HIFIMAN Edition XS Full-Size Over-Ear Open-Back Planar Magnetic Hi-Fi Headphones with Stealth Magnets Design, Adjustable Headband, Detachable Cable for Audiophiles, Home, Studio-Black

UPDATE 10/8/2025 went from 4* to 5* These have grown on me in the past year or two since I bought them. I have changed my opinion and I appologize to anyone who bought the HD 600 over these because of my earlier review. Now the HD600 sound cheap by comparison (but they are more expensive - mine are aging so maybe the new ones are better IDK I bought mine used and never had an issue listening to them but my friend recommended the XS and when they went on sale, I bought a pair and now I am glad). The HD 600's comfort are lighter and don't slip on my head (they cling to the head better without hurting my head or ears) but in terms of sound quality, having used these instead of the Sennheiser HD 600 for over a year, going back to those, I prefer the sound of these quite more. The bass is punchier, the mids are cleaner and the highs are more pronounced. By contrast, the HD 600 sound a little shouty, reserved and like a bit is missing - not just details but headspace and imaging. I assume this would be because the HFM have larger planar (lightweight) drivers, they can spread music out wider, deeper and I can literally hear kickdrums coming from the bottom at times. The 600 are good but these are 50% better and cheaper. HFM has made me a fan. I honestly can't go back to Sennheiser without feeling it is much less of a positive experience - although the 600 are good and easier to wear. To address what I have read about the XS "lacking bass": I am not a basshead but I do like bass and I understand that pleasure - of slightly immoderate bass-heaviness (I do not like insane bass levels). I prefer well-controlled and articulated bass and the XS has it. For my taste (mostly hard rock), there is plenty of bass to these for anyone who wants to feel like they are clearly hearing the music and not looking for bass to over-power clarity. I have JBL studio 580 speakers and SkullCandy Smokin' Buds earbuds that lean towardss bass-richness and those are fun but less detailed. These are much clearer. Still, I have no problem recommending those for cheap, heavier bass options, so long as clarity isn't the main goal. The SkullCandy Smokin' Buds are a best value IMO and plenty good enough for working and I would heavily endorse them for $15-$20 buds. Anyway..back to the XS. The biggest issue I have with the XS is the weight on the head, the slippage (can't bend over very much with these on, and can't work easily wearing these if work has much bending) and on some songs you can hear reflections on the earcups, or that's how it sounds to me. This is mostly noticable on tracks that are lower quality where the bass is more pronounced and highs and upper-mids are less pronounced (more of a recording issue than headphone issue) then I hear some reflections on the earcups (I think). Now I notice a forwardness to the HD 600's mid-range (I thought those were perfect mids before) that the HIFiMan does not have. I find the 600 slightly bothersome now. I think for most, even those with critical listening ears like audiophiles (I am), the XS is the way to go. It would be hard to say you need anything more. I listen to the XS plugged straight to my phone. I am curious what higher end HFM offer but I can't say it would be necessary and I am pleased 100% with these. Recommended 10/10. ORIGINAL THOUGHTS: I own Sennheiser HD600. Without EQ I prefer the Sennheiser. With the treble turned down, I prefer the HFM ed XS. There is too much treble. If I had it to do over, I would probably wait and try the more expensive Ananda Nano for $499. I have not went back to my Sennheiser HD600 since I have owned the XS. But, they aren't the cleanest sounding headphones. They are good but still at $269, I think it is priced all it is worth. The cable is nice and I like the 3.5mm ( jacks that release at the headphones. My favorite thing is the comfort. My mom said they are too large for her head and she had difficulty keeping them on her head. The HD600 are comfortable but I think these are more so. Also, keeps my ears cooler than the Sennheiser's. The best part of these over the HD600 is the bass. The mids are cleaner on the Sennheiser, IMO. The highs are overbearing and make the phones sound thin if left unequalized. The HD600 never required equalization IMO. It's a good headphone and I have thoroughly enjoyed them but they have clarity issues and are not the best balanced with a rather harsh and sibilant treble. If you are looking to upgrade headphones in this price range like the Sennheiser HD600 (probably the most popular rival of these) you can probably get better comfort, a nice cable and 3.5mm jacks instead of the proprietary Sennheiser junk (at the headphones). Also, the sound has more bass but at the expense of mid clarity and maybe instrument separation. It is very close but 5% better IMO. Not as much better as I hoped but I did keep them and haven' gone back but I am not blown away so to speak.

