PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable
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Specification: PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable
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Photos: PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable
10 reviews for PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable
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$143.78
Tianxiao Ma –
Sound:Disclaimer: I’m not exactly an audiophile nor do I have much experience with tons of headphones. That being said, I think these headphones sound great, especially if you can tweak some equalizer settings. Out of the box they were nice, but some of the upper midrange notes were really shrill (really comes out on piano-heavy songs). After adjusting that down I’m happy with the sound. Compared to my cheap gaming and bluetooth headphones, I’m able to pick out a wider range of instruments and sounds in music. They also produce a respectable amount of bass.One of the main advantages being touted for open-back headphones is the sensation of a wide sound stage, but I’m not really getting that with these. They might sound a bit more open than my HyperX and Sony closed-back headphones but I’d say the effect isn’t night and day.Last note on sound: there’s basically no noise isolation with these due to the open-back design. Not a big deal if you’re just using them at home, but these wouldn’t be good for commuting.Comfort:I’ve put in a few multi-hour listening sessions with these and they’re comfortable. The headband does a fine job distributing the weight across the top of my head, and the fit is snug but not too tight for me. My head is 22 1/2 in. (57 cm) around so your mileage may vary. There’s not a lot of room for adjustment if your head is much larger or smaller.Also be warned that these headphones are bulky, so not ideal for listening in bed or with your head against a headrest.Build quality:These headphones feel really solid, and I’m confident that the headband can handle a ton of use. Also there isn’t much that can go wrong as there aren’t any batteries or extra electronics. The only issue I had was the 1/4″ adapter. The 3.5mm female end does not fit snugly so when I used the adapter for the first time, I was missing the left audio channel. Buy a separate adapter or a dedicated cable if you need the 1/4″ connection.
Gadget Lover –
This is one of those headphones that is high value for the money. You either hate these or love these. Audiophile reviewers that I respect love these cans while other hate them. I listen to a great deal of classical music which is the hardest genre on sound reproduction. That being said here are my thoughts: Build quality is excellent and frankly built like a tank. These are open back cans and people sitting next to you at the coffee shop will hear your music. The reverse is true in that there is little sound isolation so you will hear everything around you. If you are looking to have privacy and isolate yourself from the world, these cans are NOT for you. Sound quality is very interesting. Has a strong bass (can get boomy) and slightly elevated highs. The tonality is actually very good. In other words a cello sounds like and the New York Philharmonic (who I have seen relentlessly over the years) sounds like them. Vocals are clear and forward for women and good for male voices. The headphones have good punch for dynamics. Left to right Sound-stage is very wide is very good. Front to back sound stage is not wonderful I want to hear that bassoons are sitting behind the Oboe when they play or that the chorus in Beethoven 9 is HUGE and that they are behind the orchestra. Imaging is “good” but not great. I would like it a little tighter.Here are the things that you need to know.1) I needed to break these in for 50 hours before they sounded good. All the reviewers in YT just pick them up listen and then review. I played these 24 hours a day for 5 days and they do sound different. They get a lot better.2) Comes with a HUGE cable. It’s a nice cable but it is 12 feet long (could be wrong about the exact length but it is crazy long). I bought a 3 footer to use for general listening.3) Your phone can power these headphones. An amp would make them sound better but my Galaxy 8+ does a pretty good job driving them and they get pretty loud. I have a TaoTronics Bluetooth adapter for $12 I bought and use them for movies with my AMZ Fire TV Box. Plenty of power and movies sound great. Good on Phillips!4) They are BIG. When you wear them go look at yourself in the mirror. You will giggle as they are huge! Some people care, some people don’t. Again these are something you will use in your house and not on the bus.5) They are comfortable. Pads are memory foam and can be replaced. They have a little clamping force but didn’t bother me. The headband was comfortable and my ears never heated up or sweated.Hope this helped. Again for $120 they are a great set of open back cans for the money.
bpaine008 –
ProsUber soft cushionsFeels solid enoughNo sweaty ears and great soundstageLong cable includedLook sharp (maybe large for some, but classy)ConsLooong cable (replaced w/ short coiled)May squeeze head/jaw too hard for someBox was damagedThoughtsNew, they hurt my jaw a bit, but I have that issue with most headphones (big head).They should last a long while and will hopefully loosen a bit. Sound is subjective but I love how clean and open these are. Diminishing returns over this price bracket at least for my ears.
