HIFIMAN - Edition XS

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

you could try the Hifiman Edition XS's with an apple dongle if your PC has a USB C, it'll work pretty alright though they wont get ridiculously loud and it wont be as good as having a dac and amp. I've tried both with my pair, running out of just apple dongle and using it with a Schitt Modi 3 and Magni Piety. these can be kinda uncomfortable as fuck (which can be solved with a cheap headband mod) and are fairly fragile planar magnetics which require special care but they sound very good with both games and music. Because they're fragile they require special care. Namely: dont drop them, dont let stuff go through the grate since they are open backs, and dont break the seal over your ears while they are playing sound. What I mean by not breaking the seal is you have to keep them on both ears at all times while using them, and when you want to get up you mute your system volume or turn your amp all the way down BEFORE taking them off and put them on the included foam stand. if you are willing to go through the hoops of owning and caring for them and eventually invest in a DAC/amp setup (a standard Schitt Magni/Modi stack will work fine) they were excellent headphones for $500 and now are widely praised as the best headphones under $300. as an XS owner they actually hurt after a while with the stock headband and I have to turn my amps volume all the way down to adjust them but totally worth it lmao

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.

I mean my HIFIMAN Edition XS are my most detailed and most comfortable headphones I own (with Capraaudio comfort strap, OG strap is trash). They're amazing for listening to my music.

I've got HIFIMAN Edition XS with Capraaudio comfort strap. They're openback planars. I absolutely love mine.

I love my HIFIMAN Edition XS. Thyre around $250ish. They're also openback.

Do yourself a favor and pair them with a tube amp. The 109s are great using a solid-state amp, but they truly shine with a high-current tube amp. I bought mine back in April and was using them with my K11 R2R and Hiby R6 III. I recently got a Fosi GR70 tube amp unit for a review and found they open up and are more dynamic compared to running them from a solid-state amp. I have a Hifiman Edition XS and they are the least comfortable headphones I own. They are more detail-oriented but the lack of comfort keeps them off my head.

Hifiman Edition XS have to be considered at $260. They will sit low on your ears. They are designed that way as Fang Bian believes most listen with their headphones too high and too far back. Special padded straps ($24) are available to bring them up higher. You can make your own with little effort. I have the Mojo2 and I am considering the iBasso DX180. Mojo2 interface takes a little practice. Mojo2 has no wifi, but the iBasso does. Mojo2 does sound warm and enticing.

I have the edition xs and like bass as well. I find them perfect after a bit of EQ. I honestly find it eye opening how much better open backed headphones are compared to my closed backs.

These are probably the best if you're dead set on closed back headphones and want the inbuilt mic. Still would recommend open-backed if possible though. I have both the Audeze Maxwell and Hifiman Edition XS.

Learn how to eq and experiment with your xm5. This will help you in determining what sound profiles you like. I can give you 2 options to choose from that have amazing sound quality. Hd600 and edition xs. Both of these are polar opposite in sound. HD600 is mid range focused with good details in music. While edition xs is less mid range focused, better bass, and a more airy treble region. I'd say buy the edition xs first from a reputable site like headphones.com or Hifimans official store on ali express so you can return them if you don't like the sound. If you can go to an audio store and test headphones, that would be the best option. It's all about what your ears prefer.

I have been on a similar journey - literally just bought the Sennheiser 560S for €164 today! I think they can be found for even cheaper elsewhere. I'm really impressed with them so far, but I've only been listening with them for about 2 hours so far, so I might be in some sort or honeymoon period. I demo'd the Edition XS in the shop as well, they were selling for a little over €300. I liked the sound from them but wasn't completely blown away. I also didn't like how they fit - they were huge around my ears and felt loose when I turned my head, etc. The 560S are a much better fit for me, comfy and stable. I have also heard about HifiMan QC issues, and didn't really hear anything in them to justify the extra €150. From what I've read though, the Sundara's are lighter/smaller around the ears.

I’ve spent way too much money chasing the perfect sound, and after burning through a pile of headphones and IEMs, I think I’m finally there. The headphone path went: Sundara → HD600 → HD650 → Edition XS (good but too sharp and sibilant) → Focal Azurys (Did not get the hype here) → Audeze MM-500 (good but painful clamp). On the IEM side I tried the Kiwi Ears Astral, Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk (didn’t understand the here either), Moondrop Hype 4, and DUNU Brain Dance. Brain dance was my favorite until I randomly tried The Campfire Moon Rover, though, which has become my IEM of choice for a reason I’ll explain later. For over ears, eventually I gave Dan Clark Audio a shot. First the Noire X, then the Noire X Open… and wow. The Noire X Open is the first headphone I’ve heard that delivers incredible detail without stabbing me with harsh “s” and “t” sounds. It can be just a touch energetic above 10k, but a simple high-shelf EQ at -3 dB takes care of it instantly. I also like adding a +2 dB bass shelf, which rounds out the sound beautifully. What really surprised me is how perfectly this same EQ profile works on the Campfire Moon Rover as well. It feels like they were made to share it, and having one tuning that works seamlessly between both is a huge win. I’ve saved the preset on my HiBy R4, so switching back and forth between the XO and the Moon Rover is effortless. So at this point, my perfect setup has become the Moon Rover for IEMs and the Noire X Open. Ironically, the gear I’ve ended up loving the most has all been from American brands which I didn’t expect. I know endgame is a dangerous word in this hobby, but right now this feels like it. Has anyone else had that moment where you put something on and thought… yeah, this is it?