I am not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination. I don't know all the ins and outs of music production and sound. I can't tell you about lows, mids and highs. But I do love listening to music, and I have a modest sound system in my office with that allows me to enjoy it. I had purchased a Topping DX3Pro+ about a year and a half ago or so and I also purchased some Sennheiser HD 660 S along with it. I like the headphones, but they don't quite have the kick in the bass department that I like. I have tried using an equalizer to increase the bass output, but due to the setup of my PC and how I put it to sleep, that method inconsistent. So I convinced myself I didn't need the bass in my headphones and I would just use my floorstanding speakers with 12" woofer to listen to music that I want to enjoy some bass (my kids "love" when they are trying to play PS5 in the same room /s). Enter the HIFIMAN Edition XS headphones. After reading more about planar magnetic headphones and knowing that they can reproduce more bass than my Sennheiser's, I was ready to pull the trigger at the $270 price point to give them a shot. And boy am I happy I did. The amount of bass in these headphones is considerable compared to the 660s and it is perfect for my listening preferences. It's not too overbearing that it muddles the sound, but it's just right for what I like. Even on my 12" sub, I have it set around the mid point, maybe slightly less, as I don't enjoy overbearing bass. These are perfect for me, and I enjoy the open back style more than closed back. Less warm on the ears and kind of opens up the soundstage a little bit. In some tracks you feel like the sound might be several feet away, it's quite remarkable. Some songs just sound different in these in that respect and I like it. The music kind of feels like it's around you, not right in your ear hole. I do not have any issue driving these headphones with my DX3Pro+, the volume is quite sufficient at around -20db on the readout with the boosted gain. I have gone louder closer to 0db, but this is higher than I would normally run them so I didn't really listen for distortion at this level or check to see if my DX3Pro+ would crash due to the load. So far I haven't had any issues whatsoever with this DAC and headphone combo working together and I am really happy with the sound quality. The overall size of the headband is quite large. I do have a slightly bigger head, but not gigantic. I adjusted the headband one click from the smallest for my head size. I could see some individuals with a smaller head having issues wearing these comfortably and still have the headband rest on top of their head. If you have a smaller head, you might want to try finding these somewhere to try on before purchasing or knowing that you might have to return them if they are too large. I do want to highlight two issues I have had the headphones, but not issues that I would dock a star for. The first issue is as others have pointed out in other reviews, the cord that comes with the headphone is quite short. I can't lean very far away from my desk without risking pulling my DAC off the desk. Would have been nice to have a longer cable. The second issue is that they are quite heavy compared to other headphones I use, and there's something about the headband that after about a half hour of listening, my head starts to hurt where the headband rests. I have to adjust slightly to relieve the pressure. I have noticed the longer I use these headphones that this becomes less and less of a problem, but I didn't have this issue with the Sennheiser or the Audio Technicas that I have. It's to the point now, though, where I don't notice it and I was listening for several hours recently and when I was finished, I didn't even notice it, so this issue may go away as you get used to the weight. I have seen some reviews on here where people say if you move, you will hear plastic cracks and creaks if you move your head with these headphones on. I don't really notice this myself. Sometimes I wear glasses when using headphones, and they are plastic themselves, so I notice they will creak with any headphone I am wearing, so I might be desensitized to it. I was wearing contacts recently while wearing the headphones and tried moving my head around to see if I could get them to make noicse, and they did a little bit, but not so much that I would say I was annoyed or would notice during normal use when I wasn't actively trying to focus on it. I have also seen some review about the build quality. I feel like the build quality is sufficient for the price I paid, and I'm not throwing my headphones around or dropping them frequently, so I think they will last for a long time with how I treat them. There is nothing about them that makes me feel like they aren't worth the price point I paid. The foam stand that comes with the boxes insert is a little gimmicky, but I'm actually using it as my headphone stand already has my Sennheisers and my Audio Technicas hanging from it, so I do have a place to put them for now, but I won't use it long term. The foam is quite stiff and if not careful, I worry it will cause wear on the headband. I haven't noticed any yet, just a long term concern I have, and I will probably be purchasing a new headphone stand soon. Overall, as you can see from my rating, I am really happy with this purchase. The planar magnetic speakers in these really give a sound that I find quite appealing with great bass for my listening preferences. And at this price point, I have no regrets about buying these headphones whatsoever. These will be my daily drivers for headphone music listening from now on.

