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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 800 S vs HIFIMAN HE1000
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 800 S overall (71 vs 13). None of the 29 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 29
- Say they own both
- 1
- Choose the HD 800 S
- 0
- Choose the HE1000
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 29 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 19 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 | $2000 | $1399cheaper |
| Overall rank | #10higher | #31 |
| People who recommend it | 71more | 13 |
| Say they own it | 71more | 17 |
| Mentions | 675more | 190 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back planar wired |
| Known for | ClassicalHuge spaceNeeds amp | AiryScaleNeeds amp |
| Best for | Recommended for classical, acoustic and anyone who wants the biggest sense of space from a headphone. | Recommended as a wide, airy end-game planar by people who want scale rather than punch. |
| Buy | Amazon · $2000 | Amazon · $1399 |
#10 overall
Sennheiser HD 800 S
1 of the 29 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Huge soundstage and detail; the classic end-game dynamic headphone
- Several owners keep it as the serious-listening set beside a cheaper everyday pair
- Comfortable despite its size
The complaints
- Lean bass and bright treble; can be analytical rather than fun
- Needs a good amp and good recordings
- Price
In their words
“Ok, i got encourage to get the HD800 after i saw this”
A commenter under Sennheiser HD 800 Unboxing, Review & Shootout w/ HiFiMAN HE-500 Headphones (Music + BF4) (Barnacules Nerdgasm) · Oct 2013
“I have all sennheiser hp and hd800 my daily driver”
A commenter under Is Sennheiser's new headphone REALLY an upgrade? (The Headphone Show) · Feb 2023
“I use HD800s as my daily driver”
A commenter under Open vs Closed Back Headphones for GAMING - Which Is Best? (Hardware Canucks) · Jul 2019
#31 overall
HIFIMAN HE1000 (V2 / se / Stealth)
1 of the 29 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Owners describe hearing things in familiar tracks for the first time
- Lighter and more comfortable than an Audeze LCD-X; usable lying down
- Called a monster of a headphone that defines end-game for staging
The complaints
- More analytical than fun for some tastes
- HIFIMAN build and quality-control reputation
- Price varies wildly by version
In their words
“I've since rebought he1000v2 as it's my favorite headphone of all time”
A commenter under HiFiMAN HE1000 V2 Live Impressions & Measurements - Resolve Q&A (The Headphone Show) · Dec 2022
“I love my Hifiman HE1000SE, EQd”
A commenter under ARYA ORGANIC -VS- EVERYTHING! (Joshua Valour) · Aug 2023
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 800 S better than the HIFIMAN HE1000?
- None of the 29 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 71 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 800 S and 13 the HIFIMAN HE1000. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 800 S or the HIFIMAN HE1000?
- The HIFIMAN HE1000 is cheaper: $1399 against $2000 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 800 S or the HIFIMAN HE1000?
- The Sennheiser HD 800 S: 71 people recommend it against 13. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 800 S is #10 and the HIFIMAN HE1000 is #31.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 800 S and the HIFIMAN HE1000?
- Yes. 1 of the 29 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 1 say they own the Sennheiser HD 800 S and 1 the HIFIMAN HE1000.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 800 S and the HIFIMAN HE1000?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 800 S: lean bass and bright treble; can be analytical rather than fun. About the HIFIMAN HE1000: more analytical than fun for some tastes. The full lists are on each side below.