The Hifiman Edition XS is one of Hifiman’s most popular headphones. Launched in 2021, the XS is the latest version of the Edition X-series. The first Edition X was launched in 2015 and the Edition X V2 followed shortly after in 2016. The Edition X was a “trickle-down” headphone from the HE1000. This was also the case for the Arya (2018), which was planning in itself in between the Edition X and the HE1000. There were then 3 steps in the new Egg-shaped Hifimans that originated from the HE1000 v1: The Edition X, the Arya and the HE1000v2. With the addition of the rather expensive HE1000SE, there were 4 steps on the ladder.
In other words, the Edition X and now the XS, are the most affordable of the HE1000-inspired egg-shaped headphones.
The Edition XS has the egg-shaped oval, asymmetrical cups like all is predecessors and siblings. However, it is the only egg-shape headphone to have the new, padded headband that Hifiman has introduced in their new models in recent years. It has a dual-sided magnet driver with aerodynamically shaped “stealth magnets” and the thin “Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm”. The Edition XS has a list price of $499, but has been selling for lower prices lately.
Check the current price on Amazon here: EDITION XS
HIFIMAN EDITION XS SPECIFICATIONS
- Open back circumaural type
- Planar Magnetic Drivers with Stealth magnets and NEO Supernano Diaphragm
- Dual-sided magnet driver
- Impedance: 18Ω
- Frequency response range: 8Hz-50kHz
- Sensitivity: 92 dB
- Weight: 405 grams
- Detachable cable with 3.5 mm TRS connectors on headphones
- Included cable: 1.5m single-ended 3.5mm with 6.35mm adapter
BUILD AND COMFORT
The XS ships with a single 1.5 mm cable and in a standard simple and efficient Hifiman cardboard box with a clever styrofoam headphone stand included.
When it comes to wearing comfort this will of course depend on personal differences and preferences. Some might find the XS a little too large and prefer the suspension headband of the previous Edition X versions or the Sundara/Ananda, others might appreciate the generous side of the cups and find the padded headband better than the suspension headband. Personally, I like the padded headband, but it could maybe have softer padding. It doesn’t bother me, but to accommodate all head shapes, softer padding would be better. The pads on the ear cups are nice and soft, and for me, the wearing comfort is good.
AMPLIFICATION
The Topping A90 does a good job. It’s a neutral-sounding amplifier and doesn’t colour the sound.
The Bryston BHA-1 sounds very much like the A90 with the XS, just a few percent clearer all over and not worth the extra outlay.
The FIIO K5 works well.
The Schiit Magni Heretic also sounds very good with the Edition XS.
The Mytek Liberty THX AAA AMP is an excellent amp, extremely clean and neutral sounding.
The Rebel Amp is a great match, breathing a little warmth into the midrange.
As you will see in my comparisons below, the XS isn’t possessing the warmest midrange in the history of audio. It’s very nice and clear with lots of detail but some might crave a little bit more warmth to the presentation.
If you want a warmer midrange, there are ways to help it out. You can of course use EQ. However, the right gear might do the trick even better.
I’ve already mentioned the Rebel Amp, which has a warm touch.
The Sparkos Labs Gemini steps up the game a bit, the input tube is making the midrange more liquid and slightly warmer.
However, my absolute favourite is the Cary SLI-80 Signature tube amp with my old Metrum Quad NOS DAC. This upstream combo totally compensates for the lack of any midrange warmth and liquidity, it also makes the treble more organic sounding. Considering the cost, though, the Cary is quite overkill.
The less pricey, but still very expensive Woo Audio WA22, sounds similar to the Cary. I don’t have other suitable (and less expensive) tube amps to test with the XS, but it seems clear that transformer coupled tube amplifiers can bring a more warm and euphonic sound to the Edition XS.
STANDALONE LISTENING IMPRESSIONS
In this session I’m using the Sparkos Labs Gemini amplifie with the, RME ADI-2 DAC FS as a source.
Fading Sorrow by Marcin Wasilewski Trio
This sounds terrific. The sax, the piano, the percussion, the bass. All sounds beautiful, airy, punchy and delicate.
Almost Like the Blues by Leonard Cohen
Very spacious presentation. The bass is very well-defined and not overwhelming in quantity. Cohen’s vocals are full of texture. The treble is nice and clear.
