You can fix the stock cable but lightly rubbing the connectors with fine steel wool than cleaning up with isopropyl alcohol. Apparently they still have manufacturing residue on them that can create imbalance issues, etc.
Nice review. Since you also reviewed the HD800 previously, would this be a good addition to the collection, even if just for "a different flavor"? Does it come close to the technical abilities of the HD800?
This was an excellent review! I have XS and a good amp and it sounds amazing. I even prefere it more than my modified Beyerdynamic T1 v1. I need to try a better cable.
Any buzzing or driver rattling noticed in left ear piece? Try a frequency sweep test or bass shaker test. A lot of users are complaining about the buzz in left earpiece. Thanks
I bet it’s gone by now for you. I experienced the same when first used it. But I think after more than 50 hours or so, it’s gone. Hope you are enjoying it like I do. Cheers
@@yus659 you are absolutely right. The left earpiece rattling is gone. I know a couple of people who faced this issue and they infact got their units replaced.
I noticed an obvious rattle and buzzing from the right driver the first day I received it from amazon. It showed up on one or two of the songs I played, then I did a frequency test and found it rattling at lower frequencies and buzzing a bit above that. It was definitely defective and comes across as cheaply made to me. I returned it immediately and was pretty irritated. I ordered another one and if this one has issues, I'm moving onto another manufacturer. It feels insulting how cheaply made these are and me returning them will most likely count against my amazon account even though they are defective. I'm only ordering them again because I'm purely after the best of the best sound reproduction for the money. It's not a good introduction to hifiman since it's my first experience with their brand, but I'm going to give them a second chance to convince me. Sound quality wise, even though they were rattling and buzzing, I was very intrigued by them especially when I compared it to my Sennheiser HD600. Very good sub bass. It also reminds me how good the HD600's are compared to other headphones. We will see how this goes.
You touched on all the bases I hoped you would. The awful stock cable, the very real power demands (that aren't crazy, but do have a pretty clear minimum), the timbre, and the slam. Solid review, keep it up!
What minimum amp you would reccomend, so? Asgard is out of budget lol. And they can compete against Elex? I did not chose Elex (i could) because QC scared me more than Hifiman QC. How much is far from that punchyness? Other things i think it's pretty hard to beat these...
EU-based? My standard entry rec for EU head-fiers is the Lake People G103s. I haven't heard the combo but that should handle EdXS just fine. As far as the Elex comparison...Elex is a wonderful headphone but it never jumped out to me and demanded my attention in the good ways that Edition XS did/does. XS throws a much bigger and more convincing soundstage and probably has better timbre. Overall resolution is probably close to even but I think the XS has more bass texture. The Elex still probably slams harder in the low-end but the XS isn't far behind. Elex is also going to be less amp-picky as lo-Z dynamics can be driven with just about anything. XS's current demand is just a smidge too high for many entry-level amps.
I don't understand why the 3W output power (at 32 ohm) of the Shiit Magni are not enough to drive the XS "at full potential". In my opinion, even with a 12 db shelf for bass/subbass we should have enough headroom to provide everything the headphone wants to draw.
You must not know anything about electronics then. A cable with a Y-shaped ground that collapses the return paths from the cups into a single long wire going to the amp plug will degrade the stereo separation by a lot (easily audible) vs. a cable with 4 full-length wires that maintains return separation for L and R all the way to the amp (which doesn't need to be balanced, it can still be SE).
@@d0nj03The moment you say 'easily audible', You loose all your credibility. At this point you should just admit to being a salesman of some cable company. Lol Why hide dude? If you're making money off selling cables, good for you! But why lie? Same goes for Wave Theory. This is a doofus who doesn't know a thing about what he's saying, has access to a bit of money and happens to possess these stupid expensive amps. And now, he's trying his best to sell those😂. Morons
I just got latest Magni+ amp and XS combo. Would I really benefit from upgrading amp? My low gain on my Magni was broken out of the box so I have the ability to exchange it and upgrade if necessary.
