[OkPsychology]

One of the issues with Head-Fi ever evolving gear, is that...... it has reached a zeneth where upper tier headphones and nearly all Tot'l headphones are creating more resolution and details then the music...... as recorded,....... actually provides.

The problem with the Headphone Tech industry, is that each year, for the business to survive, they have to come up with the next new thing......and once they have dialed in the comfort and the perfect weight and the perfect ear pads, they then have to keep etching the detail retrieval and the micro dynamics, so that....they can market that next product to sell you so that they can keep the lights on and the family fed and the employees paid.
Expensive headphones, these days, are like detail seeking missiles that just keep firing more and more resolution that isn't naturally in the music.
Which leads me to point out one of the great features of the Hifiman Edition XS.
It does not create what isn't there......it only reveals what is available.
Its really a very fine listening apparatus.

If the details aren’t in the original source recording… where do they come from?

 

[pokrog]

If the details aren’t in the original source recording… where do they come from?

there are definitely headphones that i swear abuse accidental harmonics in their driver and shell design to fake a soundstage that isn't there.

 

[Reputator]

If the details aren’t in the original source recording… where do they come from?

Modern headphones like LCD-5 use HPC-grade AI accelerator chips to simulate new details using sophisticated deep learning algorithms.

 

[disastermouse]

Modern headphones like LCD-5 use HPC-grade AI accelerator chips to simulate new details using sophisticated deep learning algorithms.

Please tell me you didn’t type that with a straight face. Haha!

Soundstage can be artificially created or expanded using phase shifting and other software tricks, so recreating that with Cho reflections is likely possible.

 

[FullBright1]

The biggest change I hear is directionality and layering. Positioning, etc., are simply sublime.

The Edition XS, ... is...... much like the HE1000, but with less veil in the mids- upper treble.
The HE1000 is the warmest of the HE - Series, and the XS is much like the original He1000s sound, yet, with the Stealth magnet option that codifies the treble response regarding the micro detail layering.

Ive been listening to $4000 Stealth's for a few days, just relentlessly, and i took a break, came back to the music with the Edition XS just to evaluate the headphones vs the Stealth.
Well. right away the XS sound good. They are not thunderstruck by the Mighty Stealth's. In fact they only sounded different, but never did they sound anything but good.
The Stealth's really have a monopoly on crystal clarity and instrument separation, but that is compared to any set of headphones.

 

[jasswolf]

The Edition XS, ... is...... much like the HE1000, but with less veil in the mids- upper treble.
The HE1000 is the warmest of the HE - Series, and the XS is much like the original He1000s sound, yet, with the Stealth magnet option that codifies the treble response regarding the micro detail layering.

Ive been listening to $4000 Stealth's for a few days, just relentlessly, and i took a break, came back to the music with the Edition XS just to evaluate the headphones vs the Stealth.
Well. right away the XS sound good. They are not thunderstruck by the Mighty Stealth's. In fact they only sounded different, but never did they sound anything but good.
The Stealth's really have a monopoly on crystal clarity and instrument separation, but that is compared to any set of headphones.

You're now saying the Edition XS is better than the HE1000? v1 or v2?

Any resonance issues in the 500-4000 Hz range, as can happen with cheaper HIFIMAN gear? I see this as a QA/manufacturing issue that can crop up, but it's typically there enough that bright or intermodulation distortion from the rest of the chain can genuinely mess with the headphone.

 

[pokrog]

The Edition XS, ... is...... much like the HE1000, but with less veil in the mids- upper treble.
The HE1000 is the warmest of the HE - Series, and the XS is much like the original He1000s sound, yet, with the Stealth magnet option that codifies the treble response regarding the micro detail layering.

Ive been listening to $4000 Stealth's for a few days, just relentlessly, and i took a break, came back to the music with the Edition XS just to evaluate the headphones vs the Stealth.
Well. right away the XS sound good. They are not thunderstruck by the Mighty Stealth's. In fact they only sounded different, but never did they sound anything but good.
The Stealth's really have a monopoly on crystal clarity and instrument separation, but that is compared to any set of headphones.

you gotta admit that soundstage depth and separation goes to the XS though. there's no way i believe a closed back can do what the XS does with soundstage accuracy.

 

[Joong]

Can we buy XS somewhere?
There is no listing in the official site of Hifiman.
These pair might disturbe the policy of sales?

 

[bagwell359]

The Edition XS, ... is...... much like the HE1000, but with less veil in the mids- upper treble.
The HE1000 is the warmest of the HE - Series, and the XS is much like the original He1000s sound, yet, with the Stealth magnet option that codifies the treble response regarding the micro detail layering.

Ive been listening to $4000 Stealth's for a few days, just relentlessly, and i took a break, came back to the music with the Edition XS just to evaluate the headphones vs the Stealth.
Well. right away the XS sound good. They are not thunderstruck by the Mighty Stealth's. In fact they only sounded different, but never did they sound anything but good.
The Stealth's really have a monopoly on crystal clarity and instrument separation, but that is compared to any set of headphones.

Susvara is warmish married to serious accuracy.

The HEK se and HEK 1 don't strike me as warm. The HE-500 is warmish, not those. The HEK 2 is accurate/dry but not warm. There is some sweetness in HEK series. HEX v2 is warmish.

I noticed the HFM headphone map has the XS born from the XX. Based on what is written here, the XS is a lot better, and better than the pre stealh Arya, HE-6se v1, 560, Sundara, etc.

So unless the HE-6se v2 holds the fort then the Susvara among current HFM cans is the only one better in the currently offered stable.

 

[MaiLam]

Can we buy XS somewhere?
There is no listing in the official site of Hifiman.
These pair might disturbe the policy of sales?

It’s a China only release. If you go on the Chinese version of their site (main, unsure about store) then it’s featured. Purchasing options are Aliexpress, HiFiGo, Linsoul and maybe one or two other places.

 

[SirIppo]

Any reason to get the ananda over the XS? The XS is a bit cheaper.

 

[pokrog]

Any reason to get the ananda over the XS? The XS is a bit cheaper.

Not really IMO. The XS is just all around better in every way. I expect the Ananda to completely die if the XS comes to the US market.

 

[bagwell359]

Not really IMO. The XS is just all around better in every way. I expect the Ananda to completely die if the XS comes to the US market.

I think the HE-6sev2 crushes the Ananda, and it's near the same price.

Ananda is a hot property - maybe not with the very high end folks but in market that looks at the $500-800 as the SoTA level it's very big. I f fully expect a v2 or a stealth to re-awaken interest when it wanes. HFM leadership is not stupid.

 

[bagwell359]

If the details aren’t in the original source recording… where do they come from?

High buck moving coils have a way of creating exotic and rarefied effects (phase changes, ringing like planars to extend notes) especially in the treble. No plain Jane MM cartridge can play at that level. I know first hand. I was an addict for about 25 years.

Haven't hears the XS yet, but what is described is possible.

 

[Atgm1]

guys, has anyone listened to nirvana in xs? I wonder how well they handle this stuff?