Louis opinions the HIFIMAN Version XV, an affordably priced pair of open-back planar headphones that includes an up to date design and enhanced magnet array. It’s at the moment priced at $399.
Disclaimer: I obtained this pattern in alternate for my sincere opinion. Headfonics is an impartial web site with no affiliate hyperlinks or standing. I wish to thank the crew at HIFIMAN for his or her help.
Click on right here to learn extra concerning the HIFIMAN merchandise beforehand reviewed on Headfonics.
This text follows our present scoring pointers, which you’ll be able to learn in additional element right here.
HIFIMAN Version XV Evaluate
Abstract
The HIFIMAN Version XV planar driver headphones are distinctive in design model and sonic traits. They’ll fare effectively with those that are delicate to bright-sounding sonic signatures and are searching for one thing completely different from the corporate’s regular home tuning.
Professionals
A veer from the normal brilliant sonic profile.
A novel design.
superb consolation ranges.
Cons
Not a great headphone for element retrieval.
Lackluster packaging, cable, and pad high quality.
It’s been round ten years for the reason that launch of the HIFIMAN Version X and X V2, and round 4 years for the reason that launch of the Version XS. These two headphones had been extremely profitable launches from HIFIMAN. Simply ask round.
If I had to decide on one between these two, it could actually be the Version XS due to all of the audible refinements it dropped at the desk.
Plus, it was some of the distinguished in bass response underneath a grand from the HIFIMAN line, for my part. That further sauce made me keen on the HIFIMAN Version XS.
So 4 years later, after the Version XS launch and within the current time, HIFIMAN launched one other within the collection known as the Version XV, priced at $399.
On the surface, it doesn’t resemble the opposite two in any respect. That alone makes this launch an fascinating one to assessment.
Options
The brand new addition to the X line of HIFIMAN headphones, the Version XV, is a whole overhaul of the collection, together with a brand new driver, a brand new shell, a brand new design, and the newest HIFIMAN Gen 2 headband model meeting in an inexpensive bundle.
The NEO Supernano Diaphragm Gen 2 is used on the Version XV driver, together with the Gen 2 dual-sided Enhanced magnets. These two implementations are just like what HIFIMAN used on the just lately reviewed Ananda Unveiled, which sits at a barely greater value tier.
This Version XV launch is visually some of the distinctive designs from HIFIMAN up to now. Not solely is it a whole redesign, however the cup design, for instance, is exclusive inside the lineup. It additionally contributes, apparently, to a moderately distinctive tuning.
Design
I’m on the fence about calling this launch a HIFIMAN second-generation headphone, though it carries three main modifications which can be all labeled second-generation implementations. That is the fourth Version X launch that I bear in mind.
The brand new Version XV ought to actually be titled the third era X, since solely two of the earlier variations displayed main modifications. These had been the OG Version X and the Version XS. The variations had been with their driver implementation and their headband design.
This new headband appears extra promising than the earlier Version XS headband. It protrudes much less on high.
The headscarf won’t catch RF indicators if you happen to catch my drift, but it surely nonetheless retains the consolation stage of the headstrap design used on the unique X. This was achieved by slipstreaming the headstrap into this design.
The highest portion, or the steel spring on high, is curved and never as clunky-looking because the earlier variations. Nevertheless, to distinguish this mannequin from the opposite fashions with this similar model headband, HIFIMAN gave this one an all-silver cup, yoke, and headband spring colour scheme.
Alongside the all-metal cup, the backplate can be steel and is adorned with an fascinating honeycomb perforated sample that will increase breathability within the middle and reduces airflow on the outer edges.
It does look much less breathable in comparison with HIFIMAN’s Window Shade design, but it surely’s an open-back, nonetheless. You may see the magnet array via the perforations.
HIFIMAN has used perforated backplates earlier than, however this one is a singular and one-of-a-kind backplate for HIFIMAN.
There doesn’t appear to be another safety past the perforated backplate, nevertheless, and there’s no material defending the motive force inside, which will increase driver breathability but additionally will increase danger elements.
Consolation
The Version XV presents the next consolation stage that sits between the primary headband design and the second headband design that employed the cushion-filled high, which wasn’t my favourite HIFIMAN headband model. That headband model all the time created a small strain spot on high.
In some way, I really feel that this headband model combines the consolation components of the headstrap however fixes the clamping pressure points. This model applies the next quantity of clamping pressure, making it much less comfy to put on.
What’s bizarre is that this model of headscarf meeting is heavier by a number of dozen grams. We’re speaking a few 47-gram distinction. Nevertheless, the additional weight doesn’t have an effect on consolation on this set since I do favor the consolation ranges on the Version XV over earlier variations.
Inventory Pads
Yep, deja vu. The asymmetrical hybrid UltraPads are employed right here once more, and I’m not complaining. These pads are interchangeable with the Ananda Unveiled pads, the one different mannequin that makes use of the brand new 6-point clip mounting system. That I do know of
What’s choosing my mind is what’s going to occur on the day when the pads have to be changed.
There’s one other UltraPad with a 9-point mount system, and there’s additionally a 12-point mount variant, they usually’re not interchangeable however are the identical pad. I really feel that HIFIMAN ought to have made all of them the identical, and as a substitute, work on their high quality.
I don’t have any consolation points with this cup design and these pads. Solely an elephant would. A complete fist can match inside them comfortably. The cushions contained in the pads look like some form of fast reminiscence foam with a medium density that conforms effectively.
One heads up I can provide you upfront is that these headphones are delicate to the place you place them in your head and the place your ear sits inside the cup. I discovered the very best placement is excessive and ahead. That manner, your ear sits on the backside rear of the cup.
Inventory Cable
A minimum of HIFIMAN didn’t change the connectivity facet of the Version XV on us, and I’m completely happy for that.
The Version XV makes use of the frequent 3.5mm enter jacks on every cup with a top-positive, and sleeve-negative connection scheme. You shouldn’t have any points acquiring a cable for this set.
Throughout the Version XV packaging, you discover the identical six-foot Monocrystalline HIFIMAN cable that got here with the Ananda Unveiled cable with plastic connectors and pressure reliefs, opposite to what you get if you happen to order the identical cable from their on-line retailer.
I name the inventory cable a downgraded Monocrystalline HIFIMAN cable. It’s terminated with a 3.5mm plug, and it comes with a 6.35mm adapter. Once more, this headphone deserves a greater inventory cable.
Packaging & Equipment
Alongside that inventory cable, you get nothing else. A minimum of the within foam can be utilized as a headphone stand. That’s an sudden bonus and the one accent you get.
The plain brown cardboard field stays, and it appears to be like prefer it’s right here to remain except you purchase an upscaled mannequin just like the HE1000 Unveiled or the Susvara.
Sound Impressions
The next sound impressions of the HIFIMAN Version XV had been accomplished utilizing the HIFIMAN EF400 and the EF600 DAC/amps. Each had been used on excessive achieve and with the NOS filter fed by a Home windows 11 PC with 24-bit, 48 kHz FLAC recordsdata.
Abstract
The HIFIMAN Version XV veers away from the HIFIMAN total brilliant presentation, and it’s one of many HIFIMAN fashions that may do bass moderately effectively. The added bass response fills within the void, mitigating the potential for brightness.
That is one thing that HIFIMAN has apparently been engaged on since most of their newest headphones can’t be thought-about bright-sounding.
Their lineup is gaining steadiness over most issues apart from correct timbre and pure tones. That is the course HIFIMAN took when tuning the Version XV.
The Version XV can be one of many extra intimate-sounding HIFIMAN headphones. They offer off a presentation that’s between a closed-back and an open-back design, but it surely nonetheless doesn’t sound compressed, simply intimate.
Different characters that the HIFIMAN Version XV features enhancements in are velocity, transient response, and accuracy in tonality from the unique.
It’s a refined X mannequin, and it’s obvious that HIFIMAN is addressing with their new releases a lot of the deficiencies of earlier fashions, notably within the low finish.