Angel by Massive Attack
The soundstage is huge and the imaging is great. The bass is very solid, but not overwhelming. Nicely textured. The vocals are a bit drawn back in the mix, though.
Mystical Friend by The Splendor
The standing bass solo intro is very nice, full-bodied and controlled. The saxophone that soon enters sounds gentle, nuanced and nicely present. The percussion is tender and delicate.
Who Will Comfort Me by Melody Gardot
The vocals are very nice with lots of nuance and texture. The guitar has lots of detail and blends in nicely, along with the percussion and the standing bass. The vocals sound more upfront with some other headphones, but I still like this presentation.
Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack
The bass is great, everything sounds very detailed and spacious. The tuning is a bit on the lighter side,
Mrs Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel
This is a song headphones struggle to render in a way that is not perceived as sibilant and harsh. The XS isn’t an ideal choice if this is your favourite song to play on repeat. Many headphones do worse, and you need a generally dark headphone to make this song enjoyable, at least if you have ears like mine.
Perth by Bon Iver
There is an enormous sense of space and depth. The bass is very solid and clean, as is the rest of the frequency spectrum.
2:57 by 1982 + BJ Cole
This fantastic little piece with an old-fashioned pump organ, a slide guitar and percussion sounds terrific. There’s so much small detail and so much spatial information that I hardly can believe what I hear from a sub $500 headphone.
COMPARISONS
HIFIMAN SUNDARA vs EDITION XS
Sound-stage and imaging: The XS has a bigger, wider, taller and deeper soundstage. It’s nothing short of impressive. The Sundara is quite open-sounding but lacks the precision of the XS. There’s much more space between instruments and better imaging with the XS. With well-matched and powerful amplifiers, the Sundara gets more precise with better imaging.
Treble: The XS is brighter sounding. It’s also cleaner. The Sundara has more treble weight and with the right amplifier the Sundara levels up in detail retrieval.
Midrange: The Sundara has more midrange presence. The XS is generally more detailed, but I tend to prefer the tonality and timbre of the Sundara’s midrange, especially when the amp combination is right.
Bass: The XS has more bass quantity and better quality with more texture and depth. The Sundara’s bass depends on the amplifier, a powerful and well-matched amp gives it more and better bass.
Dynamics and detail: Both have good macrodynamics. The Sundara needs a proper amp to really get that punchy sound. With regards to general detail and microdynamics, the Edition XS is better.
Amplifier Requirements: The Sundara scales more with the amp than the XS. It’s harder to get a perfect match and it tends to need a lot of power to get the maximum headroom and dynamics that it’s capable of and bring out the last bit of bass and refine the treble. The XS is less picky and less power-hungry. It generally, however, pairs best with amps that have a warmish tonality. All that being said, both these headphones sound good from all the amps I tried. It’s all relative.
In conclusion, the Edition XS is technically better, with more detail, a wider soundstage and more precise imaging. It also has relatively more bass and treble. The Sundara is more midrange-oriented and tends to sound a bit thicker, warmer and more intimate.
Check out the Sundara on Amazon here: SUNDARA
SENNHEISER HD660S2 VS EDITION XS
Soundstage and Imaging
There is a huge difference. The HD660S2 is very intimate and has a small stage, the XS is the total opposite. The XS also has a lot better imaging, the separation of instruments is in another league, completely.
Detail and Clarity
When it comes to detail retrieval and general clarity there is really no contest: The XS is way better. It’s exceptional at this price point. The HD660S2 is not impressive in comparison.
Sound signature and Timbre
Now, this is where it becomes more difficult and a lot more subjective. The HD660S2 is a more coloured headphone. The colouration is basically a mix of frequency response and distortion. Sometimes it sounds good, sometimes not. It depends on the track. Like all headphones, the XS also has its “colour”, but it’s more neutral and cleaner with much less distortion.
The HD660S2 has a warmer and thicker sounding midrange which is brought forward in the mix. The mid-bass can also often feel very satisfying. The XS is clearer and crisper. The midrange is a bit less dominant and often a bit drier sounding. This might be in a more or less preferable way. However, for the most part, I prefer the XS.
The XS has more deep bass. It is more linear and lacks the mid-bass hump of the HD660S2 which is part of why it sounds warmer. It has relatively less midrange body. The treble frequency response of the two headphones is quite different and which of the two that sounds brighter depends on the track.
