I'm a bit curious as how Bluetooth handles different codecs. Or, more specifically, are matching sources (supported by the headphones) passed through without being transcoded?   Been thinking about this since my mp3 and lossy wma files sound so-so, Spotify's ogg stream seems very dull while...

Speaking of opening the X1... has anyone come up with decent ear-pad solution? Not that I have the need for replacing the ones on my pair at this time, but if I continue using them as I have since I got them almost two years ago it could at least be interesting to know if they are preservable.

Been holding off on BT phones, but ordered the Fidelio M2BT on impulse this morning when I saw the price they're available for now. Then the post-checkout remorse led me around here and to this thread, and I think the comparison helped ease that. Got them for SEK1500 (about €160 now), and...

  Neutrality is exponential.  So, if amp A has a neutrality of =110  then amp B may have been improved to =111  

I think I may have a bit of a vocal fetish, so I'll restrain myself and just post a Stairway to Heaven cover by the one I discovered most recently:    

  That should probably be fine. Even the external USB soundcard that came with my SteelSeries headset can get good (but not perfect) sound out of them.   They don't sound good with the onboard Intel HDA sound on my PC, and they get a little muddy with my smartphone (even with the relatively...

  X1 is a special case. They have a wide bottom end that's quite unique for open cans, without really sacrificing much of the detail that you expect from open backs. It's all there, just a somewhat different FR curve. And, in my very personal opinion, there's something about that bass extension...

  I think the packaging is quite nice, and looks secure enough with the molded tray and the foam blocks in the lid to keep everything in place. I also think the leather quality feels like something that needs some serious (ab)use to get scuffed, so I also recommend asking for a replacement...

In whole Ohms that would be about 0.6 per meter for the stock cable and 0.08 for the Cordial. But... as far as I know the stock cable measurements are for the whole cable, with plugs and joints adding to the total – so the only real way to compare would be to whip out the multimeter and work out...

And I just got the Philips Fidelio X1, which you can get for €195 at amazon.de. They are spectacular, but they are a bit more bassy than the average open backed headphones so I guess they are more of an alternative to the neutral sound. If you can find a pair to listen to I recommend you try...

AKG K701 is 199€ including shipping from Thomann, and I think that may be an option include to get the discussion going. They have a good selection of headphones both for studio use and hifi listening.   And an amp or a good hi-fi soundcard is recommended for full size headphones, especially...

Siberia v2 was awesome for the street price last few years. Very comfortable and more than acceptable audio in relation to the cost. And I actually really liked them as warm music phones.   Elite is listed at over 3 times what you pick up the v2 for now (if you shop around you get even the USB...

This is probably one of those weird subjective audiophile things...   So far I've listened to the phones sitting down comfortably, at most taking a few steps from the desk chair to the sofa in the same room. But... last night something happened when I remained standing. I felt something about...

Will probable be quite expensive small the small number of potential buyers with the amps for it. But the Fidelio label has gotten a good start, so it would be interesting to see what happens if it stays around.

...maybe even go one step further and see what happens if they wire those drivers for balanced input...?

I think the "sloppiness" in the bass is a load problem rather than pure driver characteristics. It sounds snappy like a BA IEM with nice open music (acoustic, ambient...), but loses something with rock and so on where the spectrum is full rather than layered.   Not that strange considering...

I remember reading something more technical, but here's some Wikipedia quoting: "Playing times beyond 74 minutes are achieved by decreasing track pitch beyond the original Red Book standard. Most players can accommodate the more closely spaced data."

It's because some performances are so good they warp spacetime...   Actually, as far as I know it would be possible to make CDs even longer playing than that, but the number of players that are able to track the discs would drop of as the density increases.   The follow up question is how it...

  See if there's a greedy pawnbroker who has them...?   (Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

I agree on pads and cable but not the mid-bass. I think that's that what gives the X1 its own signature among open backs, and there are plenty of other options for those who want tighter bass.

  Similar level. But definitely more "hi-fi" sounding. Actually, I'd say the X1s sound like hi-fi – like the sound you get when you listen to a pair of high-end, full size speakers (but not too large, say something with a tight 8" or a pair of 6.5" drivers at the bottom end) in a good listening...

Speaking of comparisons...   I think I want a pair of closed backs that are more complementing than similar to these sound wise. I was thinking about the MDR-1R, but they seem to be even more laid back and I want something a little more forward. Momentum over-ear, maybe?   (And...

  I tried putting my hands over mine just now. It was like going at least halfway to Sibilant Hell.   Update: I tested with a pair of folded t-shirts (regular American Apparel fine jersey, for reference), with no better results. They got kind of boomy as well.   I'll see if I can something...

I used to listen to extreme metal and hard music in general. Nowadays I there are only a few old albums I dig out for nostalgia. I think at some point it all started to sound the same. Too formulaic, just variations on the same methods.   Nowadays I listen to a lot of music, though indie...

  Update. Have had two nights to listen. Maybe 10 hours of listening time, and now the treble seems to be there as well. It's kind of gentle but not too distant, and there's a nice sparkle.