Fit and Comfort

Seen above is the HIFIMAN Edition XS on a headphone stand that is actually a set of two artificial ears complete with soft-molded human ears and a couple of different adapters acting as the top of the head. This has been mounted on a tripod, which also showcases how headphones would look on a human head, with the artificial ears spaced ~20 cm apart. As with all headphones, getting a good fit and seal is crucial, so make sure to properly use the pivot points and height adjustability of the headband and ear cups. In this case, the limited horizontal swivel is quite handy for orientating the ear pads well over the ears without a gap above or below. This is also the first set of headphones where I had to leave the vertical sizing at the very bottom, and my head is average-sized. The clamp force can feel somewhat light in the beginning, although having the headphones at the lowest headband sizing somewhat accounted for that. This is where I have to say that those with smaller or larger heads might get a different net experience from the Edition XS, with the seal impacting the sound signature a lot more than usual, as we will discuss below. At 405 g, the Edition XS is among the heavier headphones on the market, but it still pales compared to the likes of the Audeze LCD series to where actual mass density is on the lower side. A good fit can remain comfortable thus, although I still found myself taking these off every hour or so to adjust the ear cups and headband. Sound isolation isn't much of a thing on the open-back Edition XS. Those around you are likely to get a second-hand listen of whatever you are listening to, so it's best used in a quiet environment.

Audio Performance

Audio Hardware

If you are curious about how planar magnetic drivers generally work and differ from standard dynamic drivers, take a look at the equivalent section on this page. In fact, go ahead and read through the same page of the HIFIMAN Arya review since it goes over the various new HIFIMAN technologies in detail, especially as the stealth magnets introduced with the flagship HIFIMAN Susvara in 2017 have now made their way down the ladder in various forms. This is not to say that the magnets in the $6000 Susvara are the same, or even in the $130 HE400se. Those in the Edition XS are no doubt with a lower magnetic flux, and potentially less stealthy in terms of how much it lowers the resonance sound waves generate. Likewise, while HIFIMAN doesn't claim the use of its patent window shades here, it sure looks similar enough to the naked eye. Where things certainly differ is the diaphragm and traces, as the thinnest nanometer-scale diaphragms continue to be reserved for the more expensive headphones.

The Edition XS gets the so-called Neo supernano Diaphragm (NsD) that's still thinner than the one on the Edition X, and the likes of those used on the budget-friendly HE400se, which can make for faster transients and is in turn associated with how fast of an audio response we get. Ultimately, it's still a typical planar driver set of headphones as it has a relatively low rated impedance of 18 Ω paired with a low sensitivity of 92 dB/mW. This makes the HIFIMAN Edition XS more demanding on source power than most contemporaries, which is another reason I don't really see it being used much outdoors even if it weren't open-back. Some portable sources, such as the iFi micro iDSD Signature, will be plenty fine though, and even something like the aune BU2 will work with a balanced cable, while allowing for Bluetooth connectivity to your PC. However, I generally recommend a desktop DAC/amplifier if using your PC. The included 1.6-meter cable is also better for a seated experience.

Frequency Response Measurement and Listening

I will mention that I have a general preference for a warm-neutral signature emphasizing a slightly elevated bass and smooth treble range with detailed mids and good tonal separation. I also generally prefer instrumental music over vocals, with favored genres including jazz and classical music.


Our current headphones test setup uses a set of two custom in-ear microphones for the two channels. These microphones closely adhere to the IEC711 class, but have been tweaked to be more reliable in the >10 kHz frequency range that was the issue with my previous setup, which is still very good and will continue to be used for IEMs and earphones. Two soft silicone pinnae are installed on the sides, separated by a distance matching my head, and multiple "height" adapters have been 3D-printed for further customization based on fit and head size and shape. Each set of microphones has an XLR output I separately adapted to 3.5 mm. I did power the headphones using a dedicated source, the JDS Labs Element II, for measurements as well as listening, but also used a variety of other sources at my disposal.

This artificial head simulator feeds into a reference USB sound card, which in turn goes to a laptop that has ARTA and REW running and the headphones connected to the laptop through the sound card and/or a separate DAC/amp as needed. I begin with an impulse measurement to test for signal fidelity, calibrate the sound card and channel output, account for floor noise, and finally test the frequency response of each channel separately. Octave smoothing is at the 1/12th setting, which nets a good balance of detail and noise not being identified as useful data. Also, the default tuning was used for testing, and no app-based settings were chosen unless specifically mentioned. Each sample of interest is tested thrice with separate mounts to account for any fit issues, and an average is taken of the three individual measurements for statistical accuracy. The raw data is then compensated based on a custom curve created after having worked with Crinacle from In-Ear Fidelity to get measurements with this setup on par with a GRAS 043AG industry-standard measurement rig, so big thanks to him for that.


