[MacedonianHero]

My post above sounded good enough I decided to incorporate it into my review. For those interested here you go.

 
Great write up! Thanks...I'm a big fan of the Edition X!

 

[Audiowood]

Anyone know where I can get a headphone case that fits the HEX?

 

[tuna47]

No I just tried my largest case and it fit but would not close
If you find one let me know

 

[jlbrach]

ok,so i have been listening to my Edition -X after burning them in and i have to say they are addictive...I have the HEK as well and absolutely love them...the X's are not quite as refined or detailed but they are more alive due to the increased efficiency so with my Hugo they really hit hard and are very energetic while keeping that incredible sense of space and a large soundstage.....the best way to describe them is a more fun and involving HD800 .....I use my HEK with my Yiggy/Rag combo and will use my X with my Hugo when I am on the road.....it really is incredible to be able to take this level of sound along with you on the go.......set it up in a hotel room or family house etc on a getaway....i am not going to try to describe minute differences between the HEK and the X...they are both great but very different...as described the X is more fun and energetic while keeping the same basic outlines of the HEK which is refined and beautiful.....2 wonderful products

 

[bimmer100]

I just got my EditionX's in today and am listening tonight to them on my Audio-GD Master 11 with a XLR 4pin balanced cable from a pair of HE1000's. Well well well i've got an ear to ear grin and they do sound more impressive than I so imagined. Comparing to HE1000's, HD800's, LCD2F, PM3's, HE560's, I would say they deserve to be up at the top with the big boys. I have NOT tested them with an Iphone. I didn't buy these "huge" headphones to be used with portable gear or used as a portable headphone. I don't care about that feature so much, but after a week I will write a review based on both scenarios. But paired with a Master11, these headphones are excellent. Lets see if this excitement wears off after a week or so. 
 
I'm using a heavily modded Gustard U12 on linear power, Crystek 957's, Panasonic low esr 3300uF caps, IC swap for i2s HDMi compatibility for audio-gd, gutted the crappy ac transformer and powered it with a Teradak DC-30W r-core linear power supply dialed in at 7v. All my gear is powered by an A/C regenerator - PSaudio P300. 
Side note: every headphone has sounded it's best on my Master-11, so i'm not too surprised how well these headphones sound.
 
Another note: I have a big head, and these Headphones are kinda silly as they clearly won't fit people with small heads. Thats a bummer since my wife found them to be uncomfortable and slightly too big at setting of being fully retracted. She could actually listen to the HE1000's at fully retracted setting. These HEX are less ideal for the small headed... Take note to those who are looking to purchase these. My wife loves her PM3's since they fit her perfectly and few headphones do. I'm happy I have a big head and can enjoy these HEX.
 
I also got an Audio-GD DIU8 DDC tonight and will test with that as well, kinda a neat DDC with 5 separate PSU's! 
 
I'm all about high end gear, and wouldn't think twice about buying the HE1000, yet the EditionX sparked my interest. I can't really say anything bad about either headphone. They are similar in my opinion. But.... price is not similar at all. For those who complain about the price of the HEX, well.... I'm sorry, just buy something else. It's a free market. They are quite expensive, I totally agree on that part. But the performance does not lack imho. Thus far, my opinion may change once I start pairing it with various portable devices and other amps/dacs. I will put this headphone through various tests with all the gear I'll have access to. 
 
Some people said the HEX has loose bass... hmmm. what amp were you using? That's definitely not the case with my M11. Bass is incredibly tight and controlled. Sub bass is just impressive to me. The ONLY other headphone that has bass controlled like this and albeit slightly better is the HE1000. I just sold my pair of THX00's as they had bass, and tons of it! but the overall headphone was just not to my preference. Semi-Closed does not have the open air sound of open back headphones such as the HEX and HEK. HD800's have a great sound stage, yet so many other little things I don't like about those...which I'll get into later. HD800 is still a very darn good deal for the money, so that's a good option for some people. 
 
 
This is my short 5-min review for tonight. I will post something later on with more details. I am pretty sure these headphones will stay in my collection and likely be a favorite.
 
-Tim

 

[dweaver]

Thanks MH, I really like the Edition X as well. My challenge is the cost and that's not a knock on HiFiMan and more a reflection on my financial situation and family values based on what I earn. Having said that I am very seriously thinking of buying them anyway when I have saved the funds and sacrificed things I can live without to help afford them as well as make myself feel better about the purchase. In some ways I know I would enjoy them more then too as I would feel like I earned them more.

 

[humblebeing]

 
Some people said the HEX has loose bass... hmmm. what amp were you using? That's definitely not the case with my M11. Bass is incredibly tight and controlled. Sub bass is just impressive to me. The ONLY other headphone that has bass controlled like this and albeit slightly better is the HE1000. I just sold my pair of THX00's as they had bass, and tons of it! but the overall headphone was just not to my preference. Semi-Closed does not have the open air sound of open back headphones such as the HEX and HEK. HD800's have a great sound stage, yet so many other little things I don't like about those...which I'll get into later. HD800 is still a very darn good deal for the money, so that's a good option for some people. 
 
