I've spent a few days listening to John Massaria's new XTC closed back headphones. This is a brand new custom design of his own under his JM Audio Editions brand. When I found out he had released this, I knew I had to get one and I was very excited to see this progression. JM is well known for headphone modifications including his work on the Kennerton Gjallarhorn GH50 which was so popular that Kennerton worked with him to release a JM Edition (something that is on my wish list).

I first was introduced to JM's fractal mesh technology with his modded Hifiman R7DX JM OCD Extreme Stealth + Bass Edition headphone. What he was able to do with a pair of headphones in that price bracket was truly amazing. To me, it proves that there's really a great pair of headphones at many different price points. There are some other headphones out there that are hidden gems in terms of price to performance ratio, but JM's work has been a delight to research and watch.

Watch out headphone world, if John is putting out his own headphones, there's going to be some pretty interesting competition coming. New to JM Audio Editions? You might want to get on this train.

The JM Audio Editions XTC Experience

For now, what he has with the XTC is truly a custom experience. These aren't mass produced headphones -- this is boutique and custom. I'm sure you could maybe just walk up to the website and order a pair without much dialogue. However, he doesn't try to hide the fact that you have some options here. It's literally in the first sentence on the product page in capital letters.

The headphones come well packaged in a nice case to keep them safe. There's some extras included as well. This is something much appreciated as we see less and less of it with new headphones these days. The XTC comes with some extra ear pads and cables - none of which is of bad quality. No fluff in there.

I chose the dark wood cups from a selection of a few he had in stock and ready to adjust to your needs. They're pretty, but the headband doesn't compete with the attractiveness of Meze's headbands. Still, it's a well constructed pair of headphones. It's definitely a small production, so expect variations.

I must have exchanged nearly two dozen emails with John during this process and, starting with his base model, he was able to make some adjustments based on my direct input. Truthfully, the other review on head-fi here sounded so good that I said "I want that." Or at least close to that. There may have been some additional small uknown tweaks based on some answers to questions and back and forth email exchanges. It didn't take long for these final adjustments to the headphones and for them to be shipped out to me. I can't understatate this here...This is truly a unique experience.

Further Tuning - Bass Ports

I thought that experience would be over once I had them in hand. Transaction over. Nope! You see, several ear pads were included in the box and there's also some small adjustments you can make to the headphones yourself. There's bass ports on the top of the earcups (and to a lesser extent small holes on the sides too). These can be covered partially or completely to adjust how much bass you get from these headphones. The hole provides air which allows for greater driver excursion and therefore more powerful bass. This isn't anything new or even unique to these headphones. We've seen this in the past, but you don't see it all the time. This isn't a marketing gimmick either. This is just physics.

The small adjustments you can make yourself and having everything you need to do so out of the box fits the narrative here and is right on brand. It will let you continue the experience and further tune the headphones based on your preferences in the future. You may want to listen to a different genre of music or just be in a different mood.

So if you find the bass aggressive - cover the holes. It's as simple as that.

Ear Pads

John included a few options here included some premium authentic leather angled pads. These really enhance the bass and bring out details in the music.

Then there's some fuzzy ear pads. These reduced the bass a little bit. This let the mids and hights stand out a little more. Female vocals took a step forward and things were overall a bit smoother heading toward neutral, but still dynamic.

Then there's perforated pads that take another leap toward neutral. The bass impact here is lessened and if you combine that with covering the bass ports you can really drop a lot of heft out of the bass. So even if you found yourself not liking the bass these headphones can have, you can completely change that. These two adjustments combined make a dramatic difference. They end up being what I would certainly consider neutral. They also end up being a little less dynamic too. Completely unoffensive, but still not too bland or boring.

Sound Quality - Detail

There are actually a few options when it comes to the drivers, but you're not going to be changing these once you get them in hand of course. JM sells these with either a Beryllium or Woven BioWool driver. There are some other options here too like the internal wiring being upgraded to OCC 7N copper.

I opted for the Beryllium driver, which John also suggested after I explained what I was looking for. I have never heard a woven wool driver (at least not to my knowledge) so I was open to it, but he steered me in the right directon here.