Ryan D –
So let me just say I’ve blown A LOT of money on audio gear over the years–especially on headphones. But this purchase was money well spent. Well………that is after I returned the first pair. I was shipped a box of screws. I’m not speaking metaphorically here, folks. In lieu of the X2HR headphones, Amazon shipped me a big, heavy box of screws. I was like, “I read these headphones are big and heavy but can they be THIS heavy”. I had been literally screwed.But I got a refund and my second pair are amazing. I own a few other pairs of wired, open back headphones–all of which were more expensive and are considered more “audiophile grade”: Sennheiser 660s’s, HiFiMan Sundara’s, and AKG 712 Pro’s. The others could be called TECHNICALLY better. I will say there is a better transparency to the sound whereas these have a certain amount of “noise” in the signal. But guess what? If I had to pick only one pair to keep, it would be these. They may have technical flaws, but they are the most enjoyable to listen to. The tonality and tuning of these is incredible. Nothing seems missing. The bass is huge, the treble is lively and if there are scooped mids I can’t say I really hear it. Certainly not as forward and mid heavy as the 660’s, but that’s not entirely a bad thing as they can sound a bit congested as a result.Oh that brings me to the best part: THE SOUNDSTAGE. These have the widest soundstage I’ve ever heard on headphones. They almost sound like speakers on your head. Very few headphones can compete with these in this category–no matter how much you spend. Apparently the Sennheiser 800s’s also sound massive–but they cost literally 10x as much. (One of these days I’ll probably be dumb enough to buy them anyway).Oh and comfort? The best of all of them. They are massive. Don’t look in the mirror while wearing these. You look like a dork. But they feel like pillows on your head. The earcups are perfect.And headphones like this make me question whether expensive even means better. What about Audeze headphones? Focals? By the descriptions I’ve read, they are all very “warm” headphones with very rolled off treble. I would probably hate them. Even the 660s’ suffer a bit from this–although they do sound quite good in their own way and are probably my second favorite pair. But if I put on a rock song I find guitar solos can just sound dull and uninspiring on them. If I put the X2HR’s on and play the same track, the same guitar solo soars!After you get past the $200 mark, you get VERY diminishing returns from headphones I think. You could argue there’s no reason to spend more. I was watching David Letterman’s Netflix interview show last night and he was interviewing Billie Eilish and her brother (who both seem very nice–shame abut their music) in their home studio and it looked like they were both wearing blue Audio Technica M50x’s. $150 headphones and they are millionaires. And these seem to be the open back equivalent to the M50x’s: headphones that rose from seeming obscurity to become massive hits.Hit that Buy Now button. Unless you hate great sound!
