Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs HiFiMan HE400se: what real owners say
Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 55% of 663 for the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
55%of 663 owners recommend
55% recommend · 16% neutral · 29% don't
Owners praise
- Excellent sound quality for the price
- Built like a tank, lasts for years
- Comfortable for long listening sessions
Owners complain about
- Bloated bass that muddies the mids
- Too-tight clamping force, uncomfortable for long sessions
- Earpads and headband flake and peel
80%of 127 owners recommend
80% recommend · 9% neutral · 11% don't
Owners praise
- Outstanding sound for the price / bargain planar
- Wonderful, fast planar bass
- Responds beautifully to EQ
Owners complain about
- Uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot
- Hard to drive / needs a proper amp
- Treble peaks / harshness that need EQ
What Audio-Technica ATH-M50x owners say
“I can absolutely recommend these, even today.”
“Just got these in too, love the detachable cable.”
“the M50x isn't even good for monitoring”— @DJScopeSOFM on
YouTube
What HiFiMan HE400se owners say
“The treble is still tamed, but the bass doesn't seem to roll off. Punchy and fun.”— @onepieceatatime on
YouTube
“they are amazing, the replacement grills smooth out all the peaks and dips”
“Hifiman are known to last about two months. It's only a question of time before they fail and customer service is bad from what I saw.”— @westsenkovec on
YouTube