Lately you have read reports of people saying that the Sivga Sv023 is better than the Hifiman Edition Xs. I was able to try both but to me they are just different.
Doubt comes with the Focal Clear OG.
How does it compare to the Hifiman Edition Xs?
0 voters
I have to say that the Clear OG is true to its name. Super resolving and justā¦ clear. I havenāt had the pleasure of listening to the XS, though. I canāt speak to the QC on the XS (although I know that thereās a lot of anecdotal support for the idea that theyāre unreliable), but my Clear lived up to the accounts of Focal being unreliable, with a poorly functioning left driver out of the box. I took mine apart and put it back together and it fixed my problem, but I donāt recommend that for everyone.
The Clear is a super nice/premium presentation with case and cables, but I highly doubt that itās $400 better than the XSā¦ Itās certainly not $600 better than my Fiio FT3. Thatās not to say anything bad about the Clear. Itās an amazing sounding headphone, but when people talk about diminishing returns, they really arenāt kidding.
Good luck with your choice! If I had it to do over again, I think I might have purchased the Meze 109, myself, as wonderful as the Clear soundsā¦
I think I will buy again Sv023 with the xs money.
In my A/B with the Edition Xs I prefer Sv023.
You could consider the Hifiman Ananda Stealth in that range as well. Much more musical to my ears than the XS. They do have the new Ananda Nano as well now but I have heard some people say it has a even more elevated treble. I a/bād the XS and Ananda Stealth and the Ananda was the better headphone in almost every category again to my ears.
Focal Clear is a step above XS sound wise, plus the way better build and comfort
Im between Focal Clear OG and Ananda Nano.
nano is pretty good its been my daily driver for almost 2 weeks
Yeahh. I think It has more soundstage than Clear and soundstage is one of the things I want.
Iāve had a similar experience testing out both the Sivga Sv023 and the Hifiman Edition Xs. They indeed each have their unique charms, but I understand the quest to find āthe one.ā
Now, coming to the Focal Clear OG and how it compares to the Hifiman Edition Xs, hereās my two cents.
The Focal Clear OG, in my experience, leans towards a neutral and more balanced sound profile, whereas the Hifiman Edition Xs tend to be a bit more open, offering a wider soundstage.
The Hifiman Edition Xs shines with its exceptional detail and resolution, especially in the mids and highs. The Focal Clear OG, on the other hand, is known for its punchy and accurate bass and treble, providing a āclearā and concise listening experience.
Comfort-wise, the Hifimanās large, round ear cups offer a fit that some may find more pleasing for long listening sessions, while the Focal Clear OGās design is more conventional and might be perceived as more stable and secure.
So ultimately, it boils down to your personal preference. If you prefer a neutral and balanced sound signature with an emphasis on bass and treble, then the Focal Clear OG might be your pick. But if youāre all about that soundstage and mid/high detail, then the Hifiman Edition Xs could be a better choice.
You can try all. I only have the Hifiman Ananda Nano left, which I will do soon.
Between the Sv023 and the Edition Xs itās hard to choose because I like bass and I think the Sv023 lacks a bit there. In dynamics the Sv023 is better, also in high mids, image and sound scene in the Z and Y axes the Sivga is better. The Edition Xs is better in immersion, bass, sub-bass, texture and scene in X axis. I would say that in tonality I generally prefer the Edition Xs for listens of more than 30 minutes.
In Ananda Nano it is supposed to improve the image of the Edition Xs, it improves and adds more treble which I think benefits and also the āsupernanoā diaphragm is supposed to give more dynamics. I also like the headband better than the Edition Xs. It asks for slightly less power than the Edition Xs.
Between the Focal Clear Og and the Edition Xs I summarize it for you. They are not very different but the Clear is superior. In pure resolution I think it is a bit above the Clear Og. The Focal Clear has more dynamics and is more aggressive, it has an aggressive note edge which makes it appealing to me but I donāt like it if I listen to it at medium or medium high volumes for more than 30 minutes because it bothers me.
It has that extra treble that the Edition Xs lacks, a little more āfilledā mids and a better image. It also needs less power than the Edition Xs although despite having 104 sensitivity and 56 impedance it demands more from me than other headphones with less sensitivity. His stage is not small but it is not big either.
I think the Ananda Nano may be the best of all. At least the most complete.
In the absence of trying them I would say that Ananda Nano>Clear OG>Sv023>Edition Xs.