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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HifiMan Edition XS offers superior sound quality and an expansive soundstage, ideal for those seeking an immersive audio experience at home, particularly for music listening. However, being open-back headphones, they don't isolate sound well and aren't suitable for noisy environments or activities like exercising. They also lack a microphone, which could be important for calls. On the other hand, the Steelseries TUSQ, while providing sound with less overall fidelity, includes a good quality microphone and closed earbuds for better sound isolation, making them more versatile for calls, gaming, and usage in various environments at a more accessible price point. If budget is a concern and you require a microphone and greater usage flexibility, Steelseries TUSQ is the pragmatic choice. 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 Steelseries TUSQ
- Very good for gaming
- Good for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.8
7.6
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Gaming
7.4
8.5
The Steelseries TUSQ is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
4.7
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Steelseries TUSQ is poor.
TV and Video
9.5
7.3
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
6.0
The Steelseries TUSQ is only fair for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Cost
$269
$30
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the Steelseries TUSQ costs $30.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.0
5.2
The Steelseries TUSQ and HifiMan Edition XS are both poor for phone calls.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The HifiMan Edition XS and Steelseries TUSQ both have very good build quality.
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How the HifiMan Edition XS and the Steelseries TUSQ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Edition XS | Steelseries TUSQ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$269 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | Steelseries | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.5/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
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 | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 421 Grams | 11 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
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."
Steelseries TUSQ
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Dig into reviews and images
Can Buy or Not
Aloysius Low | March 2021
"The SteelSeries Arctis Tusq is a great headset for those on a more modest budget. You can use it for gaming or music, and I daresay it's also great for Zoom meetings when you don't want to be wearing on-ear or over-ear headphones."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Edition XS or the Steelseries TUSQ
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 Steelseries
Steelseries is a Danish gaming products manufacturer founded in 2001 and owned by GN Store Nord. Beside a large variety of gaming peripherals like mice, keyboards, and mousemats, Steelseries markets the Arctis line of gaming headsets which feature integrated boom microphones and RGB lighting. Steelseries has partnered with several game publishers and studios for limited editions of their products like a line of Cyberpunk 2077 themed headsets in 2020.
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Why trust us
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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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