If you have a broken amp and are willing to bump up the Asgard 3 is a much better amp and the XS is a good enough headphone to show you how and why. But, a healthy Magni+ should be competent nonetheless
It's a real shame the build quality is so poor on these, I've had two of which the height adjustment on the headband broke within a week, the sound is absolutely fantastic though.
Funny you mention that treble peak, I started using the HE6seV2 XLR cable on my Arya because it removed a treble peak the stock, HE5XX, HE400se & even the Periapt XLR cable has. Good news is the peak isn't bad but its to annoying to swap from a cable without it to it which is why i'm still using the HE6seV2 cable.
Newbie here, which kind of amp should I use with the XS? ( currently deciding between dragonfly red, & the ka3 ) Does it requires any " tweak " in the sound setting 🤔
you dont need a amp. you can play the Edition XS out of any source and its loud enough. Otherwise you are over 50 years old and have hearing loss, then you need a amp. a amp only makes it Louder, if you prefer hearing damage in the future, buy a amp. Its only louder with a amp, nothing sound "better" its just louder.
Hi just asking for advice, i own an SMSL SU6/SH6 stack which powers my HD600 at 2 o'clock, planning to get the the XS with a heart cable, but then the Ananada would just be 100 euros more, don't which one to buy, and the Ananda stealth comes with a much better cable
I haven't heard an SH6 yet, but the HD600 and the Edition XS are two very different types of load on an amplifier. An amp being able to push the 600 well in no way guarantees it will handle a mid-or-low-efficiency planar well. It's too early for me to say whether the sonics of the Ananda warrant 100 euro more than XS, but the Ananda is more comfortable and significantly easier to drive, which could be deciding factors.
@@wavetheorysound Thank you a lot for responding, i guess planars a different, i also own a 400se which run perfectly to, i hope you get to review the SMSL SU6/SH6 stack , probably the best budget stack in the market.
Both this headphone and the HD600 are the same price right now ($289) and I'm not sure which to go with. I've only ever had speakers and tube amps, but now I'm looking for a nice entry pair of headphones. Listening to your review of this at $500 is making me lean towards the Hifiman.
Some feedback about this headphones (excluded edition xs that im gonna buy in 2 weeks) amp dac fiio k9.. With beyerdynamic 600 ohm.. High pics and lack of body... Bought the hd 650(thinking was a improve over 58x) witch they are.. But without pentacon cable the mids were recessed.. A looot more than 58x...with planar like sundara and 400 se.. I ve noticed the k9 do a remarkable job.. Brings those planars alive and no treble peaks.. With 4. 4 pentacon
you dont need a amp, it will only sound louder and not better. Edition XS dont need a amp. If you prefer hearing loss in the future, buy a amp and destroy your hearing. Buying a amp for Edition XS and saying it NEEDS is is like saying the world is flat and really believing it da heck
@@eiskalterorangensaft fyi headphone amps have this thing called a volume knob. Just because you have an amp doesn't mean you are required to listen at hearing damage levels. And there's more to them than bigger power numbers.
Thanks from INDIA. ifi zen dac v2 + ifi zen can + edition xs vs ifi zen dac v2 + Ananda ?? edition xs with dedicated Amp Vs Ananda without dedicated amp? which is better option?
hey how is susvara and lcd5 for the sibilance and hifiman hotness you mentioned? which is smoother between the two? would it be a bad idea to use susvara in brighter songs?
You’re better off getting the Ananda used at the same price or spending an extra hundred and get the Anandas new on sale at $599. Unless your library consists mostly of rock and metal, the XS is a punchy headphone that works well with that. I prefer a more relaxing headphone experience personally.
Loved your review. I am not much familiar with audiophile terms. But I love music and I’ve been using Sony xm4 till now and want to switch to something better like this. But as my use is at my workplace away from home most of the time can you please suggest me a portable Dac/amp that can be used with my iPhone 13 pro max. I’ve been searching a not so familiar with most of the terms and specs. I am using Spotify premium and Apple Music for my music. I would be really thankful if you can help me with a good portable amp that I can use with It.
