Hifiman Edition X

[BobFiggins]

  BuySonic.

Know any of their last HEX prices? Just want to know if possible to get a new one under $1500.

 

[jlbrach]

i listen to my HEK with my yiggy/rag combo......my HEK with my mojo or hugo.......the HEK sounds good with hugo or mojo but it isnt optimal...HEX is

 

[SeaWo|f]

i listen to my HEK with my yiggy/rag combo......my HEK with my mojo or hugo.......the HEK sounds good with hugo or mojo but it isnt optimal...HEX is

I'm assuming you also listened to the hex on those setups too? If you did, do you feel it scaled well? Or due to the way hifiman tuned it the sound stayed very similar.

 

[Sil3nce]

  Know any of their last HEX prices? Just want to know if possible to get a new one under $1500.

 
$1379 not including tax. 
$2399 HE-1000.
 
Both excellent deals. Email them for updates on stock

 

[TokenGesture]

Hex sounds good out of mojo but to my ears certainty sounds better out of my Metrum stack. Hence why I believe it scales up.

To me hex offers a hugely spacious and involving listen, something like a HD800 but more versatile in terms of what I can listen to it with- classical, rock, indie.

It is expensive but I think the quality justifies it against the competition. If you want a TOTL all rounder phone this is it imho.

Very balanc d (though I have boosted the bass a little but this is personal taste) and detailed - comments on lack of detail really surprise me tbh.

HEK is just out of my league price wise. I'm no HiFiMan fan this is my first - I heard the HEK and knew I had to get on board with the 'value' version

 

[prot]

Thank you, sir!

I appreciate the kind words.
Though I'm sure there's a few in this thread who want to chase you away with sticks

I'll add some new input later on, and update the review.
Cheers.

Dont care about those ear-mobs and they already tried a few times so nothing new

Here's my hex ($1800) vs. He400i ($400) comparison :
same box
same headband
same plastic gymbals
same metal used for cups
same connectors & overly stiff cables (he400i only comes with the short one)
same drivers. Admitedly this one is only an assumption based on hfman's statement that (approx): "hex is not using the nano driver but a tweaked older one". Afaik the only 'older one' is the one used in the 400 & 560 models. Any clarification from hfman here would be highly welcome!

Now I'm just very curious if the hex & he400i also sound similar .. or even same. Many thx in advance if you can do a quick SQ compare. It shouldnt be very hard since you did a 560 comparison and those two sound veeery similar (imho, the 560 is largely a 400i with wood cups & box)

 

[Nitori]

based on hfman's statement that (approx): "hex is not using the nano driver but a tweaked older one". Afaik the only 'older one' is the one used in the 400 & 560 models. Any clarification from hfman here would be highly welcome!
 

 
Indeed this would be very interesting to know.....
 
 
HE400i vs HEX:
IMO, you can say that from a tonal balance point of view, the 400i might be the most similar to the HEX, however, I find the mid- and upper bass of the HEX to be more natural and less pronounced. Overall, the HE400i sounds a bit thicker and less transparent in my ears (and maaaaybe a bit punchier and more dynamic as well).
 
I have to disagree on the HE400i vs HE560 comparison though. The differences between those two were quit big when I heard them. I used to drive both of them on a Violectric V200 (and the HE560 shortly on a Schiit Mjolnir) and have to say that the HE560 has noticeably less bass (especially mid bass), more treble quantity and quality as well as a substantially larger soundstage.

 

[Sil3nce]

Dont care about those ear-mobs and they already tried a few times so nothing new

Here's my hex ($1800) vs. He400i ($400) comparison :
same box
same headband
same plastic gymbals
same metal used for cups
same connectors & overly stiff cables (he400i only comes with the short one)
same drivers. Admitedly this one is only an assumption based on hfman's statement that (approx): "hex is not using the nano driver but a tweaked older one". Afaik the only 'older one' is the one used in the 400 & 560 models. Any clarification from hfman here would be highly welcome!

