[sennheiserhd485]

Is it legal for Hifiman to refuse their one year warranty? I bought HE400i (2016) from the Hifiman online store a few months ago, and I feel the sound is definitely defective. As stated on their website, a one year warranty is included with this purchase, and they will repair or replace your headphones.

My communication has so far been limited to email, but essentially they're saying I will not get a replacement unless I upgrade to a significantly more expensive model than I purchased. First they told me that no model in the price range vicinity of HE400i was in stock (although they're all still available for purchase in the store), then they told me they couldn't replace with any model similar in price, then they told me that they could replace with a HE400i if I pay $115. Story changing much? LOL
At this point it sounds like I am dealing with scammers. Normal customer service for Hifiman?

 

[Watchdog]

What is their warranty? Is it just to replace a non-working headphone or is a warranty guaranteeing satisfaction?

If the former and your headphones work then it’s probably not covered by the warranty.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

What is their warranty? Is it just to replace a non-working headphone or is a warranty guaranteeing satisfaction?

If the former and your headphones work then it’s probably not covered by the warranty.

The website says: "HIFIMAN warrants to the original purchaser that the product purchased will be free of defects related to manufacturing, parts, materials, and workmanship under normal and accepted use."

I would think that subpar sound should be attributable to ones of these defects, right?

 

[Pictograms]

Do they agree with you that the unit is defective? Do they just think you don’t like it?

Edit* it seems you are saying you just don’t like it, so no the warranty will not cover that

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

The website says: "HIFIMAN warrants to the original purchaser that the product purchased will be free of defects related to manufacturing, parts, materials, and workmanship under normal and accepted use."

I would think that subpar sound should be attributable to ones of these defects, right?

Wrong. Keep it or upgrade it. You are not entitled to a warranty claim just because you don't like the sound of the headphone. Next time, choose better.

 

[HipHopScribe]

You're being pretty vague about the actual problem with the headphones here. A driver failure would be a warranty issue. You thinking it doesn't sound good isn't necessarily a warranty issue unless there's an driver defect causing the problem. Just not being happy with the way the headphones sound would be a return policy issue, which is 30 days from the Hifiman store, not a warranty issue. It sounds like you're outside of the return window, don't have a real warranty issue, and Hifiman is still trying to accommodate you in some way.

 

[Watchdog]

In agreement with the others. Sounds like you simply don’t like the sound so they’re offering you an exchange for something you may like better and presumably they will give you a credit for the headphones that you return. Doesn’t sound like a warranty issue.

 

[GREQ]

Aside from their extremely shady 'haggling' process that they call 'customer service' there's really not much you can do about this.

I had a similar experience with them suggesting I purchase an he560 as an upgrade for trading in my he500 that developed a mild channel imbalance...

For that I would have had to pay another 150 euro or so extra for a headphone that is widely accepted as a downgrade from the he500, that the representative claimed was a 'better model'.

That's just how it goes with chifiman.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

Do they agree with you that the unit is defective? Do they just think you don’t like it?

Edit* it seems you are saying you just don’t like it, so no the warranty will not cover that

Sorry, when I say that the sound is sub par, I mean that they sound terrible because they're defective. The mids are recessed and muddy to the point that much cheaper headphones sound better.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

Wrong. Keep it or upgrade it. You are not entitled to a warranty claim just because you don't like the sound of the headphone. Next time, choose better.

You are not understanding. They sound sub par because they're defective. I have dirt cheap headphones that have clearer mids than these.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

You're being pretty vague about the actual problem with the headphones here. A driver failure would be a warranty issue. You thinking it doesn't sound good isn't necessarily a warranty issue unless there's an driver defect causing the problem. Just not being happy with the way the headphones sound would be a return policy issue, which is 30 days from the Hifiman store, not a warranty issue. It sounds like you're outside of the return window, don't have a real warranty issue, and Hifiman is still trying to accommodate you in some way.

It's probably a driver defect. They also sound much worse when paired with any amps. I am within the one year warranty.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

In agreement with the others. Sounds like you simply don’t like the sound so they’re offering you an exchange for something you may like better and presumably they will give you a credit for the headphones that you return. Doesn’t sound like a warranty issue.

The terrible sound is why I believe they're defective.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

Aside from their extremely shady 'haggling' process that they call 'customer service' there's really not much you can do about this.

I had a similar experience with them suggesting I purchase an he560 as an upgrade for trading in my he500 that developed a mild channel imbalance...

For that I would have had to pay another 150 euro or so extra for a headphone that is widely accepted as a downgrade from the he500, that the representative claimed was a 'better model'.

That's just how it goes with chifiman.

It should honestly be illegal. They're lying to me left and right. How is this company so big?
Haggling is a very accurate word for what I feel I am doing here. It's like there are no rules!
I am sorry that happened to you. Your situation is a defect of manufacturing as well, yet they're not owning up to their warranty, again.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

You are not understanding. They sound sub par because they're defective. I have dirt cheap headphones that have clearer mids than these.

"Clearer mids" in this context might be like ChiFi IEMs' really boosted midrange.

By contrast the Sundara just got rid of the midrange dip that was in the HE400(i), but it's still not boosting it the same way some ChiFi IEMs can be rated at 110dB/1mW sensitivity at 1000hz but they sound louder than my 120dB/1mW Aurisonics ASG-1.3 - which some find to have muddy midrange - all because the ChiFi IEM has a mountain range with the first peak at around 2000hz or 2500hz and by that point it's already +10dB over 1000hz.

In short...if your dirt cheap headphones are tuned like these ChiFi IEMs, the midrange might only seem "clearer" but in reality they're boosted, the Sundara is probably just giving you a more balanced sound that you are not used to, and not actually broken.

 

[sennheiserhd485]

"Clearer mids" in this context might be like ChiFi IEMs' really boosted midrange.

By contrast the Sundara just got rid of the midrange dip that was in the HE400(i), but it's still not boosting it the same way some ChiFi IEMs can be rated at 110dB/1mW sensitivity at 1000hz but they sound louder than my 120dB/1mW Aurisonics ASG-1.3 - which some find to have muddy midrange - all because the ChiFi IEM has a mountain range with the first peak at around 2000hz or 2500hz and by that point it's already +10dB over 1000hz.

In short...if your dirt cheap headphones are tuned like these ChiFi IEMs, the midrange might only seem "clearer" but in reality they're boosted, the Sundara is probably just giving you a more balanced sound that you are not used to, and not actually broken.

I am surely open to this idea, but one issue is that the mids because even more recessed when amped. Of course, I don't know if this was a defect of the amp, but maybe even the headphones are defective due to amping causing them to sound worse. The amp was JDS Labs Atom, so it alone, as a function of sound signature, should not be producing weak mids. Regardless, I suppose I am stuck with these headphones now, but I surely won't be supporting Hifiman anymore.