@Kremmen the creaking for me is all in the pads, not the headphone itself, and it only happens if I'm wearing glasses, it's the pads rubbing against the glasses arms. Do you have glasses? If you don't, I don't think you'd get creaking. And even if you do, it's not something I'd notice while listening to music.
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Hifiman Edition XS
- Thread starter mr.at
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pickyAudiophile
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Received mine today (Amazon UK Warehouse deal, £288 + PT national VAT). Condition "like new, comes in original packaging".
But then...no miracles, no bargains... it heavily distorts at medium listening level already (which suddenly appears above a certain -quite low- volume threshold). Double-checked with different amps-dacs.
Will be returned instantly to their Scotland plant where it came from.
Don't know if Amazon just doesn't care or if people are just too lazy to choose "defective item" from the list and type in a brief description.
But then...no miracles, no bargains... it heavily distorts at medium listening level already (which suddenly appears above a certain -quite low- volume threshold). Double-checked with different amps-dacs.
Will be returned instantly to their Scotland plant where it came from.
Don't know if Amazon just doesn't care or if people are just too lazy to choose "defective item" from the list and type in a brief description.
Hi there.
I only use my Edition XS headphones to listen to music and without wearing my glasses. To see if the pads creak when I wear my glasses with them I thought I'd give it a go. The pads do indeed make creaking noises as they move gently against the metal arms of my glasses when I make very slight movements with my head.
And it took me a good couple of weeks of experimenting to nail it down to my glasses!
I checked the diaphragms, the headband, the yokes, the amp, god knows what else - until one day, I just thought f*** it, just relax and listen to some music for goodness’s sake, so I leaned back, took off my glasses . . . and to my shock, I discovered the root cause!
Sometimes, you just need to chill, before you get a Eureka moment.
odyo
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Need help with the cables.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003375264257.html $11
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004377877951.html $14 + $4 shipping
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002813698913.html $16
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000726897497.html $24.5
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002586758085.html $31.5
I need 4.4mm bal cable with 1.2m to 1.5m length. I have no clue about cables and it's specs like core count, copper, oxygen free, single cast, litz, silver plating etc. Can someone enlighten and guide me ?
@KenTajalli
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003375264257.html $11
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004377877951.html $14 + $4 shipping
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002813698913.html $16
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000726897497.html $24.5
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002586758085.html $31.5
I need 4.4mm bal cable with 1.2m to 1.5m length. I have no clue about cables and it's specs like core count, copper, oxygen free, single cast, litz, silver plating etc. Can someone enlighten and guide me ?
@KenTajalli
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mr.at
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I'm kind of surprised about how it could fail like that altogether. What DAC/Amp? What source? Anything
I don't see a problem with cable in the second place here.
I'd also like to through in my suggestion: I have this one, and am using it with my XS as well as my Focal Elex, with no issues with results:
US $12.95 50%OFF | OPENHEART 8 Core Cable for Headphone 1 to 2 jack 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Balance Upgrade Replacement Silver Cables 1.4m Personality
12.95US $ 50% OFF|Openheart 8 Core Cable For Headphone 1 To 2 Jack 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Balance Upgrade Replacement Silver Cables 1.4m Personality - Earphone Accessories - AliExpress
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
I have the FAAEAL fabric one on HE400SE, Edition XS, HD600 (there is a Sennheiser version).
I have the grey/silver braided "Meat eaters store" one on the HD800S (they do it with that termination as well). It's actually pretty nice, handles well and the color matches the HD800S well.
OpenHeart is worth considering, I have that same IEM type one @mr.at pointed out on the Arya and Ananda. It's nice, well made, brass sort of hardware, easy to handle, I second it.
This is also available in grey/silver color if you prefer.
I have this fabric covered one from OpenHeart on order.
I hear no difference between any of these or the stock cables and I am strongly of the opinion there is no difference. I don't think cables as a rule make a difference, as long as they are connected on both ends. I wanted balanced cables, and in the case of some, shorter and lighter ones, the stock HD800S cable is ridiculous. So it's down to look and feel, they will all sound exactly the same. The other thing you need to decide is do you want a straight or L shape plug, most of them are straight but the FAAEAL fabric one is L shape.
