HiFiMan Edition X V2 Over-ear Headphones
- Added by Currawong
- Create date
--
Be aware this review not about this headphone's sound. You already can find many sound related reviews about the Edition X V2 (HEX2). The whole point is to share my long term reliability and support experiences.
So let's begin.
--
When i bought this headphone, one of the hinge is squeaked a bit. A very small amount to the hinge from my bicycle teflon spray and the problem is gone forever. This was the only issue in the years.
The real apropos of this review is, i just replaced the earpads and the headstrap. My local reseller can not help in this. I needed to order the replacement parts directly from the manufacturer (Hifiman). The email communication was swift and effective. They organized the shipments from two different warehouses. It was a pleasant experience.
The earpads replacement process was fairly easy. Just pop out and pop in. But the headstrap was more challenging then i thought. Few of the very small screws are stucked and gave me hard times. Then adjusting the right tension on the small metal ends are another nerve wrecking part of the process. I am pretty sure, it is an easy task for an experienced service technician, but not for me. Fortunately the replacement was successful and the HEX V2 works and mostly looks like a new one.
After these years, the HEX V2 have become my reference headphone. Not just because it is sounds so well, but it is super comfortable too.
5 years ago it was an experiment for me with a chinese hifi brand, now I am a very happy owner.
Be aware this review not about this headphone's sound. You already can find many sound related reviews about the Edition X V2 (HEX2). The whole point is to share my long term reliability and support experiences.
So let's begin.
--
When i bought this headphone, one of the hinge is squeaked a bit. A very small amount to the hinge from my bicycle teflon spray and the problem is gone forever. This was the only issue in the years.
The real apropos of this review is, i just replaced the earpads and the headstrap. My local reseller can not help in this. I needed to order the replacement parts directly from the manufacturer (Hifiman). The email communication was swift and effective. They organized the shipments from two different warehouses. It was a pleasant experience.
The earpads replacement process was fairly easy. Just pop out and pop in. But the headstrap was more challenging then i thought. Few of the very small screws are stucked and gave me hard times. Then adjusting the right tension on the small metal ends are another nerve wrecking part of the process. I am pretty sure, it is an easy task for an experienced service technician, but not for me. Fortunately the replacement was successful and the HEX V2 works and mostly looks like a new one.
After these years, the HEX V2 have become my reference headphone. Not just because it is sounds so well, but it is super comfortable too.
5 years ago it was an experiment for me with a chinese hifi brand, now I am a very happy owner.
Attachments
I was in no hurry to review this gear, as there are so many reviews, extant.
I think there are about 16 pages of "for sale" of this gear on this Forum, so, apparently everyone has owned it, at least once.....
And why not.
So, no need to talk about its sound, as the reason for this little write up.
Instead let me just offer my opinion regarding.......why should you buy this one, and not the Ananda.
And there are a few reasons for this, but first let me address my thoughts on why this gear has been discontinued.
I think the reason is.....its too good, for the price, and so they had to get rid of it.
Now, im sure that Fang has some sort of reason that this headphone is off the sale page, but, i think its because he created something that would harm other sales.
So what about that Ananda, vs the V2.
My 2 - cents is very simple.....the V2 has a much more accurate and natural tonality.
It has better mids.
It has a treble that is going to sound, to most listeners, more pleasant, sweeter, and much more natural-musical.
It has a better frame that allows the cups to adjust.
So, where does the V2 not win, in its duel with the Ananda?
Soundstage, as the Ananda is a bit more holographic and presents a wider soundstage, overall.
Now, lets say you asked me........."what 3 headphones could i buy, that would keep me engaged and probably very happy forever"..
At this point in time, i'd send you to the LCD-X, the Stax SRS-3100, and the HE-V2.
Others, would send you to other places.
Its all good.
-
-
-
-
-
I think there are about 16 pages of "for sale" of this gear on this Forum, so, apparently everyone has owned it, at least once.....
And why not.
So, no need to talk about its sound, as the reason for this little write up.
Instead let me just offer my opinion regarding.......why should you buy this one, and not the Ananda.
And there are a few reasons for this, but first let me address my thoughts on why this gear has been discontinued.
I think the reason is.....its too good, for the price, and so they had to get rid of it.
Now, im sure that Fang has some sort of reason that this headphone is off the sale page, but, i think its because he created something that would harm other sales.
So what about that Ananda, vs the V2.
My 2 - cents is very simple.....the V2 has a much more accurate and natural tonality.
It has better mids.
It has a treble that is going to sound, to most listeners, more pleasant, sweeter, and much more natural-musical.
It has a better frame that allows the cups to adjust.
So, where does the V2 not win, in its duel with the Ananda?
Soundstage, as the Ananda is a bit more holographic and presents a wider soundstage, overall.
Now, lets say you asked me........."what 3 headphones could i buy, that would keep me engaged and probably very happy forever"..
At this point in time, i'd send you to the LCD-X, the Stax SRS-3100, and the HE-V2.
Others, would send you to other places.
Its all good.
-
-
-
-
-
billcosbo
Great review!
First impressions are very positive. Whopping soundstage for a start! Staging/imaging is excellent. A little more intimate than the HD800 with a little less air. But the soundstage size is not far off, and I'm surprised at this - not as wide though. Different trebles, the HEX rolls off at the top but is more neutral lower down - more like the HD600 here. The efficiency is as described and these are very sensitive, I'm happy just to plug them into either of my dacs that have built in solid state amps (Q DAC sounds particularly good, this has a very neutral quality hp stage built in).
I mostly listen to Classical music and so I've thrown some of my tester tracks at them including 'Birtwistle - Earth Dances' conducted by Boulez. This is a massive complex orchestral beast that covers the whole range of acoustic frequencies. The hex is handling it very well, the rumbling of the timpani is clear and powerful. There is a nice bite to mid treble that is similar to the HE400i, this is picking up loads of little details. Strings are so hard to get right with headphones IME, these sound natural but without the extra air of the HD800. The HEX are more mid centric making you focus more on the mids rather than a large "whole" as the Senns do.
Biggest difference between these and the HD800 is the smoothness. But you knew that already
Bass is slightly above neutral in my opinion. This adds to the overall warm sound. Very good bass, integrates into the mids - I hear no hump. The HD800 has tighter bass but less quantity. These have less bass than the HE400i (which has a midbass hump similar to the HD650) but it extends lower and has much greater definition. I've played some familiar modern jazz tracks from the Act label (very well produced) and the double bass has authority and definition without much bloom. In fact these sound absolutely amazing with jazz it has to be said. The space in between instruments sounds spot on, compared to the HD800 where small ensembles can sound too stretched apart. The soundstage remains huge - but intimate at the same time.
Voices sound better than the HD800. This was night and day for me here. The texture and realism is quite astounding. But the upper mids in general are taking me a little time to adjust to coming from the Senns. I like how the Senns dip slightly in the lower treble this makes strings for example sound more pleasing, especially with the extra air at the top. But this is a purely subjective preference and strictly regarding orchestral music.
*second day*
Had a long and more thorough listening session tonight. Again early important impressions before I get too accustomed, as i believe your brain can tell you anything sounds good - especially if you've paid the price of a second hand car for it
In all seriousness these headphones should be flying off the shelves. Why? Because they for me bridge the contrast between dynamic and planar drivers for me. They sound open and revealing yet smooth and controlled. fast, natural without the "grain" associated with dynamic drivers. Soundstage is up there with Sennheiser but without the lifted treble up top.
I think some may be put off by the efficiency; they may have very expensive powerful amps. The HEX only need a wire with small gain. These are advertised for portable use and yes they work great even plugged into your phone. But seriously, these are high end headphones that deserve a good source/DAC. Neither Apple or Samsung are this
I'd describe them in a nutshell as a HD600 with a much larger stage, no sign of bass hump - much deeper/lower clearer bass. Smoother and super clear but with a similar engaging sound that makes you forget you're listening to headphones. (is that not what a lot of us head-fiers have been after, like forever!!!)
A few words on the physicalities.. I'm all about the sound and will wear something created from barbed wire if it sounds good. But thus to say, these are very comfortable -not as light or head friendly as the hd800. They look to me tougher and should handle plenty of knocks etc. the cable is the most ergonomic creation I've seen in hifi.
But its all about the music. For those who have eclectic tastes I'd recommend these over the HD800 instantly. All music sounds good out of these that I've tried - Electronic, ambient, classical, pop, Jazz, rock.
I won't be losing my HD800 however. These are still the kings for classical music in regards to absolute resolution imaging etc when amped right.
Your call
I mostly listen to Classical music and so I've thrown some of my tester tracks at them including 'Birtwistle - Earth Dances' conducted by Boulez. This is a massive complex orchestral beast that covers the whole range of acoustic frequencies. The hex is handling it very well, the rumbling of the timpani is clear and powerful. There is a nice bite to mid treble that is similar to the HE400i, this is picking up loads of little details. Strings are so hard to get right with headphones IME, these sound natural but without the extra air of the HD800. The HEX are more mid centric making you focus more on the mids rather than a large "whole" as the Senns do.
Biggest difference between these and the HD800 is the smoothness. But you knew that already
Bass is slightly above neutral in my opinion. This adds to the overall warm sound. Very good bass, integrates into the mids - I hear no hump. The HD800 has tighter bass but less quantity. These have less bass than the HE400i (which has a midbass hump similar to the HD650) but it extends lower and has much greater definition. I've played some familiar modern jazz tracks from the Act label (very well produced) and the double bass has authority and definition without much bloom. In fact these sound absolutely amazing with jazz it has to be said. The space in between instruments sounds spot on, compared to the HD800 where small ensembles can sound too stretched apart. The soundstage remains huge - but intimate at the same time.
Voices sound better than the HD800. This was night and day for me here. The texture and realism is quite astounding. But the upper mids in general are taking me a little time to adjust to coming from the Senns. I like how the Senns dip slightly in the lower treble this makes strings for example sound more pleasing, especially with the extra air at the top. But this is a purely subjective preference and strictly regarding orchestral music.
*second day*
Had a long and more thorough listening session tonight. Again early important impressions before I get too accustomed, as i believe your brain can tell you anything sounds good - especially if you've paid the price of a second hand car for it
In all seriousness these headphones should be flying off the shelves. Why? Because they for me bridge the contrast between dynamic and planar drivers for me. They sound open and revealing yet smooth and controlled. fast, natural without the "grain" associated with dynamic drivers. Soundstage is up there with Sennheiser but without the lifted treble up top.
I think some may be put off by the efficiency; they may have very expensive powerful amps. The HEX only need a wire with small gain. These are advertised for portable use and yes they work great even plugged into your phone. But seriously, these are high end headphones that deserve a good source/DAC. Neither Apple or Samsung are this
I'd describe them in a nutshell as a HD600 with a much larger stage, no sign of bass hump - much deeper/lower clearer bass. Smoother and super clear but with a similar engaging sound that makes you forget you're listening to headphones. (is that not what a lot of us head-fiers have been after, like forever!!!)
A few words on the physicalities.. I'm all about the sound and will wear something created from barbed wire if it sounds good. But thus to say, these are very comfortable -not as light or head friendly as the hd800. They look to me tougher and should handle plenty of knocks etc. the cable is the most ergonomic creation I've seen in hifi.
But its all about the music. For those who have eclectic tastes I'd recommend these over the HD800 instantly. All music sounds good out of these that I've tried - Electronic, ambient, classical, pop, Jazz, rock.
I won't be losing my HD800 however. These are still the kings for classical music in regards to absolute resolution imaging etc when amped right.
Your call
Attachments
franz12
huh. you finally landed on this.
Review is provided by soulsikreviews.com
video review:
Demo:
Edition x v2 on the demo-head connected to the Jotunheim balanced input.
INTRODUCTION
Spending $2000 CDN on anything may be acceptable, but the instant you tell anyone that you spent that money on a pair of headphones, the only individual that will give you a nod with approval will be those that “UNDERSTANDS.” I am not here to sell you anything nor am I gaining any profit from this review, I do this out of passion and if anything, I was skeptical coming into all this. I mean, $2000 for a pair of headphones…. “it better gives me unbearable pleasure,” I thought to myself. At first, I felt like it was just a good pair of headphones. However, after spending more time listening to these, everyone around me realized that I left my HD650s on the headphone stand for way too long. Anyone who knows me will know that “THAT, means serious business.” Because, this usually happens when I like a pair so much better that I end up buying it… (RIP my wallet). For example, this happened when I picked up my HD650s and never again touched the hd598s for “serious listening.” I know there will be those that will assume this is because I’ve never listened to headphones this expensive before so, I will state it now for the sake of this review, I’ve listened to countless and the reviews for those are coming out as well. However, I do not like all of them and very little will make me jump and scream with excitement like a maniac. Now, I am not saying any pair of headphones is perfect so please read on before you decide on this purchase.
ABOUT HIFIMAN
HiFiMAN Electronics is a designer and manufacturer of audio products including headphones, amplifiers, and portable audio players. Hifiman is known for its high-end audio products made under the brand Mee Audio. Its most popular products include the HE-400 which are full sized open back headphones and the RE-400 which is an IEM (In Ear Monitor). Both products are supposedly critically acclaimed for their sound quality
DISCLAIMER
This unit was loaned to me by a friend that works as a distributor. My review will contain no bias as usual.
SPECS
Frequency Response: 8Hz – 50kHz
Sensitivity: 103 dB
Impedance: 25 ohms
Weight: 399 grams
THE BUILD QUALITY
It comes with:
1.5m headphone cable (3.5mm plug)
3m headphone cable (6.35mm plug)
¼ (6.35mm) headphone adaptor
The headphone is heavy in specs but the ergonomic headband and padding makes the comfort excellent for long listening sessions.
The headphone is made from plastic for the most part. Although it is a high-quality plastic, I wouldn’t expect to see it on a headphone at this price range. However, it is understandable because the weight had to be cut down from somewhere to make the headphone light and comfortable as possible.
The only real problem is the scraping of paint when you adjust the headphones. A minor and a common problem with this “clicky” type of headphone adjustment. Another problem that rises is the flexibility of the headphone size. The headphone is not really meant for the smallest head. (watch my review video to see what I mean)
The Ear cups follows the natural shape of the human ear and thus gives the fit a “I’m home baby” kind of feeling. The inside of the pads also improved from the v1 as they upgraded from velour to microfiber-type material. This makes the headphones much more comfortable in my opinion
The window shade grill design does not only look great but supposedly reduces sonic reflections for clearer sound
Edition x V2 features the 2.5mm connectors, which is convenient which terminates in either 3.5mm or 6.35mm depending on the cable. The two cables that comes with the headphone is very nice as well, it is built to last a decade
My Friend enjoying the edition x v2. Her words were "omg, these are amazing!:
SOUND QUALITY
The Edition x V2 uses the ultra-thin diaphragm for delivering incredible detail and lower distortion
Lower Frequencies: If I needed to describe the bass in one word, it would be “weird,” but in the most fabulous way possible. The bass is tight, punchy, dynamic, and exciting but not in your face. There is even great amount of sub-bass, again, not in your face but in the distant. It is a wonder, how you “feel it” when it’s so much further away from you than the HD650s. You know when you have a big headache and you can’t stand the bass that is seemingly wanting to punch your brains out? Staying up late to make reviews, it happened to me, maybe I’m weird and it’s just me, but these were the only ones that did not do that. These will give you a fine bass sensation even if you are suffering from a bad headache. Trust me, I’ve tried it.
Mid Frequencies: No matter how many descriptive audiophile terms I throw at you, you are going to need hear it for yourself because the mids are better than most headphone in this price range. I will not name all the headphones because it will ruin it for those reviews, please do understand… but all you need to know is that this is one of best mids I’ve heard. Of course, including the HD650s. I will attempt to do my best at describing it for the sake of this review. The mids are warm but not the “bleeding type” warm, the separation from mid bass to the strings is very clear. The strings are amazing and you may even hear the dust falling from the violin (obviously, an over exaggeration). It reminded me of the strings in the asura 2.0 earbuds but with more clarity and detail.
High frequencies: You get shivers. Not from the sibilance but from the details. I do not know if I am hearing the Window shade grill design (that is supposedly for clearer sound) at work or just the incredible drivers tuned to perfection but it is incredible. If I had the budget, I would buy these just for the high frequencies. (so please sign up for the patreon, lol). Anyhow, the clarity and crisp that comes out of these headphones is amazing. I’ve heard details I was never able to hear with my hd650s before. All this, and they are nowhere near sibilant. Hard to believe and hard to express all this in words, “how this is possible.”
Soundstage: I will use a single sentence to describe the soundstage. “wide or even wider in some tracks than a bookshelf speaker.”
Imaging: Accurate to death. You can pinpoint every instrument and where they are coming from. When gaming with these, you can hear the footsteps of your enemies from a mile away. I played battleground with these headphones and my friends accused me of using hacks. I was voted off a normal match on CSGO because I was accused of using hacks. If you get these just for gaming, you are crazy or just filthy rich but whatever the case, please join my patreon if you are that rich, lol. With all jokes aside, these are fabulous for anything from watching a movie to “serious listening sessions.”
High Sensitivity allows users to practically use any device to drive the headphones
Samsung s7: its runs off fine and its crazy how efficient these headphones can be but it sounds a bit lean out of the phone, in my opinion
Samsung s7 + Oppo ha 2 se: the improvement is significant. Clarity and crispness in the highs become fully equipped. Mids are clear and incredible as usual but the bass can feel a little loose (use the bass boos, and you lose a bit of the mids for some reason)
Schiit stack: sufficient power and clarity. I think this my budget recommendation for any headphone that needs sufficient power and extra clarity added through a DAC. Nothing really loses out
Schiit Jotunheim: Although it sounds fantastic, this is overkill for most people. The only reason you would get these is to use the balanced output for more balanced crystal clear sound with uncompromised bass response.
Overall Thoughts
I find this headphone the best headphone I’ve tried so far and would like to purchase one myself, one day.
video review:
Demo:
Edition x v2 on the demo-head connected to the Jotunheim balanced input.
INTRODUCTION
Spending $2000 CDN on anything may be acceptable, but the instant you tell anyone that you spent that money on a pair of headphones, the only individual that will give you a nod with approval will be those that “UNDERSTANDS.” I am not here to sell you anything nor am I gaining any profit from this review, I do this out of passion and if anything, I was skeptical coming into all this. I mean, $2000 for a pair of headphones…. “it better gives me unbearable pleasure,” I thought to myself. At first, I felt like it was just a good pair of headphones. However, after spending more time listening to these, everyone around me realized that I left my HD650s on the headphone stand for way too long. Anyone who knows me will know that “THAT, means serious business.” Because, this usually happens when I like a pair so much better that I end up buying it… (RIP my wallet). For example, this happened when I picked up my HD650s and never again touched the hd598s for “serious listening.” I know there will be those that will assume this is because I’ve never listened to headphones this expensive before so, I will state it now for the sake of this review, I’ve listened to countless and the reviews for those are coming out as well. However, I do not like all of them and very little will make me jump and scream with excitement like a maniac. Now, I am not saying any pair of headphones is perfect so please read on before you decide on this purchase.
ABOUT HIFIMAN
HiFiMAN Electronics is a designer and manufacturer of audio products including headphones, amplifiers, and portable audio players. Hifiman is known for its high-end audio products made under the brand Mee Audio. Its most popular products include the HE-400 which are full sized open back headphones and the RE-400 which is an IEM (In Ear Monitor). Both products are supposedly critically acclaimed for their sound quality
DISCLAIMER
This unit was loaned to me by a friend that works as a distributor. My review will contain no bias as usual.
SPECS
Frequency Response: 8Hz – 50kHz
Sensitivity: 103 dB
Impedance: 25 ohms
Weight: 399 grams
THE BUILD QUALITY
It comes with:
1.5m headphone cable (3.5mm plug)
3m headphone cable (6.35mm plug)
¼ (6.35mm) headphone adaptor
The headphone is heavy in specs but the ergonomic headband and padding makes the comfort excellent for long listening sessions.
The headphone is made from plastic for the most part. Although it is a high-quality plastic, I wouldn’t expect to see it on a headphone at this price range. However, it is understandable because the weight had to be cut down from somewhere to make the headphone light and comfortable as possible.
The only real problem is the scraping of paint when you adjust the headphones. A minor and a common problem with this “clicky” type of headphone adjustment. Another problem that rises is the flexibility of the headphone size. The headphone is not really meant for the smallest head. (watch my review video to see what I mean)
The Ear cups follows the natural shape of the human ear and thus gives the fit a “I’m home baby” kind of feeling. The inside of the pads also improved from the v1 as they upgraded from velour to microfiber-type material. This makes the headphones much more comfortable in my opinion
The window shade grill design does not only look great but supposedly reduces sonic reflections for clearer sound
Edition x V2 features the 2.5mm connectors, which is convenient which terminates in either 3.5mm or 6.35mm depending on the cable. The two cables that comes with the headphone is very nice as well, it is built to last a decade
My Friend enjoying the edition x v2. Her words were "omg, these are amazing!:
SOUND QUALITY
The Edition x V2 uses the ultra-thin diaphragm for delivering incredible detail and lower distortion
Lower Frequencies: If I needed to describe the bass in one word, it would be “weird,” but in the most fabulous way possible. The bass is tight, punchy, dynamic, and exciting but not in your face. There is even great amount of sub-bass, again, not in your face but in the distant. It is a wonder, how you “feel it” when it’s so much further away from you than the HD650s. You know when you have a big headache and you can’t stand the bass that is seemingly wanting to punch your brains out? Staying up late to make reviews, it happened to me, maybe I’m weird and it’s just me, but these were the only ones that did not do that. These will give you a fine bass sensation even if you are suffering from a bad headache. Trust me, I’ve tried it.
Mid Frequencies: No matter how many descriptive audiophile terms I throw at you, you are going to need hear it for yourself because the mids are better than most headphone in this price range. I will not name all the headphones because it will ruin it for those reviews, please do understand… but all you need to know is that this is one of best mids I’ve heard. Of course, including the HD650s. I will attempt to do my best at describing it for the sake of this review. The mids are warm but not the “bleeding type” warm, the separation from mid bass to the strings is very clear. The strings are amazing and you may even hear the dust falling from the violin (obviously, an over exaggeration). It reminded me of the strings in the asura 2.0 earbuds but with more clarity and detail.
High frequencies: You get shivers. Not from the sibilance but from the details. I do not know if I am hearing the Window shade grill design (that is supposedly for clearer sound) at work or just the incredible drivers tuned to perfection but it is incredible. If I had the budget, I would buy these just for the high frequencies. (so please sign up for the patreon, lol). Anyhow, the clarity and crisp that comes out of these headphones is amazing. I’ve heard details I was never able to hear with my hd650s before. All this, and they are nowhere near sibilant. Hard to believe and hard to express all this in words, “how this is possible.”
Soundstage: I will use a single sentence to describe the soundstage. “wide or even wider in some tracks than a bookshelf speaker.”
Imaging: Accurate to death. You can pinpoint every instrument and where they are coming from. When gaming with these, you can hear the footsteps of your enemies from a mile away. I played battleground with these headphones and my friends accused me of using hacks. I was voted off a normal match on CSGO because I was accused of using hacks. If you get these just for gaming, you are crazy or just filthy rich but whatever the case, please join my patreon if you are that rich, lol. With all jokes aside, these are fabulous for anything from watching a movie to “serious listening sessions.”
High Sensitivity allows users to practically use any device to drive the headphones
Samsung s7: its runs off fine and its crazy how efficient these headphones can be but it sounds a bit lean out of the phone, in my opinion
Samsung s7 + Oppo ha 2 se: the improvement is significant. Clarity and crispness in the highs become fully equipped. Mids are clear and incredible as usual but the bass can feel a little loose (use the bass boos, and you lose a bit of the mids for some reason)
Schiit stack: sufficient power and clarity. I think this my budget recommendation for any headphone that needs sufficient power and extra clarity added through a DAC. Nothing really loses out
Schiit Jotunheim: Although it sounds fantastic, this is overkill for most people. The only reason you would get these is to use the balanced output for more balanced crystal clear sound with uncompromised bass response.
Overall Thoughts
I find this headphone the best headphone I’ve tried so far and would like to purchase one myself, one day.
At the 2016 Autumn Tokyo Headphone festival I had the chance to spend some time talking to Fang Bian of HiFiMan as well as listen to his flagship Shangri La system. One of the results of our discussion was that I got a chance to try the new versions of both the HE1000 and Edition X. I was already familiar with the HE1000 but wanted to find out how the easier-to-drive but significantly cheaper version was, especially compared to other headphones that I have on hand, as they were originally priced in the crowded $1800 market for planars -- flagship territory for some companies.
Like the HE1000, the Edition X has ergonomics that remind me of earspeakers from Stax, but using metal components. A large, springy arc holds connects to yokes that hold the drivers, and half way down the sides are clicky sliders that attach to a perforated leather headpad. Unlike the original versions, there are more adjustment points, though on my pair the clickers were a bit loose, and it was very easy to make them slip even putting on the headphones.
The previous loose method of attaching the yoke has also been upgraded, now with a plastic insert inside the yoke that provides contact with the metal pieces at each end of the arc. This leaves the yokes rotating smoothly and feels good.
Overall, that makes them a very comfortable pair of headphones to wear. Despite being metal they feel light, and the only downside can be the rubbery cable which catches more easily on materials. Importantly however, it doesn't transmit noise. By default, the Edition X doesn't come with a 4-pin XLR cable like the HE1000, which I feel is an omission.
They also come in a sturdy box which is slightly smaller than the HE1000 box and I found was nicer to use.
Compared to the HE1000, the Edition X has thicker diaphragms in the drivers which while not as resolving as those in the HE1000, are easier to drive so that they can be more easily used with even portable gear. While I found that even very powerful and capable amps sounded somewhat boring with the HE1000, that was not the case at all with the Edition X. Like the HE1000, however, they have almost no isolation, so they are only ideal for indoor use where there is both minimal noise and minimal chance of sound leakage disturbing others.
The overall tone with the Edition X is fairly even, without a lot of emphasis in any region. This, to me, lends them more towards acoustic music, like the HE1000, but they have a bit more punch. This means that other types of music for which the HE1000 are too airy, come across better with the Edition X in a similar way to how the HD800 S is to the original HD800. They may be most suited to people who don't like the strong bass of some headphones but still want to enjoy the capabilities of a pair of planar headphones.
Whereas the HE1000 seemed to require the best amps to wake up, such as my Studio Six, the Edition X was very much at home out of the mid-range Audio-gd NFB-1AMP. Likewise my collection of portable amps, from the HeadAmp Pico Power to ALO Audio's Continental V5 and the Chord Mojo were right at home driving them.
Some of the more mainstream music I like, which through the HE1000 one could clearly make out the flaws in the recording, was right at home with the Edition X. The first 4 tracks of one of my TIDAL playlists consists of:
Caught in a Long Wind - Feist
Fair Weather - Other Lives
Desert Raven - Jonathan Wilson
House of Mercy - Sarah Jarosz
It's all music I tend to gravitate -- between somewhat off-the-wall and melodious in a regular sense -- and I can enjoy it from everywhere be it in the car, or at home with top-of-the-line headphones. The Edition X struck the right balance between resolution and punch with these tracks. What is more, despite measurements suggesting they should sound a bit harsh, at the moderate levels at which I listen, if I hadn't known, I wouldn't have noticed anything unpleasant.
Compared to other headphones, for example MrSpeakers' Ether Flow has more mid-bass punch and are, to my ears, cleaner-sounding and more detailed, and has for a while been my favourite all-rounder.
Against the more expensive Sony MDR-Z1R, they are the neutral, but entertaining choice against Sony's unique and very coloured, but highly enjoyable presentation. The Z1R has a stronger, and somewhat amazingly capable bass (probably helped by my Yggdrasil and the Kimber cable).
Sennheiser's HD800 has a more spacious presentation, which can be amazing at first, but I find that the treble sounds unpleasant if an aftermarket cable is not used, and even with a good cable the 6.3 kHz peak in the treble can bring out sibilance in less than perfect recordings.
As the Edition X is now only $1299, they suddenly become more appealing and more in line with what I feel are their strengths, especially as their tonality sits them neatly between the Z1R and Ether (Flow) on the one hand, and the HD800 on the other. Given their much lower amplification requirements, I reckon they make a very safe entry into the high-end for people concerned that their gear may not be totally up to scratch or don't want to outlay on everything all at once.
