[mikehlim]

My first impressions....soundwise...better than K872 and Denon AH-D7200

Buildquality and Comfort on Top....i think for this Money a real bargin





NOMAX

Detachable cable?

 

[Nomax]

Of course

NOMAX

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Can anyone compare the Focal Elegia to the HI-X55? I used to own the Elegia and had the Dekoni Elite Sheepskin earpads and a Cardas parsec balanced cable. Eventually I ended up selling them as I used iems mostly when I was out. I do miss the Elegia but they are still to expensive for what they are and find them overpriced after owning the Avantone Planar. I am just wondering if the Austrian Audio HI-X55 might be of better value and in some ways maybe better than the Elegia? If they have more clarity and detail with better instrument separation and soundstage I'll get the HI-X55. I think @Nomax said on an earlier post that the Elegia is a step higher with Brainwavs earpads when compared to the HI-X55. But what is a step better? I found with the Dekoni earpads on the Elegia, it improved the low end but did take away the air while taming treble slightly.... I usually use EQ and am able to fix the slight bass roll off on the HI-X55.

 

[mikehlim]

I just got mine. 3m cable was not really mobile friendly. So looked up and found there was an official 1.2m cable, (HXC1M2), it's14 EURO but it becomes 45 USD include shipping. Not sure, why they didn't just throw it in the box
So I just did mod on aftermarket Audio Technica M50x cable (NewFantasia). Locking insert part was a bit deeper than Audio Technica cable. Attached the DIY modification pics. I was not able to make the twist locking, but it was fairly secure without twist lock.

 

[murraycherry]

I just got mine. 3m cable was not really mobile friendly. So looked up and found there was an official 1.2m cable, (HXC1M2), it's14 EURO but it becomes 45 USD include shipping. Not sure, why they didn't just throw it in the box
So I just did mod on aftermarket Audio Technica M50x cable (NewFantasia). Locking insert part was a bit deeper than Audio Technica cable. Attached the DIY modification pics. I was not able to make the twist locking, but it was fairly secure without twist lock.

Hi

I am a new headphone player. The 3m cable is really too long for me. What cable should I buy if I want to hv ashore cable?
I am using ibasso dx220, it has balanced out, should I buy balanced cable for x55?

Thx

 

[mikehlim]

Hi

I am a new headphone player. The 3m cable is really too long for me. What cable should I buy if I want to hv ashore cable?
I am using ibasso dx220, it has balanced out, should I buy balanced cable for x55?

Thx

I think 2.5mm locking jack is not made for balanced cable.

 

[Nomax]

Hi

I am a new headphone player. The 3m cable is really too long for me. What cable should I buy if I want to hv ashore cable?
I am using ibasso dx220, it has balanced out, should I buy balanced cable for x55?

Thx

Sorry....come on...i think you should save your money...a balanced for x55 is a bad investment

NOMAX

PS.Austrian Audio offers also a shorter version of the cable for 14 Euros

https://kopfhoererboutique.com/prod...bel-fur-hi-x55-50?_pos=2&_sid=d533ba4ae&_ss=r

 

[Mark Up]

Can anyone compare the Focal Elegia to the HI-X55?

I like neither. The Elegia lacks just a little in the sub bass, and the headband doesn't extend the earcups down far enough for my longish head. The HI-X55 is a bit better in the subs and both cans have great high end definition without harshness. The Elegia has balanced mids. The HI-X55 has shouty, resonant, ringing, painful midrange that makes it not only uncomfortable to hear for audiophiles, it is nowhere near something I would trust mixing with professionally. If you want Focal Elegia detail, with extended sub bass, though maybe less than the boost that would make it fun, with the same great midrange and high end and soundstage, for less, then I suggest this. The Samson Z55 (can be found at around $100 new) with the NVX ComfortMax Standard pads (better made, more roomy HM5 pad clones). The PU leather feels like real leather, no funky smells, and these have the widest openings of that growing family of HM5 Pad clones. The Samson do have the same clamp of the HI-X55, but you can mitigate it stretching them wider over a basketball or something for a few days. You cannot stretch the painful clamp out of the HI-X55 as its headband is all plastic and would crack. The Samson has a metal band under the headband padding. Only bend that part of course. Don't bend the arms, which have plastic and could crack. Link to pads - https://nvx.com/nvx-xre100s.html

 

[plakat]

You cannot stretch the painful clamp out of the HI-X55 as its headband is all plastic and would crack.

I don't think this is correct. Did you catch the video @Nomax posted earlier in this thread? That headband looks like it can take a *lot* of bending...

 

[YuzuSorbe7]

I just picked up a pair of these on sale for $379AUD. At the store I auditioned them against the Yamaha MT8, Shure 840 and AKG 371.

I recently owned the Shure SRH 1540, Sony Z7m2 and Sony M1ST. I currently still own the DT 770 80 and Audeze Sine.

So far I'm really enjoying the sound as well as the build quality. Yes the yoke and headband are metal, the cups are plastic.

Without judging from frequency graphs, to my ears these sound very nice and balanced.

Bass is really pleasant and deep, I don't feel any harshness in the lower mids, they just feel very nice and present giving male vocals some nice power and texture.

I think maybe they dip a bit in the upper mid range which makes vocals sound not quiet as natural as the shure 840 and 1540, but vocals still sound no worse than any of the other headphones mentioned above, the shures just excel at natural vocal reproduction.

Treble sounds extremely revealing without any of the edginess found on the Beyer DT series. Maybe snares and high hats are a little more pronounced than I am use to on these though.

These headphones are very fast with nice separation between elements, the imaging sounds very precise, sound stage is fairly deep and wide but not on the level of the dt770.

These are just my initial impressions, and I know it's possible what I feel I'm hearing is partially imaginary and does not match with measurement graphs.

The pads are super comfortable, large and deep.

 

[LoyK]

I also found them to sound balanced and to be one of the most comfortable headphones I have tried.
Clamp was no issue for me while for example the Focal Elegia really gave me headaches with its clamp.

 

[Mark Up]

I don't think this is correct. Did you catch the video @Nomax posted earlier in this thread? That headband looks like it can take a *lot* of bending...

I actually tried to bend mine outwards to reduce the clamp. I heard a 'crack" and it looks like the plastic (sorry, it looks like plastic, not metal) glued to the plastic on the sides of the headband pulled apart. It was minor and I pushed it back together okay. We all hear differently, but my God these things are horribly boosted and resonant in the midrange.

 

[plakat]

I actually tried to bend mine outwards to reduce the clamp. I heard a 'crack" and it looks like the plastic (sorry, it looks like plastic, not metal) glued to the plastic on the sides of the headband pulled apart. It was minor and I pushed it back together okay. We all hear differently, but my God these things are horribly boosted and resonant in the midrange.

I see. I received a pair today (giving them a second chance) but did not try bending them. Comfort is quite good for my head, but of courts a problem of they won’t fit.

I guess you’re talking about the black piece at the center of the photo? That does feel like plastic, right. Bending there might be problematic.

I actually tried to bend mine outwards to reduce the clamp. I heard a 'crack" and it looks like the plastic (sorry, it looks like plastic, not metal) glued to the plastic on the sides of the headband pulled apart. It was minor and I pushed it back together okay. We all hear differently, but my God these things are horribly boosted and resonant in the midrange.

First impression is still that they could live with a bit more bass, though the midrange sounds better to me now than how I remembered them. Sonic memory is of course unreliable, so I can’t name details, but now my overall impress quite good. I do hear some ringing in the midrange though, and might try applying some felt to the inner walls of the pads — might just be bouncing around I that rather large space.

What irritates me more is that suction feeling putting them on and taking them off. That’s a bit... strange. Reminds me of the K872.

 

[RyanM]

I should probably comment on this thread, since I've been using these phones daily for the last couple of months. I could not be happier with them, but I think I can add some insight into the issue with the varying opinions.
Some truths:
- they are extremely revealing. The level of resolution in a closed-back can at this price point should be unmatched. Stage, imaging, they have it all in spades
- they are very source sensitive. From the K5 Pro by Fiio, they sound good, not great and they can be picky with certain genres. From the Xuelin IHIFI100, which has a higher impedence output, they sound not so good. A bit harsh and shouty. Presumably they do not play well with higher impedance sources. From the iFi Hipdac, they sound remarkable - the synergy is amazing. So it seems like they prefer a slightly warmer source. The modest bass boost works incredibly. If you have a pair of these and have not tried them with a Zen Dac, or Hipdac, you are probably doing a disservice to yourself.
- they are incredibly comfortable. More comfortable (to my head) than some of the most comfortable cans - Meze 99, Phillips SHP9500 for example.
- they are excellent at passive isolation

When I read varying reviews on the sound of them, I am typically thinking that the source is failing the X55 in those cases. This can happen with extremely source sensitive cans, and is certainly the case here.

 

[plakat]

I should probably comment on this thread, since I've been using these phones daily for the last couple of months. I could not be happier with them, but I think I can add some insight into the issue with the varying opinions.
Some truths:
- they are extremely revealing. The level of resolution in a closed-back can at this price point should be unmatched. Stage, imaging, they have it all in spades
- they are very source sensitive. From the K5 Pro by Fiio, they sound good, not great and they can be picky with certain genres. From the Xuelin IHIFI100, which has a higher impedence output, they sound not so good. A bit harsh and shouty. Presumably they do not play well with higher impedance sources. From the iFi Hipdac, they sound remarkable - the synergy is amazing. So it seems like they prefer a slightly warmer source. The modest bass boost works incredibly. If you have a pair of these and have not tried them with a Zen Dac, or Hipdac, you are probably doing a disservice to yourself.
- they are incredibly comfortable. More comfortable (to my head) than some of the most comfortable cans - Meze 99, Phillips SHP9500 for example.
- they are excellent at passive isolation

When I read varying reviews on the sound of them, I am typically thinking that the source is failing the X55 in those cases. This can happen with extremely source sensitive cans, and is certainly the case here.

That made me dig out my Hugo... and I have to say the Hi-X55 sounds much more lively when fed by the Hugo. Interesting. Bass is much more present, voices seem more natural... but a direct comparison is not that easy, switching takes some time (I still use the AK380SS as a source).

The AK is a bit lean by nature, and it does seem to not pair that well with this headphone indeed.