 
This is my short 5-min review for tonight. I will post something later on with more details. I am pretty sure these headphones will stay in my collection and likely be a favorite.
 
-Tim

 
How would you compare the HE-560 bass to the HEX bass on the M-11?
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[AudioBear]

   
I'm all about high end gear, and wouldn't think twice about buying the HE1000, yet the EditionX sparked my interest. I can't really say anything bad about either headphone. They are similar in my opinion. But.... price is not similar at all. For those who complain about the price of the HEX, well.... I'm sorry, just buy something else. It's a free market. They are quite expensive, I totally agree on that part. But the performance does not lack imho. Thus far, my opinion may change once I start pairing it with various portable devices and other amps/dacs. I will put this headphone through various tests with all the gear I'll have access to. 
 
 

@bimmer100
 
I appreciate your insightful comments since I am thinking about which to buy: HD800s, HEX, or HE1000 and can only buy one.  I have just spent a week with HEX and loved it.  Maybe I should stop there.  I think what I and many others want to know is how are HEX and He1000 different and is the difference worth $1200? Put another way, how similar are they?  

 

[TMRaven]

HD800 had some technicalities that HEX didn't have that made them win in my book.  HEX has a nicely balanced sound signature, but one can EQ the HD800 to have just as balanced or an even balanced sound signature to one's liking.  What can't be EQ'd on the HEX is lower distortion, better transient response and sense of attack, larger soundstage, or deeper ear openings.  HD800 doesn't have that suspension strap though.  

 
I sent my particular loaner pair off to the next recipient today, and will try to write a review on them tomorrow.

 

[Audiowood]

OK I have been listening to the HEX a few days and I ended up the same fate as some of you. I like it very much. I am going straight and describe the sound… where it really matters

​.
 
The Bass.
 
My goodness, my jaw dropped 10" lower by its awesome deep bass. This kind of bass, I think can only be achieved by some high end sub-woofer, in fact one will need 2 of those sub-woofer to produce this kind of super deep control bass. The LCD X is no where as deep as the HEX - not even close. what the LCD X did better was its mid bass level.. the LCD -X has more slam but after A/bing both, I suddenly feel LCD-X bass is rolled off deep down. I would say the TH900 bass is more closer to HEX than Audeze phone including the LCD3. It's very addictive, I found myself waiting for the sub bass moment in each track. Do note the mid bass is not nearly as powerful as the sub... I find it lacks a little which means it won't slam hard like some headphones out there.. This is an easy going bass like the TH900 and the old denon line D7000 etc..
 
 
Treble
 
I find the treble very relax, smooth yet full of clarity and detail and the extension is marvelous, its extend really up there and higher than LCD-X... again, I feel its up there with TH900 treble level. The lower treble is a little more reserved while the LCD -X is more forward.. Its not as sharp as HD800. The cymbal crash gently while LCD-X more pronounce but fail to extend as high as HEX. Well it’s not as recessed as HD650 either.. Its not veil in anyway, it just lacked some lower treble (which is good) but extend way up there. With this kind of treble, I can listen to HEX really loud and not missing anything up there. I can listen for hours without fatigue or feel I have too much music for the day.. A very clever trick by Fang.
 
Sound Stage
 
Ok now my jaw drops to the floor, I never thought that Planar headphones would have this awesome soundstage like the HD800. I first heard the HE400i for fun and although I return it in the end, what amazes me was its sound-stage. I truly suspect this kind of soundstage would be found in higher end models and when it released the HE1K, I was blown away by its soundstage at the show.. and now I am truly glad that Fang incorporate this awesome sound stage in the HEX. I am a big fan of new age music and speaker like soundstage like the HD800 is what I really want in a headphone.. and I have it now together with the awesome sub -bass. As far as I know, this is about the best sound stage I have ever heard in any headphone except the HD800, it is directly in the HD800 league.. well done Fang!
 
Vocal
 
Well, I would describe the vocal as refine and take it easy kind of approach. It’s very similar to HD650 type of tonality here. No one is shouting, everybody voice is very refine and relax including Bryan Adams. Everyone learns how to curtsey at the end of the show with a gentle thank you. Works really well with Sarah Brightman kind of deal here. As oppose the LCD X and HD800 where the vocal more forward and aggressive. I find the HEX’s vocal in between the super duper romantic Audio Technica and LCD-X. Its just the right amount.. slightly creamy, slightly detail, and nasal congestion free.. in fact it’s so right, I feel it's very life like.
 
