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For those that have an OG set of the Massdrop HE4XX with the 2.5mm connectors that are looking at the Sundara I can help you save the $300 to $350 minus a $65 set of Dekoni Hybrid Pads. The Dekoni Hybrid Pads are basically the same pads the Sundara 2021 use. Same foam density, same shape and thickness, same inner perforations, same soft part that contacts your skin, so basically the same thing. Get a set and put those on your OG HE4XX and bingo you have the Sundara with maybe just a little more sub base but that could just be in my head. I got a pair of Sundaras and the wife and I blind tested them against my OG HE4XX with the pad swap. We did this two different times on two different days with 10 tries each to guess which set we were listening to. She did the swaps between sets and I did them for her. Out of 10 tries each on those two different days we both ended up with thinking the OG HE4XX was the Sundara because it was the set we thought sounded better. This was probably due to the hype around the Sundara on my part but the wife doesn't follow things in this hobby the way I do or watch a ton of reviews like me. I was lead to believe the Sundara were so much better than anything at the mid tier from Hifiman that came before them. I found out that this is not the case for me at least. So this very long story short if you have a set of OG HE4XX back when they still had the 2.5mm connectors at the cups just get a set of the Hybrid Pads that Dekoni sells for the Sundara and put them on your HE4XX and for the $65 cost of the pads you'll have the sound of the Sundara and maybe even a little better in the base/sub base department but I mean only marginally better and that could just be in my head. I truly hope this helps somebody out there to save some money and further enjoy this hobby. I do not know if the newer HE4XX from Drop with the 3.5mm connector at the cups will transform like my OG set did with a simple pad swap but it may be worth giving it a shot...
You could mess around with pads, but the Anandas EQ very well. Add a bass shelf and fix the upper mid range scoop, then they become a wonderfully balanced headphone
I'll second this. Bought the Fenestrated pads after watching this and been listening with them for a few days now. Honestly, I think stock Anandas with Oratory Auto EQ sounds significantly better and I dont notice any improvement in the soundstage department. Bit disappointed actually. Comfort improvements are there tho.
@@gursalsinik9959 interesting, so summing up your experience: in your experience the sound did not improve, but was losing a bit? while the comfort got better? (I imagine - zeos is not using oratories EQ suggestions ;))
yeah, I had thought the sheepskin's lowering of bass/ mid frequencies would clean the large mid-bass 'hump' I hear (listening mostly to cello music), but yes the eq is a nice and easier way to do this.. decreasing the 500hz area and increasing 1kh and things come into focus, though in doing so you lose the ananda's cavernous sound which is great for orchestral but not as nice for intimate things. I want my piano in a recital hall, not a roman cathedral. but I'm so happy with what they do.
@@74neverlast yes that's been my experience. I'm not good at describing things in audiophile terms but reckon you lose a lot of warmth. But yes they became even more comfortable (tho tbf I find them quite comfortable with stock pads)
I just got the 2021 Ananda a few days ago. Had considered the Sundara but I already have the HE4XX, and I don't really like making purchases too close in the spectrum. So far I enjoy the Ananda immensely more than the HE4XX.
For those that have an OG set of the Massdrop HE4XX with the 2.5mm connectors that are looking at the Sundara I can help you save the $300 to $350 minus a $65 set of Dekoni Hybrid Pads. The Dekoni Hybrid Pads are basically the same pads the Sundara 2021 use. Same foam density, same shape and thickness, same inner perforations, same soft part that contacts your skin, so basically the same thing. Get a set and put those on your OG HE4XX and bingo you have the Sundara with maybe just a little more sub base but that could just be in my head. I got a pair of Sundaras and the wife and I blind tested them against my OG HE4XX with the pad swap. We did this two different times on two different days with 10 tries each to guess which set we were listening to. She did the swaps between sets and I did them for her. Out of 10 tries each on those two different days we both ended up with thinking the OG HE4XX was the Sundara because it was the set we thought sounded better. This was probably due to the hype around the Sundara on my part but the wife doesn't follow things in this hobby the way I do or watch a ton of reviews like me. I was lead to believe the Sundara were so much better than anything at the mid tier from Hifiman that came before them. I found out that this is not the case for me at least. So this very long story short if you have a set of OG HE4XX back when they still had the 2.5mm connectors at the cups just get a set of the Hybrid Pads that Dekoni sells for the Sundara and put them on your HE4XX and for the $65 cost of the pads you'll have the sound of the Sundara and maybe even a little better in the base/sub base department but I mean only marginally better and that could just be in my head. I truly hope this helps somebody out there to save some money and further enjoy this hobby. I do not know if the newer HE4XX from Drop with the 3.5mm connector at the cups will transform like my OG set did with a simple pad swap but it may be worth giving it a shot...
@@PastorwithoutaPulpit Ha! Thanks for confirming my decision to not buy anything that's just "one tech generation" above my 400i - I already suspected there's not much of an improvement in the Sundara to be worth throwing money at, redoing my EQ profile, the hassle of re-selling etc.
All headphone manufacturers must learn to reduce the clamping force, it is not necessary for the majority of users, headphones should only rest on your head and not pull your head between in a vise.
Thanks for this review, I bought mine in large part because of it and I LOVE them. I'm now a month in and came back as I was wondering if I should return them and upgrade to Anandas while I can so thank you for persuading me not to, and for telling me about Yosi Horikawa, what an interesting album!
I went for the pad swap and it’s either the placebo effect or it really changed the sound of the Anandas. So much so that I probably wouldn’t have bought the Edition XS. That said the Edition XS still sound great, and the bass has a little more slam and visceral feel. They don’t seal well on my head and have very little clamp force and are loose on my head, especially compared to the Anandas. But, I’ll probably keep both. The fit on the XS will be the deal breaker.
Dude, i listened to the XS for 10 min and decided to wrap my sundaras right away. Is so much better! The Sundaras sound flat after listening to the XS ones.
I agree with zeos on the sound between the two headphones. I had the XS and the Anandas for a few days and the XS sounded better to me. But. The headband of the XS gave me a God awful Hotspot on the top of my head after a half-hour which I could not stand, so I returned the XS and kept the anandas. Also added about 5db bass shelf with eq and i love the anandas. To help the clamp, I use thr box like a yoga block to stretch the headband and I don't have an issue with clamp anymore. Edit: just to clarify, my comments are with stock pads. I'm interested in the Dekoni pads now, so I'll start saving my pennies.
I have a set of GL2000s and I still absolutely adore them to bits. Paired them up with the Zen Can V.1 and my phone being the source. It is truly an experience unlike nothing I've listened to before. Soundstage and imaging for days. Still don't know what their quality control issue is, but I adore my set
I order the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin for my Ananda and I wish I haven't, sound was ok, but they turned out to be very uncomfortable, they quickly became very hot and sticky after about 15 minutes, and they compress so mush that my ears tuch the drivers, the quality of ear cups is really bad, they will be destroyed if you remove them as the gluing to the plastic ring is very poorly done, then each pads is completely different in thickness and form, Dekoni quality is just crap and very overpriced, so I recomend that you save your money and stay away from this crap.
I upgraded from 8 year old Sennheiser HD598 and it wasn't a big difference in sound quality. Only difference is it sounds music is coming from farther away, that's it. From actual relaxed music quality, I prefer my old Sennheiser. Truth be told, if you have a $150-$400 pair of Sennheisers in the 5 or 6 series the past 10 years, you don't need to get this.
@@Hari-kx2er With regards to bass response and imaging the EDXS is IMO markedly better. The XS has outperformed my Sundara by leaps and bounds in just about every way. Soundstage is probably the one thing that the XS does only slightly better than Sundara, which is still saying something. To save myself from getting any longer winded here I've written a summary of my impressions on the HiFiGuides Forums if you'd like to read more. My user name over there is Blackscreen.
@@joemacafee7655 My plan was to use the Sundara for long enough and finally make the jump to Arya stealth. Do you think it is a good idea to make a stop at Edition XS on the way?
@@Hari-kx2er There are guys in the forum s that say they'd take the XS over Arya but I don't want to be the one to tell you that. I've not had a chance to listen to either Arya version.
@@joemacafee7655 Ok. Thank you for your valuable opinion 👍You indeed make a solid case in favor of the Edition XS. I will research further and make a decision. Thanks once again.
I've read the exact same thing, most people find the anandas wider. Is this placebo effect? I hear some people claim that the HD650 sound wider than the HD600 but I personally hear absolutely no difference whatsoever, no idea how people can possibly hear a difference in width between the two
@@ZReviews Hey Z I know it's a looooong comment but can you comment on the seals/if you were aware any sort of contributing info to clear some stuff up (I posted I agree generally with your vid, by the numbers XS is the better headphone for someone going in not knowing which one will sound like what due to seals!) "Hey Andrew, I posted this to a reply on Z's vid, can you comment on the situations I laid out and conclusion briefly? and maybe insight onto situation 4(excluding Z's comments I haven't finished his video, I know, I know!) Regardless thank you for the video, I am someone who has Ananda Seal so this is a weird situation and you cleared up a lot! "depends on what people define as bass and the fit, Resolve did a great job explaining it, when they both seal the bass is about the same with a slight edge overall to XS... however when both have broken seals the mid bass on XS is HUGE and sub bass is low, when seal on Ananda is broken the sub bass is lower than XS and the bass hump is closer to upperbass/lower mids and also lower... Then factor in the XS has lesser clam, but also swivels, his reasoning for getting the XS was for when the seal is broken it's superior. There are 4 ways it can play out. #1 BOTH Ananda AND XS BREAK SEAL(for whatever reason depending on a lot of factors like head shape/glasses etc) XS is dead better, has more SUB bass and MUCH MORE mid bass while Ananda has terrible SUB and MID bass but upper bass hump. XS WINS HOWEVER since the XS has less clamp there situation #2 despite some swivel if the XS BREAKS SEAL but the Ananda DOES NOT (as in my case) the XS has more MID bass but very low sub bass and the Ananda keep it's linear mid bass AND sub bass(which I prefer).... ANANDA WINS Now since the XS has swivel and Ananda does not we present situation. #3, Ananda BREAKS SEAL BUT the XS DOES NOT, meaning the XS has linear mid bass and sub bass, however the Ananda has SEVERLY reduced mid bass AND sub bass and a upper bass hump. XS WINS #4, NEITHER Ananda NOR XS BREAKS SEAL This one is murky since I haven't got thru video and doubt Zeos goes into this much depth or tells us but Resolve didn't give much info which has better Technical performance or really which soundsignature he prefers... We can assume since Ananda and Sundara are close technical performance is close, and the sound signature different is both sealed XS has a little more sub bass, better controlled mid treble, lower treble dip, maaaayyybbee a but of upper bass hump so this depends on your preference a lot. Both Ananda and XS have fairly similar and linear mid and sub bass, XS has a slight bass forward advantage, Sound Signature is pick and chose TOSS UP? (depending on which SS you prefer, I am at the point Zeos is saying the Ananda has more detail but XS has better stage, but we do not know the so the real answer for now is ????/Preference but for me I think I prefer Ananda!) So with all this info it's clear the XS winds ATLEAST 50% of the time IF NOT MORE so for cheaper it's the SAFER BET AT A CHEAPER PRICE and the better headphone overall, clearly however this is VERY situational and the real message here is Hifiman either needs to DISCOUNT THE ANANDA OR JUST FIX THEIR HEADPHONE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE IT ALWAYS HAS SEAL!!!! Stealth Ananda coming soon? P.S. going to run this by resolve and see what he thinks checkout his video and see if he comments and maybe we can get more insight?""
@@ZReviews Andrew from resolve response "Edition XS is safer yes, but I can see reasons to go for either. Keep in mind that there's very little musicl information contained in the ultra low sub-bass frequencies. Also, even with a leak in the XS, the bass rise is still fairly low and getting into the sub-bass. So that's why for me I pick the edition XS even with a leak. The other thing to note is that leaks aren't all going to be as extreme as a full air gap. A partial leak, which is more likely for most people, will give you more bass and also not drop out completely in the sub bass."
word of caution, make sure the amazon seller ad says fenestrated, It looks like they may have run out, thanks Zeos, and are redirecting to the Hybrid pads, (snakey seller). Ordered mine directly from Dekoni to make sure I get the correct pads.
quick update, the fenestrated pads are great. on the Ananda Comfort A+, slightly better dynamics, although I am noticing this in the upper mids too, percussions are a bit more snappy. i am not sure if I hear more stage, but this has altered them in a positive way. This was a worthwhile purchase, thanks Zeos.
How would you compare the Edition XS to the HE500? I know you loved the HE500. I have a pair and am looking at upgrading to something more modern and more comfortable.
Ohh man! thank you for this review. The jeans analogy make f..ing buy the xs over the sundara / 660s / dt 1990 pro and subscribe after view lots of headphones videos. No BS and just direct and honest opnion keep the great work!
The XS may be better than the old Ananda but I was A B ing the Ananda Stealth and the XS and it wasn't even close... The Ananda sounded like I was living in the music, XS just sounded too technical and less musical. Should definitely review or at least listen to the stealth version, so much better than the XS and older Ananda...
I bought Ananda Stealth nowadays very cheap 350$, it also surprised me how musical she is. Preferably class A amp for it, to be honest Im not so sure if its worth to upgrade it with HE1000 Stealth if theres a risk of loosing that tone&timbre of Ananda
I love my GL2000's. I recently got HarmonicDyne Zeus and they're great, but I definitely prefer the GL2000's. I haven't sat down and analyzed the differences between the two yet, but the main thing that stands out to me is just that the GL2000's have more bass and it's still very well controlled.
@@IcyFlame0 Agreed, especially with the hybrid pads. I have an ADI-2 DAC FS and switch between different personalized EQ presets for different genres and gaming.
They are so-so for me. Good for classical music, have nice bass and soundstage (nothing crazy). But they are tragic for the usual songs I listen to everyday, bad mids.
I got them without this video few months ago, just here to listen to this weeb jerk me a bit off by confirming how good they are Thank you homie ure the best
im gonna get the XS over the sundara mainly because i just like having good bass and im just bored of my fostex t50rp mk3 and there anoying screeching that gave me Tinnitus
About the bass in Horikawa's Interlude. It's about the "heartbeat" and the sweep to about 60hz. I have the Blon B20 and the thump is freaking dense, palpable without messing with the other sounds and the sweep is clear. On my Denon AH-D7000 the thump is there but subdued, almost drowned by the boat. Spotify -> E50 bal -> A30 Pro.
Oh Zeos I love you dude I just got my balanced yaukamoo cable today for my focal closed backs it’s every bit as good as you said and my new dekoni sheepskins should be here Saturday and then all my focal’s flaws will be fixed woohoo they crush pretty much any headphone I’ve heard live them so glad I blind bought the elegia I might pick up hifiman he560 v4 at a insane discount next
@@G-O-A-M Not worth the extra money imo. They /do/ sound better, I can hear a difference in the fullness of the bass, it seems to seal against your head better than stock but it's a pricey purchase
hello Zeos, thank you for your review. I have been watch your review of Hifiman Edition XS and Hifiman HE-R9 over and over again. Between those 2, which is the closest ones have similar sound quality to 7hz Timeless AE ? Thanks 😊
Just a PSA for people who wear glasses - these make a terrible squeaking sound whenever you move your head due to the loose fit and the earcups rubbing against the sides of the glasses. They sound great but the comfort is very poor - so poor that I uploaded a video just to highlight this. I completely agree with all the sound-related aspects of this review, but just wanted to share my experience in case it helps others who might have fit issues with the XS.
Not to be a contrarian, but I do use glasses (I must, as I have a high prescription), and this doesn't happen to me-neither the squeaky sounds nor the loose fit. Maybe my head is tall and the Edition XS fit me perfectly, or my glasses have a thin frame (which I prefer), but worth mentioning my experience as well. I have no problems with fit, sound, or "squeakiness" on my set. :) Sorry it was just the opposite for you, but just mentioning it in case anyone believe the glasses issue is universal. Try as I might to replicate your situation, moving my head wildly, the fit stays secure, without any noises. My personal fit is two dots, left and right. Definitely not a clampy set, but also not so loose they move off my head. No noises. Could it be a QC issue/unit variance as well?
im waiting on my jot2 and bifrost2 to ship. gotta find a pair of headphones that go well with the setup. seems the gl2000 and these XS are a fan favorite. any recommend on either/or?
Trading in my Sundara for the Edition XS. For some reason my Sundara's have incredible static issues and I just cannot stand it anymore. Hoping with the XS I get similar or better sound and less static issues.
@@thaflybear The Edition XS are my favorite headphones I have ever owned. I put Dekoni velour pads on them just because I wear glasses and the stock pads make a squeaky sound on the plastic arms, but I could not tell a difference in frequency response with the Dekoni pads which is a good thing IMO. I eq a slight bass shelf of 2db and they are incredible. I think they are well worth the extra money over the Sundara and basically replicate the value of the Sundara except at the $500 price point.
Got my Edition XS and was immediately put off by the pads. The cloth I found scratchy and the foam was low quality. Just not very comfortable to me. I got the Dekoni velour and oh my... SO much more comfortable. Like I could wear these indefinitely. HIGHLY recommend picking them up if you have the XS!
So the XS sound the same with the Velour pads? I am thinking of buying the XS, but normally I really dislike the leather feel + in my mind my ears get a lot hotter with leather than with Velour. Can you confirm regarding the sound and maybe if your ears get hot/less hot/not hot at all?
@@G-O-A-M I couldn't discern any changes to the sound. My ears don't get warm, which wasn't quite the case with stock pads. I wear these about 12 hours a day for reference.
I don't understand your sound description of the fenestrated pads for the ananda. You first say that the soundstage increases, that they are softer with more bass impact and more open. Then you describe them as more close and detailed. So which one is it ? That's not clear is it
Have fenstrated Dekoni on orig. Sundara. 12DB on Zen Can makes the bass dynamically faster not needing the unnatural ZEN bass boost button. Go back to the Sundara and review all Dekoni pads on it.
Sundara! This reminds me of the 400SE and Sundara issue I just went through. I would spend the extra $200 on the strap (Ananda). That other headband (Edition XS) is terrible IMO.
Agreed, the 400se's I got to try cut in to the top of my head after 30min. The sundara's are comfy for 6 hrs gaming. I could make it work by putting it further forward on my dome but didn't like it there. The XS band dOEs have more left/right tilt but the headband is just meh.
Had the sundaras for two years. Once I heard the edition xs, there is no need to ever put the sundaras on again. Anyone saying that the sundaras are equal or better than the edition xs, is lying, deaf, or both.
I had a set of GL2000 hoping that they would be Arya beaters. I enjoyed them for a while but couldn't quite get the right sound (hybrid pads were better overall). But then I heard the Aryas (V2 and Stealth Magnets Edition) and was blown away by both, and replaced my GL2000 with Arya V2 because it has the biggest soundstage of the three.
I had the V2 but I found it to have a bit of an artificial sounding miss which mostly showed in female vocals. I wonder if they fixed that in the stealth magnet versions I personally preferred the hd8xx over the V2 due to its more natural sound and soundstage. The V2 has a bit more meatier bass though. However the V2 are great headphones and it was hard to return them. If I never had heard the hd8xx I probably would have kept them. Comfort on the aryas is great to.
I just ordered these b-stock, I'm hoping they live up to the hype. This is my first audiophile grade pair of headphones. I've been using AKG K240 Studios for about 2 years now. I hope the difference is massive.
@@Daniel-rs3kg Just in case the other dude doesn't respond. I just got these local for a decent price. They're pretty awesome. I've tried a decent number of headphones including HD558, HD598, HD6XX, HD650, HD660S, HE4XX, HE400i, HE5XX, SHP9500, SHP9600, X2HR, LCD-X 2021, Takstar Gm200, MEE M6 Pro, Tin T3, Tin T3+ and now the Edition XS. I recommend the Xs. Best Hifiman's I've heard. What I've kept (for a bunch of different reasons): HD660S, Takstar Gm200, Tin T3+. Obviously, I still have the Edition XS, but I'll need more time to decide whether to keep them or sell them. Only reason I'd sell them is for the money, the HD660S do everything I need them to for the most part, and the Edition XS sell for more.
They came and they're in perfect condition. No audible or visual defects at all. Also they fit incredibly well at least for me. The difference is definitely massive, but I ended up ordering an amp because they're current hungry and hard to drive
@@THEHASBEEN I have a pair of 660S right now and a FiiO K7. I really want the XS because of the lack of bass on the 660S. I was wondering what you prefer? Im pretty sure I have the power for the XS but Ill be ordering B stock from hifiman so I wanna get more opinions on a comparison before I buy them. thanks
@@the_rs43 Its tough. The 660s have the problem of pads, they wear down quickly. Adds to the price of ownership quite a bit if you replace them when you should. Also makes them less comfortable since they sort of become on ears. You can eq them for more top end and low end. I prefer the lack of response at both ends, smooths over a lot of grating audio since I use them for gaming an yt as well as music. Hifiman Xs have more forward treble and bass but worse qc, and its a pretty loose fit but thats preference. I do prefer the size of the cups though, so much space for your ears. Clamp is maybe slightly too loose for me, as I have a tendency to move a bit when playing games. Overall I chose 660s and sold Xs, they have the same clarity and detail and the Xs fetch more on the 2nd hand market. Also soundstage is pretty even to my ears. The Xs are huge but in their normal tuning it doesnt sound much larger than 660s. I think after EQ the 660s is superior(or even) to me in all technicalities. But since I dont mind the less forward bass and treble presentation i use them as is. The detail is always there anyway, just not as forward. Also 660sV2 is coming out and supposedly has more bass. But I dont think youre missing anything tbh esp if youre open to eq. At some point you just start chasing ghosts. Price goes up but quality really doesnt.
Convenient that you post this now. The plastic right above the right cup on my Audeze Mobius broke the other day. Not sure how, but it did, and now the earcup dangles freely by the internal cable that runs through the headband. So I'm looking at possibly, even after just one year, replacing it with another pair of planar magnetic headphones. Going from my old dynamic driver HyperX Cloud Alpha's to the planar magnetic Mobius was a transformative experience and now that I've been forced to go back the difference is night and day once again. I don't think I can go back so my question to you is, do you think the HiFiMan Edition XS, is better than the Mobius? It's a $100 difference between the two. I've already jumped off the deep end once, so jumping off again isn't much of a stretch. Of course there's a difference between closed-back and open-back. Full disclosure I've never had an open-back pair of headphones before. I don't know how they sound comparatively and whether or not that actually makes one set better than the other.
Same here, went to deva pro and they are better not quite the same amount of low end and drums dont quite hit the same but that's with the r2r dac/amp could be better on different amp, but far better soundstage and imaging, mobius might have better timbre, dont have them to compare but just going off memory
I have my Anandas paired with a xDuoo TA-30. I find the tube warmth and bloom help the upper mids and highs. The bass can be quite good with this amp but it always lack a bit in slam compared to other cans.
They're also $900 compared to the Sundara's $350, lol. The question is whether they're $550 better than the Sundaras or not, and that might be where a lot of people find them less noteworthy. Sundaras are not only great, but they also really punch above their weight class; that's what makes them so highly recommended and beloved.
I love the GL2000s, in quiet room listening to instrumentals, gaming, media and movies. They are great and I actually like them way more than the Sundara, to each their own.
Bought a set of GL2000s brand new, struggled to sell them two weeks later for $400. They were pretty bad and tbh added a huge degree of skepticism to how I interpret your reviews. Still watch you regularly though because you provide great insight and are entertaining.
Music taste varies. Josh recommended the 788 with the hd800s, I didn’t find them that great with the hd8xx. A lot of reviewers hatted the hd8xx, I like them. It’s very difficult to really know if you like it unless you try it out. That’s why I also appreciate Zeos attention to construction easy of use and so on, because those are more universal aligned. Always take reviewers opinions as a general advice and not as absolute truth. Having said that I am still waiting for Zeos review on the k9 pro, although I am afraid that by that time the k9 pro 4499 is already sold out (in case he agrees with dms for the second time around)
@@dagnisnierlins188 Despite Zeos insisting that to be the case on many occasions the assertion is simply false. Amps can improve headphones and be paired well with headphones but unless there is an impedance problem or a powering problem they do not "make or break them".
@@The_Hipster_Cow I'll ask again, what amp you are using? Second, if your amp does not have enough power for the specified impedence of your headphones, a-you blame amp, b- you blame headphones for being trash?
@@dagnisnierlins188 I own a GSX mk1, JDS labs EL II, Loxjie A30, Schiit Jotunheim, Xudoo mt-602&604, Darkvoice, Burson Timekeeper 3i, ifi zen dac, and topping A90 along with a bunch of portable stuff. I do not remember what I tested it with nor do I particularly care. Your second question is also a false dichotomy. Improper impedance matching is a problem with the chain and thus it is wrong to blame a part of it. However your question is also wildly irrelevant to the discussion considering the GL2000s are 60 ohms and have an SPL of 99db.
I really don´t know what to pick here. Normally I would take the XS with Velour (because I really like Velour - helps against hot ears). But I do have a quite small head and my current headphone (beyerdynamic dt 990 Edition) presses by now hardly on top of my head, really annoying hurting. I duuuuunnnnno what to taaaakkkkeeee - if I can be sure that the Anandas will better fit my head and sound is as good as XS and I will not get hot ears I would 1000% take them even if their more expansive
I bought both and i liked the Anandas a bit better. Still thinking about buying the dekoni pads - but they are literally 99€ for a bit of sheepskin, crazy
Do you know anywhere I can get the Dekoni Velour pads? I've tried the direct link and the Dekoni website but I can't find them in stock anywhere. Really need to get new pads as my orginal pads the leather is wripping off so I can't even use them properly
i'm running IFI Zen Dac V2 with Zen can for my Anada Nano. they sound great but was thinking if there's anything better for these Anada on mid range price
Hi! im on the fence between these and the DT1990 pro's i currently use some DT 990 pros and wanted to upgrade to a mid/high end tier headset in the $500 Range. I game(Comp FPS and WoW mostly), listen to all genres of music(Mainly Metallica style rock, EDM, and Hip-Hop)and I stream as well. Curious on your opinion. thank you in advance for your advice. P.S i use a ifi zen can for my desktop amp if that's useful at all.
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"Arya" has only TWO syllables. 😬
For those that have an OG set of the Massdrop HE4XX with the 2.5mm connectors that are looking at the Sundara I can help you save the $300 to $350 minus a $65 set of Dekoni Hybrid Pads. The Dekoni Hybrid Pads are basically the same pads the Sundara 2021 use. Same foam density, same shape and thickness, same inner perforations, same soft part that contacts your skin, so basically the same thing. Get a set and put those on your OG HE4XX and bingo you have the Sundara with maybe just a little more sub base but that could just be in my head. I got a pair of Sundaras and the wife and I blind tested them against my OG HE4XX with the pad swap. We did this two different times on two different days with 10 tries each to guess which set we were listening to. She did the swaps between sets and I did them for her. Out of 10 tries each on those two different days we both ended up with thinking the OG HE4XX was the Sundara because it was the set we thought sounded better. This was probably due to the hype around the Sundara on my part but the wife doesn't follow things in this hobby the way I do or watch a ton of reviews like me. I was lead to believe the Sundara were so much better than anything at the mid tier from Hifiman that came before them. I found out that this is not the case for me at least.
So this very long story short if you have a set of OG HE4XX back when they still had the 2.5mm connectors at the cups just get a set of the Hybrid Pads that Dekoni sells for the Sundara and put them on your HE4XX and for the $65 cost of the pads you'll have the sound of the Sundara and maybe even a little better in the base/sub base department but I mean only marginally better and that could just be in my head. I truly hope this helps somebody out there to save some money and further enjoy this hobby.
I do not know if the newer HE4XX from Drop with the 3.5mm connector at the cups will transform like my OG set did with a simple pad swap but it may be worth giving it a shot...
You could mess around with pads, but the Anandas EQ very well. Add a bass shelf and fix the upper mid range scoop, then they become a wonderfully balanced headphone
I'll second this. Bought the Fenestrated pads after watching this and been listening with them for a few days now. Honestly, I think stock Anandas with Oratory Auto EQ sounds significantly better and I dont notice any improvement in the soundstage department. Bit disappointed actually. Comfort improvements are there tho.
@@gursalsinik9959 interesting, so summing up your experience: in your experience the sound did not improve, but was losing a bit? while the comfort got better?
(I imagine - zeos is not using oratories EQ suggestions ;))
yeah, I had thought the sheepskin's lowering of bass/ mid frequencies would clean the large mid-bass 'hump' I hear (listening mostly to cello music), but yes the eq is a nice and easier way to do this.. decreasing the 500hz area and increasing 1kh and things come into focus, though in doing so you lose the ananda's cavernous sound which is great for orchestral but not as nice for intimate things. I want my piano in a recital hall, not a roman cathedral. but I'm so happy with what they do.
@@74neverlast yes that's been my experience. I'm not good at describing things in audiophile terms but reckon you lose a lot of warmth. But yes they became even more comfortable (tho tbf I find them quite comfortable with stock pads)
@@gursalsinik9959 What is Oratory Auto EQ and how to achieve that?
I just got the 2021 Ananda a few days ago. Had considered the Sundara but I already have the HE4XX, and I don't really like making purchases too close in the spectrum. So far I enjoy the Ananda immensely more than the HE4XX.
For those that have an OG set of the Massdrop HE4XX with the 2.5mm connectors that are looking at the Sundara I can help you save the $300 to $350 minus a $65 set of Dekoni Hybrid Pads. The Dekoni Hybrid Pads are basically the same pads the Sundara 2021 use. Same foam density, same shape and thickness, same inner perforations, same soft part that contacts your skin, so basically the same thing. Get a set and put those on your OG HE4XX and bingo you have the Sundara with maybe just a little more sub base but that could just be in my head. I got a pair of Sundaras and the wife and I blind tested them against my OG HE4XX with the pad swap. We did this two different times on two different days with 10 tries each to guess which set we were listening to. She did the swaps between sets and I did them for her. Out of 10 tries each on those two different days we both ended up with thinking the OG HE4XX was the Sundara because it was the set we thought sounded better. This was probably due to the hype around the Sundara on my part but the wife doesn't follow things in this hobby the way I do or watch a ton of reviews like me. I was lead to believe the Sundara were so much better than anything at the mid tier from Hifiman that came before them. I found out that this is not the case for me at least.
