I don’t normally post reviews but I just had to post one for these criminally underrated headphones. I have been a headphone addict for at least 12 years and I can honestly say that the Hi-X65 is one of the best headphones I have ever heard.
If you are looking for headphones that dissect the music and present it to you with amazing imaging, instrument separation and detail, these are the ones to get. The detail… it’s what so many other headphones strive to achieve but fall short compared to the X65. Also these somehow have some of the best instrument separation I’ve heard under $1000.
To top it off, these headphones are super easy to drive, I get AMAZING sound from these from my iPad with just the Apple headphone adapter.
If there is one downside, and it’s not really a downside, is that the X65s require good quality music. I use Amazon Music HD with these and it’s just fantastic. If you have lower quality audio, these headphones will let you know that it’s bad. If a song has been mixed with hot treble, these headphones will let you know. If there is someone in the back row of the orchestra with a squeaky chair, these will let you know.
Now, if you feed these things high quality music, you will just sit there in awe. Whatever the Austrian Audio team did to make these headphones, I hope they keep doing it and I hope word gets out about these and more people get to experience what I have. Amazing cans.
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Product Description
Making Passion Heard
Founded in 2017, Austrian Audio has assembled a team of experts with 350+ years of cumulative engineering experience to create the most exquisitely engineered audio products available today. With skill and dedication, we are taking on the industry giants to create products that Make Passion Heard.
Hi-X65 Headphones Professional Over-Ear Headphones
Created with mixing and mastering in mind, the Hi-X65 Open-Back Headphones, with their superior high-precision and spacious sound, were built specifically to satisfy the need for close, precise listening at these critical stages of the audio production process.
Hi-X High Excursion Technology
Hi-Xcursion (High Excursion) technology is the key to the astonishing sound of our Hi-X65 headphones. All Austrian Audio Hi-X headphones feature a 44 mm driver and a ring magnet system. This design allows for improved airflow and includes the strongest magnetic field in its class. The ring magnet, combined with a copper-clad aluminum voice coil, reduces the weight of the membrane and the voice coil connected to it, allowing the membrane to move or change direction faster, providing a more responsive impulse reaction.
Our science, measurements, and listening tests have shown that 44mm is the optimum size for this design. It ensures professional performance in the Hi-X, moves a lot of air, and eliminates ‘wobbling’ of the diaphragm.
Reliable Sound & Sophisticated Design
Reach for Hi-X65 headphones when you need reliable sound and know things might get a little rough. Their sophisticated folding design means they’re easy to store and carry, and their durable all-metal hinge and bow mean they’re extremely robust.
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All metal hinges and bow for maximum durabilityEnsuring maximum durability and stability. |
2x Detachable Cable1x 3m + 1x 1.2m. For replaceability, compact portability and safety from damage. |
Foldable constructionFor maximum portability and easy storage. |
Soft slow retention memory foam earpadsFor maximum portability and easy storage. |
Compare with similar items
This Item  Austrian Audio Hi-X65 Open-Back Reference-Grade Headphones |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | -5% $399.00 List: $419.00 | $529.00 | -13% $234.00 List: $269.00 | $289.99 | $398.00 | $337.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| For gaming | ||||||
| Sold By | Kellards | DigitalDJGear | Loyal Firm | Easy Eagles | Amazon.com | Tech Rivers |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3 5mm Jack | 3-pin XLR plug, 6.35 mm stereo jack plug | 3.5mm Jack, 6.35mm Jack | gold plated stereo jack plug 3.5 mm (0.12-inch) | — | 1/4-Inch Stereo |
| headphones jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | XLR | — | wired |
| cable feature | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable | Detachable |
| water resistance | — | not water resistant | not water resistant | — | — | not water resistant |
| material | Aluminum, Metal | — | Neodymium, Copper, Metal, Foam | Plastic | Aluminum | Plastic |
Reviews with images
Love the sound, but be careful the band breaks very easily
UPDATE: I gave these headphones five stars for sound, review below; they are absolutely fantastic performing and comfortable headphones. Unfortunately, there is a fault with the plastic connectors where the headband slides in and out for sizing. These plastic pieces crack and break apart very easily, and it sounds like (on forums) this breakage has happened to many many Hi-X65 owners. Austrian Audio does honor their warranty and replace them, as they did with mine. But, the new set has the same thin plastic piece and I assume it will crack again sooner rather than later. It is at a stress point that gets pressured every time you wear them, so it is not possible to avoid breaking them by being careful. They both broke, on both sides, on mine. See picture. A few healthy dollops of JB Weld fixed the problem, and the headphones are thankfully the same grey color as JB Weld, which is great. But, still, not very elegant. When my new pair breaks again, I will just do the JB Weld repair and keep them. The warranty exchange process with Austrian Audio was bumpy and haphazard but eventually they exchanged it.Also, I'm very worried about what happens when I need new ear pads or a cable. Both of these items are proprietary and specific to only these headphones, and Austrian Audio does *not* list replacement ear pads, head band pads, or cables for sale anywhere. This is very strange, as these parts were clearly designed to be easily replaceable.