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.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: After 1.5 years of fairly constant use. Wanted to be accurate in my review based on my perspective and hearing. 1. Note, that I have not purchased higher price headphones. Currently, at least right now I have no need to. 2. My experience my not be yours and my music listening may differ from yours. Plus our ears and how our brain translates what the ears are receiving likely is different. 3. This review is after 1.5 years of use. Spanning two different DACs and three headphone AMPs. I would not define myself as an audiophile. I rather think of myself as a music enthusiast. I can sit in front of my computer doing various tasks (googling, budgeting, playing a game) and listen to music at low to moderate levels mostly. Then there are times where I will listen to just the music critically or just relaxing and have a beer or two. Point? Its about the music. I really do like these headphones, and think they are one of the best bang for bucks out there. But there are some caveats to getting the most out of them. For my use, these are for listing to music from my laptop via computer UBS to DAC, then to Headphone amplifier. For this model, I would recommend a external DAC with built in AMP or separate units. These planners I believe are 18ohms, so not hard to drive, but planners still can be power hungry, and sound better with the appropriate amount of power. Your computer mini out is not going to give these headphones justice. For software on my Laptop I have used Roon, Jriver, and Musicbee, Foobar. I have and extensive FLAC library and mostly listen to ROCK, Grunge, Alternative, with some hip-hop, modern country, and maybe movie scores mixed in. 1. Out of the box I would say they need about 100hours break-in. Don't get me wrong, they still sound great out of the box, but better after a good break-in period. 2. Some complain about fit for smaller heads, I guess mine is medium sized. Just simply bend to the headband gently to tighten to earcup grip. This works for me. However, I suppose this headphone can't work for everyone. 3. So far i have not had any issues with the build quality. I mean it could be better, but no complaints here for me. You put them on, listen to music, put them down. Look elsewhere if your on a treadmill or doing tasks that require heavy movement. 4. Sound is decent after break in, using separate DAC and AMP but there are tips and tricks to improve. Tip1: Using a music player that supports convolution filters for this specific headphones and downloading these settings in the software for use with this headphone really help get close to the Harmon curve. You can set a regular bar EQ for this if your player does not support convolution filters, most free platers don't support convolution filters, but with research and little trail a error, some like Foobar, Muscibee and maybe others it is possible to add a convolution filter to the player. Jriver is paid for, but not bad price and sounds great. Roon is out of most peoples price point for a player, but has a fantastic interface with all the bells a whistles you would need built in. Tip2: Having support for a parametric EQ which can be used after the convolution filter to personalize to your ears to your preference. Trick1: The bars going across the outside of the ear cups vibrate. "Just, flick it with fingernail, when you have the headphone on your head". You will hear ringing. These bars will vibrate at certain volume levels and effect sound at moderate volumes. I found it necessary to tie string (any thin string will work), down the center, around each bar. Just slight tautness, we are not trying to bend the bars, just keep them from vibrating. You will notice clearer sonics after words at moderate and maybe even lower volumes. Trick2: After Tip1 through Trick1 completed, now is the time to listen to your music for a good while. Then, after you have a good feel for the sound, typically I would use two or three fingers in on both earcup and cover various areas of the outside of the earcups while listing to music. Just lightly touch keeping hand straight out. I would focus on the upper right, upper left, and maybe bottom of the ear cup. You will notice a difference. I can't speak for everyone, but I noticed improvement when placing two or three fingers covering the rear upper section. I read a forum where one person preferred the other side upper front area. Once I determined that covering up the upper-rear section with my fingertips sounded better, I simply used string and rapped in that area. Note: I have a pic that you can see that done. We are not trying to totally isolate the area just providing about the same blockage as your fingers provided. This headphone has been really fantastic for me. Moving up to a higher "more expensive" probably would sound a small portion better. But if I spent $600 to $1000, would I get 45% better? No I think not. Just be aware there is diminishing returns on moving up to more expensive headphones. From My perspective I am guessing $1000 headphone would be better (At beast 10 or 12%). However, I am note willing to move on that as a see no reason to. My highs are great, mids are clear and tonality is great, you will understand what the singer is saying, plenty of bass on these phones, I tend to increase 2db on Parametric EQ without effecting clarity. Even plenty of bass on Rap song when I play them as breakup songs in my rock playlist. To me, best headphone for the price, as mentioned above with headphone AMP and the music player that supports convolution filters so you can load convolution filter for this specific headphone, Then try the Tricks to elevate to your specific hearing experience. Good luck.

