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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize the highest sound quality and soundstage for serious music listening and you have additional equipment like an amplifier, the HifiMan Edition XS would be the superior choice, but remember that they have an open design which means they leak sound and provide poor isolation from ambient noise. On the other hand, the Razer Kraken V3 is more wallet-friendly, offers good sound for various uses including gaming due to its virtual surround feature, and closed design which provides better noise isolation. The Kraken also has a microphone and is better suited for calls or meetings compared to the HifiMan, which has poor microphone quality. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the HifiMan Edition XS
- Very good for music
- Best in class for TV and video
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Razer Kraken V3
- The Razer Kraken V3 has no clear advantages over the HifiMan Edition XS.
Key differences
Music
8.8
7.3
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Razer Kraken V3 is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
4.7
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Razer Kraken V3 is poor.
TV and Video
9.5
7.0
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Razer Kraken V3 is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
6.0
The Razer Kraken V3 is only fair for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Cost
$269
$80
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the Razer Kraken V3 costs $80.
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Key similarities
Gaming
7.4
7.3
The HifiMan Edition XS and Razer Kraken V3 are both good for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.0
5.0
The HifiMan Edition XS and Razer Kraken V3 are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The HifiMan Edition XS and Razer Kraken V3 both have very good build quality.
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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the Razer Kraken V3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Edition XS | Razer Kraken V3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$269 | $80 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Razer | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | June 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4.1/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 421 Grams | 325 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HifiMan Edition XS
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | January 2023
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
Razer Kraken V3
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Soundguys
Sam Smart | November 2022
"This Razer Kraken V3 is a great headset for gamers who want comfort, surround sound, and software customization for a reasonable price. It's primarily a headset for PC gamers since THX Spatial audio is only supported on Windows. If you want something more multifaceted for multiple systems, this won't be an ideal headset for you. Luckily, there are plenty of competent Kraken V3 alternatives available to you."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Edition XS or the Razer Kraken V3
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean hardware manufacturer aimed specifically toward the gaming market. They manufacture a very wide array of gaming laptops, tablets, phones, peripherals and, of course, headphones and earbuds both wired and wireless. Since 2016, Razer has owned the THX suite, aimed at quality assurance of audiovisual systems such as speaker sets, video game consoles and even movie theaters.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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