Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X vs HiFiMan HE400se: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 71% of 234 for the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X.

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

Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X

71%of 234 owners recommend
71% recommend · 14% neutral · 15% don't
Owners praise
  • Pinpoint imaging for gaming
  • Great all-rounder for music and gaming
  • Detailed, fairly neutral sound
Owners complain about
  • Strong clamp needs breaking in
  • Flimsy headband peels and cracks
  • Bass-light for bass heads
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 Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X if
  • Competitive gamers needing precise footstep imaging
  • Home producers mixing on a budget
  • Listeners wanting a neutral, detailed sound signature
  • Buyers who want great sound without a dedicated amp
Skip it if
  • Bass heads wanting deep, boomy low end
  • Anyone sensitive to strong headphone clamp force
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 Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X owners say

I bought the 900 proX as my first high end headphone for mostly gaming and music. They caused me to spend another 2k on speakers and a schiit stack because id never heard such beatiful sounds. Worth it
@Lperry on YouTube
900 sounds more natural, intimate and less fatiguing but it doesn't stage the same way.
Bret Halford on Head-Fi
That joint is a huge weak point in my opinion.
@drewmorg. 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

Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X vs HiFiMan HE400se: frequently asked questions

Is the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X or the HiFiMan HE400se better?

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 71% of 234 for the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X.

Who should get the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X?

Owners point the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at competitive gamers needing precise footstep imaging, and home producers mixing on a budget.

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 Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X is strong clamp needs breaking in. For the HiFiMan HE400se, it's uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot.