Ok guys, first impressions after 3 hours of listening.
Very comfortable. Much more comfortable than HD650 and Fidelio L2.
Sound:
- Very hi-fi, analog sounding. Certainly not mid-fi. These headphones can give many "flagships" a run for their money (I'm looking at you HD700 and TH600).
- Slightly warmer than neutral. If you like this type of sound like I do, you're going to love these. These are, in my opinion, superior to HD650s. They have that analog sound like HD650 but sound better in every way I think. More clarity, more bass (especially sub-bass), better instrument separation, better soundstage and more detail. Treble isn't rolled off but isn't harsh either. Quite the opposite, these headphones are as forgiving as HD650s.
- Compared to L2s. Fuller sound, everything sounds more hi-fi, more like live music. In fact I'm quite surprised how almost every song sounds like live performances. It's like being in a venue with a good sound system and just listening to your favourite band. Timbre is very realistic. L2 is brighter and more neutral. Whilst listening to John Waite's Missing You, at loud volume guitar riffs can feel slightly uncomfortable (kind of harsh, but not totally harsh) with L2. With X2, there's no harshness at all. Keep in my though, my ears are very sensitive to treble (I hate AKG Q701).
- Bass is the best I've ever heard in open back headphones. Maybe not basshead level like TH600/900. But still lots of bass! Sub-bass is great. I listen to a lot of EDM, and these sounded great with trance, dubstep, house tracks I've listened to. I wouldn't need a closed back headphone at all. Very good for EDM as well as pop, rock, fusion jazz. I don't listen to much classical so I leave that to someone who has experience in that genre.
- I don't think you need an amp/dac for these. They sound amazing from the headphone jack of my Samsung laptop, Macbook Pro (2014) and iPad Air 2. I think valve amps would be a big no-no (I haven't tried but just guessing) as it would make the sound too warm. If you want to use an amp (maybe you have a computer with a crappy sound card) use low output solid state amps. Something like Theorem 720 DAC would be nice.
- If someone told me these were Sennheiser HD750 and they were USD 700, I'd buy them. Sub USD 1000, these are one of the best headphones for those who enjoy full, forgiving sound that can sound good with modern music (not just niche genres like classical or jazz). These are forgiving but sound much better with high quality files (flac, high res etc). Very happy with my purchase.
- In my opinion, X2 is better than both L2 and HD650. But this is just my opinion, it's more suited to my tastes, your mileage may vary.
Ps1: I don't believe in burn-in.
Ps2: I'll write more if I can get my hands on some gear (amp, dac etc.) and listen other songs in my collection.
Wow, just wow. These sound amazing with one my favourite dubstep tracks.