[jonno41]

Has anyone had any experience of using the HiFiman Edition X V2 with a Pass Labs HPA-1 headphone amplifier.I am looking at purchasing a set to use with my HPA-1 but remember reading in a review somewhere that Dr Fang from HiFiman stated not to use any amplifier putting out over 1 watt as it would cause distortion.The HPA-1 puts out 3,5 watts into a 20 ohm load.The Edition X V2 headphones are 25 ohms impedance and 103 db sensitivity.Would there be a problem matching these two components.Any help appreciated as I don`t understand the technicalities !!!!!!

 

[lugnut]

I guess my question would be more for Dr Fang. How does a set of headphones know what any amp can produce as far as watts and gain ? That is why there are gain settings and a volume knob. I just don't get it !

 

[Darren G]

Dr. Fang's comment is a bit odd/misleading. The X V2s can be used with a headphone amp that has > 1 watt max output at 25 ohms. I use mine with a Schiit amp capable of higher output than the Pass Labs you are considering, though it does have a gain switch, which the Pass Labs does not. The headphones know nothing about what the amp is capable of

From your point of view, the only real concerns are -

1.) You may not have as much fine level control as you'd like over volume. See #2.
2.) You'll need to be more mindful not to turn the volume control up too high (risk of damaging your hearing or the headphones).

Not said specifically by Dr. Fang, but while the X V2's are very efficient, they distort at higher volume levels that some other headphones can achieve. I feel they play loud enough, but I've read some comments from others who wished they'd play a little louder before distorting. Perhaps Dr. Fang was just trying to set reasonable expectations, and fumbled a bit in how it was said.

 

[jonno41]

Dr. Fang's comment is a bit odd/misleading. The X V2s can be used with a headphone amp that has > 1 watt max output at 25 ohms. I use mine with a Schiit amp capable of higher output than the Pass Labs you are considering, though it does have a gain switch, which the Pass Labs does not. The headphones know nothing about what the amp is capable of

From your point of view, the only real concerns are -

1.) You may not have as much fine level control as you'd like over volume. See #2.
2.) You'll need to be more mindful not to turn the volume control up too high (risk of damaging your hearing or the headphones).

Not said specifically by Dr. Fang, but while the X V2's are very efficient, they distort at higher volume levels that some other headphones can achieve. I feel they play loud enough, but I've read some comments from others who wished they'd play a little louder before distorting. Perhaps Dr. Fang was just trying to set reasonable expectations, and fumbled a bit in how it was said.

Thanks Darren G,most helpful and I will be most careful with the volume control

 

[Darren G]

You are welcome John,

Personally I'm in the habit of turning my headphone amp down to 0 before plugging any headphone in, as they vary in efficiency. Suggest doing so until you get a feel for how much range you have to play with using those headphones.

 

[jonno41]

You are welcome John,

Personally I'm in the habit of turning my headphone amp down to 0 before plugging any headphone in, as they vary in efficiency. Suggest doing so until you get a feel for how much range you have to play with using those headphones.

Hi Darren,I always turn my amps down to zero before I connect anything.Better safe than sorry.

 

[Allears79]

Hi Darren,I always turn my amps down to zero before I connect anything.Better safe than sorry.

+1

 

[bagwell359]

Has anyone had any experience of using the HiFiman Edition X V2 with a Pass Labs HPA-1 headphone amplifier.I am looking at purchasing a set to use with my HPA-1 but remember reading in a review somewhere that Dr Fang from HiFiman stated not to use any amplifier putting out over 1 watt as it would cause distortion.The HPA-1 puts out 3,5 watts into a 20 ohm load.The Edition X V2 headphones are 25 ohms impedance and 103 db sensitivity.Would there be a problem matching these two components.Any help appreciated as I don`t understand the technicalities !!!!!!

I use a Ragnarok with the HEX V2 which is more powerful. At medium gain at about 12-1:30 PM on the volume. The HEX V2's do not like being played very loud, and be careful if you just had a HE-6 on there (I did that about 3 days ago and forgot to lower the volume (5:30), thankfully the cut was all treble, but if it was a bass cut, that might have been bad.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I use a Ragnarok with the HEX V2 which is more powerful. At medium gain at about 12-1:30 PM on the volume. The HEX V2's do not like being played very loud, and be careful if you just had a HE-6 on there (I did that about 3 days ago and forgot to lower the volume (5:30), thankfully the cut was all treble, but if it was a bass cut, that might have been bad.

This concerns me, as I like playing music loud. So how bad is this distortion issue with the X v2? Thanks.

 

[bagwell359]

This concerns me, as I like playing music loud. So how bad is this distortion issue with the X v2? Thanks.

I think the imaging starts to bleed when it gets too loud. I would say that I listen at a level that's below average, and my loudest would be somebodies into 'loud' range, but not per se loudest. OTOH, it holds together 'loud' better than the MD X00 (mahogany/ebony) series of cans, and the HE5-LE.

People say it has good bass, and it is - goes under 25 Hz with no distortion easily, but, it doesn't have the primal wave on bass transients like say the HE-6.

The other drawback is that its slightly limited on the loudest and softest notes. So if in live music you could scale the the softest note to .0001 to 10.0, these are like .2 to 8.9

If you can handle those limitations (and adjusting the cup height so you get the most treble (also the best soundstage)) then you're home.

These are not state of the art - not for this price. I listen to these and my modded HE-500 most of the time. If you buy them, you should be able to resell no problem.

 

[Sonic Defender]

@bagwell359 thank you for the thoughts. I already purchased the HEX2 and it should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday if all goes well. I will have to hear for myself of course, but despite the mixed messages out there about this headphone .. it is amazing, … it is bad, etc, based on past experience with HiFiman gear (HE560/SMC version/HE400i) and from reading many impressions and reviews I am quite optimistic that the HEX2 will give me what I hope for from a planar. Frankly I find all headphones bleed a little and or produce some degree of wall of sound effect at high volumes so unless this is actually at problematic levels with the HEX2 I should be ok with it.

I am a little concerned with some of the information out there that suggests the distortion performance of the HEX2 isn't great, but again, that doesn't always play out in any meaningful audible way (though it certainly can) in my experience. Yes as you say, I can, but hopefully won't have to resell them. The real issue for me is that I certainly tend to listen loud, like 90db and dynamic peaks going higher. I guess I will know if this headphone can do that or not, if not, that is likely to be the only reason I would move past these as the ability to stay well composed while loud is a minimal requirement for me. I like everything else that I have read about this headphone and I remain mostly, but somewhat cautiously optimistic.

I'll share my impressions soon. Thanks again for your input and feel free to post more about your experience. I am surprised at how little discussion and few reviews there are here at head-fi about the HEX2.

 

[SilverEars]

I would add that I didn't like the HPA-1 in terms of pricing/performance. For the price, it didn't sound particularly special for me. I guess it is Nelson Pass amp because it was a bit warm sounding solid-state, and made Focal Stellia overly warm sounding. I guess I don't have a taste for Nelson Pass stuff. I didn't like J2 for HE-6 either. The warm-ness of his solid-state designs doesn't sound accurate to my ears. It sounds almost to point of bloominess, or I should say brings out bloominess for those headphones have that potential.

Nelson Pass is a famous name, but I'm starting to acknowledge it's not the name I'd be seeking in the future. Perhaps those that like Pass amps are looking for sound of warm tubes?

 

[bagwell359]

@bagwell359 thank you for the thoughts. I already purchased the HEX2 and it should arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday if all goes well. I will have to hear for myself of course, but despite the mixed messages out there about this headphone .. it is amazing, … it is bad, etc, based on past experience with HiFiman gear (HE560/SMC version/HE400i) and from reading many impressions and reviews I am quite optimistic that the HEX2 will give me what I hope for from a planar. Frankly I find all headphones bleed a little and or produce some degree of wall of sound effect at high volumes so unless this is actually at problematic levels with the HEX2 I should be ok with it.

I am a little concerned with some of the information out there that suggests the distortion performance of the HEX2 isn't great, but again, that doesn't always play out in any meaningful audible way (though it certainly can) in my experience. Yes as you say, I can, but hopefully won't have to resell them. The real issue for me is that I certainly tend to listen loud, like 90db and dynamic peaks going higher. I guess I will know if this headphone can do that or not, if not, that is likely to be the only reason I would move past these as the ability to stay well composed while loud is a minimal requirement for me. I like everything else that I have read about this headphone and I remain mostly, but somewhat cautiously optimistic.

I'll share my impressions soon. Thanks again for your input and feel free to post more about your experience. I am surprised at how little discussion and few reviews there are here at head-fi about the HEX2.

Hope it works. The main HEX thread here is in the summit forum.

I think the HEX v2 membrane is fairly thick - perhaps 1 or 2 mil more than the Ananda. I think that you get a bit more 2nd order harmonic with these, and there is a bit of missing detail - but they also never annoy either. The Fostex FH500RP is the only can I know that annoys less, but it's woefully short of detail and bass. The Ananda and HEK have thinner membranes I believe, and they are brighter, and almost insist on tubes, tube hybrids, EQ, or filter paper installed.

One thing you have to do before passing judgement is adjusting the height of the cans on your ears. I have a well larger than average head and even with them tucked into shipping config, they sit on my ears about 3/5" low (doubled wrist sweat band) I thought they were quite poor until that change. Easy to stick them on, and play with the height from below that can. Most treble and best soundstage seem to occur together. Good luck.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Hope it works. The main HEX thread here is in the summit forum.

I think the HEX v2 membrane is fairly thick - perhaps 1 or 2 mil more than the Ananda. I think that you get a bit more 2nd order harmonic with these, and there is a bit of missing detail - but they also never annoy either. The Fostex FH500RP is the only can I know that annoys less, but it's woefully short of detail and bass. The Ananda and HEK have thinner membranes I believe, and they are brighter, and almost insist on tubes, tube hybrids, EQ, or filter paper installed.

One thing you have to do before passing judgement is adjusting the height of the cans on your ears. I have a well larger than average head and even with them tucked into shipping config, they sit on my ears about 3/5" low (doubled wrist sweat band) I thought they were quite poor until that change. Easy to stick them on, and play with the height from below that can. Most treble and best soundstage seem to occur together. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply again. So are you saying that if somebody has a smaller head, I think I am slightly smaller than average, but perhaps average, that the HEX doesn't fit well? I will of course play around with the fit which is something I expect, but typically things fit me quite well. The HD800S and 800 fit quite well on the smallest sizing. Cheers.

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks for the reply again. So are you saying that if somebody has a smaller head, I think I am slightly smaller than average, but perhaps average, that the HEX doesn't fit well? I will of course play around with the fit which is something I expect, but typically things fit me quite well. The HD800S and 800 fit quite well on the smallest sizing. Cheers.

I'd say from my experience that the HEX's will be too low. Fashion and marketing are one thing and I really like the look, but you have to have the head of Andre the Giant for them to ever be too high on ones head. They key is to work them into the right position. All other cans for me fit well or are a bit small (ear cups dimensions) but these (and all HEX and HEK) cans are the only ones too big.

Small price to pay IMO. I think 75% of the people that don't like them didn't discover/adjust for best audio. Sort of like wearing your glasses 45 degrees off center.