So this very long story short if you have a set of OG HE4XX back when they still had the 2.5mm connectors at the cups just get a set of the Hybrid Pads that Dekoni sells for the Sundara and put them on your HE4XX and for the $65 cost of the pads you'll have the sound of the Sundara and maybe even a little better in the base/sub base department but I mean only marginally better and that could just be in my head. I truly hope this helps somebody out there to save some money and further enjoy this hobby.
I do not know if the newer HE4XX from Drop with the 3.5mm connector at the cups will transform like my OG set did with a simple pad swap but it may be worth giving it a shot...
I was just about to pick up the Sundara and I have the HE4XX(3.5mm) are they really that close?
The edition xs is a huge improvement over the sundaras in every facet, so much so that I sold the sundaras
@@PastorwithoutaPulpit Ha! Thanks for confirming my decision to not buy anything that's just "one tech generation" above my 400i - I already suspected there's not much of an improvement in the Sundara to be worth throwing money at, redoing my EQ profile, the hassle of re-selling etc.
All headphone manufacturers must learn to reduce the clamping force, it is not necessary for the majority of users, headphones should only rest on your head and not pull your head between in a vise.
Had mine for about 1 month now and totally love them.
Thanks for this review, I bought mine in large part because of it and I LOVE them. I'm now a month in and came back as I was wondering if I should return them and upgrade to Anandas while I can so thank you for persuading me not to, and for telling me about Yosi Horikawa, what an interesting album!
Best review ever! And I LOVE my Edition XS phones. Sound amazing!!!
I went for the pad swap and it’s either the placebo effect or it really changed the sound of the Anandas. So much so that I probably wouldn’t have bought the Edition XS. That said the Edition XS still sound great, and the bass has a little more slam and visceral feel. They don’t seal well on my head and have very little clamp force and are loose on my head, especially compared to the Anandas. But, I’ll probably keep both. The fit on the XS will be the deal breaker.
I came for the pads review, stayed for the cursing. This is my type of channel.
Loved the sundaras for two years. Then I got the edition xs, and I divorced the sundaras.
You will too.
Dude, i listened to the XS for 10 min and decided to wrap my sundaras right away. Is so much better! The Sundaras sound flat after listening to the XS ones.
I agree with zeos on the sound between the two headphones. I had the XS and the Anandas for a few days and the XS sounded better to me.
But.
The headband of the XS gave me a God awful Hotspot on the top of my head after a half-hour which I could not stand, so I returned the XS and kept the anandas. Also added about 5db bass shelf with eq and i love the anandas. To help the clamp, I use thr box like a yoga block to stretch the headband and I don't have an issue with clamp anymore.
Edit: just to clarify, my comments are with stock pads. I'm interested in the Dekoni pads now, so I'll start saving my pennies.
I love watching your reviews! You tell it like it is, with great insight and humor! Very entertaining and informative, never a dull moment!
I’ve been binging your videos, just purchased the XS and Element 3 for my first planar headphones! So glad I found your videos and patreon!
I have a set of GL2000s and I still absolutely adore them to bits. Paired them up with the Zen Can V.1 and my phone being the source. It is truly an experience unlike nothing I've listened to before. Soundstage and imaging for days. Still don't know what their quality control issue is, but I adore my set
This is probably the first time I have seen the walpaper before Zeos 🤣. Also the trash taste mug is fucking awesome, so is the review
I order the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin for my Ananda and I wish I haven't, sound was ok, but they turned out to be very uncomfortable, they quickly became very hot and sticky after about 15 minutes, and they compress so mush that my ears tuch the drivers, the quality of ear cups is really bad, they will be destroyed if you remove them as the gluing to the plastic ring is very poorly done, then each pads is completely different in thickness and form, Dekoni quality is just crap and very overpriced, so I recomend that you save your money and stay away from this crap.
Very interested in seeing you’re thoughts on the Arya Stealth vs the Edition XS. Love the Edition XS and thinking of pulling the trigger on the Arya.
Love the Trash Taste Mug, when are we gonna see you on the podcast?
Id go in a heartbeat and go full face reveal. I'd also be so huge in that set.
it'd be interesting to get Z on the podcast or any audio reviewers like DMS, Joshua Valour, Resolve and Crinacle.
@@ZReviews I mean have you seen Chris Broad? You'll be fine.
Yoo trash taste fam
@@CapProminent what are you talking about? Chris is peak human form.
"it's a 4 knuckle, and a loose one at that" -Zeos - Man, you're a character.
The GL2000 have a special spot in my collection 🔥🔥 DMS really did them dirty 🙁
Thanks! Once again i love these things and used this video as decision to buy them. I still use them even though i have others.
I upgraded from 8 year old Sennheiser HD598 and it wasn't a big difference in sound quality. Only difference is it sounds music is coming from farther away, that's it. From actual relaxed music quality, I prefer my old Sennheiser. Truth be told, if you have a $150-$400 pair of Sennheisers in the 5 or 6 series the past 10 years, you don't need to get this.
😄
I don't need to get these or YOU don't need to get these lol
Once you've actually listened to the edition xs, you end up selling the sundaras like I did.
I've had the EDXS since November 2021, they've replaced my Sundara as my daily drivers... Looking forward to getting some of the Dekoni pads for it...
How much better is the Edition XS from the Sundara especially in terms of bass response, sound stage and imaging?
@@Hari-kx2er With regards to bass response and imaging the EDXS is IMO markedly better. The XS has outperformed my Sundara by leaps and bounds in just about every way. Soundstage is probably the one thing that the XS does only slightly better than Sundara, which is still saying something.
To save myself from getting any longer winded here I've written a summary of my impressions on the HiFiGuides Forums if you'd like to read more. My user name over there is Blackscreen.
@@joemacafee7655 My plan was to use the Sundara for long enough and finally make the jump to Arya stealth. Do you think it is a good idea to make a stop at Edition XS on the way?
@@Hari-kx2er There are guys in the forum s that say they'd take the XS over Arya but I don't want to be the one to tell you that. I've not had a chance to listen to either Arya version.
@@joemacafee7655 Ok. Thank you for your valuable opinion 👍You indeed make a solid case in favor of the Edition XS. I will research further and make a decision. Thanks once again.
Thanks for the comparison, it was very interesting. Спасибо за сравнение, очень интересно было.
Interesting take on the soundstage considering most people heard wider stage on the Anandas
I've read the exact same thing, most people find the anandas wider. Is this placebo effect? I hear some people claim that the HD650 sound wider than the HD600 but I personally hear absolutely no difference whatsoever, no idea how people can possibly hear a difference in width between the two
I can only say what I hear. and it sounds wider to me.
@@ZReviews Hey Z I know it's a looooong comment but can you comment on the seals/if you were aware any sort of contributing info to clear some stuff up (I posted I agree generally with your vid, by the numbers XS is the better headphone for someone going in not knowing which one will sound like what due to seals!)
"Hey Andrew, I posted this to a reply on Z's vid, can you comment on the situations I laid out and conclusion briefly? and maybe insight onto situation 4(excluding Z's comments I haven't finished his video, I know, I know!) Regardless thank you for the video, I am someone who has Ananda Seal so this is a weird situation and you cleared up a lot!
