Short answer: the Austrian Audio Hi-X65. It ranks #90 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $295.38; the Sivga Audio Phoenix ranks #120, rated 3.6/5, and costs $309, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Austrian Audio Hi-X65 does well: The open back response is bright and airy, with presence and treble about 1.5 to 1.7 dB above target and the top octave about 3 dB above, which brings out detail and space in recordings. The catch: This is the least smooth model in this group, with a deviation of 2.8 dB.
What the Sivga Audio Phoenix does well: Oratory1990’s measurement gives it a preference score of 72 with a fairly even 2.3 dB standard deviation, and its warm tilt with bass about 2 dB above target suits warm and bassy tastes. Watch for: Low mids sit nearly 3 dB above target, which can thicken vocals and make dense mixes sound slightly muddy, and a 4.3 dB dip near 3 kHz recesses voices a touch.
Buy the Austrian Audio Hi-X65. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sivga Audio Phoenix and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Austrian Audio Hi-X65 | Sivga Audio Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $295.38 | $309.00 |
| Ranked | #90 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #120 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 72 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation | 2.28 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.86 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 56 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Open | Open |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 44mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 25 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/V | 103 dB |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (310 g) | 0.7 lbs (296 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
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- Audeze Maxwell vs Austrian Audio Hi-X65
- Austrian Audio Hi-X65 vs Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Austrian Audio Hi-X65: $295.38 Amazon eBay
Pros: The open back response is bright and airy, with presence and treble about 1.5 to 1.7 dB above target and the top octave about 3 dB above, which brings out detail and space in recordings. Bass from 60 to 200 Hz is on target, so it avoids bloat. It is very easy to drive at 25 ohms and 110 dB SPL per volt, it weighs 310 g and it ties the Sony MDR-MV1 on rating.
Cons: This is the least smooth model in this group, with a deviation of 2.8 dB. The low mids are about 3.4 dB above target while upper mids are 1.9 dB below, and a 5.1 dB dip near 1.7 kHz recesses vocals and a 5 dB peak near 5.9 kHz adds edge. Sub-bass is about 3.7 dB light under 60 Hz, and the open back leaks sound.
Full Austrian Audio Hi-X65 review and specifications →
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 44mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 25 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 110 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 56 Hz (-7.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.09 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (310 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 236 Hz | -2.4 dB | 0.53 |
| Peak | 1,659 Hz | +6.9 dB | 1.76 |
| Peak | 592 Hz | -1.5 dB | 1.17 |
| Peak | 5,982 Hz | -4.0 dB | 3.16 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,426 Hz | +2.9 dB | 5.91 |
| Peak | 2,858 Hz | -1.9 dB | 5.45 |
| Peak | 4,145 Hz | -1.5 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 54 Hz | -0.2 dB | 1.78 |
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Sivga Audio Phoenix: $309.00 HiFiGo eBay
Pros: Oratory1990’s measurement gives it a preference score of 72 with a fairly even 2.3 dB standard deviation, and its warm tilt with bass about 2 dB above target suits warm and bassy tastes. Treble stays within about 1 dB of target from 3 to 10 kHz, so it never turns harsh. At 32 ohms and 103 dB sensitivity it runs well from a phone or laptop, and it weighs 296 g.
Cons: Low mids sit nearly 3 dB above target, which can thicken vocals and make dense mixes sound slightly muddy, and a 4.3 dB dip near 3 kHz recesses voices a touch. The open back leaks sound and blocks little outside noise. The Audio-Technica ATH-M60x is rated higher for less money.
Full Sivga Audio Phoenix review and specifications →
| Released | 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.28 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 72 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-3.5 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.86 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (296 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +4.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 143 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 8,971 Hz | +2.1 dB | 1.28 |
| Peak | 1,214 Hz | +3.1 dB | 0.64 |
| Peak | 3,160 Hz | +4.4 dB | 4.21 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.3 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 4,592 Hz | -2.6 dB | 4.75 |
| Peak | 5,893 Hz | +2.2 dB | 5.71 |
| Peak | 49 Hz | -0.6 dB | 1.65 |
| Peak | 121 Hz | +0.5 dB | 1.62 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons