Get $1000 sound for $319! HiFiMan Edition XS mod

[@CustomCans]

Thank you for trying them out - it was really good to hear someone else's thoughts on the mod and I am glad to see the install went OK.

[@CookinBeatloaf]

Very cool product. I'm not excited about the trend of 3d printing the entire headphone, but aftermarket custom parts is the kind of boutique printed solution we wouldn't otherwise get to have. Now please figure out how to de-fazor / re-fazor an LCD, and make closed cups, so the rest of us have tools to play with

[@PassionforSound]

It was a pleasure to try them! The install was very straightforward and it's great that it's so easy to reverse when the mood takes you. ♥️

[@_DeepGroove_]

What about headphones that provide $319 of sound for $1,000?

[@mTLpHfumfaomd]

Maybe buy the Arya and do the 'poke the driver' mod 😁

[@PassionforSound]

😂😂

[@dbean5174]

Ask the Audivina? Except that it’s worse than $319

[@PassionforSound]

Ouch! 😂

[@Wyd4]

Everyone forget about Ultrasone or?

[@TigroGumi]

You could just leave the side panels off completely to make the XS unveiled lol

[@PassionforSound]

Perhaps, but the Unveiled designs all have protection when not in use and the XS might just sound like garbage without the panels because they were originally tuned to have them.

[@trevr10]

Custom Cans have just released the files to allow printing of these on your own 3D printer, or have them printed in your own country for £10. The files include some extra bits you can print. I've got the Custom Cans strap mod on mine, and it makes them much more comfortable.

[@PassionforSound]

That's very cool that they're allowing local printing!

[@CookinBeatloaf]

That's awesome. Hopefully people with lower quality capabilities don't try to pass off theirs as original, but it's probably a tiny market

[@StephenMcGregor1986]

now that's cool

[@RichHomieBodhi]

I love how the edition xs sound stock, but its great to hear a review of this mod!

[@bobbubevski2719]

another great review 👏👏, how would these pair with the FiiO KA13?

[@giorgosapo4508]

I was not expecting to see a review on this mod! 👏 If you will be able to review more mods in the future like for example that suspension strap it would be something special that no other channel does. I am speaking in general about mods not only Hifiman ones. It is something that so many people love to do!

[@PassionforSound]

I'm always happy to explore and discuss anything like this mod. 🙂

[@jonRock]

If you already have the XS, I bet the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin ear pads with this mod would make for a more refined sound. Would probably tame the harshness slightly while making them a ton more comfortable. I wouldn't buy XS + Super Grills + Dekoni pads all together though because you're getting close to the price of the Arya Stealth, which would be a massive upgrade over the XS in my opinion.

[@PassionforSound]

That's a great point about the pads, but also the final cost. I definitely think the Arya Stealth is the better headphone if you're already spending that kind of money.

[@1mctous]

If you don't own the Edition XS and can afford the Arya Stealth, go for it. If you own the XS, the upgrade makes sense.

[@PassionforSound]

@1mctous I agree

[@Rsalmond83]

Just bend the metal yokes to adjust fit. If you have a kid head, then you’ll need straps or make your own with a bandana.

[@1mctous]

Since I already have the Edition XS, these mods make sense. My only complaint about the stock version is the small sense of space.

[@PassionforSound]

That's my take on them too

[@carminedesanto6746]

Happy Boxing Day..let the deals begin👍

[@PassionforSound]

💯

[@Puroplatino]

Merry Christmas Lachlan

[@PassionforSound]

Merry Christmas!

[@Cestmoi50]

I would go higher up the rank personallt, hifi wise. But nice to review mods like this, to make it possible for people with a way smaller budget to enjoy upgrades that are affordable, in the end it is all about enjoying music. Well done👍🏼

[@PassionforSound]

Yes, I try to provide reviews at all budget levels because we all have different levels of funds available and it's fun to find great value affordable gear too.

[@williambracken9339]

Is there an advantage to retuning the XS via the grill mod rather than doing it with eq?

[@PassionforSound]

Yes. EQ, unless being processed by a very powerful and well designed DSP, will smear timing and "delete" some of the very fine detail sounds on the music. The result is sound that's a bit less lifelike and with reduced soundstage accuracy.

[@HeebieGenie]

Nice video! Do you think you could do an up to date comparison between the latest Arya and the HD 800 S?

[@PassionforSound]

Unfortunately, I don't own the HD800S so I probably won't be able to do that.

[@HeebieGenie]

@ I appreciate you trying not to give opinions when you don't actually own the headphone, since memory has been shown to not be reliable.

[@PassionforSound]

@HeebieGenie absolutely!

[@syedzgaming]

Wait you are saying the soundstage isn’t wide on these in stock form?? Every review says its one of the widest.

[@PassionforSound]

No. I'm saying the soundstage IS wide but has little to no depth.

[@syedzgaming]

@ you mean front and back?

[@PassionforSound]

@syedzgaming that's correct - how far away the most distant instruments sound compared to the closest instruments. On the XS, it's hard to even identify if some sounds are further away.

[@Tutku35]

I hate to see that atrocious headband ruining the great value product.

[@martinfox2244]

It makes one wonder why an accomplished headphone maker like Hifiman couldnt mod the grill. Then again there is that headband.

[@PassionforSound]

They probably didn't want to have all of their headphones tuned exactly the same. The modded version isn't better, just different.

[@martinfox2244]

@PassionforSound I have a Sundara and ETA Ada. I'll have to think about this as I am considering something different but...maybe I am good where I am at.

[@PassionforSound]

I think you've already got two excellent headphones there. I'd save up and go higher before adding another headphone around the same value.

[@fatdoi003]

why not just make it unveil??

[@PassionforSound]

Potentially you could, but the Unveiled designs come with protective covers. These could be at risk without that and they also might sound like garbage because they were tuned to have back grilles and some mesh too.

[@CookinBeatloaf]

I wonder how long Hifiman took enduring yours were exceeding qc spec. I wish there was an affordable way that reviewers could get pairs off the shelf for testing

[@PassionforSound]

Golden samples could be a thing, but I have no reason to suspect that any of the models they've sent me have been specially selected and I've had two issues with their headphones in the past which might suggest that they weren't so carefully selected. I should add that that's two issues across every model they make except the HE6SE and HE560. That's a pretty good strike rate.

[@calvinyip364]

Pls compare Fiio ft1 pro Vs edition xs

[@PassionforSound]

I will when I get to that review. 🙂

[@martinfox2244]

So, do these grills fit other Hifiimans?

[@PassionforSound]

I suspect so, but I don't know what they'll do to the tuning of those...

[@martinfox2244]

@PassionforSound In my dream world an Arya Stealth would become an HE 1000SE.

[@PassionforSound]

@martinfox2244 haha. If only! 😁

[@Tripokaridos22]

I loved my Hifimans but both of them had problems ,they fixed 2 times under warranty, but sell them before warranty ends.

[@PassionforSound]

Wow! That's not good to hear. I've had a great run with all of mine so far and have owned every model except the HE6SE and the HE560.

[@Tripokaridos22]

@@PassionforSound I have Sundara and Arya , Sundara had Cable problem not working, Pads unglued and the left driver stop working, they changed everything under warranty ( they tell me to send them photo with destroyed pads, cable and driver) . Arya had terrible L+ R loudness miss match . I though that the more expensive ones would not have any problems but. The thing is that searching at forums a lot of people have same problems. Can i ask u something ? Can u recomend me a portable dongle for my 660s2 ? I have THX Onyx + Fiio KA13 , Onyx sounds amazing but doesnt go loud, and Ka13 goes very loud but has a lot of noise ( i tried desktop mode on and off)

[@PassionforSound]

I've replied to your other comment with some recommendations. 🙂

[@rickrobinson1801]

Compared to Verum 1?

[@PassionforSound]

I haven't compared them directly, but Verum 1 will easily win for soundstage depth. XS will win for most natural tonality and best bass. After that, I'd need to compare them side-by-side.

[@amanieux]

how does it compares with a $400 hype4 ? my reasoning is that with a iem you can get away with a $10 apple dongle for a total of $410 but with the $319 moded edition xs you also need a $100 headphone amp so a comparable total setup of $430 .

[@PassionforSound]

I'd prefer the XS over the Hype 4. IEMs can never match headphones in the sense of how they present the sound because they pipe the sound directly into the ears so we lose some of the spatial cues available from our pinnae reflections. Some IEMs are better than headphones in other ways, but I find the Hype 4 fairly average compared to the Edition XS.

[@amanieux]

@@PassionforSound ok fair enough, is there a sub $400 iem you can think of that sounds better than the edition xs to your ears ?

[@PassionforSound]

Not exactly because of the reasons I said above. My favourite IEMs are all listed in the description 🙂

[@amanieux]

@@PassionforSound i get that at the $400 price point you recommend headphones over iems but what about the $100 price point ? you may want to add a "My top recommended AUDIO CHAIN" list in the description that mixes speakers, headphones and iems and sort them in order of sonic performance including a recommended dac/amp for synergies that makes sense as a complete audio sytem, it would be useful information imho because it integrate for example the fact that speakers needs an expensive amp to sound good unlike iems :)

[@PassionforSound]

@amanieux that would get way too complicated. Also, IEMs and headphones will both benefit from better amplification just as speakers do - not for more power, but better quality.

[@von7299]

And thank you for sea turtles. Don’t forget sea turtles.

[@PassionforSound]

I am a fan of sea turtles, but what do they have to do with it? 🙂

[@ukaszfish3590]

Thanks for great videos. Sold my ananda and I think I'll get one of those.