Not that long ago, these headphones were selling for 500.00. I wanted them then, but my budget wouldn't allow it. At 209.00, I feel like I've committed a larceny. I've owned a lot of headphones over the years, but the Edition XS, even at the previous price of 500.00; hits the sweet spot. I won't try to impress you with terms like soundstage, detail, imaging and space. These have that and more. The large ear cups transmit the music from the top and the bottom of the large planar magnetic driver into your ear. Normal round cups push sound directly in. The difference is profound. This is what makes them sound so spacious and rich. If I had to describe the XS in one word...it would be immersive. Listening to a baseball game, I can make out what people in the crowd are saying in the background, not the normal crowd white noise. For the money, you're not going to find better at twice the price. You will probably have to spend several hundred more to get any real improvement. My library is made up of classic rock and Motown. These headphones are perfect for that The XS do not clamp onto your head like normal headphones. They simply cup your ears. TBH, people with smaller heads may not like these. They can feel a bit loose to some. The headband is supple and well-made. The cable included is fine. Nothing special, but it's serviceable. These headphones will need an amp or a DAC/amp to reach their potential. I have the Zen DAC III and it is sufficient. That DAC has two headphone inputs. The regular quarter inch is included so you can plug your cable into that. It also has a balanced input. I highly recommend a balanced headphone cable as it helps with clarity and adds a few db to the volume. You can search online for a sufficient amp. I recommend a DAC/amp combo like the Zen. So, why only 4 stars. Hifiman has had production quality issues in the past. In fact, before you hit the buy button on Amazon, there is a warning that these headphones have a higher than normal return percentage. The ones I received have a faulty size adjustment. The slide will fall a notch on its own, and I have to readjust it when that happens. I am not returning them because otherwise they are fantastic, and I can live with a minor inconvenience. I'll say again, at the current price of 209.00, this is the best headphone you are going to find until you get into the 600.00-800.00 range. And the XS outperforms some of those.

Coming from Sennheiser HD560S, which from RTINGS reviews and other similar sites are already excessively good at their price, and which seem to have features that are only beaten by headphones starting at $500, I found these at a discount which at this point seems to have become a permanent price. If you've read other review sites and looking to upgrade from basically anything lower priced and these are in your budget, you may have gotten the idea that these are the direct upgrade path from those. Trebles, which have always been my biggest problem in previous headphones are perfect in these, you can go as high volume as you can endure and you will not get any harsh noises. Bass isn't super booming like it would be on the WH-1000xm or airpods max, but it feels very natural, clean sounding and satisfying to hear. Midrange sounds feel like their only weaker spot, with some vocals sounding slightly "distant", but not to a point where it's a bad thing, they could only use a bit more power and it's nothing some EQ tweaking can't fix. The soundstage is beautiful. Albums that I've known for sounding like they were mixed in mono audio and have no feeling of space (tested on many headphones, even Airpods max with virtual soundstage) feel like they have been dissected and made into 360 audio with these. Other albums that were already amazing in other headphones are even better. On top of all that, with an impedance of 19ohm, you don't need an amp or anything crazy for these. Using them at half or even less volume that I did with the HD560S makes them go very loud, and with no distortion or harsh noise. Some important negatives I would point out are that: 1. They are a bit too big for smaller heads, which in my case puts me right at the edge of where they would become uncomfortable. 2. The cable that comes with them is quite short and may not work on some setups. Additionally, though it's a small issue, the split cable feels like it never lines up straight. 3. They are both heavier and clamp the head a bit more than the HD560S, which makes extended listening lead to discomfort. 4. They are not just open back, they are VERY open back, so if you don't want people around you to listen to what you're listening to, these leak A LOT of sound. For those around you even at a distance it will sound like you're wearing small speakers over your head. In general, if you want an almost endgame upgrade over anything below them an don't feel like spending $3000 on the HD800 with an amp for them, these are possibly the best bet right now. I've had them for a week at time of review, so I can't comment on durability. If I haven't edited for durability in the coming months then it's likely that they're durable.

