Hey, can you tell me how they are compared to the DT 990?

I stuck between the Fidelio X1, X2 and the DT 990? What should I choose? I mainly listen to Rock, Hip hop, rap and Pop. And I want enough bass!

Hey,
 
I can write a detailed description for you but I'll make it not too lenghty.
 
*Looks: X2 and X1 are better looking IMHO. However the DT990 doesn't look bad by any means. X2/X1 wins!
 
*Comfort: Both are very comfortable but X2 has edge over X1 which has edge over DT990. Keep in mind that not all heads are created equal. X2 wins!
 
*X2/X1 has a removeable cable and the DT990 doesn't.  I much prefer having a removable cable. I also recommend buying a new cable if you go with X2/X1, it really does make a slight difference like you may have seen in other reviews. x2/x1 wins.
 
Treble Highs: DT990 are a little to bright for me.  If you ears are sensitive to highs and/or you listen to your music really loud.  You may not want to go with these.  The x1 are not bright at all so you wouldn't have to worry about any fatigue there. If you like a good amount of highs then skip these.  The x2 can be slightly bright depending on the song but Ok on 80%+ of music.  X2 wins!
 
Miidrange: DT990 are a little recessed so some instruments like trombone and male voices may not have enough presence for you but with hiphop/rap and pop it may not be an issue. Some rock it may be an issue with instruments (trombone, guitar) if you like to really like them to be more present. X1 was not really that recessed but the bass muddies it a little.  Again should not be an issue and it's better than the DT990.  The X2 hands down has the best and most natural midrange.  X2 wins.
 
Bass: DT990 has the least of the bass but good enough unless you're a super bass head.  The X2 have really good quality bass and more than the DT990. By quality I mean being able to hear the full range of bass frequencies and low bass extension but lower sub frequencies are not as loud as with the X1.  The X2 bass complements the midrange and Highs well.  The X1 have the most bass but not a lot more than the X2. The X1 wins on the genres we both like.
 
Overall, I'd say go with the X2 IF you do mess with other genres from time to time and want Audiophile sound.  If you will ONLY be using these for hiphop/rock/rap then you'll be happy with the X1.  This is relative to the headphones you asked about.  However if you like a lot of bass and not concerned as much about quality then get Beyerdynamic Customoneproplus. They're not bright but has more and punchier bass.  The plus is that you can adjust the bass if its too much or too little for you. If you want some bad ass headphones for bass check out the Blue Mo-Fi they have awesome bass, they have an amp, and have good balance. They would be my second choice after the X2.
 
Hope this helps

I wrote this fast but I hope it's clear enough for you. My English teacher would have been disappointed I didn't proof read it first. Haha.

Can you give a little more detail about these, compared to the hd650?  thanks

How about you give me a few (3) songs you listen to and I'll give comparisons related to those songs? Or if there are specific genres. 

First: Unless you get to AB test them you would be happy either way.  I believe you really have to play the same songs on each back to back to identify and appreciate each headphone's strengths.
 
No matter what song you play the instant you switch from the HD650 to the X2 you will easily identify that the X2 has more bass and deeper bass. The bass is more fulfilling.  It's not too much bass to where it overpowers your music.  It's like upgrading from a 8" car or home subwoofer to a 10" subwoofer.
 
The extra bass ever so slightly reduces the level of detail you can hear. When I played the interlude from Yosi Horikawa's Vapor album I first listened to it on the X2. It sounded awesome; very detailed hearing creaks in boat, water splashing, and when the bass came it complemented well.  When I played the song on the HD650 it was even more detailed and I noticed some distant sounds I didn't initially hear with the X2s until I put them back on again. To give the detail perspective, it's like watching a movie in 720P HD (X2) and then watching it again in 1080P (HD650).
 
Mids on both headphones are great but this is where it was more difficult to really identify differences.  The are both balanced but the mids on the X2 seem slightly more forward.  I actually had a coworker do a blind test and he also thought the X2 mids were more forward and warmer.  I tested mids on some acoustic blues using Lead Me On by Kelly Joe Phelps and Am I wrong by Keb' Mo'.  The male vocals were slightly meatier, probably do to crossover from the bass, which I found to be more enjoyable. 
 
Soundstage on the X2 is wider/bigger than the HD650. I feel more immersed in the music,like watching a movie on a 65" screen (X2) instead of a 50" screen (HD650). That's the best way I can put it. Electronic music, classical, reggae and acoustic music benefit greatly from the wider soundstage. 
 
