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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If budget is a concern, the HD 400S offers good sound quality at a lower price and might be ideal if you primarily listen to music or attend calls and meetings. They are comfortable, over-ear headphones with a cable, so they're not suited for exercise, don't have noise cancelling, and aren't portable. On the other hand, the IE600 earbuds deliver the best sound for music and have superior build quality. They're more portable and fit securely, but they lack a microphone and are not recommended for calls or meetings, nor are they designed for exercise or travel. Both lack wireless connectivity and active noise cancelling, but the HD 400S is better for TV and gaming due to lower latency. Consider how these factors align with your listening habits and preferences. 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 Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Good for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser IE600
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.1
8.3
The Sennheiser IE600 is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Gaming
8.6
6.7
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for gaming, while the Sennheiser IE600 is only fair.
Phone Calls
8.2
3.5
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.6
5.4
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
TV and Video
7.6
9.3
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Noise Reduction
5.3
7.0
The Sennheiser IE600 is good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Cost
$50
$600
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Sennheiser HD 400S has a price of $50 and the Sennheiser IE600 costs $600.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Sennheiser IE600 has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser HD 400S and the Sennheiser IE600 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser HD 400S | Sennheiser IE600 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $600 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2019 | June 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.2/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.2/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.7/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 4.6/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8.5/10 | 2.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 213 Grams | 6 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Sennheiser IE600
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Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser HD 400S or the Sennheiser IE600
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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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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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