Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

ATH-R70xa vs HiFiMan HE400se: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 63% of 27 for the ATH-R70xa.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

ATH-R70xa

63%of 27 owners recommend

63% recommend · 30% neutral · 7% don't

Owners praise

Exceptionally light and comfortable for long listening sessions, staying cool even after hours of wear
Standout imaging and detail retrieval that owners call incredible or best-in-class for the price
Preferred over Sennheiser rivals like the HD600, HD6XX, and HD660S2, with more bass and dynamism

Owners complain about

Stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort
Treble and vocal timbre can sound artificial, thin, or divisive, especially on spoken content like YouTube videos
Mids sound recessed or pulled back, with measurements showing a dip around 300-400 Hz compared to headphones like the HD600

Full owner report →

HiFiMan HE400se

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

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the ATH-R70xa if

✓Long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most
✓Gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound
✓HD600/6XX owners wanting more treble energy, bass, and less recessed mids
✓Warm-climate or long-session users who need cans that never run hot

Skip it if

Listeners wanting a neutral, analytical reference sound over a brighter V-shaped tuning
Anyone needing thick, plush stock earpads without buying aftermarket Refine pads

Get the HiFiMan HE400se if

✓Budget listeners getting into planar magnetic headphones
✓Users who EQ their headphones for best results
✓Fans of warm, musical, non-clinical sound
✓Value seekers pairing them with a proper amp

Skip it if

Phone-only listeners without a decent amp
People sensitive to headband pressure or hotspots

What ATH-R70xa owners say

“I listened to a bunch of highly rated headphones at the last CanJam in NYC and none of them made me want to upgrade from the R70xa.”
— this_is_me_drunk on Reddit

“I got the r70xa as well, but had to get a new amp to give it more juice to make it sing. But man, being so light i hardly reach for my other cans now and using these as daily drivers.”
— Waste_Search2125 on Reddit

“it has this really arfticial, unnatural sound to it that's neither analytic nor is it a smooth, rich entertaining sound”
— Overall-Cupcake7073 on Reddit

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”
— @ZdraveBass on YouTube

“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

ATH-R70xa vs HiFiMan HE400se: frequently asked questions

Is the ATH-R70xa or the HiFiMan HE400se better?

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 63% of 27 for the ATH-R70xa.

Who should get the ATH-R70xa?

Owners point the ATH-R70xa at long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most, and gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound.

Who should get the HiFiMan HE400se?

Owners point the HiFiMan HE400se at budget listeners getting into planar magnetic headphones, and users who EQ their headphones for best results.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the ATH-R70xa is stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort. For the HiFiMan HE400se, it's uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot.