HiFiman Edition X V2 thoughts and V1 comparisons
Build Quality
Immediately handling the new V2's that HiFiman provided me with I notice they feel like headphones at this price point should be: solid. The much maligned plastic yokes are gone, replaced by solid metal ones. From day one this was personally my biggest complaint about the V1's, so I'm very glad to see it's been corrected. The headband assembly has also been slightly altered, allowing more adjustment for a larger range of head sizes. My head is on the smaller size, so for example on the original V1's I had the slider at the base position. On the new V2's I have them set at the second notch. Also gone from the V2's is the purple/blue chrome finish that adorned the V1 cups. I was initially disappointed with the change, but I now prefer the black w/metal flake cups on the V2. To me they look a little more respectable and fit with the overall tone of the headphone. I also noticed the cup size is larger in thickness, albeit only by a very small amount.
Also new on the V2 are angled pads, which provide slight more room for bigger ears and increased comfort. That being said, I personally didn't have many issues with the V1 pads, although they could get a little warm. The V2 pads now use Polyester on the inside of the pads, which are far more breathable than the previous Velour. I've always found the V1's to be one of the most comfortable headphones I've worn, but the new pads improve on that even further.
Lastly HiFiman has changed the two stock cables (1/8th and 1/4th terminated) most noticeably to a clear silicon casing. Unfortunately the new cables are very springy and energetic compared to the previous paracord covered cables. Not a huge deal, but I mostly use the HEX for semi-portable use and it can be annoying having the cable bounce around. The terminated end of the 1/8th cable has also been upgraded to a quality metal housings as opposed the plastic one from the V1 cable. The 1/8th V2 cable has also been terminated with the same sturdy Neutrik connector that the V1 used.
Packaging is the exact same as the V1 with the exception of an updated V2 Owners Guide.
Sound Quality
The original V1's were always a very good sounding headphone to me. Great soundstage/imaging, excellent detail retrieval, solid bass response, fantastic mids and an extended but relaxed treble profile. That along with being very comfortable to wear, I could listen to the V1's for multiple-hour long sessions. The V2's use the same drivers as the V1's and sound ever bit as good as the originals, but better. Most notable the angled pads seem to help with the overall clarity and help slightly increase the soundstage. The bass also seems slightly more controlled, which is probably a byproduct of the increased spacing of the angled pads. Also improving the sound is the new stock cables, although not as significant as the new pads. I'm not sure internally what's changed in the new cables (perhaps more silver used?), but they seem to yield a slightly more detailed and refined sound. Upon doing some A/B testing with the previous V1 cables, I found the V1's to be warmer and bassier than the V2 cables, but not as resolving.
Final Thoughts
The V2's are a very well thought out and implemented improvement by the team at HiFiman. It's good to know that there are companies out there who listen to the end consumers complaints and make adjustments to improve their products. Along with the V2 changes and the new $1299 price point, that puts the Edition X V2 as a very competitive entry into it's price bracket. Their ability to be easily driven out of most any device continues to be one of the HEX's biggest strengths. Couple that with the new build quality and already fantastic sound signature and you've got a very impressive pair of headphones.