Philips Fidelio X2

I suspect when a headphone lowers too much in price, it begins to be critisized more. This does not just happen with headphones, but with any product that has a price. It has to do with psychology and I am not going in to that. I will just say that some headphones I have had costing 600 or 700 euros (Grado rs1 or Denon d7200) do not perform as greatly as these X2. Some of you might argue that the D7200 are closed-back headphones, but for 700 euros, I would nonetheless expect them to perform a bit better that a pair of headphone that cost me 79 euros.

Perhaps I prefer the Hifiman Sundaras over the Fidelios, but these are valid alternatives to the Sundara if you favour fullness and versatility (they sound ok when plugged to a phone or a tablet) over speed and ultimate accuracy.

I have also had the HD650 and they had lighter treble, less bass, less soundstage, were less versatile and had more forward mids by comparison. Definition was more or less the same. Overall I prefer the Fidelios between the two.

I spent a long while with these headphones but was never able to click with them before moving on. They are built very nicely, appear to be quite reliable and are one of the most comfortable headphones that I've used.

I'd generally describe the sound as relatively consistent as you have no drastic sudden peaks or dips, which makes it quite easy to leave a neutral impression and to also get used to their sound signature. They make music sound fine and by all accounts they're a decent pair of headphones.

The issue I have is that while the sound signature is consistent, it is skewed towards clamping down on the mids and having treble that, while can be quite smooth, lacks detail. Again, there's no obvious bad aspects of this headphone to me once you're used to it, but it can be quite a night-and-day difference when you switch to a headphone such as the HD600, K371 or DT990 and realize how much aggression and forwardness is not present in the X2HR.

The combination of a recessed mid-range combined with a lack of detailed treble veils instruments which gives an artificial sound-stage. It all culminates in a headphone that gives the impression of a neutral sound but doesn't perform as I would hope for anything more than general music listening.

To be totally honest, I went for the Fidelio a bit biased. I own several pairs SHP2000 and have always considered the name Fidelio as the highest form of Hi-Fi. Therefore, you may say im a Philips fanboy....

Yes and no. What drew me to the SHP2000 was its cheap price and what you get for it. 40mm angled drivers, velour pads and minimalist design. Open back too. What more could you want for 20$. Well, headband cushion would be nice, but cant complain for the price. Nor cant complain about the neutral sound with lots of bass. Perfect as a commuter headset that allows you to hear traffic while having the guts to punch some tunes when it gets quiet. And since they were cheap, not a big loss to replace them every 2-3 years when they got worn form all the dust, sun, rain, sweat and so on.

But something was missing. At that point I had heard Sennheisers, Koss, AKG. Even a couple of planars. High range was lacking in comparison. Even the mellow bass seemed lacking. What I needed...was a proper headset.

Then I remembered an ad I saw years ago about the first Fidelio X1. Instantly hooked on the classic curves and beefy grill. And thats what drew me to the Fidelios. The look. The average, classical clean look. Nothing fancy, but not lacking in style in any way. In a way, a more royal form to everything else.

And then came the magic moment I got a pair if X2HR-s. To be honest, I was not blown away, like with Senneheisers. I was not amazed like I had with planars. It felt like I was listening to SHP2000-s...but with a bit more volume. I really had to listen to the subtle difference in high range clarity and punchy bass. The funny thing is...I could listen to them, even concentrate on finding "it"

Reason being these headphones are the most comfortable pair I have ever tried. And even when they are full metal and weigh almost 2x to any Sennheiser or AKG. You simply cant notice them for extended periods of time. Elastic headband conforms perfectly to your head and the big velour memory foam cushions form a nice contact over the ears. Pressure has been well established with metal hoops and the leather binder is un-commonly sturdy. The metal construction has no creaks, no rattles.

And then comes the reproduction. Everyone will say its neutral, un-offensive, pleasing. Yet, somehow its has more bass than most of its competitors. Thanks to the 50mm drivers, they ought to have. Couple of other tricks Philips engineers pulled are angled drivers and very well tuned reflex port. Angled drivers point the radiation pattern away from your ear canals, allowing a passive filtering by manipulating radiating patterns. And the reflex port allows just enough rear end to bleed through to boost the bass.

All this coupled with neodynium motors and you have a pair if headphones that are...average. Nothing special, they do the job. And you might be thinking: thats a bit anti-climactic.

But here is the genius of Philips. While everyone else is busy making THE BEST, nailing the average takes more skill. It takes more skill to make something that you are not going to get tired of (which I was after a short period of time with fore mentioned high-end headphones) even after many many hours. Something that works and does it with classy elegance. And the best part is: Fidelio X2HR costs around 200$/€/£. Thats 2-3x less than most other high-end offerings. The funny thing is...you can get the same neutral warm sound for only 1/10th of the price too.

So to sum up this, I thought I would borrow from Old Top Gear and something either Clarkson, May or Hammond would have said. Comparing a modern hypercar to a beautiful classic. Its not difficult to put a 1000Hp engine in a body styled to look like a jet fighter, everybody is doing it. And its fun for that little while until you get scared or tired from spinning around all day. But if you have an old Jaguar E-type, you get the sensation of an average handling car that sounds magnificent, looks absolutely stunning. Is comfortable to drive...and does so for as long as there is a sunny summer road. And THAT is the essence of a car!

I have since sold these headphones after experiencing much better.

These headphones gave me a poor taste of high end audio and ruined my enthusiasm. I preferred the shp9500s to this and akg k712s/612s do what this attempts to do in a more agreeable package.

Let's start with the bass. The extension was quite limited and in fact all it was, was a mid bass bump. Instead of feeling the punch of a kickdrum or the reverberance of a bass guitar all you got was a warm blanket of enveloping distorting bass with no physicality. It wasn't controlled enough to feel like a good warm headphone.

The lower mids were sucked out, making sounds come across as distant, I'll come onto this in soundstage again, but it's a really poor quality. Listening more closely you notice a lot of the lower mids are smoothed over quite often the seperation between different notes and tones are merged together. Reducing fundamentals to simply a noise, it sounded quite disjointed and didn't feel real.

The upper mids are bumped on these which could easily five people the impression that it has got smooth Vocals with presence. However the presence region is inaccurate and ultimately the subtle dip spike causes a significant hazey quality to the sound.
The upper mids are where you get a sense for the space from the sound, where the lower mids make up the actual sound. In this case the unevenness leads to a hazey characteristic to the sound as if vocals are pushing through a film of air. It's the equivalent of trying to see something through a fog.
This leads into the lower treble where you have a spike in the sibilance region. A common misconception I have seen is that sibilance is solely from the headphone. It's inherent to a lot of vocals and instruments and up to a mastering. What a headphone does is change how forward the sibilance is and the qualities of the sibilance.
What the Fidelio x2s do is present them in a forward peaky way. S sounds and cymbals usually have a trailing decay, what the x2s do is push this forward and make it sound sharper than it is. This leads to a peircing quality.
Which ultimately makes them very fatiguing and isn't natural.

The treble isn't much better.
There is an inherent grain to the treble which comes across as constant background noise in almost every song. Even modern songs produced in something like 32bit with no artificial tape hiss have this grainy quality ackin to listening to old satellite tv speakers.
Ultimately the upper treble is quite lacking, there is a lack of air to the sound which would make a lot of the problems easier to live with.

One thing I notice this is praised about is soundstage.
It's reported as wide sounding.
My comment on this is that the dip in the midrange makes every sound originate further away than it does.
This doesn't do what headphones with good soundstage do and give you a varying sense of depth and width. Sounds either happen for right , far left or right in front of you and a bit forward.
Commenting on imaging and layering it's quite poor in this sense. The dt880600ohm,k712pro/612pro and hd6x0 outperform it quite significantly in this characteristic. You get a greater idea of how the sound decays in it's stage, how distant certain sounds are in any of those headphones.
The layering is also significantly worse with sounds often merging together and having similar qualities as opposed to what they should do and be different.

The overall tonal balance is quite poor and introduces significant colouration. This would be fine if the technical ability was at it's tier, but it isn't. The timbre is quite metallic across the board which indicates an unnatural quality of decay.

This review is in reference to it's price point it's not technically capable enough to be considered mid-fi by any stretch of the imagination. I'd even go as far as saying the dt990 is more technically capable with the same v shape tuning and arguably better comfort.
If you want a wide sounding Headphone with good imaging the a900x is probably a better option and more agreeable.

My main issue with these headphones is that they are priced to compete in a saturated market and don't compete with any of the options currently there.

This review won't be too detailed, just a vote of respect for such a fine pair of headphones.  I tend to like warm toned headphones, rather than purely neutral sets, and the Philips Fidelio X2 has met my expectations in its ability to bring some bass into play, while keeping the airiness of open back headphones intact.  Sound stage is wide, but not deep with this set, and it has great energy/liveliness to the sound.
 
Though bass is its main claim to fame, the X2 doesn't seem to reach deep into the sub-bass regions, so for pure bass heads, it may not be enough.  Its been more than adequate for me, though the mids do recede too much sometimes and the highs are not always well controlled.  I find that mediocre recordings or low bitrate streams don't sound good with the X2.  Another characteristic of the set is its need for power.  Though they'll run from portable devices, or straight from the computer, they don't really shine until I hook them to an amp.
 
Physical construction is first rate, with excellent materials used throughout.  I'm not the greatest fan of suspension headbands, but these surprised me with both their comfort and effectiveness.  The pads on the X2 are large enough for my oversized ears and comfort levels are very good.  I can wear them for several hours at a time with no issues.
 
Overall, I'd certainly recommend them for casual listening, but they are not intended for those looking for ultimate precision and a razor edged analytical presentation. 

At $225, I can't imagine anything better.  The build quality would do a $1000 headphone justice.  Fit is very comfortable and snuggly on the head.  Sound is VERY dynamic and full bodied.  Mids are slightly recessed but overall balance very good.  Bass is excellent for an open headphone--perhaps excellent period.

A short review comparing these to a few other headphones that I own: NAD HP50, Bose QC25, and Sennheiser HD595. Listening via Dragonfly Red and Aune X1s. 
 
These are the only headphones I own that will survive a nuclear apocalypse. They're built so well and feel so good in the hand. It's all metal and leather. 
 
And then Philips goes and blows my mind with the sound these make. They best all these other headphones that I've mentioned in most ways. See my review of the NAD HP50s for a more detailed comparison. 
 
Look, if you want perfect neutrality and a headphone that precisely recreates what the artist recorded, the NAD HP50s or perhaps the Sennheiser HD600s might be closer to the mark. But if you want headphones that just make you groove and bop your head and enjoy your day, buy the X2s. They deserve a place in any collection, especially given the price. 
 
These are fun headphones that make even bad music sound good. Seriously, I'm thinking of listening to Spice Girls and One Direction just for the sake of proving this point. There's something to the sound that is hard to define--I could talk about treble and bass and detail and soundstage, and all of those things are good, but they're all pretty good on the HP50s, too, and I don't enjoy my music near so much wearing them as these. 
 
That's why you buy them. It's not about an audiophile's breakdown of why these are good or bad. It's simply that you stop worrying about what headphones you're wearing or what DAC you're listening to, and you just enjoy your music and get on with your day. 

So, I did a lot of reading when it came to this purchase, however, no amount of reviewing can objectively explain what you are actually going to hear when you plug them in - so I said 'screw it!' and purchased my X2's from a retailer overseas for an excellent price (the coupons always get me). It took almost two weeks and my excitement may have adversely affected my opinion, because, I was expecting these to sound a great deal 'better' than my 598s.
 
They don't sound 'better' than my 598s. They are very different, I admit - but I wan't looking for a copy I was looking for an upgrade.
 
They are a little muddy and thumpy, those are the adjectives I have chosen - muddy and thumpy. I am disappointed. These were my first pair of Phillips and most probably, my last. I had to EQ them a great deal to get anywhere near a good sound. For the record, I am not a basshead; I prefer clarity - accurate, unveiled clarity. I am also not a stuffy audiophile who has lost interest in actual music and I want my experience to be fun as well, there is a balance to be achieved. If this is V-shaped, then V-shaped is not for me.
 
I was looking for a side-step to the 650s (purely price related avoidance) but these are not the cans I was looking for. While they are 'fun' and 'musical' they do not achieve clarity and voices are muffled, harmonies are rolled off, and where is the sparkle I was reading about?
 
They are beautiful and the build quality trumps my Senns and my Beyers. I did manage to fall asleep with these monsters on, and that is an accomplishment since they are huge! My only note here is the fact that they are a little heavy and I can feel them fall forward, clamping force leaves something to be desired.
 
For those suggesting that I didn't do enough research, know this, I did months of research - what I didn't get the chance to do was audition...the takeaway here is those of us unfortunate enough to live on the outskirts of civilization are doomed to a cycle of purchase, regret, return. 
 
Do not assume that I don't know what I'm talking about.

I own these for almost a year, so I thought they deserve my positive opinion in written form (I wouldn't call it a review).

At the beginning I have to make clear I am not a professional audiophile, not even an audiophile. I just like my music in the best possible quality I can get for my money. I like good value for money musical headphones, I want a pair of headphones, that put a smile on my face.

I didn't find headphones better for that purpose than X2s so far. Actually I prefer them over HD600 or HE-400s.

I like experimental electronica, different types of psychedelic music, downtempo, ambient, etc., so details are quite important for me, so is bass, layering and space.
Occasionally I listen to other type of music as well, but this is my main direction.

Even though I like HD600 or HE400s for classical or acoustic instrumental music (and vocal) for my purposes X2s blow them away.

HD600s have an unmatched midrange, but lack extension in treble and even more in bass. 400s has a better extension, but still sound pale and lifeless compared to X2s with EDM.
Choosing between 600s and 400s is personal preference. They are very close in purpose and target group. Balanced, neutral, natural sound. Not too exciting, but realistic and honest. For monitoring or realistic acoustic sound you can't go wrong with any of them.

However, if you are into modern music, X2s will give you 3 times more joy than any of the previously mentioned headphones.
Bass and soundstage is exceptional. Sound feels full, there is body to it. Mids might feel a tad recessed, but the sound is quite balanced, and you have that awesome bass what you can't find in any other full sized opened headphone. Great bass with not loosing the space of an opened headphone.
What a deal for this price!

Not perfect, of course. Could be more balanced, but it delivers the Hi-Fi grade sound for a crazy price. (£165 new at the moment? No brainer. It competes with £400 headphones with a proper DAC.)

Talking about DACs it does make a big difference, what DAC or headphone amp you use. X2s might have low impedance, and sound is quite fine out of phone or laptop, but does benefit a lot from quality DACs and amps. 
 
I tried X2s from phone, laptop, tried it with iFi Micro and Nano iCan and Chord Mojo.
 To me from phone and laptop they sounded pretty bad.
From Micro and Nano they were fine, enjoyable, but a bit V shaped.
From Mojo however they sound much more balanced. Mids are not anymore in the background, and all frequencies of the music are equally there.
Compared to Micro iCan, Mojo made X2s sound almost like a different pair of headphones.

In my opinion X2s are easily judged superficially. There is much more potential in them as the average reviewer says.
They were made for people who simply want to enjoy their music. Especially if that music is from the last 30 years.
These are just great fun. And they do scale good with higher end equipment.

This is one popular set of headphones in 2016 pretty much everywhere. The X2 have often been compared to the top-class models of "mid-fi" headphones (Sennheiser HD600, HD650 etc.), but I must say, they don't quite get to that level in pure sound quality.
 
I listen to lots of rock, metal, punk, hip-hop and pop. I tested these through my iPod and Apogee Duet (DAC) -> Schiit Lyr 2..
 
Let's get into more detail with the....
 
 
PHILIPS FIDELIO X2 REVIEW
 
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THE VIDEO!  Here's my extended video-review of the Fidelio X2's (with comparisons to my similarly priced Denon D2000 and Sennheiser HD600):
 

 
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BUILD QUALITY, LOOKS & COMFORT
These are clearly a very sturdy pair of headphones, I'm sure the structure lasts a long while. My pair is made by Woox in China. There have been reported problems concerning build quality with some people, but I've had none. They are heavier than normal over-ear models, quite large too. The outer headband sticks out in a very funny looking way out of ones head - especially if you have a small head. All in all, these are a very well made pair in my opinion.
 
The comfort is only ok, my HD600, DT770 and D2000 do much better here. First, the earpads have some nice & classy feeling velour, but they are quite stiff and hard. Maybe they get better, we'll see. The Sennheiser & Beyerdynamic pads are both much softer. The earpad opening is easily large enough for my ears, though. Clamping force is pretty much just right for me. These velour pads seem to be magnets for dirt, hair and all that. I have a pretty big melon, so these tend to slide very slowly upwards because of that springy headband. I prefer the clicking-type of mechanism, they just stay still - you set it once and enjoy. Overall, the headband is very soft & comfortable, this is just not my favorite design.
 
 

 
 
Let's get into SOUND QUALITY...
 
 
THE BASS
I bet this is why these have gained so many fans, this is the X2's calling card! Open headphones don't usually have this kind of fat and punchy bass, for sure. The biggest surprise to me is the lower regions of it - these sound pretty deep in the subs (although the boost seems to be located in the upper sub-regions, but I'm not sure). Old & thin masters gain a big sense of oomph with these Fidelios, but modern bass-heavy tracks tend to sound slightly muddy and overly warm. For fans of neutral or flat bass these are nowhere near the mark - this low-end is all about a boosted sense of fun, "screw neutrality!", they seem to shout. Although My D2000 does sub-bass even better, these are quite nice for people looking for big bass in an open headphone. (Denon D2000 isn't open in design, but sound pretty similar to these still. They're closed mostly in name only.)
 
 
THEM MIDS
Ok, here's where I start to find some real problems. (No matter the claims to the contrary) this IS a V-shaped headphone, at least when talking about bass & mids (and higher treblies) - the mid-frequencies take a back seat. To me, they sound too laid back and soft. There is this one four letter word excellent for describing the lacking ingredient: BITE. This is best heard in my case when listening to some awesomely produced rock-guitars (like some old-school AC/DC), they sound soft and often overwhelmed by that big bass. The same goes for vocals, in my opinion. They are not very easily discerned or upfront by any means. So yeah, the mids are not the reason you should pick this pair up.
 
HIGHS & SOUND-STAGE
Damn it! It has to be said - this the real problem-area for Fidelio X2 concerning good fidelity. The high frequencies are very colored. There's much talk about the term... "Colored" headphones can be very good & fun, but when they take away from an instruments own character in a drastic way like these do, I'd have to say they've gone too far.
 
These have a nice sense of space (sound-stage), but it's kind of futile when the resolution and balance are so off. There's this large boost in the higher ranges of highs (approximately 10khz), but it's too high to affect the fundamentals of vocals, guitars, piano and other central instruments in music. Without that boost, these would be some seriously dark headphones... Below the boost, the X2's are very low in treble energy. The highs end up sounding very soft and non-offensive to my ears. The crunch of a great distorted guitar track or a crack of a brilliant snare track are pretty much lost with this pair. And this, to me, is a big problem.
 
This is all subjective of course, but I find Philips went too far skewing the frequency response of this one in the highs especially.
 
 

 
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COMPARISONS?
Remember, I said these Fidelios were compared to the Sennheiser HD600 and HD650? Hah, that's just silly, in my opinion - these are nothing like 'em (especially the "neutral kings" HD600)! When talking about the HD6x0-series, the mids come up very early in the discussion. Those two are very often used for audio production because of their awesome neutrality (in the world of headphones, at least). X2 on the other hand are all about fun and colored - it's just a very different mindset that's behind the Philips-model. So, don't expect to hear instruments like they are in your space of choice - expect a  strong coloration that allows you to listen to music at quite highs volumes. Soft, softer, "X2 below 10K".
 
When I heard the X2's for the first time, I was reminded of my D2000's very much - big & low bass, V-shaped sound signature and a nice sense of sound-stage on top of it! But, there are lots of differences...
 
Denon AH-D2000 (made by Fostex) are way more comfy with super-soft faux-leather pads and close to no clamping force on the head. They are not as well made though, I feel they're much more fragile in design (are the new Fostex models better in that way? Please tell!) Biggest difference are the highs that have some great crunch & crack - no softness to be found! Mids are kind of laid back on these too - they are V-shaped. Sound-stage is pretty much on par, in my opinion (even though, the Denon's are closed back, kind of). Bass is boosted too, but it's more resolving in my opinion and they go lower into sub-territories.
 
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AMPING
These sound quite alright straight from my iPod. They are very efficient. There was a very slight difference when plugging into my Schiit Lyr 2 amp, but the differences were very subtle, to say the least. Your measly amp should do them justice - if your not sure, spend some 100 bucks and be happy with 'em.
 
 
WHAT WOULD I PAY FOR THEM?
 
300 dollars / euros?
No way, they are way too colored for that price. Both of the Senns should be found for this kind of money. Some more nice ones I've tried: NAD Viso HP50 (weird looks, pretty flat sonics), Focal Spirit Pro (weird fit for some, neutral & very closed), Beyer DT880 (bright and quite neutral).... Even that fun-factor doesn't match my (240 euro) D2000. Fostex TH600 or used THX00 could be found for less.. Fidelio X2 are nice for people coming from very bassy/colored cans, like Beats - people that haven't heard better.
 
200 bucks / euros?
Sure, that's pretty much what I paid for them. If you like this kind of sound signature: big bass with sound stage. Go for it! But, I still prefer my Beyerdynamic DT770 80-ohm - the sound signature is surprisingly similar!
 
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BY THE WAY
Here are some more headphone, guitars, effects and amps reviews from Yours Truly!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvAJbQfGhIXwQTWjBfgt6mA
 
I am affiliated with no one, I do these reviews for my own amusement, maybe your's too!
 
 
 

 
Cheers for reading, folks!  
 
 
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This particular pair of X2 appear to have glue only on the pegs, not anywhere else. Sound like all other good X2.
 
So I get the box in the mail, and upon first inspection I notice that you might have to run over these with a car to destroy them. Plenty of metal to go around.
 
Looks: I like the look, though they do portray a bit of a horn shape, which is kinda frowny-face. They look good overall though.
 
Build: Holy crap these are tough. the construction is solid. They are kinda heavy as a result.
The removable cable feature is wonderful, and the included cable is Fantastic; one of the best cables I have ever seen.
If you want you can use a V-moda BoomPro with the Fidelio X2 (a fantastic mic btw).
The headband uses the suspension system I am not usually much of a fan of, but Philips does it the right way, making it solid enough that I am not worried about movement, padding, or anything else I usually associate with suspended designs. The pads on the earcups are kinda hard, but somehow are still nice enough not to complain much about. The comfort surpassed my expectations.
 
Sound: 
I waited to write this review until i had received all the headphones I recently purchased to arrive. This includes the Pioneer SE-A1000, HD558, SHP9500, Fidelio x2, and the AKG k7xx.
 
I will put these in order of cleanliness.
1. SHP9500
2. K7xx
3. SE-A1000
4. HD558
5. Fidelio X2
 
The thing to note here is that cleanliness is not all there is to sound. I get the most resolve out of the SHP9500, but that does not mean they have the best overall sound quality.
 
As you see, the X2 in on the bottom for cleanliness. This is immediately apparent when putting these on. I was not impressed by the clarity at all. I couldn't believe it. I was feeling mislead. I took them downstairs and asked a nice woman to try them out, and she plugged them straight into her iphone (didn't care much for the dac/amp). She picked a song, listened for 20 seconds then smiled and put the headphone on my head. The key to the puzzle is bass. 
 
Recommended song:
Til The Day I Die - TobyMac
 
This is the song she played. I instantly understood why these are so popular. The sheer quality of the bass tones these produce is fantastic.
If I made a Bass list, these would be first for both volume and quality (dynamic open headphones). I simply said "wow" with wide open eyes, proceeded to let her enjoy them for a while, then went back upstairs and drooled everywhere as every dubstep song on the planet was funneled into my ears. The goal is not accuracy, it is sheer enjoyment, and the Fidelio X2 do this in style.
I still am not convinced the soundstage is much. It sounds kinda wide, but there is no foward/back depth.
 
I have a hard time comparing there to anything else I own. The closest thing I have owned is a cheap pair of earbuds with were bass mongers. Clearly the Fidelio X2 blows those to another galaxy.
 
Now, this has been a topic many have wondered, and discussed: the SHP9500 vs the Fidelio X2. This is like comparing apples and oranges. The SHP9500 is neutral with very good clarity, and thinner bass. The Fidelio X2 is one heck of a bassy pleasure can. Is the Fidelio X2 worth the price increase? This is not the right question to ask. The Fidelio X2 is in no way an "upgrade of the SHP9500" They are completely different.
 
The other comparison others might mention is the Fidelio X2 vs the K7XX. This is more fair than comparing the X2 to the SHP9500, but still not quite fair. The K7XX is far cleaner, and more toward the analytic side of the equation. I don't know If I could pick between the two, but I would have to give the overall sound quality edge to the K7XX. I think most will find the K7XX boring in comparison to the Fidelio X2, but I prefer the sound of the K7XX personally.
 
Conclusion: If you like open back, but miss your bass: buy these. If you like your bass, but think you will miss your vocals, these might not be for you. If you like thin analytic sound a lot, go elsewhere.
I recommend these with the caution above.
 
If there is anything else you guys want, please feel free to comment, and I will update the review accordingly.

TL;DR: The X2 is a good V-shaped headphone. It’s not very good if you are looking for something neutral. This review was hard to write impartially because I don’t like V-shaped sound—I like an n-shaped sound, which emphasizes midrange. At around $200, I can’t really think of another headphone that outright beats it. At the current sub-$200 prices on Amazon Warehouse Deals, they’re a very good deal. They’re a relatively inoffensive-sounding headphone unless you’re especially sensitive to treble. I’d imagine they’re fantastic as gaming headphones if your situation allows for open headphones. But I’ve since sold them because to me, the HD600 is a step up to my preferences. Honestly, if it were my money, I wouldn’t buy the X2 at any price because the midrange is just distant enough for me to not enjoy them.

 



 
 

Intro

Sometimes, the hype phenomenon so prevalent in hobbies creates a “halo status” for some products which leads to expectations that are impossible to meet. The Philips Fidelio X2 is one such product. It had received extremely positive reviews from professionals and which led to many people purchasing it and equally praising it, leading to a hype train with seemingly no stop in sight. There’s nothing inherently wrong with a hype train, but when people with no experience purchase a product and try to convince others to buy the same product even though their needs don’t match the needs of the recommender, thereby wasting the recommendee’s money when they are inevitably disappointed, does not sit well with me. A similar phenomenon occurred with the Audio Technica M50. It, to my ears and having owned one, is a mediocre headphone; I understand its appeal in being a relatively low-priced closed headphone with a V-shaped signature, but I’d started to notice people with little to no experience with other headphones telling others that the M50 is the only good option. Those people then bought the M50 on recommendation and since the M50 was their only reference for “good sound,” they praised the M50 to no end, furthering the cycle. The X2 is currently in a similar place. This review has basic explanations in case newbies happen to wander into this review.

The X2 has been a very controversial headphone lately, starting with the transition from easily removable pads to glued-on pads. One of the original grips of the Fidelio X1 is that their pads were not removable. X2, much to the rejoice of audiophiles searching an open V-shaped headphone, has easily replaceable pads—now people are able to use their X2’s for generations knowing that they will never have to deal with flat, unusable pads for as long as Philips decided to sell replacements. The system is not ideal though; the X2 uses a proprietary pegged system, unlike headphones like the Fostex T50RP and Beyerdynamic series, so other companies’ pads like Alpha/ZMF pads are not a direct fit. There have also been reports of the glued pads sounding worse than the non-glued pads. I cannot support this theory as the X2 I own with glued pads sounds similar to, if not exactly the same as, another pair without glued pads I’d heard out of an Audio-GD Master 11.

