[ThyDanMan]

Looks like it's priced well

 

[jmwant]

Yes. Many software players have gain settings for DSD files, whether played natively or converted to PCM, to boost the DSD level so this might not be as noticeable. Audirvana, for example, allows for up to a 6dB boost for DSD/DSF playback.

Didn't know that, thank you for the information.

 

[XGeneX88]

EF400 owners.. I need a bit of help. Received my EF400 and noticed the left dial "clicks" when you rotate from high NOS, OS, low NOS and OS modes. What's weird is I hear and feel the "click" every time when going to high gain NOS/OS modes.. then I feel the click when going "down" to low OS mode and then no click at all when going to low NOS mode... then on the way back up to low OS mode, no click again.. but then clicks both times going to high NOS/OS modes. Is that normal or some weird QC issue? I would assume all 4 dial modes should produce a tactile "click". Can any owners please confirm? Other than this.. the amp seems to work fine but I'm annoyed if there is a mechanical defect on something I ordered new.

 

[Reckoner]

Yeah, same for me with the dial clicks. Just an idiosyncrasy I guess?

But... I just got my EF400 today, and I'm wondering if I made a big mistake by getting a DAC without optical in.

I'm using it with my PC and it's fine for headphones, and line out to my amp is fine when my PC isn't doing much (eg listening to music while working / browsing). But... as soon as I start up a game, I get very significant electrical noise going into the amp. Weirdly, even if I turn the DAC off it's still passing the noise through the line out.

Now, sure, I mostly bought it to upgrade my music experience and to pair with some Hifiman headphones. But I was expecting to still be able to use it with my amp for everything else I do on my PC. I don't want to have to keep my old DAC hanging around just to use for gaming with speakers.

But I don't know, I haven't had to use USB out to a DAC before. Is this... normal? If I contact customer service are they just going to blame a noisy source? Or, since there's zero noise when using the headphones, is it a legitimate line out issue?

 

[550591]

Yeah, same for me with the dial clicks. Just an idiosyncrasy I guess?

But... I just got my EF400 today, and I'm wondering if I made a big mistake by getting a DAC without optical in.

I'm using it with my PC and it's fine for headphones, and line out to my amp is fine when my PC isn't doing much (eg listening to music while working / browsing). But... as soon as I start up a game, I get very significant electrical noise going into the amp. Weirdly, even if I turn the DAC off it's still passing the noise through the line out.

Now, sure, I mostly bought it to upgrade my music experience and to pair with some Hifiman headphones. But I was expecting to still be able to use it with my amp for everything else I do on my PC. I don't want to have to keep my old DAC hanging around just to use for gaming with speakers.

But I don't know, I haven't had to use USB out to a DAC before. Is this... normal? If I contact customer service are they just going to blame a noisy source? Or, since there's zero noise when using the headphones, is it a legitimate line out issue?

You bought a DAC that has only a usb input. If the source is noisy you will hear that. There are usb filters, galvanic isolation etc.

But the R2R dac will cause input lag, so I wouldn't want to use it with games and movie's.

But I returned my unit because of the static noise I had. Probably caused by the usb input.

I really liked the ef400 , but overall it feels like the usual chifi device that is not ready yet to be released

 

[WaveTheory]

Yeah, same for me with the dial clicks. Just an idiosyncrasy I guess?

But... I just got my EF400 today, and I'm wondering if I made a big mistake by getting a DAC without optical in.

I'm using it with my PC and it's fine for headphones, and line out to my amp is fine when my PC isn't doing much (eg listening to music while working / browsing). But... as soon as I start up a game, I get very significant electrical noise going into the amp. Weirdly, even if I turn the DAC off it's still passing the noise through the line out.

Now, sure, I mostly bought it to upgrade my music experience and to pair with some Hifiman headphones. But I was expecting to still be able to use it with my amp for everything else I do on my PC. I don't want to have to keep my old DAC hanging around just to use for gaming with speakers.

But I don't know, I haven't had to use USB out to a DAC before. Is this... normal? If I contact customer service are they just going to blame a noisy source? Or, since there's zero noise when using the headphones, is it a legitimate line out issue?

Gaming PCs are often noisy, unfortunately. GPUs in particular are notorious for introducing ground loops and coil whine into the audio signal. You will often hear those noises modulate with the activity level of the computer too. USB connections often pass these noises to the dac. Optical avoids that issue but limits the types, of audio files that can be sent to the dac. Tradeoffs.

First thing to check is if you like the EF400 outside of those noise issues. As @Mansinthe86 mentions R2R dacs can be laggy and unsync the audio and video. See if EF400 avoids this enough to your liking. If you decide you like EF400 enough to keep it, there are some filtering devices out there that aren't super pricey and can help the issue, but are not guaranteed to be a full solution. If you want to return it an move on, there are still some fantastic options out there for close to the $600 for EF400.

Good luck!

 

[550591]

First thing to check is if you like the EF400 outside of those noise issues. As @Mansinthe86 mentions R2R dacs can be laggy and unsync the audio and video. See if EF400 avoids this enough to your liking. If you decide you like EF400 enough to keep it, there are some filtering devices out there that aren't super pricey and can help the issue, but are not guaranteed to be a full solution. If you want to return it an move on, there are still some fantastic options out there for close to the $600 for EF400.

Good luck!

For music the amp is powerful enough and the R2R DAC is alright. But I feel like if you need usb Isolators, powerfilters and other stuff it gets into a price range where you could easily find something better

 

[WaveTheory]

For music the amp is powerful enough and the R2R DAC is alright. But I feel like if you need usb Isolators, powerfilters and other stuff it gets into a price range where you could easily find something better

I agree there is fairly low ceiling for what is "reasonable" to spend in cleaning up the USB signal for a $600 piece. If an iSilencer doesn't work, I would recommend returning the EF400 and grabbing a pile of Schiit like Modius + Jot 2 or similar.

 

[Reckoner]

Thanks for the replies. It was a bit of a rushed purchase, so yeah, maybe just my mistake in buying something not entirely suitable for my setup. I don't think I'd be able to return it without a better reason.

I do like the sound of the EF400, although I don't have much to compare it to. I'm enjoying exploring my music again with the new DAC and headphones, and if there are any lag/sync issues in other media they've been imperceptible to me so far.

Thanks for the suggestion of the iSilencer, I'll have to look into that more. Have you used it yourself? I'm wondering if the additional processing it's doing would have any noticeable effect when noise isn't present (ie when I'm just listening to music, which hasn't been a problem).

If I can't resolve the line out issue and returning it was an option, I probably would - otherwise I'll need to have both DACs running, and switch to my old one for gaming. Not what I was hoping for.

Is it plausible that there's actually a problem with the DAC, the way that the noise only affects the line out and gets passed through even when the DAC is turned off? If it's actually defective I'd try returning it. Or is that just how USB noise normally works? I mean, obviously it'll be louder via an amplifier... but it goes from zero perceptible noise via headphones to a very significant volume via line out.

 

[550591]

Try it phone as source instead of your pc. If the noise goes away it's your pc. (Could be noise from the pc itself, DC Offset, groundloop)

 

[JayKabel]

Thanks for the replies. It was a bit of a rushed purchase, so yeah, maybe just my mistake in buying something not entirely suitable for my setup. I don't think I'd be able to return it without a better reason.

I do like the sound of the EF400, although I don't have much to compare it to. I'm enjoying exploring my music again with the new DAC and headphones, and if there are any lag/sync issues in other media they've been imperceptible to me so far.

Thanks for the suggestion of the iSilencer, I'll have to look into that more. Have you used it yourself? I'm wondering if the additional processing it's doing would have any noticeable effect when noise isn't present (ie when I'm just listening to music, which hasn't been a problem).

If I can't resolve the line out issue and returning it was an option, I probably would - otherwise I'll need to have both DACs running, and switch to my old one for gaming. Not what I was hoping for.

Is it plausible that there's actually a problem with the DAC, the way that the noise only affects the line out and gets passed through even when the DAC is turned off? If it's actually defective I'd try returning it. Or is that just how USB noise normally works? I mean, obviously it'll be louder via an amplifier... but it goes from zero perceptible noise via headphones to a very significant volume via line out.

Y'all might want to try this inexpensive USB noise isolator
The EF400 is fantastic for the money. If you are getting noise with this, you probably have a problem that would affect other DACs, and you should get an isolator IMO

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B09MF9VTQG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[carloskleiber]

Howdy y'all,

Here's my little EF400 impression:

Hifiman EF400
Pros: Lush, natural sound
Powers planar headphones with authority, even the notoriously hard-to-drive ones
Nice design with plenty of outputs
Works with anything from a computer to a smartphone. Even works with some DAWs
Cons: Lack of analog input
I can’t remember when I first saw the announcement of the EF400, but it was the reason I went out and bought myself a pair of HE6se. Somehow in the back of my mind, I was counting on those two being a good pairing.

Of course, the EF400 kept me waiting a few months, during which I lost my patience and got a Monopiece THX 887 to drive my Arya, HE6se, and numerous other less capable headphones. During this time, I also upgraded my audio interface to an RME UFX II, which had surprisingly powerful and clean headphone outputs, so I started using my Arya directly out of the RME because my THX was largely redundant at that point. The HE6se was collecting dust for a while because I thought it sounded too strident out of the THX amp.

Enter the EF400. I have had this unit for over a month at this point, much of which was spent out of town on an opera performance. During the past few days, I finally had time to give it a proper listen.

In short, I am going to be repeating what everyone else has said- the R2R DAC sounds great and very flattering/forgiving, the amp is plenty powerful, definitely powerful enough to drive my HE6se. For the first time, I am able to say I quite like my HE6se’s. Out of all the Hifiman cans I’ve heard, I have to say they are the brightest of them all, although part of that brightness comes from being under-driven.

VS Monoprice THX 887

I was using the internal R2R DAC of the EF400 for this test, as there is no other choice. It would have been nice if there was a set of analog inputs, but I guess I can’t have everything. The rear XLR outputs were handy when I want to stack my THX amp right on top of the EF400 for a quick A-B comparison.

