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Philips fidelio X2
Dear audiophiles / music fans , does Anyone have experience with these ‘phones ( Phillips Fidelio X2 ) ? Haven’t heard recent mention of them in most forums let alone here. Reviews abound though and they seem highly praised. Is it hype or the real deal ? I’m considering purchasing them. Do they have a refined V shaped sound ?
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keyboard_arrow_downMXRC
261
Mar 1, 2018
The hype is real but so is its performance.
The Philips Fidelio X2's are one of my favourite headphones. There are so many good things to say about this pair. Let's go down the list.
Sound Stage: The sound stage is amazing. It's got the widest sound stage of all the headphones I own. The width of the sound stage is extended, although it doesn't sound/feel unnatural. It helps emphasize stereo separation and sound placement.
Frequency Clarity & Separation: Highs, mids, and bass frequencies all render clearly. The frequencies don't bleed into each other. Even though there's only one big driver in the each of the cups, it sounds like the highs, the mids, and the bass each have their own dedicated drivers. That's how clean these sound.
Air, Sparkle, Punch, Thump, and Boom: The high extension is awesome. There is plenty of sparkle and air in the highs and they are clear without sounding too cold thanks to the mids. The mids bring some of the warmth back and help ground the high frequencies. It's punchy with no muddiness. On the low end, it rumbles. The bass is really, really good.
Ergonomics: The headphone caliper pressure is perfect. It doesn't squeeze your head so hard that you'll pop a blood vessel. It feels secure. There are no adjustments for size. Instead it has a flexible band that rests on your crown that is super comfortable. The pads have a nice texture and are soft. The weight is hard to quantify. For me, it's not heavy at all and I've gone on long sessions without fatigue.
Build Quality: Premium. Enough said.
Real world application: The frequency response isn't super flat. I would describe it as "excited". So, it's perfect for enjoying all sorts of media but probably not great for mixing and reference. Movies, specially ones with big explosions, sound awesome with these headphones. They're great for all types of music. I really enjoy using them for gaming as well.
Final Verdict: Must own.
The Philips Fidelio X2's are one of my favourite headphones. There are so many good things to say about this pair. Let's go down the list.
Sound Stage: The sound stage is amazing. It's got the widest sound stage of all the headphones I own. The width of the sound stage is extended, although it doesn't sound/feel unnatural. It helps emphasize stereo separation and sound placement.
Frequency Clarity & Separation: Highs, mids, and bass frequencies all render clearly. The frequencies don't bleed into each other. Even though there's only one big driver in the each of the cups, it sounds like the highs, the mids, and the bass each have their own dedicated drivers. That's how clean these sound.
Air, Sparkle, Punch, Thump, and Boom: The high extension is awesome. There is plenty of sparkle and air in the highs and they are clear without sounding too cold thanks to the mids. The mids bring some of the warmth back and help ground the high frequencies. It's punchy with no muddiness. On the low end, it rumbles. The bass is really, really good.
Ergonomics: The headphone caliper pressure is perfect. It doesn't squeeze your head so hard that you'll pop a blood vessel. It feels secure. There are no adjustments for size. Instead it has a flexible band that rests on your crown that is super comfortable. The pads have a nice texture and are soft. The weight is hard to quantify. For me, it's not heavy at all and I've gone on long sessions without fatigue.
Build Quality: Premium. Enough said.
Real world application: The frequency response isn't super flat. I would describe it as "excited". So, it's perfect for enjoying all sorts of media but probably not great for mixing and reference. Movies, specially ones with big explosions, sound awesome with these headphones. They're great for all types of music. I really enjoy using them for gaming as well.
Final Verdict: Must own.
ElectronicVices
2937
Jan 30, 2018
I bought a pair in the first couple of months of the launch date so my experience may be a bit difference than some others as I know the manufacturing process changed a bit over time. I personally feel that they have a more exaggerated HD650 sound. The bass bump is larger/deeper and the treble is significantly less linear than the HD650. The bump in the bass and the uneven treble response can give rise to people calling them v-shaped but overall it's pretty close to the Harman Targeted Response Curve so they come across fairly natural. I wouldn't say the X2 excel at any one particular aspect but they are a fantastic allrounder. If you will only have one "good" headphone they can fill a lot of roles (Games, movies, music), are fairly easy to drive and accept a replacement cable so you can turn it into a headset pretty cheaply. I really only use them for gaming at this point but I own roughly 30 pairs of various styles so it's not for any lack of performance on the X2 side, I just have other pairs better suited to specific activities.
A community member
Jan 30, 2018
Hi there
I have a pair of them and they really are great. I personally don't find them too V shaped yeah they have a bit of a bass hump but nothing massive. I think the majority of people who try them love them. Tyll at inner-fidelity said they were a match for the HD6XX series high praise indeed.
I have a pair of them and they really are great. I personally don't find them too V shaped yeah they have a bit of a bass hump but nothing massive. I think the majority of people who try them love them. Tyll at inner-fidelity said they were a match for the HD6XX series high praise indeed.
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