Hifiman Edition XS Review + Comparison to Sundara - WATCH THIS BEFORE YOU BUY 

This gels with my experience; stock the fit is just much too loose, to the point they are moving around with any head movement, and will flat out slip down off my head if I look down. I also get the creak with my glasses; this is entirely down to the looseness and the movement, it's the pads moving against the glasses arms. I have bent the metal at the top of the yokes to increase the clamp force, with this I find the fit acceptable, although I do still much prefer the Ananda clamp. This is personal, I've seen some say they prefer the XS, Resolve in his review even said he preferred the loose clamp force as a glasses wearer. For me, no, I agree with you. Sound quality is remarkable though and with this bending, I think it all works.

Great review! I wear glasses and XS build is no issue for me. I guess it depends on kind of glasses. I was testing Sundara about 3 weeks before i bought XS.(I also have modified Beyerdynamic T1 and AQ nighthawks). XS is a real upgrade from Sundaras. Both are great at their prices but XS is really worth to spend more on. For me they are more comfortable than Sundaras. Sundaras had a bit too much clamping force for me. However it has much softer pads. Theese on XS are much stiffer. It's not an issue because of week clamping force - which I like. I rather sit still when I listen to the music. I wouldn't say Sundaras are more analytical. In my opinion XS are. They have more detail so i can hear things I didn't hear on Sundaras and sometimes I analyze music instead of just listening. But maybe it's a case with every new headphones and I'm wrong. Kind regards.

Thanks for the insightful review! I have ordered a pair for myself, looking forward to trying them out. While reading other reviews I saw that some people had gotten a more stable fit using dekoni nuggets or a padded headband cover, will probably go for the nugget option and see how that plays out because my head's kinda smol.

Best review of the Edition XS and I found this review reflects what I’ve been experiencing. I’m still debating returning these because of the fit. They sound terrific. It’s a shame about the fit. Yours was the first review that really gets into the problem with these headphones. Great job!

Great review. Agree about the comfort, I put a few Dekoni Nuggets on the band and the comfort and fit issue is fixed for the most part, sits well and no hotspot. Looking for a headband strap like a ZMF pilot pad that fits for a more permanent solution. They sound too good to return for me when fixing the headband isn't that hard, albeit it raises the overall price a bit. Still cheaper than Ananda's.

I have minor fit issues with these too. But for the price and sound, totally worth it!

excellent review!!!! After this excellent review it looks like it's a no brainer to get T60rp argons from Mod house for 480 they are built like tanks and since I own Sundara's it's an easy choice. So, thank you and you have an easy choice lol.

Im just right after 5 hours with my sundaras and test pair of xs. So far Your review is the best among the others. No sweet audio farts ,just raw information. More or less i can agree. It terms of sonic capability -i'd say both models are pretty good for the price. Sundara -more analitic, xs little more chill and fun. Build quality -sure ,sundaras feel like a tank, much better quality. Xs -its not that bad, however they are not even close to beyer 770s ,also mostly made in plastic. I got big head -and got no problems with fitting them, however got to use them almost completly compressed (so beware people with tiny heads!). Loose feel -i like it ,so again -personal preference. Both headphones clamping force can be adjusted -by bending or unbending. Anyway -thx for lovely review!

I'm surprised you have only 72 subs. Your review was really informative and high quality, keep up the good work \uwu/

How do they compared with audeze lcd 2c In sound??

Interesting, the edition XS cables are the same as my He400se that I've ordered from China. I think right now there are 3 cables for the He400se, one's white, the other is braided and the one I get is like the one u showed

My Sundaras were great unti 3-4 months in, when the cable started breaking up, so I bought new cable. One year later, the right driver stopped working. Was the headband good? Possibly. Kinda hard to judge when one driver is not working.

I'm at the loose headband side. I just don't care about moving my head with a bit of caution. I have headache easely though. Bought the XS

hello could you tell me if the topping dx3 pro plus and ij grando to drive them? can't spend too much on an amplifier

Are the mids really worse on the xs? I was considering them because the sundara sounds too lean to me with hollow, distant vocals

I am 2 years late. I own yhe he400se do you guys think should i buy the sundara or edition xs? As my upgrade? Is it worth the price jump? Also how is thr qc?

Great review especially on the sound part. Personally I find the XS very comfortable though precisely cuz it's loose so it's perfect for WFH and long listening sessions. I own both and prefer the fit of the XS over the Ananda. But I don't wear glasses so maybe that's why.

Have you ever used the Ananda Stealth model. I am considering the XS and the Ananda and am wondering which one I should get. I found both for around $350. Any response would be appreciated!

Are Sundaras more technical than hd 600 660 650?

Hi what are you using to power these headphones. Thanks.

They changed out the headband because the Sundara had been doesn't have no cup swivel so it's very hard to get a good seal on people's heads and a lot more people like it than the the other headbands except for the all metal 360° swiveling versions also that that headband helps distribute way way more easily on a lot of other people heads also that headband that the sundara uses scratches really easy so that's why they decided to use this newer more comfortable headband in my opinion

why is it that youtube shows no issues while there are soooo many reliability complaints....... at this point i have given up finding something that is good and reliable.....

I've had my Sundaras for a while and always loved them, I purchased a pair of Edition XS a few months back and instantly loved the sound but thought they were too loose at first, but now I'm totally used to them and now my Sundaras feel almost too 'clampy'. Both headphones EQ really well so very happy with both.. and both have come down in price a lot recently,some amazing bargains online if you look around.

just got these having owned the Sundara's for a couple of months or so. Having no issues whatsoever with the fit, guess I must just have a big head

Disagree with your thoughts, you put way too much emphasis on comfort which also varies from one person to another....

What about replacing the headstrap. If you are willing to spend another $100 down the road for a nice headstrap, would that make them better then sundara?

I have a motion simulator rig and drive rally with lots of jumps and bumps. My edition XS sits on my head and does not fall off. I don't believe I have a big head. I had a tip from another channel to actually increase the length so the cups sit much lower on your head. The bottom of the cups sits just above the back of my jaw. Also my Edition XS makes zero noise like yours does. Love my Edition XS, but imagine that if they don't fit you then that is a deal breaker for anyone.

hello could you tell me if the topping dx3 pro plus is able to drive them? can't spend too much on an amplifier

Very good review. I own the XS and I agree with what you said. I have a few things to add. My first impression was that these are the worst built headphones out there. I would say they don’t even feel like a 100$ pair but much less. They feel plastic and the way they wobble feels unintentional. Having them for a while I don’t really notice those things, I just put them on my head (not touching and expecting them :D). They also feel very loose. At first i thought they will fall with whatever movement I made. However I tested with moving my head in a way they should fall placing my hands close to the head. And actually the pads kind of grip whenever they move. So they don’t actually drop from the head. Don’t get me wrong, it is completely uncomfortable and not feeling secure. However the more time I spent with them the more I got used to that and I don’t really care. Definitely a flaw though. Btw I don’t wear glasses. As to the sound I really like them, and as you said they have a really good bass. I am pretty sure after a few days their bass become much better and for first time I think it is an actual burn in (not my brain got used to the sound) because I compared them with my other headphones when I got them and then a few days later. Still using Xbass on my Zen Can (maybe it also helped them burn in faster) and it is really lovely sound. Btw I was about to buy the Sundara when I accidentally saw the hype around these.

i do think these are loose compared to my X2HR, but mine do not move on my head.

As much as I would like to get Sundara's, I have to big of a noggin for them. Which is weird because 400se fit me (streched to the max and barely covering bottom part of my ear, but still they seal. So...) On the other hand XS's seem tailor made for my head size. Plenty of room and air for my small ears though, and I didn't have glasses creak issue. Again, because my globe of a head.

Finally, someone who wears glasses.

I was about to buy Sundara and saw Edition XS on the website. So I took a step back, thought a lot and decided to go for Sundara either ways. Main reason, Sundara is still cheaper, had lots of reviews to refer to and overall build quality was better. I would rather go for LCD2C or Ananda next than going for Edition XS primarily due to its cheap build quality. Probably sound on Edition XS is slightly better, but you can't go wrong with Sundara with its all round price to performance ratio, build quality and comfort at its price point.

