Hifiman Edition XS disappointment

Submitted by Leather_Vegetable10 t3_z8mh35 in headphones

Hi

Following the advice on this subreddit I bought Hifiman Edition XS as an upgrade to my Philips Fidelio x2hr and oh man how big of a mistake it was. Well, they do sound good, very clear and detailed sound but compared to Fidelio they are simply boring and lifeless to listen to. I couldn't use Oratory equalizer settings because my Sound BlasterX g6 have just fixed graphical equalizer.

Am I doing something wrong? And before ill advices to change g6 for other DAC/AMP - g6 is more than capable to run Edition XS, for my ears they are super loud on 20/100 volume.

Regards

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Comments

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rnzlsn t1_iycama5 wrote

In general the stuff that gets recommended (Hifiman, HD560s etc) leans on accurate sound reproduction which many (not all) will find boring and lifeless when coming from consumer tuned headphones. This is true especially for bass, the Philips has more bass. That’s why I’m hesitant to recommend audio enthusiast tuned gear to people coming new to this hobby. I feel like it’s good to try those and see if it’s your preference. But eq will help. You could try a bass lift of 3-5 db with eq.

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blorg t1_iycm1c8 wrote

You can install Equalizer APO and use it with any soundcard including the Sound BlasterX G6. Besides that though if you are coming from the Fidelio you probably want to start with a bass boost, the X2HR are quite bassy for an open back.

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Leather_Vegetable10 OP t1_iycn2i7 wrote

Would I have to use SBX g6 in Direct Mode for it to not overwrite the Equalizer APO settings?

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blorg t1_iycntaj wrote

I think, possibly. I don't have that specific device, but if you were using Equalizer APO and doing the EQ there would probably make sense to have it flat. I think can can chain, like you could have Equalizer APO doing the EQ first and then have the Sound Blaster doing further processing, but generally preferable just to do the DSP in one place I think to keep it simple.

People seem to use it with that, there are even some specific handling software for it:

/r/SoundBlasterOfficial/comments/v2yjve/soundblasterx_g6_issue_installing_equalizer_apo/
/r/SoundBlasterOfficial/comments/dyr2nw/improve_sound_blaster_headphone_audio_for_free/
https://github.com/heftyy/sb-output-controller

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The_D0lph1n t1_iydag48 wrote

No, just disable SBX effects. I have Equalizer APO on my G6 without using Direct Mode, and the equalization effects work fine. I don't use any EQ options on the G6 itself.

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jb22625 t1_iydkafq wrote

Not required but probably the better option

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No-Context5479 t1_iycop4d wrote

They're boring cos they don't have the massive and bloaty bass lift the X2HR had for you so you feel it's linear in the low end. I'm a basshead but the X2HR's bass is a bit loose with added treble unevenness so yes the Edition XS would sound boring to you.

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JustAu69 t1_iydrgky wrote

It will take you a while to adjust based on the difference in sound signatures. If you want a fun bassy headphones Edition XS is not it.

And yes there is more to DACs and amps than power. If you are looking to purchase more enthusiast headphones in the future an upgrade will be worthwhile

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Gr33hn t1_iycsxc7 wrote

Now you know why you should always seek to audition things before buying.

That said you will probably get used to the new sound signature if you listen to it enough after which it will sound better to you.

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Pokrog t1_iydn176 wrote

The G6 is not powering them well. They have a firm minimum and the G6 does not meet it. I've tried them on around 50 amps and the Asgard 3 or SMSL SH-9 with a balanced cable are the two cheapest options for an amp. The G6 is not relevant in today's market.

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covertash t1_iye25p9 wrote

The most important question always boils down to: how long have you used them?

If you've been using the your old pairs <insert literally any headphones> for years on end, and only just listened to these <again, insert literally any other headphones> for a few hours, then give it time. Listen to the new ones exclusively for a week or two on end, and then go back to the old ones to see if you still feel the same way.

The advice is generic and mundane in nature, but it's tried and true to root out any preconceived biases, and to give the new pair a fair shot.

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VisceralVoyage420 t1_iydne17 wrote

I'm running the Edition XS with an Asus Xonar Essence STX with Burson Audio op-amps and I really like them. I don't think they're lifeless at all. I add a bit of EQ, including a +3dB low shelf.

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arey510 t1_iye1cks wrote

I use them on an Ifi zen stack & they slap

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Impossible-Stop2243 t1_iycq2wb wrote

You have to wait for a month atleast and let it do its thing, one fine day it will be magic!

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