The Best Headphone for $500! 

I'm a new owner of Hifiman Edition XS, which I'm running off the Topping DX3 pro+. I admit that I'm new to this hobby, so perhaps my standards are a bit different and I'm not as fussy as other customers. In short, these headphones are a noticeable upgrade from the Philips Fidelio x2hr that I also own. Comfort: no issues. A lot of people are complaining about the lack of clamp tightness, but it seems fine to me and I don't have a big head. Certainly, they are not as tight as the Philips Fidelio and but after listening to the XS for a week now I find my Philips a bit too tight, so as you can see it's a matter of perspective. Once you get used to them, you don't notice they're on your head. Having said that, they will fall off if you try to dance with them on your head, but for normal lounging and listening to music, they're just fine. . As far as the sound, it's heaven. I think I prefer the Philips for heavy rock, but for everything else (jazz, classical, instrumental, vocals) the XS is on another level. The music has an almost haunting presence; it pulls you in. I'm not going to pretend that I know all the audiophile lingo about sound stage, imaging, etc. Suffice it to say, they are the best headphones I've ever owned and for me they're the endgame for this hobby. I have no reason to spend any more money on anything better. This is most likely the point of diminishing returns. I hope this help. I've certainly read many comments before finally pulling the trigger.

Thank you so much for doing this review! I've been looking at this one for a couple months but couldn't pull the trigger until you did a review! Bought it today.

Exellent review, as always. Especially that you include comparisons to many headphones, especially the famous Sundara. This is very useful!

I feel like more comparisons to the ananda would’ve been really helpful here.

Simply the best XS review on the youtube till now. Excellent explanation with alot of details many thanks for this nice review.

Thank you Joshua...I've watched many of your videos...I've learned a lot. I'm pretty much convinced to get the Hifiman XS, but I wanna make sure I power them correctly. Would you say the Schiit Fulla 4 dac/amp combo would do a good job on these? or do I need something more (THX 789?)

Finally! Love you vid Joshua. But can you cover the power requirements of Edition XS too?

Enjoyable and in formative review thanks (from someone who's considering their first hifiman).

As an owner of HD600 and Edition XS I think your impressions are spot-on. Well done, great review, tyvm!

I’m lucky to have a pair of these which I managed to get within the first few weeks of release. Therefore, I’ve had them for a few months now and love them. I would say the bass on these is fantastic and significantly punchier than Sundara which I also own whilst retaining the treble. Great review buddy

was hoping to move from he400se to sundara but seeing as this thing aint a ridiculously large amount more than the sundara i might as well go a little further and get the XS, thanks for the review mate

I was the victim of Hi-Fi man's quality control with my XS pair. in certain songs there would be this resonating buzzing in my left ear cup that I could hear and it drove me nuts. I really wanted to love these, but I'm too afraid to get another pair out of fear that I'll have the same exact issue. Which I really shouldn't have to be worrying about at $500 imo

Thanks for compairing with DT-1990 Pro! That gives me a good reference. I found out that I really like headphones that can separate instruments in music. That’s why I really love the 1990. And also its tuning allthough a bit bright, but thats solved in eq.

Thanks for the great video. But I also would've liked to see a comparison to the Ananda. :-)

Nice video, nice review! This is definitely more my price range, it sounds like the sound signature for me. What is that outro track? Also if you care for some highly detailed electronic productions for testing out headphones I have a couple suggestions. Tipper - Jettison mind hatch Ultimae records... Martin nonstatic, AES Dana, cell, not. And Anthony Baldoni - twelve twenty two

I dont really understand anything but your videos are so calming, they always put me in a good mood.

Great video. I got these couple weeks ago and so far these headphones have been very good. I was coming from HD6xx and was debating between HD660s and these and don't really regret going with Hifiman.

How does this compare to the Hifiman HE500? I've had one for a while and I love its sound, but even after modding the headband, it's not super comfortable to wear for long periods of time. And I've been looking for a potential upgrade over them in terms of sound anyway. Was looking at other planars and was unsure if the XS or the Ananda would be good upgrades over the HE500 or not.

Bought these maybe a couple days after launch, and haven't put them down since. Definitely a great set of headphones to get the taste of the higher end of things without the pain to the wallet lol.. got me to finally set down the Sundaras, as good as they are. A strong recommend, and solid review.

I watched this video and and your video on Topping DX3 Pro+ and just bought the Hifiman XS and the Topping DX3 Pro+, and I can't thank you enough. Music just sounds so much better.

I bought them recently and am burning them in but already they sound wonderful. Thanks for the review, Josh.

