Introducing the HIFIMAN EF400 Balanced Desktop DAC/Amplifier!

[FooFighter]

As much as I love the sound so much, the OS sampling light flickers and goes out periodically regardless of source or cans hooked up. Shipped her back today. What’s the next step up for a similar sound? I’m auditioning an RME and while it’s great and clean, I’m pretty much hooked on that analog sound now!

Potentially Denafrips Ares II plus a small synergetic amp but will be a little more expensive then together

 

[Johnfg465vd]

What’s the next step up for a similar sound? I’m auditioning an RME and while it’s great and clean, I’m pretty much hooked on that analog sound now!

Potentially Denafrips Ares II plus a small synergetic amp but will be a little more expensive then together

Not a lot of affordable options for R2R. Like FooFighter says, Ares II is the only reasonable alternate which is pretty expensive. There's the Audio-GD stuff but those DACs have pretty mixed opinions on sound by many and potentially high delivery costs.

If you are "Ok" with some compromise in sound and usability, you can use HiBy RS2 as a DAC and Line-Out to a decent Amp like Zen CAN or get a good one like the Burson Soloist 3X Performance. I personally would avoid Topping because they seem to compress and reduce the soundstage depth a bit but YMMV.

I personally have heard the Ares II and own the RS2. The Ares II as a DAC sounded a tiny bit more resolving, textured and bright compared to EF400 when using A90 Pro as an Amp. The EF400 was a bit smoother and laid back. The difference wasn't worth the cost and I can easily see some people prefering one over the other depending on their tastes and transducer paired.

The RS2 just as a DAC compared to EF400 gives you that R2R flavour at the cost of slight performance downgrade. I sold my A30 Pro but did get the NX7 recently so I was able to test the DACs of EF400 vs RS2 using NX7 as an Amp. I think the EF400 is better with better dynamics (probably due to higher output voltage), much wider soundstage, slightly better detail. The RS2 has a slightly Intimate soundstage, a bit more Vocal forward presentation and it's a bit more precise with it's Imaging (probably because of the phase issue on EF400). One issue with the RS2 is that it adds a small ms of delay when using it as a DAC/Amp to a PC or Phone, not as bad as Ares II but not as immediate as EF400 either.

 

[Nooborghini]

So I was measuring some tracks to test channel phase imbalance from a SE 6xx playing 18kHz to my miniDSP EARS.
I guess I was playing it while I unplugged/plugged back in from another source to compare and now the thing won't register under 3 different windows platforms.

I've somehow shorted the thing where usbaudio2.inf for the EF400 won't properly load on multiple windows machines but will load USB-based audio devices. Outside of traditional user-end methods to restore it, it won't register after a system file scan and pulling the reg key out and reinstalling it.

so I went from having potential*** channel phasing issues to it being completely bricked. I really hope this QC issue doesn't bleed into my Susvaras :/

EDIT:
Potentially having phasing issues. I heard it but not sure if it's my ears not used to R2R vs DS dacs.

 

[cirodts]

Hi I have a problem with my hifiman ef-400, at the beginning of the potentiometer stroke both if I lower and if I raise the volume on the headphones there
there are innumerable electrical disturbances and then at the beginning you hear
only the right side of the headphones then I have to turn up the volume more to balance listening especially with headphones grado, this is very annoying, what can be done?

 

[peterinvan]

Hi I have a problem with my hifiman ef-400, at the beginning of the potentiometer stroke both if I lower and if I raise the volume on the headphones there
there are innumerable electrical disturbances and then at the beginning you hear
only the right side of the headphones then I have to turn up the volume more to balance listening especially with headphones grado, this is very annoying, what can be done?

I had the same problem driving my Meze 109 Pro (35 ohms). This amp is designed for high impedence headphones.
Try the iFi ieMatch 4.4mm to allow you to use higher volume knob setting

 

[weasel1979]

Hello,
my EF 400 makes a noise. It is a very low humming or buzzing sound, sorry, English is not my first language. I expected it do be dead silent, but I can hear this humming in the room. ( I am not talking about noise that comes out of the headphones, but from the amp itself.) My question: Is this normal or should I return the unit? Thank you so much .

 

[Johnfg465vd]

Hello,
my EF 400 makes a noise. It is a very low humming or buzzing sound, sorry, English is not my first language. I expected it do be dead silent, but I can hear this humming in the room. ( I am not talking about noise that comes out of the headphones, but from the amp itself.) My question: Is this normal or should I return the unit? Thank you so much .

Not normal, I don't have any noise from the body.

 

[weasel1979]

Not normal, I don't have any noise from the body.

Thank you! It is very low though.

 

[galaxysound25]

EF600 is released
https://positive-feedback.com/indus...laya-pro-modules-for-audiophile-grade-output/

 

[XGeneX88]

EF600 is released
https://positive-feedback.com/indus...laya-pro-modules-for-audiophile-grade-output/

Lmao they get the award for ugliest volume knob ever made. Well done Hifiman.. well done.

 

[Daveshast]

EF600 is released
https://positive-feedback.com/indus...laya-pro-modules-for-audiophile-grade-output/

Nice.

 

[TeamHiFiMAN]

Hello,
my EF 400 makes a noise. It is a very low humming or buzzing sound, sorry, English is not my first language. I expected it do be dead silent, but I can hear this humming in the room. ( I am not talking about noise that comes out of the headphones, but from the amp itself.) My question: Is this normal or should I return the unit? Thank you so much .

Hi there, please feel free to email us if you have any questions about your device: customerservice@hifiman.com

 

[peterinvan]

EF600 is released
https://positive-feedback.com/indus...laya-pro-modules-for-audiophile-grade-output/

I bought the EF400, but the gain (or high output impedance) was too much for my Meze 109 Pro, Focal Elegia, and LCD-XC headphones (all under 50 ohms). The volume knob never passed 07:00. I had to return the EF400.

Hopefully they sorted out the phase shift issue.

HiFi Man could sell the EF600 to this market if they offered a lower gain. High gain would be for HiFiMAN headphones etc.

 

[cirodts]

bet with your mezes you were also having problems with static noise from the potentiometer and sound balance at low volume.

 

[peterinvan]

bet with your mezes you were also having problems with static noise from the potentiometer and sound balance at low volume.

No static, but yes to low pot unbalanced