The HiFiMAN Edition X is Delightful from Portable Players

The HiFiMAN Edition X is Delightful from Portable Players

This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com

HiFiMAN touts this headphone as great for direct play from portable devices—and I'll agree, it does play very well directly from a tablet or phone. Pretty nice not to have the burden and expense of having to carry around a portable amp, but at $1800 it doesn't really seem like a more affordable solution. And then, it's an open headphone while most portable cans are sealed to get rid of environmental noise. So...this is a flagship headphone for use with portable devices indoors? I'm not sure what to think...let's work through the details.

Henry Threadgill's Old Locks and Irregular Verbs

Henry Threadgill's Old Locks and Irregular Verbs

Henry Threadgill won the Pulitzer Prize this year for his 2015 album, In for a Penny, In for a Pound, but his latest album, Old Locks and Irregular Verbs (just out this month on the Pi Recordings label), is better still. It's his true career milestone, one of the great jazz compositions of the past several years, a musical masterpiece beyond category.

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Vandersteen M7-HPA Measurements

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Vandersteen M7-HPA Measurements

Vandersteen Audio, Inc.
116 W. Fourth Street
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-0324
www.vandersteen.com

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Vandersteen Seven Mk.II Measurements

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Vandersteen Seven Mk.II Measurements

Vandersteen Audio, Inc.
116 W. Fourth Street
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-0324
www.vandersteen.com

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Associated Equipment

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier Associated Equipment

Vandersteen Audio, Inc.
116 W. Fourth Street
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-0324
www.vandersteen.com

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier

Vandersteen Model Seven Mk.II loudspeaker & M7-HPA monoblock power amplifier

Driving the Model Sevens at the 2014 CES were Vandersteen's then-new M7-HPA monoblocks, which provide a high-pass–filtered output (above 100Hz) to the upper-frequency drive-units of the Model Seven. At the time, I made a note to myself that I would like one day to try these amplifiers with the Sevens in my own room. That opportunity came later rather than sooner, after Vandersteen had updated the Model Seven to Mk.II status.

JS Audio Event in Maryland Saturday Evening

JS Audio Event in Maryland Saturday Evening

Tomorrow, Saturday April 23, from 4–10pm, JS Audio (4919 St. Elmo Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814) is hosting a Wilson/dCS/Dan D'Agostino/Audio Research/Nordost event. Wilson's Peter McGrath will be introducing the new Alexx loudspeaker; Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems President of Sales, Bill Mckiegan, will be showing the iconic company's new amplifiers; John Quick of dCS will be discussing the latest developments in their Vivaldi (2.0), Rossini, and Debussy ranges; Dave Gordon will be present the new Reference 6 and Reference Phono 3 preamplifiers, along with the New Ref 150 SE amplifier; and Michael Taylor from Nordost will be demming the Odin 2 Reference cables and, it is hoped, he will have the New Valhalla 2 USB Cable for attendees to audition.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement