The HiFiMan Edition XS… so what am I missing?

[Angus_Young]

So, I read the reviews and the general opinion seems to be that this is a killer set of cans for the price. A little taste of the high end for a low end price. Best phones under £500, and all of that. So I get a pair off ebay…

Mmm… I’m somewhat underwhelmed by certain aspects of the sound. There are certain things I like - the detail and separation are great. I’m hearing details in familiar recordings in a way I’ve not heard before. The reverb on the drum hits at the beginning of Paul Simons 50 Ways. The separation and interplay between the horns on Take Me To The Mardi Grais. The low vocal buried in the mix on Toto’s Rosanna. Not only is it now there and present, but it pops out (but without being forced or obtrusive). And it’s got texture. Love all that. But…

I’m finding the treble quite fatiguing - not sure how long a session I could do with the XS (though they are super comfy on my head). And where’s the bass? Sure, if you listen to something like Billy Eilish, there’s a certain amount. But for so much stuff I’m listening to, I’m shocked at how little bass there is. The bass on the 2018 remix of Pink Floyd’s Pigs is a shadow of what I’ve heard elsewhere. And one of the defining features of the remix is how present the bass is, and how ‘funky’ it is. It’s not really about how much there is in this case, but how ‘dimensional it is. On the XS it’s almost a non event. The XS is robbing quite a lot of music of its power. And the soundstage is okay at best.

My previous experience with a decent pair of headphones is the B&W PX8. Sure, they’re more expensive, but they were so much better in the above areas except, perhaps, for detail. Sold them some time back as they weren’t getting much use due to a crazy work schedule. Wishing I’d hung on to them now.

I’m running the XS off a Schiit Magni 3 and Modi 2 combination. Do I need to step this combination up to something much better to really ‘get’ the Edition XS? Do I need to get spendy to realise their potential? Would any of the mods I’ve seen address my points, or perhaps a better cable? So many people seem to love these phones and I can’t imagine that I’ve discovered something that everyone else hasn’t. So what’s going on? Is it just me?

So, I’m 50/50 right now. Any thoughts?

 

[Jasonovich]

I had Edition XS for a a few years before upgrading to He1000 V2 Stealth.
I suspect my Singxer class A amp was smoothing out the treble. All that you've described is true. The bass was good but heard better on the Focal Elegias, Hifimans had more detail and space.

You could try different cables, the custom ones I got from Cxnnected for my He1000s are really good, much better than the stock cables, worth a try?
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1092061633/hifiman-dual-35mm-modular-cable

 

[Angus_Young]

I had Edition XS for a a few years before upgrading to He1000 V2 Stealth.
I suspect my Singxer class A amp was smoothing out the treble. All that you've described is true. The bass was good but heard better on the Focal Elegias, Hifimans had more detail and space.

You could try different cables, the custom ones I got from Cxnnected for my He1000s are really good, much better than the stock cables, worth a try?
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1092061633/hifiman-dual-35mm-modular-cable

Thanks for the link. Was there a notable sonic difference with the new cable?

 

[RTHerringbone]

I'm a bit sceptical that a cable will bring a major difference.....

 

[Jasonovich]

To

Thanks for the link. Was there a notable sonic difference with the new cable?

My motives were based more on the aesthetics than the sound.
The seller was using Mogami quad cabling and previously I was using
Japanese Furukawa PCOCC Earphone single crystal cable from AliExpress - link below

It was difficult for me to separate the two, the Mogami from Cxnnected sounded fuller but the Furukawa had a cleaner more neutral sound.

Both these cables had a better tonality than the stock ones, which was a bit hazy. Placebo?

There are a lot of variables, the XSs may not like the Schitts?
Try also plugging the XSs to a different head amp. If you're still hearing the same shortcomings, it might be best to sell it on eBay and get another headphone.

I sort of feel the need to manage your expectations, what works for me may not necessarily work for you.

Sound quality is so subjective but I think it's fair to assume that better headphones cables might make a difference, tonally, but it's difficult to say if this would be sufficient enough for you to hold on to the XSs or sell them.

Ln007136 schwarz 99% reines pcocc Kopfhörer kabel für hifiman sundara ananda he1000se he1000v2 he6se he400i he400se arya - AliExpress 44

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