Best Headphones
HIFIMAN Edition XS

#22 overall · open-back planar wired

HIFIMAN Edition XS

The planar to buy when you want Arya-style space for a fraction of the price.

PlanarSpaceValueUnder $500
People who recommend it
27
Say they own it
36
Mentions
304
Posts read
398
Check price on Amazon · $209Buy direct from the maker
Own these? Vote

Typical price, checked Sep 2026. HIFIMAN store special price $209.00; regular price $499.00 (read 2026-09-26)

What owners love

  • Owners call it the best sound under $300 and better than anything in the $300-500 range
  • Huge soundstage and clarity; takes EQ bass boosts without distortion
  • The price keeps dropping, and people who bought at $169-$270 call it the best deal in audio

The complaints

  • The headband and build: thin stock pads and a strap many owners mod or replace
  • Big and awkward for some heads; uncomfortable for a minority
  • HIFIMAN quality control and support worry owners
  • Needs a DAC/amp to shine

Where owners disagree: Ananda Stealth owners say it is slightly better for the same money; Edition XS owners say the XS is the value pick.

The 12 sources

Owner = the person says they use it. Recommendation = passed on without saying so. Dates are when the thread or video was posted.

Owners name it for

Compared with

The headphones people weigh against this one most often, counted from comments that name both.

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