[bagwell359]

Hi everyone! I would like to ask about something related.
How would you rate the Edition XS in bass quality, suitability for heavy metal music, performance among Hifiman headphones (maybe Audeze too), and value among Hifiman and maybe Audeze headphones.
If you have no idea, you can sort it like this x > Edition XS > y > z

HFM HE-6 6 screw>LCD-4 OG>LCD-3>LCD-2>X-2021>HE-6 SE>HEK Stealth>HE-500>Arya Stealth>XS>Ananda Stealth

That is for metal. For accuracy the LCD-3 and LCD-2 take a tumble due to serious dips in the upper mids/low treble and high treble.

 

[bagwell359]

Do you recommend a non-parametric graphic equalization for the xs , to make it sound great.

How many bands, and where? Great? No, Better than not, probably, but Parametric 6 band or higher would be the best way IMO.

 

[cirodts]

10 bands, i use uapp, eq graphic.

 

[Kentajalli]

10 bands, i use uapp, eq graphic.

All EQ systems used on a phone or computer are digital.
The "Graphic" bit, only means how it is presented to the user. It means, there is a graphical interface, to control the equaliser. The slides you use, up & down, that's the graphical interface.
You can control the very same equaliser , using parametric controls. That means, telling the software what frequency , how sharp the filter, and by how much. One can type these numbers (parameters ) using a keyboard into a text file, or in the correct boxes of a parametric equaliser.
At the end, it is the same equaliser in either case, what differs, is how one controls it.
For EDXS, I only used a one band equaliser!
1750 Hz , Q 3 , +3dB.
That's it.
But if you want more bass, or less treble, have fun and indulge yourself, but EDXS, doesn't need it.

 

[yeboyi]

HFM HE-6 6 screw>LCD-4 OG>LCD-3>LCD-2>X-2021>HE-6 SE>HEK Stealth>HE-500>Arya Stealth>XS>Ananda Stealth

That is for metal. For accuracy the LCD-3 and LCD-2 take a tumble due to serious dips in the upper mids/low treble and high treble.

Can HEK Stealth come close to HE6se slam ?

 

[bagwell359]

Can HEK Stealth come close to HE6se slam ?

According to my friend it's closer to the SE v1 than the Arya Stealth, though it might be 1.25 > instead of 1.0. Serious listening session coming next week to be sure.

 

[bagwell359]

10 bands, i use uapp, eq graphic.

UAPP has a plug-in parametric, which I really like.

 

[bagwell359]

All EQ systems used on a phone or computer are digital.
The "Graphic" bit, only means how it is presented to the user. It means, there is a graphical interface, to control the equaliser. The slides you use, up & down, that's the graphical interface.
You can control the very same equaliser , using parametric controls. That means, telling the software what frequency , how sharp the filter, and by how much. One can type these numbers (parameters ) using a keyboard into a text file, or in the correct boxes of a parametric equaliser.
At the end, it is the same equaliser in either case, what differs, is how one controls it.
For EDXS, I only used a one band equaliser!
1750 Hz , Q 3 , +3dB.
That's it.
But if you want more bass, or less treble, have fun and indulge yourself, but EDXS, doesn't need it.

For me. they need a bit of taming at 6.2k and 12k. Your 1.75k adjustment is for sure the most critical. I think a 2.5 db bass shelf at 20-50 hz is nice too, bass heads more of course.

 

[Graham55]

I would like to ask, how was the original Edition X (launched in maybe 2014) compared to the Edition XS?

 

[Graham55]

Another thing, but don't know where to ask it, why is the Deva ignored practically everywhere? Isn't it versatile enough? It definitely has weak bass, but other than that I heard it being said to be "mellow". Also what about the Sundara? Is it a better deal than the Edition XS or not?

 

[disastermouse]

This is a wild question, I realize, but how much of what I love in the Edition XS is amplified in something like the eye-wateringly expensive Susvara? I’ve heard some flagships (most notably the DCA Expanse, Meze Empyrean), but not the Susvara.

 

[Sanlitun]

What pads are a good alternative to tame the treble bite with the XS?

 

[Kentajalli]

This is a wild question, I realize, but how much of what I love in the Edition XS is amplified in something like the eye-wateringly expensive Susvara? I’ve heard some flagships (most notably the DCA Expanse, Meze Empyrean), but not the Susvara.

I have.
Its a very smooth, controlled EDXS!
needs four times the power and more.
But, blow your mind, day and night, it ain't .
Neither is Stealth.
Very good, true but ten times better? naah

 

[bagwell359]

I have.
Its a very smooth, controlled EDXS!
needs four times the power and more.
But, blow your mind, day and night, it ain't .
Neither is Stealth.
Very good, true but ten times better? naah

Quantatively if an earbud is a 0, the XS is probably ~82% as good as a Susvara. The HEK Stealth ~95% as good as a Susvara.

Price differences in audio might start out as linear: HE-400->Sundara->XS. But at some point it turns into a sine wave.

You can buy 13.33 XS's for the price of a Susvara, or 3.1 XS's for the price of a HEK Stealth. I had 3 meals ~40 years ago that cost ~$450 total, back then that was about 65 Big Mac's, Fries, and a drink. Make it 650 forgettable meals, never lay a hand on my memory of those 3 meals.

Then there is budget, current equipment... The quantatative argument doesn't work on me W.R.T. the XS since I have a HE-6 SE, 500, and HEX v2. To me the difference between the XS, and my stuff vs a HEK Stealth/Final D8000/Rall CA-1a/LCD-4/Susvara is quite a lot. Everyone has to decide for themselves.

 

[Kentajalli]

Quantatively if an earbud is a 0, the XS is probably ~82% as good as a Susvara. The HEK Stealth ~95% as good as a Susvara.

Price differences in audio might start out as linear: HE-400->Sundara->XS. But at some point it turns into a sine wave.

You can buy 13.33 XS's for the price of a Susvara, or 3.1 XS's for the price of a HEK Stealth. I had 3 meals ~40 years ago that cost ~$450 total, back then that was about 65 Big Mac's, Fries, and a drink. Make it 650 forgettable meals, never lay a hand on my memory of those 3 meals.

Then there is budget, current equipment... The quantatative argument doesn't work on me W.R.T. the XS since I have a HE-6 SE, 500, and HEX v2. To me the difference between the XS, and my stuff vs a HEK Stealth/Final D8000/Rall CA-1a/LCD-4/Susvara is quite a lot. Everyone has to decide for themselves.

I sold my EDXS, because it needed a new home.
The only reason was that I needed a closed back headphone! you know, my wife, the train, the plane . . . .
So I moved on to an Audeze LCD-XC (costs $1300), which was the best sounding closed back I could find, that didn't cost ridiculous amounts of money . Sure it needed a Mod. and some EQing, but ultimately I got it to where I wanted it to be.
As for open backs, and sound quality, it is true that the EDXS is not the ultimate one, but for the price, I haven't heard better. It has issues! sure, what doesn't? but it is comparable to few $1000s headphones, costing about $500.

BTW, I use a Chord Hugo2 to power my headphones.