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Hifiman Edition X
Jan 14, 2016 at 8:14 PM Post #1,187 of 4,030
tokengesture said:
  I have a Norne Silvergarde cable being made for me. Excited to see what it brings to the HEX
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NIce, please let know what you think when you get them,I think I will be ordering this cable for my HEX.That should bring the top a bit, but what I worry about what will happen to mids??
Only one way to find out.....tell us all about that!
Cheers
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 1:49 AM Post #1,189 of 4,030
As much as I like balanced cables it's not industry standard to ship with balanced cables. In fact it's quite rare if any company ever does. A tour unit should probably ship with one but that's only because it's not to be expected that a reviewer buy a balanced cable to hear it on their gear.

Otherwise you are just disappointed with the fact that headphones never ship balanced cables to begin with. The only thing I think the hex is missing is a carrying pouch since it's driven so well from portable sources.
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 2:43 AM Post #1,190 of 4,030
grizzlybeast said:
As much as I like balanced cables it's not industry standard to ship with balanced cables. In fact it's quite rare if any company ever does. A tour unit should probably ship with one but that's only because it's not to be expected that a reviewer buy a balanced cable to hear it on their gear.

Otherwise you are just disappointed with the fact that headphones never ship balanced cables to begin with. The only thing I think the hex is missing is a carrying pouch since it's driven so well from portable sources.
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Hmm didn't the HE 6 come with a balanced Cable? Why Even Dan Offers his Ethers with a Balanced Cable, as does Beyerdyanmic with their T1, why even Fostex is now selling their TH 900 with a balanced Cable Option, 
 
So yea, I don't expect it to come with one for "free" but there should be an option to purchase one with the headphone, an a demo should come with said "optional" accessories 
 
So again, given other flag ships in it's price range, while I understand it's not "built" to run with high powered amps, at least we the review team should have a chance to hear it with out balanced gear :/ 
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 8:31 AM Post #1,191 of 4,030
Due to the portable nature of the HEX the question would be which balanced connector standard would they follow? Do you make one that works with portable DAPs and DACs like the Pono or a different standard and when you pick one you will then frustrate the other.

Having said that I did buy my Pono simply because I knew it would work with the free balanced cables my Z7 and Z5 came with and haven't looked back since... :wink:
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 8:33 AM Post #1,192 of 4,030
mshenay said:
  Hmm didn't the HE 6 come with a balanced Cable? Why Even Dan Offers his Ethers with a Balanced Cable, as does Beyerdyanmic with their T1, why even Fostex is now selling their TH 900 with a balanced Cable Option, 
 
So yea, I don't expect it to come with one for "free" but there should be an option to purchase one with the headphone, an a demo should come with said "optional" accessories 
 
So again, given other flag ships in it's price range, while I understand it's not "built" to run with high powered amps, at least we the review team should have a chance to hear it with out balanced gear :/ 
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I get all the hype about the XLR cables and so on , the HEX and I stand corrected about the fact that this headphone was designed for portable music players and only handful takes XLR ,this will sound a bit silly to some ,so far the best sound and very close to my Lyr2 that I just sold is very first generation of Sony MD MZ-1 recorder /player with optical in and out so I can run to DAC of my choice and headphone out is so powerful and drives XEH between 5 and 6 and max 8.

 
(from 1-10 on potentiometer)yes it dose have real volume control!
tongue_smile.gif

Old school and so musical.
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 8:54 AM Post #1,193 of 4,030
after talking with hifiman support on the balance cable subject. They talked with their technicians who admitted they editionX's would sound better if they had balanced cables. And they may oar "might" be working on one now. This is exactly what they said though "As for the balanced cable,  our technicians tell us that the custom-made cable with the same materials of the standard cable for Edition X may be better. We need to contact our factory in China to make the cable for you if you need. "
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 9:43 AM Post #1,194 of 4,030
I personally don't see the HEX as being portable.... At all... #1 It's HUGE...#2 it's light-ish? But not really. #3 it's open back! Downright rude to use it in public! #4 there is no mobile case, if they intend for it to be mobile they would of made it with a mobile case. At least offer one!!!

And they should include a standard balanced cable because most people won't use these more than a few dozen times as a mobile headphone before they realize #1-4 is legit and make it a poor choice.
Then they will go back to their desktop system and want to plug it in to their balanced amp that likely has a standard 4pin XLR.
The he1000 has a balanced cable that ships with it., so should the editionX. Their engineer ms admit it would we better with a balanced cable. Yes, it's an efficient headphone? But that is only ONE positive atteibute to it being a successful portable headphone. Albeit and important one. But imho, it sounds better when I use the he1000 balanced cable. That's what I'm using until I have my norne audio draug 2 cable made for my HEX.
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 10:36 AM Post #1,195 of 4,030
^It's home portablish lol Def something you can carry to those places where isolation or leakage is no problem.
mshenay said:
Hmm didn't the HE 6 come with a balanced Cable? Why Even Dan Offers his Ethers with a Balanced Cable, as does Beyerdyanmic with their T1, why even Fostex is now selling their TH 900 with a balanced Cable Option, 

So yea, I don't expect it to come with one for "free" but there should be an option to purchase one with the headphone, an a demo should come with said "optional" accessories 

So again, given other flag ships in it's price range, while I understand it's not "built" to run with high powered amps, at least we the review team should have a chance to hear it with out balanced gear :/ 
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They should offer the termination as an option and since it comes with two cables it possibly should have the long one terminated to XLR but then everyone would cry that it's not 1/4 inch.
I'm with you on the review unit but when hearing a headphone for free at can't complain just give honest feedback like I did in my review
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 11:42 AM Post #1,196 of 4,030
bimmer100 said:
  after talking with hifiman support on the balance cable subject. They talked with their technicians who admitted they editionX's would sound better if they had balanced cables. And they may oar "might" be working on one now. This is exactly what they said though "As for the balanced cable,  our technicians tell us that the custom-made cable with the same materials of the standard cable for Edition X may be better. We need to contact our factory in China to make the cable for you if you need. "
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For my review   I wasn't able to test it balanced. But I thought the cable on their store would work? It's 199 though but is balanced. Doesn't it use the same connectors/cable as the hek?
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 11:46 AM Post #1,197 of 4,030
grizzlybeast said:
  For my review   I wasn't able to test it balanced. But I thought the cable on their store would work? It's 199 though but is balanced. Doesn't it use the same connectors/cable as the hek?
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No way to be sure about the wire inside but I had the balanced cable from their store about a year ago (ended up returning it when I sold my HE-560's) and it had a different thickness and stiffness from the stock HEX cable. It also had the old screw on type connectors.  Just going balanced does not necessarily improve the sound.  I started off using the Oppo balanced cable out of my Oppo amp, but the stock cable unbalanced sounds noticeably better.
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 11:50 AM Post #1,198 of 4,030
bimmer100 said:
I personally don't see the HEX as being portable.... At all... #1 It's HUGE...#2 it's light-ish? But not really. #3 it's open back! Downright rude to use it in public! #4 there is no mobile case, if they intend for it to be mobile they would of made it with a mobile case. At least offer one!!!

And they should include a standard balanced cable because most people won't use these more than a few dozen times as a mobile headphone before they realize #1-4 is legit and make it a poor choice.
Then they will go back to their desktop system and want to plug it in to their balanced amp that likely has a standard 4pin XLR.
The he1000 has a balanced cable that ships with it., so should the editionX. Their engineer ms admit it would we better with a balanced cable. Yes, it's an efficient headphone? But that is only ONE positive atteibute to it being a successful portable headphone. Albeit and important one. But imho, it sounds better when I use the he1000 balanced cable. That's what I'm using until I have my norne audio draug 2 cable made for my HEX.
Click to expand...


I agree that HiFiMan may be shooting themselves in the foot by emphasizing the portable aspect of this phone.  First, I couldn't imaging using these out in public: too big, no isolation in or out, to expensive to risk damage, etc.  Second it could give the impression that they are not serious, high end home headphones which they definitely are.
 
Jan 15, 2016 at 12:00 PM Post #1,199 of 4,030
bimmer100 said:
  after talking with hifiman support on the balance cable subject. They talked with their technicians who admitted they editionX's would sound better if they had balanced cables. And they may oar "might" be working on one now. This is exactly what they said though "As for the balanced cable,  our technicians tell us that the custom-made cable with the same materials of the standard cable for Edition X may be better. We need to contact our factory in China to make the cable for you if you need. "
Click to expand...

 
 
bimmer100 said:
I personally don't see the HEX as being portable.... At all... #1 It's HUGE...#2 it's light-ish? But not really. #3 it's open back! Downright rude to use it in public! #4 there is no mobile case, if they intend for it to be mobile they would of made it with a mobile case. At least offer one!!!

And they should include a standard balanced cable because most people won't use these more than a few dozen times as a mobile headphone before they realize #1-4 is legit and make it a poor choice.
Then they will go back to their desktop system and want to plug it in to their balanced amp that likely has a standard 4pin XLR.
The he1000 has a balanced cable that ships with it., so should the editionX. Their engineer ms admit it would we better with a balanced cable. Yes, it's an efficient headphone? But that is only ONE positive atteibute to it being a successful portable headphone. Albeit and important one. But imho, it sounds better when I use the he1000 balanced cable. That's what I'm using until I have my norne audio draug 2 cable made for my HEX.
Click to expand...

 
 
grizzlybeast said:
^It's home portablish lol Def something you can carry to those places where isolation or leakage is no problem.
They should offer the termination as an option and since it comes with two cables it possibly should have the long one terminated to XLR but then everyone would cry that it's not 1/4 inch.
I'm with you on the review unit but when hearing a headphone for free at can't complain just give honest feedback like I did in my review
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:/ I'd be less gripey if my Initial unit didn't come DOA, an honestly we are here to provide feed back, that feed back should really push Hifiman to better their product, I have enough tact when I review to always pitch in an objectively positive light, while still addressing my concerns
 
an with the Engineer team supporting a better quality of sound with a balanced Cable, I'm only trying to push for Hifiman to give us the BEST when we demo. Yes we get to hear it for free, but were also providing them market exposure for free so it's a win win for us all :D
 
An I'm a hifiman Fan! So I take it a little personal when they don't put their best foot forward because I know they make excellent products an I'd hate for some one to write them off because they didn't have their BEST up front. Especially given the price point, all options need to be ready for purchase with a TOTL launch imo 
 
non teh less though, I'm excited to hear these for REAL here shortly! 
 
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