Austrian Audio Hi-X55 Headphones - Over-Ear Headphones - High Comfort Slow Retention Earpads - Maximum Flexibility - 3.5mm Jack - Includes Adapter to 6.3mm - Black

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That precision and snap continues elsewhere in the sonic range. The treble and midrange are clean, crisp and detailed, and everything is fairly even across the spectrum. However, there is a slight tendency towards brightness in the upper midrange; this brings voices to the fore, but doesn’t detract from the rest of the piece. It does mean, though, that you should take care with any partnering electronics, and avoid equipment that errs on the brighter side of things.

With the gear available to me, I found that the Hi-X55 sounded best with my Chord 2Qute and the Topping L30 amp. The DAC and amp combination ended up being smooth enough that the Hi-X55 couldn’t reveal any harshness from the source. They're leading the charge for app control real time integration. One of the key features of Austrian Audio mics is theability to customise your polar patterns and EQ, and then apply them to the mic via Bluetoothfrom the comfort of your seat. This is all down to the forward-thinking PolarPilot app and PolarDesigner plug-in. About Austrian AudioLike the OC microphones, the Hi X headphones are manufactured entirely in Austria, and employ further developments of technology originally used by AKG. In this case, advances have centred on a new magnet design said to yield "the strongest magnetic field in its class". This is coupled with an unusually lightweight membrane and voice coil, which have less inertia and hence better transient response. The vocal range on the Hi-X60 is a bit recessed, wherein vocals are a bit farther behind but not too behind that it is overpowered by other elements. It still commands its presence without feeling drowned out. Although the vocals do not sit in the front, detail retrieval is still above average, with an acceptable amount of articulation of vocal textures of male and female vocals. The midrange of both monitors is also tuned similarly. However, the midrange of the ATH-M60X is lusher, revealing multiple instruments’ natural timbre. For instance, wind instruments have a bolder, rounder, and warmer sound. The same can be said with male and female vocals, although not as noticeable.

Now, we found the Hi-X15 sounded quite lively straight out of the box. This means you’ll need to be prepared to give them a decent running-in period (we’re talking a good couple of days at least) so they have a chance to calm down. The AEON can reach a bit lower than the Hi-X55, but the tonality on the two headphones is similar down to the slightly lower treble peak. The treble peak might be a 1 or 2dB loss on the AEON though. At first glance, the Hi-X55 looks like it has smaller supraaural ear cups, but the earpads have thin walls so that the inner diameter of the earpads ends up larger than you would expect based on the ear cups making it a compact circumaural. Despite being designed by a relatively new company, the Hi-X55 is a very mature product that shouldn’t just be confined to the studio. Plenty of regular audiophiles will enjoy this also. Austrian Audio Hi-X55 Specifications The Hi-X55 has hinges for folding them for traveling and swiveling the ear cups to get that perfect fit on your head. The hinges on the headphones are smooth and they seem quite sturdy.

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We listen to a range of music from Steve Wonder’s Innervisions and Michael Kiwanuka’s Love & Hate to Mahler’s mighty Symphony No.2, and these headphones never miss a beat. They resolve lots of detail and manage to organise it into a musically cohesive presentation. It’s a pretty even-handed sound, without much in the way of undue emphasis on any part of the frequency range.

Everything at once and all at the same time is simply not possible! With over 500 CDs, many of which are good for tests, it's not easy! In between, I just want to enjoy the music! The Hi-X15s use the same 44mm Hi-X driver as the upscale Hi-X55, so, unsurprisingly, the results are impressive. These headphones sound remarkably transparent across their broad 12Hz–24kHz frequency range, with smooth, even mids and a bass response that’s punchy but never oppressive. If anything, they’re a little bright but we’ve heard much brighter. A brief digression) Dimitri Shostakovich is an exceptional composer who manifests his mood with sometimes "garish colours (tones)" and "abysmal depth". He lived as a Russian composer at the time of the Soviets (Lenin. Stalin) in St. Peterburg and Moscow. Did he use sounds to communicate what he thought of the Sovjet leadership? In general, the stage of the Hi-X65 is not as wide as that of the K812, there is also less "air" between instruments and performers. Austrian Audio microphones are calibrated to within one decibel of each other – add another OC18 or OC818 to record in perfect stereo harmony.My first impression of the X55 is quite similar to yours. I found the headphones very detailed (but not overly etched) and I found them quite unpleasant to listen to. In fact, when I first tested it along with the X50 and X65, I liked the other 2 more. Disclaimer: I auditioned the Austrian Audion Hi-X55 as a part of the review tour. There was no compensation in cash or kind as part of the tour. The opinions are solely mine. The first thing that hits you is the passive noise isolation, which is sublime. The next thing is the active treble response, which is quite revealing. It does sound a bit "thin" due to it's boosted mid-treble but this type of tuning helps to bring out the micro details in the mix, and boy does it do a good job. However, when I returned to the store the second day and decided to give X55 another chance, I started to get X55's sound signature. X55 is harsh and there is no doubt about it, but in many ways, it is like that because it is designed to do so. X55's harshness is not a result of bad tuning (I actually find it quite well-tuned because there is still a 'lush' with all the sounds coming through it and its mid-range, especially with acapella vocals, is spot-on); its harshness results from the fact it is designed to be a mixing headphone.

The ring magnet, combined with a copper-clad aluminum coil reduces the weight of the driver and allows faster movement. This design results in a precise and fast impulse response which results in a very low THD, especially at low frequencies. Especially with jazz and blues I often have the impression that with the K812 I am sitting in the front row centre front of the stage in a hall, in front of the stage the performers are spread out with space in between, with the Hi-X65 in a jazz bar or cellar I am also sitting in the front row centre front. Made in Austria’ with no off-the-shelf components. The hardware design and engineering are exceptional with all-metal hinges and headband bow for long-lasting stability and comfort without distraction. The luxury feel is assisted by the soft, memory-foam ear cushions. A fatigue-free experience even for long sessions.

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This is where things get interesting. Having compared the bass, midrange, and treble, both monitors display a similar tuning with minor differences. The huge difference boils down to its soundstage and imaging. One key difference between the two headphones is their design. The Audio-Technica ATH-M60x features an on-ear design while the Austrian Audio Hi-X60 has an over-ear design. Both headphones have a bayonet system for their cables, found on the left cup. Adjusting to any smaller size would give me a hot spot on the top of my head, despite there being some foam mounted on top of the headband.