The ultimate HIFIMAN buyer's guide
for mix engineers.

The cheapest HIFIMAN in the range, and at £99, expectations need to be calibrated accordingly. The HE400SE does have genuinely low distortion and a bit of slam — enough to handle the "meat and two veg" of a mix. You can get your kick, bass, snare and vocal levels set with confidence.

The headband, however, is one of the worst in the business. Both Paul and Emrah agree it creates a painful hot spot on the top of the head. A £20 aftermarket headband strap solves the issue entirely. Build quality is plastic and a bit sticky-feeling, but acceptable for the price.

The major limitations are the sub-bass rolloff (boosting the subs just makes things murky) and the soundstage, which is a bit smeary with instruments falling on top of each other. Timbre is not particularly realistic — everything tends to sound the same.

"If you think about HE400SE versus Arya Organic, HE400SE is like watching a film on a 25-inch screen at 720p where Organics is like watching on a 60-inch screen in 4K." — Paul

Verdict: For £99, you get clean, low-distortion sound with a bit of energy. Useful as a secondary headphone for checking levels, but limited translation means you will need something better for critical mixing decisions.

The legendary Sundara. This is the headphone that made Emrah ditch the Audeze LCD-X — a move that caused outrage across audiophile forums at the time. A £300 HIFIMAN over a £1,000 industry standard? The results speak for themselves: billions of streams mixed on Sundaras.

The Sundara slams hard, has proper sub when you boost it (just a 3–5 dB sub boost is all Emrah uses), and comes out of the box with an almost perfectly flat mid-range and top end. Soundstage and imaging are better than the LCD-X and arguably better than Audeze's MX4s.

"You are looking at a legend right now. These are pretty good. If you forget about the price-performance ratio, these must be the best headphones HIFIMAN ever produced." — Emrah

Comfort is solid, weight is manageable, and build quality has been reliable over years of use. The only real downside is that the pads lose their shape over time and need replacing after about a year of heavy use.

Emrah rates these A for the price — in that budget range, there is nothing that competes as an all-rounder. Paul gives them a B overall because there are higher-quality options available if budget allows.

Note: The Sundara Closed is a straight-up F. It sounds horrible, you cannot fix it with EQ, and we do not recommend it under any circumstances.

This is going to be controversial, because many people love the Edition XS. The imaging and soundstage are genuinely fantastic — possibly some of the best at this price. When you first put them on, you think: "Wow, this is how records should sound."

But the problems run deep for mixing. Everything sounds the same. Put on John Mayer, then Jay-Z, then a country track — they all have the same character. The micro dynamics are poor, the speed is lacking, and the sub-bass has the same rolloff and murky behaviour as the HE400SE. The timbre is not realistic enough to make reliable mixing decisions.

"These are the audiophile's wet dream. These are good headphones for listening to music — but honesty is an issue. They're not honest at all." — Emrah

The headband also inherits the same terrible design as the HE400SE. You can fix it with the £20 aftermarket strap, but HIFIMAN should have done better.

Verdict: Brilliant for casual listening and could serve as a secondary imaging-check headphone. But for critical mixing, the lack of honesty and dynamics makes them unreliable. The Edition XS makes Arya Organics sound like slamming monsters by comparison.

The successor to the Edition XS, and a genuine improvement in almost every way. The headband is much better — it hangs rather than pressing on your head, eliminating the migraine-inducing hot spot of its predecessor. The driver has been updated to Gen 2, and the design is far more modern.

Sound-wise, it is a step up. It is darker and richer than the Edition XS, with a beautifully present mid-range where vocals sound clear and engaging. The spatial qualities are remarkable for the price. Paul describes listening to Tears for Fears' "Women in Chains" as being "in the song." Bass is nice, full, and never gets in the way of reverb tails and imaging.

However, the speed remains the fundamental issue. These are very relaxed sounding — almost like a budget HE1000 SE. You do not get the micro details needed for critical mixing decisions around compression, limiting, and sibilance control.

"I'd imagine 80 out of 100 casual listeners would pick the XV out of the three new headphones. But for mixing, it wouldn't be my choice." — Paul

HIFIMAN have essentially encapsulated the smoothness of Sennheisers but given it planar, full, linear bass. Think of it as what a modern Sennheiser HD 600 range should sound like. Amazing for getting lost in music — not ideal for critical mixing.

Verdict: A superb big-picture headphone and a genuine pleasure to listen on. Limited translation for mixing due to relaxed speed and lack of micro detail.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the fastest headphones on the market. The Ananda Nano owns the low end — it is tight, accurate, and sounds like listening to a sealed cabinet with a properly linear response. Transient details, slam, and micro dynamics are in a class of their own at any price.

These are the headphones that stopped Ed Thorne — a respected mix engineer — from using his PSI sub for low-end mixing. He heard the Nanos and moved to headphones entirely for his low-end work. And the story is the same for everyone who tries them.

