Submitted by hurtyewh t3_yht2pb in headphones
Comments
ku1185 t1_iufwi11 wrote
>someone returned a pair that has been lacking it or snatched the cable and returned what I believe to be a completely unused headphone
Who in god's name steals a Hifiman stock cable?
hurtyewh OP t1_iufxlus wrote
Mad people I tell ya!
ku1185 t1_iufyjxj wrote
I can't eat. I can't sleep. I've lost my will to live knowing that someone exists that would go out of their way to steal a cable like that. I've lost faith in humanity.
Gofa_Kirselph t1_iug1u40 wrote
Yeah, I won’t be able to sleep either. I’m gonna stay up late at night wondering why they didn’t get a 400se and swiped that cable instead. Or better yet, buy a cheap ass one from Amazon for $20.
EDIT: Swiped not swapped
dongas420 t1_iugscxf wrote
Have you seen what the US medical system charges for catheter tubing? Desperation can drive people to do some wild things.
hurtyewh OP t1_iugvn11 wrote
These don't come with that one. I had it from the HE6se V2.
therealbrookthecook t1_iug1nj6 wrote
The bass from the Edition XS is quite nice from my experience.
hurtyewh OP t1_iugvv2o wrote
Yeah, it certainly is, but not Audeze good. It has a hint of that ease and lightness lacking physicality that the Arya V2 had really bad, but it's still overall very good.
QTIIPP t1_iugoaoy wrote
Everyone’s ears are different! Glad you are enjoying them so much.
I certainly don’t completely disagree, as I’d say they really are one of the best under $500. However, I had a lot of issues with tonality (mids felt super sucked away/recessed, small, and dark), timbre, and comfort, but that’s kind of a side note. Tuning could be a plus for very specific music, but overall even for electronic it still was just “fine” to me - acceptable and on par or a hair better than the average headphone in this kind of price bracket. Where the XS seemed to shine was everything outside of tuning (and comfort haha).
Compared to something like the Ananda, it was immediate which one I preferred. I’m perhaps one of the few that would easily skip and XS and get the Ananda - no question. The price jump to the LCD-X does start to feel difficult. This is where I find diminishing returns to really start hitting hard…
Cheers!
mapuanclem t1_iugouhm wrote
Was it the Ananda Stealth you got to listen to? Just sold my V1 and thinking of buying the Stealth.
QTIIPP t1_iugp56r wrote
No I had the previous version for a while. Haven’t tried the stealth.
N0TaC0PP t1_iuh7esd wrote
I have the Edition XS and the LCD-X 2021, I pretty much agree with everything you said.
I'm not an audiophile, so all I will say is I like the presentation better on the Edition XS. I am always wowed by the Edition XS.
The bass on the LCD-X is amazing, the impact is on another level while keeping clarity. I need to EQ the LCD-X bass to get that magnificent impact.
I wish I could take the clear impact bass from the LCD-X and give it to the Edition XS. There would be no need to ever upgrade again.
Have you tried the Arya Stealth?
I am selling my LCD-X and am thinking of returning the Edition XS to get the ARYA Stealth.
Wellhellob t1_iuhfv1z wrote
XS to Arya Stealth:
More controlled but more punchy and dynamic bass. Controlled as in it's more fast, precise and doesn't linger. XS's bass softer and looser, little bigger and wilder. The amount is same i think but delivery different.
More concentrated soundstage. More immersive and closer with more precise imaging. Overall more aggressive and engaging sound.
Excellent separation, detail, technicalities. Easy upgrade here
Less treble but i must say the treble little more offensive on Arya SE than XS. XS have more treble but it's softer, gentler.
Way better build, way better overall fit but more clamp force.
Way better timbre.
More physical and fuller sound.
N0TaC0PP t1_iui1nf5 wrote
thanks for the info!
How does the bass EQ compared to the XS?
I usually add a bass shelf and bass filter with +6db of bass or sub-bass(depending on song). I find the XS get muffled with too much bass. The LCD-X can EQ much further while keeping the bass clean and impactful.
I will probably buy the Arya SE off amazon to compare to the XS.
Wellhellob t1_iuij6kk wrote
Arya SE sound sharper, incisive overall. XS can be ''blobby'.
You can eq as much as you want but i don't know how is LCD X.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuh8nnm wrote
I'm not sure since one Arya I tested I assumed was the Stealth, but I didn't realize to make sure if it was the V2. Many say that the Stealth does bass much better, but the measurements show an sub-bass drop that wasn't present on the V2 so I find it very hard to believe that there's a meaningful difference. As I mentioned I'd much have the bass of the XS than Arya, but Anands is also better than Arya in the bass. Were I to look for an upgrade I'd check the Ananda first though from memory (which is always questionable) I don't recall them being that much better. HE1000v2 would be to me much more interesting than the Arya with it's new competitive pricing.
