I think youâre right on with the XD-05 family.
1 Like
Sadly i sold it long time a go, i will look to used market for it.
Howâs your d1se, is it still fked. I was going to grab the d1se but saw a lot of problems from users, so I bought a gustard x18 instead 
.
My d1se great! Sound fantastic, the only thing - i cant make i2s input work. Did not tried any other interfaces, because its own usb in is superb! Did not face any other problems with it, about which problems are you talking about? Dac is closed theme for me at all, now im thinking about optimal amplifier for xs and something semi-portable for laptop use
Some cut outs from usb cable and itâd stop making sound suddenly or weird garbled static sound, Iâm glad that your unit doesnât come with major issues. Also Shzenzhen audio didnât really bother to help you with the i2s issue thatâs just terrible.
I wanna make a quick comment. Just received my balanced cables. One for the headphones and one for connecting Zen Dac with Zen Can.
I was able to listen only for about 15 minutes and now I must keep the room quiet for about an hour : )
I donât know how much of placebo it is but I immediately reacted with âLol, this sounds a lot differentâ. And actually I am already used to the sound of XS - listening about 4h on average per day. And mainly ~10 songs. I am the kind of guy who can listen one song for an hour and still donât want to change it 
I am not sure what exactly is the difference but it sounds much better to me. I am wondering if there is more detail in some of the frequencies because I put my attention in some of the details I havenât noticed yet. Like some parts are more pronounced. Other parts of the songs sounds just slightly different. Not necessary better or worse. And either they sound more spacious or there is a better separation.
And again it may be placebo but it felt like these headphones sounds much more premium now.
I can share more thoughts in the following days when I calm down 
After a few days I can try again the old cables to see if I will feel an actual downgrade or it was the euphoria / placebo : )
6 Likes
I think âEuphoriaâ is one of the sirens Ulysses had to deal with too!!!
1 Like
Just discovered that my Edition XSâs left jack has some connection issues when wriggling it around, which doesnât happen on the right side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roDuSH2c6eA&ab_channel=KoolArchy Also, my right earcupâs screw is loose as heck, which allows the cup to spin like crazyâŠ
Itâs one of my biggest issues with HiFiMan products. I know theyâve done better in recent years but I canât get over their build quality and lack of QC. They make great planars for the money but youâll eventually pay for them one way or another.
Mine definitely had a âsqueakyâ noise, particularly whenever the headband expanded. I still enjoyed the sound; frankly, they are still a solid recommendation in the $500 price range, but you are still taking a gamble on getting a âgoodâ one IMO.
3 Likes
I know what you mean. My Sundara had one minor issue with the wire on the right cup, but I was able to fix it and they have been solid ever since. Great headphones. But as I read through various threads I find it difficult to pull the trigger on another HiFiMAN product.
2 Likes
But $150 level headphones donât require amps. Thatâs my point. Like you donât need to amp your Audiotechnica m50x. So clearly the $150 amp was meant to amp more expensive headphones. Itâs not a stretch to believe that my K5 Pro should run everything from the 6XX to about the Elex.
Anyway, the new Element III seems enticing for an all in one device. Really hope it plays well with sensitive IEMs though, as I may want some of those in the future. the K5âs low gain does really really well in that regard too.
These are strangely broad strokes.
Entry-level Hifiman Planars, most Beyerdynamic DT series headphones, Fostex T50RP series and a billion other besides the first three that popped in my head deserve amplification that donât cost a ton of money.
There are also headphones that cost twice this that need little. Dollars does not equal amplification need. Oversimplification. Dig into enthusiasm beyond consumerism.
9 Likes
So i went down to my local retailer for an exchange and the same issue happened on the new pair⊠It appears to be an issue on the jack as swapping the L/R cables still yields the same result.
The openheart cable doesnât seem to have the issue tho
1 Like
So, I guess Iâll share my early impressions of these cans. They arrived a lot earlier than I thought, but I havenât put in many hours yet.
Keep in mind that Iâm very inexperienced and Iâm also driving them with the sound blaster X7, a pretty weak power source. That said I was still able to hear a massive upgrade over the HD560S - which I heard before the XS - they are on a completely different level and also Iâd say they are overall more pleasing and less fatiguing.
The only downside, the mids âscoopâ, I think becomes a bit more noticeable in tracks that are already mixed with a âthickâ bassy and warm sound profile, at least in my limited experience so far. For instance in Shaolin Monk Motherfunk by Hiatus Kaiyote the electric piano sounds a bit recessed and submerged.
With classical music I think they sound great, they definitely provide a good sense of scale and the separation is beyond anything Iâve ever heard, while listening to Mahlerâs fifth symphony I told to myself âdamn, I never heard this stuff beforeâ lol.