Even a brief look around the internet will tell you this is an amazing set of cans. And my own experience bears this out. This is a fantastic sounding set of headphones. The sound stage is plenty wide. The bass has a controlled authority and does not bleed in to the higher frequencies. On loud volumes the bass feels like you are getting a jaw massage and a back massage for your eye balls. These are really open headphones. You would be forgiven for thinking these are some kind of sunglasses because you can literally see through the drivers. You can feel the difference in pressure in your ears if you hold your palm an inch or so away from your ear while wearing the headphones which demonstrates how open these are. As a result they leak some sound and let practically all the ambient noise in. The clarity and resolution are quite detailed. The large planar drivers are everything here. The following analogy explains my feeling. There is a meme about the fighter plane A-10 Warthog being an airframe designed around the main Gatling gun that it has. That is, it is a gun with wings rather than a plane with a gun. These headphones give a similar vibe with respect to its drivers. Practically all the money you spend has gone towards the gigantic planar drivers. It is a headphone built around the drivers. You will want to have your ears higher up in relation to the cups as the drivers are positioned slightly higher in the cups. The large drivers immerse you in the sound and with certain music the instruments can seem like they are located above or below you. As a result of the focus on the drivers the rest of the build quality can feel a little cheap. The cable is definitely good. It feels premium. The plastic used in various parts seems brittle. The headband is cushioned but you can feel the internal frame underneath the foam as you run your fingers over the band. This is especially noticeable if you have owned any Beyerdynamic or Sennheiser headphones which have high quality dense plastic. It does not hold a candle to their build quality. If you keep this expectation in mind you will save yourself some remorse. The pads are also very cheap feeling and lack attention to detail in their construction. The stitching looks uneven etc. If you wear glasses the fabric on the pads can be really squeaky and get on your nerves. I immediately replaced it with a velour replacement pads. These are admittedly minor issues but some may expect more at this price point. In my opinion it is worth it regardless. The sheer size of these headphones could be problematic for smaller heads. The fit is a bit on the looser side and it might move around as you move your head to look down for example. The yokes can swivel a little which provides a nice fit to a variety of head shapes I imagine. For driving gear, they ran fine off of a Fiio K3. In the picture I have them on a Fiio K7. An amplifier is not strictly necessary to get these loud but a budget/starter amp might improve the sound if you are not happy with the sound directly off of your phone or laptop. Remember that money is better spent on headphones rather than source/driving gear. Finally I want to clarify some marketing verbiage used in the description. The magnets used are called "stealth" magnets that apparently allow sound to pass through more easily in comparison to the non-stealth version. The real difference is a change in cross section shape of the magnets that allows sound to come through more easily or cleanly or something. TLDR: Incredible sound and incredible value for money

