Hifiman Edition XS Launched

[rlanger]

Thanks for posting. Just watched the you tube video and it doesn't look too difficult of a mod for a pretty big sound payoff. Very cool look with the custom grills! Really looking forward to being able to purchase!

Yeah, it was dead-simple. I've always wanted to paint the original grills black, but was too afraid to disassemble the headphones. But if you take your time, it's not difficult at all. And yes, big payoff. At least IMO.

And Jason, the modder, let me know that they're blue because that's the 3D plastic he had lying around at the time. The grills that he makes available will be black, but I guess he can make them pretty much any color you want.

 

[rlanger]

Is My XS is Better Than Your Arya?

So, I was a lucky viewer of Custom Cans YouTube channel who was able to snag a pre-release version of his Edition XS grill mod.

There is a whole series of videos on this mod, so anyone with an XS, I recommend checking them out.

This mod has really transformed the XS into a stellar headphone. Of course, they were already really good, especially at their price point. But with this mod, they are, IMHO, impossible to beat, even at twice the price.

Are they better than the Arya Stealth or Organic. Not sure since I don't have these to directly compare. However, I have spent time with both, and going from memory, I no longer feel compelled to upgrade.

First, the soundstage is now massive. Some might even find it a bit too big, and it is taking some getting used to, since I've been listening to the stock XS for some time now.

I'm listening to a stellar recording or Rachmaninov's Piano Conciertos 1 and 2 by Krystian Zimerman and the BSO as I write this, and it almost feels like the headphones have disappeared.

Bass has also improved in terms of both impact and clarity. On Chris Joss' album TR 013 (if you haven't heard this, do yourself a favor and check it out), The first track "Outta Your Funk", slams really hard. It's a ton of fun to listen to.

I don't listen to a lot of vocal music, but I did check out a couple of tracks from Steely Dan's Gaucho, and I'm not sure, but some people may find the vocals a bit too distant. For me, it seemed fine.

I haven't done the additional pad mod that you will see in the final video of the series, as I don't have any issues with the treble. But then, I'm 57 so I'm much less sensitive to treble than younger ears might be.

I had been saving my pennies for an upgrade to any Arya Organic, but will now put that back into my daughter's college fund.

Are there any downsides. Well, I've only been listening for 4 or 5 hours at this point and haven't really discovered any issues.

Here's a pic. Will most likely paint them black eventually:

Just an update to these impressions.

I received the final production unit of the replacement grills from Custom Cans and they've added a ring that snaps on to the outer portion of the grill once it has been installed. This provides a really nice finish to the unit, although I'm not sure if it has altered the sound in any way compared to the previous version. And, the production unit is black.

Still extremely pleased with the performance of the new grills and will definitely not be reinstalling the original Hifiman grills to the unit. The sonic upgrade is well worth it IMO.

 

[FFCuties]

has anyone compared edition xs to the current anandas?

 

[RiseFromYourGrav]

I just saw these on sale recently, and almost bit, but in case they go on sale again: Do these pair well with a NW-A55 Walkman? The Walkman isn't particularly powerful, but these didn't look particularly difficult to drive.

I don't have any open back headphones, so these look like they'd make a good addition to my small but growing collection.

 

[SchwizzelKick66]

These have dropped to $269 on Hifiman store. As we all know, Hifiman price drops are usually permanent.

This shakes up the best bang for buck space. These at $269 are completely ridiculous. They sound as good or 95% of the way there to $1k+ headphones. The only consideration is whether or not they will fit you well.

 

[Chris Simon]

These have dropped to $269 on Hifiman store. As we all know, Hifiman price drops are usually permanent.

This shakes up the best bang for buck space. These at $269 are completely ridiculous. They sound as good or 95% of the way there to $1k+ headphones. The only consideration is whether or not they will fit you well.

I wonder if there's a new version coming. It's one of their longest running products without some sort of version 2. Probably because like you said, they're so good. I returned mine mostly because of the headband. It fit fine but it was too loose and rickety. Every time I picked it up the cups would drop a rung or 2.

 

[eeagle]

These have dropped to $269 on Hifiman store. As we all know, Hifiman price drops are usually permanent.

This shakes up the best bang for buck space. These at $269 are completely ridiculous. They sound as good or 95% of the way there to $1k+ headphones. The only consideration is whether or not they will fit you well.