I have the grey/silver braided "Meat eaters store" one on the HD800S (they do it with that termination as well). It's actually pretty nice, handles well and the color matches the HD800S well.
OpenHeart is worth considering, I have that same IEM type one @mr.at pointed out on the Arya and Ananda. It's nice, well made, brass sort of hardware, easy to handle, I second it.
This is also available in grey/silver color if you prefer.
I have this fabric covered one from OpenHeart on order.
I hear no difference between any of these or the stock cables and I am strongly of the opinion there is no difference. I don't think cables as a rule make a difference, as long as they are connected on both ends. I wanted balanced cables, and in the case of some, shorter and lighter ones, the stock HD800S cable is ridiculous. So it's down to look and feel, they will all sound exactly the same. The other thing you need to decide is do you want a straight or L shape plug, most of them are straight but the FAAEAL fabric one is L shape.
I wouldn't know either.
The 24$ one claims to be pure copper.
In my subjective tests, I found that one single solid core (as opposed to 16 multicote), sounded best .
Problem with a single solid core wire is stiffness !
for that reason alone, I chose 0.6mm pure silver annealed wire.
No silver is not magic, but fully annealed silver wire was softest I could get. from Jewelers supply, it was about £12 for 3 meters, so not expensive.
together with silicon heatshrink and quality plugs, the whole thing cost less than £40.
odyo
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I'm kind of surprised about how it could fail like that altogether. What DAC/Amp? What source? Anything
I don't see a problem with cable in the second place here.
I'd also like to through in my suggestion: I have this one, and am using it with my XS as well as my Focal Elex, with no issues with results:
US $12.95 50%OFF | OPENHEART 8 Core Cable for Headphone 1 to 2 jack 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Balance Upgrade Replacement Silver Cables 1.4m Personality
12.95US $ 50% OFF|Openheart 8 Core Cable For Headphone 1 To 2 Jack 3.5/2.5/4.4mm Balance Upgrade Replacement Silver Cables 1.4m Personality - Earphone Accessories - AliExpress
Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.coma.aliexpress.com
Thanks for the feedback guys. Openheart one says it doesn't ship to my country and it's not compatible with Zen Can which is weird. FAAEAL one looks nice and simple. The others have any advantage in terms of durability, handling, microphonics etc ?
I have this Ablet one from Amazon and it's pretty bad. It's stubborn, microphonic, plug is slippery which makes it hard to pull out and insert back in from 4.4mm socket. And one channel dies when i move the cable.
Is this what you got from Amazon:
Ablet HiFi Cable with 2.5mm Trrs Balanced Male to Dual 2.5mm male Compatible with Hifiman HE400S, HE-400I, HE560 HE1000 Headphone & Compatible Astell&Kern AK240 AK380 onkyo DP-X1 FIIO: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo
Shop Ablet HiFi Cable with 2.5mm Trrs Balanced Male to Dual 2.5mm male Compatible with Hifiman HE400S, HE-400I, HE560 HE1000 Headphone & Compatible Astell&Kern AK240 AK380 onkyo DP-X1 FIIO. Free delivery and returns on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
I actually tested a few cables for resistance, inductance and capacitance. The non-balanced version of this cable was the worst! it actually shared the ground wire to the Y split !
Of all the silly things to do to save a penny.
The cable had the highest resistance, specially on ground wire, and highest capacitance.
Of all the ready-made cables that I tested at my disposal, one cable stood out.
That being the bundled cable with Focal Clear headphones I had at the time, and equally sounded the best.
The science says, the lowest resistance, the lowest capacitance and lowest inductance cables, should in theory be the least problematic.
Some amps and/or headphones may be sensitive to some cable parameters, if that would be the case, then the above cable should be chosen.
pickyAudiophile
Active Member
Numerous types, tried two different smartphones, hp amp Sabaj A20h (2020) @low-high1-high2 gain setting, Gustard H16, dongle xduoo Link2 Bal, different DACS by Gustard (A18), Sabaj (A20d). Microsoft Surface tablet, desktop PC (onboard)... All the same double-checked with other headphones - gear is O.K. The only thing not yet ruled out was a defective stock cable supplied with the XS (pending until ~ tuesday as I only have mini XLR, Lemo, Pentaconn here with me).
odyo
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Yeah that one. Worse than every stock cable i've used.
odyo
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I bought the FAAEAL one. It was $11- $5 coupon and free shipping. Great deal. Thanks for the feedback.
