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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 650 vs HIFIMAN Edition XS
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 vs 27). None of the 32 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 32
- Say they own both
- 4
- Choose the HD 650
- 0
- Choose the Edition XS
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 32 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 18 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $345 | $209cheaper |
| Overall rank | #1higher | #22 |
| People who recommend it | 152more | 27 |
| Say they own it | 213more | 36 |
| Mentions | 1,403more | 304 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back planar wired |
| Known for | VocalsJazzRelaxed | PlanarSpaceValue |
| Best for | The one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions. | Recommended as the planar to buy when you want Arya-style space for a fraction of the price. |
| Buy | Amazon · $345 | Amazon · $209Direct |
People who mention both, in their own words
“I run hd6xx and edition xs”
Owns bothA commenter under The Best $300 Headphone Amp Period. (Joshua Valour) · Sep 2025
#1 overall
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
7 of the 32 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
- Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
- Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
- The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone
The complaints
- Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
- No real sub-bass
- Clamp is tight on big heads
- Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small
In their words
“Been using HD6XX for years and I love them for gaming”
A commenter under What GAMING Headphones AUDIOPHILES Use: 2024 Update! (BadSeed Tech) · Jun 2024
“I have both 600 and 6xx and i love them both”
A commenter under The NEW HD600!! (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I have the HD-6XX and love them”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
#22 overall
HIFIMAN Edition XS
8 of the 32 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Owners call it the best sound under $300 and better than anything in the $300-500 range
- Huge soundstage and clarity; takes EQ bass boosts without distortion
- The price keeps dropping, and people who bought at $169-$270 call it the best deal in audio
The complaints
- The headband and build: thin stock pads and a strap many owners mod or replace
- Big and awkward for some heads; uncomfortable for a minority
- HIFIMAN quality control and support worry owners
- Needs a DAC/amp to shine
In their words
“I really love my Hifiman Edition XS, cheap but really amazing pair”
A commenter under The Headphones I actually use. (DankPods) · Sep 2024
“I also have the HiFiman Edition XS and love them as well”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
“to Hifiman Edition XS and love them too”
A commenter under Don't Buy Studio Headphones Until You See This Tier List! (Under $500) (Andrew Chapman Creative) · Dec 2025
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Sennheiser HD 650 better than the HIFIMAN Edition XS?
- None of the 32 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 27 the HIFIMAN Edition XS. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the HIFIMAN Edition XS?
- The HIFIMAN Edition XS is cheaper: $209 against $345 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the HIFIMAN Edition XS?
- The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 27. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the HIFIMAN Edition XS is #22.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the HIFIMAN Edition XS?
- Yes. 4 of the 32 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 7 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 8 the HIFIMAN Edition XS.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the HIFIMAN Edition XS?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the HIFIMAN Edition XS: the headband and build: thin stock pads and a strap many owners mod or replace. The full lists are on each side below.