Wellhellob t1_iuhfaol wrote
That's a big no. You must've heard v2. Stealth definitely more dynamic than any of these.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuhg76q wrote
Well I'll go check when I get the chance. Headphones.com review compares the Stealth to V2 saying:
"Now, if the Arya Stealth pulls the short end of the stick here for any reason, it would be for its perception of ‘slam’ and ‘texture’ characteristics. Bass transients on the Arya Stealth are articulated somewhat...softly even with the aid of DSP from the iFi Micro Black Label’s XBass switch. Take for example the typically heavy, impactful drum machines of Apink's "My oh My" which are best described as sounding somewhat puffy and aloof on the Arya Stealth."
So I'm guessing my hunch is correct for my preferences at least.
Wellhellob t1_iuhhclv wrote
I'm talking about egg shape headphones. Arya Stealth have noticeably better dynamics than XS and especially Ananda.
Compared to other cans like HE6 yeah Arya SE falls short. They have this atmospheric bass. You don't get direct pressurized hit from earcups, you get a soft hit from somewhere in the soundstage. But SE have this fast transient-y punchy bass unlike XS and Ananda. Ananda is completely flat in my book. It's dynamics so bad that it almost breaks the headphone. XS is fine but it doesn't have the immediacy of Arya SE. XS bass sound kinda bigger and looser, leaves more linger in the stage.
elaboratecorpse t1_iuhbrfi wrote
One thing that I don't really see mentioned much anywhere is how big that head band actually is. I wanted to buy these, and almost pulled the trigger online. Fortunately, I made the decision to take the time and visit a store to demo first. They didn't even fit me, they were so loose and just turning my head back and fourth slowly dislodged them. It's the first time I've ever had that happen with a headphone.
Ended up with the Arya instead.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuhbzaq wrote
Yeah, I could've mentioned that I'm a big guy with a head to match and the first notch is as far as I'd need to go. Someone with a giant head would likely be very happy about this, but people with smaller ones might have issues. I can't really use the Ananda since they don't swivel and the pads put pressure behind my ears and don't seal in front.
elaboratecorpse t1_iuhdmaz wrote
Sorry my dude, that was not a shot at your review at all. Thought it was very informative.
When I started looking at the XS, a lot of reviews never mentioned how big they were (maybe this is just a 'known' thing in the community). People mention the headband a lot, but it's mostly about comfort. Imagine my surprise when I put those bad boys on haha. maybe other than the sundara, I assume it's mostly just a hifiman thing, with those big old egg cans.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuhgjsm wrote
No worries, I didn't take it as such. Just realized that it is something worth mentioning. In general I don't mention comfort and build much since I have no idea what is the Harman target equivalent for comfort and very rarely do I have any issues worth mentioning anyway so I'm stuck in an extremely subjective point of view.
[deleted] t1_iufkdlq wrote
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[deleted] t1_iug1rxz wrote
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ImpressiveEffort9449 t1_iuibxlc wrote
Hey OP, saw you have the dusk! I personally love my Blessing 2's, and occasionally use them with the dusk EQ though I honestly can't tell much of a difference between it and my personal EQ.
How do you feel the mids and treble on the XS compare to the dusk? Id love to make the jump to these as my end game until further notice, but man I just fucking love the mids on these Blessing 2's. I personally can't stand sennheisers so it's always been a search for me to find something that is a bit of an all arounder. Mids being the star of the show, Solid Bass, and I definitely lean to the slightly bright side of treble, so the B2s felt perfect for me.
Do you think the XS would be a solid jump? I absolutely loved the Sundara's with some sub bass EQ when I had them.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuifrd1 wrote
I can compare the two a bit later. Would you use EQ with XS and what do you like about the mids that's less good with something else? What song would be a good example of that?
ImpressiveEffort9449 t1_iuj1s4i wrote
That would be awesome! And honestly i'm fairly basic in terms of EQ, I usually just give a sub bass boost and that's it. As for Mids, I would clarify and say vocals really. As much as I enjoy bass, Vocals and treble is really what I get my enjoyment from. I pretty much always want the best aspect of my listening experience to come from vocals.
Female vocals: https://open.spotify.com/track/5cRKj1kynNFqiliT2ndZ3y?si=0dd229313b124ee1 In particular 2:30-3:00 or so is something I use to judge headphones a lot since I know how it sounds and it's got a little bit of everything.
And something on the complete opposite side of the spectrum that is the "style" of music I regularly listen to in terms of bass/treble: https://open.spotify.com/track/260jSxvzkFt71ksvkcy2ke?si=3fef393c754b48ca
I was going to look for something with male vocals but honestly there's not a lot of songs with them that I particularly enjoy the vocals on. Maybe some Sam Smith but some of those are terribly recorded.
For what it's worth I used to have a pair of LCD-GX which after EQ'ing I was told by a Audeze rep wouldn't be much different than a less resolving X.
CPOx t1_iuieqh7 wrote
I really enjoyed the sound of the XS but unfortunately couldn’t get a comfortable fit even with an extra pad on top. My quest for my next headphone continues.
AA_Watcher t1_iuipk5d wrote
The HE6se V2 is a killer headphone for the sale price if you have the amplification and get lucky with a pair that doesn't arrive with loose magnets stuck to the diaphragm.
Hail_LordHelix t1_iujnrg3 wrote
Yeah it's about as close to a giant killer as you can get in this hobby. The amount of performance and the quality of the bass is friggen impressive provided you have the means to drive it (and it's not DOA).
hurtyewh OP t1_iuipskx wrote
I doubt it's as bad as that. I know almost a dozen people who have them and no one has had any issue.
AA_Watcher t1_iuiucp1 wrote
I've read lots of stories about the HE6se V2. It has (or had) some major QA issues with the glue holding the magnets. Even seen people had to return it several times till they got one that wasn't broken. I'm sure most of them are fine tho, but the amount of stories I've heard is somewhat concerning.
hurtyewh OP t1_iuj1suk wrote
Okay. I wonder if that's changed over time or something.
Impossible-Stop2243 t1_iui2gpi wrote
These are just great and im in love with the Hifiman sound! But guys, im on -45 karma even though I always been most excellent towards me fellow redditors. i cant post my headphones here ! please help good peeps!
hurtyewh OP t1_iui8ye5 wrote
You just need to have better takes on Tidal, peoples headphone choices etc ;)
hurtyewh OP t1_iufkegh wrote
I spotted an Edition XS on Amazon Warehouse for 340€/$ and the condition was the lowest (acceptable) so I thought to give them a try since I can always return them as well. Turns out the condition was mint without a single speck of dust on them, but they were missing the cable. So either someone returned a pair that has been lacking it or snatched the cable and returned what I believe to be a completely unused headphone. Yay, as they say.
I've been spending a few days with these and just did a more formal playlist testing and I have to say these are seriously good even without EQ. The tonality is not quite the best I've ever heard, but very very close. These sound great with almost any music as is. Just a little lack of bass and some not-so-bad sibilance (Melody Gardot) were the only issues I was able to spot in my test with 10 songs from Chris Jones to Opeth. I'm used to hating the sound without EQ almost on every headphone so it is a very pleasant surprise to be quite happy as is. All the technicals are 9/10 or above with a nice open soundstage that doesn't ruing intimacy or make music feel distant and allows for a great sense of space when it should (London Grammar, Plini). Separation that makes the messiest of metal passages very readable (Opeth). Macro dynamics (speed) that have nice energy and drive and tactility in the bass (Daft Punk, Dream Theater). Timbre and detail that is very natural and pleasant (Chris Jones, Adam Baldych). Everything is just great. I still can't believe these do Opeth well even without EQ.
Comfort is fine though a bit bulky and even if there isn’t particular clamp they put some pressure on the jaws that builds over time. For me at least. Comfort is more individual than sound preferences.vs
LCD-X (2021): I compared these to a few headphones and felt that the twice as expensive LCD-X is the closest competition. Arya (pre-stealth at least) had much worse bass even with EQ and timbral issues so I'd much prefer these. Ananda is really nice, but I can't think of a reason to pay much more for them and they also need EQ more. LCD-X and these go head-to-head in most ways when EQ'd, but without the Edition XS is an instant winner 100%. When EQ'd to Harman these have a bigger soundstage, but equally distant from my ideal staging so I'd call it a draw. Separation is a bit different with these since the larger soundstage places instruments etc further apart, but the LCD-X has better clarity within the stage in a way. Hard to compare. Timbre is a bit better on the LCD-X in the bass and mids with some strings and drums having more saturation and texture, less airiness, but the highs are cleaner on the XS. LCD-X has a bit more fuller sound and the bass is heavier and deeper so for EDM etc I’d take the Audeze for sure. Overall, I’d say that if you want bigger soundstage and spend half the money then XS is the obvious choice and you’re certainly not missing much, but if build quality and the mentioned benefits sound attractive then LCD-X is a solid choice though harder to EQ well due to higher unit variation. I’m not yet sure which I would take over the other, but I could still sell my LCD-X that’s in warranty and make about $500.
vs Bathys: I haven’t spent enough to time with the Bathys to be absolutely certain, but I’d likely take the Edition XS over them. Bathys are a fantastic Bluetooth headphone with a great tuning, but it is a closed back and didn’t seem to particularly excel in anything while being good for the price.
vs HE6se: Here we see that the XS is nowhere near the technical ability of the HE6se V2 except in soundstage which is rather small on the latter. The tuning is a bit better on the HE6 and everything from bass impact and detail to timbre is just a step (or three) above.
Conclusion: Hifiman has put out another top tier contender for a price that is extremely competitive when it comes to sound performance. What Sundara is at the $300 price range these are for the $500-600. Just excellent and certainly very difficult to move up from. I’d take an LCD-5, Susvara, HE6se V2, maybe HE1000se V2 and potentially LCD-X over the XS, but I struggle coming up with much else. Nothing Meze, Focal, Sennheiser (HE-1 not included) or Beyerdynamic. Haven’t heard DCA or ZMF’s so maybe there’s something. Really makes me think that Hifiman is in a league of its own in sound price-performance nowadays.
Edit:
Gaming: these don't do well in directional clarity just like every Hifiman I've ever tried. They're of course fine and better than most gaming headphones, but nowhere near K 240 etc.