Sennheiser HD 800 S vs HIFIMAN HE6

Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 800 S. It ranks #37 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $1,799.95; the HIFIMAN HE6 ranks #42, rated 4.1/5, and costs $1,899, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.

Why pick the Sennheiser HD 800 S: A preference score of 86 with a near neutral tilt and bands from 60 Hz to 10 kHz mostly within about 1.7 dB of target gives a natural, spacious presentation with good tonal balance. The tradeoff: A 6 dB dip near 9.1 kHz followed by a 5.4 dB peak near 11.4 kHz makes the treble uneven.

What the HIFIMAN HE6 does well: A preference score of 85 and a smooth deviation of 2.2 dB around the target show a well-controlled response, with low mids within 0.5 dB of target for natural male vocals and guitars. Watch for: Sub-bass falls about 5 dB short under 60 Hz and the bass region is nearly 2 dB light, so kick drums and bass synths lack weight.

Buy the Sennheiser HD 800 S. It is rated higher for sound quality than the HIFIMAN HE6 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

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How Sennheiser HD 800 S compares with other leading options:

• Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 vs Sennheiser HD 800 S
• Sennheiser HD 800 S vs AKG K812
• Sennheiser HD 800 S vs HIFIMAN HE1000se
• HIFIMAN HE6 vs HIFIMAN HE1000se
• AKG K812 vs HIFIMAN HE6

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The Two Headphones In Full

Sennheiser HD 800 S: $1,799.95 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 86 with a near neutral tilt and bands from 60 Hz to 10 kHz mostly within about 1.7 dB of target gives a natural, spacious presentation with good tonal balance. Air above 10 kHz runs about 4 dB above target, adding openness and perceived detail. It rates the same as the HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth.

Cons: A 6 dB dip near 9.1 kHz followed by a 5.4 dB peak near 11.4 kHz makes the treble uneven. Sub-bass is about 5 dB under target, so rumble is limited. The 300 ohm impedance and 102 dB per volt sensitivity call for a dedicated headphone amp, and the open back leaks sound. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full Sennheiser HD 800 S review and specifications →

Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.19 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 56mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	4Hz - 51kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	86 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	300 ohms
Sensitivity	102 dB SPL/V
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 40 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.7 lbs (330 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.6 dB	0.70
Peak	142 Hz	-2.3 dB	0.30
Peak	1,959 Hz	+2.5 dB	0.88
Peak	5,679 Hz	-4.4 dB	4.36
Peak	212 Hz	-0.5 dB	2.36
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-4.3 dB	0.70
Peak	1,043 Hz	-1.0 dB	2.89
Peak	1,445 Hz	+1.0 dB	3.43
Peak	2,640 Hz	-0.9 dB	4.01
Peak	3,421 Hz	+1.3 dB	5.47

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Sennheiser HD 800 S (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Sennheiser HD 800 S vs AKG K812
  • Sennheiser HD 800 S vs Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000
  • Sennheiser HD 800 S vs HIFIMAN HE1000se

HIFIMAN HE6: $1,899.00 Amazon eBay

Pros: A preference score of 85 and a smooth deviation of 2.2 dB around the target show a well-controlled response, with low mids within 0.5 dB of target for natural male vocals and guitars. Presence and air sit about 1.5 dB above target, adding some openness. Its tilt is almost perfectly neutral at 0.14.

Cons: Sub-bass falls about 5 dB short under 60 Hz and the bass region is nearly 2 dB light, so kick drums and bass synths lack weight. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is around 3.5 dB low, with a 6 dB dip near 9.8 kHz and a 6 dB peak near 11.9 kHz. At 50 ohms and 83.5 dB sensitivity it is hard to drive and needs a powerful dedicated headphone amp, and the open back leaks sound. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.

Full HIFIMAN HE6 review and specifications →

Released	2010 (16 years ago)
Back	Open
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	2.20 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Planar magnetic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	8Hz - 65kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	85 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	50 ohms
Sensitivity	83.5 dB
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 27 Hz (-5.8 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	+0.14 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+4.3 dB	0.70
Peak	2,082 Hz	+6.7 dB	1.71
Peak	1,368 Hz	-2.7 dB	0.46
Peak	4,783 Hz	-5.9 dB	2.45
Peak	6,698 Hz	+4.7 dB	1.96
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-3.4 dB	0.70
Peak	185 Hz	-0.9 dB	0.85
Peak	698 Hz	+0.8 dB	0.87
Peak	1,027 Hz	-1.0 dB	2.16
Peak	71 Hz	-0.4 dB	1.83

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the HIFIMAN HE6 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • HIFIMAN HE6 vs AKG K812
  • HIFIMAN HE6 vs Warwick Acoustics Bravura
  • HIFIMAN HE6 vs HIFIMAN HE1000se
  • HIFIMAN HE6 vs Aune AR9000