Key Takeaways
- Edifier’s Stax Spirit S5 headphones offer unparalleled sound quality with crystal clear highs and ample bass.
- These wireless headphones support high bitrate codecs over Bluetooth and have a long battery life of up to 80 hours.
- While the controls are quite tiny and convoluted, the impressive audio quality and build make the Stax Spirit S5 worth the investment.
We were simply blown away when we reviewed Edifier’s flagship headphones — the Stax Spirit S3. Using planar magnetic drivers, the headphones had such a superior sonic quality that it made the headphones’ decision to forgo ANC not only justified but better. However impressive, there’s always room for improvement, which Edifier’s new iteration, the Stax Spirit S5 has done with flying colors.
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After testing for the past few weeks, I can confidently say that, as an audiophile, these are the best wireless headphones I’ve listened to. Read on for the details.
Editor’s choice
Edifier Stax Spirit S5
The Edifier Stax Spirit S5 stand out as perhaps the best wireless headphones for dedicated music listening on the market today. Planar magnetic technology, and an ultra-wide frequency response range bring full sound to this new flagship headset.
- Crystal clear high frequencies and ample bass
- Supports high bitrate codecs over Bluetooth
- Can be wired via USB directly to digital audio device
- Control buttons are tiny, making erroneous input too easy
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Price, availability, and specs
The Edifier Stax Spirit S5 headphones are now available on the Edifier website and on Amazon for $499.99. That price tag sits nicely in the premium tier of wireless headphones, still more expensive than the new $449 Sonos Ace over-ears, and below the AirPods Max’s typical $549 tag.
The Spirit S5’s standout spec is undoubtedly the planar magnetic drivers, which uses a thin electrically conductive diaphragm sandwiched between magnets to offer an extremely accurate sound that is often superior to that of a standard dynamic driver.
Additionally, the headphones are equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor, which allows the headset to handle a long list of lossless and high bit-rate codecs over Bluetooth, including some exclusive to Snapdragon, and others more commonly used on consumer devices like the AAC standard for iPhones.
When it comes to battery life, the headphones boast up to 80 hours, which I found to ring true in my testing, and is great for all-day listening. On top of Bluetooth connection, the Edifier ConneX app allows for more specific control.
What I liked about the Stax Spirit S5
A sound like no other
After an initial once-over of the Stax Spirit S5’s spec sheet, I was already champing at the bit to push them to their limits. I started by listening to some tunes from my iPhone and found the Spirit S5 to be comfortable, plush, and easy to operate. The first song I played was my designated “testing highs and lows” track, which is Above and Beyond’s We Are All We Need. Zoë Johnston’s angelic vocals were resonant and clear, and when the bass picked up, I remained impressed by the range expressed by the planar drivers. I knew, however, that my iPhone’s AAC codec was setting some limits as it transmits music to the headphones using 16-bit depth at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz. So, I plugged in the headphones to my PC via USB-C and fired up Tidal.
There are a number of digital audio players out there that leverage the plethora of lossless and Hi-Fi codecs supported by the S5, but unfortunately, the iPhone is not one of them.
I started listening to M83’s seminal 2011 album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, on my Windows PC, and to put it bluntly, I was blown away. As Intro started playing, I was just sitting there smiling, trying to fathom that I could hear sound this good from a consumer-focused set of over-ears. There was a “crispness” to the synths and reverb-heavy vocals that I would normally only pick up when played out loud on Hi-Fi speakers. The audio sounded clean in a way that no set of headphones I’ve tested does.
Ultimately, these headphones deserve the highest quality audio files you can possibly feed them.
While the planar technology will never create the same air-thumping bass that some wireless headphones seem designed for, it made for an overall more balanced soundstage.
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As Midnight City plays, the planar drivers perform exactly as they should, with unparalleled clarity and accuracy. Ultimately, these headphones deserve the highest quality audio files you can possibly feed them.
Build quality for days
I’ve now spent hours listening to music on the S5, and I have yet to find them uncomfortable. The lambskin earpads are extremely comfortable, with just enough cushion to offer stellar passive noise-canceling without applying too much pressure on your ears. There is some heft to these headphones; they feel solidly constructed and yet comfortable for long listening sessions.
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However, if you do find that your ears and head heat up too much after extended use with the lambskin earpads, the Stax Spirit S5 includes an additional set of earpads made with a cooling mesh. I also love that there’s an easily adjustable cushioned headband that sits nicely and stably on the top of my head.
What I didn’t like about the Stax Spirit S5
Tiny controls that I’ll just never use
This may be picky, but I found the controls on the headset difficult to use. The buttons are quite limited, each serving multiple functions, and are extremely tiny. Almost every button does one thing if you press it once, something else if pressed twice, and yet something else if pressed and held. It’s simply too convoluted to be useful.
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Since I’ll be using these exclusively on my PC or iPhone, I can simply press play, pause, next track, etc. on the device from which I’m playing my songs, but for those who enjoy control over their tracks when their device is in their pocket or out of reach, this could be slightly annoying. In the end, it’s certainly not a dealbreaker, as I find the buttons on the sides of modern-day headphones to be mostly redundant, though they are there in a pinch.
Verdict: Should you buy the Stax Spirit S5?
The Stax Spirit S5 from Edifier are simply the best wireless headphones I’ve used. I’ve been wearing them for hours, including as I write this review. They have made listening to music fun in a way I normally only experience when listening to my songs aloud on my Hi-Fi bookshelf speakers.
Editor’s choice
Edifier Stax Spirit S5
Anyone with a discerning taste for quality audio that’s in the market for a wireless headset should strongly consider these, though they are certainly a splurge. Edifier continues to show that they are a manufacturer to be taken seriously, right alongside names we tend to recognize more stateside, and the Stax Spirit S5 will no doubt end up a successful flagship product for the Chinese brand as word of their quality spreads.
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