The HiFiMan Edition XS are open-back planar-magnetic headphones and are the next generation of the HiFiMan Edition X. Unlike their predecessor, they have a more conventional headband and use a thinner diaphragm to help the reproduction of details in tracks while keeping distortion low. They also have the manufacturer's 'Stealth Magnets' design, which HifiMan claims improves their sound quality.
Our Verdict
The HiFiMan Edition XS are inadequate for sports and fitness as they're not designed for this. They can fall off your head with moderate movement, and their audio cable can snag on something and pull them off your head. They also leak a lot of audio. That said, they have a comfortable fit and feel well-built, but we don't recommend you use these for even the gentlest workout.
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Well-built design.
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Can fall off with your head with moderate movement.
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Don't block out any background noise.
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Leak a lot of audio.
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No IP rating.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are bad for commuting and travel. Don't let their comfortable, well-built design fool you, these open-back audiophile headphones don't block out any background noise and leak a lot of audio, so anyone around you will hear your audio. They're also bulky and don't come with a carrying case to help protect them when you're on the go.
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Well-built design.
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No mic.
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Can fall off with your head with moderate movement.
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Don't block out any background noise.
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Leak a lot of audio.
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No IP rating.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are terrible for office use. They have an open-back design, meaning they won't block out any ambient chatter or AC noise around you. They also don't have a built-in microphone. That said, they have a comfortable design, so if you're working from a private room and don't need to make conference calls, these will be fine.
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Well-built design.
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No mic.
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Don't block out any background noise.
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Leak a lot of audio.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are wired headphones, and you can't use them wirelessly.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are alright for wired gaming if you don't need mic support. These headphones have a balanced sound profile that ensures that rumbly sound effects are immersive and dialogue and lead instruments are clear and natural. They're comfortable enough to wear for long gaming sessions, and their open-back design means their soundstage feels immersive.
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Deliver audio very consistently.
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Well-built design.
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No mic.
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Frame is a bit large and may not fit small heads well.
The HiFiMan Edition XS have good audio reproduction accuracy. Their sound closely follows our target curve, meaning bassy sounds feel warm and full, mid-range instruments are reproduced accurately, and trebly sounds like high percussion feel crisp and clear. Fans of EDM may wish they had a touch more low-bass, but open-backed headphones tend to have slightly less in that area. Their treble range is a little uncontrolled, with some peaks that can render sibilants a touch piercing, while a little audible group delay in the bass range can make kick drums a touch flabby. Their open design lends your audio an immersive feel, with a soundstage that resembles angled reference monitors in a treated room.
The HiFiMan Edition XS have terrible noise isolation. These open-backed headphones block out almost no noise. They're meant to be used to listen to audio in private rooms, not shared spaces like offices or buses.
The HiFiMan Edition XS don't have a microphone.
The HiFiMan Edition XS have great frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a stable fit and a good seal is established, these headphones are able to deliver audio consistently. This should be the case regardless of your physical features, though those with smaller heads will need to spend some time adjusting the fit, due to their bulky frame.
- 5.5 Sports And Fitness
- 4.4 Travel
- 2.9 Office Work
- 4.6 Wireless Gaming (In Development)
- 6.6 Wired Gaming (In Development)
Performance Usages
- 7.7 Audio Reproduction Accuracy
- 0.7 Noise Isolation
- 0 Microphone (In Development)
- 8.4 Frequency Response Consistency
Changelog
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Updated Apr 25, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Apr 25, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0, which updates our sound tests and adds performance usages. You can read more about this in our changelog.
- Updated Sep 12, 2024: Several Sound tests have been updated following Test Bench 1.8. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the product comparisons to match these results.
- Updated Sep 12, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.8, which updates our target curve and Sound tests. You can read more about this in our changelog.
- Updated Apr 04, 2024: The following test groups have been updated following Test Bench 1.7: Noise Isolation - Full Range, and Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The HiFiMan XS come in one color variation: 'Black', and you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Headphones
The HiFiMan Edition XS are the successor of the HiFiMan Edition X. Unlike their predecessor, they have a more typical headband design that feels a bit heavier than the manufacturer's ski band headband design. However, their frame is quite large, so if you have a small head, the bottom of the ear cups may reach your jaw. They have a very similarly neutral sound profile to the HiFiMan Ananda, making them suitable for a variety of audio content, and their fantastic passive soundstage performance also helps immerse you in your favorite audio. If you prefer a brighter sound signature, Beyerdynamic headphones are typically a good place to start, with the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO being a good alternative to the Edition XS for fans of an airy sound. On the other hand, if you like a warmer, smoother treble, the Sennheiser HD 560S are a great pick.
