JM Audio Editions XTC Headphones
Oct 12, 2024 at 2:43 PM Post #1,816 of 1,866
I’m going back and forth on the two pairs in the classifieds right now. The XTC2 opens and the XTC2.5 closed. Is there a preference to take one over the other? Both seem to have the warm but detailed tuning which is what I would be looking for. Thanks!

I have to refrain from responding haha
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 3:48 PM Post #1,817 of 1,866
I’m going back and forth on the two pairs in the classifieds right now. The XTC2 opens and the XTC2.5 closed. Is there a preference to take one over the other? Both seem to have the warm but detailed tuning which is what I would be looking for. Thanks!

I have 2 pairs of the XTC2 and just recently ordered a third that is specific made for tube amps. I have a collection of headphones and honestly 90% of the time I reach for my XTC2 headphones. They are amazing. I LOVE them. They just do what I want in tone and detail and flavor. I love them. They sound great on little dongles and scale up very well so they can follow way up the chain and keep getting better the more you chose to invest in better gear. Yet they have special synergies that are fun to find. An example is I have a dac and amp that I would have paid about $4000 total if I bought it new, thank god for the used market. XTC2 beryllium wolf hawk sounds amazing on it. Wolf hawk if you don’t know yet is super close to warm detailed. I just got a Woo Audio WA6 and have it connected to a good dac I love. Total is about $1700 new and as I type this now at work all I want to do is call in sick to go home and listen to that WA6 + xtc2 combo at more than 1/2 cheaper a price of the biggest stack I’ll ever have. Then when I’m in my bed last night and I have the Questyle M15i connected to my iPad, M15i is about $250, a fraction of both stacks, I had to force myself to stop listening to go to sleep. It’s so good. So what I’m saying is anything I listen on I love love love so I HIGHLY recommend the XTC2. This is an uncommon wonder in my headphone searching. Also, I have the large angles pads and those seem to be a thread favorite for the xrc2 beryllium warm detailed or wolf hawk tuning.


I can’t talk for the xtc2.5 as I am not a fan of closed backs but I can say I love what I’m audio does with the xtc2, especially the bereyllium driver tuned around warm detail or wolf hawk so much that I an VERY close to buying a xtc2.5. This should be a huge compliment to all JM audio work, especially the XTC2. I wish I could share my experience with the 2.5 but I have none. Maybe someone here who has both can pop in and compare. I did want to hop in and say go for it. I’ve been in the hifi game for a while and it is rare that I have find a product like the JM audio headphones that just wow me feel like everything did when I first came to the hobby. I can’t speak highly enough about them.

Are they the best and better than all others? I don’t play that game. It’s a fools errand of a conversation. They are however exactly what I want when I want to listen and they constantly wow me with pure enjoyment which I will take over perfection and “best ever” all day.
 
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Oct 12, 2024 at 5:45 PM Post #1,818 of 1,866
@Patswalker The closed back is just amazing for a closed back. It's not an ordinary closed back. Dense focused incredible detail and clarity. Have to think magical imaging and XTC stuff it's very good at it. Ampitheater is really good stuff with 32 ohm + extra silence of a closed back can hear awesome things from it easily. Sub-bass is extra good some of the time. The closed back blackground helps if there is ambient noise like air conditioner which degrades SQ. The total silence brings in noticeable sense of calmness and blackness

It's quite isolating the closed back effect but it's not like XM5 with noise cancelling, it still leaks a bit but average or better for closed backs. Can hear a fan on high a bit through it. The same fan on medium is annoying with open backs and can't hear it at all unless it's on high with closed back. Some closed backs don't isolate as much as I want them too, kinda defeats the purpose this one isn't like that it does a just a good enough job for various closed back needs including wanting to listen around others and not worry about it bothering them it is just good enough I don't mind using it for that

Also 300 Ohm is proving itself capable of high enough detail levels and I'm not feeling like I must have the 32 ohm or am too short on detail level. Amazed at what 300 ohm can do as well it seems to be softer on average with very good and satisfying detail level. The way both of the 2.0 open back soundstage is unique quite something special no doubt so just gotta value each headphone fun to swap
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 5:50 PM Post #1,819 of 1,866
I have both a pair of XTC-Closed 2.5s and a pair of DCA Stealths. And both are typical of closed-back phones in that they isolate one from outside sounds better than most open-back or in my case, the RAAL SR-1b earspeakers. I am not as concerned about isolation of outside sounds as my home is usually quiet early in the morning when I listen, but I avoid bothering others who are sleeping. And in case you ask, the 2.5 with 32 ohm beryllium drivers tuned Wolf Hawk and Stealth sound considerably different, each having their strengths and weaknesses, but in no way is the 2.5 inferior, just different.
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 6:00 PM Post #1,820 of 1,866
@Patswalker The closed back is just amazing for a closed back. It's not an ordinary closed back. Dense focused incredible detail and clarity. Have to think magical imaging and XTC stuff it's very good at it. Ampitheater is really good stuff with 32 ohm + extra silence of a closed back can hear awesome things from it easily. Sub-bass is extra good some of the time. The closed back blackground helps if there is ambient noise like air conditioner which degrades SQ. The total silence brings in noticeable sense of calmness and blackness

It's quite isolating the closed back effect but it's not like XM5 with noise cancelling, it still leaks a bit but average or better for closed backs. Can hear a fan on high a bit through it. The same fan on medium is annoying with open backs and can't hear it at all unless it's on high with closed back. Some closed backs don't isolate as much as I want them too, kinda defeats the purpose this one isn't like that it does a just a good enough job for various closed back needs including wanting to listen around others and not worry about it bothering them it is just good enough I don't mind using it for that

Also 300 Ohm is proving itself capable of high enough detail levels and I'm not feeling like I must have the 32 ohm or am too short on detail level. Amazed at what 300 ohm can do as well it seems to be softer on average with very good and satisfying detail level. The way both of the 2.0 open back soundstage is unique quite something special no doubt so just gotta value each headphone fun to swap

Yes! That’s what I keep hearing. If there’s a closed back to try it’s going to be this. I’m waiting to save up to get a 2.5 soon.
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 6:30 PM Post #1,821 of 1,866
Yes! That’s what I keep hearing. If there’s a closed back to try it’s going to be this. I’m waiting to save up to get a 2.5 soon.

Keep in mind, as well, if/when you get a 2.5, you can take a listen to the sound and if you want to get it tuned differently, you'd be able to send them to John for retuning.

They're a very, very good set. (I'm not just saying that because it's my listing 😅)
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 7:51 PM Post #1,822 of 1,866
Keep in mind, as well, if/when you get a 2.5, you can take a listen to the sound and if you want to get it tuned differently, you'd be able to send them to John for retuning.

They're a very, very good set. (I'm not just saying that because it's my listing 😅)

I did that with one of my two current xtc2 models
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 8:27 PM Post #1,823 of 1,866
Oct 12, 2024 at 8:40 PM Post #1,824 of 1,866
Thank you all for your responses! Fantastic to read. I'm not sure I've made my mind up yet, but hopefully soon so I don't miss out on one of these. They've been on my radar for a long time to give a try. Very curious about them and figured starting on the used market wouldn't be a bad idea. Thanks again!
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 10:01 PM Post #1,825 of 1,866
Thank you all for your responses! Fantastic to read. I'm not sure I've made my mind up yet, but hopefully soon so I don't miss out on one of these. They've been on my radar for a long time to give a try. Very curious about them and figured starting on the used market wouldn't be a bad idea. Thanks again!

Of course this is all objective opinion but you can see how much people love these. That’s why I went for it and I love them.
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 10:40 PM Post #1,826 of 1,866
I could not see burn in whatsoever on beryl at all. Smooth from the start. Biowool sounded slightly grainy at first and it may have smoothed out completely by now need to test it more. Burn in on Focal Clears and Bathys was very profound. I also could not see burn in on z1r.
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 11:21 PM Post #1,827 of 1,866
Of course this is all objective opinion but you can see how much people love these. That’s why I went for it and I love them.
Of course, I understand that. I was looking for other peoples opinions at the end of the day. The biggest thing that caught my attention with them is exactly what you wrote. They have a following for a reason.. Thanks again for what you wrote!
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 11:38 PM Post #1,828 of 1,866
Of course, I understand that. I was looking for other peoples opinions at the end of the day. The biggest thing that caught my attention with them is exactly what you wrote. They have a following for a reason.. Thanks again for what you wrote!

Just reach out if you have any other questions. 🙂
 
Oct 12, 2024 at 11:41 PM Post #1,829 of 1,866
Of course, I understand that. I was looking for other peoples opinions at the end of the day. The biggest thing that caught my attention with them is exactly what you wrote. They have a following for a reason.. Thanks again for what you wrote!

Heck yah. Happy to help. We’ve got tons of options.
 
Oct 13, 2024 at 12:03 AM Post #1,830 of 1,866
Just reach out if you have any other questions. 🙂
lol I will. I usually don't trend towards closed backs. But I am contemplating if I want those for my work office or stick with another pair of opens to have at my house. Decisions, Decisions.
 
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