For those in the market for a set of headphones to start their Hi-Fi audio journey, the HiFiMan Edition XS are a must-have by a large margin. They might not be the most comfortable for some, but their audio quality surpasses similarly-priced competitors in every way.
So far, we here at DigitalChumps have reviewed several headphone models from the folks at HiFiMan. We’ve gone from covering the HE400SE (an excellent entry-level pair of cans, I might add) to two different Sundara models. We’ve been impressed with the audio quality of these headphones and have struggled with isolating the perfect pair for those of you at home. Today, we’re covering the Edition XS full-size headphones – a pair of cans that are near perfect for listeners with big heads. I’m oversimplifying the awesomeness of the Edition XS, I know, but bear with me. These are a pair of headphones that clear the bar for an entry-level pair of open-backed headphones.
HiFiMan, as a brand, is known for planar magnetic headphones. This specific type of headphone tends to be pricy thanks to its premium tech – they use a thin diaphragm with a wire running within a suspended magnet. The major benefit of this tech is its audio sensitivity, that being its potential for clearly highlighting finer details that would have otherwise been lost on a lower-priced pair of headphones. The XS were originally released several years back yet hold up incredibly well against the likes of the Audeze, Sennheiser, and AKG on value alone. Their $1200 older sibling set the stage for these headphones to properly define a standout set of entry-level headphones.
Click here to check out the HiFiMan Edition XS on HiFiMan’s website! (non-affiliated URL)
Back when they originally launched, the Edition XS hovered in the $500 range. That was frankly too high of a price point back in 2021, as the headphones have declined in price to a much more affordable price of ~$200. This isn’t to say that they weren’t worth their original price point, but it’s much easier to recommend in 2026 at the ~$200 knowing that there are other potential options from HiFiMan (the open-backed Sundara come to mind here). That said, these headphones have decent audio quality right out of the box but exceptionally shine when they’re powered by a standalone amp.
These headphones come in HiFiMan’s standard boxes. There’s a foam case that doubles as a stand, there’s a rubbery cord, and then there’s an adaptor. It’s the essential package for what’s needed for one’s audio journey, especially at the $200 price point. I’ve mentioned my general disappointment for the stock cable that comes in the box with similarly priced HiFiMan headphones, but I’ll admit that I’m coming from the perspective of someone who has spare cables on-hand. The cable that comes with the Edition XS is just fine for getting started, but it may be worth investing in a new cable for longevity’s sake.
The Edition XS has a refined aesthetic comprised of metal, leather, and the smallest amount of plastic. As such, these headphones are exceptionally light in-hand and on-head. It’s a now-standard design that comes from the previous Ananda and Edition headphones, barring one exception: the headband. The Edition XS’ headband is supposedly more comfortable and flexible than other HiFiMan headphones. The latter is true, but the former I’ll discuss shortly. The metal grills have an industrial aesthetic while serving a function of giving the headphones some breathing space. There’s a nice blend of seriousness and stylishness that the Edition XS hits well, looking just professional enough to be used in a audio engineering setting without feeling too stiff. These headphones’ build quality is superior all around.
In terms of comfort, the Edition XS is mostly comfortable, assuming you’re listening to music for a few hours at a time. The massive earcups completely enclosed my ears (despite me having a big head and relatively large ears); I was surprised to feel the velvety padding to completely encircle my ears. That said, the back of the headband that rests at the top of my head had a tendency to dig in similar to cheaper gaming headsets. Over time, this digging let to some significant discomfort that only went away when I rotated the headphones forward to rest the headband at the center of my head. While they mostly stayed put, I was able to notice them moving backwards when I felt too much pressure at the top of my head. I’ve seen some other users online claim that the comfort of the Edition XS is supbar – this is most likely because they aren’t properly rotated to rest at the top-center of the head. If you have a smaller head, I’d imagine that these wouldn’t be the most comfortable given the wiggle room. If you have a larger head, then you may be in a good position to get by with some minor adjustments.
Moving onto the sound quality, the Edition XS sound stellar. These are $200 headphones that sound like $400 headphones with no clear downsides. Instruments are clearly separated. The soundstage is wide enough for a spacious listening experience with no cramped nonsense. The bass is a chef’s kiss of punchiness and natural. It’s a smidge step down from the artificially bass-heavy AirPods Max (and similar consumer-grade headphones), but still enough to feel the music. I absolutely loved listening to house and DnB music with these headphones because they successfully reproduced the best impactful bits of the songs.
The audio midrange ends up feeling lively, featuring crisp details and some energy to support a lifelike feeling. Vocal-heavy tracks shine well and sound natural. Female vocalists (like Adele) are quite impressive with these cans. If you’re more of an instrumental fan, the Edition XS can easily reproduce nuances to the point of isolating individual instruments.
The treble is the only place where the Edition XS falls slightly short, but it’s less of a bug and more of a feature. Those with treble-forward headphones will notice a slight lack of sparkle and depth, but it’s important to note that the Edition XS remains far from harsh.
It’s been hard to properly find a fault in these headphones because they seriously pack a punch in creating a detailed soundscape. They’re tuned for most genres of music where there’s just enough detail to properly enjoy. Back when I reviewed the ZiiGaat LUSH, I commented on them being fit for most (if not all) types of music – these are effectively the same but in headphone form.
For those in the market for a set of headphones to start their Hi-Fi audio journey, the HiFiMan Edition XS are a must-have by a large margin. They might not be the most comfortable for some, but their audio quality surpasses similarly-priced competitors in every way.
