HiFiMan Edition XS vs Sennheiser HD 800 S

92 facts in comparison

Based on 3,041 Reddit opinions. Close race—800 S edges ahead.

3.0K opinions
800 S leads by 1pts
HiFiMan Edition XS
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 prices
VS
Reddit's Pick
Sennheiser HD 800 S
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
Sound QualityComfortValueBuild QualityFeaturesBass
🎵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 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 mentions

Overall 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

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 XS90%
800 S91%
Close race - 800 S edges ahead by 1 points

Key Specs

SpecHiFiMan Edition XSSennheiser 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 wins
Edition XS
30%
800 S
26%
😌Comfort
800 S wins
Edition XS
36%
800 S
40%
💰Value
Edition XS wins
Edition XS
32%
800 S
27%
🔧Build Quality
800 S wins
Edition XS
28%
800 S
31%
Features
Edition XS
26%
800 S
24%
🔊Bass
Edition XS wins
Edition 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
View
No 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
View
No negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

HiFiMan Edition XS
Sennheiser HD 800 S
$150$180$210Feb '26Low: $209Low: $149.95Current: $209Current: $149.95
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