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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're seeking premium sound quality for music listening at home or in a quiet environment, the HifiMan Arya Stealth will likely offer an exceptional and immersive experience given their superior sound score. They have an open-back design which contributes to a more spacious soundstage but makes them unsuitable for noisy environments or activities like exercise, as they provide little noise isolation and aren't sweatproof. In contrast, the Sennheiser HD 400S is a more budget-friendly choice that performs well for a variety of uses including calls and meetings, given its integrated microphone, and is more adaptable to portable use with its foldable design and closed-back for better noise isolation. It’s a versatile headset suitable for general purpose use, including gaming and TV, but would not match the Arya Stealth in terms of pure sound fidelity for music enthusiasts. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the HifiMan Arya Stealth
- Best in class for music
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for air travel
Key differences
Music
10.0
7.1
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is best in class for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Gaming
7.1
8.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is good.
Phone Calls
5.1
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
TV and Video
9.4
7.6
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is excellent for TV and video, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
5.3
The Sennheiser HD 400S and HifiMan Arya Stealth are both poor for noise reduction, though the Sennheiser HD 400S is somewhat better.
Cost
$649
$47
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has a price of $649 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $47.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HifiMan Arya Stealth to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
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How the HifiMan Arya Stealth and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Arya Stealth | Sennheiser HD 400S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$649 | $47 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2018 | January 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 10/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.2/10 | 8.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 4.2/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 408.2 Grams | 213 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HifiMan Arya Stealth
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | October 2022
"The Arya can easily be end-game headphones for 99% of consumers, satisfying most audio desires. Priced well above USD$1000, the Arya are obviously and gloriously not for the mass market consumer; they are designed and built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts – especially those who view their expenses on this level of gear as investments."
Sennheiser HD 400S
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Dungeon
Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Arya Stealth or the Sennheiser HD 400S
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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