Real owners lean toward the HiFiMan HE400se: 80% of 127 owners recommend it, vs 35% of 571 for the Sony WH-1000XM6.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
“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
“I then connected them to my android phone and everything was much crisper and detailed because it used LDAC. I then also played around with the equalizer and now they sound much better.”— Alanwake28 on Reddit
“Using XM3 daily since before covid, only headphone I own and do everything you say we shouldn't. Through pouring rain, snowstorms, at the gym, at my factory, stuffed into bags.”— electro_lytes on Reddit
“The issue I have with the Sony XM6 headphones is that they tend to cause my ears to become warm and sweaty, especially during extended use. This discomfort can be quite distracting”— No-Seaworthiness7880 on Reddit