Im actually a fan of loose feeling headphones. I hate a tight clamp force especially around my jaw. I accidentally broke a cheap pair of skullcandy crushers while trying to loosen them. The first thing I do with new headphones is flex and loosen them. I did the same with my DT1990's. fortunately, they have a metal frame so I can bend them to my comfort. The Edition XS might actually be perfect for me.

I have a large head and they fit me fine

Ok, so you don't like the comfort of the headphone! We get it. It is really independent how they will fit so raving on and on about how they are just awful fitting is just out of proportion. To me (and many others) they are super comfortable and fits just right. The Sundara had too much clamp force imo. I have a regular sized head. And you will find just as many people raving on about the comfort of the EDXS as you will find people who don't like the fit. Just making too much of a deal out of something that purely comes down to personal preference and headsize/&shape. And they are a huge upgrade from the Sundara in every way you can think of sonically.

It's pretty bizarre that they would drop the ball on the loose fitment. I just ordered the edition xs on amazon for $379 new. I'm coming from the HD600, modi/magni schiit stack. We'll see how it goes 👍

check the ananda and see how this series of headphones really should sound and sit on your head...

IMO the XS sounded great, but were really uncomfortable. I didn't mind the loose fit, but the weight distribution caused me pain. All the weight pressed on the top of me head. Maybe if the pads clamped more via a different band design like the Ananda, it would've been fine. So for me, I'm sticking with the HD650 for comfort, IEM for bass and isolation, and actual full size speakers when possible.

Thanks from INDIA. ifi zen dac v2 + ifi zen can + edition xs vs ifi zen dac v2 + Ananda ?? edition xs with dedicated Amp Vs Ananda without dedicated amp? which is better option?

I've tried both of them at my local hifi store (along with 400SE) and it's like "choose the lesser evil" - I cannot agree as to Sundaras being comfortable. They gave me a headache like after 10 minutes, that's how much clamp force they have. 400SE were a little better (but not by much), and as to Edition XS I agree - I was afraid they will fall off my head every time I moved it even just a bit. Alas, sound was amazing and I definitely will give them a second chance and I will go to that shop again to try them more :)

Sundara Does NOT have Suspension Strap , it doesnt move at all.

I have an Edition XS and a big head and I wear glasses. I don't have any problems. If you have a small head then yes avoid them.

For those who are looking at the Sundara please read this comment if you own the OG HE4XX from Massdrop, yes from before the name change to Drop, because I just might save you some money. For those that have an OG set of the Massdrop HE4XX with the 2.5mm connectors that are looking at the Sundara I can help you save the $300 to $350 minus a $65 set of Dekoni Elite Hybrid Pads. The Dekoni Elite Hybrid Pads are basically the same pads the Sundara 2021 use. Same foam density, same shape and thickness, same inner perforations, same soft part that contacts your skin, so basically the same thing. Get a set and put those on your OG HE4XX and bingo you have the Sundara with maybe just a little more sub base but that could just be in my head. I got a pair of Sundaras and the wife and I blind tested them against my OG HE4XX with the pad swap. We did this two different times on two different days with 10 tries each to guess which set we were listening to. She did the swaps between sets and I did them for her. Out of 10 tries each on those two different days we both ended up with thinking the OG HE4XX was the Sundara because it was the set we thought sounded better. This was probably due to the hype around the Sundara on my part but the wife doesn't follow things in this hobby the way I do or watch a ton of reviews like me. I was lead to believe the Sundara were so much better than anything at the mid tier from Hifiman that came before them. I found out that this is not the case for me at least. So this very long story short if you have a set of OG HE4XX back when they still had the 2.5mm connectors at the cups just get a set of the Elite Hybrid Pads that Dekoni sells for the Sundara and put them on your HE4XX and for around a $65 cost of the pads you'll have the sound of the Sundara and maybe even a little better in the base/sub base department but I mean only marginally better and that could just be in my head. I truly hope this helps somebody out there to save some money and further enjoy this hobby. I do not know if the newer HE4XX from Drop with the 3.5mm connector at the cups will transform like my OG set did with a simple pad swap but it may be worth giving it a shot...