There is also the controversy of the transition from being WOOX-made to Gibson-made leading to the X2 to be made more cheaply out of worse materials. Since my X2 is not Gibson-made, I cannot comment on the sound difference, but I can insert my two cents on the matter: the WOOX acquisition by Gibson completed in June of 2014. The release of the X2 was around September of 2014. Gibson likely had no input on the release of the X2 as it had almost assuredly been past the prototyping stage by the time of the acquisition, so the initial production is completely WOOX-made. However, “Gibson” pairs with different pads may have been created due to Gibson’s input to cut costs. But it is more likely the pairs with the alternate pads were created due to an error in ordering the pads. The sudden change in material is troubling, but the cost to convert their entire X2 production to different pads likely is not fiscally sensible; so I theorize that the change in pads is a production error rather than a production shift. But, as always, I could be wrong and I will apologize for spreading false information.

 



 
 

Packaging

The Fidelio X2 comes in a presentable two part cardboard box. It’s nothing particularly special. Under the first pretty sleeve is a plain black box with “Philips Fidelio” engraved. Open the flap, and you are greeted by the X2 and its cable. It’s a simple packaging—nice enough to be presentable but not so nice that the cost of packaging is a significant portion of the headphone’s selling price. Inside the package are the X2, a 3m cable, a generic 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter, and attached to the cable, a nifty cable manager.

 



 
 

Build

The X2’s physical build is great for its price point. It features a leather covered metal headband, metal cups, and metal gimbals. Compared to the mostly plastic Sennheiser HD650, the X2 feels much more substantial. The adjustable portion of the headband is a mesh padding that seems more at home in a camera bag shoulder strap than a headphone, but it has proven to be very comfortable. I am concerned about the durability of the elastic system. As I’ve seen in myriad AKG headphones, once the elastic system eventually becomes too loose, the headphones will be too loose to reliably stay on your head. The X2’s pads are made of somewhat hard memory foam covered in velour. The pads were made to be replaceable, but evidently, the newer pairs such as mine have been glued on. It’s not very difficult to remove the glued on pads with enough care or use of a hair dryer, but it would obviously have been ideal to not have any glue at all. Unlike some others, I never had the ink bleeding problem with the X2 pads.

Sound

The basic sound signature of the X2 is a V-shape. They have elevated bass and elevated treble with a slightly recessed midrange. There are reports of the X2 sounding “neutral” but I strongly disagree. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the X2 sounding V-shaped; it just classifies it as a specialty headphone. V-shaped headphones work especially well for movies, bass-heavy music, and in some cases, gaming. They don’t sound particularly great for music such as folk or other genres that don’t emphasize bass.

The X2’s bass, as mentioned earlier, is elevated. Many consumer headphones have elevated bass because most pop music is biased to sound more fun with bass heavy headphones. The X2 shines with such music, which I believe makes the X2 a good choice for those that only listen to EDM or pop. However, the X2’s bass is slightly loose, which means that individual bass notes are muddled together. If you can’t imagine what that sounds like, imagine individual bass drum beats. They should sound separate. On the X2, the notes bleed into each other, which is a trait that isn’t necessarily uncommon. The HD600 also exhibits this trait.

The X2’s midrange is its weakest trait. Compared to its bass and treble, the midrange is pushed back. What this means is that the vocals and instruments sound slightly farther away than normal. This isn’t necessarily bad; some people may prefer it. A recessed midrange allows for some bass-driven music to sound more “fun” with a more dominant beat over the vocals or other instruments. The downside is that the X2 would not be my first choice for acoustic music, where the low string notes may be louder than the vocals, which may be distracting. Midrange tone sounded slightly unnatural; it sounded a little tuned downwards. It’s not something immediately noticeable, but compared to some other headphones, it falters in this aspect.

The X2’s treble is strange; it is rolled off in the extremes, which means the highest notes were recessed, but there are a few treble peaks, most notably at 9-10kHz, that I found mildly uncomfortable. I found myself fatigued after using the X2 for only about two hours. But the first thing I noticed is a huge void from 6kHz to around 7 or 8kHz that created a strange hollow effect for me. I thought I would be able to get used to the sound, but after two weeks, I was never able to break the three hour mark with them. I believe was the combination of the rolled off treble and peak that fatigued me most. 

The X2’s soundstage was relatively large compared to most closed headphones, but it’s relatively closed-sounding compared to the K7XX. However, I hear a more fleshed out soundstage than the HD600/HD650’s “three bubble soundstage” that has distinct areas at 0, 90, and 180 degrees, but small voids in between.

Comparisons

To get a better feel for the X2 in the scope of the current market, I’ve compared the X2 to other popular midrange headphones: the AKG K7XX, Beyerdynamic DT880 and DT990, and the Sennheiser HD600 and HD650

AKG K7XX

The AKG K7XX sounds like a compromise. I have owned the K701, K702, and Q701 (don’t ask, I wanted to know if they each sounded different) and they all have a bright, massive sound. They lacked a little in bass and midrange, but they made up for it by projecting a wide scape for your music. However, this, combined with the fake-sounding hyped upper midrange led to a polarizing headphone. The K702 Anniversary and K712 were released to create a warmer, more consumer-friendly headphone. Massdrop collaborated with AKG to release the K7XX, which is a version of the K702 Anniversary available for the bargain price of $199, which was less than half the price of the K702 Anniversary at its release. The K7XX retains most of the wide stage, but also increased bass and midrange and decreased treble. The K7XX works for more music than the original K701, which makes the K7XX a compelling option for many. The X2 and K7XX are not as different as one may expect. They both have slightly rolled off treble, mildly recessed midrange, and accentuated bass. But the X2 takes more extremes. The X2 is bassier, has spikier treble, and has less midrange. It works much better for EDM than the K7XX as it’s a much more fun-sounding headphone than the K7XX, which is the headphone equivalent to carbonated water. However, the K7XX is overall more pleasing to listen to with music with vocals or instruments.

The X2 has one distinct advantage over the K7XX—it does not need a dedicated headphone amplifier. Despite what the specifications say, the K7XX noticeably improves, especially in its bass, when used with an amplifier. The X2 sounds just fine without one.

Beyerdynamic DT880/DT990

The Beyerdynamic DT880 and DT990 are staples in the mid-priced headphone market. The DT880 is known for its neutrality and the DT990 is known for its fun V-shaped sound. The DT880 has a mild u-shape with forward treble, slightly recessed midrange, and neutral to slightly elevated bass. I personally dislike it because it sounds boring—for some reason, I never felt like I was listening to music when I owned the DT880, twice. I bought and sold the 250ohm and 600ohm versions. The 600ohm version had more refined treble and tightened bass, but the differences were not immediately noticeable. The DT990 (disclaimer, I’ve only tried the Pro, and I cannot emphasize enough that my impressions of the DT990 are that of a demo, not owning it, unlike with the other headphones I am comparing to the X2) is significantly brighter, with less midrange and more bass, than the DT880.

The X2 is an in between step between the Beyers in all aspects. If you have tried both and dislike both, the X2 might be a good choice. This section is admittedly short because I haven’t owned either headphone in at least two years, so I’m relying on auditory memory and don’t want to give too many specifics. I do know that the DT880 and DT990 benefit from an amp.