These headphones are very detailed. I suspect this is due to the beryllium drivers and I know he spent a lot of time finding and sourcing them. I compared these to some of my other headphones. They are more detailed than both the Focal Elegia and the Meze 109 Pro. The XTC is more in the direction of Focal headphones being dynamic, so while they are a straight upgrade from the Elegia, the Meze 109 Pro still has something different to offer. The 109 Pro is perhaps more fluid and soft. The decay or transient response is just different here between the two drivers. It's hard to change that, so you end up with a different sound signature and that's not to say one is better or worse. It's just different.

I'm dying to listen to the Focal Stellia again now as it's been a few months since I have. Same goes for a few ZMF headphones, specifically the Verite Closed and Atticus. From memory? The XTC's details are on the level. I listened to the Focal Clear and then Stellia right after listening to the Meze 109 Pro at CanJam SoCal and noticed the difference a beryllium driver could make. At the time I kept asking myself if more than twice the price for it was worthwhile. While it may not have been twice as good in terms of detail and speed, it was still noticeably different. You don't even need to be testing the headphones side by side to tell either.

Lows, Mids & Highs

Where does the XTC sit on the spectrum here? It leans towards the low end. Though truthfully, I'm not sure I would call it V shaped. Not after some pad swapping and adjusting with the bass ports. You get to really see what can be done with the driver after you tinker a little. You're going to listen to the XTC in one way and put it distinctly in the V shape category. Then you can listen to it another way and say it's not V shaped at all. The XTC strikes a good balance, but I also wouldn't call them neutral either...But I'd seriously love to see some measurements to test my ears haha.

Out of the box with the angled leather ear pads it was a bit V shaped, but that's precisely what I asked for. I also explained that while I like bass leaning headphones, I prefer that not to come at the expense of the mids. It doesn't with the XTC.

If there's only room on the boat for two, I'd throw the highs overboard. Kinda my saying if anyone asks. That's where I'd be willing to sacrafice something. The XTC could never be called sibilant. It may even lack a little bit of "sparkle" if you will. Though it's still not missing the highs either. They are there and they are airy and detailed. They don't roll off too much or do anything weird up there.

Overall, everything is under control. The drivers are very competent and quick. Maybe not planar speed, but I also said "give planar a run for its money" and these headphones do. Again this may be owed to the beryllium drivers, but what about that fractal mesh?

Soundstage

JM Proprietary Fractal Mesh Technology (tm) is a patent pending fiberglass mesh that will diffuse the sound from the drivers without attenuating, or muting, the frequencies. It's placed in front of the driver and others have done similar things, but not using the same materials or design patterns.


It's important to note that this design doesn't detract from the sound like if you were to stick foam or felt in front of your drivers. In fact, you can buy kits for this called attenuation kits because that's what they do - they attenuate or reduce the force of the sound. If you found a pair of headphones too bright for example, you could cut out some felt or foam and put it in your ear cups. That type of modificaton is not to be confused with JM's fractal mesh.

The fiberglass fractal mesh will spread out the sound, greatly increasing the soundstage. There's some more detailed information available on JM Audio's website. I'm sure white papers could be written on the subject if there aren't several already. It's interesting, but a bit over my head to be honest. I get the idea though and I can definitely tell you it works. What I can't tell you is how it might compare to other attempts to do the same.

For a closed back headphone, the XTC has a surprisingly good soudstage. It's wide, provides good separation, and allows you to accurately place sounds in a space. It competes with open back headphones. I was comparing with the Meze 109 Pro here. I know the 109 Pro isn't exactly renouned for soundstage or anything, but like many open back headphones, it has certain almost expected qualities (and it does have a good soundstage). Qualities people have grown to accept missing in closed back headphones, but missing out on a good soundstage isn't always true for closed back headphones and it certainly isn't missing with the XTC.

The fractal mesh is good and even if the XTC is out of your budget, you should find a way to try one of JM's headphones with this technology. I think it's distinctly different and insightful to hear first hand and compare with other headphones.

Comfort

The XTC is about 400g. It's not really heavy, though is slightly heavier than the Meze 109 Pro. It has a comfortable enough headband with what I refer to as the Audeze style headband (not sure if they were the first to use it or not).

You can wear this for a long time without worry. Not much else to say here. It's not the most comfortable I've seen, but it works just fine and does its job. The ear cups swivel and tilt and can be positioned for a proper fit.

