Introducing the HIFIMAN EF400 Balanced Desktop DAC/Amplifier!

[XGeneX88]

I actually preferred the Ef400 to Serenade all things considered...more of a character tuning to it plus the gain and NoS/OS choice...pretty great DAC amp actually after going through a few last few months..Neo1/Neo2/Ef400/Serenade/Aune9c/Cayin C9/ Topaz 11 Pro....Ef400 only bested by iFi Neo2 which is pretty excellent and engaging and again with a stong multibit/R2R region type character tuning vs wire with gain type deal higher up the DAC/Amp lines.
As you go up the Hymalaya line its like the traditional R2R feeling gets stripped out, as they all congregate on a transparancy tuning direction...I much prefer character tunings now.

I share your preference. I also compared the stock ef400 vs serenade and preferred the ef400. Ef400 sounded like a great R2R setup while the serenade basically sounded almost like a delta sigma to my ears.

 

[Lohb]

I share your preference. I also compared the stock ef400 vs serenade and preferred the ef400. Ef400 sounded like a great R2R setup while the serenade basically sounded almost like a delta sigma to my ears.

Yep, Serenade did not pull me in at all...Neo2 is crazy good - it guns at 11/10 in dynamics and musicality....my one had a fault on the rotating display and had a slightly rounded presentation on the edges of rendering music is only way to explain it - so doing another wander around DAC/Amps.

I actually preferred my Woo Audio WA11 Topaz over Serenade and they have the super super old school ES9018M inside which is totally nuts..I have no idea how they squeezed the tuning out it that they have on a mobile DAC/amp..probably FET or JFET Class A amp inside to balance out the digititus....EF400 in meantime till I go fishing for next end-game device.

 

[Rambone]

I actually preferred the Ef400 to Serenade all things considered...more of a character tuning to it plus the gain and NoS/OS choice...pretty great DAC amp actually after going through a few last few months..Neo1/Neo2/Ef400/Serenade/Aune9c Pro/Cayin C9/ Topaz 11....Ef400 only bested by iFi Neo2 which is pretty excellent and engaging and again with a stong multibit/R2R region type character tuning vs wire with gain type deal higher up the DAC/Amp lines.

As you go up the Hymalaya line its like the traditional R2R feeling gets stripped out, as they all congregate on a transparancy tuning direction...I much prefer character tunings now.

I've been going through a similar journey and all roads keep coming back to the EF400 as my most enjoyed dac/amp/aio. I upgraded my EF400 to the Hymalaya Gold chip last year and it was almost immediate that I noticed that there was less character and more transparency which is something that I can get anywhere else. I ended up chasing down some rumors regarding the EF499 sounding very similar to the EF400 base model and I am happy to report that it does have the same character tuning as the EF400 and perhaps about 90-95% of that model. I consider it a cheaper alternative to the EF400 since you can get a pretty rad deal for open box models with coupon off Hifimans website. I highly recommend it to somebody looking to get into R2R without having to spend a arm and leg. I picked up that model as I was not ready to drop for another EF400 but if the EF499 came close then I'd be happy and well.... I hunger no longer, completely sated. FiiO K11 R2R is a good unit but it is not the same character tuning, it's more like the tuning of newer Hifiman with more focus on transparency. It's very similar sounding to Schiit Modi Multibit 2 in my opinion which is still a good thing.

 

[Lohb]

I've been going through a similar journey and all roads keep coming back to the EF400 as my most enjoyed dac/amp/aio. I upgraded my EF400 to the Hymalaya Gold chip last year and it was almost immediate that I noticed that there was less character and more transparency which is something that I can get anywhere else. I ended up chasing down some rumors regarding the EF499 sounding very similar to the EF400 base model and I am happy to report that it does have the same character tuning as the EF400 and perhaps about 90-95% of that model. I consider it a cheaper alternative to the EF400 since you can get a pretty rad deal for open box models with coupon off Hifimans website. I highly recommend it to somebody looking to get into R2R without having to spend a arm and leg. I picked up that model as I was not ready to drop for another EF400 but if the EF499 came close then I'd be happy and well.... I hunger no longer, completely sated. FiiO K11 R2R is a good unit but it is not the same character tuning, it's more like the tuning of newer Hifiman with more focus on transparency. It's very similar sounding to Schiit Modi Multibit 2 in my opinion which is still a good thing.

Nice. Yeah I think the EF499 is TDAxxx chip type which I have in a small portable unit.

Are you guys using NOS or OS ? I find it has more 'body' with NOS high gain and Ananda Nano.

When I had EF400 before, I thought I was always on high gain OS - but it was on high gain NOS and that really brings more of the musical sweetness + heft in...the slight roll-off in treble goes well with energtic treble Nano planar...The HFM DACs seem to pair best with HFM cans...Audeze not as much or Fostex single-end also not as much on weaker output.

I tried Midgard briefly against the internal EF400 internal amp and it was swings and roundabouts but treble hottness got magnified on Nano, so off it went.
I'd like to try EF400 with Cayin HA-2a soon.

I was going to try K11 R2R, but someone suggested against it the other day by PM.

 

[Rambone]

Nice. Yeah I think the EF499 is TDAxxx chip type which I have in a small portable unit.

Are you guys using NOS or OS ? I find it has more 'body' with NOS high gain and Ananda Nano.

When I had EF400 before, I thought I was always on high gain OS - but it was on high gain NOS and that really brings more of the musical sweetness + heft in...the slight roll-off in treble goes well with energit Nano planar...The HFM Dacs seem to pair best with HFM cans...Audeze not as much or Fostex single-end also not as much on weaker output.

I tried Midgard briefly against the internal EF400 internal amp and it was swings and roundabouts but treble hottness got magnifed on Nano, so off it went.
I'd like to try EF400 with Cayin HA-2a soon.

I was going to try K11 R2R, but someone suggested against it the day.

I just leave it on NOS and stick to high gain unless I'm using IEMs. I end up listening to a lot of Hifiman headphones and a lot of IEMs that have a Hifiman like signature, so EF400/EF499 has maximum synergy. For Sundara and XS, the iFi Zen 3 or Air stack is pretty good as well, Xbass scales so well with those headphones and his massive fun when you double up.

The Midgard does not mask any treble hotness and a better pairing would have been Asgard 3 from schiit. Tube hybrids are a good fit as well.

Having tasted the EF400 you didn't miss out on anything by skipping the K11 R2R.

 

[Lohb]

I just leave it on NOS and stick to high gain unless I'm using IEMs. I end up listening to a lot of Hifiman headphones and a lot of IEMs that have a Hifiman like signature, so EF400/EF499 has maximum synergy. For Sundara and XS, the iFi Zen 3 or Air stack is pretty good as well, Xbass scales so well with those headphones and his massive fun when you double up.

The Midgard does not mask any treble hotness and a better pairing would have been Asgard 3 from schiit. Tube hybrids are a good fit as well.

Having tasted the EF400 you didn't miss out on anything by skipping the K11 R2R.

Quite a collection there in your signature..I try and not have cans that are not too different as I ended up hearing what was missing rotating cans vs what was unique..glass half full in that scenario but thankfully only that scenario..so try and keep my gear same tech and similar region of sound between open/closed cans.

My issue has been getting a desktop unit that works with all of my 5 or so planars...I think tube hybrid will be the one for that finally.

 

[Hyde00]

I ended up chasing down some rumors regarding the EF499 sounding very similar to the EF400 base model and I am happy to report that it does have the same character tuning as the EF400 and perhaps about 90-95% of that model. I consider it a cheaper alternative to the EF400 since you can get a pretty rad deal for open box models with coupon off Hifimans website. I highly recommend it to somebody looking to get into R2R without having to spend a arm and leg.

I saw someone selling EF500 in my city, would you say that one probably have different tuning (more resolution less character)?

Would I be safer to stick to either EF400 or EF499 if I do prefer the more "fun" sounding.

FiiO K11 R2R is a good unit but it is not the same character tuning, it's more like the tuning of newer Hifiman with more focus on transparency. It's very similar sounding to Schiit Modi Multibit 2 in my opinion which is still a good thing.

Oh that's interesting to hear, I did enjoy both FiiO K11 R2R and Modi Multibit 2, but I actually wouldn't mind if they have even more character.

So you're saying EF400/EF499 is even more in the direction I'm looking for?

Oh only one issue is that I did find K11 R2R slightly dark sounding in certain regions of treble. Would EF400/499 be also consider as dark?

 

[Rambone]

Quite a collection there in your signature..I try and not have cans that are not too different as I ended up hearing what was missing rotating cans vs what was unique..glass half full in that scenario but thankfully only that scenario..so try and keep my gear same tech and similar region of sound between open/closed cans.

My issue has been getting a desktop unit that works with all of my 5 or so planars...I think tube hybrid will be the one for that finally.

Thanks, I think I went a bit overboard . I hope to cull quite a bit of it sooner than later.

I'm not convinced yet there is a single unit that could do it all for me but if I had to choose just a single unit and sell the rest, I'd be okay with EF400/499. Hybrids are cool so long as they actually take advantage of the tubes for flavor however half the battle is just finding a guide on what tubes to get and those tubes not being super spendy which most of the ones I usually want typically are. I can't tell you how much I spent on trying to acquire a matched pair of Reflektor 75' Silver Shield Holy Grails for my Liquid Platinum and one for my Vali 2+. Tubes can be a money pit and highly addictive.

I saw someone selling EF500 in my city, would you say that one probably have different tuning (more resolution less character)?

Would I be safer to stick to either EF400 or EF499 if I do prefer the more "fun" sounding.



Oh that's interesting to hear, I did enjoy both FiiO K11 R2R and Modi Multibit 2, but I actually wouldn't mind if they have even more character.

So you're saying EF400/EF499 is even more in the direction I'm looking for?

Oh only one issue is that I did find K11 R2R slightly dark sounding in certain regions of treble. Would EF400/499 be also consider as dark?

EF499 is going to be bit smoother and rounded in the treble. While I don't consider it dark on Hifiman headphones, it might be like that on headphones that are already kinda smooth and mellow to begin with. I hate to use the word laid back because there is still some aggression in the treble and sparkle, it's just not going to be harsh with whatever you throw at it. EF400 has a bit more sparkle and aggression not only in the treble but also the bass which is a bit more dynamic. It's probably what I would call the closest to fun yet full of character. EF499 is still fun but the pairing of headphone matters a little bit more here.

Both EF499 and EF400 has this warmer tonality about it due to what sounds like a fuller, lusher natural sounding midrange. EF500 sounds more neutral in comparison, less fullness in the midrange but it has a tighter grip over the bass and hits just a little bit harder and treble is not rounded but very detailed, full bored and on poor recordings or treble heavy pieces, you will know it as it can sound a bit harsh if your headphone runs bright in any way. EF500 is just a technically better unit to EF499, where as the EF499 just feels like it blends the lows, mids and highs into this very musical presentation and goes hard on the character. I guess you could say the EF500 is a very lively sounding unit thanks to the aggressiveness of the bass and treble. Now I think EF400 is the middle ground between these units with the least amount of trade offs, is even more dynamic than the EF500 and treble still aggressive, sparkly but rarely fatiguing all while keeping those lovely mids.

Now regarding the K11 R2R sounding dark in certain regions. This is entirely possible but I highly believe this is going to depend on the headphone however, treble is definitely going to be on the smoother side vs your standard Delta Sigma DAC but as an experience I think it more closely relates to the EF500. EF500 takes the cake when it comes to dynamics, slightly better staging and with the amp on board, tons of power for a hell of a lot more grunt with most headphones. I would just consider what headphone you want to pair here and choose accordingly based on synergies. Midrange fullness is a important factor for me and trumps all else, as I can't stand lean cold mids, so EF499 and EF400 are staples of my household at this point. EF500 on the cheap is still a good deal and I think most people would probably prefer this one over the EF499 based on technical merits alone but if you want true fun, true character, EF400 is my MVP and the EF499 at $200-$230 should be a no brainer for babies first R2R and Hifiman headphones.

 

[Lohb]

Yeah, for tubes, I'd just go straight for Psvane Art Series after trying them with Cayin HA-1A...but I get that buying spiral as it took me quite a few attempts before discovering that brand series....anyway, back to all this EF400.

 

[Hyde00]

EF499 is going to be bit smoother and rounded in the treble. While I don't consider it dark on Hifiman headphones, it might be like that on headphones that are already kinda smooth and mellow to begin with. I hate to use the word laid back because there is still some aggression in the treble and sparkle, it's just not going to be harsh with whatever you throw at it. EF400 has a bit more sparkle and aggression not only in the treble but also the bass which is a bit more dynamic. It's probably what I would call the closest to fun yet full of character. EF499 is still fun but the pairing of headphone matters a little bit more here.

Both EF499 and EF400 has this warmer tonality about it due to what sounds like a fuller, lusher natural sounding midrange. EF500 sounds more neutral in comparison, less fullness in the midrange but it has a tighter grip over the bass and hits just a little bit harder and treble is not rounded but very detailed, full bored and on poor recordings or treble heavy pieces, you will know it as it can sound a bit harsh if your headphone runs bright in any way. EF500 is just a technically better unit to EF499, where as the EF499 just feels like it blends the lows, mids and highs into this very musical presentation and goes hard on the character. I guess you could say the EF500 is a very lively sounding unit thanks to the aggressiveness of the bass and treble. Now I think EF400 is the middle ground between these units with the least amount of trade offs, is even more dynamic than the EF500 and treble still aggressive, sparkly but rarely fatiguing all while keeping those lovely mids.

Now regarding the K11 R2R sounding dark in certain regions. This is entirely possible but I highly believe this is going to depend on the headphone however, treble is definitely going to be on the smoother side vs your standard Delta Sigma DAC but as an experience I think it more closely relates to the EF500. EF500 takes the cake when it comes to dynamics, slightly better staging and with the amp on board, tons of power for a hell of a lot more grunt with most headphones. I would just consider what headphone you want to pair here and choose accordingly based on synergies. Midrange fullness is a important factor for me and trumps all else, as I can't stand lean cold mids, so EF499 and EF400 are staples of my household at this point. EF500 on the cheap is still a good deal and I think most people would probably prefer this one over the EF499 based on technical merits alone but if you want true fun, true character, EF400 is my MVP and the EF499 at $200-$230 should be a no brainer for babies first R2R and Hifiman headphones.

Heyyyyy thanks for the very in-depth review!

I forgot to mention something is that I most likely would pair it with a tube amp if I do get it.

However I read somewhere previously someone doesn't recommend it unless I use XLR out, since it's said that RCA out is quite a bit poorer quality compare to XLR.

I'll be using Lyr 3 which only has RCA, would it be a problem?

Or I'm better off to use it as all in one as is in this case? Oh the local seller is selling it for $460 CAD which is about $320 USD for EF500 by the way....

 

[Rambone]

Pairing it with a tube amp is good stuff and I enjoy this combo a lot. You have the K11 R2R right, it won't veer too far off from that when you pair it with your Lyr. RCA vs XLR will depend on the amp but for me RCA isn't a problem. I don't notice a difference between RCA or XLR when I was testing with my Liquid Platinum connected. Don't worry about it.

Whether you're better off using as a all in one or paired with another amp is situational and all about flavor, so I encourage doing whatever you want with this one because there is no wrong/right answer here. Maybe another amp will have better synergy, if you got it, use it. The deal on that EF500 is pretty solid, I'd be tempted.

 

[Lohb]

Pairing it with a tube amp is good stuff and I enjoy this combo a lot. You have the K11 R2R right, it won't veer too far off from that when you pair it with your Lyr. RCA vs XLR will depend on the amp but for me RCA isn't a problem. I don't notice a difference between RCA or XLR when I was testing with my Liquid Platinum connected. Don't worry about it.

Whether you're better off using as a all in one or paired with another amp is situational and all about flavor, so I encourage doing whatever you want with this one because there is no wrong/right answer here. Maybe another amp will have better synergy, if you got it, use it. The deal on that EF500 is pretty solid, I'd be tempted.

I'd love to try the Apos Gremlin with EF400...
There is a good tube-rolling time and money saving guide on it by Wavetheory on YT...I find his taste and calls spot-on.

....I don't write it off on price/size..and it is XLR in....or Sparkos Tube Hybrid which I hear is amazing.
I found Monolith tube hybrid too dry and solid state for my taste...Cayin Ha-1a is my baseline wow but it is pure liquid OTL I think, and did not work with half my planars...too loose in the bass with low impedence easy to drive ones...

 

[Rambone]

I'd love to try the Apos Gremlin with EF400...
There is a good tube-rolling time and money saving guide on it by Wavetheory on YT...I find his taste and calls spot-on.

....I don't write it off on price/size..and it is XLR in....or Sparkos Tube Hybrid which I hear is amazing.
I found Monolith tube hybrid too dry and solid state for my taste...Cayin Ha-1a is my baseline wow but it is pure liquid OTL I think, and did not work with half my planars...too loose in the bass with low impedence easy to drive ones...

I've been eyeing that Gremlin for a little while and the only thing that keeps me from picking one up is that I've been dreading getting back into tube rolling again as I let myself get a little crazy for awhile. Wavetheory is a boss, I'll have to check that guide out.

What tubes did you settle on with the liquid plat before you called it quits?

 

[Lohb]

I've been eyeing that Gremlin for a little while and the only thing that keeps me from picking one up is that I've been dreading getting back into tube rolling again as I let myself get a little crazy for awhile. Wavetheory is a boss, I'll have to check that guide out.

What tubes did you settle on with the liquid plat before you called it quits?

Valvo EC88.


Edit : Any of you using the EF400 with hard to drive planars such as SJY Horizon/Starry Night...I wonder if it works with them. His stuff supposed to be great for the price, but into speaker amp level power requirements.

 

[Hyde00]

RCA vs XLR will depend on the amp but for me RCA isn't a problem. I don't notice a difference between RCA or XLR when I was testing with my Liquid Platinum connected. Don't worry about it.

That's good to hear lol.

I've been dreading getting back into tube rolling again as I let myself get a little crazy for awhile.

Yeah tube rolling is both fun and terrible at the same time. It's a slippery slope.