Edition XS

neutral bright or mild v-shape ig found the lcd 2's and worn hd600s boring, hd800 was interesting but too bright. liked 560s, ed xs, arya and sus though currently running an eq'd ed xs, plan to eventually upgrade to the arya stealth/organic

Heard about Ananda, if it is XS, then the ROG logo is damn expensive.

It is indeed not ideal but it was quickly solved with my 3d printer.

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

The Arya is a vast improvement over the XS in fit. The XS comes off with even the slightest movement unless you mod it.

If the quality control issue doesn't stop you (and it would me for Hifiman headphones < $400) there is nothing that sounds better for the price than the Hifiman Edition XS (I'm also not a fan of the headband but that could just be me). Phenomenal sound for the price with very good base extension. Also get a new cable to use with these as the stock cable is quite meh. These are among the easiest to drive of the Hifiman stable of headphones. Add a Qudelix -5K DAC/AMP and you can get the whole package for around $370 and this would allow you to EQ the Edition XS if you wish using the 20 band PEQ of the Qudelix.

Totally fair question wanting solid bass doesn’t make you any less of an audiophile. You can absolutely have clean, rich low-end without sacrificing clarity or soundstage. The trick is finding open-back headphones that have a slightly warmer tuning or respond well to EQ. If you like the idea of the HD660S2, they’re excellent for detail and balance, but they’re not what most people would call bass-heavy. You might prefer something like the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (with the “balanced” pads) or the **HIFIMAN Edition XS** both deliver tight, extended bass while keeping the mids and highs open and spacious. The **Focal Elex** is another great option if you can find it; it has a punchier low end and a very engaging sound. Also worth noting, open-backs will never hit as hard as closed-backs in terms of sub-bass impact. If you want a bit more weight, a mild EQ boost around 60–100 Hz can do wonders without distorting the sound. So yes, you can definitely have that “best of both worlds” setup just look for headphones with a naturally warm tuning or pair them with a good DAC/amp and subtle EQ adjustment.

I got the Edition XS instead. bout 100 less right now on amazon!

My personal experience, had to EQ the XS or I was going to give them away lol. They were way too harsh and treble heavy for my ear. After that I haven’t put my Sennheisers back on.  What really sets them apart for me is the sound stage. Gaming and music are both improvements to me over my 600s. I would say the XS is brighter sounding. I had to search several EQ settings but finally found one right for me. They will thump more for sure, but I was trying to EQ more towards that Sennheiser sound and have the larger sound stage.  I definitely recommend them for more detail and the sound stage. Dunno about the thump though. There’s more, but not a whole lot more. I guess it depends on the thumping level desired!