Is the Sennheiser HD 800s worth the upgrade from the HiFiMAN Edition X V2?
Verdict
Meaningful upgrade
The Sennheiser HD 800s scores 6.0 points above the HiFiMAN Edition X V2. That's a real improvement, though not the kind you'd notice on every track. The gains are concentrated in sound (8.5 to 9.5). On paper: weight 399 g to 330 g. Worth checking: active noise cancelling goes No to No and driver size goes 80 mm to 56 mm. That costs $575 more, or about $96 per point of score - steep unless the specific gains above are ones you care about. Worth doing if you're replacing anyway; harder to justify as a pure upgrade if what you have still works.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound8.59.5
- Value6.56.5
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Edition X V2 | HD 800s | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | No | No | |
| Weight | 399 g | 330 g | |
| Driver size | 80 mm | 56 mm | |
| Driver | 80 mm planar magnetic | 56 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 8 Hz - 50 kHz | 4 Hz - 51 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Edition X V2 to HD 800s". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.