"If you can make your mixes sound fun on these, the translation is funnier outside. These are really hard to please headphones — if you get them right, you know it's right." — Emrah

The catch? They are extremely centre-focused. The side image can feel narrow and not particularly accurate for panning decisions. Soundstage is dry — you will tend to add too much reverb and depth when mixing solely on Nanos. Paul consistently finds that panning decisions made on Nanos do not translate the way he wants them to.

How Paul uses them: drums, bass, vocals — the centre image. Once that is nailed on Nanos, he switches to another headphone for stereo placement, reverb, and imaging. You rarely need to go back.

Build quality is good and they are comfortable. The only concern is potential QC issues with driver distortion over time, though this may have been caused by accidental overpowering. EQ is simple — three bands is all you need.

Verdict: The most honest low-end and centre-image headphone available. Paul gives B (needs a complementary headphone for stereo work), Emrah gives A (he has no issues with the imaging). Best price-to-performance ratio in planar magnetics.

Emrah's pick from the new range, and the headphone that lives permanently on his desk. The Ananda Unveiled uses HIFIMAN's exposed-driver design — no back grille, no resonances — giving it a tighter, more speaker-like presentation than its grilled counterparts.

Emrah did multiple mixes on these and every single one was accepted as V1 — no revisions needed. He describes them as the best entry point to the unveiled mixing series, and rates them highly enough that if he had nothing and had to start from scratch, he would buy these or Nanos.

"These are the best entry step to the unveiled mixing series. I did a few mixes on them — V1, V1, V1, V1. They are speaker-like. When I wear them I get goosebumps." — Emrah

The unveiled design gives you less immersion than the Edition XV but more accuracy to speakers. Imaging is very good, staging is impressive, and they eat EQ effortlessly with very low distortion. Comfort is essentially identical to the Edition XV.

Paul's reservations centre on the speed and low end. The micro details are not at Nano level, and the bass — while it can take a boost — reveals the limitations of the cheaper enhanced magnet compared to stealth magnets. He would still pick Nanos for drums and bass, and Arya Organic over the Ananda Unveiled at a similar price.

Paul notes that the naming is misleading: "I'd call this the Edition Unveiled — it shares the same frame, magnets, and diaphragm as the Edition XV, not the Ananda Nano."

Verdict: The most speaker-like headphone in this price range. Emrah rates it A and uses it daily. Paul rates it B due to speed and bass limitations. Much better than Sundara for the money according to Emrah.

The HE600 is essentially a round-cup version of the same enhanced magnet and super nano Gen 2 diaphragm platform used in the Edition XV and Ananda Unveiled. Despite the "HE" name, it sounds nothing like the legendary HE6SE V2.

It has a good bit of energy and the top end is decently fast, with punchy kick slaps. But the subs and lows are pretty loose, the sound is a bit brittle and thin, and there is a scratchy quality to the timbre that Paul compares unfavourably to the Audio-Technica ATH-R70x.

"It's a £300 headphone at best in my personal opinion. I'd honestly maybe even consider Sundara still." — Paul

Emrah simply does not use them. When given the choice between the three new headphones, he always picks the Ananda Unveiled. He considers the HE600 good for audiophile listening but describes the Sundara as a better mixing headphone.

The comfort is tighter than the other two new models, and Emrah found that the cups do not fully cover his ears. It is the most divisive of the new range — at its price point, Arya Organic is only about £100 more and comprehensively outperforms it.

Verdict: Not a convincing mixing headphone, not a standout audiophile headphone. At £600+, the Arya Organic is a far better investment.

The hardest headphones to drive on the planet. Often called "baby Susvaras," the HE6SE V2 requires a monster amplifier — Paul can only drive them linearly with two of his amps (the FiiO K19 and Topping A900). The A90 Discrete could not do it. The DX5 could do it but not with bass boost.

The sound, however, is worth the trouble. These have the dynamics and punch of the Nanos, better bass separation, and more sub — almost getting into Audeze territory. The imaging is very accurate, close to Edition XS levels but with real energy behind it. Everything sounds right, speaker-like and upfront without being too close.

"These are one of the best headphones for mixing that I've heard personally. Two bands of EQ — that's it. And I don't have the translation issues I have with the Nanos." — Paul

Build quality is the weakness — cheap headband, flimsy plastic feel, not befitting the price. But soundwise, Paul considers them a complete all-rounder. The only real limitation is portability: you cannot use them outside the studio because of the amplification requirements.

Verdict: A hidden gem if you have the amplifier to drive them. Rated A by Paul — the only step up would be Susvara territory. Now being discontinued, so grab them while you can.

The king of mixing headphones. Arya Organic is Emrah's primary mixing headphone and Paul's portable staple. Both hosts use them daily, both get mixes accepted on them regularly, and both rate them A — verging on S-tier.

What makes them special is the balance. Arya Organic does everything correctly without excelling so far in one area that it distorts your mixing perspective. The imaging is pinpoint accurate — Ed Thorne compared them to his Amphion monitors, which are translation kings in the professional world. The soundstage is the most speaker-like Paul has heard.

