88%
Austrian Audio Hi-X20
Professional Closed-Back Over-Ear Headphones
The Hi-X20 delivers pro-level clarity in a compact, everyday design. Hi-X drivers provide tight lows, honest mids, and crisp highs with fast transients and precise detail. Lightweight, durable, and built for creators on the move – perfect for tracking, monitoring, mixing, or staying in the flow anywhere.
Austrian Audio Hi-X20 | Small frame. Full detail.
Enjoy High-Precision Sound.
Introducing the Austrian Audio Hi-X20, the newest member of our professional headphone lineup. Designed with audio professionals, content creators, and music enthusiasts in mind, the Hi-X20 delivers high-precision sound in a compact, affordable form factor. Whether you’re recording, mixing, or just enjoying your favorite music, the Hi-X20 is your reliable, day-to-day companion.
Equipped with Austrian Audio’s renowned Hi-X Drivers, the Hi-X20 offers an unmatched audio experience. Enjoy perfectly balanced mid and high frequencies paired with a powerful, controlled bass response. With its precise sound and honest frequency response, you’ll experience fast transients and minimal distortion, making these headphones ideal for any professional environment.
Hi-X Technology
The Hi-Xcursion (High Excursion) technology drives the remarkable sound of our Hi-X headphones. Every Austrian Audio Hi-X model features a 44 mm driver and an advanced ring magnet system, delivering superior airflow and the strongest magnetic field in its class.
Paired with a copper-clad aluminum voice coil, the ring magnet reduces membrane weight for faster, more precise impulse response – producing a sound that’s immediate, detailed, and true to the source. The 44 mm design ensures professional performance, enhanced air movement, and eliminates diaphragm wobble. The ultra-stiff membrane effectively dampens resonance, resulting in an ultra-clear, dynamic, and expressive sound that brings every nuance to life.
Supported by Vienna Business Agency.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
Professional Reviews 88/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
88/100
Comfort Fit
89/100
Build Quality
84/100
Features Usability
81/100
Value for Money
92/100
The Hi-X20 brings full, controlled bass, smooth treble and impressive detail to affordable closed-back monitoring. Hi-Fi Choice found real power and contrast in demanding mixes, while SoundStage Solo praised its neutral studio balance, unexpectedly open presentation and long-session comfort. A seriously capable wired all-rounder with exceptional value credentials.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Full, tightly controlled bass combines impactful low-end extension with a well-balanced presentation.
Smooth, clear treble avoids sibilance and harshness while retaining useful detail for monitoring.
Lightweight, comfortable and fairly rugged for extended listening or studio sessions.
Outstanding value, delivering more enjoyable listening than a slightly cheaper Sony MDR-7506 according to SoundStage Solo.
&
Cons
Sparse feature set: wired-only operation, no Bluetooth and only one included 3m cable.
Plastic earcups feel less robust than pricier Hi-X models, despite the metal headband and hinges.
Higher clamping force and narrow earcups may feel restrictive for listeners with larger ears.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 88/100
Reviewers find the Hi-X20 notably capable for an affordable closed-back studio-oriented headphone. Its sound combines full yet controlled bass, smooth and mostly neutral treble, strong detail, and a larger-than-expected spatial presentation, though its analytical character and slight coloration may not suit listeners seeking a purely relaxed sound.
Bass
91/100
Bass is a particular strength: Hi-Fi Choice hears a full-bodied but measured bass line and a bass drop that lands with real physical impact. SoundStage Solo similarly praises unexpectedly good low-frequency extension, tightly controlled drums and stomps, and a fuller low end than competing budget studio headphones.
Midrange
84/100
Vocals come through with considerable weight and texture, with Hi-Fi Choice finding Leonard Cohen's voice impressively deep and gritty. SoundStage Solo notes a slight cupped-hands coloration, although it says this was chiefly apparent in direct comparisons.
Treble
88/100
The treble is described as smooth and easy to listen to, avoiding sibilance and grating harshness. SoundStage Solo does hear a modest mid-treble lift that brings extra clarity, but considers it a mild emphasis rather than an aggressive edge.
Resolution Detail
89/100
Both reviews point to convincing detail retrieval. Hi-Fi Choice highlights the texture and separation of choir harmonies, while SoundStage Solo hears plentiful detail in guitar strums and clearly resolved elements within busy mixes.
Soundstage Imaging
87/100
For a closed-back design, the Hi-X20 produces an agreeably open presentation. SoundStage Solo describes a stage extending beyond the shoulders and feeling larger than expected, though the reviews offer limited specific commentary on image placement or depth.
Dynamics
86/100
Hi-Fi Choice finds the Hi-X20 able to handle dense, clashing material without losing composure, delivering fuzz-heavy guitars with power while retaining delicate ticking percussion. This suggests satisfying punch and contrast, although dynamics receive less detailed discussion than bass and treble.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Comfort Fit
89/100
Both reviewers describe the Hi-X20 as lightweight and comfortable for extended sessions. Hi-Fi Choice specifically reports no sense of heaviness or discomfort over long listening periods, while SoundStage Solo considers its comfort well suited to professional use.
Build Quality
84/100
The construction appears practical and reasonably tough rather than luxurious. Hi-Fi Choice finds the plastic less robust-feeling than that of pricier Hi-X models, but notes metal hinges and headband intended to withstand travel; SoundStage Solo likewise calls the headphone fairly rugged.
Features Usability
81/100
This is a straightforward wired headphone with a detachable 3m cable, rather than a feature-led model. Hi-Fi Choice notes the sparse accessory package and single included cable, while SoundStage Solo praises its easy-to-drive nature for use with varied professional equipment.
Value for Money
92/100
At roughly £120/$150, reviewers consider the Hi-X20 unusually compelling. Hi-Fi Choice says it delivers genuinely high-quality sound at a low-budget price, and SoundStage Solo calls it great for the money and more enjoyable than the slightly cheaper Sony MDR-7506.
Reviews
Online Reviews & Mentions
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
All Dealers
Zoom out the map to see more dealers
Authorized dealers for Austrian Audio Hi-X20
- Acclaim Sound and Light — online and in-store — North Bay, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Adorama — in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Andertons — online and in-store — Guildford, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Atlas Pro Audio, Inc. — online and in-store — Sun City Center, Florida, United States (website)
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio Centrum — Hungary (website)
- Audio essence — online and in-store — Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- Audio Sanctuary — in-store — London, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio Sound Music — online and in-store — Paris, Île-de-France, France (website)
and 42 more verified dealers