Now I'm just very curious if the hex & he400i also sound similar .. or even same. Many thx in advance if you can do a quick SQ compare. It shouldnt be very hard since you did a 560 comparison and those two are veeery similar (imho, the 560 is largely a 400i with wood cups & box)

 
You can shoot me a PM regarding how I think the HE-X compares to the HE-400i or HE-500S.
I think any impressions regarding a $499 (Currently $299) vs. $1899 headphone might result in a lot of hurt feelings on this thread 

 
 

   
Indeed this would be very interesting to know.....
 
 
HE400i vs HEX:
IMO, you can say that from a tonal balance point of view, the 400i might be the most similar to the HEX, however, I find the mid- and upper bass of the HEX to be more natural and less pronounced. Overall, the HE400i sounds a bit thicker and less transparent in my ears (and maaaaybe a bit punchier and more dynamic as well).
 
I have to disagree on the HE400i vs HE560 comparison though. The differences between those two were quit big when I heard them. I used to drive both of them on a Violectric V200 (and the HE560 shortly on a Schiit Mjolnir) and have to say that the HE560 has noticeably less bass (especially mid bass), more treble quantity and quality as well as a substantially larger soundstage.

 
Uh, The HE-400i has significantly more treble than the HE-X. The original HE-400 has even more treble quantity than the HE-400i.
I don't really see how a smooth, laid-back phone is anything like the more aggressive sounding HE-400i.
 
The difference between the HE-560 vs the HE-400i is evident on a good setup. I do agree with that sentiment.
However, the HE-560 certainly does not have more treble than the HE-400i.
Nor does it have less bass quantity.. 

 

[tuna47]

I guess all hifiman headphones are versions of the 400i

 

[Nitori]

So we are agreeing that we disagree

The 400i is a thick sounding, treble lacking headphone for me. And yes the HEX is smoother sounding but I also said that so we have a common impression there.

 

[B-60]

Lets sell all of the HEX and what a heck sell the HEK and lets all buy HE400i and close this debate

lol.

 

[bfreedma]

Lets sell all of the HEX and what a heck sell the HEK and lets all buy HE400i and close this debate

lol.

I think it's a fair question to ask. The HEK clearly has some bespoke technology but I have to admit that I've also been wondering what components/tech the HEK shares with the HEX other than the form factor.

 

[Sil3nce]

I think it's a fair question to ask. The HEK clearly has some bespoke technology but I have to admit that I've also been wondering what components/tech the HEK shares with the HEX other than the form factor.

That's an excellent question.
But even the facts surrounding the "nanometer" diaphragm are veiled in secrecy.
We can safely assume that whatever technology is in the HE-X, is certainly nothing like the HE-K based on listening impressions alone.

 

[TMRaven]

So we are agreeing that we disagree

The 400i is a thick sounding, treble lacking headphone for me. And yes the HEX is smoother sounding but I also said that so we have a common impression there.

 
It probably depends on what you hear for the most part as treble.  The HE-400i has a rather large spike around 9khz.  It's not as piercing as the original 400's 12khz peak, and not quite as high in magnitude, but it is a significant spike.
 
On the other hand, it's not quite as energetic in the area around 4-5khz as the HE-560.

 

[prot]

Thx guys for the vs. 400i impressions, very helpful. Guess that would be it for me.
Congratulations hifiman for making the 2015 range of headphones better in almost every way (comfort, efficiency, looks, etc) .. but $1800 for these things is imho 100% unjustified.

Spoiler

going a bit offtopic about 560 vs 400i .. not sure if the newest 400i are any different but mine did sound very close to the 560. Yes I think I heard some diffs but the kind you only hear in a side by side setup in a perfectly quiet room and with good gear. After 5mins with any of them on my head I didnt miss the other at all.
I generally do not care much about such overly subtle diffs and the 560 wasnt necessarily better for me (e.g. the highs were a bit much on some tracks). I mostly agree with this unconventional 'review' https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0zVXePV1GyA. Btw that's one of my fabourite reviewers of late .. guy doesnt have much exp and a pretty weak sound-vocabulary but I just like how he sounds like a real person and not a so called audiophile reviewer.