What HIFIMAN appears to be aiming for is a extra balanced and pure presentation whereas conserving the holographic impact the road is understood for, they usually have obtained simply that with the Version XV.
Bass
The bass is extra current on this mannequin than in different HIFIMAN fashions. The HIFIMAN Version XV provides the listener with bass that’s clear and managed moderately than heavy-handed. It wants a slight quantity of tightness to be excellent, however that may additionally veer it into analytical territory.
There’s loads of bodily bass extension, though the tone generator may solely attain 22Hz, and under that, there was no bass presence. With the precise amplifier and a few bass boosting on an EQ, these can produce some head-rattling bass with the Version XV.
Above that, the HIFIMAN Version XV has one of many flattest curved bass responses from HIFIMAN, however I’m discovering that throughout their new line, notably with the Arya Unveiled and the Ananda Unveiled variant.
The bass can come throughout as scientific, however I discover it to strike a steadiness between that and musical. You may increase the low frequencies a number of decibels if you happen to want, with little or no degradation to the remainder of the spectrum.
Nevertheless, I doubt you have to to do this as a result of the inventory tuning produces ample bass, and I like bass. The bass amount they produce is correct to the proportion inside the tracks you’re listening to.
Midrange
After I ran a tone sweep take a look at, the midrange was evenly produced in output stage with the bass till it reached the highest portion of the midrange, across the 2k mark.
The small rise there lifts the brightness stage of the midrange however to not the purpose of dominating the frequency spectrum.
Surprisingly, the midrange part shouldn’t be as mid-forward as a number of the earlier HIFIMAN headphones. One can say that it’s the smoothest a part of the general presentation.
Male vocals are warm-toned, whereas feminine vocals are produced with crispy forwardness, and each come throughout as pure and fluid.
There’s a heat attribute right here, and vocals are usually on the toasty aspect and should not as tepid as in different fashions. They sound heat, sure, however not chesty. Devices sound pure and lifelike.
What the HIFIMAN Version XV does finest is produce a pure timbre, with a simple profile. They produce plenty of element, however they’re not the very best at retrieving element.
You get simply sufficient to maintain issues fascinating, however there’s a lack right here. I depart that process up for the massive brothers just like the HE1000 and the Arya line.
There are a number of small peaks, one at 2k, one at 5k, and one at 7k that I audibly heard, however they’re not bothersome in any respect.
HIFIMAN did a great job tuning the midrange since this set doesn’t sound harsh or strident even when pushed to supply loud quantity ranges.
Treble
Once more, the same old HIFIMAN tuning appears to be absent. Maybe that new model grill is what did the trick right here. The Version XV shouldn’t be brilliant, leaning towards steadiness and musicality. I attempted faulting the excessive frequencies, however got here up in need of something.
The HIFIMAN Version XV uncommonly produces excessive frequencies in a delicate, relaxed method, which, on the whole, produce bright-sounding highs however are well-controlled and neutrally toned.
The highs are effectively prolonged, free from harshness because of the tuning that doesn’t let the excessive frequencies move a sure threshold and maintains treble output at a nice stage. It’s a deviation from the HIFIMAN brilliant tuning of the previous.
Staging & Dynamics
All of the tuning modifications made by HIFIMAN by some means shrank the soundstage in dimension in comparison with another asymmetrical cup headphones they’ve produced previously. That occurred once they launched the Stealth Magnet design.
The Version XV is intimate and mimics a big studio room as a substitute of a cavernous corridor. It has a soundstage with plenty of depth, greater than others, and I wasn’t anticipating that. I used to be anticipating a slim depth for the reason that again grille appears to be like to be restrictive in airflow.
However if you happen to look nearer, there’s no material behind the grill; due to this fact, airflow is elevated, and that may take credit score for producing a soundstage that’s not restricted to sound too slim, though the general dimension shouldn’t be a big one.
It’s spacious, not large or tall, with depth being probably the most dominant facet.
Click on on web page 2 under for my beneficial pairings and chosen comparisons.