Highs are definitely brighter on the X2! I especially notice this with rap and electronic music which use artificial sounds.  Listening to Core by RL Grime and B Boy (ft. Big Sean, Meek Mill, ASAP Ferg,...) it's easy to tell that the X2 are brighter a little grainy. It's not bothersome unless you are listening to the songs at higher volumes where it becomes a little fatiguing but like in my previous post it really depends on the songs. In other songs that are mixed darkly its actually a plus to have it brighter. i.e Any of the songs on "Based on a True Story" album by Fat Fredy's Drop.
 
Efficiency: The X2, with the lower impedance, doesn't necessarily need an amp like the HD650 to sound good. However, the X2 does sound better with an amp.  It all depends on the amp but the bass can get tighter, sound more balanced, and overall more full sound.
 
Other songs that I tested:
 
Electronic music:
Firestone by Kygo    HD650!!!
Dangerous by Big Data (Oliver Remix) sounds sick!! on the X2
 
Womens Vocals: HD650
99 by Hollie Cook
Sway by Marian Hill
 
Classic Rock:
Juke Box Hero by Foreigner...

Juke Box Hero by Foreigner sound better on the HD650
 
Dubstep & Rap: X2
CoCo by OT Genesis
King Kunta by Kendrick Lamar
Core by RL Grime
Roll the bass by Major Laser
"****** That" by Skrillex
 
 
Hope all this helps.

Great reviews. I especially liked those in the comments where you compared X2 with HD650 on different genres. Help me a lot in choosing one of the two.

Thanks for the comment and I'm glad it helped you. What did you end up going with?

Hi, Sediman, thx for a great review/comparison with hd 650. You seem to know what you are talking about. So maybe you might give me some more insight. I'm almost sold on the x2, especially considering so many praising reviews. But still I am undecided whether to get hd 650 or x2 ( and it drives me crazy) considering they are almost same price.  ( i have a fiio e10k which I like and have no intention to buy more amps btw)
I did have a chance to listen a little bit to hd 650 in the store and liked them way more then  other high-end stuff they had in stock. Unfortunately they dont sell x2 where I'm from so I cant audition them myself. So as of now for me 650 has no cons, great legacy and design/comfort and considered an audiophile-grade hp. And x2 are compared to many great HPs and trumps them for the fraction of a price but still is not a hi-end HP according to reviewers. Anyway, I'd appreciate if you could help me decide which one to buy, another link to hd 650/x2 comparison maybe?

You should go with the X2.  Being that Sennheiser is enforcing MAP pricing on their products the HD650 pricing has been increasing. The X2 can now be bought at 247.99.  You also mentioned that you have the e10k which I actually have one of (e10). That amp will not supply the HD650 with enough power to make it shine.  The X2 on the other has sounds great on the e10. If you're traveling with it your phone or Hifi player will be able to supply the x2 with sufficient power. Last thing, if you are new to the headphone game then the x2 is a better all around to start with.  Then as you get more involved then add the hd650 to your collection.  I still use the HD650 for specific songs but 8 times out of 10 I will use the x2. If you have more questions let me know.

Wow, thank you for such a quick answer. I really appreciate your insights. True, I recently bought a e10k and I'm sure not ready to sink another $300 into an amp. Can you give some quick impressions on using 650 with e10k?
Well my thinking was always that its either a 650 or x2 since ppl seem to think they are somewhat alike.  Probably the only thing that is keeping me from going to amazon right now is the part of your review that says that x2 is like 720p and 650 is 1080p which I think makes a difference. Oh, and you also said treble can be disturbing at times on x2, is it still the case?
I also owned and had lots of fun listening to sony mdr 1a, also a 300$ hp for 2 weeks ( really loved the sound, to the point of feeling bad for returning them lol) but returned them today because of little comfort issues and the fact that the wind whistles through bass ports when outside and i bought them for on-the go use, while at home i prefer open-back design hence all my questions about hd650 vs x2. At this point i'm more biased towards the x2.

The depending on your source the e10k will provide the HD650 with a little more power but the sound quality will not be improved.  If you're listening the mp3 and other lower quality audio files then it may work fine for you but that defeats the purpose of getting the HD650.
 
As I have a lot more hours on the X2 now I can say that the higher frequencies are no longer disturbing. It's either because my ears adjusted or the headphones are fully broken in. I feel its the latter.

If you still want the HD650 you should check out this thread. http://www.head-fi.org/t/761701/hottest-sonic-electronix-deals-and-promotions

Hey there, I got myself an x2 from amazon, and I love the sound very much: the soundstage, the bass the mids, greatest separation I ever heard.
But I still have buyers remorse, because the sound is outstanding except fore one thing: the treble. To my ears it is harsh, edgy, hot, overemphasized, fatiguing, if not for  that, I'd call it an endgame hp for me.
In your experience, how much time does it take for treble to settle in?