Jeff –
I was a little unsure of these at first, but they have continued to impress and I definitely recommend them – especially for this price point and/or you haven’t tried open-back headphones. The ear pads were kind of itchy at first, but they aren’t anymore (took maybe 20-30 hours of wearing to be fine). These are comfortable enough that I can wear them literally all day and aren’t bothered by them like I am by headphones with leather/vinyl ear cups. The sound is better than expected, much better than expected at this price point. They are a touch bright compared to other ‘warm’ headphones, but to me they seem ‘lively’ rather than harsh. Bass is far better than expected. Certainly not boomy, less pronounced then closed-backs, but still fairly full. The most impressive thing to me (that I never really heard on other headphones) is the sound separation. All the instruments are so clear and distinct, the soundstage is wide (especially compared to closed-back or earbuds) making the sound feel very immersive. This aspect of the sound quality blew me away and has made me truly appreciate music far more than ever before. I imagine most open-back headphones are similar, but these seem like a great balance between a lively, fun sound (not super flat, but not boosted like Sony), separation/sound stage, and tight but full bass. Hard to imagine getting much better sound without spending several hundreds of dollars more.I tried the Philips Fidelio X3 and the Hifiman Sundura and directly compared all 3. I preferred these X2HR. I’m not using a dedicated DAC or headphone amp though – I tried a cheap-ish dedicated amp as well as an older Harmon/Kardon AVR that’s hooked up via HDMI (using PCM) to my computer and still preferred the X2HR. There may be better sound with higher-end headphones using better DAC/Amp, but for using the lightning/3.5mm adapter on my iPhone, or 3.5mm from MacBook, or using the H/K AVR from my PC, I liked the X2HR sound better than the others. (Which was shocking based on how many people love the Sundaras). For less than $150, it’s a great deal in my opinion. Also, I’ve compared to several BT headphones and definitely like the X2HR much better, but open-back headphones are pretty different than any closed-back or in-ears that I’ve ever heard. – I’ve tried Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, Apple AirPod Pro (1 and 2), Beats PowerBeats Pro, and Sony WH-1000xm3. Out of everything I’ve tried, I love using these X2HR for at home the best and prefer the Apple AirPod Pro 2 for being mobile.Also, tried replacing the ear pads with aftermarkets (I think Geekria?) and it changed the sound profile pretty significantly, so I went back to the stock and dealt with the itching until it went away.
T. A. Clark –
I bought these after my DT770 Pro’s broke, and after a fair amount of shopping around. I wanted an open-back style of headphone so I could hear the room while I was wearing them, and for the wider soundstage that you just don’t get with closed-back headphones.I’ve had a fair selection of different headphones, including most of the popular ones; the Audio Technica M50x’s, Sennheiser HD280’s, my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro’s, Sennheiser HD598’s, and Grado SR80’s. All of those are decent headphones, and are good in their own ways, but they each have their issues, too. The M50x’s wore out fast. The HD280’s had ear cups that flaked apart and felt cheap, and were hot to wear. The DT770 Pro’s sound good, but have cheap plastic clips holding the sliders together that don’t hold up to long-term use, and you really have to always use a headphone amp with them. The Grado’s are what I’d consider the best sound quality-wise, but they’re kind of uncomfortable.These headphones (the X2HR’s) do their best to alleviate the problems those other headsets have, and they manage to sound the best of the bunch while doing it. The ear cups have a plastic ring, but it’s never under any stress so it’s not going to be a breaking point over time. The cable is replaceable, so that isn’t an issue like it can be with nearly all of the other headsets I listed. The headband on the X2HR’s self-adjusts, so it isn’t flexing a stress point that will become an issue after a lot of use; it’s also really comfortable, and doesn’t require any fiddling with it to make it fit right. The ear cups are a soft but firm foam that’s also pretty comfortable; they’ll likely wear over time about the same as the velour cups on the Beyerdynamic’s, and they pick up cat hair pretty badly, but since they don’t get hot to wear and the fit of the headphones is so easy you don’t adjust them constantly, either.The good:Build quality is solid, and they’re built to last.Extremely comfortable and don’t require adjustments to get them to fit right.The sound quality is exactly what I would want from this kind of headphones, and is better than other notable headsets I own at a similar price point.Very good at 3D sound representation for gaming.Cons:The X2HR’s are a bit heavy, but they don’t feel like it when you’re wearing them and I’ve found them to be comfortable for long periods of time.Build quality is solid, but without a hardshell carrying case I’d probably leave them home before putting them in a suitcase for a trip.Overall:Without getting into stuff like “scintillating mids” or “boomy bass” that’s all pretty subjective anyway, for me these are the best sounding headphones I’ve owned. They give the comfort of Sennheiser sets with the sound quality of Grado’s, somehow finding the best of both worlds. If you’re not overly concerned with buzzwords and hitting that audiophile-perfect neutral that only appeals to music mixing, or the bone shaking bass that gaming headset makers think everyone wants, these are the way to go.Other notes:They do leak a bit of sound, which is expected of any open-ear headset. Not a con, but something to be aware of. I tested the spatial sound on a PC using a Soundblaster X4, with its 7.1 mixing and with Dolby Atmos for Headphones, and both ways were way more impressive than they sounded on my DT770’s. I’d strongly recommend using your favorite EQ with them rather than running without, especially if you’re using a sound source that doesn’t provide one…I tried them on a Fiio E10k, and without an EQ it sounded a bit flat. I used Equalizer APO, and it made a pretty big difference.Bottom line, these are big winners in both sound quality and comfort. Very, very happy with them.
Warren –
Okay, I need to preface this review by saying up front that I returned these headphones because they didn’t fit me. I have a tall head, and the suspension mechanism kept pulling the headphones up enough that they got uncomfortable after a while. However, it’s important to note my star rating: I’m returning these, but they still got five stars. That’s how impressed I was with their sound and build quality.They sound really, really good, with clear highs that aren’t overbearing, present mids, and solid bottom end that will not let you ignore it, but won’t rattle your teeth, either. I’m not an audiophile, but I was quite pleased with how much better balanced their sound was than any other consumer headphone I’ve tried. The sound I got out of these was detailed, nuanced, and quite pleasing. I didn’t listen to a lot of really complex music to see if they’d just turn into a wall of sound when there was too much thrown at them, however.When talking about their sound quality it’s important to note that these are open-back headphones. They do *not* isolate or noise cancel. They’re not supposed to. They’re supposed to allow noise out to create a more open and broad sound stage, giving them more of a natural sense of presence. It’s an experience much closer to listening to a good stereo system than using closed back headphones, which seal your ears in little chambers and blast them directly with sound. That has it’s place, like if you’re listening to music in public or in a loud environment, but it doesn’t give a natural and open-air feel like open-back headphones do. If you’re looking for more of a natural sound but don’t want to piss off your neighbors, open back headphones are a solid option. If your partner is asleep in bed next to you and you want to watch a movie, you definitely want closed back headphones.One advantage to open-back headphones is that the larger sound stage gives you a better sense of position from audio when gaming. That’s one of the main reason I gave these a try, and I was quite pleased with the results. It feels a lot more like you’re there, or using a good 5.1 system, than when using closed headphones.Their build quality is impressive. These headphones feels very solid, but also refined and polished. I was really surprised by that. The only part I can tell is made of plastic is the cups of the headphones themselves. The band and frame that attaches to the cups are metal. Even the support band that rests across the top of your head is made up of metal bands inside a pad. That’s not gonna wear out any time soon. For the sake of comparison, the Sennheiser PC38X headset I replaced these with is made up almost entirely of plastic. It feels incredibly cheap by comparison. However, it fits my head.The cable is also quite nice. It’s braided and long. The braiding feels both flexible and strong, reinforcing the cable without making it overly stiff. The connectors are slim enough that I can’t imagine anyone having trouble getting them past a cell phone case.The only real knock I have for these headphones is that the included pads pick up everything they touch. Dust, cat hair, anything. However, they’re soft and plush, and quite comfortable for long wear. Just know that if you’ve got a pet you’ll end up cleaning hair off them pretty regularly.
Jessica –
Intro: So if your wondering if these are worth it… they are. If you want more details on why then keep reading. If you want my opinion on a certain aspect of the headphone then scroll down to the paragraph over what you want to know about. I’ve got them all labeled.Build: Overall these a built extremely well. There is a bit of plastic, but any part that’s going to be under stress is excessive built up with only metal parts. Unless your beating these with a bat I’d expect the electronics to give out long before something snaps or something. It feels very good in the hands. The only issue I have with the build is that they are extremely oversized. The top of the headband to the bottom of the ear cups is about 9”. It’ll look oversized on nearly everyone’s head. That said I don’t think it’s a big deal, because your not going to be wearing them out and about as they’re open back. So overall I’d give these about a 9 outta 10 for build as they’re built like a tank and look great off the head, but are oversized when your actually wearing them.Comfort: I gave these a 4 outta 5 for comfort, but that said, these things are stupid comfy. Most people will probably be able to wear these for around 6 hours straight without ear relief. I’m really happy with the pads. They’re ultra thick, lined with microfiber, and made outta memory foam (a material I love). It’s like having a pillow around your ears and will blow your mind if all you’ve ever felt are fake leather pads. They’re so big around and deep that a lot of people’s actual ears won’t actually touch any part of the headphone. They’re also very light weight which helps. Now they loose a star due to their mesh hammock suspension system on the headband. This means that the headphone is always ever so slightly pulling down on your head with extra pressure. It’s very slight and it’s distributed across the entire top of the head but it does feel nice when you go to take them off. Also the clamp force is a bit tighter than I woulda liked to compensate for the mesh system but it’s not that bad. They’re still very good in the comfort department, understand I’m being very nit picky, but I’m sticking to my 4 stars, which translates to an 8 outta 10 for my rating on comfort.Packaging: Good enough. 10 outta 10.Parts in the box: Pretty simple. You get the headphones, some papers, a clip thing for managing the cord, a 3mm to 1/4” adaptor, and the cord which has 3mm on both ends. The cord is the nicest I currently own. It’s very thick and it’s got that soft weave around it. It’s never got tangled and is also excessively long. I don’t know how it could get much better. Im going to give the stuff in the box a 9 outta 10 rating, because I really would have liked a case of some sort, even if it was just like a soft case it would be nice to have something to store, transport, and keep the dust off the headphones.Sound: The most important aspect to any headphone is the sound in my opinion. So I’m a noob audiophile and this is probably only the 4th product I’ve listened too that is actually hi-if quality. I ordered the 1 More Tripple Drivers to compare with these and sent them back as I preferred the X2s. The other headphones I own to compare these too are the Sennheiser 558s. I’ve also heard a great speaker system. If your curious I was powering these off an Oppo HA-2 from my IPhone using MP3 files (I know, I‘m scum to not use FLAC🤙). Highs- It was quite good. The detail was equal to my 558s but the X2s the weren’t as impactful and organic sounding as the Sennheisers were. The highs were definitely better than the 1 More Tripple Drivers (over ears) although those were definitely better for cymbals. Overall clarity for like upper guitar and female vocals definitely go to the X2s. That said I don’t care very much about highs as I mostly listen to alternative an rock with mostly male vocals. If highs are a priority of yours I’d advise you to check out something from Senheiser, maybe the 58X, as they’re known for having great dynamic top end resolution from what I’ve read and heard. Midds: The midds are actually better than I expected. They’re not as recessed I expected from reviews and have good detail and clarity. Again my 558s definitely win over the X2s here as vocals and guitar chords hit with a lot more impact and there is slightly better detail on those to my ear, but it’s close. The midds are miles ahead of the 1 More Tripples as those sound quite a bit muddy from being closed and balanced in a lot more of a V sound than the X2s. So overall the midds leave some to be desired but are better than I expected. Bass- So this is why I bought this headphone and is definitely what they do best. The bass and sub bass is most likely the best for the price period. It’s very