Philips SHP9500 vs Sennheiser HD 800 S
107 facts in comparison
Based on 3,414 Reddit opinions. Close race—Philips SHP9500Philips SHP9500 edges ahead.
3.4K opinions
Philips SHP9500 leads by 5pts
VS
Reddit's Pick
86%
A-
Based on
1,005 Redditors
Winner
Philips SHP9500
~$84.99
548 opinions
tldr; Budget open-back gateway. Huge pads, open sound, $60. Perfect starter.
Check pricesVS
81%
B+
Based on
5,711 Redditors
Sennheiser HD 800 S
~$1,899
2,866 opinions
tldr; Soundstage monster. Legendary imaging, treble spike bothers some. Detail retrieval god.
Check prices🎵SOU
😌COM
💰VAL
🔧BUI
⚡FEA
75
Points
61
Points
Score by Category
Sound Quality
72%82%
Comfort
84%77%
Value
100%49%
Build Quality
80%69%
Features
100%58%
Why is HD 800 S better than Philips SHP9500?
- Better sound quality (82% vs 72%)
- Better bass (29% vs 11%)
- Legendary soundstage
- Precise imaging
- Treble spike
Based on 6,716 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge
Reddit prefers the Philips SHP9500Philips SHP9500
Winning by 5 points (86% vs 81%)
Better comfort
Better build quality
Better value
High confidence (6,716 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 6,716 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Philips SHP9500
8.6/10
1,005 mentions
800 S
8.1/10
5,711 mentions
SOUND QUALITY
Philips SHP95007.2/10
800 S8.2/10
COMFORT
Philips SHP95008.4/10
800 S7.7/10
BASS
Philips SHP95001.1/10
800 S2.9/10
BUILD QUALITY
Philips SHP95008.0/10
800 S6.9/10
VALUE
Philips SHP950010.0/10
800 S4.9/10
FEATURES
Philips SHP950010.0/10
800 S5.8/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Philips SHP9500 | 800 S |
|---|---|---|
Sound Quality | 72% | 82% |
Comfort | 84% | 77% |
Bass | 11% | 29% |
Build Quality | 80% | 69% |
Value | 100% | 49% |
Features | 100% | 58% |
Category Wins
Philips SHP9500: 4|800 S: 2
Head to Head
Philips SHP9500: 4|800 S: 2
Sound Quality800 S
Philips SHP950072%
800 S82%
ComfortPhilips SHP9500
Philips SHP950084%
800 S77%
Bass800 S
Philips SHP950011%
800 S29%
Build QualityPhilips SHP9500
Philips SHP950080%
800 S69%
ValuePhilips SHP9500
Philips SHP9500100%
800 S49%
FeaturesPhilips SHP9500
Philips SHP9500100%
800 S58%
Philips SHP9500
86%
81%
800 S
Philips SHP950086%
800 S81%
Philips SHP9500 wins by 5 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Philips SHP9500 | Sennheiser HD 800 S |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic System | Open | Open-back |
| Driver Size | 50 mm | — |
| Impedance | 32 ohm | 300 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 12 - 35,000 Hz | 4-51,000 Hz (-10 dB) |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB | — |
Key Highlights
Philips SHP9500
💰 Budget king
😌 Giant pads
🌌 Open sound
👋 Perfect starter
Sennheiser HD 800 SWinner
🌌 Legendary soundstage
🎯 Precise imaging
⚠️ Treble spike
💰 Used value now
Topic Battles
Philips SHP9500: 4|Tied: 0|800 S: 1
🎵Sound Quality
800 S winsPhilips SHP9500
72%
800 S
82%
😌Comfort
Philips SHP9500 winsPhilips SHP9500
84%
800 S
77%
💰Value
Philips SHP9500 winsPhilips SHP9500
100%
800 S
49%
🔧Build Quality
Philips SHP9500 winsPhilips SHP9500
80%
800 S
69%
⚡Features
Philips SHP9500 winsPhilips SHP9500
100%
800 S
58%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Philips SHP9500
Best Praise
+100 pts“Philip SHP9500 probably the best bang for buck headphone in market. Enjoy.”
r/headphones
ViewTop Criticism
+8 pts“I’d always take a KSC75 over a SHP9500 (without EQ). Especially a modded KSC75 with a headband and Yaxi pads. The SHP9500 is very comfortable, but I find the treble sounds super rough and grainy, which also makes the bass roll off sound more noticeable. Although a lot of that can be fixed with some EQ to lower the treble peaks, which dramatically improves the sound of the SHP9500 in my opinion”
r/headphones
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for Sennheiser HD 800 S
Sentiment Over Time
Philips SHP9500
Sennheiser HD 800 S
📈Historical Price Data
Philips SHP9500
Sennheiser HD 800 S
Philips SHP9500
All-time low: $49(2022-01)
Sennheiser HD 800 S
All-time low: $799(2020-07)
$171 below 90-day avg
Which is Better?
Philips SHP9500 Wins
86%
SHP9500
vs
81%
S
Close race, but Philips SHP9500 edges ahead by 5 points based on 6,716 Reddit opinions.
Why Philips SHP9500Winner
- Better Value for Money (100% vs 49%)
- Better Features (100% vs 58%)
Why 800 S
- 🌌 Legendary soundstage
- 🎯 Precise imaging
- More discussed (5,711 vs 1,005)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
47%Positive
Positive
47%Neutral
46%Negative
7%Based on 1,005 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
41%Positive
Positive
41%Neutral
50%Negative
9%Based on 5,711 Reddit opinions
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Philips SHP9500 or Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Based on 6,716 Reddit comments, Philips SHP9500 has a slight edge with 86% positive sentiment vs Sennheiser HD 800 S's 81%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Philips SHP9500 or Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Both have similar approval ratings (86% vs 81%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Philips SHP9500?
Reddit users highlight: Budget king. Giant pads. Open sound. With 1,005 mentions and 86% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Sennheiser HD 800 S?
Reddit users highlight: Legendary soundstage. Precise imaging. Treble spike. With 5,711 mentions and 81% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 6,716 Reddit comments: 1,005 about Philips SHP9500 and 5,711 about Sennheiser HD 800 S. 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.
3,414 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/24/2026