Comparisons

I compared these headphones to what I had on hand. This included the Meze 109 Pro and the Focal Elegia. I've yet to compare with the AudioQuest Nightowl, but I know some of the differences and I rarely compare any headphone to those because they are a bit of a different animal (absolutely nothing to do with quality there either). I also compared a little bit with the JM modded R7DX just to look at how the fractal mesh use compared (well, these two headphones aren't exactly something comparable, but still I wanted to see if there's anything similar to be found).

Meze 109 Pro: The XTC drivers are seemingly suprioer here. As I said in the detail section above, they are more detailed and quicker. The 109 Pro is perhaps more fluid and gentler. It's a very comfortable pair of headphones on your head and sonically. Some people have found them to be a little too bright. I don't, but they are compared to how I have the XTC tuned. That isn't to say the 109 Pro is lacking bass, it's not and has enough for me, but the XTC has more (well it's a closed back headphone too of course).

The Meze 109 Pro has a more comfortable headband. In fact, it's only bested by the AudioQuest Nightowl in my experience.

The 109 Pro may be a little more airy but, again, the XTC does well for a closed back pair of headphones. The 109 Pro also isn't as dynamic as the XTC or Focal's headphones for that matter. Again, as mentioned above, I find the soundstage on these two headphones to trade blows.

Focal Elegia: Use the more smooth, liquidy, musical 109 Pro and the Focal Elegia (or Stellia or Celestee) as two points. I think the XTC sits closer to the Focal. It has more in common there being dynamic detail monsters.

The biggest difference? Focal headphones are dynamic, forward, and somewhat aggressive. I find them somewhat fatiguing over a long period of time. That's not to defintively say they are fatiguing, but over time, yes I do need some breaks. This isn't the case for the XTC. The XTC manages to be dynamic but not as in your face. It isn't fatiguing.

I also wouldn't call the Elegia sibilant. However, the XTC has things under control better here too. Here's a really really good example - listening to The Cranberries - Something Else. Dolores O'Riordan's vocals are excellent as they always were and the song Linger is where I'm telling you to tune in even just to the beginning. There's some "S's" in there. With the Focal Elegia you'll hear these as sharper and more pronounced than you will with the XTC. Would you call the Elegia sibilant? I wouldn't, but you might if you compared these two headphones back to back. This is being too forward and agressive. XTC has this kind of stuff better under control (and for the record so does the Stellia).

Again, the beryllium driver in the XTC outclasses the Elegia. If you're looking for a closed back upgrade and the Stellia isn't in your budget, the XTC is absolutely an upgrade you should consider.

I'm not sure anything is going to ever really have that "Focal house sound" of course. Reproducing these kind of things I'm sure isn't easy nor the point. So don't get me wrong, the XTC doesn't sound like a Focal headphone. It just shares some similar traits in being dynamic. There's a reason the Stellia was mentioned by others and comes to mind.

The XTC hands down beats the Elegia (and the Celestee and Radiance) on stoundstage. The XTC is faster too with tighter base and more impact (but again, you can pad swap on both the XTC and Elegia and greatly affect the bass - but the XTC will always have more here if you want it to).

Final Thoughts

Again, I really need to get my hands on a Stellia again to compare. This is my biggest question right now...How do they compare? From memory, the XTC is pretty close if not every bit as good or maybe better. I honsetly couldn't say right now, but all of the above is possible at moment. I can't definitively say the Stellia would be better.

ZMF? I don't own any, but listened to every one at the last CanJam SoCal including the Caldera. I'll say I probably would perfer the Caldera over the XTC...I think the Caldera may be one of the best headphones on the market right now, but it's also open backed. So it's different. It's not like if a Caldera magically landed in my lap I'd stop listening to the XTC. Exactly the case with the 109 Pro too. The Meze 109 Pro is my go to open back and the XTC is now my go to closed back. In fact, it might be my end game closed back.

There's always something different to be found in headphones. I have a collection for a reason and yes I do revisit headphones over time, there's 4 on my desk right now...ah 5, there's a pair of IEMs too. I'll exclude the JBL gaming headphones hanging from under the desk and the Monk earbuds I have for Zoom calls lol.