Actually $239 if you go the refurbished route; mine came in a sealed box with a NEW sticker on it, and everything was brand new inside. I ran my normal frequency scans, and phasing tones and have been really enjoying the sounds of my favorite HDtracks albums using a previously purchased EF400 R2R with the included SE cable. I was a bit worried about the headband as I have seen some negative comments, but for me the fit and comfort are fine even after several hours, love the larger ear shaped cups. They are a huge improvement over my HE560's and my longtime favorite HD600 dynamic HPs....just an amazing value IMO.

 

[Entropism]

These have dropped to $269 on Hifiman store. As we all know, Hifiman price drops are usually permanent.

Same price on Amazon as well.

 

[rlanger]

I wonder if there's a new version coming. It's one of their longest running products without some sort of version 2. Probably because like you said, they're so good. I returned mine mostly because of the headband. It fit fine but it was too loose and rickety. Every time I picked it up the cups would drop a rung or 2.

This is easily fixed, if anyone else is experiencing the same issue.

There is a single small screw underneath the plastic clips, attached to the end of the headband. The clips can be be released by pushing down towards the driver. You can find the screw underneath some tape and you just have to tighten that screw.

I had the same problem and this completely solved the issue for me.

 

[RiseFromYourGrav]

I pulled the trigger and grabbed a refurb pair of these for $240. I'm pretty new to the hifi world, so I don't have much to compare these to, but I'm liking them a lot. This is my first open back set of headphones, so it's a completely different listening experience from my MDR-1AM2 closed backs. I've been going through my library listening to some of my favorite songs again, and everything sounds amazing.

I was a little worried about the quality, but these are pretty to comfortable to me and my big head, and I don't have any unexpected creaking or looseness.

I'm also a little surprised my NW-A55 Walkman can actually sorta successfully drive these alone (in that 80-90 volume range), but I bought an old FiiO Q1 to hook up to the Walkman and do the heavy lifting.

 

[Erick Muller]

Very narrow changes using PEQ Q settings in the 6+ range are not a panacea - its a sight relief so the music can come thru w/o the annoyance.

Go ahead and try the settings I suggested in post #2714

4.3k -3db Q 8.0
4.75k -3db Q 6.5
12k -2db Q 8.0

A/B a few cuts of well recorded music you know well with and without. Or don't.

I'm out front with adjusting PEQ for non FR issues and I've stated a number of times that I never use any that are printed at any site w/o adjustment - for probably at least the last 4 years. Of course ears are the final call - w/ mods also in the cards.

So the choices are:

1. leave as is
2. use crinicle or other
3. mods/PEQ -> ears

In this case the initial poster said he hadn't become comfortable with PEQ, and a follow on poster suggested a simple PEQ setting. I said a crinicle set of settings would be more accurate than that single setting. I didn't say it would be accurate period.

I just recently acquired an Edition XS and I'm believer in EQ, could you share your EQ profile for this headphone so then I can adjust it to taste?, I acquired this can because I want to dip my toes into the the egg-shape hifimans and see if I end up pulling the trigger on a HEKS or not. I do have a HE400SE and it's a good headphone, specially if you EQ it right, it becomes a good bang for your buck kind of headphone.

I EQ pretty much all of my headphones and for my LCD-X I was recommended an EQ profile by John Heaven and it's quite complex but it ended up truly transforming adn elevating that headphone into a complete beast, and also I recently change the pads on my LCD2C and made some adjustments to my EQ profile and it has also become an absolute beast too, with a distinct character to the LCD-X to the point that I think I'm going to keep both of them because it suits different moods and genres of music. I expect that the big hifiman cans are going to do the same.

 

[bagwell359]

I just recently acquired an Edition XS and I'm believer in EQ, could you share your EQ profile for this headphone so then I can adjust it to taste?, I acquired this can because I want to dip my toes into the the egg-shape hifimans and see if I end up pulling the trigger on a HEKS or not. I do have a HE400SE and it's a good headphone, specially if you EQ it right, it becomes a good bang for your buck kind of headphone.

I EQ pretty much all of my headphones and for my LCD-X I was recommended an EQ profile by John Heaven and it's quite complex but it ended up truly transforming adn elevating that headphone into a complete beast, and also I recently change the pads on my LCD2C and made some adjustments to my EQ profile and it has also become an absolute beast too, with a distinct character to the LCD-X to the point that I think I'm going to keep both of them because it suits different moods and genres of music. I expect that the big hifiman cans are going to do the same.