Cables introducing treble peak, “breaking in” the headphones, needing a $300 amp for an 18 ohm headphone… this kind of snake oil is the worst part of this hobby. :/
Amp is required not based on the impedance of the headphone but based on its low sensitivity of 92db. Low sensitivity planars in general require more power.
Yeah I'd love to see someone attempt to measure these with the different cables and try to find a noticeable treble peak. It makes 0 sense that using s different cable will change the sound signature to an audible degree. Shame as it's a good review otherwise
@@makafuniruni Could be placebo effect or just extreme bias for different cables which makes one think that some is better than other. The time it takes to swap out the cables you cannot remember the fine details of the sound so the bias plays a very strong role of preferring one to other. You need proper test setup with fast A/B switching. There is plenty of evidence that if cable has enough cross area to carry necessary current (most are, even cheapish cables), then there is undetectable difference in signal. I am not aware of research that proves otherwise.
If I was in the market for planar's...I would not be looking at HiFi in any way shape or form. The Ananda measures...atrociously...garbage cans. You can convince yourself of anything however...and ppl often do. These may be okay... I do not know. But without serious measuring...it's a shot in the dark.
That’s ridiculous. The Anandas are indeed poorly tuned. However the Edition XS, the HE1000V2, the HE1000se and the Arya Stealth are not. I’ve auditioned every “flagship” headphone from just about every prevailing manufacturer out there-Focal, HFM, Audeze, Sennheiser, Meze, Sony, DCA, Abyss and Final. I kept the Edition XS, the Arya Stealths, the HE1000se, Focal Utopias and Meze Elites. I use my Edition XS as my every day headphone and I think it performs brilliantly-superb fit, vast soundstage, very physical bass and slam, remarkable imaging and very smooth highs. I think it is the best headphone under $500, and if you’re thrashing it based only on the Ananda then you’re not only missing out, you’re spreading misinformation. If you haven’t heard these then you have nothing meaningful to contribute to the discussion. Sit down.
I was really gonna listen to what you had to say.. Then you said that cable introducing a treble peak thing.😂😂 Dude. If you're trying to sell cables and amplifiers, just admit! Good for you if you make money off those! Don't ever say anything like that!
You can fix the stock cable but lightly rubbing the connectors with fine steel wool than cleaning up with isopropyl alcohol. Apparently they still have manufacturing residue on them that can create imbalance issues, etc.
Nice review. Since you also reviewed the HD800 previously, would this be a good addition to the collection, even if just for "a different flavor"? Does it come close to the technical abilities of the HD800?
Wow this is one of the most detailed reviews I've ever watched about a product, great job!
thank you very much for the detailed review
This was an excellent review! I have XS and a good amp and it sounds amazing. I even prefere it more than my modified Beyerdynamic T1 v1. I need to try a better cable.
Hart audio online has great cables!
Snake oil
@@julianmanjarres1998 No, just experience.
@@dreamstormPL no, just placebo.
Does it worth it to change to balanced cable and balanced output on Dac/amp?
Thanks for the detailed review my guy!
Hi dude, what is the link for the cable.
Great review. Thanks!
Any buzzing or driver rattling noticed in left ear piece? Try a frequency sweep test or bass shaker test. A lot of users are complaining about the buzz in left earpiece. Thanks
I bet it’s gone by now for you. I experienced the same when first used it. But I think after more than 50 hours or so, it’s gone. Hope you are enjoying it like I do. Cheers
@@yus659 you are absolutely right. The left earpiece rattling is gone. I know a couple of people who faced this issue and they infact got their units replaced.
@@mayankb1988 Def did not have this in mine.
I noticed an obvious rattle and buzzing from the right driver the first day I received it from amazon. It showed up on one or two of the songs I played, then I did a frequency test and found it rattling at lower frequencies and buzzing a bit above that.