clearand goes really low. What surprised me most about the base is how little of it there is. I’m not a bass head so this doesn’t bother me, that and my HA-2 has a bass boost setting which got the base to more of a level I expected. The 1 More Tripples had noticeably more bass than these, but the X2s was drastically cleaner and didn’t muddy the other frequencies thanks to it being open back. If your listening for the bass it’s there and you won’t be dissatisfied; but it doesn’t shove it up your neck like Beats do and ruin the music. Especially if you listen to songs where the base is well separated and distinct from the highs in the recording, the X2s will play it fantastic. Overall if you want the best bass currently under $150, look no further. As a whole I give the sound 10 outta 10. Although sound is something that can always be improved upon, its sound almost definitely hits above its price especially in the bass department. Overall: I purchased this headphone as a fun headphone for the days I want a bit more bass than my 558s can offer. Not only do they fulfill that role in my growing collection perfectly, but they’re balanced well enough that I’d also recommend them as a stand alone daily driver for music, movies, games, and what not. These would be a great entry into Hi-Fi headphones if your new to the Audiophile world and would probably be the best headphones you’ve ever heard. I mean they destroy any wireless Beats, Sony, or Bose headphones, even the $300 ones in sound. They can be driven off anything, so you could use them with a phone, computer, game controller, etc. If you want them for gaming I know that Sennheiser has a pair of gaming at around the same price that’s going to be better if your really competitive and only want to use them for gaming. But these will make gunshots and explosions sound cooler due to deeper bass and are much more versatile resulting sound better for music and movies. The X2s will sound better than any skull candy or consumer grade gaming headset. You can add a mod mic for about $30 for multiplayer games, but these will beat out or match just about anything besides more expensive audiophile products for single player games. As I said earlier, they’re great for movies again due to that bass which really adds energy to explosions and makes a soundtrack with nice deep dark notes sound sick. As previously mentioned they’re overall great for music especially if you want good bass although other headphones in this price range will beat out the X2s in the highs and midds. But considering overall quality, sound, comfort, and price; Id rate the X2s at around a 9.7 outta 10. They are really a great value especially as they’re price seems to be slowly dropping (it’s currently about $120 new) and even the most critical Audiophile is probably going to be happy with these for the money. If you made it this far thanks so much for reading. I hope my input was helpful. It really blows my mind that anyone would read all this so I really appreciate it. If anyone who read it is really experienced in the Audiophile realm, I would love it if you left a reply critiquing how well I reviewed the sound.I will probably update this review a good couple months from now once they’ve been fully burnt in and I’ll cover soundstage and imagery in that. Thanks again for reading what I have to say, have a wonderful day and go enjoy some music. 🎶 🎧
1Dub791Dub79 –
In the past year, I have gone through a long list of headphones and headsets. I finally, got down to two. The first, was the infamous, most talked-about, reviewed and beloved, Philips SHP9500. I bought them because I heard so much about them. However, they were discontinued for the longest time. Then, I got the Sennheiser HD58X Jubilee, which is very similar to the HD660 S. Those are definitely keepers. Then, I was hearing about the other superb, but more expensive headphones, made by Philips, which is the Fidelio X2HR. At its current price, I had to get them. I decided to add another set of headphones to my collection. Also, I was curious to see how they would compare to the SHP9500. Would the upgrade be worth it?DESIGN: Overall, the design of the Fidelio X2HR is basic, but kinda cool at the same time. The headband is made of dual-metal tubing, which is covered with a genuine leather strap with Philips Fidelio, etched on top. Underneath the headband is a self-adjusting hammock, made of breathable 3D mesh. The ear cups are made of plastic. In addition, the speakers are made of aluminum mesh, which resembles a microphone. The ear cushions are over-the-ear and made of a nice, thick and breathable velvet. While the velvet is nice and comfortable, they are magnets for lent.SOUND: The drivers of the Fidelio X2HR are 50mm, which is large. The frequency response is an outstanding, 5-40,000 Hz, which of course, is Hi-Res Audio. The impedance is 30 ohms. For PS4 gamers, 30 ohms is low enough for the controller to drive the headphones with the controller volume set to max. The maximum input power is 500mW, which is high enough to handle the power from a DAC or amp. Overall, the performance of the rivals my HD58X Jubilees, but is a bit better than the SHP9500. Give or take a few specs, between the two.I tested the performance of the Fidelio X2HR while playing various shooters on PS4 Pro and one on PS3. The first sound test was done while playing Call Of Duty Black Ops 4. The best map, which showcases the performance of the best is Nuketown. The sound from the Fidelio X2HR, gave perhaps the clearest and most authentic sound I have heard, while gaming. I have never experienced anything like this when using a headset or headphones. The bass is powerful, tight, crisp and detailed. Good sub-bass, as well. I would say, the clarity of the bass is similar to listening to a soundbar with a subwoofer. The treble is loud but heard with crispness and ample, clarity from all angles with no overwhelming, harshness for my ears. The lows, mids, and highs, are very balanced and distinguishable if that makes sense. Out of curiosity, some may want to know how the Fidelio X2HR compares to the SHP9500. So, i a nutshell comparison, the SHP9500 has inconsistent bass. The sub-bass is non-existent. The treble is good but can be a bit harsh. The lows are good, but not great. The mids rival the Fidelio X2HR. The highs can be a bit grainy. The imaging is good, but not accurate, as the soundstage is a bit airy.Back to discussing the Fidelio X2HR. Superb, tight and open soundstage. Great imaging. These headphones handle directional sounds, extremely well. With that said, I could hear the dialogue of nearby teammates, enemies, and other random sounds, throughout the map to the left and right of me with precision and clarity. I knew, EXACTLY, what was going on and EXACTLY, where the action was taking place on the map. It seems the sound magnifies toward when hearing sounds in a different direction. For example, each time my character looks in one direction, the sound increasingly amplifies in the direction and less in the opposite direction, where lesser actions were taking place. If my character, looks straight ahead, all sounds can be heard, equally. Of course, the fact that these headphones are open-back is the reason for this experience. The most impressive experience was hearing how loud and clear the explosions were, whether far away or nearby. Explosions gave a surprising, loud, clean, and crisp, sound.I must say, the Fidelio X2HR picks up subtle sounds with no effort, thanks to the headphones lows. Hearing shells hit the floor, coming from a blasting shotgun is addictive to listen to, strangely. On the Morocco map, outside of hearing the common sounds, during game-play, I could hear the subtle, clinking and breakage of pottery being kicked around, while traversing the area. I could barely hear this with other headsets, but in more abundance with the Fidelio X2HR. The unbelievable sound of crunching, as my character was trampling through the deep snow, cracking of the ice or sounds of moving water, while swimming on the Icebreaker map. Once, my character, Battery, ran inside of an open-ended bay of the Summit map. Battery was communicating, while outside and finished talking, while going inside of the bay. There was an echo of Battery’s voice while speaking inside of that open-ended bay. The authenticity of the echo was unbelievable and nearly, scary. The voices of the characters, sound crystal clear. Of course, I am sure, some are wondering about footsteps. Well, the Fidelio X2HR picks up footsteps on Call Of Duty Black Ops 4, VERY well. I have been able to get the drop on enemies while ducking for cover and waiting on them to search for me.The second sound test was done, while playing Rainbow Six Siege, which is another outstanding game to test some headphones on, considering the nature of the game. Using the right headphones can be essential to survival. Anyhow, my character, Ash, sent the drone around the area. The White Masks could clearly be heard, shuffling back and forth, while crouched in cover positions, waiting to attack. Of course, this gave away their positions because of the sound, let her know exactly, where they were. Footsteps of roving patrols could be heard, very clearly. Plus, hearing how close and how distant he was from her position while taking his patrol routes. The White Masks could be heard, communicating with each other, while waiting in their cover positions. In addition, I could hear my character’s footsteps getting louder or