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

£9.9£99Clearance
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I was also happy with how it sounds with my Hiby R3 Pro. However, I needed to almost max out my R3 Pro for the Hi-X55 to sound its best. In general, the Hi-X55 will need a nice detailed source to make it sound its best.

It seems that Austrian Audio likes Velcro quite a bit, as they even utilized it with the removable cushion on the top part of the headband. I like that they did Velcro instead of gluing it on though, at least this way it would be easily user-replaceable. When I listened to bass guitars, the bass notes were sustained and textured. The Hi-X55 has enough resolving capability to present the timbre qualities of bass guitars and separate them from even guitars that are being strummed with the same note. This is something that I haven’t heard except in more detailed planars. It’s interesting to note that Austrian Audio doesn’t really believe in the idea of 'running in', as the engineers can’t find any technical evidence to support the idea. Fair enough, but we have no doubt that the Hi-X50 improve considerably over the first few days of use. An initially forward nature mellows and a hardness in the upper mid area recedes, leaving an impressively clear and explicit mid-band.

The 1.2m length cable is comfortable to use on the go. There are no microphonics or unwanted sounds when moving with them. Now let's listen to a few pieces of music (CDs) outside the mainstream - mostly blues by local musicians, including an old acquaintance from AKG Vienna times (he was in the service there), Michael Amon as a musician, recording engineer and producer - and the music scene around Hermann Posch (one of the greats of the Austrian blues scene) and a great Austrian artist Joe Zawinul! Like others have said, they are remarkably source dependent. My go-to is the Walkman ZX507 which, as most people know, does not have much power to give. Fortunately, these are easy to drive headphones so the Walkman does do it. That said, I did run these on my iFi Hip DAC with and without XBass. I also ran these on my FiiO Q3 with its very clean sound signature. What I've found is that the more power you throw at these, the better they sound. Others are right as well, pairing them with a smoother/warmer sounding DAC/amp improved overall sound signature. M70x - high resolution, sometimes harsh, but less than Hi-x55 because of the hybrid pads (doesn't much resonant) Every voice, every instrument sits in the right place, just a little closer in the circle, closer and a touch warmer, fuller than with the K812.

I was expecting the Austrian Audio Hi-X60 to display minute improvements from the previous Hi-X55, perhaps a slightly wider soundstage with a similar tuning. Austrian Audio impressed me with how different and open these headphones sound, with a comfortable and natural tuning that is more flexible with audiophiles in mind. Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) + Le Sacre du Printemps, Mariss Jansons, Concertgebouw Orchestra They don’t creak and are comfortable, aside from a little pressure on the top of the head that can build into a slight ache after wearing them for several hours. The Austrian Audio Hi-X55 also have removable headband padding. It’s leatherette-topped memory foam and is held in place by a strip of velcro. Their memory foam cups can also be removed. These are made for professional use in the studio, not for the armchair audiophile who wants to be bathed in "musicality". So I will pen down my thoughts keeping that in mind. When I was discussing the review with Austrian Audio’s marketing team, they reminded me that the Hi-X55 is a headphone designed to do mastering and studio work. I think this was to temper my possible expectations, especially in the bass department.

Austrian Audio Hi-X60

These are must have traits for a headphone made for professional use. And it does this without having the "treble murder" that certain headphones from this gang portray. When I look at the AEON and the Hi-X55, I find that they are 2 different headphones for different purposes. The Aeon was designed to look pretty, while the Hi-X55 seems to be designed as a tool. Piano sounds somewhat fuller, warmer (perhaps a little poorer in detail) with Hi-X65 than with K812 - still very appealing. Overall, the design doesn’t seem to get inspiration from AKG products of the past. Although the build is completely their own, it seems that much thought has been put into how this headphone is built.

Austrian Audio has its roots in Vienna, Austria, and was founded in 2017. They might seem like a new company, but Austrian Audio was started by 22 former AKG personnel when AKG permanently closed its offices in Vienna. The Austrian Audio Hi-X55 have slightly more energy in the upper mids. It’s handy for bumping up perceived detail, but at the expense of the natural timbre of vocals. However, the effect is minor and these headphones compare very well to just about anything you can buy at the price today. The Hi-X55 came in a simple cardboard box with the headphones and some information printed in front. There’s foam inside to protect the headphones, but it isn’t much of a presentation case that we’ve become accustomed to for headphones at this price point. The ATH-M60X and Hi-X60 are both studio monitors designed for studio mixing and both have very similar tuning, but with a big difference in overall performance.Going up in the frequency spectrum into the mid-bass section, I find that the Hi-X55 performed really well in this portion. I like how there is a good amount of mid-bass impact, and the decay is just spot on to feel like a natural drum hit.

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