I listened to the more electronic stuff by Nine Inch Nails and thought they sounded great for that too, Iâm curious how they fare with albums like The Fragile.
I still havenât delved into jazz with them, but itâs high in the list of priorities.
I tried them also for gaming and besides being very precise with directional cues, they are really immersive, Iâm mostly a single player gamer, but I think they would work well for all purposes.
So far Iâm very happy with this purchase 
5 Likes
On another note, Iâm considering some options for an amp upgrade down the line and so far Iâm oriented towards something like Topping A30 pro or L50. Has anyone some experience with those?
I think Iâll use the sound blaster X7 as a DAC for gaming purposes, and maybe Iâll get a better DAC for music listening, but Iâll wait a bit on that.
I have moved this review here from the Acho Reviews thread to keep things tidier and more on topic.
The Edition XS have been kindly loaned to me by Hifiman in order to evaluate them and create this review. Hifiman has not made any requests, they never have, so the following will be my personal opinions in the usual fashion of being as unbiased and sincere as possible. However, it is always good to consider the fact that it has not cost me anything to try out these headphones.
You can find the official Hifiman Edition XS page here: Headphones & portable audio - HIFIMAN.com
IntroâŠ
Itâs been a while since I last reviewed a set of over-ear headphones. In fact, I think that the last ones I reviewed were the Hifiman Arya Stealth, back in October last year (which, by the way, are a set of headphones that I like more each time I listen to them).
I will also mention the fact that I am a Hifiman fan and also a big fan of the Ananda. The reason that I mention this is that comparisons with the Ananda will be unavoidable in this review, and although I aim to be as unbiased as possible, my love of the Ananda could create a little bias, although whether that bias could be both positive and negative. I mean, when someone brings out a new model of something that you really like, the usual human reaction is to dislike the new product that may replace it, whether this stance is logical or not.
In this case, I will start out by saying that the Edition XS are a set of headphones that are very similar to the Ananda in my opinion, and have fixed some of the things that people disliked about the Ananda, but are they a better set of headphones for less money?
PresentationâŠ
Apart from the Ananda and the HE1000se, I think that every other set of Hifiman headphones I have received have always been packaged in the same way (except maybe of the plastic insert instead of silk on the HE4000se, but they were still more similar than not).
The usual Hifiman box showing the Edition XS on the front and specifications on the back, opens to reveal the usual warranty card and other documentation laying on top of a foam divider. Underneath the divider, the Edition XS sit in the usual silk covered cut out, with the cable in the allocated center space.
There isnât really much more to say about it. I have no complaints with the presentation as it is the same as many others by the brand.
Build and aestheticsâŠ
This may actually be the part where the Edition XS differs from the Ananda the most. While the Ananda has the steel headband with the suspension strap underneath, the Edition XS use the headband that Hifiman are using on many of their latest models. The headband is a simple foam and leather covered headband but has one thing that everyone missed on the Ananda, cup swivel.
Well, I say everyone but that is not really true. Personally I have no issue with the fit of the Ananda, it just fits me correctly without hassle, but I do understand that many peoples largest complaint with them was that lack of adjustment to get a good seal. This is something that the Edition XS has fixed and should make a lot of people happy.
But⊠and there is always a but⊠I much prefer the suspension strap style headband. In my personal case, the newer headbands create a hotspot on the top of my head and while it is not unbearable, it does cause me to never really stop noticing the headphones on my head. I am obviously a minority in this case but all I can do is share my personal opinion.
The build quality is also very similar to the Ananda, although I do find that the part of the headband that swivels, and its plastic covers, do feel a little flimsy. I canât say if this particular headband will cause issues over time but seeing that they have used it on many other models and I havenât seen too many complaints, I can only guess that it should stand up to daily use without issue.
The aesthetics are also very similar to the Ananda, in fact, the only real difference as far as looks is again, the headband. Aesthetics are obviously a very personal thing and everyone has their own opinion, my personal opinion is that I prefer the look of the classic suspension strap headband.
The last thing to mention in this part of the review is the cable. Here I have to say that the cable that is included with the Edition XS is probably the most simple cable I have received with a set of Hifiman headphones, and it is also the best. It is a simple no frills cable that does not tangle, is of a decent length, avoids microphonics and just does its job.
SoundâŠ
When I first listened to the Edition XS, my mind automatically said âAnandaâ. Let me just point out that there are a few differences between the sound of the XS and the Ananda, which I will comment on, but the differences I feel are minor and if it wasnât for listening to them side by side, I am not sure I would be able to spot them easily.