I was thinking about getting the $31 OPENHEART one that you ordered but couldn't justify the price especially since they charge me 50% custom tax. I also wanted L shape plug. 4.4mm bal connection is too stiff. I think L will work better with that socket.
The other transparent looking braided cables are cool but i like this cloth material better like stock Arya cable.
These cables so much cheaper than the EU/US made ones. Shipping is also free.
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I hate the woven ones. I would like to get the original one just in balanced, but didn't find it. The super soft nylon one ($16) might come close, thinking about ordering that one.
Both of these headbands that they sell on their store are for round cup Hifimans. The egg-shaped ones need substantially longer arms. At least when compared with the HE400SE which is the only round one I have, the dimensions are quite different and the headband off that certainly wouldn't fit the Edition XS.
The Hybrid Headband is the headband for the Sundara. The Newly Enhanced Comfort Headband is for the HE400i V1/HE560 V1. These are both round cups.
There is also an issue with the latter that it uses pins that click in rather than screws like the Edition XS uses.
I am pretty sure an Ananda headband would work, if you could get that. The cups on that measure identically, the position of the holes for the arms are identical, and they seem to use the same screw-in mechanism.
There is still an issue over the threadlocker/glue used on the screws, how you'd get them out. I have seen reports this is very difficult without breaking the cups.
There is also a $35 suspension headband sold on AliExpress that looks similar design and is advertised for the Ananda, but all the images I have seen with it are with round cup Hifimans, and they don't have top clearance. I don't think it actually fits the Ananda (or the XS).
I looked into this when I first got them as they were just incredibly loose, I ended up bending the yokes and using a headband cover which improved it to the point they are now perfectly comfortable for me.
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mr.at
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Yes Blorg, you're spot on with all those points.
1) I haven't seen a replacement headband anywhere yet for these Ananda/Arya/XS cans.
2) The shape and size, including the holes to the cups, are all too different for the eggheads and round headed Hifimans, so they're not interchangeable in any way.
3) Yes, the issue with the threadlocker/glue thing on the XS is yet another bummer.
4) The suspension style headband you mention - I wonder if this is the headband you're referring to. I have this one - took a bit of DIYing and some very minor drilling into my He400i cups to fit that one on there. I love it on the 400is (it's not as comfy as stock, but fits tight enough for them not to be loose). I'm not sure if one could really bend on the yokes to adjust it to fit an egghead. Still, if you succeed in doing THAT, there's the matter of rather thicc screws one would have to install - this would surely require irreversible DIYING - drilling through the holes of egghead cups. It's a risky endeavor, and not quite worth the trouble should it go completely wrong. EDIT: I just confirmed, the yoke length might just be too short to fit this one:
I think the idea of bending the yokes inside a bit seems to be the best solution. I'd also wanna try this though:
And surely, using a cover or some pad in between the headband and the cans DOES help. I'm looking to do a cleaner installation of this leftover stray headband foam I have from some cheap broken cans:
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@mr.at that's the AliExpress headband. There's also a YouTube video of it here, but every single finished example I have seen, it's with round cup headphones, and you can see it's a tight enough fit with them, it's not like there is room to spare. The distance from one end of the yoke to the other (measuring from the screw center point) is 18.5cm on the HE400SE. It's 20.5cm on the Edition XS and the Ananda. So it's not that they need to be just bent or reshaped, they'd actually need to be lengthened by 2cm, and that's not easily possible. The type of the headband on the HE400SE (and other round Hifimans that use this) and the Edition XS looks superficially similar but the dimensions of the metal bit holding the cups are actually quite different and they aren't anywhere near interchangeable.
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mr.at
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pickyAudiophile
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Solved: Believe it or not. It was the stock cable causing the distortion. I did not yet cut it open, but it must have been short-circuited at least by a hairbreadth somewhere inside. With a replacement cable (TRS to dual TS) now it works as it should, free from distortion even at very loud level. Stock cable made a poor impression instantly when I saw these meaningless dual TRS plugs on a single-ended cable.
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