Dynamics
The HD660S2 has some significant punch and slam, especially in the mid-bass and midrange. However, when it comes to bass dynamics, the XS is definitely better. It’s also more articulate in the higher frequencies. Microdynamics, which is the articulation of details, is also stronger with the XS.
In conclusion, these are very different headphones in many ways. In terms of pure technical performance, there is no competition. The differences are so big that it is absurd that they are in the same price range. The soundstage, imaging and detail level are far superior with the XS. The HD660S2 is still a very enjoyable headphone, though. Often the warmer tonality and timbre are great and can be worth the trade-off.
Check out the Sennheiser HD660S2 on Amazon here: HD660S2
FIIO FT3 vs EDITION XS
Soundstage and Imaging
The FT3 has a good and open soundstage. It is much more open-sounding than e.g. the HD660S2, but it still can’t compete with the XS. The separation of instruments and imaging capabilities are also on another level with the XS.
Treble
The treble of the XS is excellent. It’s clear and bright without becoming harsh. I don’t find it generally to have an issue with sibilance or transients. The FT3 also has a good treble, a little darker and not quite as clear.
Midrange
The midrange of the FT3 is warmer sounding, especially since it gets some help from the nicely elevated mid-bass. The FT3 is very detailed, the XS even more so.
Bass
The XS undoubtedly has the most linear and precise-sounding bass. It’s a planar magnetic headphone and it is a great one. The FT3 is also very good, though. The bass is more elevated but not as tight. It is tuned to be a more bassy headphone.
Sound Signature, Dynamics and Detail
The sound signature is quite different. The FT3 has more bass quantity, more than I’d call neutral, without being overly bassy. I like it. The FT3 also has a warmer and fuller midrange and darker-sounding treble. The XS is more neutral sounding.
Because they have different frequency responses, the perceived differences between them vary from track to track. Sometimes they are very different, sometimes they are quite similar.
Both are dynamic sounding and can throw a punch when needed.
Conclusion
These are relatively different headphones. The XS is the king of soundstage and separation and is generally better at precision and detail. It is tuned very neutral. The FT3 is also relatively impressive in terms of detail and soundstage but it’s more meaty, warmer and intimate sounding.
Mostly I find the XS to be a really great headphone, yet I often find myself reaching for the FT3, wanting that coloured, warmer sound.
Check out the FT3 on Amazon here: Fiio FT3
FOCAL ELEX/ELEAR vs EDITION XS
My Elex/Elear is equipped with Dekoni’s fenestrated sheepskin pads. These are my favourite pads and make the headphones cleaner, and tighter and bring out the midrange. Since the only difference between the Elex and Elear is the pads, this pad swap makes the difference irrelevant.
Treble
The Elex has more treble energy. It’s not brighter, but has more tonal weight and dynamics. The XS is a bit more detailed and nuanced.
Midrange
The Elex is warmer sounding and a bit thicker in the midrange. The midrange is good on the XS, but definitely on the leaner side.
Bass
The XS has the most linear and precise-sounding bass, is more neutral and has better texture and definition. It’s a planar magnetic headphone after all. The Elex is also very good, but in a different way: The bass is a bit more elevated but not quite as tight and defined. However, there’s more slam and punch with the Elex.
Sound Signature
The sound signature is actually not that different. Both the XS and the sheepskin-equipped Elex are fairly neutral and well-balanced. The Elex is a bit thicker and slightly warmer sounding, with a more pronounced mid-bass and midrange.
Generally, though, the XS is more neutral and polite, and the Elex sounds bolder, a bit thicker and more articulate. The differences between them vary from track to track. Sometimes they are quite different, sometimes they are quite similar.
Dynamics and Detail
Even though they both can sound punchy, the Elex generally is perceived as more dynamic. This is especially noticeable in the bass, but also the midrange and the treble are more articulate with the Elex.
The difference in microdynamics is harder to describe. The Elex feels like the details are more articulated, whilst the XS has better transparency and clarity. The XS is exceptional at its price point in this regard. The Elex is also impressive but a bit less transparent in direct comparison. They both have lots of detail, but the XS is better at conveying the finer nuances.
Conclusion
The Elex excels at dynamics and has a warmer tonal character, the XS has a more neutral tuning. It is clearer and cleaner sounding and excels at soundstage and imaging.
HIFIMAN HE-560 vs EDITION XS
My HE-560 isn’t stock. It has third-party no-brand hybrid pads, open grill mod and an Atlas cable.