Check out our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best open-back headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are slightly better audiophile headphones than the HiFiMan Sundara 2020. The Edition XS reproduce audio more consistently and follow our target curve slightly more closely, with a touch of added thump that listeners of bass-heavy genres like hip-hop may appreciate. However, the Sundara 2020 have a more comfortable ski-band headband design.
The HiFiMan Edition XS and the HiFiMan Ananda are both great headphones for neutral sound and depending on your preferences, you may enjoy either one. The Edition XS have a typical headband design and can reproduce sound more consistently. However, the Ananda are better built and have a ski-band headband design that's more comfortable. Their passive soundstage creates a more out-of-head audio experience too.
The HiFiMan Edition XS and the HiFiMan Arya are both excellent audiophile headphones with slight differences. Both headphones have a similarly neutral sound profile, but the Arya have a ski-band headband design, are more comfortable, and feel better built. On the other hand, the Edition XS have a more standard headband, which some people may prefer.
The Sennheiser HD 560S and the HiFiMan Edition XS are similarly-priced audiophile headphones with a balanced sound that suits a variety of audio content. The Sennheiser's recessed treble lends them a warmer sound, while the HiFiMan have more shimmer. The HiFiMan also put out more low-bass, which fans of EDM may prefer. But if you like to EQ your headphones, the Sennheiser are the better pick, because their frequency response is more controlled, with fewer peaks and dips.
The HiFiMan Edition XS and the HiFiMan Arya Stealth Magnet Version are both high-end planar magnetics. While both headphones have similarly open and spacious soundstages, the Edition XS have a slightly punchier and thumpier bass, but overall, they both sound alike. They also come with a 1/4" adapter and have a lower impedance of 18 ohms with a sensitivity of 92 dB, so they're easier to drive. That said, the Arya are more comfortable and feel better built, so it depends on your sound preferences.
The Sennheiser HD 490 PRO and HiFIMan Edition XS are audiophile headphones with different strengths. The Sennheiser have fewer peaks and dips in the treble range, making them easier to EQ. But they also have a darker sound, so fans of sizzle and sparkle will prefer the HiFiMan. If you like choice, the Sennheiser are the better pick, as they come with two sets of swappable pads, giving you two frequency responses to choose from. In the end, as with most audiophile headphones, the choice comes down to taste.
The Sennheiser HD 800 S and the HiFiMan Edition XS are both excellent audiophile headphones with slight differences. The Sennheiser headphones have dynamic transducers and are more comfortable and well-built. Their passive soundstage also creates a more out-of-head audio experience. In comparison, the HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones. Thanks to their design, they can reproduce bass more accurately, which is great for fans of thumpy EDM kicks. They also deliver audio even more consistently than the Sennheiser.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are better audiophile headphones than the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The HiFiMan have much more consistent audio delivery, and their passive soundstage is wider and more immersive. They can also reproduce low bass more accurately, which is great if you like to feel the thump of a kick drum. That said, the Philips are more comfortable.
The HiFiMan Edition XS and the Sennheiser HD 660S2 are audiophile headphones with different strengths. The HiFiMan are planar magnetic headphones that can reproduce more low bass and a significantly more balanced treble, rendering vocals and cymbals with more detail. They have a superior passive soundstage performance and are very immersive. However, the Sennheiser are dynamic headphones and come with a dustbag to help protect them when you store them. Their slightly warmer sound may appeal to some listeners.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are better audiophile headphones than the Sennheiser HD 660 S. The Sennheiser have a dip in the treble range that can make audio sound slightly veiled. By comparison, the HiFiMan have a much more neutral treble range and have more low bass, so kick drums and basslines have more thump and punch than the Sennheiser. Despite both headphones being over-ear open-backs, the HiFiMan have a far superior passive soundstage, producing a much more speaker-like sound than the Sennheiser. That said, the Sennheiser are slightly cheaper.
The HiFiMan Edition XS are the upgraded variant of the HiFiMan Edition X, but both are excellent picks for neutral sound. Both headphones have a neutral sound profile with a wide and immersive passive soundstage. Unlike their predecessor, the Edition XS have a more typical headband design, which may not be as comfortable for some users as the headphones are quite large and may not fit small heads well. Still, due to their design, they can reproduce audio more consistently. They also have a thinner diaphragm, which helps the reproduction of details in your audio.
The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX3000 are much more expensive headphones than the HiFiMan Edition XS, but they serve similar purposes. Both pairs are open-back headphones that target audiophile listeners or audio professionals such as mix engineers. Fans of a brighter sound will likely prefer the Audio-Technica's extra detail in the treble region, while bass-heads should turn to the HiFiMan, which puts out noticeably more thump. If we had to pick, we'd say the HiFiMan are the better deal, but sound preference is personal.
Test Results
The HiFiMan Edition XS have a bright sound profile, with a controlled bass and a slightly emphasized treble, that's well-aligned with our target curve.