"depends on what people define as bass and the fit, Resolve did a great job explaining it, when they both seal the bass is about the same with a slight edge overall to XS... however when both have broken seals the mid bass on XS is HUGE and sub bass is low, when seal on Ananda is broken the sub bass is lower than XS and the bass hump is closer to upperbass/lower mids and also lower... Then factor in the XS has lesser clam, but also swivels, his reasoning for getting the XS was for when the seal is broken it's superior. There are 4 ways it can play out.
#1 BOTH Ananda AND XS BREAK SEAL(for whatever reason depending on a lot of factors like head shape/glasses etc)
XS is dead better, has more SUB bass and MUCH MORE mid bass while Ananda has terrible SUB and MID bass but upper bass hump.
XS WINS
HOWEVER since the XS has less clamp there situation
#2 despite some swivel if the XS BREAKS SEAL but the Ananda DOES NOT (as in my case)
the XS has more MID bass but very low sub bass and the Ananda keep it's linear mid bass AND sub bass(which I prefer)....
ANANDA WINS
Now since the XS has swivel and Ananda does not we present situation.
#3, Ananda BREAKS SEAL BUT the XS DOES NOT,
meaning the XS has linear mid bass and sub bass, however the Ananda has SEVERLY reduced mid bass AND sub bass and a upper bass hump.
XS WINS
#4, NEITHER Ananda NOR XS BREAKS SEAL
This one is murky since I haven't got thru video and doubt Zeos goes into this much depth or tells us but Resolve didn't give much info which has better Technical performance or really which soundsignature he prefers... We can assume since Ananda and Sundara are close technical performance is close, and the sound signature different is both sealed XS has a little more sub bass, better controlled mid treble, lower treble dip, maaaayyybbee a but of upper bass hump so this depends on your preference a lot.
Both Ananda and XS have fairly similar and linear mid and sub bass, XS has a slight bass forward advantage, Sound Signature is pick and chose
TOSS UP? (depending on which SS you prefer, I am at the point Zeos is saying the Ananda has more detail but XS has better stage, but we do not know the so the real answer for now is ????/Preference but for me I think I prefer Ananda!)
So with all this info it's clear the XS winds ATLEAST 50% of the time IF NOT MORE so for cheaper it's the SAFER BET AT A CHEAPER PRICE and the better headphone overall, clearly however this is VERY situational and the real message here is Hifiman either needs to DISCOUNT THE ANANDA OR JUST FIX THEIR HEADPHONE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE IT ALWAYS HAS SEAL!!!!
Stealth Ananda coming soon?
P.S. going to run this by resolve and see what he thinks checkout his video and see if he comments and maybe we can get more insight?""
@@ZReviews Andrew from resolve response "Edition XS is safer yes, but I can see reasons to go for either. Keep in mind that there's very little musicl information contained in the ultra low sub-bass frequencies. Also, even with a leak in the XS, the bass rise is still fairly low and getting into the sub-bass. So that's why for me I pick the edition XS even with a leak. The other thing to note is that leaks aren't all going to be as extreme as a full air gap. A partial leak, which is more likely for most people, will give you more bass and also not drop out completely in the sub bass."
Wonder how much ear shape and size determine how we perceive the sound.
word of caution, make sure the amazon seller ad says fenestrated, It looks like they may have run out, thanks Zeos, and are redirecting to the Hybrid pads, (snakey seller). Ordered mine directly from Dekoni to make sure I get the correct pads.
Yes sir, I just discovered the same.
quick update, the fenestrated pads are great. on the Ananda Comfort A+, slightly better dynamics, although I am noticing this in the upper mids too, percussions are a bit more snappy. i am not sure if I hear more stage, but this has altered them in a positive way. This was a worthwhile purchase, thanks Zeos.
How would you compare the Edition XS to the HE500? I know you loved the HE500. I have a pair and am looking at upgrading to something more modern and more comfortable.
Ohh man! thank you for this review. The jeans analogy make f..ing buy the xs over the sundara / 660s / dt 1990 pro and subscribe after view lots of headphones videos.
No BS and just direct and honest opnion
keep the great work!
Thanks Zeos... I was over here in blissful stock pad anada land until this video.
The XS may be better than the old Ananda but I was A B ing the Ananda Stealth and the XS and it wasn't even close... The Ananda sounded like I was living in the music, XS just sounded too technical and less musical. Should definitely review or at least listen to the stealth version, so much better than the XS and older Ananda...
I bought Ananda Stealth nowadays very cheap 350$, it also surprised me how musical she is. Preferably class A amp for it, to be honest Im not so sure if its worth to upgrade it with HE1000 Stealth if theres a risk of loosing that tone&timbre of Ananda
I love my GL2000's. I recently got HarmonicDyne Zeus and they're great, but I definitely prefer the GL2000's. I haven't sat down and analyzed the differences between the two yet, but the main thing that stands out to me is just that the GL2000's have more bass and it's still very well controlled.
Oh, and I think the GL2000's have more soundstage as well.
@@IcyFlame0 Agreed, especially with the hybrid pads. I have an ADI-2 DAC FS and switch between different personalized EQ presets for different genres and gaming.
They are so-so for me. Good for classical music, have nice bass and soundstage (nothing crazy). But they are tragic for the usual songs I listen to everyday, bad mids.
I just got the Edition XS today. They are the next step I hoped they would be.
what did you have before?
@@thaflybear Sorry, TH-cam did not notify me of your reply.
Philips SHP9500
Only three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and that I will immediately buy pads anytime Zeos posts a pad rolling video for headphones I own
I got them without this video few months ago, just here to listen to this weeb jerk me a bit off by confirming how good they are
Thank you homie ure the best
im gonna get the XS over the sundara mainly because i just like having good bass and im just bored of my fostex t50rp mk3 and there anoying screeching that gave me Tinnitus
About the bass in Horikawa's Interlude. It's about the "heartbeat" and the sweep to about 60hz. I have the Blon B20 and the thump is freaking dense, palpable without messing with the other sounds and the sweep is clear. On my Denon AH-D7000 the thump is there but subdued, almost drowned by the boat. Spotify -> E50 bal -> A30 Pro.
Listening to this review on my GL2000's that I bought because of your review lol. No issues with them so far.
Oh Zeos I love you dude I just got my balanced yaukamoo cable today for my focal closed backs it’s every bit as good as you said and my new dekoni sheepskins should be here Saturday and then all my focal’s flaws will be fixed woohoo they crush pretty much any headphone I’ve heard live them so glad I blind bought the elegia I might pick up hifiman he560 v4 at a insane discount next
Jah Z. Worshipping my GL2000s and GL1200s. Gold Planar for president.
I dont know how you timed this video so well. My Ananda pads are wearing out and I was looking to upgrade!
Did the new earpads from Dekoni really improve your Anandas?
@@G-O-A-M Not worth the extra money imo. They /do/ sound better, I can hear a difference in the fullness of the bass, it seems to seal against your head better than stock but it's a pricey purchase
best wallpaper so far :)
Dang it I was just going to upgrade from 400se to Sundara this week...
Sundara is more comfortable and more neutral. I returned my XS for the Sundara.
Thank you for this. I have the Ananda and have been thinking about upgrades. The pads first then I plan on getting the MT-604. Using the Zen Can (og).