I'd also want to listen to the Fostex TH900 again...But these are the kind of the headphones that come to mind for me. The XTC fits right in and gives us yet another sound signature. It just may be the one you're after and at its current price point? No brainer. I give the XTC a 5 star rating. I reserve 5 perfect ratings for the best even if I don't own the best and also for some buffer for the unknown. I'm sure I'll give other headphones a 5 star too, but not many. My pros/cons list only has some cons because I'm nitpicking and reaching. I don't believe anything is perfect. If there was a perfect headphone, everyone would have it and no one would be reviewing anything. However, I do expect the XTC will work its way into many conversations in the closed back headphone space.

The JM Audio Editons XTC very well may be among the finest closed back headphone I've ever heard.

So I've spent a few days with this DAC. I left it powered on to ensure it was all "warmed up" and so on. I wanted to see what the whole Multibit was about. I already have a Modius (the AKM version, not the current "e" or version with the ESS chip), so could this be different? Not better, just different?

First off, I LOVE Schiit and I think they offer a fantastic products at good prices. If you don't have a Schiit DAC yet, then this is not a bad choice at all. I would recommend it.

That said, if you're debating between one of their Multibit DACs and their delta sigma (DS) DACs, don't stress too much here. At least not at this tier. You most likely won't hear the difference at all. Would you hear a difference from some other company's DAC? Yea, probably. They design them differently afterall. So can DACs have a "house sound?" Interesting idea I've been floating around in my head. Maybe? I know they certainly can be designed poorly and perform worse. That's not the case with Schiit though.

The sound quality from this DAC is superb. Though I didn't hear any distinct difference between it and the Modius. I also didn't really hear any big difference between NOS vs OS. Maybe there's something in there, but it's going to be very subtle or only present itself in certain circumstances.

At first I did think I heard the MM2 as more "dynamic" and punchier or maybe warmer than the Modius. After the first ten minutes? Subsequent days? No, that thought went away and never came back. Likely placebo.

The amp I have has multiple inputs and a button to switch between them quickly. So I was able to instantly A/B test the Modius and the Modi Multibit 2. I also listened to each on their own only on separate days, just to give my ears and brain a break between them. 100% same sound to my ears. I tried three mid/high end headphones. Nothing. It could always be my ears though.

This is where I leave things at for subjectivity and what sounds "better" or "different." You hear what you hear...or what you think you hear and that's honestly a very valid thing as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Cool. So what can I add here for a review that would actually be useful for people? Well, let's look at how this DAC is positioned and its features.

Size: It's smaller than Schiit's other DACs and it is designed to stack nicely with some of their other products in this tier. So this is a very considerable reason for the Modi Multibit 2 if you have or are planning on other Schiit gear in this size category and you want it to line up. It also takes up less space on a desk. So I do like what you get in a package this size. Very good.

Power/Cables: This DAC requires a USB (and it's USB-C which I find nice now that more things are using USB-C, not that it matters at all) and also a separate power adapter (included). Not uncommon by any means, but some of Schiit's other DACs (like the Modius) are powered via USB, so you end up with a single cable for providing the data and the power. A super convenient thing that's a miss here for the MM2. No one really wants more cables (though it could be good for interference technically speaking).

Input/Output: The Modi Multibit 2 has limited inputs and only RCA output (single ended). Schiit has cheaper DACs with mroe options here. This is mostly adequate though unless you really need some other input/output for some reason. It's noteworthy, but I can't ding it for this personally.

Unbalanced only: Again, can't really ding it, but it's worthwhile to note. Balanced DACs can actually make a difference! You have to consider interference/noise. Fortunately I didn't hear any noise, but I have with single ended DACs before. Note: This is absolutely my environment and nothing else, but it's a common problem for people. I also have a balanced amp in my chain so that may have taken care of it, I don't know. I'm not an expert on noise/interference.

The only other note about unbalanced vs balanced is the volume out will be different. For example, the Modius is louder when used balanced. This is small, but it could affect things with regard to amplification in your chain. Not to some insane degree. I don't think it's anything to worry about, but it is something of note especially if you are switching sources around. As you switch, you may have to adjust the volume level somewhere.

