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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HifiMan Edition XS provides a detailed and immersive sound quality, being open-back, they excel in a quiet environment but are less suited for noisy places or commuting. They might require a dedicated amplifier for best performance. These headphones are better for critical listening. On the other hand, the Sennheiser 450BT is more versatile with noise-canceling capabilities, making them suitable for travel and commuting. They are also more affordable and offer wireless connectivity with a reputable battery life, but they might not match the sound quality of the HifiMan for a discerning listener at home. 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 Edition XS
- Very good for music
- Best in class for TV and video
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.8
6.2
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
7.4
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
Phone Calls
5.0
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
TV and Video
9.5
8.1
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Sennheiser 450BT is very good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Battery
N/A
27.5 Hours
The HifiMan Edition XS does not have a battery. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$269
$139
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $139.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
7.9
The Sennheiser 450BT and HifiMan Edition XS are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The HifiMan Edition XS and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality.
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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Edition XS | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$269 | $139 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 421 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HifiMan Edition XS
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Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | January 2023
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
Sennheiser 450BT
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Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Edition XS or the Sennheiser 450BT
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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