Philips Fidelio X1 sound total crap?
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:20 AM Post #91 of 120
playstation said:
Maybe what I'm looking for in a headphone isn't in my price range. :D

1.stronger bass than the X1's. 2. the mids of the 598's. 3. silky smooth treble. All for around $400-$500.
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If you could go $100 more, I think you could be very happy with the Alpha Dog. It doesn't have the mid bass hump of the X1 but extends much lower so you get fuller bass across the spectrum. And it fulfills 2. and 3.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:47 PM Post #92 of 120
grizzlybeast said:
  Cable swapping provides little improvements. Tyll confirmed this and said it was a shame. These headphones don't need extra amping etc. They sound how they sound pretty much and what you are hearing and describing to me is how they sound.... weak. If you turn the volume up they will distort fairly easy before you get them to sound exciting. I doubt your hd598's are better quality though. I wouldn't even go so far as saying that the hd650 has a better sound quality. The x1's render the instruments really well and realistically. Timbres, details and instrument separation are class act. You just have to listen to the right songs instead of trying to find the right genre. They sound beautiful for kick back listening where you want to hear the bass and chill out.
 
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. But they are far from the do it all headphone. More song selective than genre selective. Try less busy songs.
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With this specific headphone or just in general? Cables can degrade sound. However, they cannot improve it, which is what most people believe and what Tyll debunked a while ago in this article.
 
The stock X1 cable has a high impedance. This will audibly mess with the sound. I'm not telling you to buy a $2000 cable. Get a Mediabridge 3.5mm interconnect off of amazon and you'll be good.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 2:48 PM Post #93 of 120
^ in context, what I am trying to say is that he will not experience a huge improvement in sound regardless of the cable. I did use a vmoda low impedance cable on it and it didn't change the distant sound issues he is experiencing with the headphones. Those issues are just the sound signature of the headphone themselves. He is not going to change the cable and hear a whole new headphone.
 
He is better off moving on to a different headphone period or using it for the songs that they are good at.
 
I also cant picture any modded fostex providing him the strength in bass that he wants either. Strength doesn't just imply quality, tightness, and extension... it does quantity, impact, and weight.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:22 PM Post #95 of 120
 Originally Posted by takato14 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  With this specific headphone or just in general? Cables can degrade sound. However, they cannot improve it, which is what most people believe and what Tyll debunked a while ago in this article.
 
The stock X1 cable has a high impedance. This will audibly mess with the sound. I'm not telling you to buy a $2000 cable. Get a Mediabridge 3.5mm interconnect off of amazon and you'll be good.
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just that specific headphone. People I personally have noticed little improvement with this hp, I remember people saying that the cable wasn't ideal. When I used the vmoda I noticed a slight improvement but nothing that changed the sig.
Quote:
playstation said:
  Is it possible to get forward mids and stronger bass together?
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^ that is the absolute hardest part, I would assume, to acheive with headphone designers. In a lot of closed headphones you can have this because the closed housing helps the bass. You would like the momentum. But open headphones in general have a hard time with this. Closed headphones have the difficulty of the mids being cut out by the bass. I can't thing of too many basshead headphones with forward mids, closed or open. Definitely not open. 
 
JVC tried to do this by making a headphone with two drivers, one just for bass and one with strong mids and smooth highs the JVC SZ2000. The headphone is described as having a wierd midrange though and not the most successful. 
 
Right now I am absolutely loving the sony mdr 7520 and the yamaha hph mt 220 as they both have good mids and strong bass but sound far from open.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:27 PM Post #96 of 120
grizzlybeast said:
  ^ that is the absolute hardest part, I would assume, to acheive with headphone designers. In a lot of closed headphones you can have this because the closed housing helps the bass. You would like the momentum. But open headphones in general have a hard time with this. Closed headphones have the difficulty of the mids being cut out by the bass. I can't thing of too many basshead headphones with forward mids, closed or open. Definitely not open. 
 
JVC tried to do this by making a headphone with two drivers, one just for bass and one with strong mids and smooth highs the JVC SZ2000. The headphone is described as having a wierd midrange though and not the most successful. 
 
Right now I am absolutely loving the sony mdr 7520 and the yamaha hph mt 220 as they both have good mids and strong bass but sound far from open.
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Which is why I recommended the Alpha Dog. It has beautiful, non-recessed mids while presenting bass wonderfully. Even bassheads are not disappointed with the bass (ask Oregonian who owns several of the Fostex/Denon TH/DX000 line).
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:36 PM Post #97 of 120
the he-500 is said to have more bass than the alpha dog. The x1 has more bass than the he-500. I doubt he just desires bass quality, not to speak for him but stronger implies more quantity as well. I really doubt the alpha would suit him. Also the mids are never described as forward. He said forward mids. 
 
He should definitely listen to them before purchasing. The alpha is no basshead headphone. I loved the he-500 and I am a basshead. Its bass reached low enough for me to be satisfied and I appreciated its qualities but it was no where near what I would want if I wanted stronger bass than the x1.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 4:31 PM Post #98 of 120
grizzlybeast said:
  the he-500 is said to have more bass than the alpha dog. The x1 has more bass than the he-500. I doubt he just desires bass quality, not to speak for him but stronger implies more quantity as well. I really doubt the alpha would suit him. Also the mids are never described as forward. He said forward mids. 
 
He should definitely listen to them before purchasing. The alpha is no basshead headphone. I loved the he-500 and I am a basshead. Its bass reached low enough for me to be satisfied and I appreciated its qualities but it was no where near what I would want if I wanted stronger bass than the x1.
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Yes, I respect your opinion, to each his own of course. I own the 500 and still would recommend the Alpha for him. It does have a 15 day return policy, though I haven't looked into the specifics.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 9:43 PM Post #102 of 120
ethan7000 said:
 
playstation said:
Maybe what I'm looking for in a headphone isn't in my price range.
biggrin.gif


1.stronger bass than the X1's. 2. the mids of the 598's. 3. silky smooth treble. All for around $400-$500.
Click to expand...

If you could go $100 more, I think you could be very happy with the Alpha Dog. It doesn't have the mid bass hump of the X1 but extends much lower so you get fuller bass across the spectrum. And it fulfills 2. and 3.
Click to expand...

I would not suggest buying a T50RP mod. Especially not for $600.
 
Dynamics have stronger bass than planars by default, and the X1 is already said to have strong bass. Plus, the T50RP driver has bad modal breakup due to the square diaphragm geometry and thus getting smooth treble out of it is next to impossible. 
 
Then again I honestly cant think of any in the $4-500 range that fit your qualifications. The Fostex TH600 would be good, but that's almost double the range you specified.
 
A KOSS PRO/4AAA (note I didnt say 4AAAT; I mean the original 1978 4AAA) would do 1 and 2 for about $50-100 on eBay. You'll need to call KOSS and order some pads for it though if you dont want your ears to hate you. The top end is a little tizzy sounding but other than that it maintains pretty good control and the bass is simply incredible. It also has nice soundstaging so that's a plus.
 
Maybe a Beyerdynamic DT1350. Bass is very well extended and has some punch, might be a bit thin sounding. Highs are smooth if a little hissy. 
 
Uh... I'm hesitant to say this but the new Beats Studio is far better than any of the other beats models and was actually very nice sounding when I heard it. I'd suggest auditioning it at least because to my ears it sounded like what you're looking for.
 
Cheers.
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 9:50 PM Post #103 of 120
takato14 said:
  I would not suggest buying a T50RP mod. Especially not for $600.
 
Dynamics have stronger bass than planars by default, and the X1 is already said to have strong bass. Plus, the T50RP driver has bad modal breakup due to the square diaphragm geometry and thus getting smooth treble out of it is next to impossible. 
 
Then again I honestly cant think of any in the $4-500 range that fit your qualifications. The Fostex TH600 would be good, but that's almost double the range you specified.
 
A KOSS PRO/4AAA (note I didnt say 4AAAT; I mean the original 1978 4AAA) would do 1 and 2 for about $50-100 on eBay. You'll need to call KOSS and order some pads for it though if you dont want your ears to hate you. The top end is a little tizzy sounding but other than that it maintains pretty good control and the bass is simply incredible. It also has nice soundstaging so that's a plus.
 
Maybe a Beyerdynamic DT1350. Bass is very well extended and has some punch, might be a bit thin sounding. Highs are smooth if a little hissy. 
 
Uh... I'm hesitant to say this but the new Beats Studio is far better than any of the other beats models and was actually very nice sounding when I heard it. I'd suggest auditioning it at least because to my ears it sounded like what you're looking for.
 
Cheers.
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+1
Best ortho bass in that range would be the he-400 but he would be equally disappointed of the mids. The x1 bass is louder than the he400 as well. Though the he400 with an iFi ICAN would best the x1 in bass.... that is not too far from the price but then there is the mids problem. 
 
Nov 26, 2013 at 10:52 PM Post #105 of 120
takato14 said:
  I would not suggest buying a T50RP mod. Especially not for $600.
 
Dynamics have stronger bass than planars by default, and the X1 is already said to have strong bass. Plus, the T50RP driver has bad modal breakup due to the square diaphragm geometry and thus getting smooth treble out of it is next to impossible. 
 
Then again I honestly cant think of any in the $4-500 range that fit your qualifications. The Fostex TH600 would be good, but that's almost double the range you specified.
 
A KOSS PRO/4AAA (note I didnt say 4AAAT; I mean the original 1978 4AAA) would do 1 and 2 for about $50-100 on eBay. You'll need to call KOSS and order some pads for it though if you dont want your ears to hate you. The top end is a little tizzy sounding but other than that it maintains pretty good control and the bass is simply incredible. It also has nice soundstaging so that's a plus.
 
Maybe a Beyerdynamic DT1350. Bass is very well extended and has some punch, might be a bit thin sounding. Highs are smooth if a little hissy. 
 
Uh... I'm hesitant to say this but the new Beats Studio is far better than any of the other beats models and was actually very nice sounding when I heard it. I'd suggest auditioning it at least because to my ears it sounded like what you're looking for.
 
Cheers.
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Beats won't give him the mids. Neither will the TH600, they're a bit recessed.
 
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