Hi everyone,
Good morning / good evening to you all
A question I’ve been getting a lot over the last few months
Stuck between two headphones,
The first: HIFIMAN Edition XS
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c439BNUL
And the second: ASUS ROG Kithara
https://link.amazon/B0iWfxZtM
I used to give short answers to it
So today I decided to write this article and give you my full breakdown of the differences between the two
Keep in mind I haven’t tried the ASUS ROG Kithara
So what I say about it is based on its specs and reading its frequency response
First: Specs of the two headphones
HIFIMAN Edition XS
– Impedance: 18 ohms
– Sensitivity: 92dB
– Driver type: Planar Magnetic
– Driver magnets: Stealth Magnets
– Diaphragm: Neo Supernano Diaphragm
– Weight: 405 g
– Frequency response: 8Hz – 55kHz
– Type: Open-back
ASUS ROG Kithara
– Impedance: 16 ohms
– Sensitivity: not officially stated. I searched and found two people who measured it, the first got 91.88dB and the second 94dB
– Driver type: Planar Magnetic
– Driver magnets: Stealth Magnets
– Diaphragm: Neo Supernano Diaphragm
– Weight: 420 g
– Frequency response: 8Hz – 55kHz
– Type: Open-back
Almost identical specs
Second: Frequency response comparison (Graph)
Blue line = HIFIMAN Edition XS
Red = ASUS ROG Kithara with the Leatherette with Mesh Fabric pads it comes with. In the graph they’re called hybrid pads because they mix Leather and Mesh Fabric
I think it’s clear to everyone, whether you can read graphs or not, how similar these two are in frequency response
Meaning they’ll give you about 95% the same sound, and I don’t need to have tried the Kithara to say that, since they have the same driver (spec-wise I mean).
But I still have 3 main notes on the graph, and I marked where they are in the image. These gave me the info I needed, so I’ll explain them and you decide based on what suits you
1: The mids, between 1000 and 1500 Hz:
On the Edition XS: the sounds are better balanced than on the Kithara + stage depth is clearer on the Edition XS too.
And on the Kithara:
there’s a clear forwardness because it’s about 2dB higher, so the sense of depth comes out weaker.
2: Lower treble, between 5000 and 5500 Hz:
On the Edition XS the details are clearer and more prominent than on the Kithara
3: Upper treble, or the start of the top end, between 10,000 and 12,500 Hz:
Air, sparkle and detail are clearer and more prominent on the Edition XS
——————————–
OK, the ASUS ROG Kithara also comes with a second set of pads called Velour
Don’t worry, I got you their graph compared with the HIFIMAN Edition XS
Blue line = HIFIMAN Edition XS
Red = ASUS ROG Kithara with the Velour pads
Notes:
1: Between 1000 and 2500 Hz:
That’s most of the mids. Same thing, the Edition XS is more balanced + stage depth isn’t even close, it’s miles better than the Kithara, where every sound in this range is very, VERY clearly pushed forward
2: Between 2500 and 4000:
The XS is more prominent, more forward and more detailed, but that doesn’t mean the Kithara is bad or weak here. Actually, in this range and with this graph specifically, I prefer its response over the XS (that’s just my personal taste), it might not suit you
3: Lower treble, between 5000 and 5500 Hz:
On the Edition XS the details are clearer and more prominent than on the Kithara
4: Upper treble, or the start of the top end, between 10,000 and 12,500 Hz:
Air, sparkle and detail are clearer and more prominent on the Edition XS
Third: What comes in the box with each one
HIFIMAN Edition XS
Headphones + cable
ASUS ROG Kithara
Fourth: Price without any discounts or deals
HIFIMAN Edition XS price at the time of writing = 630 riyals = $168
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c439BNUL
ASUS ROG Kithara price at the time of writing = 1249 riyals = $333
https://link.amazon/B0iWfxZtM
My personal opinion:
On technical specs the two are almost identical
In performance I showed you the differences above, and even so they’re still very, VERY close
Here’s where the confusion ends: if you take the ASUS ROG Kithara
you’re paying double just for the accessories, the looks and the mic in the cable.
If you think that’s worth it, fair enough, I respect that
But my take: get the HIFIMAN Edition XS without any hesitation
And if you need a mic on the cable, here’s the fix, it works with these headphones and it’s 123 riyals = $33:
https://link.amazon/B0icTcCAx
So headphones and cable total: 630 + 123 = 753 riyals = $201
Let’s say the headphone price doesn’t include tax/VAT:
Tax/VAT on 630 riyals = 95 riyals = $25 = so it comes out to 725 riyals = $193
Add the mic cable on top: 123 riyals = $33
Total: 848 riyals = $226 for the HIFIMAN Edition XS
And in a few days the 11.11 sales are coming, and its price will drop to around 500 riyals = $133
Fifth: The most important point: powering the two headphones
Both headphones use a planar driver
This type of driver doesn’t actually need a lot of power in watts or milliwatts, most sources can give it the wattage it needs
Both headphones at their peak ask for power: 200mW
They need voltage: also not a problem, lots of devices, even dongles, can give them that
Both headphones at their peak ask for voltage: 1.90V
But they need current:
This is a problem most people using headphones with this driver type run into. They don’t take its current demand into account and plug it into a dongle, an audio interface, a PlayStation controller or the computer, and all of that holds the headphones back even when the first two kinds of power are covered.
Both headphones at their peak need current of: 109mA
And that’s hard for the devices I mentioned
So if you want the headphones to give you their best: you need a source that gives them what they need
The cheapest option I can recommend is: the Fiio K11 R2R DAC/amp
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4LGEPv9
Its current price: 667 riyals = $178, not including tax/VAT, which costs 100 riyals = $27
So 767 riyals = $205 total
And same thing, it’ll get discounts in a few days
Sixth: Simple math, then you decide what suits you
You need headphones + a device that runs them properly
The prices I’m about to write include tax/VAT and shipping, as I broke down for you a moment ago
Fiio K11 R2R + HIFIMAN Edition XS + mic cable =
725 riyals for the headphones + 767 riyals for the DAC/amp + 123 riyals for the mic cable
Total = 1615 riyals = $431
Fiio K11 R2R + ASUS ROG Kithara =
1249 riyals for the headphones + 767 for the DAC/amp =
Total = 2016 riyals = $538
Total difference between the two setups = 400 riyals = $107
And if you don’t need the mic with the Edition XS, the difference becomes 523 riyals = $139
That’s the end..
The decision is yours now
Good luck..
Your brother, Naif
In the market
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