As before, you can find my headphone frequency response measurements on VSG.squig.link, along with all the earphone measurements. Scroll to the bottom and choose different targets there, as I have added new ones, including two from Harman Kardon developed after years of R&D. The Harman 2018 over-ear target in particular is a reference curve many headphone makers aim for now, but I find it too bass-boosted. As such, I am opting for the Harman 2018 curve with the bass target from the Harman 2013 curve, which is what is being referred to as the "Harman Combined" target there.

HIFIMAN doesn't specifically call the Edition XS out for anything outside of the usual marketing spiel, and it took me all of five minutes of listening to these to figure out it was tuned in line with what is the HIFIMAN signature sound. Indeed, with the founder Dr. Fang Bian having started the company in the mid-2000s while in New York and listening to the New York Philharmonic for his share of classical music galore, I certainly see the inspiration here. The typical HIFIMAN open-back, planar tuning caters favorably to instrumental music over vocals, which makes them personally appealing. This is not to say it's a poor compromise elsewhere, though. Take the bass response for example, where there is no bass shelf because of the open-back nature of things, of course, but the larger area moving back and forth with the relatively massive diaphragm results in even more of a net response in the low frequencies than the measurements indicate. It pairs quite well for drums, with good contrast and punch behind individual notes, as well as good decay with kick drums vs. the likes of bass guitars. It's not a set I'd use for electronic music, and EQ will be better appreciated in the mid-bass.

Knowing the measurement artifact here, the mids are actually slightly recessed compared to the bass, and certainly the treble. I thus agree with those describing the Edition XS as slight U-shaped in tuning, which is a weakness for those who care about vocals. The lower mids are forward-facing, which has some male vocals stand out further among some instruments, but we see that characteristic 1 kHz dip which takes energy out of the equation for many female vocalists. Indeed, unless you listen primarily to Japanese babymetal or opera music, you would find the Edition XS somewhat jarring and apathetic for vocal tracks. Likewise, I would not use the Edition XS for general media consumption, including movies and podcasts. The lower mids are easy enough to EQ to your preference though, so this is where I would say the Edition XS is highly worth customizing to your tuning preference. There is a good sense of space here, which ties into a tall soundstage I would not describe as any wider or deeper than the average open-back set. This helps with more complex pieces filled with mixed instruments in particular. Forward notes are also tangibly clearer than decaying ones, so it is "fast" in that sense even if I don't particularly like that term. Imaging is spot on in a wide ~120° cone directly in front of you and again in the straight line from the left ear to the right.

The treble response is quite mature for a wide variety of users, beginning evenly with the transition from the upper mids and a good pinna gain response. It's not overly bright, but that 6.5 kHz peak does add some shimmer on particularly sibilant tracks, as opposed to the headphones adding it. This also means there isn't that extra presence jazz and orchestral music lovers would appreciate, but it has piano keys get their time as much as cymbals do courtesy the additional air via the stealth magnet design. I actually found myself adding a slight EQ boost at 9 kHz for string instrument overtones, but have little to complain about here overall. Indeed, the timbre was about as good as it gets with planar headphones—if you have listened to one, you know what I am talking about with some instruments sounding "twangy," but I dig it personally.


Given I alluded to this before, I had to do a quick comparison to the other two HIFIMAN headsets I have here even if they are in very different price brackets. If you blur your eyes enough, the tuning of all three melds together into that HIFIMAN house sound I mentioned, complete with the 1 kHz dip that makes the upper mids a hit or miss. Note again that the HIFIMAN Arya, as this Edition XS, was re-measured with the new methodology. As such, the Arya measurements here differ from before. The Edition XS does bass better than the Arya in my opinion, at least out of the box, but the Arya just scales better with EQ and is more resolving across the board. The Arya is also more neutral in the mids, but brighter later on, making it more appealing to jazz and classical music fans. The HIFIMAN HE400se costs far less and is arguably tuned better than the others, but the technical performance is quite lacking even compared to the Edition XS, which also does better in the bass. I do not have the Sundara, Ananda, or Edition X/S for more direct comparisons, but of the three here, it does feel like the Edition XS takes some cues from Audeze for the bass.


Speaking of which, I had to dig deep for appropriately priced comparisons in the absence of more covered headphones, and one is the Audeze LCD-2 Classic. It costs slightly more than the Edition XS and is a warmer set, especially in the mids. The LCD-2 Classic is fun for those who like this tuning, but A/B testing revealed how lacking in detail and accuracy it can be now that I have had far more critical headphone listening experience since that review. It is built better than the Edition XS in my books, and the stock cable is far superior, but I'd give the edge to the HIFIMAN for comfort and the overall listening experience, with the savings in MSRP also swaying things in favor of the Edition XS. The other set I'll draw attention to is the HarmonicDyne Poseidon (review coming soon) which is very similarly priced, uses a nickel-coated dynamic driver, but unfortunately is a big letdown in most ways outside of aesthetics (subjective) and accessories. This is far easier a choice as I'd pick the Edition XS every single time for its better tuning, more detail retrieval, and because it doesn't make me want to take off the headphones after 15 minutes of listening.