Hifiman Edition XS

[mr.at]

I think, having just read @solderdude review, it should be around 4kHz.
Btw, It's probably hard for me to judge an headphone from those charts, but reading it almost made me feel like the EDXS is nothing special, and actually has more peaks and dips in the frequency response than a HD560s for example, but there's probably much more into the equation in being a good headphone than frequency response.
Anyways, my research for amp/dacs is still going, it's my favourite hobby atm haha

I see. Yeah I really like what I'm hearing, guy like me just bites the bullet on subjective feedback and long as the objective data is not too abnormal.

I myself called it a day with the SMSL SH-9 lol, best of luck finding a good combo!

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I think, having just read @solderdude review, it should be around 4kHz.
Btw, It's probably hard for me to judge an headphone from those charts, but reading it almost made me feel like the EDXS is nothing special, and actually has more peaks and dips in the frequency response than a HD560s for example, but there's probably much more into the equation in being a good headphone than frequency response.
Anyways, my research for amp/dacs is still going, it's my favourite hobby atm haha

Well yeah!
Actually more like 4 to 5k.
But remember, we are talking measuring gear against plain ear!
added to that, that I was guessing the frequency from past experience. I said 5.5k IIRC, that's bloody close.
Remember, sample to sample variations too.

Ha, sounds like dangerous talk! (I'm not involved enough in the detail of this to qualify or abuse!)

Hi Robbo!
I know you have a phobia about anything subjective (quite catchy here in ASR ), but even though by ear I have picked up something, that later on was shown in measurements, you still doubt my super accurate ears .
Admit it, my ears are Vulcan!

 

[mr.at]

Well yeah!
Actually more like 4 to 5k.
But remember, we are talking measuring gear against plain ear!
added to that, that I was guessing the frequency from past experience. I said 5.5k IIRC, that's bloody close.
Remember, sample to sample variations too.

View attachment 290939

Hi Robbo!
I know you have a phobia about anything subjective (quite catchy here in ASR ), but even though by ear I have picked up something, that later on was shown in measurements, you still doubt my super accurate ears .
Admit it, my ears are Vulcan!

All hail Vulcan ears.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

All hail Vulcan ears.

You do remember the fuss I made about that shoutiness and the mod. at the time? do you?
Around Dec 2021.
BTW. regardless, I too think EDXS is a wonderful headphone, for the price and perhaps 50% up.

 

[mr.at]

You do remember the fuss I made about that shoutiness and the mod. at the time? do you?
Around Dec 2021.

Yes yes I do.

Truth be told, I am impressed how you've been able to subjectify (that a word?) objective measurements. Good one!

 

[Bam!]

My review of the HIFIMAN Edition XS is now up.

Great review as always, thank you. Just out of curiosity: What do you prefer DT 900 X Pro or Edition XS? (You know if you could have only one) To my own surprise I prefer the DT 900 by quite some margin.

 

[solderdude]

Above comparison is with acoustic smoothing so tonal differences are easily spotted.
DT900Pro has more 'warmth' (slope from 100Hz to 1.5kHz) and a bit more 'clarity' (1-4kHz) and less of a treble peak and at a less annoying frequency.
7kHz peak causes sharpness and some sibilance. The 11kHz peak is lower and less 'detrimental'

I would probably choose the DT900ProX because of support in the future (availability of parts) and the fact that the XS really needs the 7kHz peak addressed, the DT900ProX is more 'usable' without EQ.
But only when I had no other choices.

The scales may tip in another direction for other people. In the end you are the person wearing them so only your opinion counts.

 

[Bam!]

View attachment 295573

Above comparison is with acoustic smoothing so tonal differences are easily spotted.
DT900Pro has more 'warmth' (slope from 100Hz to 1.5kHz) and a bit more 'clarity' (1-4kHz) and less of a treble peak and at a less annoying frequency.
7kHz peak causes sharpness and some sibilance. The 11kHz peak is lower and less 'detrimental'

I would probably choose the DT900ProX because of support in the future (availability of parts) and the fact that the XS really needs the 7kHz peak addressed, the DT900ProX is more 'usable' without EQ.
But only when I had no other choices.

The scales may tip in another direction for other people. In the end you are the person wearing them so only your opinion counts.

Thank you! Oc. In the end it is always a matter of ones preferences and taste. Replaceable parts is another good argument. Also much easier to drive. XS is fine with balanced and something like e1da but DT 900 is so much easier to drive.

 

[GM3]

My review of the HIFIMAN Edition XS is now up.

Niiice! Thanks!!

I've yet to hear the XS, but sometimes it's hard to wrap your head around what reviews/people say/write, vs what is measured... Really hard also to guess what something will sound like given graphs, given these, well for 400i the peaks are a given, easily audible, but the CSD of the XS... Ouch... This does not make it look like "the best $500 HP"...

Spoiler: CSD measurements comparisons, thanks solderdude!

400i below

Edition XS below

Ananada below

Ollo S5X below

Even K701 at probably 1/2 $ below...

Hard to believe the XS would sound 'clean', I thought there would be a good correlation between detail/accuracy and CSD, but just guesstimating the XS, I mean... Peaks aside... Doesn't look that great... Makes the resonances of the AKG 701 look like nothing... Almost like something is wrong with the XS...

 

[solderdude]

The CSD can show some issues with drivers but these are often also visible in the frequency response.
That said... the decay is still faster than that of real life instruments so while it appears to be really bad it isn't an issue that is very audible.
Audeze seems to be able to make drivers that do not ring as much.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

Yes, Audeze drivers are very linear and low distortion.
I went up from an EDXS to an LCD-XC.
At three times the price of the Hifiman, the XC is very good, and it should be.
But in all honesty , I still thing The EDXS is really good and comfortable .

