I keep reading reviews of the Hifiman Edition Xs that are positive or very positive. Some consider it the best sub €1000 headphone for its sound.
It pains me a lot to have these headphones and not enjoy them.
I usually use them with my mobile (upper mid-range, with a sonata HD pro on high power, with the ifi hip dac and sometimes with a desktop amp that a friend has).
Only with the mobile I notice that it lacks volume and I can’t give it to him. I repeat, only with the mobile. With the rest I can give more volume but I don’t need to.
What could be causing me not to like them? I have written down some things I would like them to have that they don’t have.
-It doesn’t convey fun. Rather it relaxes me so much that I end up taking it off. It’s like this.
-The soundstage in z-axis (depth) I hear it pretty much the same as in my Raptgo Hook. On y-axis (height) it is louder on Edition Xs by quite a bit and on x-axis (side/“wide”) it is narrower than the Hook. It is absurd to compare the iem with an over ear XXL open back but that’s the way things are… An iem worth half the price. I repeat, an iem.
-The instrumental separation is worse than in the Raptgo Hook. I notice more close or clumped sounds.
-It lacks clarity. I don’t know if it’s clarity or directly resolution. My dt1990 eats it up in this aspect as if it was another category. I’m not exaggerating if I say that the Edition Xs can be heard in 720p and the Dt1990 in almost 2k.
-The bass sometimes sounds uncontrolled and invasive. It’s not excessive but it lacks polish.
-The amount of sound it puts out at high volumes is exaggerated considering the soundstage is not large.
So first off, its a flavor thing if the Xs isnt for you then it isnt for you
Second they need a good amp with a lot of power to really make them go, that part of thier thing - they scale. i dont just mean volume i mean in dynimatic in separation, in bass,pretty much every finer way.
Using portable DAC amps is not well suited to them (unless we are talking some BIG BOIs) , the Xs are fairly large planar drivers after all, so of course IEMs which are way more efficient will work a lot better with those kind of DAC amps.
if you get a chance try listening to hem on some mid-upper mid range desktop amps like an Topping A50S or L50, its still not their full potential but youll get an sense of what they can do.
Personally i’d say If you want mobile stuff either avoid Planar go for specific ones that are much more geared to for that kind of thing (i think Dan clarks are ok for that sort of stuff)
further to what morbid shared…just because you can get it loud doesn’t mean it’s getting the power needed to perform. I learned this with my HE-560 v4.
I’d say its a hallmark of almost all HIFIMAN planars, they like power and they scale with it even the most basic planar, hell even a HE400 will scale (to some extent) on Better amps
I’d agree with the above though, the EDXS was something that only really impressed me on beefy desktop setups, their price is a bit misleading given their demands. Was able to try one semi recently to see what it was all about, and yeah they are demanding in both quality and quantity
I think asgard 3 is a good base line, but it felt most at home on something like a monolith plat or cayin iha6. Didn’t get to try it on a wide wide range of amps though
Depends on what you’re after, I’d say something more mobile friendly might be a focal elex or possibly an emu teak or fostex x00 ebony (denon d5200 perhaps?), going a bit higher a kennerton gh50 (a bit worse but the LSA HP2 is cheaper), honestly kinda audeze mm500 or lcd x. This is assuming you have a quality dongle, so something like a L&P W2 or Questyle M15. VE Megatron is surprisingly good for the price for headphones if you don’t want to spend, although I’d suggest moving to some of the aforementioned dongles. If you can go for a more powerful portable dac/amp that’s also worthwhile. All really depends on what you want and what you’d actually consider portable
A lot depends on your musical reference and your budget
i personaly agree with @M0N on the Denon recommendtion i personally own the 7200 very fun headphone that makes everything sound good sorta of “Meze-like” but better.
It’s also not overly power demanding, and while picky, the more midrange denon/fostex can sound good with some portable daps and dac/amps or dongles, so it’s a generally good pick imo. Think the lsa hp2 and gh50 fall into a similar category imo (well not similar but something to look into). Think the elex is also an easy pick there too for how it’s not overly picky
Definitely the fostex and Denon. Elex are great but after my focal experience I can’t recommend them.
Blon B20 would be a good XS alternative, it’ll be a little more energetic and easier to drive but it does benefit from a more powerful amp.
The harmonicdyn Zues is known to be a big fun sound pair of cans.
Kinda a ridiculous recommendation if you want to stay with planars would be an Audeze Penrose. Descent tuning and has its own amp built in. It’s definitely more intimate being closed back.
Different flavors mate,
Focal in general are fairly clear and detailed, with fairly “energetic” highs (i very little personal experience with the Elex so im making an overall statement from my experience with Focal headphones)
The Denon are more fun oriented, more bass, warm and smooth sound overall, but lesser detail and sound stage/imaging (but its expected since they are closed back)
P.S if you look on amazon sometimes you can grab one real cheap open box, i got mine for 420$ brand new (MSRP is 900-1000)
Different flavors mate,
Focal in general are fairly clear and detailed, with fairly “energetic” highs (i very little personal experience with the Elex so im making an overall statement from my experience with Focal headphones)
The Denon are more fun oriented, more bass, warm and smooth sound overall, but lesser detail and sound stage/imaging (but its expected since they are closed back)
Quite right - I have the Elex and the EMU teak. Agreed - this is what I hear.
If I have the Dt1990, does the Focal elex fit? I have read that some people prefer the dt directly and that in “resolution” and image the dt can give even something more.
I have the Elex and an considering getting the Teak for movies. Do you think that’s logical given you have them both? I want something with more rumble for those good action scenes.
Yes most definitely.
As good as bass on the Elex is, and it is indeed given it’s an open back, so that’s quite a feat.
But a Fostex or a Denon or an EMU will do bass with much more authority, texture and quantity. The EMUs are pretty much the only ones in my stable that go as low as 20Hz, a real 20Hz that is (in some situations, lower too, if you pay a lot of attention), and everything between 20 and 80, for example, is like no other.
(with most of my headphones but particularly HIFIMAN stuff)