softer, depending on movement speed. Knowing this, lets you know, when to move slowly, as your footsteps can also, be heard by the enemy. Breaching a wall was like, music to my ears. Not only was the sound of the explosion, impressive, but hearing the debris crash to the floor was impressive, as well.The final test was done, while playing Medal Of Honor Warfighter was a pleasant surprise, considering the game came out in 2012 for the last-gen, PS3. However, the game has DTS Digital Surround and Dolby Digital Surround, making for a good game to test. I was able to hear sounds, which I never heard, when I was last playing on a consistent basis, previously. The sounds were a bit louder than the other two games, which I tested, but clear. The directional sound is brought out the most when testing the while playing. For example, one of the AI teammates was firing an M249 SAW, during a gunfight. My character, Stump was getting fired upon. Therefore, he grabbed cover and happened to get next to his AI teammate. The gunfire was loud, which almost sounded like I was next to someone at a real firing range. Picture the sound of being next to someone, who is shooting a light machine gun. Anyhow, as I stepped further away, I did not hear the gunfire, as loudly. The attention to detail was unbelievable. The explosions from blasts of thrown grenades or breaching a door were loud, clear and very, realistic-sounding. Hearing dialogue from AI teammates was loud and clear. In fact, I heard the dialogue, which I had not heard, when I previously played a few years, ago. Small and subtle sounds were picked up, like a vacuum. I could hear them, clearly, whether stepping on some broken glass, a wood floor, a puddle of water or grass. Overall, I would say the sound test for Medal Of Honor Warfighter rivals the sound test for Rainbow Six Siege, which is impressive.MIC (OPTIONAL): An external mic, such as a V-Moda Boom Mic Pro will have to be purchased to utilize, while online gaming. The prices vary. I own a V-Moda Boom Mic Pro, but I have not tried this yet. I do know, with one attached, it should perform exceptionally well.VERDICT: Overall, the Philips X2HR is a great headset. For the past year, when constantly, hearing about these, I was wondering, if these were worth an upgrade over the beloved, SHP9500. Never in my wildest dreams, I would ever think Philips would make such outstanding headphones. Not to mention, the price was reduced to $148.99. With that being said, I would advise anyone looking for a headset to pick these up, just in case the price goes back up. Despite the praise, unfortunately, I reluctantly had to return these, as the headphones became heavy on my head after using. Not to mention, the sound, gave me headaches. Plus, the velvet caused the back of my head to itch. Still, they are superb headphones. They just are not for ME.
Ryan –
These Phillips were purchased because the better half took my KZ10 IEM earbuds. Those earbuds really opened the world of music for me all over again and convinced me that ALL of the bluetooth buds are hands down terrible. I also own’d a pair of Koss Porta Pros back in 16′ that were said to be the easiest way to appreciate Audiophile level quality which were also “open back”.So? Did this purchase take another step in the right direction?I think yes for the price point. I’m really not used to cranking the audio up, as my ears are sensitive but the top end is clean on these (I don’t mind losing a lil bit of hearing for this quality) The music is clean and distortion just isn’t there if you crank em up a lil.I’ve read reviews discussing terms like soundstage, forward aiming, trill, V shape (imagine a V curved EQ line)I don’t know what some of them mean but I will say this:Sound Stage – Wide but laking “Air” as I expected to hear the recordings atmosphereVocals vs Instruments – The artist ins’t perfectly center and the instruments sound like they are low and to the sides.BASS – This isn’t a super bass heavy set but if you were trying to hear the treble at low levels, the bass seems to mud out the sound. I’m not a bass head so this is MAX bass for me.These aren’t like standing centered between 2 book shelves but they are is for the value. The build is proper with each ear cup housing suspended by rubber struts, although they are comfortable to wear they aren’t invisible. I like how easy they are to grab; I keep expecting to grab a slippery plastic finish and I’m quickly met with the tactile ring.I intend to chase the audiophile experience and purchase a pair of Hifi Man planar headphones and drive it with a matched tube amp supplied audio via a DAC. I want to feel like I’m standing between two bookshelf speakers perfectly aligned with my ears and I’m not sure that’s even a thing.