The Hifiman Edition XS are as good as you have been reading about online, though there are a some things to be aware of before you drop some serious cash. The first time I ordered this headphone from amazon, it was listed as new and I received them in a previously returned box that was already open and used, though in like new condition, even smelled like new. The box still had the return label on it and partially ripped. That was the first thing. The second thing was the right driver on the headphones was defective. It was rattling at lower frequencies and buzzing at higher frequencies. So I received an item that was listed as new, but was open box/returned and then defective on top of that. I was beyond highly irritated. I returned them within hours of listening to them after running headphones tests and frequency sweeps. The point I'm trying to make is please make sure the item you receive is in complete working form because there have been numerous complaints about rattling and buzzing coming from some pairs. Moving on. Now that I have ordered them a second time, I was willing to give Hifiman a second chance even though I was thoroughly frustrated the very first introduction I had with them. I am pleased to say I will most likely become a long term customer of their brand and that this new pair passes the headphone tests and frequency sweeps with flying colors. They are highly pleasant to listen to. I am definitely likely to buy more headphones from their line up, specifically the HE1000 (unsure which variant), maybe the Ananda SE (though I've been hearing they are very similar to the Edition XS) and very likely the Arya SE. I am not sure if I will go higher than the HE1000's, mostly because of diminishing returns. We shall see. They have complete bass reproduction going all the way down to the sub bass region and minimal roll off, well controlled. The mids and highs are enjoyable as well, vocals in music come out very well and the highs are not too harsh or bright. Comparing them to my Sennheiser HD600's, they are well balanced and neutral type headphones. I have heard that some use them with EQ, which make them an even more outstanding headphone than it was before. In fact, I even further more recommend them with EQ. When using peace EQ interface and oratory1990's settings, these headphones become near perfect. They react very well with EQ. The cable is too short for my liking. 1.5m or around 5ft, I would highly prefer a much longer cable, closer to 10ft since it gives me more options. If I need to shorten it, I can tie it up, but I cannot lengthen it and now I need to shop around for another cable. The clamp force of the earcups is pretty low, you lean your head back and they start sliding. You lean your head forward and interestingly, they do not fall off though, so I guess it's ok, no big problems with either the clamp force or cable, though I would still change them. A lot of people like to talk about sound stage, but honestly, soundstage in any headphone can never compare to speakers properly setup in a room. Crinacle likes to say that even the best headphones can only reproduce about 15% max of the sound stage presentation of a speaker system placed in a room. With that aside, I would say that the sound stage presentation is good enough, I do not feel claustrophobic at all and I would say they are wider than the HD600's. Overall, I definitely recommend the Edition XS. The cable quality is fine, though I would make it much longer, twice as long. The build quality is ok, though as I mentioned before, you should do a frequency sweep to check for any defects as it is not uncommon to happen with these. I have been using these with a Modi/Magni 2 DAC/Amp stack, which they work very well with. Switching back and forth comparing them to my HD600's, I would go so far as saying the Edition XS will probably be used as much or more than the HD600's. I consider them a worthy contender. Highly recommended The highest recommendation when used with EQ settings from oratory1990

I couldn’t believe when I saw these Headphones go on sale for roughly half price, I was blown away. I immediately started looking up reviews online. YouTube everywhere else I can find and they were all fantastic. I thought why would I not purchase these for my stable?. For reference I own the original HiFiMan divas & also diva pro, and Ananda OG, & Koss E90 electrostatic along with my IEM collection of Shure 845, 535, 7Hz timeless, and a myriad of good ChiFi IEM’s. I have a many, many pairs of very good headphones over the years, including Audeze and Sennheiser. All of these are run, either wired or wireless, and in the case of the divas which have the R2R DAC ladder, and built-in amplification, which is really quite good. Otherwise , I use a small portable BTR5 amp/dac for wireless on any of these. My desktop amp is a woo audio fireflies and it’s amazing. Based on all the excellent reviews, I really wanted to love these. Right out of the box the sound was very good. And I knew they would get better after breaking in, the initial issue was the headband and the plastics feel and sound of creaking and cracking. I finally had to return these due to the build quality, which was unfortunately not even as good as my diva pros. The sound was still quite good, but I couldn’t deal with the overall noise coming from the headphones themselves mechanically. I am truly a HiFiMan fan and believer in their technology. I have now purchased the Arya Organic, which is simply amazing at the price point and the sound from the Woo audio fireflies tube app is Sublime , and couldn’t be more happy.! Your mileage may vary but at the price point this is a very amazing Headphone, if you could live with its idiosyncrasies day today! Overall well done, HiFiMan!

