HiFiMAN
TypePrivate
IndustryConsumer electronics
Founded2005
FounderFang Bian
Headquarters
Tianjin
,
China
Key people
Fang Bian, Founder/CEO
ProductsHigh-end audio
Websitehifiman.com

HiFiMAN Electronics is a Chinese manufacturer of audio products including headphones, amplifiers, and portable audio players. Hifiman is known for its high-end audio products, initially made under the brand Head-Direct but now only as HIFIMAN.

History

Founded by Fang Bian in late 2005, Bian started Head-Direct, both a web-store and Head-Fi (https://www.head-fi.org/) sponsor. He began use of the HiFiMAN brand in 2007. In 2010, he started two small-sized factories in China and moved the headquarters to Tianjin, China in 2011.[1]

Early products and development

One of the company's early planar headphones was a model called the HE5. To avoid the high cost of tooling, it was decided to make HE5's ear cups out of wood. Wood was also considered a sign of quality and was expected to help establish HiFiMAN HE5 as a higher-end headphone. HiFiMAN found themselves having to ramp up production, however its small and limited operations made that very difficult. To make matters worse, the wood ear cups began cracking and received many complaints.

HE5 was replaced by the HE5LE where the wood ear cup was replaced by cheaper plastic. This design was an early forerunner of HiFiMAN planar phones to come. The low sensitivity of planar magnetic headphones demanded high-powered amplifiers. Since few amps like this were on the market at the time, this spawned the company's forray into making amplifiers such as the EF5 and ultimately the HE6.

Products

HiFiMAN designs and manufactures headphones and portable audio products like the HE-5, HE-5LE, HE-6, HE-500, HE-400 and a range of earphone's or IEM's ( In Ear Monitors) such as the RE-0, the RE-252 and the RE2000. In 2009, HiFiMAN released the HM-801, marketed as the first true high-end portable music player and have continued with the slimline Supermini and the larger HM series. HiFiMAN has been attempting to normalise the use of a 3.5mm Balanced output on their players and use for ear and headphones.

The HIFIMAN HM-601 DAP (Digital Audio Player)

HiFiMAN is best known for their planar magnetic headphones but the company also manufactures in-ear drivers.

Awards

Several of HiFiMAN's products, such as the HM-700[2] and HM-901,[3][4] full-size headphones like the HE-560 and HE-400i,[5][6] earphones including the RE-400[7][8] and RE-600/RE-600s,[9] amplifiers such as the EF-2A[10] and EF-6,[11] have all won several awards.

  • HE-560 won the Audio Excellence Award (2015) by Phileweb[12]
  • HE-560 named a CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards (2015)[13]
  • HE-560 selected as a CES Editors’ Choice Award Winner (2014)
  • RE-600 was an EXC!TE Award Winner (2014)[14]
  • HE-400 was an EXC!TE Award Winner (2014)
  • HE-6 chosen as one of The Audiophiliac's best-sounding gear of 2012[15]
  • HE-400 was a RESI Award Winner (2012)[16]
  • HE1000 Soundstage! Product of the Year 2015
  • HE1000 HEADPHONE.GURU Product of the Year 2015
  • HE400S HEADPHONE.GURU Writers Choice Award 2015
  • HE400S Image HiFi Award 2016
  • Edition X v2 Headfonia.com Best Open Headphone 2016
  • HE1000 CES Innovation Award Honouree 2016
  • HE1000 v2 Headfonics Best Open Headphones 2016
  • HE400i Stereoplay Magazines Golden Ears 2016
  • Edition X v2 Secrets of Home Theatre High Fidelity Best Headphones 2016
  • HE1000 hifi+ Cost No Object Headphones 2016
  • HE1000 v2 TAS Editors' Choice Award 2017
  • Edition X v2 CES Innovation Award Honouree 2017
  • SuperMini VGP Gold Award 2017
  • HE1000 v2 European Design Product Award 2017[17]
  • Susvara Headfonics Best Open Headphones 2017

References

  1. ↑ "An Interview with Fang Bian of HiFiMAN Electronics" Audio-Head. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  2. ↑ "HiFiMAN HM-700: A Slick Portable Music Player For Audiophiles" Truly Gadgets. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  3. ↑ "HiFiMan Readies $1,000 Portable Music Player" Twice. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  4. ↑ "This ultimate portable music player will make your ears jump for joy" CNET. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  5. ↑ "HiFiMan HE-560 Headphones" Reviewed. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  6. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE RECAP: CES INNOVATION HONOREES HOT GADGETS" The Unbiased Writer. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  7. ↑ "Audiophile earphones for less than $100" CNET. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  8. ↑ "Review" Audiopolitan. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  9. ↑ "HiFiMan RE-600 In-Ear Headphone" Sound & Vision. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  10. ↑ "HiFiMAN EF2A Headphone Amp: Style & Power" JamBase. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  11. ↑ "The EF6 from Hifiman" Headfonics. Retrieved 2014-1-24.
  12. ↑ "Audio Excellence Awards 2015" Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  13. ↑ "2015 CES Innovations Awards" CES. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  14. ↑ "2014 EXC!TE Awards" Technology Integrator. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  15. ↑ "The best-sounding audio products of 2012" CNET. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  16. ↑ "2012 Resi Awards Finalists are Chosen" Residential Systems. Retrieved 2015-1-24.
  17. ↑ "Audiophile Headphones" "Audiosolace". Retrieved 2020-9-04
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