It was definitely defective and comes across as cheaply made to me. I returned it immediately and was pretty irritated.
I ordered another one and if this one has issues, I'm moving onto another manufacturer. It feels insulting how cheaply made these are and me returning them will most likely count against my amazon account even though they are defective.
I'm only ordering them again because I'm purely after the best of the best sound reproduction for the money. It's not a good introduction to hifiman since it's my first experience with their brand, but I'm going to give them a second chance to convince me.
Sound quality wise, even though they were rattling and buzzing, I was very intrigued by them especially when I compared it to my Sennheiser HD600. Very good sub bass. It also reminds me how good the HD600's are compared to other headphones. We will see how this goes.
I am using these with fiio k7bt. Is the dac+amp enough to get enough quality from these? Im also gonna buy balanced cable soon.
Would a poorly driven HE-6e v2 be a sonic upgrade over a properly driven XS?
You touched on all the bases I hoped you would. The awful stock cable, the very real power demands (that aren't crazy, but do have a pretty clear minimum), the timbre, and the slam. Solid review, keep it up!
What minimum amp you would reccomend, so? Asgard is out of budget lol. And they can compete against Elex? I did not chose Elex (i could) because QC scared me more than Hifiman QC. How much is far from that punchyness? Other things i think it's pretty hard to beat these...
EU-based? My standard entry rec for EU head-fiers is the Lake People G103s. I haven't heard the combo but that should handle EdXS just fine. As far as the Elex comparison...Elex is a wonderful headphone but it never jumped out to me and demanded my attention in the good ways that Edition XS did/does. XS throws a much bigger and more convincing soundstage and probably has better timbre. Overall resolution is probably close to even but I think the XS has more bass texture. The Elex still probably slams harder in the low-end but the XS isn't far behind. Elex is also going to be less amp-picky as lo-Z dynamics can be driven with just about anything. XS's current demand is just a smidge too high for many entry-level amps.
I don't understand why the 3W output power (at 32 ohm) of the Shiit Magni are not enough to drive the XS "at full potential". In my opinion, even with a 12 db shelf for bass/subbass we should have enough headroom to provide everything the headphone wants to draw.
You are criminally underrated. Best reviewer on youtube hands down!
Sit down.
Is Mojo2 enough to power these?
Ok with schiit Jotunheim v1? Any difference going balanced with these?
when I hear someone say abound cables changing sound I doubt anything they say after that...
You must not know anything about electronics then. A cable with a Y-shaped ground that collapses the return paths from the cups into a single long wire going to the amp plug will degrade the stereo separation by a lot (easily audible) vs. a cable with 4 full-length wires that maintains return separation for L and R all the way to the amp (which doesn't need to be balanced, it can still be SE).
@@d0nj03The moment you say 'easily audible', You loose all your credibility.
At this point you should just admit to being a salesman of some cable company.
Lol
Why hide dude?
If you're making money off selling cables, good for you!
But why lie?
Same goes for Wave Theory.
This is a doofus who doesn't know a thing about what he's saying, has access to a bit of money and happens to possess these stupid expensive amps.
And now, he's trying his best to sell those😂.
Morons
@@d0nj03cap
Thank you!
I just got latest Magni+ amp and XS combo. Would I really benefit from upgrading amp? My low gain on my Magni was broken out of the box so I have the ability to exchange it and upgrade if necessary.
If you have a broken amp and are willing to bump up the Asgard 3 is a much better amp and the XS is a good enough headphone to show you how and why. But, a healthy Magni+ should be competent nonetheless
I have a small dac "clarus" amp dongle, and the apogee groove dac amp dongle. Will these two be sufficient to drive the edition xs?
Does it work on the k5 ess? Thanks in advance.
Will my apogee groove. Dac be good for the edition xs?
It's a real shame the build quality is so poor on these, I've had two of which the height adjustment on the headband broke within a week, the sound is absolutely fantastic though.