Great review as always! I want to make sure I understand what you said in this video. You find the XS has a better upper mid and treble sound than the Arya stealth? If you had to pick between the XS and Arya for mixing and mastering which would you pick?

Do you feel these are better than the Drop + Dan Clark collab with the Aeon open X? I have been looking at both as a compliment to the Focal Elex.

Great review! Btw will you be looking at the zmf atrium? For those in Asia it is worth contacting your local hifiman distributor for the edition xs. I got mine under North American MSRP.

great review... thanks! we need a serious review (yours!) of the Avantone Planar. very few reviews online and not one which is trustworthy. read somewhere that it can compete with the Audeze LCD-X in neutrality and texture, but that seems pretty ambitious! hope you can get your "ears" on those Avantones.... thanks again!

I appreciate hearing your positive impressions of the Hifiman Edition XS. The Rtings headphone review site gave the Edition XS the highest cumulative score [8.7 out of 10] for frequency response accuracy, imaging, and soundstage. I"ve been looking for a pair of planar headphones that can offer good detail and balanced response across the sound spectrum without sacrificing overall "impact", and I think that the Edition XS may occupy that sweet spot at a price that won't break my budget. Several reviewers have mentioned that these headphones may not work well on those with a small head (like me) but I'm hoping I can find a practical solution to give me a comfortable fit if the Edition XS is a bit too big for my cranium.

Hello... Thanks for the review. What desktop amp would you recommend for the Edition XS? Thanks!

Will agree on the comfort controversy. I bought the XS about a month ago and the headband created a very sharp hot spot after about 30ish minutes. I loved the sound though, so I decided to go up to the Ananda. Only two downsides of the Ananda vs XS is the highs and low bass. Ananda bass extension is still there, but it rolls off vs the XS. The highs on the Ananda can be a tad bright, but not overly harsh and I slightly prefer the highs on the Ananda vs the XS, but I know sound is preference and it's not a "night and day" difference imo.

Hi! Which has more detail and separation... Dt 1990 or Edition Xs? Thanks a lot.

I just bought mine and they are a joy to listen to. If you have a pair listen to classical guitar, it is super sparkly and feels like it’s right there. Also the 8d audio videos are fun. If you close your eyes you can follow the sound while it dances around your mind, even above and below

I am looking for a new headphones. Currently using a hd 58x and looking for an upgrade. Would you recommend dt 1990 pro or the XS? I play games and watch movie a lot

Great review as always! I have similar opinion to yours regarding XS. I have these headphones for about a month, bought them nearly new for about 420$. I had latest review of Sundara before for a while. For me XS is a clear step up from Sundara. Sundara's build quality is better, but XS is not bad at all. For me they are much more comfortable than Sundaras. Sundara has softer pads but much more clamping force which I didn't like. Pards in XS are more stiffer. At first I thought they will be uncomfortable but I got used to it very quickly. In one point I can't agree - for me soundstage in XS is much wider than in Sundara. I guess it might vary on different amps. I use a handmade high quality amp/dac - much more expensive than these headphones and they scale really well with good amp. I also tried them with Dragonfly black and they are still fine. I still think that Sundaras are impressive at about 350$. I was amazed how close they were to my modified Beyerdynamic T1v1 - mainly in details. I'd love to hear XS with softer pads from dekoni, however I'm afraid that they will loose some soundstage when softer pads brings headphones closer to the hears. I guess I will risk it. I mainly listen to prog rock and other kinds of rock and some electronic music (Riverside, Archive, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Tool, Lunatic soul, Mike Oldfield). Sundaras was lacking a bit of bass in this kind of music. While Sundaras sound just right and nautral, the XS have this wow effect. I highly recommend it :)

Hi Josh, thanks for your many good reviews. I have a wish from you: when you describe comfort, could you include the lying down comfort? I believe the greatest advantage of headphones is portability and flexibility in use, I almost always use my headphones lying down and with my phone connected to my audioquest dragonfly cobalt. It's just so convenient, I won't sit right up two hours to hear a Mahler symphony or an opera....just to lazy for that . Thanks again for a great channel

Hey Josh, weren't you posting measurements of the headphones you review? I was curious if this is like a bassier version of Ananda? Actually, how would you compare it to Ananda? I tried Ananda and it had very narrow and claustrophobic sound stage similar to what you described for the XS - is this the case with XS?

Hi. Please, which headphones would you like to choose? Edition XS or Ananda? I have the opportunity to buy them for the same price and I cannot listen to them and compare them in advance

In my country there is not much change in price between it and LCD-2c what what is a better choice?

Early xs gang rise up! Had these for a few months now, glad to see them getting the attention they deserve

Great review! Quick question: In 2024 for the same price, would you go for Ananda or Edition XS? 🎧🎶🔊 Driver on my Sundara broke and I am looking for an upgrade.

