[workshirt]

Can you confirm xx fits? Thanks

I cannot, and I suspect that I wouldn't. If someone owns it and similar HIFIMan headphones, maybe they could comment.

 

[Paddy]

I am surprised to hear you say that the XX needs slightly more power, I was under the impression that the XX was very easy to drive and could even be driven decently out of a laptop headphone jack, is that not the case?

The XX I'm sure could easily be driven off a laptop. As for using it directly with a phone and no amp. Like the HEX V2 it can be done but to hear the details and full presence you'll need extra juice from an amp. While it's harder to drive than the HEX V2 its only by a very small difference, I just move the volume knob slightly to replicate similar volume between both headsets

 

[workshirt]

The XX I'm sure could easily be driven off a laptop. As for using it directly with a phone and no amp. Like the HEX V2 it can be done but to hear the details and full presence you'll need extra juice from an amp. While it's harder to drive than the HEX V2 its only by a very small difference, I just move the volume knob slightly to replicate similar volume between both headsets

Okay I am glad to hear that, I own the 6XX and the 4XX, and from a sound quality perspective I prefer the 4XX, but I always end up wearing the 6XX because they fit so comfortably, while the 4XX feel very bulky and heavy. I was hoping with the XX I would get an improvement in sound quality and comfort over the 4XX and also be able to sell my desktop amp and move to a standard audio interface. Pretty much the best of both worlds and also be able to use them with just my laptop like I do the 4XX when I don't have access to my amp.

 

[Paddy]

Okay I am glad to hear that, I own the 6XX and the 4XX, and from a sound quality perspective I prefer the 4XX, but I always end up wearing the 6XX because they fit so comfortably, while the 4XX feel very bulky and heavy. I was hoping with the XX I would get an improvement in sound quality and comfort over the 4XX and also be able to sell my desktop amp and move to a standard audio interface. Pretty much the best of both worlds and also be able to use them with just my laptop like I do the 4XX when I don't have access to my amp.

I had the HE4XX which I sold before I got my Sundara's and pretty sure the XX can be run just as easy as the 4XX or perhaps even easier but certainly not more. As for comfortabilty, the XX have almost the same comfort as the HEX V2 which are the most comfortable headphone i ever worn.

As for sound improvement. I bought my Sundara's which I later sold to succeed my 4XX and the only area I preferred the 4XX was bass response as the Sundara's were too light. The XX does EVERTYTHING better than both. It has more presence and impact that the 4XX and a larger soundstage than the Sundara's which are renowned for being very open sounding. The difference is substantial. Everything is better, they aren't even in the same league

 

[workshirt]

Everything is better, they aren't even in the same league

Awesome, that is everything I wanted to hear, definitely going to pull the trigger in the next few days and start selling my other gear.

 

[Khronos]

Does anybody know how these would compare against a Quad Era-1?

 

[bagwell359]

The XX I'm sure could easily be driven off a laptop. As for using it directly with a phone and no amp. Like the HEX V2 it can be done but to hear the details and full presence you'll need extra juice from an amp. While it's harder to drive than the HEX V2 its only by a very small difference, I just move the volume knob slightly to replicate similar volume between both headsets

The HEX v2 sounds colorless and pathetic on a DAP like the Fiio X3. The 4xx doesn't get hurt much by that move, but the 5se, HE-500, and 5le all sound wan and half dead on a DAP. Desktop of at least 4 watts IMO.

 

[bagwell359]

Does anybody know how these would compare against a Quad Era-1?

Guess only. The xx would have a wider and deeper soundstage, be more exciting overall. Tend to dislike close cans except the E1, E1.1 and E2.

 

[Condocondor]

The XX I'm sure could easily be driven off a laptop. As for using it directly with a phone and no amp. Like the HEX V2 it can be done but to hear the details and full presence you'll need extra juice from an amp.

I can run my XX off my HP 17"Z laptop acceptably but the problem is that I like more volume. XX is so wide open & clean enough that I just seem to able to turn the volume up .....and up... and up--without it hurting my ears when I run it off my Micro iDSD BL.

I've ordered Dragonfly Cobalt for a little extra juice over my Laptop in a more convenient form factor and I'm hoping it will drive XX well enough with clean, crisp, dynamic sound.

 

[Khronos]

Guess only. The xx would have a wider and deeper soundstage, be more exciting overall. Tend to dislike close cans except the E1, E1.1 and E2.

The Era-1s are open cans, and I've read everything in between from them being a brighter AEON (most pessimistic review) to them going toe to toe with an LCD-4 (Most optimistic). I was just curious as to whether these could be an alternative since they are the second most gorgeous pair of headphones I've ever seen (just after the Ezertich Phobos).

 

[bagwell359]

The Era-1s are open cans, and I've read everything in between from them being a brighter AEON (most pessimistic review) to them going toe to toe with an LCD-4 (Most optimistic). I was just curious as to whether these could be an alternative since they are the second most gorgeous pair of headphones I've ever seen (just after the Ezertich Phobos).

Ah yes, brain cramp. The descriptions make it sound like it has a fairly small image size. They are pretty. Lots of people have complained about QA issues however, even though some say that will end - but so far that's an assertion only - unless I missed any statements that include actual changes.

EDIT 10/26: After tearing down the Alara, and looking at pics of the ERA-1, it's at least 75% closed, or 25% partially open if you prefer.

With the rear screen off the Alara, it's about 60% open, and the change in sound reflects that clearly.

 

[robo24]

Joshua Valour released his comparison video with the (my pair of) XX and the LCD2C today. Also full review of it coming soon. He seems to like it much more than some other youtube reviewers.

 

[Paddy]

Joshua Valour released his comparison video with the (my pair of) XX and the LCD2C today. Also full review of it coming soon. He seems to like it much more than some other youtube reviewers.

Interesting comparison, I enjoyed it. The XX are essentially the HEX V2 with maybe MINOR differences and this is the first time I've heard the LCD2 be preferred over the HEX or XX. I'm curious to try the LCD2c myself now to compare.

 

[Alfredo3001]

I had the HE4XX which I sold before I got my Sundara's and pretty sure the XX can be run just as easy as the 4XX or perhaps even easier but certainly not more. As for comfortabilty, the XX have almost the same comfort as the HEX V2 which are the most comfortable headphone i ever worn.

As for sound improvement. I bought my Sundara's which I later sold to succeed my 4XX and the only area I preferred the 4XX was bass response as the Sundara's were too light. The XX does EVERTYTHING better than both. It has more presence and impact that the 4XX and a larger soundstage than the Sundara's which are renowned for being very open sounding. The difference is substantial. Everything is better, they aren't even in the same league

How would you compared the Sundara with edition xx? I had the he4xx. I sold them to buy the Sundara. I have the Sundara right now and I don’t like it. They fatigued me. That have more forward and small soundstage than the he4xx. Also I found the sound isn’t as planar as the he4xx ( something like a planar dynamic hybrid). If you can compared and give me your opinion between the he4xx, Sundara and edition XX I will appreciate it .

 

[Paddy]

How would you compared the Sundara with edition xx? I had the he4xx. I sold them to buy the Sundara. I have the Sundara right now and I don’t like it. They fatigued me. That have more forward and small soundstage than the he4xx. Also I found the sound isn’t as planar as the he4xx ( something like a planar dynamic hybrid). If you can compared and give me your opinion between the he4xx, Sundara and edition XX I will appreciate it .

I bought my HEX V2 which are essentially the same as the XX with MAYBE very minor differences. I couldn't hear it, so anyway comparing the HEX V2 and Sundara i was blown away by how much better the HEX V2/XX sound. I bought my Massdrop XX after i sold the Sundara's I remember buying the Sundara's blindly without hearing them based on people's reviews which i never done before and compared them to my HE 4XX and while i did like the more airy soundstage they just lacked that energy the 4XX had especially in the bass department. They did imaging very well, but i just found music more fun sounding with the 4XX which i didn't want to admit at the time.

You say the Sundara's were more forward sounding, is that because you felt the need to put the volume way up as i found them to be quite laid back and more distant which i feel was done to highlight their airiness, smoothness and impressive imaging?? The only area i feel the Sundara's lacked compared to the 4XX is in energy and bass response. Anyway i was anxious about spending $1280 NZ another pair of headphones i never tried whenever the Sundara's improved on some aspects but lacked in others. I was worried the HEX V2 would be the same but as soon as i put them on and played some house music i was in WOW mode.

They have PLENTY of energy in the sub bass and mid bass, what i would describe as neutral as they output what each genre accurately requires. Some would call them boosted here but i disagree, they punch just as they should. The best bass i ever heard in a headphone because it is clean, powerful and snappy and doesn't bleed into the mids, essentially a much better 400i/4XX. I feel if you like the 4XX you'll LOVE the XX, the XX just does everything better. Bigger soundstage, smoother, better imaging and extremely comfortable to wear. My experience of the Sundara's was strange because i listened to them for almost a year really liking them but as soon as i got my HEX V2 and left them in the back for a few weeks i never went back to them until i was about to sell them. I remember listening to them many weeks later just as i had them up for sale and really disliking them, like i felt i couldn't enjoy them at all, everything through them felt quite boring, they sounded quite distant, the HEX V2/XX has more presence and energy while at the same time still feeling quite airy, think of a nightclub environment. This was obviously after listening to the HEX V2 for several weeks which i had become accustomed to. I feel the HEX V2 carry on the line of the 400i/4xx,560 and improve on them so if you enjoy these headphones then you'll love the XX. The Sundara's were so different to these headphones. Not that it's a bad thing but i just needed at least the same energy i was used to with the 400i and 4XX and the HEX V2 improved on all of that. The Sundara's are for those after quite a different sound signature which i myself still enjoyed but wasn't what i was after but still beats ALL the other competition at this price point based on what it does well. Honestly after hearing quite a few headphones by the competition the only competitor Hifiman has in it's price range $1000 and below is itself. I'm still curious to hear the LCDC2 though

The XX at $600 US is the best value for a headphone that exists right now, it's endgame material as you'll have to spend thousands to get better, the ONLY issue i can say that exists with the HEX V2/XX is that it has that piercing peak at times especially with vocals, you''ll notice it as the vocals climb higher and higher and just pierce before rolling off forcing you to turn the volume down to a less energetic stage, it happens rarely but if Hifiman can fix this by having the peak resolved in a smoother way then it would be such an improvment. I would buy another an upgraded headphone for that issue to be resolved alone