Cost/Value: I think they priced this very nicely. I think it's worth every penny. Though again, if you compare it to their Modius then you may simply want to save some money and go with the Modius. They would have done better, I think, to have priced it at the same exact price. It should be branded as a preferential alternative to the Modius and not something at a higher price point because it is in no way better than the Modius (I know I want to leave subjectivity out of it now - and I won't mention the distortion measurements since the Modius smokes it, but I know very well that none of us are going to be able to tell the difference between those measurements).

Other/Gripes: Clicking! The thing clicks a lot. It clicks every time the sample rate changes. So if you're listening to a variety of tracks at different sample rates, you will hear it click between songs as it switches. Don't send your system sounds through it, otherwise it'll click more (or so I read). This is apparently normal for their other multibit DACs. So it's good to know it's not broken. It just can be annoying. If it's close by, you will hear it between the pauses in tracks (at least with open back headphones).

Does it get hot? No, not that I've noticed.

There's a switch. The Modius is basically just always on. The Modi Multibit has a switch on the back. I just leave it on. These DACs shouldn't be drawing much power. It's a good note though if you need to reach behind it to flip a switch (and want to be turning it on/off regularly).

Overall I gave the DAC a 3.5 rating (maybe a 4). I decided on keeping it, as a backup and second setup. The restocking on it is (currently) 15% plus shipping makes it 25%+ total. So for the price point, I'd rather keep them. This is a good note if you are thinking about trying it because it can be costly to try and this may be the only option if you can't find one at a meetup somewhere or something. You could decide you want more and go up to the Bifrost 2, at which point you won't have to pay restocking fee (unless you then decided you didn't like the Bifrost 2 and returned that). So is this a gateway to multibit?

If you do not own a Schiit DAC yet. I would definitely consider this one. Though overall I have to give the edge to the Modius due to fewer cables, no clicking, and same quality at a slightly lower price. If you want a smaller form factor, go with the Modi Multibit 2.

If you do own a Schiit DAC, you may want to think twice about another unless it's perhaps a bigger step up. For that, I unfortunately can't comment.

I almost got a Bifrost 2, but decided to dip my toes in the water with the Modi Multibit 2. This experience has left me turned away from trying a Bifrost 2 I think. Sorry to say that given how much I like Schiit. Probably something Schiit should hear for feedback because I don't think it's a gateway drug to multibit (maybe that isn't their intent, but that was a possibility I accepted going into it and would happily get a Bifrost 2 in that case). So I will be honest here, but I still leave this guy with a good rating because it is good.

It's kinda hard to list cons for this review. I put some in to be fair, I can't mislead anyone and proclaim this is the end all be all pair of headphones. They aren't going to be in the best of the higher end. For midrange? Yea, you probably want to get excited now.

When everyone says they compete with headphones two times the price and more...Yea, they do. They punch above their weight class, into midrange, and all the way on to the doorstep of high end. Excellent value.

I've spent about a week listening to these now. I've used the Loxjie balanced tube hybrid amp and the Monolith THX 887 amp with them. I've listened to mostly rock, electronic, downtempo, and some pop with these headphones.

I have not listened to the stock R7DX so I can't say how much better these are compared to those. What I did do was take two of my favorites and compared them. This would be the Focal Elegia and the Audioquest Nightowl. So I'll use that compare and contrast qualities.

While I didn't each for the Meze Classic 99 which would be in the same price range, this should tell you something. Pitting the R7DX JM up against a pair of Focal and Audioquest that's more than double the modified price is kinda nuts. Tl;dr I think the Elegia and Nightowl are better headphones overall, but there's a lot to look forward to with the R7DX JM and they have earned a spot on my desk for a while to come because they offer something different.

Build Quality / Headband

Sturdy enough so far, but I've never had many problems with any pair of headphones because I listen mostly at home. The earcups have a somewhat limited range of motion. The headband needs to be bent to get a proper seal, otherwise bass will be thin.

The R7DX JM mod with bass will do this for ya. It will add thickness to the bass by not letting it escape out the sides there. However, this is the issue that you'll see from all reviewers for the stock R7DX. Even the modded pair aren't immune to some comfort issues (a little bit of a hotspot on my head right now after 3 hours of listening). Depending on your head shape, it may not be a great fit.

All in all, I'm ok with the headband. It works for me. The rest of the assembly seems sturdy enough. The cups don't have anything to snag or really get damaged. They attract may some finger prints, but they're fine.