Sennheiser HD600/HD650

Comparing the X2 to these headphones is a bit unfair as the street price of the X2 at the time of the review is significantly lower than the Sennheisers. One can purchase an X2 from the Amazon Warehouse Deals (if you don’t mind very lightly used) for as low as $150 whereas the HD600 from the same seller is 299, but the HD600 and HD650 are staples in the mid-priced market. The HD600 was released in 1997—almost two decades ago and is still widely considered among the best headphones at any price. The HD650 is relatively modern, released in 2003, but is held in equally high regard. The HD600 is neutral, for the most part. It has slightly aggressive upper mids, a mild bump in its mid bass, and slightly rolled off upper treble, but considering the alternatives, it is a very impressive-sounding headphone. The HD650 is like the HD600 if you gave it more bass, added some midrange, and toned down the treble even more. The result is an incredibly relaxing headphone.

The X2 is more similar to the HD650 with its elevated bass than the HD600. All three headphones have slightly muddy bass, but the X2’s bass is more intrusive in the midrange than the Sennheisers. Both the HD600 and HD650 have distinctly better midrange than the X2. The Sennheisers are also more detailed in the upper end than the X2. The only advantages I believe the X2 has over the HD600 and HD650 are its more energetic sound, more filled in the soundstage, and lack of necessity for an amp. However, like I said, the X2 is significantly cheaper than the HD600 and HD650, at least at this point in time. If they were priced equally, I would only recommend the X2 to someone that also plans on gaming with their headphone or has no interest in buying an amp.

Conclusion

The Philips Fidelio X2 occupies an interesting space in the open mid-priced headphone market. They have a V-shaped sound signature, which, other than the DT990, is a bit of an anomaly and they have no need for an amplifier. I wholeheartedly recommend the X2 to people that want a premium headphone to listen to EDM or other bass heavy music, especially if they have no interest in buying an amplifier. I also conditionally recommend it to people who want a headphone for gaming and want elevated bass. The X2 would even work well for people coming from other bassy headphones like Beats, as the X2 will sound like a direct upgrade as opposed to recommending a bass-light headphone like the K701, which will sound anemic compared to what they already have.

But I find it hard to recommend over the K7XX or Q701 for people who are open to the idea of buying an amplifier in the future or listen to midrange-heavy music. The X2 was created for “consumer” music which happens to be bass heavy so it shines with that music. The X2 will be tolerable with other music, but if you’re spending $200-$300 on a headphone, you want more than tolerable. You want great. The X2 simply doesn’t deliver when compared to other options.
 

Well, opening the box, I had set my expectations aside. But boy does the build quality impress: rock solid, tank like cans, yet not heavy. Now I became nervous, what if Philiphs had poured all the budget into build quality, and not sound?
 
I plugged them into my amp, put my complex Arjen A. Lucassen "Starchild" track on which all my headphones are measured against, and they did not faulter. Instruments had their own place, all the specialties of Arjens instruments could be heard, and coming to the heavy space parts, it was very deep and rich for an openback. Here some few closed backs and planars will pull ahead, but no other midfi dynamic will do that. The extremely powerful singing of the few elite, could be heard clearly and naturally. Impressive.
 
Trebles were detailed, and lack the grain most people are on about. Trebles are clear compared to sennheisers HD600 slightly veiled ones. Due to the scoop in the treble range of what I remeber is about 6hz, there is no resonance in ear for me, which means these needed no further equlization out of box. Mids are mids though, they are good and impressive for the price, but nothing I notice or praise, they are just too well balanced.
 
Summary: Philips golden ears project apparently paid off and they created a headphone which punches way above its price (and on sale, imo unbeatable audiophile price/performance value), which even don't need an amp to sound decent (but will still benefit from one)

Fidelio X2 is a really nice headphone at this price point. I paid only 190 USD for a new pair and cannot be more happy with the purchase. X2 sounds very open and has an airy soundstage. Still the imaging is quite good, especially compared to some other headphones with large soundstage, like the AKGs k712 or k7xx. The bass goes very deep indeed and is nicely controlled.
 
It is important to pair the Fidelio with an amp with low output impedance. O2, for example, is a really nice match for X2. But even Matrix M-Stage works well with the Fidelio.
 
The sound signature is on the darkish side of neutral which means that the initial perception of details will be missing. Actually, X2 is a very revealing headphone once we have tuned in to their sound signature. With some music, larger orchestral pieces for instance, X2 can be perceived as a little muddy, compared to some pricier (and brighter) headphones like T90 or HE-400i for example. This is actually not a big deal and the difference is not that large. I still like X2 for listening to large orchestral pieces.The strings sound rich and the full-bodied bottom end gives very nice weight to orchestras. The sound of X2 is very life-like and transparent for acoustic music. 
 
Overall this is probably the greatest bargain at the moment, alongside Hifiman HE-400s and AKG k7xx. Great bang for the buck 

This is not the absolute best money can buy, but it is the best value amongst all existing headphones in my opinion. As always, it is a matter of taste. But this one is just exactly what I was looking for: Detailed open cans with fun and tight bass for my computer. It's not a neutral sounding headphone, so if that is what you're looking for, look elsewhere and I mean it. If you want warm, emotional and fun, this is it! 
 
It kind of combine the best from my K701, HD650 and my Edition 9. From my K701, it has a wide soundstage without being too airy along with its nice detailed highs. From the HD650, it has the warmer sound signature I love, but without being laid-back. And from my Edition 9, the punchy and fast bass, but without being as overpowered like them. Unfortunately, at high volume, it can sound bright like my Edition 9, something I really can't stand. But I never listen at high volume, so it's just perfectly at the limit of what sounds bright to me. A very weak point is female voices can get artificial on some occasions, something in the high mids does that, but they sound really good for everything else. Very engaging headphones, they are very good to get immerse in movies and video games. Not neutral for sure, but extremely well-balanced and fun.
 
Of course, one can find better headphones that cost over a thousands, but have to be paired with expensive amplifiers. This one stands out as being self-reliant. Easy to drive, it sounds wonderful even on an iPhone. I love them so much that I decided my quest for full-size headphones was over and sold all my other home headphones and amplifiers. Yes, these made me quit or, should I say, retire from the audiophile madness.
 
Still need to find my perfect custom IEM though...

The Philps Fidelio X2 was purchased by me and I’m not in any way affiliated with Philips.
 
Introduction:
The Philips Fidelio X2 is Philips top of the line full size open headphones. I picked up my pair about five months ago and thought it was about time to post a review on them.
 
Built and accessories:
The Fidelio X2’s features 50 mm neodymium drivers in a fully open back design.
 
First impression when opening the box was very positive. The package felt exclusive and the headphones themselves feel very premium. Materials like real leather, aluminum, steel and pads filled with memory foam makes them both look and feel premium. I’ve got a couple of other mid-fi cans as well (SR325is. Q701, DT880) and none of them has the same feeling of quality as the X2’s.
 
Regarding the pads they’re detachable and said to be user replaceable but since Philips still doesn’t provide any spare pads I think it’s better to think of the pads as not replaceable. I really think it’s a shame that Philips didn’t add the pads to their line up the day they started to sell the X2’s.
 
