Review: Philips Fidelio L1 [Updated 5/14] - Page 24

Agree.  I do not find these fatiguing at all.

Fatiguing they are not. But they did have too much bass presence, which became annoying and back they went to Apple.

I didn't send mine back to Apple.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roma101 

Anyone know yet how the L1 compares to the Z1000? I would presume that the Z1000 isolates better being that it is closed.

I should be able to make a comparison in the next few days. I already have the Z1000, and the L1 should arrive soon.

^^ Looking forward to it!
 

Got the L1 today. I really don't have the time to do a detailed comparison, but here are some initial impressions:

First, both the Z1000 and the L1 are flawed, just in different ways. Well, some compromises have to be made...

For reference, I have used both headphones on the following system: Squeezebox Touch (FLAC files) -> StageDAC -> Concerto. I have roughly SPL matched them with my cheap SPL meter, but I can't guarantee that they were matched perfectly equal. My reference headphones are the Sennheiser HD600 (driven by a Decware CSP2+) and a modded Fostex T50RP.

The L1 can be described in one word, stylish. This not only applies to the exterior, but also to the sound. It has a clear emphasis on bass, though I'd say this is done rather well. Personally I do like a slight bass thump, as long as it sounds natural and doesn't drown out other frequencies. Mids are done very well, if perhaps a bit dark sounding. Treble is slightly recessed and very smooth. Soundstage is okay for an open (semi-closed?) headphone.

Now the the L1 has one major flaw, its sound is either hit or miss. There is just not much consistence in its sound, I'd say. In some cases, the added bass is just what it takes to make a song sound wonderfully involving or makes you to tap your feet. In other cases, especially when the song has already been mastered with pronounced bass, the entire thing can turn into a muddy mess where the bass drowns out the mids.

Some thoughts on build quality and wearing comfort: The L1 is built very, very well, and the earpads are wonderfully soft. Feels like a soft cushion on your head. The headband could have used more padding though - this is especially noticeable as the phones are quite heavy.

I can't help myself to notice some serious design flaws on the L1. First, the earpads are fixed onto the headphones and cannot be removed (i.e. they cannot be exchanged when worn out). Second, the part of the headband that extends from the outer covering, has sharp edges. Where the headband meets the earcups, this leads to a problem - both the upper part of the earcups and the cloth-covered cable touch the edges when you swivel or otherwise move the earcups. There's a rubberized damping part on the earcups where it can touch the headband - there are already scratches on my pair. All this makes me question the durability of the L1, which is a shame considering how well constructed it is otherwise...

Now, the Z1000: When I first listened to the Sony, I was immediately impressed by the smooth and effortless sound. However, over time I began to hear its flaws - in this case, my main issue with the sounds is in the mids. While the overall sound of the Z1000 is quite balanced without exaggerated bass or treble, the mids just sound a little "wrong" to me, somewhat metallic (or plasticky, pick your poison) and not very natural. Especially vocals are affected by this. It's not bad enough to dislike the Z1000, but when compared to the L1, the Sony doesn't hold up. Still, it has a certain quality that I can only describe as smooth, which can make it a pleasure to listen to from time to time. Its soundstage is small - there's a certain width, but almost no depth.

Wearing comfort could be an issue for some people here. I have rather small ears, so the Z1000 just about fits without touching them. People with a large head and/or large ears will have some trouble though.

Build quality on the Z1000 is excellent, they feel very durable.

That's about it for the moment. As mentioned before, both the Sony and the Philips are flawed, just differently. I guess I won't keep either one.

I didn't even bother to do extended comparisons between these and the HD600 or the T50RP. Not even close. I have to mention that under ideal conditions, the L1 managed to sound almost like the HD600 - which is a very remarkable feat in my opinion. But then again it often disappoints with a muddy and flabby presentation. The Z1000 has a more consistent sound, but the mids just don't match my requirements.

I guess I'll just have to get a portable amp and use the T50RP as a mobile headphone...

I was wondering whether anyone who has the L! can compare it to the Denon D1100 or A100? Those seem like a more fair comparison than the D2000-D7000 series.

Really want to get and try L1 when available locally. Are these cans different enough(or better) to complement D2000's?

What would be a better DAC for this HRT Headstreamer or fiio e10.

I will be trying the L1/HRT combo soon(ish). 

anyone know when this will

show up on Amazon