Headphones · Side-by-side
HIFIMAN Edition XS vs OLLO Audio X1
The OLLO Audio X1 scores 0.2 higher and costs $280 more - the HIFIMAN Edition XS is the budget pick, the OLLO Audio X1 the step up.
Our pick OLLO Audio X1 The X1 is 0.2 ahead on the rubric, tested on the same chain by the same listener. The Edition XS saves $280, which is the trade you are making if you go the other way.
See the case for eachThe short version
The HIFIMAN Edition XS scores 8.7/10 (Highly Recommended) and the OLLO Audio X1 scores 8.9/10 (Highly Recommended), both headphones tested on the same reference chain. At $269 against $549, the HIFIMAN Edition XS saves you $280. The Edition XS's headline strength, per its review: Unique, pretty earcup design. The X1's: USC II per-unit calibration to ±1dB tolerance. The OLLO Audio X1 is the stronger piece on the rubric.
HIFIMAN Edition XS
An exceptional open-back planar at $269 with a sound signature that's hard to find elsewhere - held back only by a controversial headband design choice.
Higher score
OLLO Audio X1
An open-back studio reference headphone with AI-assisted per-unit calibration (±1dB), modular design, real wood cups, and a flat tuning that works for both mixing and music.
The overlap
Common ground & where they differ
Straight from each review's own tags - the driver, form factor, bracket, and origin. No score in this row, just what kind of thing each one is.
Both share
Only the Edition XS
Only the X1
The verdict
Which one to buy
Short version: the rubric leans OLLO Audio X1 - but what's upstream, what you listen for, and what your budget allows can each flip it. Here's the case for each.
The case for the Edition XS
HIFIMAN Edition XS
- Unique, pretty earcup design
- Large, deep earcups fit any ear shape
- Cheaper by $280, and 0.2 behind on the rubric
- Newer of the two reviews, scored against the current reference list
The case for the X1
OLLO Audio X1
- USC II per-unit calibration to ±1dB tolerance
- Real wood machined earcups, no veneer
- Spending $280 more buys a 0.2-point step up on the same chain
- Higher score, plainly - Highly Recommended, 8.9/10, 0.2 clear of the HIFIMAN Edition XS
Sound character
Sound signature, overlaid
Nothing here is hand-placed. Each axis is derived from the review's own prose by the model that anchors every review on the site.
| Axis | HIFIMAN Edition XS | OLLO Audio X1 |
|---|---|---|
| Warm to Bright | sits near neutral | leans bright |
| Relaxed to Analytical | leans relaxed | sits near neutral |
| Polite to Aggressive | sits near neutral | leans aggressive |
| Lean to Bass-heavy | no clear signal in the review | leans lean |
| Intimate to Wide stage | leans wide stage | leans wide stage |
The numbers
Specs, side by side
The 1 spec both reviews record comes first, so the row you can actually compare is at the top. Manufacturer figures unless a measured value is noted; N/A means we haven't recorded that spec yet.
| Spec | HIFIMAN Edition XS | OLLO Audio X1 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | Planar magnetic | Dynamic |
| Weight | 400 g | N/A |
| Impedance | N/A | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivity | N/A | 101 dB |
| Frequency response | N/A | 5 Hz - 22 kHz |
| Connector | N/A | Dual 2.5 mm (locking) |
Trade-offs
Pros & cons, side by side
Edition XS
Pros
- Bass extends to 20Hz, clean and free of distortion
- Fantastic, wide soundstage with great image separation
- Easy to drive - works fine from a dongle or cheap amp
- Truly exceptional sound for the price
- Unique, pretty earcup design
Cons
- Solid headband (no suspension strap) creates a hotspot after a few hours
- Insufficient clamp force - weight rests on the top of the head
- Headband doesn't adjust small enough for many heads
- Highs can sound plasticky and sibilant in some songs
- Vocals positioned behind the head - takes getting used to
X1
Pros
- USC II per-unit calibration to ±1dB tolerance
- Real wood machined earcups, no veneer
- Modular, repairable, service-friendly design
- Hybrid velour + perforated leather pads, user-replaceable
- Locking dual 2.5mm cable with forward-angled entry
Cons
- Tight clamp force - takes adjustment if you're used to looser cans
- Soundstage is realistic, not impressively wide
- Tuning is intentionally flat - some will call it boring
- Packaging is minimal - not premium-feeling
- Pads are functional, not luxurious
- Not the cheapest at this price point
Method
How they were tested head-to-head
The HIFIMAN Edition XS met the OLLO Audio X1 on one chain, not two, driven from the same HIFIMAN Serenade amp/DAC (Himalaya Pro R2R), fed bit-perfect from the Hermes 12th digital transport over USB. Levels were matched at the output before any listening, then both pieces were swapped across one fixed playlist: acoustic, vocal-led, dense modern, and large-scale orchestral. No demo-room verdicts, no half-remembered impressions from an earlier listen: this is a direct head-to-head, scored against the published headphones reference list at the matching price tier.
What the 0.2-point score gap actually means
0.2 points is a real gap but a narrow one. It shows up on some tracks and disappears on others, and it never reverses: the OLLO Audio X1 is ahead whenever it is audible at all. That is small enough that fit, comfort, or price can legitimately outweigh it.
What would flip the verdict
The OLLO Audio X1 wins on the rubric, but the HIFIMAN Edition XS becomes the right pick under three conditions. First, when system fit favours it - your amplifier, room, or source has a character that pairs better with this piece than with the higher scorer. Second, when one of the cons listed against the OLLO Audio X1 is a hard disqualifier in your context: drive requirements, ergonomics, connectivity, or footprint. Third, when budget is genuinely binding - the HIFIMAN Edition XS is the cheaper of the pair, and that saving can fund the next upgrade upstream. Outside those three, the higher score is the safer bet.
Full methodology and disclosure live on the about page. The reference chain and the scoring rubric behind both scores are published on the homepage, and each review carries its own head-to-head list and publication date, plus the date it was last re-checked against the rest of the catalogue.
Common questions
Common questions about this comparison
What's the real-world difference between the HIFIMAN Edition XS and the OLLO Audio X1?
Scores first: the OLLO Audio X1 takes it 8.9 to 8.7, a 0.2 gap. On voicing the Edition XS is the more relaxed of the two; the X1 does not lean far on that axis. Each review flags something different - the Edition XS's "Truly exceptional sound for the price" against the X1's "Hybrid velour + perforated leather pads, user-replaceable". Those, not the decimal, are the real decision.
Which should you buy, the HIFIMAN Edition XS or the OLLO Audio X1?
Default to the OLLO Audio X1 - it's 0.2 ahead - but on a sympathetic system the HIFIMAN Edition XS, $280 cheaper, closes most of it. Take the HIFIMAN Edition XS if its character or your chain leans that way; otherwise the OLLO Audio X1.
The bigger picture
Where they rank
This page is the head-to-head - the buying guides put both of these up against the whole field.