Everyone seems to love the combo. Might try to get it for my birthday in a few months, who knows!
I'm really bummed out about it. I have no idea why. I'm assuming it's my fault, and I didn't do my research enough on these before buying. Unfortunately I don't have any place to try out headphones in person. But for the most part, I've had luck buying stuff online, and figuring out ahead of time which cans will work for me (based on impressions and sound sigs).I guess I jumped the gun on this one, as I was really excited to try them.Originally Posted by waifu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I got my Edition X.
Pictures do not do this thing justice. I was kind of afraid that it would look and feel cheap based on the pictures and what some have said. But in person, this IMO feels like a high quality product. I know taste is subjective, but I actually love the way it looks (the big grills on the side + the color). Those were my biggest fears, and that washed away quickly.
In terms of comfort, this is one of the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn. I still think my HD-800 and 700 slightly eek it out, but that could just be the physical shape of my head (I'm a 5 foot 4 petite woman. I'm not super tiny, but I'm also not big). So usually the weight of Planar Magnetic headphones have been a bit much for me (although to be fair I spent the most time with Audeze, and those are known to be heavy). So I really appreciate how Hifiman have made a really accessible light weight planar magnetic headphones.
Something I did not expect though, is that I'm not sure if the sound of these are right for me. Generally speaking, I've gravitated towards warmer/dark sound signatures. My ears are sensitive to treble and certain peaks/spikes. There are certain brands I just can't do (such as Grado), since it gives me ear fatigue. It sounds crazy then that I would have the HD-800. But after EQ + modding it, I've been able to get past any issues with that headphone (and have found the perfect sweetspot).
So going into this, I expected that Edition X would be just right for me. I've tried Hifiman stuff in the past, and liked it. And I actually love most Planar Magnetic sound. Big fan of warm sound sigs, that are more about musicality and not technicality. I like bass with a bottom slam (that isn't flabby or bloated). So I really thought the Edition X would be an easy fit for me, and would be a good companion headphone for to my HD-800 (something that is a bit easier to listen to, that would make bad recordings more forgivable, and would give me a little more bass slam and presence then my HD800s). Basically, I got them to have a more fun sounding headphone.
And for the most part, Edition X lived up to all of this (although maybe the sound sig difference isn't as drastic I would have hoped).
HOWEVER,
I've been getting a lot of ear fatigue with these.
I"m giving them a week, and trying to see if different EQ or other things can be done. I'm using a Chord Mojo as a source (which people actually say is a great pairing for the Edition X). But I have no idea why my ears are getting fatigue. I'm not even listening at loud levels. My ears will start to itch, and then burn. And then I get a headache. And that can even last all day if I push it too much and irritate them too much. I don't have this issue with my HD-800s or any of my other cans. I've had fatigue before with other sound sig/brands in the past, so I know this is the same thing that happened then. I'm just not sure if it's the sound signature, or maybe if it's just where the ear cups sit on my ear/jawline (and the physical weight of them. They are light headphones, but still have some weight).
So yeah. Kind of where I'm at with this. These things definitely get my endorsement in terms of everything else (the sound is great, these look way better in person, they are super comfy). But my body physically just isn't seeming to click with these. =/
I will put them away for a day, and try again. But if the fatigue stuff keeps happening, I'll have to return them. Something I hate doing. Especially in a case like this, where I actually love them a lot.
Sorry for wasting your guys time. I will try these out for a week, and mess around with EQ and see if anything changes. Even if these headphones don't end up being for me, I 100% think they are incredible (the might actually be my favorite headphones to date in terms of their sound and the way they look). But I can't control my body if it reacts badly. It really makes me sad that I'm getting ear aches when listening to these. And like I said, I'm really baffled why. I've looked around, and I haven't even seen anyone else say they've gotten fatigue on these. From everything I'm reading, these are pretty easy to listen to headphones with a very accessible sound sig. I'm really surprised that these are giving me ear aches tbh. But maybe I misunderstood what the sound sig was for these. 
I guess I should say this up front, I'm sort of a casual audiophile. What I mean is, I don't understand all the technical aspects. I just love different sound sigs, and high quality audio. But when it comes to talking about the technical aspects, I'm pretty terrible at that.
But yeah, in the 13 years I've been into this hobby, I've found that sibilance, treble, and certain frequency spikes can cause me ear fatigue. Finding out what causes me fatigue has very much so been trial and error over the years. So when I've kind of pieced together what bothers me, I just try to avoid other cans that have similar sound sigs or impressions (or I'll avoid a brand that is known to have caused me fatigue, such as Grado and their treble).
When listening to my Edition X, it sounds pleasant and smooth. I don't really hear anything harsh. So I'm kind of up in the air as to why after listening for 30-40 min, my ears start to get itchy (in the inside) and then hot. When I switch back over to my HD-800, then these issues go away, and I can listen for hours. It's definitely not a volume thing (when I listen to the Edition X I lower the volume down since it's easier to Drive). So yeah, I dunno.
I think this is just an example of my own ignorance. I should have done a better job looking into this headphone. And also understanding a bit better the technical side of things, so that I can do a better job figuring out what exactly causes me ear fatigue.
Best way to explain it is, I'll be listening with them. After 30-40 min, I'll start to get an itching sensation inside my ear drums. Then I'll start to feel both ears get hot. If I don't stop listening to them, then it can grow into an ear/ache headache of sorts (where both the ears feel like they are throbbing all day long). When I'm actually listening to the cans, it feels like a normal listening experience. Its just the burning and irritation creeps up on me. And I've even tried listening at low levels (and it still causes it).
I hate saying this, because I'll come off as ignorant and stupid. But I wonder if it's the imaging? Sometimes when I hear the guitars crunch really fast (the speed of the sound), I feel like maybe that's when my ears might be getting irritated? Although that could just be coincidence (as the irritation usually starts to happen after 20-30 min of listening).
I feel kind of embarrassed even making this reply. I probably have no business buying headphones this expensive, if I'm this stupid.