These sounded great. But they do not fit on my head well. They were very loose. I was going to replace my 560s with these headphones but decided to return them based on the fit and comfort. With them on all of the weight would at the very top of my head. These are great for someone at the price.

The Hifiman Edition XS: Soundstage Wizardry Let's be honest, we've all chased that "high-end" sound, often with wallets weeping. But then, HIFIMAN dropped the Edition XS, and suddenly, the goalposts moved. This isn't just a good headphone; it's a game-changer that proves you don't have to sell a kidney for true planar magnetic magic. The Experience: Where Does the Music Go? Slap these big, beautiful, egg-shaped cans on, hit play, and immediately, you forget you're wearing headphones. The first thing that grabs you is the sheer space. HIFIMAN is the undisputed king of soundstage, but the XS takes that crown and runs with it. It doesn't just sound wide; it sounds holographic. Close your eyes, and the band isn't just in front of you; they're ten feet away, in their own perfectly mapped-out room. That drummer in your favorite classic rock track? They're not a blob of sound anymore—they're positioned five steps behind the lead guitarist, and you can hear the reverb decay off the back wall. It genuinely gives you that thrilling, "out-of-body" feeling where the music truly leaves your skull. It breathes new life into tracks you thought you knew inside and out. It's an event, not just listening. The Sound: The Planar Punch This is the sound of speed and control. Planar drivers are inherently snappy, and the XS capitalizes on that. The Bass: It’s a physicist's bass: tight, controlled, and perfectly linear. No artificial boom or woolliness here. But when that sub-bass note hits in a cinematic score or a heavy track, the driver moves with such effortless velocity that it hits you fast and retreats just as quickly. You get texture, definition, and depth—the kind of bass that lets you feel the vibrating strings, not just the low frequency. The Detail: Thanks to those "Stealth Magnets", which trust me are more than just marketing—the sound is unbelievably clean. The noise floor just vanishes. You start hearing the tiny things: the singer taking a breath, the subtle brushwork on the snare, the faint studio effects you never knew were there. It’s ruthlessly revealing but manages to do it without being aggressive or tiring. You can happily disappear for hours. The Trade-Off: Where They Saved a Buck Look, if a headphone sounds this good for the money, they had to cut a corner somewhere. And with the Edition XS, it’s the fit and the finish. The Fit: They are huge, and the headband is the definition of functional, not fancy. If you don't have a large head, getting them to sit securely can be a struggle. They also have a light clamp, which is great for comfort but means you should treat them like delicate desktop statues. Do not plan on walking around in these. The Feel: The sound drivers are flagship-grade, but the rest of the chassis is just... okay. It feels like HIFIMAN had $100 for the frame and $400 for the tech, and they allocated their budget wisely. The hinges and plastic parts are sturdy enough, but they don't have that reassuring thunk of premium metal. And honestly? I don't care. I'd take this sound in a cardboard box. The Final Word The Hifiman Edition XS is a technical titan. It’s the headphone that allows enthusiasts to punch way above their weight class. If you value a mind-blowing soundstage and sonic clarity above all else, and you have a quiet listening space, this is a must-own. It's the sound of the high-end, made accessible.

Tengo 1 año con ellos y son mis audífonos favoritos he tenido Sennheiser HD 599, Beyerdynamic DT 990 600ohms, hifiman he400se y estos son mis favoritos, me gusta su sonido (no soy audiofilo así que no se expresar la firma de sonido y todo eso) el único detalle es que si necesita un buen amplificadorde audífonos (aprox. De 4 watts a 32 ohms) para que les saques el jugo a estos audifonos; si ya cuentas con este amplificador adelante te llevarás una buena experiencia

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.

سماعة بطلة بس تحتاج امبليفاير و داك عشان تستفيد منها بالكامل، ايضًا جودتها شبه ضعيفة اخاف تخترب علي بسرعة