That’s why I’m scared to buy these. I like my investment to last a long time, so I’ll stick with some of the competitors
@@nrs_207 Same. Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and Focals are surely better build
Funny you mention that treble peak, I started using the HE6seV2 XLR cable on my Arya because it removed a treble peak the stock, HE5XX, HE400se & even the Periapt XLR cable has. Good news is the peak isn't bad but its to annoying to swap from a cable without it to it which is why i'm still using the HE6seV2 cable.
Newbie here, which kind of amp should I use with the XS? ( currently deciding between dragonfly red, & the ka3 ) Does it requires any " tweak " in the sound setting 🤔
you dont need a amp. you can play the Edition XS out of any source and its loud enough. Otherwise you are over 50 years old and have hearing loss, then you need a amp. a amp only makes it Louder, if you prefer hearing damage in the future, buy a amp. Its only louder with a amp, nothing sound "better" its just louder.
I’m thinking a Questyle M15 would be perfect.
Hi just asking for advice, i own an SMSL SU6/SH6 stack which powers my HD600 at 2 o'clock, planning to get the the XS with a heart cable, but then the Ananada would just be 100 euros more, don't which one to buy, and the Ananda stealth comes with a much better cable
I haven't heard an SH6 yet, but the HD600 and the Edition XS are two very different types of load on an amplifier. An amp being able to push the 600 well in no way guarantees it will handle a mid-or-low-efficiency planar well. It's too early for me to say whether the sonics of the Ananda warrant 100 euro more than XS, but the Ananda is more comfortable and significantly easier to drive, which could be deciding factors.
@@wavetheorysound Thank you a lot for responding, i guess planars a different, i also own a 400se which run perfectly to, i hope you get to review the SMSL SU6/SH6 stack , probably the best budget stack in the market.
Another good one, thanks.
Did you try this on your EF400? Wondering if I should go for an Asgard 3 or the EF400 with this XS.
Not yet, but I definitely will for the full review of EF400.
@@wavetheorysound Awesome, looking forward to it. Hope you compare the amp section alone to the Asgard as well!
Thank you for that comparison to the 6sev2!!
I got the HE400se, so now i need a new cable. 😢. I too cant take the sibilance.
can i use an ifi zen can v2 and zen dac combo with the XS ? Please advise
Probably. Haven't heard CAN v2 but planars usually did well on v1.
Both this headphone and the HD600 are the same price right now ($289) and I'm not sure which to go with. I've only ever had speakers and tube amps, but now I'm looking for a nice entry pair of headphones. Listening to your review of this at $500 is making me lean towards the Hifiman.
hifi man. you wont regret it.
Some feedback about this headphones (excluded edition xs that im gonna buy in 2 weeks) amp dac fiio k9.. With beyerdynamic 600 ohm.. High pics and lack of body... Bought the hd 650(thinking was a improve over 58x) witch they are.. But without pentacon cable the mids were recessed.. A looot more than 58x...with planar like sundara and 400 se.. I ve noticed the k9 do a remarkable job.. Brings those planars alive and no treble peaks.. With 4. 4 pentacon
Glad to know my HE6SE V2 for $590 (after CA tax) is still holding its value! Driving it with Flux FA-10.
Do you think i can maximize XS using topping dx3 pro+ ?
you dont need a amp, it will only sound louder and not better. Edition XS dont need a amp. If you prefer hearing loss in the future, buy a amp and destroy your hearing. Buying a amp for Edition XS and saying it NEEDS is is like saying the world is flat and really believing it da heck
Yes, you can. It's the most recommended.
@@eiskalterorangensaft fyi headphone amps have this thing called a volume knob. Just because you have an amp doesn't mean you are required to listen at hearing damage levels. And there's more to them than bigger power numbers.
You can't maximize your headphones off anything dude😂
They are the way they are.
Thanks from INDIA.
ifi zen dac v2 + ifi zen can + edition xs vs
ifi zen dac v2 + Ananda ??
edition xs with dedicated Amp Vs Ananda without dedicated amp?
which is better option?
the first combination was excellent choice according to me!
