Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs HiFiMan HE400se: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

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

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

36%of 434 owners recommend

36% recommend · 24% neutral · 40% don't

Owners praise

Comfort over long flights and full work days, including for glasses wearers
Ear cups deep enough that ears sit inside them rather than being pressed
Noise canceling that buries steady noise like engines, fans and road hum

Owners complain about

A background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all
Popping and thumping when walking, running, or when a door slams nearby
A firmware update that removed switching devices from the headphones themselves

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 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) if

✓Frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on
✓Glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones
✓All-day desk wear where the headphones go on in the morning and stay on
✓Listeners who like a full bass-forward sound and will spend a minute in the app

Skip it if

Anyone sensitive to background noise during podcasts, quiet passages or silence
Walkers, runners and commuters on rough roads, where the noise canceling pops

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 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owners say

“I’m loving both Bose models though.”
— Zealousideal_Bid2690 on Reddit

“Its very good. quality is top notch”
— Adorable_Toe79 on Reddit

“I had the Ultra headphones which caused severe skin irritation. I got rid of them as the only solution was buying third party ear pads which would have changed the sound.”
— TheLawPlace 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

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs HiFiMan HE400se: frequently asked questions

Is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) or the HiFiMan HE400se better?

Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Who should get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)?

Owners point the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on, and glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones.

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 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) is a background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all. For the HiFiMan HE400se, it's uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot.