get sufficient power

[@GadgetryTech]

Thanks for checking out the video! There is a noticeable improvement in every way when using the EF400 over the Zen Air DAC. Not only in power output but in musical performance. A closer match would be the Zen Can Signature HFM edition, which is also $600. When comparing those two, I feel the Zen Can Signature has a nice clean sound output and the "HFM" EQ mode adds really nice sub bass. When you don't want that sub bass lift, I find the flat EQ mode to sound good, but not quite as nice as the EF400 from Hifiman, which maintains the sonic character of something like an Arya or Stealth, but compliments in a very subtle way.

[@SimpleMailWork]

Thank you!

[@neuropathical]

Does it only come with a US plug? I live in Australia and I have no idea if there is an Australian plug version or if I have to use some kind of adapter

[@johnsoriano3812]

Great review! As always

[@helenab2520]

Cool

[@Zelpex]

How would this sound with the new Sundara closed back version without any custom EQ?

[@colingordon0986]

Would this work well with 10ohm headphones? I use a portable dac amp but it’s not powerful enough.

[@jamesedwards4474]

This is a great stand alone dac/amp unit. But when I added the Topping A30 Pro amp in balanced. Mode it got even better. I read the Topping A30 amp will run in class A mode to a point. I keep the top A30 set in HI Gain mode, and the Hifiman EF 400 set in NOS- Low Gain mode. This is better than the EF 400 by itself in my system driving my Sundara and my other headphones.

[@GadgetryTech]

That's awesome! Thanks so much for sharing. It sounds like an amazing setup.

[@jcap8391]

@@GadgetryTech Please do a review of Ath m20xbt. It's pretty amazing

[@CaptHotah]

Would this be overkill for the Sundaras?

[@GadgetryTech]

I enjoy them both together a lot! After slightly EQ'ing my Sundaras they sound incredible together

[@virafsiganporia4166]

How does it sound through hifi system with fixed audio out.

[@GadgetryTech]

I think it may depend on what you use with them. On my Bowers 606 S2 bookshelf speakers, I had it connected to a PS Audio Stellar Strata, and I liked the EF400 premap sound more than the Sabre DAC built into the Strata. Vocals sounded a tad better to me and the music sounded a bit more analog/natural.

[@rishelbhallabhatia1672]

@@GadgetryTech Hello . I mainly listen to streaming music (Amazon Music) with iPad directly connected to my Harman kardon 3380 and paired with b & w 706 s2 speakers . This setup sounds sometimes bright to me. Since you also use B & W s bookshelves, do you think hifiman Ef 400 will suit this setup ? Thanks in advance for your inputs.