HIFIMAN - Edition XS

Heard about Ananda, if it is XS, then the ROG logo is damn expensive.

It is indeed not ideal but it was quickly solved with my 3d printer.

I can only speak to the Edition XS, but the build quality is indeed meh. But the sound is absurdly good for the money.

The Arya is a vast improvement over the XS in fit. The XS comes off with even the slightest movement unless you mod it.

For the true budget audiophile, you're not going to find a better deal outside of the used market. /r/avexchange is your friend. There are 2 HiFiman Edition XS that they are asking $220, for example If you can find something that is more bass forward, that is probably the strat. I find that when someone goes from speakers to headphones that is the first thing they comment on. Fiio FT1 comes to mind.

I got the Edition XS instead. bout 100 less right now on amazon!

My personal experience, had to EQ the XS or I was going to give them away lol. They were way too harsh and treble heavy for my ear. After that I haven’t put my Sennheisers back on.  What really sets them apart for me is the sound stage. Gaming and music are both improvements to me over my 600s. I would say the XS is brighter sounding. I had to search several EQ settings but finally found one right for me. They will thump more for sure, but I was trying to EQ more towards that Sennheiser sound and have the larger sound stage.  I definitely recommend them for more detail and the sound stage. Dunno about the thump though. There’s more, but not a whole lot more. I guess it depends on the thumping level desired!

I'd probably recommend Drop/ Sennheiser PC38x for multiplayer/ directional audio and HiFiMan Edition XS (or perhaps Sundara if you have small ears; not comfortable for me) for cinematic single player games for fairly affordable headsets within a few hundred bucks. I've read good things about the Audeze Maxwell. Going much higher will probably require an amp and get MUCH pricier. For PC and listening to music, I use an HE1000SE, which will challenge your statement about budget not mattering. It's by far the best set of headphones I've ever used for gaming (including the also excellent Sennheiser HD 490 Pro, which I also own) or music but definitely not low budget.

Enjoy them! They are a solid closed back option. I wanted a bit more in the low end...and I pad swapped to find what I wanted. Do be careful when looking for pads. They do dramatically alter the sound of the headphone (regardless of EQ) Open backs can do bass...Have heard the Sony MDR-MV1 is a pretty solid open back bassy headphone. The new hotness from HiFiMan Edition XV ia supposedly a departure from their bright house sound. Just from reviews... they're supposedly quite warm. EQ can and will do wonders for planar headphones. I have the EdtionXS...and they can definitely deliver on the low end when EQed properly.

opinions🤷🏻‍♂️ HiFiMAN would make it now that the EdXS is around that $200 level...but people forget those were a $500 headphone. What I mentioned in my comment... literally none of those broke $200 (well maybe the HD6xx)

I use the best tuned models possible and add my own personal touch with EQ. my current preferred set is Crinear Meta tough I dial down the bass sometimes. I also really loved the Truthear pure as well. as headphone I use sennheiser hd560s and Hifiman edition XS. both has some tweaks: a 4 db subbas boost and some treble tweaks here and there. for reference I recommend you to use a proper speaker setup on a proper room. or use something that has similar sound character to a setup like this. Pure is pretty close, Hexa also a great choice, these 2 are most neutral sets you can find. as headphone sennheiser is known for its studio grade sound, they are the best for analytical listening. as for something with bass boost look at headphones like Auribus acustics sierra.

I splurged so hard for the full price XS. Even paid import duties to Canada from a US dealer. Now it's available for $200 with local shipping. I cope by telling myself that I got to have them years longer than lower price peeps, and that even at full price it was an unbeatable value. Still stings. I could have saved tons or gotten something higher in their range.

Even at full price, the XS was a value king. What on earth are you comparing HiFiMAN's lineup to?

You can get refurb Hifiman edition XS for ~ $200 when they go on sale. That’s my recommendation