 

[JeroenNietDoen79]

So I received my Edition XS 2 weeks ago along with a Topping DX3 Pro+. From reading these forums before purchasing I assumed this would be a great combi. Now I did run into problems and even though I've sent the Topping DX3 Pro+ back I still like to find out what could've been the problem and from that make a better purchase later.

So I have a Creative G6 and to run the Edition XS at a volume for daily usage (watch streams, Discord voicechat etc) the volume sits at 30%. When I want to listen music I turn it upto 40% and it's good. I can turn it upto 50 or 60% and it's pretty loud, I wouldn't want to go any higher. So, the Creative G6 has plenty of power left to feed into the Edition XS.

Now the Topping DX3 Pro+. To achieve the same daily usage volume compared to the G6 I have to run it at -20db on low gain. -35db on High gain. Now if I want to achieve a good listening volume on low gain I've to go to -15/-10db and at that point I feel as if the highs are becoming distorted. Everyhing sounds not as clean. But in general, seems as if there's barely power left and it's pushing the Topping to it's limits where it starts to sound bad. On high gain the same effect can be heard, it's just a little more power available.

Now, is this the very low impedance of the Edition XS that's causing the Topping issues that, from what I read, Amirm noticed in his measurements or did I have a faulty DX3 Pro+? Reason I want to know is because I still want to replace the Creative G6 for something a little more HiFi looking, and so it's important to find which dac/amp's I should aim for.

 

[IAtaman]

So I received my Edition XS 2 weeks ago along with a Topping DX3 Pro+. From reading these forums before purchasing I assumed this would be a great combi. Now I did run into problems and even though I've sent the Topping DX3 Pro+ back I still like to find out what could've been the problem and from that make a better purchase later.

So I have a Creative G6 and to run the Edition XS at a volume for daily usage (watch streams, Discord voicechat etc) the volume sits at 30%. When I want to listen music I turn it upto 40% and it's good. I can turn it upto 50 or 60% and it's pretty loud, I wouldn't want to go any higher. So, the Creative G6 has plenty of power left to feed into the Edition XS.

Now the Topping DX3 Pro+. To achieve the same daily usage volume compared to the G6 I have to run it at -20db on low gain. -35db on High gain. Now if I want to achieve a good listening volume on low gain I've to go to -15/-10db and at that point I feel as if the highs are becoming distorted. Everyhing sounds not as clean. But in general, seems as if there's barely power left and it's pushing the Topping to it's limits where it starts to sound bad. On high gain the same effect can be heard, it's just a little more power available.

Now, is this the very low impedance of the Edition XS that's causing the Topping issues that, from what I read, Amirm noticed in his measurements or did I have a faulty DX3 Pro+? Reason I want to know is because I still want to replace the Creative G6 for something a little more HiFi looking, and so it's important to find which dac/amp's I should aim for.

That is interesting. DX3 Pro+ seems to have high current protection, but it should not be an issue at all the ca 200mW levels Edition XS requires to be absurdly loud. And no, low impedance of Edition XS is not an issue for DX3 Pro+.

 

[JeroenNietDoen79]

I just can't understand why that Creative G6 outperforms the Topping DX3 Pro+ on that Edition XS. Perhaps simply a faulty unit? I'm just hesitant to purchase another one.

 

[bodhi]

I just can't understand why that Creative G6 outperforms the Topping DX3 Pro+ on that Edition XS. Perhaps simply a faulty unit? I'm just hesitant to purchase another one.

Faulty unit or user error. There are measurements of both in ASR.

Did you have same source for both with volume at same level?

In any case, if the G6 works for you then no reason to buy anything else. The sound isn't getting any better.

I used the DX3 Pro+ for a while with much harder to drive headphones, no problem. Upgraded to Sinxer SA-1 with no improvements in sound quality (knew that beforehand ofc).

 

[Ken Tajalli]

So I received my Edition XS 2 weeks ago along with a Topping DX3 Pro+. From reading these forums before purchasing I assumed this would be a great combi. Now I did run into problems and even though I've sent the Topping DX3 Pro+ back I still like to find out what could've been the problem and from that make a better purchase later.

So I have a Creative G6 and to run the Edition XS at a volume for daily usage (watch streams, Discord voicechat etc) the volume sits at 30%. When I want to listen music I turn it upto 40% and it's good. I can turn it upto 50 or 60% and it's pretty loud, I wouldn't want to go any higher. So, the Creative G6 has plenty of power left to feed into the Edition XS.

Now the Topping DX3 Pro+. To achieve the same daily usage volume compared to the G6 I have to run it at -20db on low gain. -35db on High gain. Now if I want to achieve a good listening volume on low gain I've to go to -15/-10db and at that point I feel as if the highs are becoming distorted. Everyhing sounds not as clean. But in general, seems as if there's barely power left and it's pushing the Topping to it's limits where it starts to sound bad. On high gain the same effect can be heard, it's just a little more power available.

Now, is this the very low impedance of the Edition XS that's causing the Topping issues that, from what I read, Amirm noticed in his measurements or did I have a faulty DX3 Pro+? Reason I want to know is because I still want to replace the Creative G6 for something a little more HiFi looking, and so it's important to find which dac/amp's I should aim for.

Yes, the topping won't do on low impedance phones.
What's your budget?

 

[JeroenNietDoen79]

Yes, the topping won't do on low impedance phones.
What's your budget?

I guess if it's really worth it €400,-.

 

[Ken Tajalli]

I guess if it's really worth it €400,-.

Sorry should have asked before, Desktop or portable?

 

[solderdude]

DX3pro can only reach 2V in 14 Ohm.
117dB peak. With Harman EQ about 110dB peak so should go pretty loud.

 

[JeroenNietDoen79]

Sorry should have asked before, Desktop or portable?

Desktop.