[@Hijynx87]

I think the xs was always better than the anada, but make sure you grab a capra strap or a custom cans leather strap for fit and comfort.

[@MoonshineBeforeSunshine]

Which version of Ananda?

[@ukaszfish3590]

@@MoonshineBeforeSunshine v3

[@ukaszfish3590]

@@Hijynx87 good one, thanks!

[@PassionforSound]

The XS is definitely a great headphone if soundstage depth isn't important to you. The tuning and technical capabilities it offers are quite astounding at the price.

[@P4sta.]

You should review the jds labs element iv! Id love to see your take on it

[@CookinBeatloaf]

JDS nailed the fundamentals before most of their modern rivals existed. You can expect it to continue to sound excellent, beautiful design and overall aesthetics, and 1-2 mind blowingly poor choices that keep them from being the easy recommendation for anyone

[@danejames7098]

Love mine

[@PassionforSound]

I've reached out to JDS in the past with no luck and, at the moment, I've got reviews booked until May 2025 so I'm not looking to add anything to the schedule.

[@P4sta.]

@@CookinBeatloaf yea a 500 dollar dac amp not having balanced at all is wild to me

[@PassionforSound]

A great single ended design is still going to be better than a less good balanced design so if they've invested more info making a great amp by keeping it single ended, that's a worthwhile decision. (Again, I haven't tried it so I'm not saying it is or isn't better)

[@TouzeenHussain]

No way am I dismantling a HiFiMan with their already shoddy build quality and high rate of Driver Failures.

[@aRc11-11]

I'm done with Hufflepuffs. Cheap construction, with little reliability.

[@apparaoapparao]

No…if you need to modify something; buy something else.

[@PassionforSound]

I often feel that way too, but I do like products like this where the mod is safe, easy and reversible.

[@JeroenNietDoen]

HifiMan Edition XS? You can review that in 1 sentence: Great sound in an absolute garbage package. The clamp sucked, the build quality sucked, the headband sucked. Add on top of that that Hifiman's quality control also sucks. I eventually grew tired of all it's downsides, sold it, got a Meze 109 Pro and never looked back.

[@PassionforSound]

When you say quality control, what have you experienced that leads you to say that?

[@JeroenNietDoen]

@@PassionforSound In my case 1 of the screws that attach the headband fork to the earcup was screwed in incorrectly, like a bit off, which resulted in the screw only being in halfway and leaving space for the fork to move. Because it was screwed in under an angle and with force I couldn't get it loose anymore either. Now while not gamebreaking I think for €550,- at the time that's unacceptable. But the internet is filled with complaints about Hifiman's headphones quality control and for the prices they ask it's ridiculous.

[@PassionforSound]

Yeah, that's not good. I think the problem with using the internet as a reference is that HiFiMan probably sell millions of units each year and every brand has some faults. When you sell as many units as HiFiMan, that means that a lot of people will get faulty units, but they might still represent less than 10% (or lower) of all units sold. Remember that everyone who didn't have an issue won't be posting to say that theirs is fine so you only see the people with problems and that can be misleading. I don't know what their actual failure rate is, but I don't believe it's as bad as everyone thinks based on internet chatter.

[@JeroenNietDoen]

@@PassionforSound I agree, you'll always hear the vocal minority. For me personally, the headband, build quality and clamp on the Edition XS are what made me want to get rid of it. A while ago I considered the Ananda Nano but than came across the Meze 109 Pro, I think a review from you, and that ticked all my boxes. Very happy with that.

[@PassionforSound]

@JeroenNietDoen the 109s are brilliant, user repairable and built beautifully. No need to think twice about that great decision! 🙂

[@unruler]

Except Custom Cans claimed that mod is purely cosmetic and barely affects the sound.

[@CustomCans]

The grill re-tunes them - it is the outer trim piece that does not affect the sound

[@PassionforSound]

Thanks for clarifying, CC!

[@IHearEverythingDude]

Lol bigger dip and more treble.... Shitty mod, don't buy

[@BroSweets730]

I’m really curious to know what you thought of those Adam T5vs I had been telling you to Check out for a while. When I saw them a couple vids ago I was like “he did it!” lol I think they are insane for the money but if you don’t plan on doing a vid I’d love to know what you think

[@PassionforSound]

I've got a full review coming, but it's still a little way off. I am definitely impressed though.

[@BroSweets730]

@ awesome man!

[@BroSweets730]

@ don’t have a lot of experience with speakers and I will know what to look for in a future speaker if I know where they are weak Becuz you’ve heard more than I ever will. Happy holidays !

[@BilboTaybaggin]

wow grill change for $319 at same price range is Melomania P100 this community

[@PassionforSound]

The mod doesn't cost $319, that's the total price of the headphones and the mod. The headphones alone will sound significantly better than any wireless headphone

[@BilboTaybaggin]

@ sure mine XS got a blowout like Zion and my P100 is a wireless headphone but i use it in wired it a grill change nothing more nothing less