HIFIMAN HE600 Review — Headfonics

Nihal reviews the HIFIMAN HE600, a reimagination of the classic HE6 planar headphone with reduced weight, updated styling, and an improved driver. It is currently priced at $799.

Disclaimer: I received this sample in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I want to thank the team at HIFIMAN for their support.

Click here to read more about the HIFIMAN products previously reviewed on Headfonics.

This article follows our current scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.

HIFIMAN HE600 Review

Summary

The $799 HIFIMAN HE600 open-back planar magnetic headphones have a refined build, and a sound that is quite refreshing and inviting. They have a fairly balanced tuning, with no overemphasis in any frequencies.

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8.7

Pros

Clean and punchy bass.

Natural and detailed midrange with impressive resolution.

Detailed treble without any sharpness or fatigue.

Cons

Can get uncomfortable due to its high clamping force.

Not exactly an upgrade to the HE6.

HIFIMAN has been refreshing a lot of headphones from their lineup for quite some time, and we covered the new Unveiled series of headphones, such as the Arya Unveiled, the HE1000 UNVEILED, and the flagship Susvara Unveiled.

Along the way, they also introduced some new headphones. Recently, around July, they announced the release of four new headphone models, among which the HE600 seemed the most exciting to me.

We covered a few of these new releases just a few weeks ago, including the Ananda Unveiled and the Edition XV.

HIFIMAN mentions that the HE600 is a direct reissue and upgraded version of their iconic HE6 planar headphones.

Upgrading the HE6 while keeping its legacy intact must have been a very daunting task for HIFIMAN. In the past, I have spent a lot of time with the HE6se, one of the later versions of the HE6, and that makes me very excited to see a refreshed version of these headphones.

In this review, I will cover the new HE600 in depth and show how it compares to the HE6se and other headphones, such as the Sendy Audio Aiva 2 and ZMF Headphones BOKEH.

Stick with me till the end, and you will have a clear picture of whether the HE600 serves as an upgrade to the HE6 headphones or just a different release altogether.

Features

The HIFIMAN HE600 continues the brand’s planar-magnetic tradition but with a more refined and practical execution.

At its core is a second-generation Neo Supernano diaphragm, dramatically thinner than the film used in the original HE6, allowing for faster response and improved detail retrieval.

The diaphragm is paired with HIFIMAN’s new rare-earth-free Enhanced Magnet system, optimized in both shape and material to deliver strong magnetic control without the inefficiency that plagued earlier designs.

In terms of specs, the HE600 comes in at 28Ω impedance with a 94 dB sensitivity rating, a far cry from the notoriously demanding HE6, which often required speaker amps to sound its best.

The original HE6 used a thicker diaphragm with heavier conductive traces, coupled to a dense double-sided magnet structure.

While this structure gave the headphone immense control and scale, it also resulted in very low sensitivity, meaning huge amounts of clean power were necessary to properly energize the driver.

By contrast, the HE600’s lighter diaphragm and more efficient magnet system strike a better balance: they retain much of the planar authority and precision, but in a configuration that modern desktop amps and, in some cases, even powerful portable sources can drive without strain.

The result is a headphone that feels like a spiritual successor to the HE6, but one that is far more approachable in everyday use.

Design

The new design of the HE600 has a lot of changes to talk about. The earcups feature a large honeycomb-style perforated grill with wider holes, giving it a more open and modern look.

These grills used to have a finer mesh-like design on the original HE6 headphones. The shiny silver earcups align with the new design language of HIFIMAN headphones, such as the Unveiled series.

The HE600 has a redesigned headband with a plastic shell and a thick rubber pad under a metal spring. This composite headband design can also be found on newly launched headphones like the Ananda Unveiled.

The strap has a soft feel with perforations that allow air circulation, reducing heat and sweat buildup on the skin. The metal yokes have only a minimal amount of swivel, thus restricting movement.

The headband and earcups borrow design elements from the HE6 series but trim down a lot of metal and plastic, reducing the weight by more than 100 grams, which does add some comfort.

However, do not expect the same level of build and durability. For the price at which the HE600 is being offered, and compared to its peers, I think the build is good enough and matches what the competition provides.

Comfort

At 389g, the HE600 is one of the most lightweight headphones I have tried recently. I have seen a few people complain about the clamping force on the HE600.

I do feel they clamp a bit more than ideal, but for me, this does not cause much discomfort, though it needs some time to adjust to.

The lower weight helps in compensating for the higher clamping force; had they been any heavier, the fit would definitely have been more inconvenient.

I consider my head size to be between medium and large, and I extend the headband to the very last notch for a proper fit, but eventually, I get a decent fit. However, it may bother people with larger head sizes.

The new headband design does not put much pressure from above, and the lighter weight also prevents the headphones from pulling down.

I believe they could have done a bit better with the design, so the fit would be easier. Also, compared to the HE6 series, I do not find the HE600 any more comfortable.

One more thing to note is the yoke, which has almost no swivel, making the headphones feel less adaptive. Any swivel would have allowed for easier handling.

Stock Pads

The HE600 comes with HIFIMAN’s FocusPads, which use memory foam covered with pleather and soft velour on the outside.

The pads are designed for comfort during long listening sessions, and in my experience, they live up to that promise. They also create a stable seal, which helps with isolation.

As long as the clamping force doesn’t bother you, the pads feel breathable enough.

I often get uncomfortable with other headphones because of their earpads, but here they are soft without being overly firm and sit nicely on my ears. Even during extended sessions, I didn’t notice issues like heat buildup or sweating around the pads.

I didn’t have any extra earpads to test and compare how they might affect the sound, but the stock ones already feel well-balanced. I wouldn’t want to change them, since they don’t seem to interfere with the sound frequencies.

Stock Cable

As much as headphones are evolving into new generations, the cables are not getting any better, and I think HIFIMAN should really consider improving them.

The stock cable with the HE600 is a crystalline copper cable with dual 3.5 mm TRS terminals to connect to the headphones, and the other end is 2.5 mm terminated. A 6.5 mm connector (1/4-inch jack) is also provided for connecting to desktop devices.

The cable has a rubbery build, which doesn’t feel worth discussing. I have reviewed headphones from some other Chinese brands, such as SIVGA and Sendy Audio, and the stock cables they provide are much better than this one, and that too at a cheaper price point.

I feel these cables can last long enough, but enthusiasts will surely end up switching to better ones. However, I did not find the cable limiting the performance much.

I also tried switching to some low-budget cables with better build, and the performance was quite similar.

Packaging & Accessories

The HE600’s packaging and unboxing are a bit of a letdown for me. I wasn’t expecting such a simple box with so few accessories.

Opening it doesn’t bring any surprises. Inside, you’ll find only the bare essentials: a cable that feels quite basic in build and a foam stand that, honestly, most people won’t prefer or use much.

I understand they’ve gone for a very straightforward, no-frills package, but including a few accessories, at least a carry case, would have been much better. The foam stand is firm enough to hold the headphones, but I doubt it will last very long.

I would have preferred a carry case instead. For a mid-fi headphone, people expect a better-quality presentation, and this simple approach might not deliver that wow factor.

Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and recommended pairings.

Click on page 3 below for my selected comparisons.

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