Before getting into the specifics, let me just mention power. Although I have listened to the Edition XS on multiple systems over the past week or so, a lot of that listening time has been in the office using a JDS Labs Atom. In my opinion it powers the XS just fine and to reach my normal listening levels (which are quite low), I have been keeping it around noon or less on low gain.
So, starting off in the subbass frequencies as always, here I feel that there is no difference between the two. The extension down into the subbass realms is neutral and any roll off is more due to our natural hearing roll-off than any drop from the Edition XS. Subass is tight and well controlled, keeping up with literally anything you would like to throw at it.
Putting it through the usual âChameleonâ stress test, and giving it plenty of power to see how it did, subbass is just where I like it. It is not as boosted as some other sets, nor are planar usually my favourite choice for the lows, but gives enough to not feel that anything is missing and does it in a very controlled manner.
Moving into the midbass, it is a continuation of the subbass. It is neutral, balanced and very clean. From hip hop to pop, rock to reggae, I find that the bass is just a great representation of clean and neutral. With the lower end of acoustic instruments, such as the guitar on âCrazyâ could maybe benefit with a slightest bit of warmth but that is something that I find with (almost) all planars I have tried. Donât get me wrong, it sounds great, but is just a little more sterile than on some of the dynamic offerings (or higher end Hifiman models such as the HE1000se or the Arya).
There is absolutely nothing to complain about in the transition from bass to lower mids and the neutral balance continues up until we start reaching the higher mids. @Resolve shared a graph of the Ananda vs Edition XS on the headphones.com forum (here) and his graph shows the Ananda having more presence in the 3 to 4 kHz region.
Now, I am obviously not arguing with a measurement but there is something about this region that strikes me as different and not necessarily smoother on the Edition XS. Let me see if I can explain this in a way that is understandable and not seem like a total fool at the same time 
The Ananda does give me the impression of being more âactiveâ in these higher mids. As I have said before, plenty of times, I feel that the Ananda is an exciting headphone that sort of shouts âlook what I can doâ, where I feel that the Edition XS, while having a very similar (almost identical) FR, does not portray itself the same way. I feel that the Edition XS is slightly smoother in that high mid forward space, but⊠there is a frequency that can come across as very harsh with certain female vocals.
I have a few theories (looking at the graph) as to why this may be and I am inclined towards the fact that the 3kHZ boost does not irritate me at all (when done correctly). However, as the 3kHz mark is slightly reduced on the XS, it leaves the 5kHz mark as the highest peak and I feel this is something that my ears donât really like that much.
Now, before anyone gets the impression that this makes the XS unlistenable to me, far from it. The difference between the two is very slight and I am focusing on something that is really only a couple of dB difference on very specific songs by specific artists. As I said at the start, if I wasnât listening to them side by side I am not sure, in fact I very much doubt, I would notice.
Moving up to the higher ranges, here I sort of feel that the Ananda is slightly smoother while the XS gives a slight increase in perception of space. Again, these are differences so minor that I could not choose between the two and would be more than happy with either of them.
As far as details, layering, dynamics and all those fancy words, I really feel that both are on a very similar level. I get the feeling with some songs that I prefer one, on others I prefer the other and in general, they are both great.
ConclusionâŠ
This review has really turned into a comparison rather than a review of only the Edition XS. I suggest you take a look at my complete review of the Ananda (here) in order to get a more detailed grasp on my opinion of them, that will put this review into context a little better.
I feel that the most important factor for deciding between them will be the headband, in other words, comfort. If you are someone who prefers the swivel and the new headband, then you should have no doubts that you are not giving anything up by choosing the (cheaper) Edition XS over the Ananda.
If you donât care which headband you use and find them both comfortable, then I would again just choose the Edition XS. It is cheaper than the Ananda, it has a better cable and the sound is just as good. There really isnât any reason to choose the Ananda over the Edition XS unless you really want that comfort strap (which I really like by the way!).
If you own an Ananda, I really donât think that there is any reason to move to the Edition XS, again, unless you want the headband/swivel. Both are excellent headphones at their price.
All I can say is that Hifiman has introduced another headphone that I feel sets a level of quality for the price bracket. Where the HE400se is my go to recommendation in the lower budgets, I think that the Edition XS is now a reference mark at the 500⏠mark.
As always, this review is also available in Spanish on my blog (here) and on YouTube (here).
12 Likes
Somebody tried Edition XS on devices like xduuo xd-05 plus or xd-05 bal? Im thinking about purchasing semi-portable device for XS, and for price xd-05 bal looks good for me. But is it a good pairing? Is xd-05 power output will be enough? Is xd-05 bal sound quality is enough to open up up Edition XS? Will be waiting for your response:)
Just received mine today. Initial impressions with my Topping L30/E30 are great! At about 11:00 on 0 gain.