NVX Audio XPT100 Studio Over-Ear Headphones w/ ComfortMax Earpad Cushions and Extra Pair of Angled Earpads

I have Yoga CD-990 and 2 of its clones - NVX XPT100 and Brainwavz HM5.
They all have identical sound, and they are the original CD-990 design, meaning they are identical to FA-003, not FA-003Ti.
I prefer XPT100 because:
1) CD-990 isn't available for purchase (unless you order at least a 1000).
2) XPT100 costs 80$ instead of 139.5$ that HM5 costs
3) XPT100 has superior pads
4) XPT100 includes both flat and angled pads, while HM5 comes with 2 pairs of flat pads.

The only disadvantage XPT100 has, is that's it's unavailable outside of US and Canada.
You'd have to use a forwarding service to acquire XPT100 from abroad, but considering the price difference with HM5 - it may still be worth it.


Comfort:



XPT100's headband padding is slightly wider, yet narrower than Pro 82's.
Quality of materials is equally high.



The ComfortMax pads are slightly longer and wider, and a lot thicker.
They are extremely comfortable, more than the standard Brainwavz pads.



XPT100 comes with both flat and angled pads - you should try both!


The pads are mounted on the cups using the plastic rings.
Be careful - if you purchase pads separately - they will come without the rings.
So if you purchase a bunch of Brainwavz replacement pads - you will have to move the rings around.

Despite the truly great pads, XPT100 isn't very comfortable at first.
The headband is too small, causing significant pressure on the head.
To achieve perfect comfort, you will have to stretch the headband for a while.

Out of the box, NVX's comfort is 7-7.5 out of 10 (Pro 82 is 8.0-8.5)
Once the headband is stretched, NVX's comfort is 10 out of 10.

Sound:
Out of the box, XPT100 sounds sucked out in the mids, too thin.
A short brun-in (10 hours) makes it sound like it should.

Flat pads sound a bit boring, and very "headphone-y"- I don't feel that I am experiencing a live performance, it's just music being played at me.
Angled pads are much more fun, bass is meatier when "fat" side is in the front.
Soundstage/imaging improve greatly with angled pads

Oppo HA-2 sounds great with angled pads, flat pads need a bit tube magic.
Nobosound NS-02E makes them sound great.
Little Dot MKIII warms them up too much from the headphone out, pre-amp out is much better
NFB11.32 is the same as Little Dot MKIII - headphone out is too warm/veiled, variable out sounds great.

I recommend using a transparent yet natural sounding DAC (e.g. Oppo HA-2) with a delicate tube amp.

Bass:
XPT100 has a very tight bass, with a neutral quantity.
It takes a bass boost very nicely, but you will never get the same rumble as in Pro 82/80.
The bass just gets louder, without changing its nature.
Angled pads do improve the bass a lot.

Mids:
OOT, the mids sound plain bad - thin and sucked out.
After burn-in, the situation improves dramatically, but the timbre is off.
Using Nobosound NS-02E or Little Dot MKIII's pre-amp out gives them a near-perfect timbre.
When using angled pads, the need for the tubes isn't as big as with the flat pads.

Treble:
XPT100 is slightly more sibilant than Pro 82, other than that - the treble is really good - clear, detailed and extended.

Soundstage/imaging:
Very headphone-y with the flat pads, much better with the angled pads (fat side in the front)

Accessories:




XPT100 comes in the same box as CD-990, with a whole lot of padding.
It has a 1.2m and 3m cables, 6.5mm adapter and 2 sets of pads.

Overall:
Comparing with Bosshifi B8 and Takstar Pro 82, this is a 3-way tie.
All three outperform their price point (70-80$) tremendously.
Each has it's strong points:

Takstar Pro 82:
Very fun sound, with bass that the others can't match, and mids, that despite the slight recession, might still be the clearest among the three headphones.
Bosshifi B8:
Excellent for long sessions of relaxed listening
NVX XPT100:
The most neutral of the three, sound can be tuned by using flat/angled pads, the only one that benefits from tubes, amazing comfort.

If you are planning on buying a 300-400$ headphone from a major brand, just buy these 3 instead and keep the change.

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The NVX Audio XPT100:  http://www.nvx.com/xpt100-studio-over-ear-headphones/ is going to look familiar to a lot of members.  That is because it is a re-brand of the Yoga CD-880: 
 
The NVX XPT100 shares its basic body and build with the: Digitech (Jaycar) Pro Monitors, Brainwavz HM5, Lindy HF-100, Fischer Audio FA-003 and STUDIOSPARES M1000 (post in the comments section if I forgot one).

I don't want to make this review about why the NVX XPT100 is the same as the rest, but instead want to dig into what makes this a great buy and a great headphone.
 

 
**All photos taken by me, no stock photos from NVX were used**

 

*Packaging*

The NVX XPT100 comes in a big box, well... because it is quite a big headphone. The packaging is universal with all of the clones. All cardboard with a handy plastic handle.
 
   
 
 


*Contents*

Inside the big square box you will find:

- XPT100 Headphones with ComfortMax Earpads
- 1.2m Detachable Cord
- 3.0m Detachable Cord
- 1/4" Stereo Adapter
- Carrying Case
- Angled ComfortMax Earpads
- Instruction Manual & Warranty Card

I must say it is just fantastic that the XPT100 comes with multiple Detachable Cords. Some of the other clones only come with the 3.0m cord, that IMO is just too long. The 1.2m cord is a much more manageable size. Both cords are thick, tough and show no signs of microphonics.

The carrying case is standard with a few other versions as well. It is quite large and has a handle. Inside you will find the XPT100 snugly fit into foam cutouts, with room for the additional cables and pads.

The pads fit tightly into the case and can become slightly smashed, but once you take them out, they regain their original form. The ComforMax trademark stays true to its name. All sets of the pads are extremely comfortable and sit well like little pillows over the ears.

Those looking to purchase aftermarket pads, look no further than Brainwavz. As they have plethora of aftermarket pads that were designed for the HM5 / XPT100: http://www.brainwavzaudio.com/search?type=product&q=Earpads
 

 


*Build*

As my pair is brand new, I can not comment on the longevity of the structure, but instead will take about what makes the XPT100 different. When comparing the headband of the Lindy HF-100 to the NVX XPT100 I quickly noticed how much more flexible the XPT100 is. The flexibility of the headphone is both good and not so good. While it helps with overall fit (more on that later) it also feels slightly wobbly and bouncy in the hand. I think it will come down to a personal choice whether you prefer this bendable type or something a little more firm. Personally, either one is fine with me.

Most of the earcup structure is made of various hard plastics, though they are coated with a nice soft black paint and feel good in the hand.
 

 

 


*Fit*

While these are large headphones, they are not too heavy. With the flexible headband and super soft ComfortMax Earpads achieving a good fit is very easy. Once on there is minimal pressure around the head.

If I am REALLY nit picking, I could say that the earpads can get a tad warm over extended use and that I wish there was just a little more padding on the underside of the headband. Though in the end, these really are trivial grievances, as the XPT100 is a very comfortable headphone to wear.
 
 
 


*Sound*

Lows - Clarity starts in down low and works it way up to highs. There is a clean, controlled approach to the bass that gives just the right amount of feedback while never becoming muddy. Sub-bass is subtle, but present. Mid-Bass kick is also accounted for without becoming tiresome.

Mids - Are very detailed and very nicely displayed. If I am going to REALLY nitpick here the middle might be the slightest bit recessed with a hint of reverberation. Vocals are clear and accurate.

Highs - The warmth shows up a little more in the upper range, but never interfering with the detail and clarity. The highs are well cared for and represent the music well. While they do extend well up in the range, there is a quick rolloff before things become sharp. The tuning here allows for easy listening for extended periods.

Isolation - Fantastic, plain and simple. As mentioned before, the pads are soft and create a wonderful seal, thus allowing the XPT100 to easily block outside noise.

Soundstage - Is extremely wide for a closed headphone. I did note that there is just a hint a reverberation and I feel this is what does help give the soundstage such a perceived distance.

Like the title says: "The Warm Edge of Neutral", the XPT100 can be described as such. It feels as though someone took a completely neutral headphone and gave it a bit of warmth throughout the whole frequency band. The end result works amazingly well.
 

 


*Overall Thoughts*

There is a lot of value with the NVX XPT100, you get so much for so little. A wonderfully comfortable fit, multiple detachable cables, multiple earpads, great isolation, wide soundstage and a nice warm/neutral sound signature. Boom, look at all those check marks! A highly recommended headphone.
 

 
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