PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable

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. 🎶 🎧

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.

After close to a year of use, I still absolutely love my Philips X2HRs. The sound quality is fantastic - really balanced, and has solid bass that doesn’t overpower the rest of the music. It's probably the open back design advantage but it definitely sounds more open than my AKG K371 BTs. And even though it's larger/heavier, for my larger than average head, it is just as comfortable. Usually listen to music while working and then for gaming, probably on for 4-5 hours everyday without any discomfort. Build feels sturdy, the detachable cable is decent too.For the price, these headphones definitely punch above their weight. I did previously use the Beyerdynamic DT770 pros, and the ATM M40x, both of which I did not like - they were not great comfort-wise, and the highs sounded harsh personally. The AKGs I had - K371 bt, and the K92, felt better in terms of sound and fit. Finally ended up with the Philips and this is it for now. Definitely recommend!

I bought a pair of these almost 5 years ago and they worked great for all this time. Recently dropped them and broke a bolt I can't seem to replace and decided to just buy a new pair.This pair unlike the last pair smells of plastic/foam/chemicals. Sadly as its near my face it is probably amplified and is not going away as it airs out. I see they are cheaper now and its possible the suppliers were changed or the composition. They still sound great, just its day 2 with the new pair and they still stink.In addition the added aux jack adapter appears to be loose and skips in and out if the wired is moved.