Is there a dac amp dongle on the market today, that's sufficient to drive my edition xs headphones?
wow I was thinking about getting a pair of ear pads for my Anaconda. Thanks! this was REALLY helpful 👍
Did the new earpads improve your Anandas?
hello Zeos, thank you for your review. I have been watch your review of Hifiman Edition XS and Hifiman HE-R9 over and over again. Between those 2, which is the closest ones have similar sound quality to 7hz Timeless AE ? Thanks 😊
Been waiting! Now I have to save back up after impulse buying the hifiman drop closed backs
Just a PSA for people who wear glasses - these make a terrible squeaking sound whenever you move your head due to the loose fit and the earcups rubbing against the sides of the glasses. They sound great but the comfort is very poor - so poor that I uploaded a video just to highlight this. I completely agree with all the sound-related aspects of this review, but just wanted to share my experience in case it helps others who might have fit issues with the XS.
I have a small, skinny, BALD head, yet have no serious issues regarding the XS that arrived today.
Not to be a contrarian, but I do use glasses (I must, as I have a high prescription), and this doesn't happen to me-neither the squeaky sounds nor the loose fit.
Maybe my head is tall and the Edition XS fit me perfectly, or my glasses have a thin frame (which I prefer), but worth mentioning my experience as well. I have no problems with fit, sound, or "squeakiness" on my set. :) Sorry it was just the opposite for you, but just mentioning it in case anyone believe the glasses issue is universal.
Try as I might to replicate your situation, moving my head wildly, the fit stays secure, without any noises. My personal fit is two dots, left and right. Definitely not a clampy set, but also not so loose they move off my head. No noises.
Could it be a QC issue/unit variance as well?
Still have my Gl-2000’s paired to a THX Desktop Dac Amp, eq’d with a bass shelf, great for big room electronic
Got my GlL2000 paired with the jot 2 bi frost 2. Sun always shines on the righteous, love em.
im waiting on my jot2 and bifrost2 to ship. gotta find a pair of headphones that go well with the setup. seems the gl2000 and these XS are a fan favorite. any recommend on either/or?
Love your garbage can looking coco cup! I want one!
Awesome content as usual.
It's a merch from the trash taste podcast
Trading in my Sundara for the Edition XS. For some reason my Sundara's have incredible static issues and I just cannot stand it anymore. Hoping with the XS I get similar or better sound and less static issues.
How are they?
@@thaflybear The Edition XS are my favorite headphones I have ever owned. I put Dekoni velour pads on them just because I wear glasses and the stock pads make a squeaky sound on the plastic arms, but I could not tell a difference in frequency response with the Dekoni pads which is a good thing IMO. I eq a slight bass shelf of 2db and they are incredible. I think they are well worth the extra money over the Sundara and basically replicate the value of the Sundara except at the $500 price point.
@@ZWortek Thanks for the response i am looking into getting these now and my wallet thanks you for the money i will save over buying the Anandas
Got my Edition XS and was immediately put off by the pads. The cloth I found scratchy and the foam was low quality. Just not very comfortable to me. I got the Dekoni velour and oh my... SO much more comfortable. Like I could wear these indefinitely. HIGHLY recommend picking them up if you have the XS!
So the XS sound the same with the Velour pads? I am thinking of buying the XS, but normally I really dislike the leather feel + in my mind my ears get a lot hotter with leather than with Velour. Can you confirm regarding the sound and maybe if your ears get hot/less hot/not hot at all?
@@G-O-A-M I couldn't discern any changes to the sound. My ears don't get warm, which wasn't quite the case with stock pads. I wear these about 12 hours a day for reference.
Hi @jaqueline may I know where to get the valour pads
@@mrIrichardlim Dekoni Audio
Man....I just got my Ananda's a few weeks ago too.
Congrats
I don't understand your sound description of the fenestrated pads for the ananda. You first say that the soundstage increases, that they are softer with more bass impact and more open. Then you describe them as more close and detailed. So which one is it ? That's not clear is it
What software/service do you use to get your music downloads? I also think your wallpaper/music player combo looks cool👍
Have fenstrated Dekoni on orig. Sundara. 12DB on Zen Can makes the bass dynamically faster not needing the unnatural ZEN bass boost button. Go back to the Sundara and review all Dekoni pads on it.
I still love my GL2000's, I bough early "because patreon" they are my goto fun headphones.
Sundara! This reminds me of the 400SE and Sundara issue I just went through. I would spend the extra $200 on the strap (Ananda). That other headband (Edition XS) is terrible IMO.
Agreed, the 400se's I got to try cut in to the top of my head after 30min. The sundara's are comfy for 6 hrs gaming. I could make it work by putting it further forward on my dome but didn't like it there. The XS band dOEs have more left/right tilt but the headband is just meh.
Had the sundaras for two years. Once I heard the edition xs, there is no need to ever put the sundaras on again.
Anyone saying that the sundaras are equal or better than the edition xs, is lying, deaf, or both.
Sundaras are THIN compared to the XS sound. No contest.
I had a set of GL2000 hoping that they would be Arya beaters. I enjoyed them for a while but couldn't quite get the right sound (hybrid pads were better overall). But then I heard the Aryas (V2 and Stealth Magnets Edition) and was blown away by both, and replaced my GL2000 with Arya V2 because it has the biggest soundstage of the three.
Arya v2 is better than Arya stealth magnit?
I had the V2 but I found it to have a bit of an artificial sounding miss which mostly showed in female vocals. I wonder if they fixed that in the stealth magnet versions I personally preferred the hd8xx over the V2 due to its more natural sound and soundstage. The V2 has a bit more meatier bass though. However the V2 are great headphones and it was hard to return them. If I never had heard the hd8xx I probably would have kept them. Comfort on the aryas is great to.
@@AkainLolium I personally prefer the V2 but many other people prefer the Stealth Magnet version.
anyone tried fenestrated or hybrid pads on arya stealth? improvements?
thanks
Please make a video on how to change HiFiMan "egg shaped, (specifically HEKV2) ear pads!
Refurbed XS are now $279. Should I get some? I'd need an amp too, as my current headphones are a Stax 404, which are powered by an SRM-006tII .
Are you planning to review the new SMSL A100 amplifier that came out recently any time soon? It looks promising.
When would you be able to review them on the Arya?
Can you do the Arya Stealth with the Dekoni pads by chance?
👉👈
Did you try the XS in the Geshelli labs? How'd they sound? Or even better which amp made you enjoy them the most?
I just ordered these b-stock, I'm hoping they live up to the hype. This is my first audiophile grade pair of headphones. I've been using AKG K240 Studios for about 2 years now. I hope the difference is massive.
I also ordered b-stock any update?
@@Daniel-rs3kg Just in case the other dude doesn't respond. I just got these local for a decent price. They're pretty awesome. I've tried a decent number of headphones including HD558, HD598, HD6XX, HD650, HD660S, HE4XX, HE400i, HE5XX, SHP9500, SHP9600, X2HR, LCD-X 2021, Takstar Gm200, MEE M6 Pro, Tin T3, Tin T3+ and now the Edition XS. I recommend the Xs. Best Hifiman's I've heard.
What I've kept (for a bunch of different reasons): HD660S, Takstar Gm200, Tin T3+.
Obviously, I still have the Edition XS, but I'll need more time to decide whether to keep them or sell them.
Only reason I'd sell them is for the money, the HD660S do everything I need them to for the most part, and the Edition XS sell for more.
They came and they're in perfect condition. No audible or visual defects at all. Also they fit incredibly well at least for me. The difference is definitely massive, but I ended up ordering an amp because they're current hungry and hard to drive
@@THEHASBEEN I have a pair of 660S right now and a FiiO K7. I really want the XS because of the lack of bass on the 660S. I was wondering what you prefer? Im pretty sure I have the power for the XS but Ill be ordering B stock from hifiman so I wanna get more opinions on a comparison before I buy them. thanks
@@the_rs43 Its tough. The 660s have the problem of pads, they wear down quickly. Adds to the price of ownership quite a bit if you replace them when you should. Also makes them less comfortable since they sort of become on ears. You can eq them for more top end and low end. I prefer the lack of response at both ends, smooths over a lot of grating audio since I use them for gaming an yt as well as music.
