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JM Audio XTC2 Open Back Dynamic Headphone

Overview Reviews (5) Gallery

General Information

XTC2 Main.jpg


JM Audio XTC2™ OPEN Custom Tuned 50mm Dynamic Headphone

Larger cup than the original 100mm
The XTC2-open is 110mm with a wedge horn like edge around the wood rim- the larger size provides a larger soundscape with all the goodnesses of the XTC and then some more -

Other new changes are a front angled forward 3.5 headphone jack.

We are taking orders as this new releases operates flawlessly and has a new appropriately named JM REFERENCE tuning which excels at pulling all the details and mids out of a recording with deep accurate non bloated bass.

Please do not think the original XTC open is being discontinued at all
This is not the case - the XTC is our number one best headphone to date with more proud and very very satisfied owners world wide than any other headphone we sell.


The XTC2 Open is just larger.
The original XTC is still sitting high in the headphone world as one of the finest sounding headphones one can buy regardless of price.

But we never stand still and we always will innovate.


Choose Your Custom Driver + Choose Your Tuning

We hand match every single driver set we install- but you choose what is best for you: 32, 64 and 300 ohm in a 52nm magnet Beryllium or a 32 Ohm Biowool Nano driver. Both types of drivers are wound with ofc copper specified for JM Audio - we also customize your headphones by discussing your preferences for tuning just for you. If you are unsure which driver is best for your current set up just email us: massariaj@yahoo.com

We don’t mass produce anything. We custom tailor our products to suit what an individual wants and that takes skill and time. Even our most basic build or mod will get the utmost time and dedication from us until we are satisfied with the sound quality. We have to meet all of the typical quality we feel is necessary. We don’t simply install a some so called matched stock drivers, slap a sticker on it and call it a day… We actually have our drivers made to our specs and then we get those so called machine matched drivers and check them over and over until we find an ideal match by hand. I hand select each and every set to ensure they really are a mated match ...I use this process for every single headphone I make... and it could take up to three days or more for me to ensure this as I progress through multiple tests. Even the wire I solder and the way I solder could affect the matching. Why do I do this? Because each and every one of my customers deserves my best- but mostly I do it because I feel compelled by the obsessive search for doing all I can to ensure the finest headphones I can make - and every single one I make gets love and attention like this as if it’s my one and only set I am ever going to make… I never rush tunings - I take time on each individual headphone until it is ready to be loved and used.

Back Story:
I have spent the better part of this last few years searching for the best measuring dynamic driver… one that can be customized and tailored for warmth and extraordinary detail - and can be further dialed in any way a user may like before they order. I found what I consider the finest drivers ever- a customized to our spec- all forged/cast not stamped basket utilizing N52 magnets and a customized wound occ copper coil system with a very fast and agile nano sized 50mm diver - one of the best I ever measured.

What's It Sound Like? The XTC™ is tuned to reveal all the details deep inside your recordings. You can expect deep tight bass with no bloat yet at the same time the XTC™ is even and smooth through the mid range and treble. The XTC™ has precise timbre and has a knack of digging out sublime details with air as light as a feather; while remaining composed and never harsh or sibilant. Each song you play you will dive deeper into the recording and immerse yourself like no other headphone I know of currently.

What's the weight and comfort? The XTC Open is very light and comfortable headphone (14-16 ounces - as a comparison the Hifiman Arya weigh in at 404g / 14.3oz.) and extremely comfortable headband

How is performance & what's the technology? While remaining light and comfortable - it's a heavy weight in performance- utilizing JM Audio patent pending JM Audio Fractal Porous Graphene Carbon™ and JM Audio Fractal Fiberglass Mesh™ both used together to open and extend the soundstage and create more depth emulating more space and air while helping create a pin point accurate stage. This technology unique to JM Audio helps us achieve an amazingly open sound unlike any we ever heard before.

Driver Choices
- our customers get to choose the driver and the tuning of that driver- from an easy to drive and extremely fast customized JM Audio BioWool or JM Audio Custom Made Beryllium available in 32ohms with a rated 114 db efficiency, or you may choose a our Beryllium 64ohm at 113.5 db efficiency or our Beryllium 300 ohm driver if you have an OTL or similar amplifier.

Ear Pad Choices:
You also get a choice of ear pads. We have a few choices : A real favorite of mine is the ‘Fluffy Memory Foam Angled’ for a more bassy dynamic experience with ultimate comfort- like two soft pillows on your ears. The ultimate ear pad choice now is two very premium affordable options - top of the line deep cushion memory foam perforated angled premium sheepskin leather (more open sound than solid but slightly less bass) or solid top grain cushion supple soft leather memory foam angled (more bass than the perforated sheep leather). Both of these are my personal favorite both for comfort, sound and ultimate luxury. Email me massariaj@yahoo.com for recommendations if you are looking for personal guidance- We will help you select the correct driver, ear pads and wood styles that meet you needs or desires for sound and esthetics.

Choices for 2M Included Standard Wire
: The XTC™ open also includes beautiful 2mm braided w/36 strand 26AWG high purity OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) cable, Litz structure which means some strands will be mixed diameters yielding best performance. Each ear cup gets a dual 3.5mm male plug for direct wiring to each ear cup driver- choose your amp end as either trs 3.5mm, trs 6.3mm, 4.4 trrs or XLR.

The Ultimate Matching:
For only $45 additional you can get a second wire plus the ultimate in internal and external matched wiring - - we hand solder your XTC™ with internal 7N occ and WBT silver solder. This option also includes our own Copperhead (the same wire we use to solder the drivers) in a 1.5m length braided wire in your choice of trs 3.5mm or trrs 4.4mm on the amp end. The 7N OCC option gives you the ultimate matched wiring inside and out. What is 7n OCC? Basically the best copper wire you can buy in terms of both sound quality and physical properties. We can use this on your XTC for internal wiring- Material: OCC 7N (99,99999%) copper- OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) a casting process developed to help defeat annealing issues and virtually eliminate all grain boundaries in copper. It is the best of the best available and we believe we are the only headphone company offering this option.

We are including: A practical Waterproof Flight Case to protect these during transport and storage.

(Please note: Black, Brazilian Zebra or Black Brazilian Wood color is additional.)

XTC2 2.jpg

Latest reviews

dolgen

dolgen

100+ Head-Fier
XTC2 Open...Extremely Beautiful Music Maker
Pros: Transparency, tonal accuracy, best bass I've heard (and non-intrusive), superb imaging, very comfortable and relatively lightweight.
Cons: None really.
I've had these headphones for several weeks now, and the initial shine hasn't worn off at all, probably it's only grown. John has created something of a masterpiece here, and I seldom reach for any other of my many headphones anymore.
These phones sound just right for all the genres that I listen to, and are especially competent at recreating the subtle sounds and nuances of acoustic piano. Pretty much fatigue free, I can now even make it through a Led Zeppelin album without bailing out due to pained ears! Jazz is also presented in a blissful manner.
The one thing that really stands out, in quality, is the bass. I'm not a bass head by any means, but the strong tight bass response, which somehow never overwhelms the other frequency areas, is truly a pleasure in its own right.
Obviously highly recommended.
February 26, 2025.. Here I am two months later. All previous impressions are still holding up, and are actually even more positive. I'm still stuck on these, and my collection of other fine headphones are still sadly sitting waiting for my attention again. In decades of my involvement in this hobby, I've never before considered myself a one headphone guy, until now. Accuracy of timbre, soundstage and layering, transparency and comfort........They're really special!
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Zhon

Zhon

100+ Head-Fier
The JM XTC 2 Open - Bliss Tuning
Pros: A completely immersive experience where nothing is in your head besides music. Unbounded and effortless.
Cons: None
Intro
When the music is so enthralling your brain stops thinking about what sounds right or wrong, if the stage is deep enough, or where a sound is coming from. All thoughts disappear, leaving you with pure music from the XTC 2. The XTC 2 is a must in every collection. It is the exclusive headphone in my collection of audio gear - a testament to John’s passion and knowledge of what makes music music.

Some context
The XTC Open was my first audiophile headphone. I brought them to Canjam, put them on top gear from dCS, Niimbus, Questyle, Ferrum, and Chord, and found that they were only slightly bested by the Susvara and Focal Utopia in terms of overall refinement. The XTC 2 Open improves upon the original’s admirable performance and has reached audio nirvana. While writing this review I was in a daze, my brain kept going to the music. Thank goodness for typo-checking.

Bliss Tuning (Warm with tight bass and extended detail)
Bliss is correct. On many occasions, I found myself so engrossed in the music I forgot I was sitting on my chair - no substances involved. It is tonally similar to the reference tuning except with a more musical midrange presentation. The bassline is the same on the reference tuning - perfection. It is tight with distinct layers and extremely correct. Impact when necessary, otherwise complements the midrange beautifully by not sounding out of place, yet drives the song simultaneously, never thin or flimsy. Vocals have more body than on the Reference tuning but are not upfront. They pop out slightly more and thus you are immediately engaged with the music. It’s easier on your brain than the flatter mids from the reference tuning. High frequencies are similarly voiced. It also might sound rolled off at first if you are used to a brighter or distorted presentation. These are the cleanest and moistest highs I have ever heard. It is effortless to distinguish between high frequencies and thus more detail versus the monotonous and illusory nature of subpar gear. Usually, accidental sibilance in recordings is a big detriment to engagement. The XTC2 doesn’t hide them. Any recording errors are obvious, but instead, it refines them so that they are ‘there,’ still with all the detail; as part of the music as a whole instead of as a part jutting out.

Musical details
The drivers JM uses are top-notch and scale up to the stratosphere of this hobby. I reach for ambient electronic music whenever I crave immense detail retrieval and immersion. These headphones can effortlessly convey the emotions and atmosphere in this, and any, music. The rendered sonic scene in many ambient tracks, in any track of any genre for that matter, feels real. When you hear birds chirping to the side with airy swipes across the soundstage in Immortal (ATYYA), you are transported into the jungle in a refined and smooth manner. Nothing you feel is forced. I can’t find a type of sound, never mind a genre, that these headphones struggle with. Whether it is the decay of low notes on a piano, the tone of the higher registers of a flute, the splattering of hi-hats, portraying direction and air of cymbal sparkle, or guitar distortion, all the detail, emotion, flow, texture, and ultimately ‘music’ of these sounds are there, but more importantly, they sound real.

Not only does the realism of music scale up with equipment but also the imaging and staging. They mirror your source gear. For example, when I replaced the stock power cord on the GS-X mk2 with a Harmonic Technology Fantasy III, the staging dimensions expanded immensely. Imaging and instrumental separation are accurate and intentional and never feel forced or off; connection with the music (bliss) is the top priority. All technicalities present are cohesive and complement each other. All this results in simply music.

Conclusion
Just get these. The XTC 2’s galactical performance does not explain its grounded price. This and the original XTC are the ‘price-to-performance’ headphones this hobby is about.

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HiFiVee

New Head-Fier
JM Audio Editions XTC2 Open Back Headphones
Pros: Depth to vocals, soundstage, imaging, accurate bass (no bleed into mid-range), good at details, treble sparkles but not bright or sibilant
Cons: Highlights bad recordings or those that have been (heavily) compressed, but that is expected of the tuning.
JM Editions XTC2 Open Back with earcups made of African Blackwood (one of the hardest types of wood available)
  • 64-ohm Beryllium drivers - perfectly matched pair (measured between 10Hz and 30kHz), as confirmed by John M.
  • Standard headphone cable (36-strand 26AWG OFC braided Litz) terminated with a 6.3mm TRS (single-ended) connector
  • Upgraded 7N OCC internal wiring with matching Copperhead cable terminated with a 4-pin XLR (balanced) connector
  • 3 sets of earpads: these observations are based on listening sessions using the Fluffy Memory Foam Angled earpads
  • The storage case included is similar to those made by Pelican.

_JM Audio Editions XTC2 Open Back.jpg


Please note, although I have been an 'Audiophile' for quite a while now (however clichéd that may sound), with a collection of headphones and some reasonably high-end 'HiFi' equipment that I use to indulge in my passion for music, this is the first time I have left a review or more to the point, shared my observations of a product so soon after receiving it and neither am I a professional reviewer and nor am I an influencer.

TL/DR: Yes, I am very happy with my XTC2s and impressed by the purchasing experience.

The XTC2s were delivered with the Fluffy Memory Foam Angled earpads installed, which sounded great from the get-go and are extremely comfortable. The African Blackwood earcups have quite the understated, classy look. Having got used to fairly heavy headphones (e.g. LCD-X and HEDDphone), the XTC2 is lightweight in comparison, which, coupled with its non-fatiguing sound signature, encourages long listening sessions, which is exactly what I was looking for – an excellent start!

Soundstage:
The XTC2s have a pretty wide, open soundstage, but, from memory, not as wide as the Sennheiser HD800S, which I loved, but couldn’t get past its distinct lack of bass. As such, the XTC2s have stepped up to the mark and filled that void perfectly. Chesky Records’ recording of Rebecca Pidgeon’s version of Spanish Harlem is an absolute delight – the soundstage and imaging is simply superb. The same goes for Santana’s Black Magic Woman (1986 SAMWEICH edition). Pretty much all tracks on this CD are well recorded and mastered – Aqua Marine is particularly good. Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged is another, and the best I have heard this compilation in a while.

Imaging & Instrument Separation:
Superb imaging, which is not a surprise due to the use of two drivers that are a near-perfect match over the entire audible frequency range, and beyond. This is especially true when playing good recordings of live performances, such as the Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over live album, or well-recorded vocals, such as Analogue Production’s SACD (DSD64) of Holly Cole’s 1995 jazz album Temptation. The second track (Train Song) is an absolute delight to listen to – the vocals and upright (acoustic) bass sound out of this world. The sounds of the triangles, bells and/or cymbals, struck lightly, alternating between left and right channels, are very detailed – one can easily visualise their placements. Listening to Hans Theessink’s 2007 album Slow Train was an absolute joy, with many “wow” moments, and the track Zambezi also included some spine-tingling moments. Listening to TOOL's Fear Innoculum and Salival is quite an experience, even though the recording/mastering is far from what one considers flawless.

Bass:
Tight, fast and articulate, without any bleed into the mid-range. For example, the start of Eagles’ 1994 rendition of Hotel California sounds pretty awesome with the bass notes starting and stopping as expected, something I am used to when listening to this track through my ProAc Response D30RS speakers. The acoustic bass in Holly Cole’s album sounds fantastic, with the plucking and reverberation of the strings sounding as they should without being muddy or ill-defined - Train Song is a particular favourite from that standpoint. The drums and conga on Santana’s Jingo (1986 SAMWEICH edition) really come alive and the bass on Evil Ways, separated from the well-articulated mid-range, is quite the aural delight. The XTC2s dig quite deep.

Mid-range:
A particular strength of the XTC2s. The piano and vocals on Holly Cole’s Take Me Home are well articulated and blend together very well. The acoustic bass is not as prominent in the other tracks, which makes the vocals and piano stand out. Sarah McLachlan’s live performances of Answer and Angel (from the Afterglow Live album) were superbly rendered, where one could visualise the placement of the singers (vocals), the various instruments, and the audience’s response/cheering, with a soundstage to match. Hans Theessink’s voice on the Slow Train and 70th Birthday Bash albums does hit you hard, but no sibilance.

Treble:
The XTC2s have the right amount of sparkle without being bright, which suits my tastes. Having said that they do not take kindly to badly recorded or compressed recordings. Try as I might, I could not listen to Metallica’s 1991 self-titled (Black) album (CD version), which is said to be the least compressed version of all those in digital form. One from Metallica’s The Videos 1989-2004 (2006 DVD) sounded okay, but, when it got to the busy sections, flaws in the recording/mastering surfaced, especially Lars Ulrich’s double peddling on the kick drums which usually sounds excellent, but not in this version, which sounds rather harsh, especially when the guitars kick in – the same track and reproduction from …And justice for All fares much better.

In conclusion, I have to say that JM Audio Editions XTC2 Open Back headphones are a true all-rounder, and something I am likely to enjoy for many years to come. Last but not least, the whole purchasing experience has been simply superb. John fielded many questions and, over a 3-4 day period, numerous emails were exchanged on the available configuration options and the merits of each one. Highly recommended! Having said that I could not resist a visit to JM Audio’s website for another look…however, it is now time to try out the other earpads, and do some comparisons with some others in my collection.


Equipment & Source:
  • Windows 10 Pro (64-bit, 32 GB RAM) laptop with Audirvana Studio + Thesycon USB driver (ASIO), playing lossless FLAC (16-bit / 44.1 kHz to 24-bit / 192 kHz) and DSD64 / DSD128 audio files
  • Denafrips Iris DDC
  • Denafrips Ares II R-2R DAC
  • SPL Phonitor 2 headphone amplifier (Matrix & Crossfeed not enabled during these listening sessions)
  • XTC2 Open Backs connected to Phonitor 2’s XLR out via Copperhead cable – fully balanced analogue signal path
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Comments

WillieB

WillieB

100+ Head-Fier
This is a very extensive and helpful review. It has helped me decide to order the Beryllium driver version. This is mostly because I prefer a 300 ohm driver. I have a collection of amps and want to be able to use my OTL amps as well.
 
B

Bjorn154

100+ Head-Fier
I have the XTC2’s ad well. Tuned detailed slightly on the warm side with enhanced bass at around 60 ohm with the beryllium drivers. Not sure how it gets any better and agree with everything said above. With the Burson Soloist 3X GT it makes magic. Also using a Benchmark HPA4 which is a little more measured with more focus on the last bit of detail. If you ever consider a closed back the XTC2.5 is amazing and approaches the open back in soundstage with the ultimate ability to flesh out every little detail. I think John refers to them as detail monsters. I have them tuned linear down to 10hz and detailed slightly on the warm side. I will say that given the extreme ability to discern every nuance and detail the choice of DAC and HPA is crucial to the results. I just can’t wait for the next listening session and that I think is the highest praise I can think of as that is what this is all about after all. John is nothing short of a headphone savant.

