Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Beats 360 vs HiFiMan HE400se: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

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

Beats 360

34%of 112 owners recommend
34% recommend · 13% neutral · 53% don't
Owners praise
  • Light and comfortable to wear for long stretches, and some owners find it easier to wear than AirPods Max
  • Liked for the gym and running, sometimes by owners who would only use it there
  • Several owners like the design and being able to swap the cushion covers
Owners complain about
  • Background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent
  • Battery drains while switched off, leaving owners with a half-empty or dead pair when they pick it up, and turning off Find My did not stop it for everyone
  • Many owners find the sound thin, tinny or short on bass for the price, and owners who also have AirPods Max rate the Max's sound higher
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 Beats 360 if
  • ✓People who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs
  • ✓Listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality
Skip it if
  • Podcast, audiobook and video listeners, or anyone who listens in quiet rooms
  • Anyone who needs headphones that hold their charge between uses
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 Beats 360 owners say

“they’re actually amazing for the gym. Way better than the Bose, the Sony’s, and the AirPods for the gym. Noise cancelation is a 10 out of 10, and they never get hot in your ears.”
— @DrWoc on YouTube
“I love mine. The update really helped with the mids. They were super uncontrolled before”
— @GabeDaEngineer on YouTube
“I got a pair and ended up returning them because it didn’t have on ear detection”
— @crazzei 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”
— @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

Beats 360 vs HiFiMan HE400se: frequently asked questions

Is the Beats 360 or the HiFiMan HE400se better?

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

Who should get the Beats 360?

Owners point the Beats 360 at people who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs, and listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality.

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 Beats 360 is background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent. For the HiFiMan HE400se, it's uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot.