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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a wide soundstage for an immersive listening experience and can accommodate a premium price, the Sennheiser HD800S would be an excellent choice; they're well-regarded for their sound quality and comfort for long listening sessions. However, if budget is a primary concern and you still seek high fidelity sound, the HifiMan Edition XS might be a more cost-effective option. Keep in mind that both options may require a good amplifier to get the best performance, and neither is ideal for outdoor use due to their open-back design, which doesn't isolate noise well. If you need earbuds or headphones with a microphone or virtual surround sound for gaming or calls, neither of these models may suit your needs as those features are typically found in different types of headphones. 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
- The HifiMan Edition XS has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser HD800S.
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD800S
- Best in class for music
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.8
9.9
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for music, while the HifiMan Edition XS is very good.
Cost
$269
$1,400
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the Sennheiser HD800S costs $1,400.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Sennheiser HD800S has excellent build quality, while the HifiMan Edition XS has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
7.4
7.5
The Sennheiser HD800S and HifiMan Edition XS are both good for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.0
5.0
The HifiMan Edition XS and Sennheiser HD800S are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
8.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser HD800S to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
TV and Video
9.5
9.7
The Sennheiser HD800S and HifiMan Edition XS are both best in class for TV and video.
Noise Reduction
2.5
2.5
The HifiMan Edition XS and Sennheiser HD800S are both poor for noise reduction.
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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the Sennheiser HD800S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Edition XS | Sennheiser HD800S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$269 | $1,400 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | December 1, 2015 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 10/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 9.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4.5/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 421 Grams | 371.9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Dustproof Rating | |||
Dustproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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 HD800S
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | March 2023
"The cans offer stellar sound quality, comfort, and good maintenance options—so they're an easy recommendation if you have the cash and the need for the last headphones you'll buy for years."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Edition XS or the Sennheiser HD800S
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
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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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.
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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.
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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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