Although the weigh as much as 380 grams they don’t feel heavy at all and I can use them for hours without any discomfort. I’ve got a very small head but I’ve got no problem wearing these for several hours. Initially the pads felt a bit stiff but after heavy usage for several months they’re now extremely comfortable and the pads seem to hold their shape really well.
 
The included cable is 3 meter long and terminated with 3,5mm plugs in both ends. Although the cable itself is pretty nice I swapped it for a shorter one almost immediately because I prefer a shorter one for comfort reasons.  I think Philips should have included a shorter cable and an extension cable instead for better flexibility.
 
Included accessories are limited to the 3 m long cable, a 3.5 to 6.5mm adapter and a shirt clip.
 
 
The Specs:
 
 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Sound:
I've used the Fidelio X2’s for well over 200 hours. I’ve used it with my Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, FiiO X3, FiiO X3/Bluebird 6.0 combo, AQ Dragonfly/Cayin C5 combo, Geek Out 720 and Geek Out 720 combined with Matrix M-stage/Schiit Magni/Little Dot I+/Cayin C5. They’ve performed very well with all of the above but my favorite combination is the one with the Geek Out 720 and Matrix M-stage.
 

 
 
I’ve also used them quite a bit with Yamaha RX-A810 receiver watching movies and TV shows on late evenings and that’s also worked very well. I’ve also tried listening to music with them through the Yamaha and this just sound OK, a bit too boomy bass for my preference this way probably due to a quiet high output impedance o the receiver.
 
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Alice in Chains – Them Bones
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
The overall sound signature on the Fidelio X2’S is full and well balanced with a small hump in the bass region. Although the X2’s are a full sounding headphone it still offers great clarity and details and there’s no sign of muddiness in the presentation.
 
Soundstage width is good even for a full size open headphone while depth and imaging in very good and probably one of, if not the, strongest parts in the way the X2’s sound.
 
The bass is probably the first thing one notice when listening to the X2’s. It’s very present and impactful for an open headphone. The bass is focused on the lower notes and only on very rare occasions does the bass get boomy and leaks into the midrange. The bass has very good layering and feels well controlled and integrated with the rest of the sound. I consider myself very sensitive to bass bleed and the X2’s really manage to stay just in line with what I can accept except with some very few albums/songs that’s recorded with a high bass presence (Jack Johnson’s “Better together” is an example of such a recording) being the “rare occasions” mentioned above.
 
The midrange doesn’t feel neither recessed nor up front but there’s a slight lift in the lower mids that makes the transaction from the lows smooth and overall sound smooth and full. Coming from something like one of the AKG 70X siblings  the mids might feel recessed initially but once you adapt to the sound of the X2’s it just feels right. I really love my mids and it’s my impression that the X2’s delivers in every way in this area.
 
The treble is well controlled and in good balance with the rest of the frequencies. I’ve read reports about both grain and sibilance in the treble but fortunately this isn’t something my ears are not able to hear at all and if anything I could do with slightly more treble presence. That being said extension is very good and I’m not missing anything there.
 
Comparison:
Fidelio X2 vs AKG Q701:
Compared to the Fidelio X2 the Q701 has a pretty similar soundstage in both depth and width. The midrange (especially the higher mids)  on the Q’s is  more forward while overall sound is less full and bass impact and presence is also lower. The hump in the higher mids/lower highs gives the Q’s an overall brighter and more airy presentation, they’ve also have got more treble presence while treble extension is pretty similar.
 
While both headphones uses velour pads only the X2’s uses memory foam inside and this makes them more comfortable to wear for longer sessions. I also think that the self-adjusting headband on the X2’s does a better job keeping them in place although they weigh over 50% more. The X2’s also feels more solid in overall construction while the Q’s are a bit “plastic fantastic”.  
 
Although the 62Ohm/93dB Q701’s are notorious for needing a lot of power they actually don’t need much more volume on the M-stage to reach the same listening level (11 vs 12 o’clock on the volume pot).
 

 
 
Fidelio X2 vs Grado SR325is:
Compared to the Fidelio X2 the Grado’s has a smaller soundstage width and lose out in depth as well. The midrange on the Grado’s is  more forward while overall sound is less full and bass impact (especially sub-bass) and presence is also  lower. The overall presentation of the Grado’s is more intimate, brighter and with more treble presence ending up in a feeling of better clarity.
 
I’ve always found the comfort on the stock Grado’s to be terrible due to the combination of the weight of the housings and my small head. I’m also not particular found of on ears so I’ve modded my 325is with a HD650 head pad and some OEM velour pads and in this configuration I’d say that comfort is about equal between the two. The construction on the Grado’s is very simple but the material is also very good so I’d say that build quality is also equal on the two.
 
At 32Ohm/98dB the SR325is are rated very similar to the X2’s and that also shows in practice where I use them with the volume pot in the same place for both.
 

 
 
Fidelio X2 vs Fischer Audio FA-011:
The FA-011 was a revelation as an open headphone with great bass impact a couple of years ago. Compared to the X2’s they’ve got less sub bass and more mid-bass and also lose out in bass quality. They’ve got a much smaller soundstage in both depth and width and honestly are outclassed sonically by the X2’s.
 
Comfort is very good on both although the stock pads on the FA-011’s very thin so I’ve replaced them with some HiFiMAN velour pads and that works really well. I really love the wood housing of the FA-011’s but apart from that the construction is flimsy and gives a cheap feeling so overall build quality is definitely better on the X2’s.
 
At 160 Ohm/98dB the FA-011 are quite a bit harder to drive compared to the X2.
 

 
 
Summary:
While the Fidelio X2 is not the headphone for someone preferring a cold “neutral” sound I honestly don’t find it to be particular warm either but rather full and natural sounding.
 
The fact that they sound great out of any source and with any kind of music makes them the best all round headphone I’ve ever owned and I get a bit scared when thinking about what it’ll cost me to move up to a significantly better sound. Luckily I’m in no hurry for that since I still fully enjoy the Fidelio X2’s and expecting to do so for a long time still.  

Build
I've had a lot of headphones in the past and prior to this I thought in the sub 300 price category the Beyer DT990/880 were the best, they certainly still are at the top of the chart but this x2 is just as good and has a better styling, in my opinion these are one of the the better looking headphones out there. The headband is two metal rods that seem pretty sturdy, not exactly sure what the cups are made of but they seem well built and have a nice feel to them, overall I think these are built to last everything on this phone feels of premium quality. 

Aesthetics
To my eyes these cans are gorgeous, Phillips put some effort into the design of this can. With mostly metal and the use of leather on the headband make it look like a premium product. The cups have a very elegant yet simple design and mechanism used to attach the cups to the headband also look great with the circle ring around the ear-cup, I also think the grills complement the look and really like the pattern of the grill, also the grill being silver compared to the stealthy matt-black color of the phone adds contrast. Overall I think its a very pleasing, understated and elegant design. 