Sensitivity
The HEX is designed to pair with a DAP without the desktop amps (which is why I bought it – for traveling in between hotels with a DAP). My test concludes that the LCD X is way louder at similar volume with Ak240.. than HEX… Its like vol 80 on LCD X = vol 87-90 on the HEX. Overall, there are still plenty of volume play left on the AK240 and it can power the HEX to really loud levels. I tested it with a traditional Ipod (160Gb) and although the sound sucks big time (being critical here) it has enough power for the HEX.. same for iphone 6 plus.
 
Conclusion
 
It’s kinda of funny as I find the HEX inherited some of the best DNA among the timeless TOTL headphones. The sub-bass feels like TH900 super awesome deep, clean and tight.. very well control (I suspect its even deeper than TH900).. The sound-stage is in the HD800 league for sure. The treble, smooth, relax, warmer than LCD X but with better extension and lesser lower treble.. which means non-fatigue at all. The tonality is similar to HD650 and if one is a fan of HD650 (I am), then this is the ultimate end game towards the HD650 legendary non-fatigue headphone. For some, HD650 paired with Zana Duex is the end of the game. Now with HEX, HD650 fans can end its game while on the road with an Ak120/240. I did an A/B between Zana Duex SE/ HD650 vs Hex with AK240. The Hex came out the winner. More treble extension, way more powerful bass, wider soundstage and better PRAT.
 
I will conclude that HEX’s tonality is extremely addictive even though it lacks the technical ability of HD800 or LCD -X or TH900, it does something better than all of these headphones, it is much more enjoyable to listen and one can listen to louder volume without an ear meltdown. At the end of the day, I stop analyzing the music and start enjoying every songs.

 

[bimmer100]

How would you compare the HE-560 bass to the HEX bass on the M-11?

Thanks in advance.

So my he560's are loaned out to a good local friend right now, but will have them back in a day or so to do a direct comparison to be thorough of course. But my he560's are going up for sale and actually already are for sale on headfi. The sound signature of the he560 rolls off on sub bass and bass in general in comparison to the hex. Particularly if you are just using the stock crystalline cable with them. I upgraded my cable to a norne Zoetic and further improved the he560's yet in the end went with a norne audio draug2 which truly made a dramatic difference for the he560... especially in two important areas... Which I see the he560 has a weakness. Tames the shrill highs of the he560 and deepens/extends/tightens the low end with a significant improvement that is more than subtle. Believe what you will about cables, but if you try a draug2 cable with the he560 or even with an hd800, you'll be a believer. I'm going to order a draug2 for my HEX in grey/black and 4pin tecu eidolic XLR. I'm betting this cable will further improve the sound as it has with most headphones.
But to directly compare the he560 and hex, immediately you will notice soundstage is dramatically better on the hex. The he560 is good, but not excellent. Especially the stock he560 grilles tend to have a lot of reflection and makes for poor imaging imho, hence why I modded mine with more open grille that appears like the ether's. In fact everyone who has hear my he560's really like them since they don't sound like stock he560's! I almost returned my he560's when I first got them. They were not what I was looking for, and had a few flaws that annoyed me. But since a cable swap and grille mod, they really sound great. They are not on the level of the HEX. I will get all those big boy toy headphones and do some comparing again to solidify my opinion on them. But even though I don't have my he560's with me right now, I'm so familiar with their sound that I can confidently say they are not as impressive with bass as the HEX.

As a side note, I listened to the HEX briefly on my iphone6 with jriver player. It sounds "good" but seems to lack bass control and soundstage that the m11 delivers. And with natural instruments it doesn't sound and realistic as the m11's sweet r2r goodness but that's my initial listen to my playlist of music I test with and am most familiar with. I truly need a good week of listening to fully get a good feeling for these great cans.

 

[punit]

   The tonality is similar to HD650 and if one is a fan of HD650 (I am), then this is the ultimate end game towards the HD650 legendary non-fatigue headphone. For some, HD650 paired with Zana Duex is the end of the game. Now with HEX, HD650 fans can end its game while on the road with an Ak120/240. I did an A/B between Zana Duex SE/ HD650 vs Hex with AK240. The Hex came out the winner. More treble extension, way more powerful bass, wider soundstage and better PRAT.

+1. IMO this is HD 650 on steroids (in a good way)

 

[grizzlybeast]

+1. IMO this is HD 650 on steroids (in a good way)

They said that about the LCD2 as well. However this is more open. That means its ideal for me. I will get to hear these tomorrow.

 

[marhol]

   What can't be EQ'd on the HEX is lower distortion, better transient response and sense of attack, larger soundstage, or deeper ear openings.  
 

Have you done some specific measurements regarding THD of HEX ? In which part of frequency range is HE-X lacking ?  Could you write few words about it in your review ? Thx

 

[tuna47]

I also am selling my he560 on forum now because the hex just blew me away it's such an enjoyable listen