———-My original five star review:I absolutely love these headphones! They are so comfortable and well made and the sound is comfortable and easy going and warm, as well, but also with lots of detailed extension into the highs and lows.To sum up my love for these headphones: they are extremely detailed, with a beefy warm boost in the low mids. Every other set of headphones I compare with these sound thin in comparison. The airy highs are rolled off a bit, they are still there, and articulate, and you can boost them with eq for a full clean sound, but the air is reduced in intensity by default it seems. This makes long listening sessions very very easy and comfortable. Bright mixes with shimmering fiddle overtones for example have everything there, just with a warmer balance overall. For mixing, if I need to use headphones, I will switch between these and my Austrian Audio Hi-X15s though because the Hi-X15 are not warm at all and much brighter, so they can reveal problems with harsh highs that sound totally fine on the Hi-X65. But, if your mix has too much low-mids, wow you will definitely know it right away on the Hi-X65s. That's usually the problem area in a mix where sound builds up, so I can see why they made sure the low mid frequencies were strong.They feel expensive and sturdy. The cups are large and they give me plenty of space for my ears and my fairly large head. There's a fair bit of clamp force, as others have mentioned; it has settled a bit over the past month but is still significant. I have an extra large head, both in height and width. These fit. After a few days I realized that I wasn't extending them far enough (after seeing myself in the mirror) and they still had plenty of clicks to spare. Getting them extended properly did improve the sound, I'm glad I noticed that!Oh and I like how very efficient and easy to drive these headphones are. These are no problem to power at very modest volume settings (about one third volume) on my phone, laptop, or portable CD player, with no need for a specialized headphone amp. That is key, for me, because if I'm going to listen using these headphones then I need to be able to use them any time without having to fuss with a bunch of separate hi-fi audio components. I just want to plug them into a regular headphone jack and use them. Check! My old Sony CD Walkman from 20 years ago needs the volume set to about 40% for normal listening levels. My laptop computer with its built in headphone jack is at about 20%. Easy peasy. Funny enough, though, the xCAN bluetooth headphone amp needs to be cranked up to 60% - go figure! It sounds great though on the xCAN. I wanted to assume that it would sound the same, but honestly I can't find levels where these sound exactly the same on my MacBook compared to the xCAN preamp; the balance and the detail really is different. So, I guess the sound you get from these can technically depend on the headphone amp, though they work great on any well-made consumer device.
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Also, I'm very worried about what happens when I need new ear pads or a cable. Both of these items are proprietary and specific to only these headphones, and Austrian Audio does *not* list replacement ear pads, head band pads, or cables for sale anywhere. This is very strange, as these parts were clearly designed to be easily replaceable.
———-
My original five star review:
I absolutely love these headphones! They are so comfortable and well made and the sound is comfortable and easy going and warm, as well, but also with lots of detailed extension into the highs and lows.
To sum up my love for these headphones: they are extremely detailed, with a beefy warm boost in the low mids. Every other set of headphones I compare with these sound thin in comparison. The airy highs are rolled off a bit, they are still there, and articulate, and you can boost them with eq for a full clean sound, but the air is reduced in intensity by default it seems. This makes long listening sessions very very easy and comfortable. Bright mixes with shimmering fiddle overtones for example have everything there, just with a warmer balance overall. For mixing, if I need to use headphones, I will switch between these and my Austrian Audio Hi-X15s though because the Hi-X15 are not warm at all and much brighter, so they can reveal problems with harsh highs that sound totally fine on the Hi-X65. But, if your mix has too much low-mids, wow you will definitely know it right away on the Hi-X65s. That's usually the problem area in a mix where sound builds up, so I can see why they made sure the low mid frequencies were strong.
They feel expensive and sturdy. The cups are large and they give me plenty of space for my ears and my fairly large head. There's a fair bit of clamp force, as others have mentioned; it has settled a bit over the past month but is still significant. I have an extra large head, both in height and width. These fit. After a few days I realized that I wasn't extending them far enough (after seeing myself in the mirror) and they still had plenty of clicks to spare. Getting them extended properly did improve the sound, I'm glad I noticed that!
Oh and I like how very efficient and easy to drive these headphones are. These are no problem to power at very modest volume settings (about one third volume) on my phone, laptop, or portable CD player, with no need for a specialized headphone amp. That is key, for me, because if I'm going to listen using these headphones then I need to be able to use them any time without having to fuss with a bunch of separate hi-fi audio components. I just want to plug them into a regular headphone jack and use them. Check! My old Sony CD Walkman from 20 years ago needs the volume set to about 40% for normal listening levels. My laptop computer with its built in headphone jack is at about 20%. Easy peasy. Funny enough, though, the xCAN bluetooth headphone amp needs to be cranked up to 60% - go figure! It sounds great though on the xCAN. I wanted to assume that it would sound the same, but honestly I can't find levels where these sound exactly the same on my MacBook compared to the xCAN preamp; the balance and the detail really is different. So, I guess the sound you get from these can technically depend on the headphone amp, though they work great on any well-made consumer device.
Love the sound, but be careful the band breaks very easily
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
UPDATE: I gave these headphones five stars for sound, review below; they are absolutely fantastic performing and comfortable headphones. Unfortunately, there is a fault with the plastic connectors where the headband slides in and out for sizing. These plastic pieces crack and break apart very easily, and it sounds like (on forums) this breakage has happened to many many Hi-X65 owners. Austrian Audio does honor their warranty and replace them, as they did with mine. But, the new set has the same thin plastic piece and I assume it will crack again sooner rather than later. It is at a stress point that gets pressured every time you wear them, so it is not possible to avoid breaking them by being careful. They both broke, on both sides, on mine. See picture. A few healthy dollops of JB Weld fixed the problem, and the headphones are thankfully the same grey color as JB Weld, which is great. But, still, not very elegant. When my new pair breaks again, I will just do the JB Weld repair and keep them. The warranty exchange process with Austrian Audio was bumpy and haphazard but eventually they exchanged it.Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
Also, I'm very worried about what happens when I need new ear pads or a cable. Both of these items are proprietary and specific to only these headphones, and Austrian Audio does *not* list replacement ear pads, head band pads, or cables for sale anywhere. This is very strange, as these parts were clearly designed to be easily replaceable.
———-
My original five star review:
I absolutely love these headphones! They are so comfortable and well made and the sound is comfortable and easy going and warm, as well, but also with lots of detailed extension into the highs and lows.
To sum up my love for these headphones: they are extremely detailed, with a beefy warm boost in the low mids. Every other set of headphones I compare with these sound thin in comparison. The airy highs are rolled off a bit, they are still there, and articulate, and you can boost them with eq for a full clean sound, but the air is reduced in intensity by default it seems. This makes long listening sessions very very easy and comfortable. Bright mixes with shimmering fiddle overtones for example have everything there, just with a warmer balance overall. For mixing, if I need to use headphones, I will switch between these and my Austrian Audio Hi-X15s though because the Hi-X15 are not warm at all and much brighter, so they can reveal problems with harsh highs that sound totally fine on the Hi-X65. But, if your mix has too much low-mids, wow you will definitely know it right away on the Hi-X65s. That's usually the problem area in a mix where sound builds up, so I can see why they made sure the low mid frequencies were strong.
They feel expensive and sturdy. The cups are large and they give me plenty of space for my ears and my fairly large head. There's a fair bit of clamp force, as others have mentioned; it has settled a bit over the past month but is still significant. I have an extra large head, both in height and width. These fit. After a few days I realized that I wasn't extending them far enough (after seeing myself in the mirror) and they still had plenty of clicks to spare. Getting them extended properly did improve the sound, I'm glad I noticed that!
Oh and I like how very efficient and easy to drive these headphones are. These are no problem to power at very modest volume settings (about one third volume) on my phone, laptop, or portable CD player, with no need for a specialized headphone amp. That is key, for me, because if I'm going to listen using these headphones then I need to be able to use them any time without having to fuss with a bunch of separate hi-fi audio components. I just want to plug them into a regular headphone jack and use them. Check! My old Sony CD Walkman from 20 years ago needs the volume set to about 40% for normal listening levels. My laptop computer with its built in headphone jack is at about 20%. Easy peasy. Funny enough, though, the xCAN bluetooth headphone amp needs to be cranked up to 60% - go figure! It sounds great though on the xCAN. I wanted to assume that it would sound the same, but honestly I can't find levels where these sound exactly the same on my MacBook compared to the xCAN preamp; the balance and the detail really is different. So, I guess the sound you get from these can technically depend on the headphone amp, though they work great on any well-made consumer device.
Images in this review
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