I really wanted to love the Hifiman Edition XS - but these headphones were not at all what I had expected from a high-reputation manufacturer of open-back headphones. The best way to describe my experience with them is that they seek to subvert expectations by doing the exact opposite of what the brain wants to hear when listening to headphones. The sound is very detailed, but it's all so crammed together into such a narrow area that all of that detail is so forced into a small stage, so all of that detail sounds squashed together and very fatiguing without any space between the different sounds. The best way to describe it is like being in a narrow meadow with tall trees flanking you on both sides, with a loudspeaker just five feet in front of you, blocking sounds from making their way around and out. More on this after. My decision to purchase them was largely influenced by “audiophile” reviewers on youtube and on social media who heap praise on the Edition XS as one of the best open-back headphones in this price range. Based on that hype, I expected something that sounded good right out of the box. Plugging them directly into my PC’s onboard audio resulted in a thin, tinny sound with noticeable crackle and very weak volume. They absolutely require a dedicated amplifier to function properly, which significantly increases the true initial cost of ownership. Okay so they are not plug and play but once powered with a Qudelix 5K and some EQ adjustments, I tested them across a wide range of content — cinematic scores (Interstellar, Oppenheimer), war films, ambient/chillwave, electronic + orchestral mixes, first-person and RPG gaming, and some binaural ASMR recordings. The good: Sub-bass extension is genuinely impressive. The low-end impact during war films and Zimmer-style soundtracks feels rich, weighty, and rewarding. The BRAAM horns have satisfying depth and authority. When big cinematic moments hit (low brass, synth swells, layered electronic passages), these sound powerful and controlled. This aspect of the headphones reminded me of the impact the teaser trailer for Prometheus was years ago. It accomplishes this without sounding muddy at all like a pair of Beats or Sony ULT-Wears. That's how effective their bass performance is. Impressive for a set of open-back headphones. The mediocre: On tracks like “Tick Tock” from the Interstellar soundtrack, the clock element sits very front and center, while the orchestral textures in the background feel masked by the mids. The lows are strong and the mids are very front and center, but finer background details can get lost behind the midrange presence. There isn’t a lot of nuance in how layers are presented - it feels more like a waterfall of sound in front of you rather than a pleasant curtain of three-dimensional space around you. For gaming, this forward soundstage becomes a real limitation. While there is clear left-to-right tracking, there is almost no vertical depth or sense of distance. You cannot accurately place small environmental cues above, below, or behind you. Everything feels projected forward. Compared to the old school Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 and AKG K702, which both have noticeably wider and more spacious soundstages, the Edition XS feels constrained. Even my Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee, which is known for its intimacy, offers better directional awareness around me. I was expecting much more from how hyped Hifiman planars are in the audiophile community. The bad: The overall sound presentation is not at all what I look for in an open-back headphone. I expected a large, airy soundstage with strong depth and a sense of sound wrapping around me. Instead, the soundstage feels either directly in front of me or inside my head, which is odd for an open-back design. Testing with the digital EQ did not fix this. The sound is very detailed, but it's like opening your car window on a busy highway. There is so much going on in such a narrow area that in the busy songs or movie scenes, I found myself feeling so uncomfortable that I was rushing to stop the song or movie, or in some instances, my immediate reaction was to pull these things off as fast as possible. The reason for this is the Edition XS's lack of separation and narrow soundstage, combined with its tendency to cram a lot of detail in, leads very quickly to fatigue. On certain guitar-heavy tracks and during intense action sequences in movies, the attempt to throw everything at you all at once is a chore to listen, it's not pleasant at all. The detail is there, but it feels forced. Instead of immersing you naturally, it's like a maelstrom of different sounds hitting hard, with some sounds becoming harsh. Comfort is also a significant concern. The headband adjustment doesn’t offer enough control; you cannot pull the earcups up far enough into the headband to center them on the ears, so achieving a secure yet comfortable fit is difficult. On my head, the cups rested too low along my jawline, and the clamping force, combined with their size, created pressure points. I wear glasses, and after about an hour I felt noticeable pressure around my temples and the bone in front of my ears. The size and weight distribution make them feel slightly unstable unless positioned just right. I suspect most people with small to average head sizes will struggle to get a truly comfortable, long-term fit. Upon reading the experiences of other users on Reddit, they are having to modify these with a Capra headband. But they were out of stock and I did not like the idea of having to justify another expense to enjoy these, particularly as the cons just continued adding up. I also experienced slight crackle in the left cup when moving the cable, which did not inspire confidence in long-term durability. To be clear: these are capable headphones with strong bass and good mid detail when properly powered. But between the amplification requirement, forward soundstage, limited depth, overwhelming fatigue, and high amount of discomfort after only 15 minutes of use, they didn’t align with my expectations or preferences. I can understand why some people may admire certain aspects of how these perform, but I want to feel enveloped by sound and sit back and relax after a stressful day of work. There is some depth, but there is no space, no room to enjoy the sound and they are rather uncomfortable and an awkward fit. They also cannot function as plug and play headphones and are completely unsuited for gaming. The lesson here is do not get lost in the information noise generated by self-described "audiophiles". What they like is not what you or I like and they will probably not recommend the headphones that may actually work best for you. I sent these headphones back two weeks ago and I have yet to receive a refund for them. So it's not the best path to buy a set of headphones to try them out temporarily. I hope that this review will persuade others who are on the fence and stuck in the research and review hell phase of purchasing to exclude Hifiman headphones from their consideration. My recommendation based on experience is this. If you want great all around headphones, just get Sennheiser HD58X or HD6XX - they are good at everything but not exceptional at anything. The bass isn't great but it's not bad either. For gaming, I suggest Audio-Technica headphones or old school AKG 702/Q701. For strong bass headphones that don't suck at everything else, take a look at Phillips Fidelio X2HR or Fiio JT7. If you listen to a lot of high-end detail you may find in guitar, rock, or want to have that lovely concert effect, take a look into Beyerdynamic headphones - but those aren't for everyone. Thank you.

