Sound quality is the headline strength — owners repeatedly call it the best-sounding wireless headphone in its price bracket, often preferring it over Sony WH-1000XM4/XM5, Bose QuietComfort, and even AirPods Max for clarity, bass, and soundstage
Battery life holds up for years of daily use with minimal degradation, charges fast, and the user-replaceable battery is praised as a rare feature at this price
Great value for the price, especially now that it's discounted since the Momentum 5 launched — described as unbeatable price-to-performance and a steal around $150-200
Owners complain about
ANC is consistently rated weaker than Sony (WH-1000XM3/4/5/6) and Bose competitors — usable for daily commuting but inadequate on planes for some owners
Build quality and durability complaints — the fabric headband covering comes loose or peels within months, glue fails after about a year, and units crack or break under normal use
Software/app bugs and Bluetooth connectivity issues — dropped connections, multipoint pairing problems, and headphones randomly turning on/off or losing pairing
✓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
Get the Momentum 4 Wireless if
✓Sound-quality-first listeners who'll trade top-tier ANC for richer, fuller audio
✓Frequent travelers who want multi-day battery life and decent (not best) noise cancellation
✓Remote workers on long calls who need all-day comfort and clear mic quality
✓Budget-conscious buyers wanting near-flagship sound without flagship pricing
Skip it if
Frequent flyers who need best-in-class ANC, since Sony and Bose noticeably outperform it
Gym-goers or heavy sweaters, since moisture repeatedly causes malfunctions and shorted circuits
What Momentum 4 Wireless owners think
Owners overwhelmingly praise the Momentum 4 Wireless for sound quality, calling it the best-sounding headphone in its price range and frequently preferring it to Sony's XM4/XM5, Bose QuietComfort, and AirPods Max, backed by strong multi-year battery life, comfortable long-session fit, and standout value now that the Momentum 5 has arrived. A meaningful minority pushes back hard, though: ANC is consistently rated behind Sony and Bose, and a recurring cluster of owners report durability failures — fraying headband fabric, cracking parts, buggy firmware, unreliable touch controls, and units that stop working after exposure to sweat or rain, sometimes prompting warranty repairs or returns. The net consensus is a headphone bought primarily for its audio quality that some owners find undermined by build-quality and software reliability issues over time.
What HiFiMan HE400se owners say
“The treble is still tamed, but the bass doesn't seem to roll off. Punchy and fun.”
“Thats unfortunate. I've been using mine for about 2 and a half years daily, and the only problem I've had is the earpads deteriorated and I had to get replacements.”
HiFiMan HE400se vs Momentum 4 Wireless: frequently asked questions
Is the HiFiMan HE400se or the Momentum 4 Wireless better?
Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 469 for the Momentum 4 Wireless.
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.
Who should get the Momentum 4 Wireless?
Owners point the Momentum 4 Wireless at sound-quality-first listeners who'll trade top-tier ANC for richer, fuller audio, and frequent travelers who want multi-day battery life and decent (not best) noise cancellation.
What do owners complain about?
The most-cited downside of the HiFiMan HE400se is uncomfortable headband with a pressure hotspot. For the Momentum 4 Wireless, it's aNC is consistently rated weaker than Sony (WH-1000XM3/4/5/6) and Bose competitors — usable for daily commuting but inadequate on planes for some owners.