With the EF400, the main difference is that now there IS bass. I’m not saying the pairing with the THX didn’t have ANY bass, however, switching back and forth between the two amps can reveal how much of the low-end information is missing from the THX.

The other major difference is the warmth and body of the sound. I would say the THX has a slight edge in the definition of the highs as well as the outline of instruments/voices. I listen mostly to classical music, more specifically early music, a genre in which bass instruments form the core of the ensemble, but don’t necessarily take center stage in terms of presence and volume. In this case, more treble definition is not what I need at all, since Hifiman headphones are already very sparkly up top, and I have mostly Hifiman cans. The warmth and extra body from the EF400 are very welcome. To make an analogy, if EF400 sounds like a nice stew of beef and potatoes, THX 887 sounds kind of like the same stew but with the broth dumped out and replaced with distilled water. It is in no way offensive to listen to on its own, but after switching back and forth with an EF400, I find it just not as interesting or pleasant to listen to in general. With the HE6se, it makes more of a “yes” or “no” difference. Now, I am happy to say that I can properly enjoy my HE6se’s and appreciate them as the capable cans they are.

VS RME UFX II

Besides the massive price gap, I use those two devices for very different purposes. The RME is my work unit, I do all of my recording and mixing on this device, and have no doubt I am getting a high-quality, faithful sound out of it. The biggest surprise is that the Arya pairs incredibly well with its headphone jack and delivers a very transparent yet 3D and lively sound. The EF400 presents music very differently, in a more laid-back, lush way. For longer listening sessions, it’s definitely less fatiguing. In terms of driving power, while the RME is quite powerful for an audio interface, it doesn’t have nearly as much power as the EF400. I did try plugging in my HE6se just for the heck of it- and surprisingly, I didn’t hate this combination, although they don’t sound nearly as full and “alive” as they do on the EF400. Despite the RME being nearly 3x the price, I find the EF400 holding its own very well.

Who’s it for?

I would say look no further if you have some low-sensitivity planars on your hands, or if you have decided to go the planar way. I guess if you can afford a pair of Susvara’s, you’d have big bucks to spend on a big amp as well. For those of us who don’t want to invest that much in a headphone system, the EF400 offers an incredible value with its very capable built-in DAC.

Since I have my RME UFX II+ Arya in my studio, I am using this EF400-HE6se combination in the bedroom, sometimes just before bed. Being a professional musician as well as an audio engineer sometimes means you don’t have a lot of time listening to music for leisure; personally, I haven’t had a proper sit-down with headphones for months before my EF400 arrived. The EF400-HE6se combo is so good that I actually look forward to my late-night listening sessions now. It’s a rare thing for me to just enjoy the music without thinking about microphone placements, mixing, or getting competitive and start analyzing other engineers’ sound. This combo makes me forget about the technicalities and just immerse in the music. A nice treat indeed.

Cheers!

 

[SemiAudiophile]

The EF400 is an amazing value AIO DAC/amp that pairs excellently with their planars and surprisingly well with IEMs as well (The ones I've tried were FD7 and IE600). My only gripe is no analog inputs for its very powerful, clean amp section and no gain switch for high sensitivity IEMs. With IEMs I can't turn the dial past 8 without blowing out my ears. So very little wiggle room to play with.

So far I've actually been preferring OS mode over NOS as it sounds more detailed to me and closer to a regular Delta sigma DAC. NOS is noticably smoother, musical, analog sound but sometimes too smooth for my taste. I switch back n forth depending on the recording. If the recording is a little more edgy/sharp I prefer NOS. For most I prefer OS.

Edit: you're also limited to USB input. No coax or optical. So pretty much limited to a desktop setup.

 

[XGeneX88]

The EF400 is an amazing value AIO DAC/amp that pairs excellently with their planars and surprisingly well with IEMs as well (The ones I've tried were FD7 and IE600). My only gripe is no analog inputs for its very powerful, clean amp section and no gain switch for high sensitivity IEMs. With IEMs I can't turn the dial past 8 without blowing out my ears. So very little wiggle room to play with.

So far I've actually been preferring OS mode over NOS as it sounds more detailed to me and closer to a regular Delta sigma DAC. NOS is noticably smoother, musical, analog sound but sometimes too smooth for my taste. I switch back n forth depending on the recording. If the recording is a little more edgy/sharp I prefer NOS. For most I prefer OS.

It's really interesting to see people comment on OS vs NOS mode. I swear.. I could not hear a difference on my EF400 no matter how hard I tried or how many different tracks I listened to..

 

[dsrk]

It's really interesting to see people comment on OS vs NOS mode. I swear.. I could not hear a difference on my EF400 no matter how hard I tried or how many different tracks I listened to..

+1
I was too trying to find if there was any difference between the two modes. I thought the OS mode was a hair bit sharper than NOS but I was not really sure.

I am really enjoying this compared to my previous stack (SMSL SU9 and SU8s + Topping A30 Pro). The sound more dynamic and smooth, the AMP on this thing is as powerful as A30 Pro.

One thing about A30 Pro is that it's very good with IEMs (Blessing 2) too, on EF400 on low gain I can still hear music playing with the volume dial on zero.