I usually take the Meze Classic 99 or even the Elegia with me when I travel. I think these are going to replace those for my travel headphones (I just need to find a case).

Quick note on the cable. It's not bad, though I did switch to use a balanced cable I had on hand. It's not making a huge difference. Not that I'm into snake oil with audio cables, but I can have some noise in my equipment so I switched to balanced everything for that reason. Surprisingly sometimes the headphone cable will make a big difference. It did with the Elegia for example. I'd use the stock R7DX headphone cable, it's fine.

Sound Characteristics

These are a balanced pair of headphones with JM's mod. Bass is present and it is clean. It doesn't bleed into the mids. Sometimes I feel like it is too clean and stops a little short. I sometimes want it to hang around a little longer in that some reverb is ok by me. However, the mod is going to take that out I believe by design. You're going to love that if you're listening to something and you need it to be fast and clean.

At first I wasn't overly impressed with the bass, but in my (albeit limited) experience, I haven't really seen any Hifiman headphones that understand what bass is. Is it anemic? No way. It's there. It doesn't dig as deep or hit as hard as some other headphones, but it's satisfying. I get a nice softer thump and it comes out when called for.

The AQ Nightowls dig a bit deeper and have a nice rumble. The R7DX doesn't "punch" or "slam" but neither do the Nightowls. The Elegia (with appropriate ear pads) are more punchy and dynamic. The R7DX JM is tighter than the Nightowls and a little more controlled. The Nightowls are good bit more musical, fluid, silky in the bass department. So the R7DX JM just has something different to offer here between the three.

These can take some EQ though I don't think they need too much. It'll be mostly for personal preference.

These aren't dark nor bright. They're pretty neutral in my opinion. Not fatiguing nor sibilant.

Soundstage

A popular subject matter here. This is a big part of what the JM mod is all about. Again, not being able to compare, I can only say the soundstage is wide for a closed back pair of headphones.

The soundstage is wider than the Focal Elegia but the Audioquest Nightowls have the edge. It's not quite fair since those are kind semi-open and all. The Nightowls are more airy and have a slightly wider soundstage.

There are absolutely open back headphones out there with worse soundstage than the R7DX JM. For sure. I'd say JM did a fantastic job here and his mod worked in this regard.

Detail, Imaging. Separation

Please keep in mind the R7DX is $99-150 stock brand new. The JM mod is a bit more, but you're still under $300. Don't expect these to be as resolving as the Elegia that with a pad swap cost double even at the best price. Original MSRP was much higher for the Elegia and the AQ Nightowl I'm using as a comparison here were $700 stock brand new.

All that said, the R7DX JM holds its own. Not as resolving, but for half or less than half the price? Heck yea. I think there's some other headphones in the same price range that have good detail and imaging, but the R7DX JM is a great value here.

Since I haven't listened to a more diverse range of music genres, I can't offer up too much by way of good genres to pair with the R7DX JM. So far I have the sense it's pretty good at all genres due to its balanced tuning.

I pieced this review together while listening to Crytal Method - Vegas. I ended up playing the whole thing through. I haven't listened to it a while and didn't realize that it is a surprisingly good album to test headphones. It's a very dynamic album with a lot of things going on. A lot of layering and a lot of movment.

So if you want to check out timbre and separation, it's not a bad album to try. You will hear a lot going on and you can clearly pick all of the things out. The R7DX JM does a great job here with separation. It's a smooth and clean sound that you're getting and it helps a lot. The mod really helps you position things in a wider than you'd expect soundstage. Comin' Back is a great track for picking out a variety of things going on. You'll find nothing clashing or bleeding into one another. Not muddy at all.

Vapor Trail was another interesting track for showing some of the soundstaging and positioning. You may just catch yourself turning your head there.

In my opinion, this is sitting in the $300-500 range for detail. In this price bracket you will find some headphones with slightly better detail and a whole lot with less detail. Usually you're trading off for something, but I don't really see many compromises with the R7DX JM.

Overall, does this pair of headphones live up to the 2x or 3x quality? Yes, I think they absolutely do. So if your budget is under $500, I honestly don't think you can go wrong with these. Fantasic value and fantastic work by John Massaria.