Comfort
Comfort has never been an issue for me as I don't even find the LCD series from Audeze uncomfortable and as most of you may have heard that the audeze's have a terrible reputation when it comes to comfort. Using memory foam pads which are pretty thick and the hammock system makes the phillips an easy and comfy wear, they don't create any hotspots on my head nor do they clamp tight, They feel like a pillow on my head they are extremely comfortable, it is when I wear these I notice that the big planars are uncomfortable. I don't think anyone will have an issue with these cans in terms of comfort, I have heard issues with the velour ear pads being itchy for some, unfortunately I don't have this particular problem with mine, could be me or my pair YMMV. 

Sound
I just adore the sound of these, They sound more like speakers in a room. The bass is amazing on these, although my He-500 and El-8 have tighter bass, this has more impact and a better slam which makes it much more pleasing for me, it doesn't quite have the refinement of the planars (texture and detail) but its not far off you could say its on par.
 
The mids are thick, juicy and very organic, they also sound pretty spacious and not as forward as the el-8, I also find the mids on the x2 very coherent and detailed.
 
The highs are a mixed bag for me, they are a bit laid back, which is what I like but they also have some grain and artificial-ness to them, they aren't articulate or as refined as more expensive headphones but still I find that they are not a big complaint at this price range. 


Soundstage and imaging are great on this phone, I find it better than the venerable HD600/650, and I also think they image and do soundstage better than my el-8 and He-500.

 
 
Conclusion
I think phillips has made an exceptional phone not only at its price range but a great headphone period. I think everyone should own a pair of these and enjoy it, they aren't as analytical or technically superb can as the HD-800 or other high end cans, but I believe that they are very balanced and extremely enjoyable and don't really do much wrong and play well with most genres. At the 500 under price range I don't think there is can that will offer a better listening experience than this, for mixing and other pro audio purposes I think one needs to look elsewhere, they are balanced and neutral but tuned for audio enjoyment rather than monitoring or mixing. 

The Philips Fidelio X2 are my favorite of all the headphones I have listened so far, except the LCD3, for a few reasons. I have a few headphones (Blue Mo-Fi, HD800, HD650, HD598, HD558, Urbanite On Ear, Urbanite Over Ear, Philips Fidelio X1, Grado SR80e, Beyerdynamic CustomOnePro, NVX XPT100, AKG K702,  HD419, HD429, HD449, ATHM50X, Audeze LCD3, Westone W30, Clarity One, Westone Alpha beta, Monster Cable Copper Pro, SMS In Ear Sport, JayBird BlueBuds X, Beyerdynamic DT99032, and more)....yes I actually have all of these as I work with headphones all day. They work will with pretty much every genre of music and sound really good. I listen to a wide variety of music, pretty much every genre except for Banda and Ranchero music. In my opinion they really shine on hip hop/rap, dubstep, and other electronic.  With music that focuses more on vocals and instruments like reggae, jazz, etc they could use a slight more center stage presence but unless you're able to AB test it to HD650 level headphones or higher you won't even notice.  They are slightly less detailed compared to some higher end cans but very close in my opinion. I like them better than the HD650 except the highs which are more laid back yet still detailed. With that said, I SOMETIMES switch to the HD650 when listening to bands and jazz. Anyways, I could go on for days about headphones so I'll end it here.  Great job Philips.

I bought the headphones on 26 / january / 2015 this first thing that made me happy was the excellent comfort of the headphones and the ability to stay on my head even if was leaning my head these headphones stay on your head and when you start playing music through them you would not  want to take them off .

I use audioengine D1 DAC/ AMP with the S/PDIF on my computer and the volume is more than enough on 35%  
 
This is the first headphone i have experienced the full range i didn't know how much detail i was missing  

I have heard 24 bit version of Pink floyd - comfortably numb, led zeppelin - no quarter , Jimi hendrix - voodoo Child and it felt like i was listening to it for the first time i heard new sounds that i never heard before 

list of songs 
Exist strategy - Horizon aura
Jake Chudnow - Shallow Anne
Ermes Thomas Window The Album Leaf
Zack Hemsey - The Way (Instrumental)
Ludovico Einaudi - Nuvole Bianche
Ludovico Einaudi - Divenire
Ludovico Einaudi - I Giorni
Al AMin - Meknes Arabia (to test the bass)
 

Let me start this review with some information about the company that made these headphones, Philips. The company that invented the CD, the first radio etc. As a Dutch guy, I'm very connected with this company. I’m studying at the Technical University of Eindhoven, where Philips has their main office and invented all their breakthroughs. This review is totally independent however. 
 
Philips only started to make high-end headphones three years ago, with the X1. It was made by some very young engineers in Belgium, and auditioned by the “golden ears” panel. 
 
There are only two acoustic engineers working at Philips at this moment, and only one industrial designer. It’s an extremely small team. And yet, they’re producing great headphones that are better than Sennheiser’s offerings. Sometimes, the best things seem to come from small teams (like the Microsoft Surface). 
 
Unboxing: In typical Philips “style” the box is very barebones black cardboard with white texts. Nothing fancy at all, no excessive use of parfume (like B&W does). The X1 had better packaging, but was also 100 dollars more expensive. I personally only care about the headphones, not the packaging. You can have stellar packaging (like Audeze), but if the headphone sounds horrible (Audeze el-8), you have only a nice box to look at. 
 
The build quality of these is pretty good, very sturdy and nicely built. In comparison with other brands in the same price range, it is way above the competition. The MDR-Z7 is already squeaking at every joint and the leather is degrading (the MDR-Z7 is a 700 dollar headphone!), I'm confident the X2 will last long.
 
The comfort of these is good, but it takes a while for the metal parts to break in. The clamping force in the beginning is a little bit high. The stretch band works very well and adjusts to your head very easily. If you have a small head, they might be too big. They seem to be developed for Dutch heads (those are pretty big). If you have a small head, the clamping force might be too low. 
 
Sound quality: not a lot of people have Fidelio products in their homes. I have the Fidelio E5 HiFi surround/stereo system. All of these products sound the same. Exactly tuned to their own house sound, as they do that using their golden ears panel, and the two sound engineers. 
 
The tuning is very neutral, no coloring in the mids and highs. The bass goes very deep, but is not exaggerated or lifted in any way. There is a sort of grain in the highs and mids. It isn’t very noticable, but in comparison with the Denon AH-MM400 they are not as clean. The quality of the bass is very addicting and in comparison with other headphones in this price range, but even above (like the EL-8), the Fidelio X2 has a better bass and lifelike sound. 
 
The midrange sounds a bit like it’s “out of phase”. This can be heard on every Fidelio product. It makes Jazz recordings very lifelike and open sounding. It sometimes doesn’t work that well with other genres, as it makes the midrange a bit “distant”. The hollowness is especially bad with poorly mastered rock music and live recordings. I can’t listen to live recordings on my Fidelio E5, as they sound very hollow, the same can sometimes be said about the Fidelio X2. It really depends on the quality of the CD. Keep in mind that a bad mastered song will sound bad on the X2. 
 
The imaging and soundstage is really something you can only get with an open headphone, and the X2 delivers in this regard. It's very good. 
 
In summary, I would recommend this headphone, as it's cheaper than it's rivals, sounds way better, is very comfortable and well-built.