"They do everything brutally honest. The best mixing headphones I have ever used. When I listen to them, the stage is correct — you're just listening to a pair of speakers." — Emrah

The timbre is arguably the best of any headphone — things sound genuinely realistic. A Dua Lipa track can sound like a live acoustic performance. The sub is there and usable (not Nano or Audeze levels, but it is clean and EQ-able). Macro dynamics, micro dynamics, big picture, small picture — all in the right balance.

The caveats: they are bright out of the box and need several bands of EQ to tame. Energy is slightly reserved compared to Nanos — Paul describes Nanos as barging into the club, while Organics politely ask for entry. And the black paint does chip if you are rough with them.

Build quality is premium with HIFIMAN's best headband. They are comfortable, relatively easy to drive, and beautifully designed. The wood finish is gorgeous.

Verdict: If you can only own one HIFIMAN for mixing, this is it. Both hosts agree: A-tier all-rounder that translates reliably. The right balance of honesty and musicality.

Many people have asked about the HE1000 V2 as a cheaper alternative to the SE. Unfortunately, the news is not good. This is older technology that sounds like a less refined, even more relaxed version of the HE1000 SE. It is slightly veiled in the mid-range and lacking in energy — everything sounds the same dynamically.

The imaging and soundstage are good. The bass is nice and full. Build quality and comfort are excellent with the premium headband and tilted pads. But EQ cannot fix the fundamental sound characteristic.

"It's like a better Edition XS — same headband, much better build, better driver. But energy-wise, everything sounds the same. It's an audiophile headphone." — Paul

Paul describes them as a planar Sennheiser HD 650 — clean low end, nice mid-range, low distortion, but too relaxed for professional mixing. If you make a mix sound aggressive on these, it will be overly aggressive everywhere else.

Verdict: A very good audiophile headphone, but not recommended for mixing. At the price, Arya Organic is head and shoulders above for studio work.

This is where Paul and Emrah diverge dramatically. The HE1000 SE is, in Paul's opinion, the best-sounding headphone on the planet for listening to music. The resolution is unmatched. The separation makes you hear things in records you have never heard before. Reverb tails resolve to their absolute last detail. The imaging and soundstage are like the best speakers in the world — but better.

Emrah, however, gave them an F. His reasoning? There is no song good enough to deserve being mixed on them.

"When I want to enjoy music, I put these on. When I'm working on music, I don't. It's like a magnifying glass on everything. I just want to put them in a box and when I'm going to have a really good scotch, then I want to enjoy those headphones." — Emrah

The problem for mixing is that they are too much of a good thing. The separation is so extreme that you start overanalysing and over-placing elements — decisions that do not translate to normal playback systems. They are relaxed and smooth to the point where energy becomes hard to judge. They do not slam. Emrah compares it to driving a Ferrari on a bumpy road.

Paul can mix on them and has for years, but rates them B — honest, perhaps too honest in some ways, with that reserved energy making it difficult to push a mix when it needs aggression. The comfort and build quality, however, are the best HIFIMAN offers.

Verdict: The best headphone for music listening, full stop. For mixing, it depends on your workflow. Paul says B (usable but smooth), Emrah says F (too perfect to mix on). At this price, most mix engineers are better served by Arya Organic.

The HE1000 Unveiled represents something genuinely new in headphone design. By completely removing the back grille, HIFIMAN have created what Emrah describes as "an anechoic chamber for your head" — a headphone with virtually no internal reflections, where the planar magnetic driver is fully exposed.

Out of the box, these are arguably the most boring headphones you will ever hear. The first impression is overwhelmingly linear — almost too perfect, too smooth, with none of the slam or energy that mix engineers depend on. Paul's initial reaction on the Discord was blunt: "These are arguably the most boring headphones I've ever heard."

But Emrah discovered something remarkable. Because the unveiled design makes the driver behave like an anechoic-chamber speaker — fast, reflection-free, but lacking the sustain and attack characteristics we are used to hearing — a specific processing technique could unlock their true potential.

"It's like a perfect girlfriend — handsome, rich, gets you a Ferrari for your birthday. But she's boring as hell. Just give her a glass of wine, a bit of energy, and she becomes a party animal." — Emrah

With this technique applied, the HE1000 Unveiled transforms into a monster. The slam, the punch, the low end — Emrah compared it to his Eve studio monitors. The speed, which was always there but untapped, becomes apparent. The resolution and detail remain intact, the imaging stays pristine, but now there is energy and dynamics to match.

The frequency response out of the box is remarkably good — very linear, following the Harman target closely with minimal EQ needed. Just two or three bands and you are there. The top end is less bright than the HE1000 SE, and the ear gain sits right between too bright and too dull.

Emrah did three mixes on these and all three translated perfectly — V1 across the board.

The downsides are real: exposed drivers mean dust, smoke, and careless handling can cause damage. You need to treat them like laboratory equipment. And at £2,500–3,000, they are a serious investment. They also need a proper amplifier.

Verdict: Close to S-tier with the right technique. The fastest HIFIMAN ever built, the most linear response in the range, and speaker-like translation that Emrah rates as the closest he has achieved. The exposed driver is a real-world compromise you have to accept.