HiFiMan Edition XS vs Sennheiser HD 800 S
92 facts in comparison
Based on 3,041 Reddit opinions. Close race—800 SSennheiser HD 800 S edges ahead.
3.0K opinions
800 S leads by 1pts
VS
90%
A
Based on
5,372 Redditors
HiFiMan Edition XS
~$209
1,566 opinions
tldr; Ananda alternative. Similar tier, different flavor. Great value planar.
Check pricesVS
Reddit's Pick
91%
A
Based on
5,297 Redditors
Winner
Sennheiser HD 800 S
~$149.95
1,475 opinions
tldr; Soundstage monster. Legendary imaging, treble spike bothers some. Detail retrieval god.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
🔊BAS
31
Points
29
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
30%26%
Comfort
36%40%
Value
32%27%
Build Quality
28%31%
Features
26%24%
Bass
32%28%
Why is HD 800 S better than HiFiMan Edition XS?
- Higher Reddit score (91% vs 90%)
- Legendary soundstage
- Precise imaging
- Treble spike
Based on 10,669 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call
Reddit prefers the 800 SSennheiser HD 800 S
Winning by 1 points (91% vs 90%)
Legendary soundstage
Precise imaging
Treble spike
High confidence (10,669 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 10,669 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Edition XS
9.0/10
5,372 mentions
800 S
9.1/10
5,297 mentions
BUILD QUALITY
Edition XS2.8/10
800 S3.1/10
COMFORT
Edition XS3.6/10
800 S4.0/10
SOUND QUALITY
Edition XS3.0/10
800 S2.6/10
FEATURES
Edition XS2.6/10
800 S2.4/10
BASS
Edition XS3.2/10
800 S2.8/10
VALUE
Edition XS3.2/10
800 S2.7/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Edition XS | 800 S |
|---|---|---|
Build Quality | 28% | 31% |
Comfort | 36% | 40% |
Sound Quality | 30% | 26% |
Features | 26% | 24% |
Bass | 32% | 28% |
Value | 32% | 27% |
Category Wins
Edition XS: 3|800 S: 2
Head to Head
Edition XS: 3|800 S: 2
Build Quality800 S
Edition XS28%
800 S31%
Comfort800 S
Edition XS36%
800 S40%
Sound QualityEdition XS
Edition XS30%
800 S26%
Features
Edition XS26%
800 S24%
BassEdition XS
Edition XS32%
800 S28%
ValueEdition XS
Edition XS32%
800 S27%
Edition XS
90%
91%
800 S
Edition XS90%
800 S91%
Close race - 800 S edges ahead by 1 points
Key Specs
| Spec | HiFiMan Edition XS | Sennheiser HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | HIFIMAN | Sennheiser |
| Manufacturer | HIFIMAN Electronics | Sennheiser |
| Color | Black | Black |
| Weight | 0.8925 pounds | 0.5291094288 pounds |
| Height | — | 5.66928 inches |
Key Highlights
HiFiMan Edition XSWinner
💰 Value planar
🎵 Fun tuning
😌 Comfortable
⚠️ Build quality
Sennheiser HD 800 S
🌌 Legendary soundstage
🎯 Precise imaging
⚠️ Treble spike
💰 Used value now
Topic Battles
Edition XS: 3|Tied: 1|800 S: 2
🎵Sound Quality
Edition XS winsEdition XS
30%
800 S
26%
😌Comfort
800 S winsEdition XS
36%
800 S
40%
💰Value
Edition XS winsEdition XS
32%
800 S
27%
🔧Build Quality
800 S winsEdition XS
28%
800 S
31%
⚡Features
Edition XS
26%
800 S
24%
🔊Bass
Edition XS winsEdition XS
32%
800 S
28%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 6 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Sennheiser HD 800 S
Best Praise
+58 pts“Still new to this hobby, but I was looking for an upgrade from the Sundaras and I was searching for headphones with a big soundstage and decided to get this over the HD800s. I mainly listen to orchestral/instrumental music and it sounds great! Currently running this off my JDS atom stack but might upgrade in the future.”
r/headphones
ViewNo negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for HiFiMan Edition XS
Best Praise
+55 pts“I had a similarly obnoxious bass boost on 598cs with rotted ear pads. It went from 0 bass to head rumbling. Zero distortion, sounded excellent. No complaints even coming from Edition XS. As long as you're not blowing your shit up, and it sounds good, send it.”
r/headphones
ViewNo negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 800 S
📈Historical Price Data
HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 800 S
HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 800 S
Which is Better?
Too Close to Call
Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (91% vs 90%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.
Why 800 S
- 🌌 Legendary soundstage
- 🎯 Precise imaging
- ⚠️ Treble spike
Why Edition XS
- 💰 Value planar
- 🎵 Fun tuning
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
26%Positive
Positive
26%Neutral
72%Negative
2%Based on 5,223 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
26%Positive
Positive
26%Neutral
71%Negative
3%Based on 5,339 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Sennheiser HD 800 S or HiFiMan Edition XS?
Based on 10,669 Reddit comments, Sennheiser HD 800 S has a slight edge with 91% positive sentiment vs HiFiMan Edition XS's 90%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Sennheiser HD 800 S or HiFiMan Edition XS?
Both have similar approval ratings (91% vs 90%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Reddit users highlight: Legendary soundstage. Precise imaging. Treble spike. With 5,297 mentions and 91% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about HiFiMan Edition XS?
Reddit users highlight: Value planar. Fun tuning. Comfortable. With 5,372 mentions and 90% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 10,669 Reddit comments: 5,297 about Sennheiser HD 800 S and 5,372 about HiFiMan Edition XS. Data was sourced from headphones community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.
3,041 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 3/6/2026