Thx for the vid Josh. I heard the 660S recently at a local dealer and I must say I was quite impressed w/ it when compared to my HD58x.

Hey Josh, I know the videos about the XS but was wondering what should I buy between the Audeze LCD-2C ($1169AUD) and Focal Clear OG Pro on sale for ($1399) $800 off since it’s the OG version typically ($2199AUD)

I actually think the egg-shaped hifimans is one of the best looking headphone imo. It looks so proper and audiophile-ish. I really wanted to get one of those but back then the cheapest option is i think the Anandas. But now there's a cheaper alternative, so im really looking forward to getting this one someday

Watching this review with my own Edition XS (also with the Dekoni Arya pads). Since it is my first egg-shaped Hifiman, I really am pleased with the tingly sensation just under my ears when the bass hits.

What’s your thoughts on the HE-X4? Would you recommend it ?

What would be good DAC for these? Is something like creative sound blaster X4 appropriate for it?

I think that Aeon X is very good in this price range, I agreed with DMS in this one, but im gona try this too

Really respect the review style. Even a video that claims a best headphone is lacking hype and level headed.

Which one would you choose for competitive fps shooters to hear the footsteps? Dt 1990 pro or hifiman edition xs? I have a ifi zen dac and amp. Would the schiit stack be a better match also?

i find the cable that came with XS a bit to short for my area of usage, what would the recommend cable's be that would work fine with XS?

I really love the original tags on this video XD I love it

Any tips to tighten the clamp? I’d like it to have a tighter seal on the ear cups.

Would these run on an SSL 2+? I'm running my HD6XX without issues but not sure about planars. I'll use them for music production, thanks!

what are we thinking for these headphones in the gaming aspect?

hello! since you have heard to most premium headphones and know what does resolving treble means and muddy bass or tight bass means, could you please comment back and tell me how do i know if my headphones have tight bass or high resolving top end

How would you compare the soundstage of this to the akg k712?

These have been my daily's since I picked them up. I found them to be a lot more enjoyable for long listening compared to the Sundara's. The head band being excluded from that. Add the fact that they come with a more than usable cable and you have a really compelling Headphone.

Nice Josh, where can I pick up a set of the areas 😁, I have the Sundara 2020 and the Deva Pro, is it really worth having this as well or maybe to replace mu Sundaras, I don't have an infinite wall or wallet space 🙂

The HE6se V2 is on sale at Adorama for $549. That would be a comparison I"d love to see.

Please tell me which should I get? XS or Ananda? Thanks!

Bought a Sundara a few days ago, great sound but to me it seems like there's nothing in the background, every sound seem to be on the same plane, and it ruins some songs for me. Saw you saying something like that on your review of the Ananda, saying it had more "depth" to the sounds, is it the same with the XS?

Will the Schiit Hel 2e gaming DAC power these, or do they need better amplification?

around 10:00 you started to talk about the importance in distinction of enjoyment headphones and technical headphones for producing. Could you make a video on the best 500$ headphones for Music Production?

i bought this headphone twice, they have a rattle issue on the left cup, when the bass hit harder and the air moves more freely, like there is no in the head or does not have a good seal on the head, its very sad, your unit have the same issue?

How is the Edition XS for folks with (very) large heads? Do the yoke extensions get fatigued and bend a bit?

Little late to the party, but I just bought the XS and running it with my FiiO K7 balanced... and I could not be happier! It was really awesome the second I put it on for the first time. It fits my head very well, but I needd to do some hifiman repair aka bending out of the box... Thanks for a great review, as allways!

Bought these and they sound amazing ! I never experienced a headhphone with that much soundstage its crazy , Though im planning on getting a replacement because there's creaking noises coming from the right side of my pair and its been driving me nuts for weeks , also would like more clamp on these cause they tend to be loose compared to other headphones . The sound is super worth it though , really love them

A question for the experts: Is the Ifi Zen Dac V2 powerful enough to power a Hifiman Edition XS? And does it absolutely need an external power pack, or is the power from the USB port sufficient? Thanks :-)

As far as Hifiman headphones, I have 4XX, Sundara, and Ananda. How does the Edition XS compare to the Ananda?

how do these compare to the Focal Elex? I use them for gaming and music

These were the absolute best headphones I ever had the experience of owning but had to return them unfortunately due to the fit. It really is hit or miss with the fit. But the sound was exceptional, even for someone like me who hates headphones without any sort of bass impact.

You can easily eq more base into this headphone. It has about 2-4 db overhead easily.

The edition xs has a promotion in my place with just usd 400! I will buy it, thanks for your video!

