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Edition XS
Company ProductName Specs




HD 400S
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

If you're seeking exceptional sound quality and a wide soundstage for an immersive music listening experience, the HifiMan Edition XS would be a superior choice, although it is significantly more expensive. These headphones have open-back design which doesn't isolate noise well, so they're not ideal in noisy environments. Conversely, the Sennheiser HD 400S offer very good value for their price, with a closed-back design that provides better noise isolation, making them more versatile for everyday use such as calls, meetings, or watching TV. However, their sound quality, while good, is not as detailed as the HifiMan Edition XS. Both are wired and comfortable, but the Edition XS is heavier. If portability and use during exercise or travel are important, the lighter and more compact Sennheiser may be more practical, but if ultimate sound fidelity is your priority and cost isn't a major concern, you should consider the HifiMan. 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 HD 400S
  • Very good for phone calls
  • Very good for gaming
  • Good for air travel

Key differences

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Music

8.8
Edition XS
HD 400S
7.1
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.

Gaming

7.4
Edition XS
HD 400S
8.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.

Phone Calls

5.0
Edition XS
HD 400S
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.

TV and Video

9.5
Edition XS
HD 400S
7.6
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.

Noise Reduction

2.5
Edition XS
HD 400S
5.3
The Sennheiser HD 400S and HifiMan Edition XS are both poor for noise reduction, though the Sennheiser HD 400S is somewhat better.

Cost

$269
Edition XS
HD 400S
$50
Product image
Product image

$0

$100

$200

$300

$400

The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $50.
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Key similarities

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Podcasts and Audiobooks

7.9
Edition XS
HD 400S
7.6
The HifiMan Edition XS and Sennheiser HD 400S are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.

Build Quality

8.5
Edition XS
HD 400S
8.5
The HifiMan Edition XS and Sennheiser HD 400S both have very good build quality.

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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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HifiMan Edition XSSennheiser HD 400S
HifiMan Edition XSSennheiser HD 400S

GENERAL

Price
$269
$50
Brand
HifiManSennheiser
Release Date
December 1, 2021January 1, 2019
Form Factor
HeadphonesHeadphones
Connectivity
WiredWired

SOUND

Music Score
8.9/107.2/10
Phone Calls Score
5.1/108.2/10
Gaming Score
7.5/108.7/10
TV and Video Score
9.5/107.7/10
Exercise Score
4.4/104.2/10

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoNo
Noise Reduction Score
2.5/105.3/10
Virtual Surround
NoNo
Mic Quality
N/A8.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.5/108.5/10
Comfort score
7.6/108.4/10
Weight (headset or single earbud)
421 Grams213 Grams
Microphone style
N/AIntegrated
Waterproof Rating
00

Shopping

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HifiMan Edition XS

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Dig into reviews and images

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 HD 400S

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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 Edition XS 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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,600
Recommendations made
18,390
Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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