My two main HP systems are:

Auralic Aries G1 - Hegel HD30 DAC - Benchmark HPA4

Auralic Aries G1 - SPL Diamond DAC - Burson Soloist 3X GT
 
Daniel4IEM

Daniel4IEM

100+ Head-Fier
Hi all! I'm extremely pumped to find out about this gem. I've been suffering from sensitivities to brightness- horns, violins, some vocals- which results in occasional shrillness or even tinnitus flare ups which forces me to listen at super low volumes, or even stop completely for days. And, I have TMJ. HiFiman hekv2 are triggering both issues.

XTC feels like just what the doctor ordered given a) John's tuning options (specifically "Warm for tinnitus/ high freq sensitivity") and b) "no TMJ issue" reports from William Murdock and apparently others according to John. I'm about ready to take the plunge but given the custom tuning and no returns want to be super confident about these being non-issues.

Anyone here have experience with either tinnitus/ high frequency sensitivity, and/or TMJ? If so, what was your experience with XTC?
 
XGeneX88

XGeneX88

100+ Head-Fier
Daniel4IEM said:
Hi all! I'm extremely pumped to find out about this gem. I've been suffering from sensitivities to brightness- horns, violins, some vocals- which results in occasional shrillness or even tinnitus flare ups which forces me to listen at super low volumes, or even stop completely for days. And, I have TMJ. HiFiman hekv2 are triggering both issues.

XTC feels like just what the doctor ordered given a) John's tuning options (specifically "Warm for tinnitus/ high freq sensitivity") and b) "no TMJ issue" reports from William Murdock and apparently others according to John. I'm about ready to take the plunge but given the custom tuning and no returns want to be super confident about these being non-issues.

Anyone here have experience with either tinnitus/ high frequency sensitivity, and/or TMJ? If so, what was your experience with XTC?
Click to expand...
I know someone who got them who had tinnitus and it was great for them with the tinnitus tuning.
 
Daniel4IEM

Daniel4IEM

100+ Head-Fier
John’s sending me out my unit today/tkmorrow- woohoo!!!🙌🏻

Our discussion of cords/cables prompted deeper thinking on PORTABLE use case.

He said he heard great things about iBasso DC-Elite which is intriguing. I’m also wondering what else folks have tried and impressions.

Budget is probably $500, possibly up to $1500 if the solution were good enough to displace desktop all in one audio-gd R28 NOS in which case I’d sell.

By portable I don’t imagine taking it for long walks. Just need it to be battery powered and easy enough to put in a pocket to move around the house. Oh, and I’m an iOS user.
 
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BenZeKat75

New Head-Fier
I'm very interested in purchasing one. Has someone compared it to the ZMF Verité Open ?

I've tried to contact @John Massaria by email multiple time but I appreciate he's probably too busy to answer :(

Now I don't know of "flexible" John can be for additional level of customization:
  1. headphone termination ==> I tend to prefer mini XLR instead of 3.5mm TRS ==> is that possible? has someone got the same question asked (and answered :)) ?
  2. outer grille / decorations ==> I don't know what options you have for the XTC2 in place of the bee-style grille or if the grill itself is what makes the XTC 2 the XTC 2 😅 I'm saying this because I find the XLR outer grille quite beautiful and was wondering...
If anyone knows... :)
 
B

Bjorn154

100+ Head-Fier
John does not like mini xlr so 3.5 mm is the only option as far as I know. The grille is what makes it an XTC2! It is indeed very handsome.
 
Daniel4IEM

Daniel4IEM

100+ Head-Fier
I may be in the market for new desktop amp dac setup. Would love to hear advice from this group.

My tuning on XTC2 is 'warm yet detailed' and don't want to add any brightness, harshness, shoutiness, sibilance, etc.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a tube amp and have had positive experiences thus far with R2R dac. My budget is ~$1500
 
B

Bjorn154

100+ Head-Fier
Daniel4IEM said:
I may be in the market for new desktop amp dac setup. Would love to hear advice from this group.

My tuning on XTC2 is 'warm yet detailed' and don't want to add any brightness, harshness, shoutiness, sibilance, etc.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a tube amp and have had positive experiences thus far with R2R dac. My budget is ~$1500
Click to expand...
Burson Conductor Reference or GT should fit the bill. You can roll op-amps to make it sound just the way you want it and an outstanding ESS DAC implementation. Check their demo sales out.
 
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