@@nathvadla Thank you.
i want more forward soundstage than left right wide.
for my taste, Ananda or Xs which one do you suggest?
How do they sound compared to the Audeze lcd 2c??
I have sennheiser hd58x I liked its warm sound.
like 10x better .. i have both.. but no need for LCD2c ...its over priced junk
@@paulfresh how does it sound compared to the lcdx 2021?
Gotta record w/ a mic bro
hey how is susvara and lcd5 for the sibilance and hifiman hotness you mentioned?
which is smoother between the two?
would it be a bad idea to use susvara in brighter songs?
You’re better off getting the Ananda used at the same price or spending an extra hundred and get the Anandas new on sale at $599. Unless your library consists mostly of rock and metal, the XS is a punchy headphone that works well with that. I prefer a more relaxing headphone experience personally.
Loved your review.
I am not much familiar with audiophile terms. But I love music and I’ve been using Sony xm4 till now and want to switch to something better like this. But as my use is at my workplace away from home most of the time can you please suggest me a portable Dac/amp that can be used with my iPhone 13 pro max. I’ve been searching a not so familiar with most of the terms and specs. I am using Spotify premium and Apple Music for my music.
I would be really thankful if you can help me with a good portable amp that I can use with It.
Hip Dac is solid
Audiophile terms is nothing more than flowery nonsense.
it's for gaming :D
👍🌟👍
❤
Cables introducing treble peak, “breaking in” the headphones, needing a $300 amp for an 18 ohm headphone… this kind of snake oil is the worst part of this hobby. :/
Amp is required not based on the impedance of the headphone but based on its low sensitivity of 92db. Low sensitivity planars in general require more power.
cable affecting sound is definitely snake oil
Yeah I'd love to see someone attempt to measure these with the different cables and try to find a noticeable treble peak. It makes 0 sense that using s different cable will change the sound signature to an audible degree. Shame as it's a good review otherwise
@@liam2 And why would he lie about what he's hearing?
@@makafuniruni Could be placebo effect or just extreme bias for different cables which makes one think that some is better than other. The time it takes to swap out the cables you cannot remember the fine details of the sound so the bias plays a very strong role of preferring one to other. You need proper test setup with fast A/B switching. There is plenty of evidence that if cable has enough cross area to carry necessary current (most are, even cheapish cables), then there is undetectable difference in signal. I am not aware of research that proves otherwise.
If I was in the market for planar's...I would not be looking at HiFi in any way shape or form. The Ananda measures...atrociously...garbage cans. You can convince yourself of anything however...and ppl often do.
These may be okay... I do not know.
But without serious measuring...it's a shot in the dark.
That’s ridiculous. The Anandas are indeed poorly tuned. However the Edition XS, the HE1000V2, the HE1000se and the Arya Stealth are not. I’ve auditioned every “flagship” headphone from just about every prevailing manufacturer out there-Focal, HFM, Audeze, Sennheiser, Meze, Sony, DCA, Abyss and Final. I kept the Edition XS, the Arya Stealths, the HE1000se, Focal Utopias and Meze Elites. I use my Edition XS as my every day headphone and I think it performs brilliantly-superb fit, vast soundstage, very physical bass and slam, remarkable imaging and very smooth highs. I think it is the best headphone under $500, and if you’re thrashing it based only on the Ananda then you’re not only missing out, you’re spreading misinformation. If you haven’t heard these then you have nothing meaningful to contribute to the discussion. Sit down.
AND they are made in China and don’t have such good build quality.
Let me guess... Best headphones under 500$ on the World, right?
check
Don't use amps, use mixers.
This guy believes in Snake oil nonsense... There i saved you from wasting time watching this
I was really gonna listen to what you had to say..
Then you said that cable introducing a treble peak thing.😂😂
Dude.
If you're trying to sell cables and amplifiers, just admit!
Good for you if you make money off those!
Don't ever say anything like that!
cables do matter man, they can aligment the sound signature
Great review thanks!