I have a big head - just recently purchased the edition XS after watching your review among many others. Personally I also wished you would go over a bit more into detail on sonic aspects as opposed to the comfort. More comparisons on things like detail retrieval, timbre, source forgiveness etc... would have been more "objective" measures that could have added more value as opposed to discussing the comfort constantly. However, I understand that comfort can 100% be a deciding factor for many. I wouldn't want to buy the world's best sounding headphones if I couldn't wear them for longer than an hour. Overall, this video helped me decide between the two. Thanks!

plastic can be also high quality, and metal can also be low quality, for example sennheiser,s plastic is very well made and more durable than low quality metal which oxidises in a few years

Hi! I dont understand you. So, edition xs is better overall than Sundara?

Interesting. I own them both and my experience is exactly opposite of yours. I don't know, maybe you've got a uniquely shaped head that they didn't account for and that's your problem with the XS. You have to have baby hairs to fit in the Sundara. I'm pretty damn certain that they're not designed for jogging. BTW I wear glasses. 😂

Did you buy these?

The famous Best under 500 cans. According to all sponsored youtubers... 🤫

Hmm, I ve heard just the opposite, that the XS is WAY better!

"They sound like $1000 headphones but feel like $100 headphones." So, if I'm reading this right, they crammed flagship-level audio into a mid-fi priced product by cutting cost on things like the headband. Which means that is an absolute no-brainer of a purchase. Because, if they sounded like $1k headphones and felt like $1k headphones, they'd probably cost $1k.

Your reviews are full of negatives while other reviewers are more positive, I don't own it not likely to buy it.

I mean, of course everyone has their own opinion, but I just completely disagree with what you said about comfort and build quality. That wooblyness you talk about, and you actually say a lot of people complain about it, well that's actually more of a feature than anything else, and if anything, I've seen praise and not complaints. Unlike most of the hifiman headphones, which have cups fixed to the yoke, these have a little give which works as cup swivel, it allows for a better fit in more different heads and reduces the chances of pressure points on your jaw or head, since it can adapt a little, instead of the fixed potision. A lot of premium (sometimes more expensive) headphones have cups/yokes like this, it's not weak build quality, it's about comfort. As for the use of plastics, again, a LOT of premium headphones use mostly plastic (except usually the yoke, and sometimes the headband) to reduce the weight, so you can have longer listening sessions without fatigue or feeling pressure points. Unless it's really shitty plastic, no one should have an issue with having plastic on their headphones, and the Edition XS don't feel like shit plastic to me. And as for the clamping force, weaker is better, because again it allows for longer listening sessions without feeling discomfort. These are audiophile open back headphones, they're supposed to be used in the comfort of your home, not walking in the street, or whatever. They're are in fact on the weaker side, but it's not like as soon as you turn your head they fall off. If you bang your head as youn listen to music, than yeah, they might not be for you. And finally, the headband, this really is personal preference, I don't have reasons for why one is better than the other, but for me, give me foam everyday of the weak, was never a fan of strap headbands, but that's me, however I have to disagree with you when you say that it doesn't feel solid. It may not be the best out there, it may not be premium, but it's in no way a bad headband, you may not like this particular style of headband, and that's okay, but you not liking it and it being bad are 2 different things. All in all, just feels like you didn't like how it feels on your head, and just slammed the "build quality" and the "comfort", when I really don't think that will be the case at all for most people. As for your sound review, it was brief, but yeah, pretty much what it is. Edit: a note on the glasses, on paper, the Edition XS would be much more comfortable than the sundara for people who wear glasses, exactly because of the cup swivel. But hey, if it just doesn't feel right to you, and you just can't stand them, then yeah, don't keep them

Should we really trust a youtuber who wears the angled pads the wrong way round?

😕Very strange your comments on lack of confort ! Other much more well known and reliable reviewers praise the confort of this headphone As you spend 3/4 of your video criticising confort and build quality, this make your comments not reliable and trustworthy !

vocals on Sundaras are awful, thin and distant. Everything else is great

Xs looks bether, dude!,,

Boring

Only 3 Subs? Ahh that actually makes sense haha To anyone interested in the XS, please watch/read reviews from people with half a brain & some actual audio experience. Feel like $100 headphones? No. No they don't. Stop, just stop giving people trash advice.

I wish the Sundaras had the XS bass.