These have been my out-and-about IEMs for 5 months, running off the Qudelix 5K. The stock tonality isn’t for me, but they take to EQ very well. They’re airy, spacious, and soft in their transient attack—kind of like the IEM version of a pre-stealth-magnets Ananda or Arya.

I’m surprised how far down I had to scroll for the HE1000 V2. Too bad Hifiman dropped the suspension strap for their cheaper models.

Everything sounds way too clear - i can even listen to the bass player in a well recorded metal song.

I like to imagine that the moment you wrote this sentence, Lars Ulrich woke up in a cold sweat.

Having owned other egg-shaped Hifimen but not the XS, I agree with others that their sound signature may just not be to your taste. Your choice of amp shouldn’t affect the tuning. That said, I wouldn’t expect the XS to be peaky. It’s bright, but the treble elevation is pretty even.

If there’s still time re: return policies or such, you might give your brain time to adjust. Or you might try bringing the treble down with EQ.

What made the LCD-4 comfortable for me was combining a ZMF Copilot Pad with a Lohb Strap. It’s similar to ZMF headphones, I suppose, in that the Copilot Pad is cradling the suspension strap on the sides of the head so there isn’t a hot spot on the top.