I'll preface this review by saying this is the first set of mid-high end headphones. Previous to this I primarily used Sennheiser HD599 SE which was a taste of what a high quality headphone is like. I got hooked and after doing a lot of research and sampling of other headphones where I could, I landed on these HiFiMan headphones. I'm driving them from a Focusrite Scarlett Solo and Schitt Magni Heresy amp. I can't compare these to previous offerings from HiFiMan so I can't comment on the "stealth magnet" technology. I can comment on the raw sound quality, sound stage and build quality. Pros: - Very detailed sound. I've heard things in music and other media I've never heard before. - Sound stage is the most open that I've ever heard in a headphone. - The sound is not "colored" too much. To my ear it's a bit V shaped but stays relatively close to reference. - I've never heard bass delivered with such clarity and "slam" before these. Very fun to listen to all different kinds of electronic music. Cons: - Build quality could be better. They don't feel like they will break too easily but I also don't feel like I can just throw them down. - The headband is a bit uncomfortable when wearing over a long period of time (>2 hrs). - Clamping pressure is very low, to the point where they do like to slide around a bit too much. - The cable is not very good. It's pretty clear what HiFiMan has done here. They aimed to deliver one of the best sounding headphones at this price point and hit it by cheaping out a bit on the materials that don't matter quite as much. The result is a headphone that maybe isn't the most comfortable to wear for a long time and makes you feel like you need to be gentle with them, but once you start listening to your favorite music, that no longer matters. Sound is crisp all throughout the frequency range with no signs of distortion even at uncomfortable listening levels. The highs are well controlled and not too sparkly, mids are a bit clinical but well balanced and lows are simply amazing. Oh that bass. It's just perfect the way it is but if you like a bit more these take to EQ very well. Sound stage is unlike anything I've heard. Very open although my ears aren't good enough to place instruments even with Sennheiser's HD800 series so take that as you will. There's no feeling of being closed in with these. If I could change one thing about these headphones, I would probably make the midrange a bit warmer. Other than that, I would hesitate to say they are perfect only because my sample size is just too small. I haven't heard everything in this class of headphone so maybe there's some show stopper out there that blows everything else away that I haven't heard. However I absolutely would recommend these to anyone interested in headphones with planar drivers. The price is certainly justified. Remember to give these headphones a bit of break in time. When I first plugged them in I was turned off as the highs were too present and shrill at times. That went away over time and they sound fantastic now.

The sound is really good. The only thing I find annoying is that it's rather large on the ears and the head area can be uncomfortable sometimes. It's better if they use some form of headbands like some of their other models. They should be more consistent in their design.

I will cut to the chase. Fantastic detail, soundstage and resolution for the price. Maybe the best. However there are a few concerns that need to be addressed. I run these with eq, but stock tuning is well done. Firstly, these headphones are huge. I require an aftermarket headphone headband to position my ears in the centre of the cup. This also helps comfort issues as well. Secondly, these require amplification. Testing desktop and mobile setups, I have concluded 4Vs and around 220mw is the sweet spot. They do get loud enough off 2vs but I do feel for headroom especially if you run preamp to avoid clipping 4Vs is worth it. Quedlix 5k (in balanced) can drive the edition xs easily. Tube amps do not sound good on this headphone. Build quality is an achilles heel for hifiman. No complaints so far but will update if they do fail and the subsequent warranty claims. All in all, at this price ($449 AUD) it is a no brainer buy. End game for most users.

Qualidade sonora incrível! Para audiófilos com a melhor relação custo/ benefício.

Excelente sonido, alimentado por una buena fuente sin duda son de lo mejor en el rango de precio