How do these compare to the Ananda? A used Ananda is cheaper than a new XS where I live

How would you describe how a lot of instruments sound through this headphone? I found your description of its vocal reproduction to be helpful but I want to know how non, vocal mid instruments sound.

Is the four headphone u recommended for planar headphone in your description? Thank you

What's a good amp that these should use, hopefully around $250ish...

How do these compare to the Focal Elex?

At the nick of time, when I was thinking of upgrading from Sundara to Edition XS!

How does that leather pad affect Arya's sound signature? Thanks

how much better are these compared to r70x? or DT 1990 PRO?

Great review

I can’t be the only one who has gone down the headphone research rabbit hole and landed on the ananda? Saving for it now!

Hey Josh. I've been watching your reviews for a while and you are amongst one of the reasons I really want to get a Dt-1990 pro. What does the Hifiman Edition XS do better, that may make me get it instead?

i just bought the hifiman edition xs for $500. i enjoy them. still enjoy my 660s

The Ananda (BTW, that's pronounced AH-nanda, with emphasis on the "ah") Stealth Edition has been released. Is there a chance we'll get a review on that updated headphone soon? Thanks!

Just got the edition xs a month ago and am running it off a liquid spark and it is incredible. Flat bass extension that is incredibly clean and powerful. Midrange is very nice, treble is very balanced though can sometimes sound a bit unnatural due to a boost in the air frequencies. I find that this really shines when listening to stuff like orchestral music as powerful crescendos really fill you with adrenaline with these. Something about them just let’s you really feel music

How about these vs the dt1990's? Which are better?

This headphone has a sound similar to a $ 1000 headphone, but a build quality like the $ 50 headphone, mine held together for about 10 hours before the height adjustment gave up.

These or HD-800s? HD-8XX can be found 600-700ish and can be EQed or modded to sound similar to HD-800s

I wonder how these compare to the he6se v2 since you can get those for almost 700 from time to time

How do you think these fair against the latest Anandas not that they are at $700 or sometimes less?

Would you go for the Sundara for £239 or these for £364? Any input would be greatly appreciated

The XS vs Focal Elex which one should i pick?

I want more competition in the open back headphone space so badly and this is a small glimpse at that future. Look at how far IEM's have skyrocketed in the past few years then look back at headphones. The fact that a 20 year old headphone is still one of the best at its price point is just sad (I say that as a 6XX owner lmao).

Can someone please explain to me: when you listen really loud to music with open type headphones, can you still hear sounds from the enviroment? for example hits on my electronic drum pads and cymbals ?

Is this good if you listen to a lot of EDM music? (house, techno)

There are some songs and music passages that actually give me a little chill - call it a frisson of joy - when listening to these. It doesn't happen with most headphones I use.

How does Hifiman edition XS compares to LCD-2C? I have dt1990 ( loving them) and want something different to compliment them

Hello, a total newbie here. My husband used to watch a lot using home theatre setup. But I just got married, and I could not bear the loud audio (small or medium is fine, but it is not satisfactory for me). So I am looking to a more localized alternative, hence headphone for him. Could you please recommend me a headphone, based on the use case below: 1. Movie (contents with DDP 7.1 Atmos) 2. Music, which is second only to movie in terms of priority (i like warm and airy feeling, especially that eye opening sensation. But does not really enjoy harshness or too bright). 3. I thoroughly enjoy wide sound stage and accurate sound-imaging. 4. I like deep and heart-thumping bass, but dislike muddy or murky mids for dialogues. I need the clear separation. 5. My setup is not complete yet. So I change from computer, to Samsung S10 and macbook pro 13 2018. It is quite mobile and i most likely would move around the audio setup according to the device I am currently using I hope my explanation is sufficient and I apologize for the inaccuracy and/or ignorance. Really open for the insights and education. My budget is not much, 500 USD maximum. From what I gathered, below are some potential (though probably not comprehensive enough?): 1. Koss KSC74 2. Sennheiser PC38X 3. Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air I still don't really understand enough about the amp/dac that can drive the headphones to their potential. So could any of you kind people, please inform me about this as well? Bearing in mind the budget and possibly mobile nature of the use case (but, if it needs to be stationary.. i can try to make it work as well if it is your recommendation). Open ear is not off the table and I would enjoy it as well, if it is recommended. Planar is a very new concept to me and I am trying to understand it. If it is recommended, (but I do not think the budget allows), I would be interested in it. So, once again, I humbly ask for your guidance for the audio setup you recommend. Thank you and have a nice day 🙏🏼🤗

which mobile dac do you suggest for the xs?

I got these recently ant it blows my mind how good music quality came out… very very satisfying 😊