The HE-560 represented the start of the new Hifiman sound. There are many similarities between the HE-560 and the XS. First, my favourite part of the HE-560 is the bass. It’s quite similar in the XS, just a bit more refined and a little less in quantity. The midrange is warmer with the HE-560 but quite similar. The treble is a little darker and not as clear as with the XS. They both have good dynamic capabilities. In terms of soundstage, the HE-560 is good and the XS better. Imaging is on par.
Keep in mind that I have third-party pads on the HE-560, which might change the sound quite a bit. That being said: All in all I find both these headphones very nice variations. The XS is technically better sounding and more neutrally tuned, the HE-560 isn’t far behind and offers a bit more warmth.
Check out the HE-560 on Amazon here: HE-560
HIFIMAN HE1000v2 vs EDITION XS
There is no doubt that the Edition XS has gotten much of its DNA from the HE1000 and is part of the family of egg/oval-shaped Hifiman headphones.
In terms of soundstage and imaging, they are on par. The detail retrieval of the XS is amazingly close to the HE1000v2.
The important difference is in the tuning and tonality. Depending on the track this is more or less noticeable. Sometimes they sound very similar, but with vocals and strings especially, the HE1000v2 is clearly preferable. It’s more organic, natural and effortless sounding.
Mostly, I compared the two with the Topping A90 amp. I want to add that the XS can benefit from a warmer-sounding amp and/or a warmer-sounding source. The HE1000v2 scales better, however, and you’ll get more out of it with a better amp.
Check out the HE1000 on Amazon here: HE1000v2 or the newer HE1000 Stealth
WRAPPING IT UP
Treble
The treble is highly resolved and it has a good amount of presence. There is some extra energy in the upper highs. However, while I personally cannot listen to bright cans like the HD800S for longer periods of time, this isn’t a problem with the XS. Upper treble energy often contributes to a wider and more open soundstage – more “air”. The XS surely has plenty of that.
Midrange
I find the midrange very appealing and extremely detailed. However, there’s a dip in the 1.5-2 kHz area that contributes to a little less energy than I would ideally prefer. This can be adjusted with EQ or compensated with warmer sounding upstream gear (amps and DACs).
Bass
The bass is great. Tight, textured and well defined. It has body and punch, but it’s not excessive in quantity. The bass is quite linear and undistorted.
Soundstage and imaging
The soundstage is fabulous. Regardless of price, this is outstanding. Imaging is also great.
Sound Signature
The bass is solid. The midrange is a bit laid-back. This is partly because of a dip in the frequency response in the 1.5-2 kHz area. The mids remind me of the HE1000SE. The treble is mostly very well-behaved but can get a bit bright depending on the music.
Dynamics and Detail
The level of detail that these headphones can deliver is absurd at this price point. The bass can throw a punch and the treble is quite lively. However, the Edition XS is not the most dynamic-sounding headphone I’ve heard.
Amplification and source
As mentioned, the XS isn’t very picky on the amplifier. It’s fairly easy to drive and most amps I’ve tried sound quite similar. Better amps mostly give a bit more control and resolution, but the differences are not as big as with e.g. the Hifiman Sundara. When it comes to portable amps, however, you better get one of the more powerful options.
The XS is very revealing and not the meatiest sounding headphone I’ve heard. If you want to make the XS sound warmer and more organic, warmer-sounding upstream gear might be for you. I found a good tube amp and my old NOS DAC to sound extremely nice. Hifiman uses R2R DACs in their DAC/Amps, and that’s probably no coincidence.
CONCLUSION
The Hifiman Edition XS is one of the best bargains in the world of audiophile headphones. It’s extremely detailed with great articulation. The soundstage is exceptionally large, with formidable imaging and layering capabilities.
When comparing the XS to other headphones, I tend to find that the it sounds a bit polite in the mids. Some will a prefer more upfront sounding midrange and a warmer tonality. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find that without sacrificing detail and soundstage. The HE1000v2 gives me a sound that’s warmer, yet still has the huge soundstage and great amount of detail. It is, however, significantly more expensive.
No headphone is perfect, especially not in the “affordable” price-range. However, the XS comes very close to checking the boxes. The Hifiman Edition XS comes highly recommended.
Buy on Linsoul: Hifiman Edition XS
Buy on Amazon: Hifiman Edition XS
You can check out the Hifiman Edition XS on Amazon here
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