Philips Fidelio L1 – Review and Appreciation [Updated] - Page 4

Sure thing, Future Man. Maybe you can take me in your time machine to when these are released?

Thanks for your review ! I really like the versatile aspect of these cans.

Do you think they would be better suited for rock and metal than my HD555 ?

I listen to a lot of different genres (from world music to metal and classical); my HD555 are doing quite well but their time will soon come (plastic is cracking on both sides, now it's just duct tape all over them :/)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultrazino 

 

Thanks for your thorough impressions, Stealthy Ninja. I hope you don't mind I added them to my first post.

No problem. 

Its weird - Philips and TDK 'headphones' (I use the term loosely) can be found in budget emporiums all over Oz, but I would be very surprised if a model with the L1's sticker price appears alongside that dross. I doubt that TDK will ever aspire to anything like this, but both companies have the industrial muscle to put out boatloads of product, and the networks to distribute it. Its like Hyundai building a credible sports car (as opposed to 'sporty' ..) - you know they could do it, but will they ever put such a creature into production ?

Ultrazino,

What source(s) did you try? I usually like Philips. However, their Philips O'Neill series play well with iPod, but not with my other players (including Philips GoGear).

Quote:

Originally Posted by david1978jp 

Ultrazino,

What source(s) did you try? I usually like Philips. However, their Philips O'Neill series play well with iPod, but not with my other players (including Philips GoGear).

you have a GoGear? which model is it? I'm thinking of buying one, but unsure of the SQ and some other stuff..
Is it any good?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lenardgabor 

Just ordered a new pair of Fidelio L1 in Switzerland. No shipping estimate given by the shop. :(

I have received my pair of Philips Fidelio L1 a few hours ago. Edition No. is 01392. I was quite lucky because the price was 205 CHF (around EUR 170 or $222) when I ordered and paid. The next day it was changed to 279 CHF (around EUR 232 or $302). Note that these prices include shipping.

I can compare them to my Shure SRH-840s as I have them all here in the office. My source is an iPhone 4S. Let me just list the things that I see so far.

1. The L1 is quite lightweight compared to the Shure. Even cables are very light and not regular plastic. The Shure's are quite bulky in comparison. I clearly prefer to have the lightweight Philips' on. Build quality is great, and since it's core is aluminium it doesn't feel plastic and cheap. It grabs my head quite strongly but it's still comfortable enough. The cups are just big enough to cover my ears.
2. Sound leakage towards outside is very low, similarly to the Shure's. I can easily listen to hard rock without disturbing the guy sitting next to me. But when the music is really soft then I can hear the noise of the office a little bit. It's not a problem if you are listening to normal music but it's not well suited for listening to delicate music in a noisy place.
3. Sound is gorgeous so far but I obviously need to spend more time with them. I am not trained to express the difference but I already seem to clearly prefer them over the Shure 840s. What I can easily say is that sound stage seems to be much better. Music is around my head, human voice is nicely separated. But there are other differences which I cannot clearly identify or tell whether it's better on the Sure's or on the Philips'. (I like music from every genre so I was randomly testing music from my library, not just my favorites. There are some tracks that sound really different, for example "Sword of the Samurai" from Lisa Gerrard's The Silver Tree: while it's extremely alive on the L1s from the same source it's just normal on the Shure's. I can only hope that with time I will be better able understand and express the differences.)
4. I very much enjoy the included cable with the remote control and microphone. Feels great, works great.

I am quite happy with the new headphones, especially at this price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultrazino 

Thanks a lot, lenardgabor! Please keep us updated as the Shure apparently currently offers exceptional value.

Sorry, couldn't follow you there…

Would you guys who heard the L1's characterize them as fun/involving/musical  or analytical/neutral/boring sounding?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultrazino 

The L1 is for pure enjoyment while boasting good timbre and not having a fake sound like most fun 'phones do. 

 

Lenard, I wanted to ask you to update your impressions and give us a more thorough comparison with the Shure after some time. That would be really nice. :)

 

BTW, Tyll's measurements are up:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/PhilipsFidelioL1.pdf

BTW, Tyll's measurements are up:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/PhilipsFidelioL1.pdf

What do you think of the figures ?

They do not look so splendid after all

Just I want to understand if these figures are telling something

Maybe exceptional sound and so so figures can live together ... maybe

Regards,

gino

The frequency response shows a large dip around 5kHz as usual in Tyll's tests, about 50%+ of the tests shows that and probably isn't a realistic figure (but a equipment/test procedure generated error) but the bass response suprised me, it's quite significantly boosted bass, probably what would easily satisfy me. I mean it looks like a ~10dB boost or so, well fairly similar to what M80 shows which isn't exactly basslight either. It also looks to be quick/punchy from the inpulse response. The 30Hz square wave does look a bit rounded off though, usually headphones have a sharper edges there, what this results soundwise I don't know but if you want it to be like a squarewave it would have to be more edgy. The bass extension does look impressive from the graph though, might reach down slightly easier than Q40 even, looks like Philips was a bit conservative with the "12Hz" lower figure, other manufacturers with such a measured frequency response would probably go for like 5 Hz. :P The highs looks neutral, slightly rolled-off in the upper-highs, what I'm personally looking for. :)

Based on that frequency response graph I'd probably give it a very small boost around 1kHz on my 10-band EQ, well just 1~2 dB probably to get it more even with the 2kHz region for more even midbalance but yea it looks great to me. Might have to pick this one up as the bass concern was my only thing but here it looks like I don't have to worry, I also have ZO2 amp too.