This is the official thread for the Philips Fidelio X2. This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Over Ear
- Amp needed
- Open Back
HifiGuides Amazon linkReviews…
Z Reviews
Tyll
DMS
3 Likes
Watch out for that treble, though…was super excited when I got these, but that grittiness on the highs made them unbearable for me. Soundstage is amazeballs, low end has some really nice punch, but the highs…ugh, sorry Philips but they aren’t my cup.
2 Likes
I really enjoyed these headphones except for 1 major issue (1 minor). The soundstage is extremely wide and airy but maybe not the most accurate. Bass is plentiful and punchy, midrange fairly neutral, a little recessed. But wow the treble is an issue particularly the 10k peak? not sure the exact value but SSSS sounds are horrid on some tracks but I guess eq could resolve this. I just started dabbling in eq so it wasn’t an option for me when I had these.
The minor issue is the pads are kinda itchy, not a fan of the material. The headphone is very comfortable overall though.
DMS review has a major flaw in his description of these. He states about 4:30 in that there is no vocal presence because of a steep frequency drop-off at 3K… When Mariah Carey is doing that crazy chirping thing she does she does not reach 3000 hz. Female Vocals usually range from about 200 to 900 hz. Really high soprano’s might be able to extend beyond 1K but that’s about it.
I own a pair of the Fidelio x2, and compared to my hifiman HD4xx and a pair of Sennheiser HD58X, and the Fidelio is for me a bit “u-shaped” in its sound presentation, meaning the bass and treble is a bit elevated compared to the mids. That said, i don’t really think the treble is an issue for me and the music i listen to. My pair is before the Gibson “takeover” and its the only pair i have listened to, but could there be a difference in sound? Or is it just that im to old to get annoyed by the highs? 
As for the pads being itchy, i agree to a certain degree. My Sennheiser HD58x is more comfortable (even with its pretty strong clamping force), but the Fidelio is more comfortable than the hifiman HD4xx for me atleast.
As for enjoyment, i do like the Fidelios but i still use my HD58x and the Hifiman HD4xx more often. One positive though is that i feel my Fidelios are the best for listening to lower quality music, as especially the hifiman set reveals a bit more of the short comings of lower quality recordings…
Anybody knows what would be an upgrade to X2 with less harsh/pronounce highs? I was thinking about AKG K712 or Sennheiser HD660s.
I found the pads itchy at first, but they broke in over a few weeks. Very comfortable headphones and I enjoy how it sounds. I second the airy open sound with good bass.
I own a used pair of these beauties. Personally i think they’re super comfortable, i can wear them for hours on end without any problem. I had to replace the rubber band though, becuase the headband was too loose for me. Not sure if this is a general problem, or was caused by the previous owner (i got them super cheap, that might be why). Also taking them apart to fix things is a real pain, let me tell you.
Soundwise they’re probably the best thing i’ve heard so far. Mind you, i haven’t owned or listened to high end headphones, so take my word with a grain of salt. But personally i really enjoy the airy but punchy sound and don’t seem to have any trouble with treble, as some people said before me.
For the record, my pair does not have glued on pads.
I just bought a pair of these for 150 bucks. They sound great! I love a lot of treble and these have A LOT of treble.
If anyone was looking for a good pad swap on these, I used ZMF universal velour and there amazing.
the thick foam attached to them help quell those treble peaks most people complain about as well.
I used to own a pair of these (before they got stolen).
Trying to replace some of my stuff and thought about just getting these again because I liked them.
The only thing I am concerned about is the highs. I have a touch of tinnitus for certain frequencies.
My pair (which was an original pair before the Gibson thing) never gave me issues and were amazing.
So just hoping this isn’t something new that if I go ahead and buy these, and ship them to South Africa from the US, that I am not going to have issues and then going to have to pay like 40 dollars to ship them back and get a replacement or my money back. Unless Amazon will pay the shipping back to the US or wherever it would go.
Don’t know about international shipping for returns, but if there is something “wrong” like it doesn’t work like you are expecting or somehow the website description is wrong, they’ll pay for shipping. I have the new X2HR, from Amazon, I haven’t experience issues, but I think the X2HR “rebrand” is to shake the Gibson production run as mine are the removal ear pads similar to the originals by WOOX.
I kinda figured the “X2HR” had something to do with shaking off the whole Gibson thing. As a programmer that does contracting for a lot of retailers I see it often. They release a product. It gets shit on because of a minor flaw or they change a manufacturer. Then they fix it (sometimes), change the product name, move the item around in their stores a bit and hope it does well.
Going to take a look at their returns policy and see it I can get an email to amazon support to ask if I can’t find anything specific.
Oh well. At least if I get them I will know immediately if anything stands out as very different. I did daily drive the original X2’s for 4 ish years. So if these are any different I will know and I will update the forum with opinions. If i get them. Also thought about getting the Dekoni Blue’s but if so I want to properly amp them and i don’t know if I can do that in my budget right now. Only really have insurance replacement money to work with right now. yay.
1 Like
Looking forward to what you think. I’m looking to buy the Fidelio X2HR from Ali express, and I’m hoping it’s as good as people say they are.
I bought one on amazon prime day. The headband makes a plastic rubber velcro weird sound.
I added a video to youtube:
New users please let me know if your headband sound like that.
I got a x2hr on amazon, and it has a driver distortion problem in the left side. Got a replacement same thing…that’s damn shame since they sound amazing.
Just to check, does it happen on multiple devices (amps/pc audio/phones)
It happens on my atom amp and stereo. Its like a trunk car rattling sound when it comes to bass heavy tracks and louder volume.
Huh, that’s unfortunate then. Sounds like a typical bass rattle
I’m not even trying a third time. Who knows what else is wrong with them.