Hifiman Xs have more forward treble and bass but worse qc, and its a pretty loose fit but thats preference. I do prefer the size of the cups though, so much space for your ears. Clamp is maybe slightly too loose for me, as I have a tendency to move a bit when playing games.
Overall I chose 660s and sold Xs, they have the same clarity and detail and the Xs fetch more on the 2nd hand market. Also soundstage is pretty even to my ears. The Xs are huge but in their normal tuning it doesnt sound much larger than 660s.
I think after EQ the 660s is superior(or even) to me in all technicalities. But since I dont mind the less forward bass and treble presentation i use them as is. The detail is always there anyway, just not as forward.
Also 660sV2 is coming out and supposedly has more bass. But I dont think youre missing anything tbh esp if youre open to eq. At some point you just start chasing ghosts. Price goes up but quality really doesnt.
I reeeeally want to hear your thoughts on how the XS compares to the GL2000. I bloody love the GL2000.
Convenient that you post this now. The plastic right above the right cup on my Audeze Mobius broke the other day. Not sure how, but it did, and now the earcup dangles freely by the internal cable that runs through the headband. So I'm looking at possibly, even after just one year, replacing it with another pair of planar magnetic headphones. Going from my old dynamic driver HyperX Cloud Alpha's to the planar magnetic Mobius was a transformative experience and now that I've been forced to go back the difference is night and day once again. I don't think I can go back so my question to you is, do you think the HiFiMan Edition XS, is better than the Mobius? It's a $100 difference between the two. I've already jumped off the deep end once, so jumping off again isn't much of a stretch. Of course there's a difference between closed-back and open-back. Full disclosure I've never had an open-back pair of headphones before. I don't know how they sound comparatively and whether or not that actually makes one set better than the other.
Same here, went to deva pro and they are better not quite the same amount of low end and drums dont quite hit the same but that's with the r2r dac/amp could be better on different amp, but far better soundstage and imaging, mobius might have better timbre, dont have them to compare but just going off memory
Ima snag a set of these for sure, but that mug tho…….👀
I have my Anandas paired with a xDuoo TA-30. I find the tube warmth and bloom help the upper mids and highs. The bass can be quite good with this amp but it always lack a bit in slam compared to other cans.
I would love that amp haha
most people wont change earpads so you should review and test products as they come from factory... not with your custon mods
No one ever says anything about the he 560's from Adorama. Better than Sundara for sure!
They're also $900 compared to the Sundara's $350, lol. The question is whether they're $550 better than the Sundaras or not, and that might be where a lot of people find them less noteworthy. Sundaras are not only great, but they also really punch above their weight class; that's what makes them so highly recommended and beloved.
Hi Zeos,
How would you compare these edition xs to yout ath ad2000x or ad1000x?
I love the GL2000s, in quiet room listening to instrumentals, gaming, media and movies. They are great and I actually like them way more than the Sundara, to each their own.
Hey z! Can you do a video bad swapping the either flow with dekoni/ zmf pads?
I LOVE MY GL2000 and my GL1200 thanks Z
Bought a set of GL2000s brand new, struggled to sell them two weeks later for $400. They were pretty bad and tbh added a huge degree of skepticism to how I interpret your reviews. Still watch you regularly though because you provide great insight and are entertaining.
Music taste varies. Josh recommended the 788 with the hd800s, I didn’t find them that great with the hd8xx. A lot of reviewers hatted the hd8xx, I like them. It’s very difficult to really know if you like it unless you try it out. That’s why I also appreciate Zeos attention to construction easy of use and so on, because those are more universal aligned. Always take reviewers opinions as a general advice and not as absolute truth. Having said that I am still waiting for Zeos review on the k9 pro, although I am afraid that by that time the k9 pro 4499 is already sold out (in case he agrees with dms for the second time around)
What amp you are using? That thing makes or breaks a headphone.
@@dagnisnierlins188 Despite Zeos insisting that to be the case on many occasions the assertion is simply false. Amps can improve headphones and be paired well with headphones but unless there is an impedance problem or a powering problem they do not "make or break them".
@@The_Hipster_Cow I'll ask again, what amp you are using? Second, if your amp does not have enough power for the specified impedence of your headphones, a-you blame amp, b- you blame headphones for being trash?
@@dagnisnierlins188 I own a GSX mk1, JDS labs EL II, Loxjie A30, Schiit Jotunheim, Xudoo mt-602&604, Darkvoice, Burson Timekeeper 3i, ifi zen dac, and topping A90 along with a bunch of portable stuff. I do not remember what I tested it with nor do I particularly care. Your second question is also a false dichotomy. Improper impedance matching is a problem with the chain and thus it is wrong to blame a part of it. However your question is also wildly irrelevant to the discussion considering the GL2000s are 60 ohms and have an SPL of 99db.
I really don´t know what to pick here. Normally I would take the XS with Velour (because I really like Velour - helps against hot ears).
But I do have a quite small head and my current headphone (beyerdynamic dt 990 Edition) presses by now hardly on top of my head, really annoying hurting.
I duuuuunnnnno what to taaaakkkkeeee - if I can be sure that the Anandas will better fit my head and sound is as good as XS and I will not get hot ears I would 1000% take them even if their more expansive
I bought both and i liked the Anandas a bit better. Still thinking about buying the dekoni pads - but they are literally 99€ for a bit of sheepskin, crazy
Well I already absolutely love the Anandas, so I guess I'm getting those pads
Did the new earpads from Dekoni really improve your Anandas?
@@G-O-A-M yes. In both sound and comfort.
@@kadavrus Alrighty thanks!
"perforated" lol. excellent, Dude.
Okay... I'm getting that Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin for my Ananda!
does this headphone have holographic sound
Do you know anywhere I can get the Dekoni Velour pads? I've tried the direct link and the Dekoni website but I can't find them in stock anywhere. Really need to get new pads as my orginal pads the leather is wripping off so I can't even use them properly
i'm running IFI Zen Dac V2 with Zen can for my Anada Nano. they sound great but was thinking if there's anything better for these Anada on mid range price
Me a bit confused.... Looking at Focal Elegia. Are they better in some sense than the XS, dispite the slight price difference?
Peter Griffin does reviews
Do you prefer the XS over Focal Elex?
Z are you reviewing the FiiO K9 Pro anytime soon? Tks!
I love my GL2000 but I got mine in an early batch.
do you think it would go well with the Zen Can as an amp?
Is the Ananda in this video the stealth version or non stealth?
Pretty sure non-stealth, the link in the description goes to an Ananda 2021 page.
Z its going to get even worse mate when you get a refill again what bluetooth iem's do you like for alround use
Ananda's are 550 right now and XS are 499. Which one should I go with? Price diff is not a problem
Went with Ananda's lol :D
@@GinoColombi 6 months later Ananda Stealth 350$, its way too good for the price xD
Thanks! Fenestrated are ordered
Hi! im on the fence between these and the DT1990 pro's i currently use some DT 990 pros and wanted to upgrade to a mid/high end tier headset in the $500 Range. I game(Comp FPS and WoW mostly), listen to all genres of music(Mainly Metallica style rock, EDM, and Hip-Hop)and I stream as well. Curious on your opinion. thank you in advance for your advice. P.S i use a ifi zen can for my desktop amp if that's useful at all.
How do the k712 compare to the xs? I kinda want to upgrade.
there is a Ananda BT which is something that is odd, your thoughts?