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SaltMembership4339 t1_j0ygk9j wrote

Reply to comment by AyeYoYoYO in Hi. For gaming, do you migrate from HD560s to 600, 6xx, 650, or 660? To continue the wide soundstage and directional imaging. by ostuniman

Hifiman Edition XS destroys any AKG, Ath or most sennheisers. Its neck to neck with 3 times expensive hd800 on sound quality.

QUOTE FROM RTINGS. FYI Sundara is worse version of XS.

>The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are better for neutral sound than the AKG K712 PRO. The HiFiMan have a more neutral, well-balanced sound profile, which some listeners may prefer. Their passive soundstage is also perceived as bigger and more open. On the other hand, the AKG come with a longer, 10-foot audio cable. They're also much more breathable.

HIFIMAN EDITION XS VS SENNHEISER HD 800 RTINGS.COM they are comparable to 3 times expensive headphones which is nobrainer choice

>The Sennheiser HD 800 S and the HiFiMan Edition XS are both excellent audiophile headphones with slight differences. The Sennheiser headphones have dynamic transducers, are more comfortable and well-built. They also have a slightly better mid accuracy, which ensures that vocals and lead instruments sound clear, accurate, and natural, while their passive soundstage creates a more out-of-head audio experience. In comparison, the HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones. Thanks to their design, they're able to reproduce bass more accurately. They also deliver audio even more consistently than the Sennheiser.

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AyeYoYoYO t1_j109yzf wrote

I disagree. Hifiman’s entire range, while technically impressive in some aspects, all seem to have unnatural, recessed ranges in key frequency response zones, namely, from 1.5k-2k, and from 9k-10k. I am very very particular about these ranges, and especially avoid headphones without sufficient presence between 1k-3k.

I don’t dispute that the edition XS is impressive for its price in some regards, but it’s frequency response adjust has two glaring spots I could never tolerate, nor fix with EQ, without introducing other problems which would proclude them from being used in reference work and sound design work.

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SaltMembership4339 t1_j10dawu wrote

Hmm.. Well you seem to know more than me. But after reading peoples feedback and rtings tech review then all seems to be fine. You got any source where theres issue on that particular frequency thing?

But still soundstage what you advertised on AKGs is alot better on Hifimans, maybe theres that frequency thing but overall Hifimans should be superior headphones in almost every aspect.

And suggesting headphones for your personal ears not thinking about wider audience is not a good look.

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AyeYoYoYO t1_j10nfx8 wrote

The frequency dips exhibited across the hifiman range are located in two specific frequency bands, and those bands and several others are often the distinguishing factor between a professional or reference quality headphone, and one meant to maximize consumer enjoyment of poorly recorded music from the last or indie groups of the present.

Hifiman range house FR tendencies are not there to be neutral or fully exposing of everything there. They are made to make harsh recordings sound less harsh in the two frequency bands which a large segment of the population find irritating.

Problem is, when you listen to extremely well engineered well mixed great recordings, the vocals and upper midrange detail as well as percussion sparkle are very recessed in every hifiman headphone, it’s a conscious tuning choice the company has made to please a significant portion of sensitive lay consumers.

So for those who find many treble - rich headphones fatigueing or irritating, hifiman can be a good choice. But for those who want something more neutral and more honest, more revealing of every detail present, or those who need such detail to work properly, they are not the best choice.

I would also add that the XS soundstage is not superior at all to the AKG K6/7/8 series. The soundstage width does come very close though. But because of the tuning, they simply cannot match the upper mid fine detail and high end sparkle and overall FR honesty in the similar width space the XS can provide.

AKG’s k6/7/8 lines can do more detail and more sparkle and more revealing, accurate placement, in a giant Nearly 360’ space, as opposed to just a laterally wide space

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SaltMembership4339 t1_j10t17q wrote

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-edition-xs-launched.960155/page-59

Heres a guy who compares Aryas and XS and talks briefly about the recessing thing and says its improved on XS.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/hifiman-edition-xs.27903/page-20

Also here people talk about the same issue, but it does not seems as bad as you make out to be. It kind of increases soundstage at the expense of little recess. Im no expert tho

Seems like really minor thing and if you are no hardcore audiophile you get more out of Hifimans than everything else there is under 500 dollars. But that is my opinion.

And theres also wiring problems in k702, there loads of people complain about it. I wouldnt risk. And about the soundstage you are right, they seem slightly better at that.

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AyeYoYoYO t1_j111xpd wrote

It’s true that recessing in those regions does give a sense of increased distance of instruments. But to me, the K812, HD800 & 800s already do this to its maximum tolerable level. Hifiman’s range overdoes it in an attempt to maximize percieved soundstage width, and it comes of too contrived to me.

It’s also my biggest critique of the K812 & HD800 lines.

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SaltMembership4339 t1_j1155qy wrote

Oh ok. My hifimans xs should arrive soon and maybe thats im too biased about them and i find ways why they are better than others. I did alot research and found they seemed best choice for under 500. However i missed the recess thing about them and now im second guessing. I have to try em myself, my old headphones are ath m50x so i do not know what to expect.

The k812 and HD800 were out my pricerange so i hope i got the next best thing. HD800 would be my dream headphones but they cost a fortune sadly

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AyeYoYoYO t1_j11c7so wrote

I understand your excitement for your upcoming headphones, but before speaking C so demonstrably with such assumed authority next time, limit such passionate comments to headphones you have heard in person, over a wide variety of genres and volumes

The Xs will be a very significant upgrade over your M50x, which while decent in the midrange and lower treble, has badly bloated muddy bass

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SaltMembership4339 t1_j11dzik wrote

I just referred to reviews and peoples overall opinion on these. Point is they are more recommended than other headphones on 500 dollar class. Rarely bad word about them and they are compared to 2-3 times expensive headphones. Maybe if you have thousands to spend Hifiman is not the best choice but at that price point they seem best you can buy.

They are clear upgrade from hd 600 series OP was wanting to upgrade from. K712 does not seem as good upgrade and K812 is crazy expensive, just like hd800. Hifiman XS seems good middle ground

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