OK, based on what i have read (don't own XS and haven't heard them in months, this is what I'd start with assuming 8 PEQ bands with bass shelf and regular bell curve.

35 Hz +2.6 db Q 1.0 bass shelf (if you have 9 settings, and the next one goes to 2.0 db)
60 Hz +3.4 db Q 1.0 bass shelf
170 Hz -2.0 db Q 4.0 bell curve from here on (most folks don't mind a mild rise in the mid bass but IMO it obscures bass lower down)
1.8 kHz +3.6 db Q 2.4
4.2 kHz -4.0 db Q 8.0 (not FR as much as trying to ease back the irritation from CSD issues)
5.1 kHz -3.6 db Q 9.0 (more CSD)
7 kHz -3.6 db Q 5.0
12.6 kHz -4.0 db Q 7.0 (more CSD adjustment)
16 kHz +3.0 db Q 7.0

The XS is a pretty interesting can for the dough, but its not a real intro in the HEK Series IMO. The LCD 2 w/ well chosen PEQ is closer to the LCD-X than the XS is too a HEK SE.

 

[Erick Muller]

OK, based on what i have read (don't own XS and haven't heard them in months, this is what I'd start with assuming 8 PEQ bands with bass shelf and regular bell curve.

35 Hz +2.6 db Q 1.0 bass shelf (if you have 9 settings, and the next one goes to 2.0 db)
60 Hz +3.4 db Q 1.0 bass shelf
170 Hz -2.0 db Q 4.0 bell curve from here on (most folks don't mind a mild rise in the mid bass but IMO it obscures bass lower down)
1.8 kHz +3.6 db Q 2.4
4.2 kHz -4.0 db Q 8.0 (not FR as much as trying to ease back the irritation from CSD issues)
5.1 kHz -3.6 db Q 9.0 (more CSD)
7 kHz -3.6 db Q 5.0
12.6 kHz -4.0 db Q 7.0 (more CSD adjustment)
16 kHz +3.0 db Q 7.0

The XS is a pretty interesting can for the dough, but its not a real intro in the HEK Series IMO. The LCD 2 w/ well chosen PEQ is closer to the LCD-X than the XS is too a HEK SE.

Thanks, will try it out this EQ profile

Also, I don't really know what CSD stands for, I look for that acronym online but a bunch of things came up that I'm not sure any of them really are.

LCD2C with the new "vegan pads" from dekoni and my eq profile sound pretty awesome, and sure it takes them a step closer to the LCD-X 2021 but still the LCD-X with John Heaven's EQ pulls WAY, WAY ahead still, like no even close and furthermore, the character in both the base and treble are kind of different for both headphones, even when you EQ them to have similar FR, LCD2C is darker/warmer still and the bass has a pretty good decay but it's less fast and clean than the LCD-X's bass, and also the LCD-X it's cleaner in it's treble presentation, while the LCD2C is smoother and more relax, mid range tho, they are very similar, again with the LCD-X being a little bit more energetic and the LCD2C being more chill, like the LCD2C seems slower than the LCD-X when delivering the sound, that doesn't make it worse or better, just that the presentations are different.

 

[bagwell359]

Thanks, will try it out this EQ profile

Also, I don't really know what CSD stands for, I look for that acronym online but a bunch of things came up that I'm not sure any of them really are.

LCD2C with the new "vegan pads" from dekoni and my eq profile sound pretty awesome, and sure it takes them a step closer to the LCD-X 2021 but still the LCD-X with John Heaven's EQ pulls WAY, WAY ahead still, like no even close and furthermore, the character in both the base and treble are kind of different for both headphones, even when you EQ them to have similar FR, LCD2C is darker/warmer still and the bass has a pretty good decay but it's less fast and clean than the LCD-X's bass, and also the LCD-X it's cleaner in it's treble presentation, while the LCD2C is smoother and more relax, mid range tho, they are very similar, again with the LCD-X being a little bit more energetic and the LCD2C being more chill, like the LCD2C seems slower than the LCD-X when delivering the sound, that doesn't make it worse or better, just that the presentations are different.

Cumulative Spectral Decay (aka waterfall plots)

 

[sulfuriq]

Just bought HEXS at ridiculously low price at my local shop. This can is goooddd.. Put padding to elevate to proper level