Thank you to HFM for the privilege of auditioning the Edition X headphone, which I just spent the last 5 days enjoying. My review as requested (cut and pasted from the main X thread) -
Thanks to the HFM audition program, I was fortunate to be one of the chosen few to check out the X and as agreed here's my take/review of this fine headphone.
I listen out of a Pioneer Spec system - a 1978 unit that was top of the line at the time. It's fed with multiple sources - an iPhone5 running EQ10 app or Pandora via a NuForce iDo DAC (an excellent little unit that uses the Apple TV remote (to start and stop tracks, advance tracks as needed), a Pioneer PDR609 CD player/recorder and a vintage Pioneer PL-S50 turntable. All three sources were used in the evaluation.
Presentation - lovely packaging and presentation - the box, internals and way the headphones are presented to you is quite nicely done. Much like the HE-6, it comes in a sturdy box (sturdy enough) with cut out foam that fits quite well. Like how well the foam fits and the removable cover that hides the cables is well executed.
Fit and finish - no complaints here on this pair. I have read numerous other reviews where the headphone finish was marginal but haven't noticed anything that seems out of place with the loaner I received from Grizzlybeast. One side of the plastic (!) gimbals is a bit loose so I guess you could deduct some points for lack of impeccable finish but overall they were pretty nicely put together - but for $1800 they should be, right? Not a big fan of all the use of plastic but it does cut down on the weight so there is that. They clamp nice and tight, a positive to my liking. However, for my head I was at the smallest setting...............even with a ball cap on. So that's gotta be a negative for ladies or someone with a smaller head. Also, when I took it one click down, my ears touched the dust cover - not good. Not enough depth on the pads in my opinion. And that "flybridge" squarish metal band - honestly I think they look ridiculous on the head. Had my wife put them on..............and laughed out loud at them. I know, when they are on the head it doesn't matter but I like a good looking headphone. A note about the pads - I noticed them feeling a bit "scratchy" to my ears along with the depth issue.
The system driving the X............
Sound - I listened to them along with my ENIGMAcoustics Dharma, Sennheiser HD800 and Denon LA7000 for comparison purposes during my time auditioning them. They are excellent sounding headphones overall but against this lineup they would rank last. Here's why -
Bass - yes, I'm a basshead at heart but what I'd now call an audiophile basshead, loving the deep sounds of the audio spectrum but with the clarity and cleanliness that allow you to feel the thump without the muddiness of my earlier days with headphones like the Sony XB500, my entry into the basshead world. The X has good bass but I'd call it, as others have said, "soft" compared to all the other headphones. Yes, even the HD800, out of this Spec system, has exceptional bass that is precise and hard hitting. The X had enough rumble to satisfy me so I'd say it's quite adequate with the low end.
Mids - an excellent headphone for vocal music. Kem is one of my test artists and his deep, strong voice is well presented with the X. Better than the Denon's, which are considered "V shaped" which I love and which is my favorite sound signature (own the D2000, D5000 as well as my fully modded LA7000).
Treble - again, the X seems "rolled off" or soft on the highs. All three of the other headphones have outstanding treble response with the Dharma being the king of this grouping, with it's electret tweeter. No real complaints with the X, just not as good as the other three.
Soundstage/imaging - lots of guys liked the wide, expansive soundstage but for me, comparing it to the king of soundstage (HD800) and the Dharma (which has excellent width) it was only so-so.
The X, though I read a lot of guys saying they are good out of portable sources, really seemed to like the power of the Spec system (which boasts 250wpc) and I volume matched it with the Dharma and it took more volume knob than the Dharma. Interesting.
Value - no way would I pay $1800 for the X. Compared to the Dharma ($1099) and the HD800 (I paid $990 via Amazon), it just isn't the quality of sound or construction to even consider being hundreds of dollars more than my other top end headphones. It's an excellent headphone and to folks stepping up from mid-tier offerings, it's probably noticeably better than most but when you own three other headphones that are clearly preferred to my ears, it's not a value proposition.
I appreciate being on the audition tour (thank you HFM!) and was hoping for a "HE-6 replacement" or at least a headphone that wowed me like the HE-6 did. This did not. I love the HE-6 (sold about 6 months ago) as well as still owning and loving the HE-400 (full open grill mod, Lohb headband pad, Audeze Vegan pads) which I drive out of the speaker taps of the Spec system and consider an outstanding headphone. I'd go so far as to say I prefer the HE-400 to the X due to the incredible bass it brings. So I like HFM products a lot and have heard most of their offerings - was on the audition tour for the HE-400i (did not like it near as much as the HE-400) and HE-560 (which I spent a month with comparing it head to head with the HE-6 which trounced it big time). I'm still waiting for the HE-6 replacement..............
