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

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.

Great headphones overall. I found both the sound quality and physical quality to be really good. Overall, these headphones have great balance, are neutral in nature, and sound very good as-is, but switch to greatness with a little EQ (bring out the warmth and bass). If you’re looking for crazy bass, you’ll either need to EQ or look for a closed back mainstream headphone. I find the Edition XS to be neutral and more focused on the mid and upper mids. With a little EQ, they sounded very warm and drew me into wanting to listen to more music. You won’t be disappointed, and for the price, I would highly recommend them!Pros:- Wide soundstage, you truly get a sense of separation and being in an environment- Detailed sound while remaining non-fatiguing- Very comfortable (I saw some of the reviews say otherwise, but I found these to be exceptional when it comes to comfort. It takes a few days to break the bands in, but once you get use to them they feel light and comfy, you don’t feel their weight. I’m hoping my Anandas break in to this level of comfort.)- Good for gaming, I felt the wide soundstage provided great positional awarenessCons:- They bleed a lot of sound; everyone knows what you’re listening to- They need an amp to properly drive (I’m using a Schiit Hel and Magni/Modi stack)- If you want bass, you will need to EQ. Out of the box they are not going to give a lot of bass, and even with EQ I don’t imagine you’re going to sense crazy amounts of sub bass. I would think for that you’d probably have to go with a sealed headphone if you want boomy sub bass. I do feel the Anandas with EQ outperformed the Edition XS in this area, but not by much.Random Thoughts:- Cable is a bit short, not an issue for me, but you may need a longer cable if your AMP isn’t within arms reach.- The foam inside the packaging doubles as a headphone stand. I thought it was a neat touch, but nothing you’ll be using for more than a few days.- I purchased these and a set of HiFiMan Ananda headphones, I’m keeping the Ananda. Right off the bat the sound of the Ananda were more for me. They sound similar, however, the Anada’s are more immersive, have a closer soundstage, have warmer bass, maintain the same non-fatiguing sound signature. I do find the Edition XS to be far more comfortable. Overall, you can’t go wrong with either one and I would recommend both in a heartbeat.- I had also tried the HE400i headphones a from HiFiMan a few years ago and was not a fan at all, without hesitation would recommend the Edition XS and find it to be leaps and bounds better.

The Edition XS are baby Arya Stealths; they have a lot of similar characteristics, but with a lot more tradeoffs (which you’d expect for a headphone that sells for less than half the price). They’re great for loud, complex songs but struggle a little bit with quieter, more subtle tracks, where they give up some ground to the Sennheiser x Drop 6XX. They can be a tad bright, but my in my experience didn’t cross over into being harsh. Good, solid but impressive base, decent male vocals but maybe a bit of veiling for female vocals.At $269 they’re a great deal for a very objective tuned headphone, and I may buy a hard case and carry these as my “working outside the house” pair when I don’t want to haul the 6XX.