The Hifiman Edition XS is one of Hifiman’s most popular headphones and was launched in 2021 as the third generation of the Edition X-series. It’s the most affordable of the oval “egg-shaped” headphones from Hifiman that started with the HE1000. It is a planar magnetic headphone and uses a dual-sided magnet driver with aerodynamically shaped “stealth magnets” and the thin “Neo Super-Nano Diaphragm”.
The XS has very large ear cups and is almost too large for my medium-small head. It is built out of metal and plastic and quality feels totally fine. It has a padded headband. The padding might be a bit stiff for some heads, but the headband fits my head very nicely and the weight is well distributed. The Edition XS has a list price of $499, but has been selling for as low as $350 lately.
Check the current price on Amazon here: Edition XS
The Fiio FT3 was launched in 2023 and was the first full size circum-aural headphone from Fiio. The company, established in 2007, made a name for itself making reasonably priced, high quality audio electronics, focusing on portable solutions. They have been making earbuds and IEMs for some time now, but in recent years they have gone for the desktop market making bigger desktop headphone amplifiers, full size headphones and even desktop speakers. In addition to the FT3 they also launched a full size planar magnetic headphone in 2023, the FT5.
Anyway, the FT3 has a 60 mm dynamic driver with an impedance of 350 Ohms. They have made a 32 Ohms version as well. It is identical except for some tweaks to the driver, making it more easy on the amplifier bit with some sacrifices to sound quality. Maybe I will review their 32 Ohms version in the future, but so far I haven’t even heard it.
The FT3’s housing is made of an aluminum alloy and it feels premium. It is fairly light and I find it very comfortable. Some might find the cups and pads a bit small, but it’s not a problem for me. It is shipped with two pairs of pads with different sonic characters. One pair is made out of a synthetic suede type material, the other one is a hybrid with a suede type material on the inside, protein leather on the face and fenestrated protein leather on the outside. I don’t know if they used the same foam or not. The difference in sound is quite big and they have their respective strengths and weaknesses.
I will comment on them along the way in this review. I will often refer to them as the “FT3 suede” and the “FT3 hybrid”
Check the current price on Amazon here: FiiO FT3
HIFIMAN EDITION XS SPECIFICATIONS
- Open back circumaural type
- Planar Magnetic Drivers with Stealth magnets and NEO Supernano Diaphragm
- Dual-sided magnet driver
- Impedance: 18Ω
- Frequency response range: 8Hz-50kHz
- Sensitivity: 92 dB
- Weight: 405 grams
- Detachable cable with 3.5 mm TRS connectors on headphones
- Included cable: 1.5m single-ended 3.5mm with 6.35mm adapter
FIIO FT3 SPECIFICATIONS
- Headphone type: Open circum-aural.
- Driver type: 60mm dynamic driver
- Diaphragm material: Berylium-plated gasket + DLC diaphragm
- Impedance: 350 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 105dB (1Vrms)@1 kHz
- Frequency response: 7Hz-40kHz
- Weight: About 391g (excluding cable)
- Earpad pressure: 4.0N±0.3N
- Cable length: About 3m
- Cable material: Furukawa monocrystalline copper wire
- Detachable cable with dual 3.5 mm connectors on headphone.
- Exchangeable plugs and adapters supplied for amplifier connection.
- 2 types of speed pads with distinct sound signature: Suede and hybrid pads
COMPARISONS
I compared these headphones mostly using a Topping A90 amp, but also the Rebel Amp and the Sparkos Gemini hybrid tube amp. I used the RME ADI-2 DAC FS as a source.
If I Were a Bell by Keith Jarrett
Live classic jazz, the trio is led by pianist Keith Jarrett. This sounds very good on the Fiio FT3 with suede pads: Spacious and dynamic, well-balanced and entertaining.
The XS sounds even more spacious. It’s more detailed and sounds clearer. However, I find the warmer tonality and timbre of the FT3 quite appealing.
The FT3 with the hybrid pads sounds like a mix between the two, but I prefer the XS to the “FT3 hybrid”, it’s cleaner and clearer with better bass, but the FT3 is still highly enjoyable no matter the pads.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
Even though the FT3 with suede pads has a large soundstage, the XS paints up a significantly larger listening room. The bass is superb and very linear and has great definition. The FT3 suede excels in the midrange, though. It’s a bit warmer and fuller sounding.
The FT3 with hybrid pads is clearer and more open sounding than with the suede pads, and generally with more pronounced detail.
However, the bass is superb with the XS and generally I prefer the XS. But they are all good sounding.