Thanks to the HFM audition program, I was fortunate to be one of the chosen few to check out the X and as agreed here's my take/review of this fine headphone.
I listen out of a Pioneer Spec system - a 1978 unit that was top of the line at the time. It's fed with multiple sources - an iPhone5 running EQ10 app or Pandora via a NuForce iDo DAC (an excellent little unit that uses the Apple TV remote (to start and stop tracks, advance tracks as needed), a Pioneer PDR609 CD player/recorder and a vintage Pioneer PL-S50 turntable. All three sources were used in the evaluation.
Presentation - lovely packaging and presentation - the box, internals and way the headphones are presented to you is quite nicely done. Much like the HE-6, it comes in a sturdy box (sturdy enough) with cut out foam that fits quite well. Like how well the foam fits and the removable cover that hides the cables is well executed.
Fit and finish - no complaints here on this pair. I have read numerous other reviews where the headphone finish was marginal but haven't noticed anything that seems out of place with the loaner I received from Grizzlybeast. One side of the plastic (!) gimbals is a bit loose so I guess you could deduct some points for lack of impeccable finish but overall they were pretty nicely put together - but for $1800 they should be, right? Not a big fan of all the use of plastic but it does cut down on the weight so there is that. They clamp nice and tight, a positive to my liking. However, for my head I was at the smallest setting...............even with a ball cap on. So that's gotta be a negative for ladies or someone with a smaller head. Also, when I took it one click down, my ears touched the dust cover - not good. Not enough depth on the pads in my opinion. And that "flybridge" squarish metal band - honestly I think they look ridiculous on the head. Had my wife put them on..............and laughed out loud at them. I know, when they are on the head it doesn't matter but I like a good looking headphone. A note about the pads - I noticed them feeling a bit "scratchy" to my ears along with the depth issue.
The system driving the X............
Sound - I listened to them along with my ENIGMAcoustics Dharma, Sennheiser HD800 and Denon LA7000 for comparison purposes during my time auditioning them. They are excellent sounding headphones overall but against this lineup they would rank last. Here's why -
Bass - yes, I'm a basshead at heart but what I'd now call an audiophile basshead, loving the deep sounds of the audio spectrum but with the clarity and cleanliness that allow you to feel the thump without the muddiness of my earlier days with headphones like the Sony XB500, my entry into the basshead world. The X has good bass but I'd call it, as others have said, "soft" compared to all the other headphones. Yes, even the HD800, out of this Spec system, has exceptional bass that is precise and hard hitting. The X had enough rumble to satisfy me so I'd say it's quite adequate with the low end.
Mids - an excellent headphone for vocal music. Kem is one of my test artists and his deep, strong voice is well presented with the X. Better than the Denon's, which are considered "V shaped" which I love and which is my favorite sound signature (own the D2000, D5000 as well as my fully modded LA7000).
Treble - again, the X seems "rolled off" or soft on the highs. All three of the other headphones have outstanding treble response with the Dharma being the king of this grouping, with it's electret tweeter. No real complaints with the X, just not as good as the other three.
Soundstage/imaging - lots of guys liked the wide, expansive soundstage but for me, comparing it to the king of soundstage (HD800) and the Dharma (which has excellent width) it was only so-so.
The X, though I read a lot of guys saying they are good out of portable sources, really seemed to like the power of the Spec system (which boasts 250wpc) and I volume matched it with the Dharma and it took more volume knob than the Dharma. Interesting.
Value - no way would I pay $1800 for the X. Compared to the Dharma ($1099) and the HD800 (I paid $990 via Amazon), it just isn't the quality of sound or construction to even consider being hundreds of dollars more than my other top end headphones. It's an excellent headphone and to folks stepping up from mid-tier offerings, it's probably noticeably better than most but when you own three other headphones that are clearly preferred to my ears, it's not a value proposition.
I appreciate being on the audition tour (thank you HFM!) and was hoping for a "HE-6 replacement" or at least a headphone that wowed me like the HE-6 did. This did not. I love the HE-6 (sold about 6 months ago) as well as still owning and loving the HE-400 (full open grill mod, Lohb headband pad, Audeze Vegan pads) which I drive out of the speaker taps of the Spec system and consider an outstanding headphone. I'd go so far as to say I prefer the HE-400 to the X due to the incredible bass it brings. So I like HFM products a lot and have heard most of their offerings - was on the audition tour for the HE-400i (did not like it near as much as the HE-400) and HE-560 (which I spent a month with comparing it head to head with the HE-6 which trounced it big time). I'm still waiting for the HE-6 replacement..............