Note: The headphones are quite large, even when compared to other HiFiMan products like the HiFiMan Arya. We had to put foam under our unit's headband in order for them to fit on our dummy head. That said, there isn't much of a difference in frequency response with or without the foam in place.
These headphones have impressive frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a good fit, expect consistent bass and treble delivery. However, this may be tricky if you have a small head, as the headphones are quite large.
These headphones show remarkable compliance with our bass target. Their low and mid-bass are slightly underemphasized, so EDM fans who love extra thump and punchy kicks might find these a bit lacking. However, their high-bass range closely approximates our target, with just a small boost to give basslines a little added warmth.
These over-ears have excellent mid-range target compliance. Most of the range is fairly flat, so vocals and lead instruments like Lionel Richie's voice in the chorus of Hello sound clear and present. However, a dip in the high-mids slightly weakens these sounds, making vocals sound a touch distant.
These headphones have outstanding treble compliance. Just over midway into the song Static by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, strings, and guitars are clear and detailed but not harsh. The small dip in the low treble is a continuation of the dip in the high mids and can make vocals sound just a touch distant. The mid-treble is well-balanced, so cymbals are bright without being too piercing.
These headphones have okay peaks and dips performance, meaning their frequency response doesn't deviate much from their balanced sound profile. A small dip in the high-mids pushes vocals to the back of the mix slightly, and a couple of peaks in the low- and mid-treble range can make vocals and sibilants like S and T sound a little piercing.
The left and right drivers are well matched in terms of amplitude and phase across the whole frequency spectrum. In particular, the bass and mids are closely aligned, so sounds like bass guitars and vocals are accurately panned. Some small deviations in the treble range could make sounds like centrally panned hi-hats feel slightly off-center, but we didn't notice any issues in testing and it's unlikely you'll encounter any while listening to regular audio content.
These headphones have decent group delay performance. There are no audible issues in the mid-range and treble regions, so the pick attack of strummed acoustic guitars is accurately reproduced. However, higher group delay in the low-bass means sounds like 808 bass drums can feel just a touch flabby and soft.
These PRTF measurements indicate a very good amount of interaction with your pinna, lending your audio some of the qualities of an angled reference speaker. It's easy to make out where objects are panned in the stereo field, and the soundstage feels open and immersive.
These headphones have sub-par harmonic distortion performance. It's possible you'll hear harmonic distortion artifacts if you're listening at very loud levels, but it shouldn't be a concern if you listen at healthy and safe volumes.
These headphones don't require an amp to drive them and can playback audio at high listening levels on mobile devices.
These are the settings used to test the HiFiMan Edition XS. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.
These headphones look a bit different from other headphones in the manufacturer's lineup. They have a typical headband rather than a ski-band headband design. That said, the headphones are large, and we have to put foam underneath our unit's headband so that it better fits our dummy head's ears. There have silver grilles with an elongated ear cup design that rests around your jaw. That said, they come in only one color: 'Black'.
These headphones have a comfortable fit. They're well-padded, and the headband material feels nice. However, the headband feels heavier than other headphones in this manufacturer's lineup, like the HiFiMan Edition X and HiFiMan Arya. The headphones are also quite large and can be too big if you have a small head.
These headphones have sub-par portability. They're big, bulky, and can't fold into a more compact form to help save space. While they can fit into a large bag, they don't come with a carrying case to protect them when you're on the go.
These headphones have a good build quality. They have a mostly metal design with silver grilles. There's faux leather padding on the ear cups and headband. However, the plastic hinges feel cheap and can be prone to damage over time.
These headphones have mediocre stability. They're big, bulky, and not designed for sports use, so they can move around and fall off your head with moderate movement. They'll stay in place while you're listening to audio at your desk.
These headphones have a bad full-range noise isolation performance, which is to be expected from open-back headphones. Their design allows ambient sound to enter the ear cups to create a more natural and spacious soundstage. As a result, they won't block out most kinds of sound around you.
These headphones are intended for use in an enclosed space, so they don't block out sounds from dynamic environments like on a plane, at the office, or on a busy street.
These headphones leak audio by design. If you're listening to audio near others, they can hear it, even if it's at a moderate volume.
These headphones come with a detachable 1/8" TRS cable and a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter if you want to use them with an amp or other audio equipment.
These headphones can only receive audio when connected to your PC via an analog connection.
These headphones can connect to PS4 and PS5 consoles by plugging their analog cable into your controller. However, you can only receive audio as they don't have a mic.
These headphones can only receive audio when connected to your Xbox console's controller via analog.
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Comments
HiFiMan Edition XS: Main Discussion
Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.
Our testers have started testing this product; is there anything specific you’re looking to see? Let us know in this thread.
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As I know the Live 660s ANC is upgraded as the microphone boost too. And the sound quality is better in the “non bass style” music category. But there is no serious review in the net.