Smile by Pearl Jam
This sounds excellent with the FT3 with suede pads, full-bodied and detailed. With the XS, however, detail and separation are taken up a level or two. The midrange is a bit more polite than I personally prefer and less natural sounding than with the FT3 suede.
The FT3 with hybrid pads sounds sharper and there’s an annoying level of sibliance whenever Eddie Vedder sings “Smile” or anything else with an “S”.
Furniture by Fugazi
Starting with the XS: The double-tracked electric guitar riff, the bass and the percussion are all super well-defined and you can follow each instrument easily. The vocals are as usual a bit polite, but well defined and nicely rendered.
With the FT3 suede, you get a nice and thicker sound. It’s still detailed, but separation and layering are not at the same level as with the XS. The vocals are still not very upfront, but the mid-bass gives some extra body to the presentation.
The FT3 with hybrid pads makes the FT3 sound like a mix of the XS and the FT3 with suede pads. The bass is still superior with the XS, though.
Higdon’s Violin Concerto: Fly Forward by Hilary Hahn
The XS is very open sounding, detailed and with great imaging and separation. The FT3 suede is good but lacks sparkle and energy in direct comparison. It offers a slightly warmer tonality that is nice. Some might find it appealing enough to prefer the FT3 with suede pads, but I prefer the XS.
With the hybrid pads on the FT3, it gets more sparkle and opens up. The midrange is differently tuned compared to that of the XS. I can easily adjust to both presentations but I do find the FT3 hybrid and suede to have a more natural sounding midrange timbre than the XS.
Holberg Suite by The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
This piece sounds good on both the XS and the FT3 suede. However, similarly to on the previous track, the extra clarity and cleaner sound of the XS makes it even more enjoyable. However, the FT3 with hybrid pads is like a mix between the two, and I prefer its tonality over that of the XS.
Midnight City by M83
This track by indie-rock-pop group M83 sounds really extraordinarily snappy and tight with the XS. The drums are presented with a firm grip and are very fast-sounding. There’s a great sense of separation and layering.
The FT3 suede sounds good too, but much thicker and slower. It’s delicious in its own way. The XS really wins on the technicalities, but the FT3 has a delicious mushy-yummy sound signature.
With the hybrid pads, the FT3 opens up the soundstage but it’s less yummy and lush.
Lovers on the Sun by David Guetta
This track is quite bright and harsh, and it sounds better with the warmer and thicker sounding FT3 suede than the more revealing and thinner-sounding XS. The bass kicks hard with both cans, it’s tighter with the XS but there’s more thump with the FT3.
The FT3 with hybrid pads sounds like a blend between the FT3 suede and the XS. It is a lot brighter and crisper than the FT3 suede. I prefer the suede here.
As Before by Olga Konkova
The cajôn drum sounds absolutely fantastic with the FT3 suede. The vocals are velvet-like and very nicely rendered, the piano too.
The XS also sounds great but in another way. It is much more open sounding and feels a little bit brighter and less lush and inviting. They are very different presentations but both are very good.
The FT3 hybrid also sounds more open and brighter, closing the gap between the XS and FT3 suede. It is also a good presentation.
Bored by Deftones
The two headphones sound like two different mixes of the same song. The FT3 suede is full body and enveloping with lots of bass presence and warmth. I really like the way this song sounds.
The XS is thinner and crisper sounding. The soundstage is much larger but also less intimate. Even though the XS sounds good, it is a bit bright and thin and I do prefer the meatier presentation of the FT3 suede.
With the hybrid pads, the FT3 sounds sharper and crisper much like the XS. It sounds more technical and analytical. I prefer the FT3 suede most of the three.
Cadenza by Marcin Wasilewski Trio
This track sounds wonderful with the FT3 suede. The standing bass is full sounding and brings a lot of nice warmth. The saxophone is smooth and delicious, the percussion is snappy and engaging.
The XS sounds more spacious and cleaner as usual. It is also a great presentation and I appreciate both headphones equally much.
With the FT3 hybrid, the soundstage is more open than with the suede pads, it is crisper and tighter sounding. Closer to the XS both in terms of sound signature and detail level.
AMPLIFICATION
With regards to the 18 Ohms / 92 dB Hifiman Edition XS, in my separate review I concluded that it works well with most amps. However I do find that it sounds good with amplifiers that sound a little bit warm, like e.g. the Rebel Amp or the Sparkos Gemini. However, I find all the amps I’ve tried to give good results with the XS, also budget amps like the Schiit Magni Heretic and the Fiio K5. The Topping A90 does a very fine job.
At 350 Ohms and 105 dB, the FT3 is a different beast. I find the Topping A90 to sound a bit flatter than many of the alternatives. The Sparkos Labs Gemini is excellent, in my experience it sounds very good with higher impedance cans especially. However, the Schiit Magni Heretic is also very good and Fiio’s own K5 does an excellent job. So did the Rebel Amp.
WRAPPING IT UP
Because the pads have so much to say I will have to comment on the FT3 suede and the FT3 hybrid separately. That being said, 3rd party pads will affect the sound of the XS too, but so far I have yet experiment with that.
Sound Signature, Dynamics and Detail
The sound signature is quite different between the FT3 suede and the XS. The FT3 hybrid is somewhere in between the XS and the suede. Because the XS and FT3 have different frequency responses, the differences between them vary from track to track. Sometimes they are very different, sometimes they are quite similar.
The FT3 suede generally has more bass quantity, a warmer midrange and softer highs than the XS. It’s generally a darker sounding headphone, whilst the XS is neutral to bright-ish. However, the XS isn’t bass-light. The XS’ bass is very solid and even though it’s a little bit less in quantity than the FT3 suede, the XS has a good amount of bass presence and the bass quality is great.
Both headphones are detailed. With the suede pads, the FT3 is a step or two below the XS. With the hybrid pads, the FT3 gets closer to the XS. That being said, I think the FT3 does better than many of the competitors in this price range. It’s just that the XS is exceptionally detailed sounding.
Both the FT3 and the XS are dynamic sounding headphones and can throw a punch when needed. In terms of microdynamics; the articulation of details, I find the XS to be better.
Soundstage and Imaging
The FT3 suede has a good and open soundstage but it simply isn’t in the same league as the XS. There’s a relatively big difference. This is mainly because XS has a huge soundstage by any standard, not because the FT3 isn’t good.
The separation of instruments and imaging capabilities are also on another level with the XS than with the FT3 suede.
Putting on the hybrid pads, the FT3 gets a bigger soundstage and more precise imaging. It is closer to the XS but still not on the same level.
Treble
The treble of the XS is excellent for its price. It’s clear and bright without becoming harsh. I don’t find it to have an issue with sibilance or difficult transients.
The FT3 suede also has a good treble, albeit a little darker and not quite as clear. With the hybrid pads, the FT3 gets a clearer and brighter treble with more detail, but I have experienced occasional, annoying sibilance with e.g. the vocals on “Smile” by Pearl Jam and the cymbal-ish percussion on “4:22” by 1982.
There’s a tendency to sibilance on those tracks with the suede pads too if you listen for it, but it’s within what’s to be expected and not annoying. You can also hear it with the XS and the Sennheiser HD660S2, but it’s within what’s tolerable. I tried with different amps and DACs. There’s no doubt that the FT3 hybrid stands out as prone to sibilance on certain tracks. Otherwise, I really like the treble of the FT3 hybrid, it’s just a problem on a few tracks. And again, with the suede pads sibilance is not a problem.
Midrange
The midrange of the FT3 suede sounds slightly warmer than that of the XS, especially since it gets some help from the nicely elevated mid-bass. I like the FT3 midrange tonality with both pads. I find that the midrange is the part that changes the least when swapping pads on the FT3, but it sounds a little clearer. Even though the midrange is a bit warmer sounding than the XS, it’s not as warm sounding as e.g. the Sennheiser HD660S2.
I prefer the tonality of the FT3’s midrange, but the XS excels in detail retrieval. Not that the FT3 lacks detail, it does have a detailed midrange presentation with both pads, but it isn’t as detailed as the XS.
Bass
The XS undoubtedly has the most linear and precise-sounding bass of the two. It’s a planar magnetic headphone after all, and Hifiman knows how to make headphones with great bass quality.
The FT3 does, however, also have a very good bass. It is more elevated in some frequency ranges, especially with the suede pads. It is mostly a more bassy sounding headphone, but not with all tracks. Sometimes it’s the other way around. With the hybrid pads, the FT3 gets a bit tighter and less meaty sounding, but not as tight and textured as the XS.
CONCLUSION
The XS is the king of soundstage and separation and is generally better at precision and detail retrieval. It is tuned quite neutral.
The FT3 is also very impressive in terms of detail and soundstage but it’s warmer, meatier and more intimate sounding, especially with the suede pads.
Which I prefer depends on the mood and the music. Both are great headphones.
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