[garethr]

Agree completely. It's weird that they left the airplane adapter out since it was included in the H9 third gen … The earcups aren't held on magnetically as they are on the H95 and the APM. Hopefully they're still removable.

Does it matter where on the engraved circle one's finger starts?

No you can start anywhere. If the earcups are similar to the H9 then they should be removable by clipping on or off - not been tempted to try that yet though

 

[angelom]

HX earpads are removable like h9 3g. This is fact not opinion.

 

[darkxvx]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/03...x-bang-and-olufsen-beoplay-portal-headphones/

These look very similar to the HX. Besides maybe dual pairing for Bluetooth, I wonder if there are any sound quality differences.

 

[thersites]

You can see some areas where they’ve made
some savings - the case whilst a big step up from the old felt bag or the impractical H95 box, feels nice, but not B&O ‘special’, the cables aren’t braided and tied with a leather tie, there is no airplane adapter and the earcups feel like a slightly cheaper polymer than on the H95.

The rest of the build is as good if not better than the H9 series - which was always light years ahead of the plastic rubbish Sony make.

The power button is much better than the old slider which was a known failure point, and the button toggle between ANC modes is much more practical than the H95 wheel.

Would you agree that except for people whose ear lobes won't fit the round cups, the HX is a *much* better buy than the H95? Braided cables tied with leather and an airplane adapter and a nice volume ring aren't worth $300. And there are sizable improvements on the HX, such as working ANC during voice calls, the wear sensor, and the ANC/transparency & on/off/bluetooth pairing buttons.

 

[rael67]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/03...x-bang-and-olufsen-beoplay-portal-headphones/

These look very similar to the HX. Besides maybe dual pairing for Bluetooth, I wonder if there are any sound quality differences.

I am wondering if they can also be used with the older X Box One X.

 

[darkxvx]

I am wondering if they can also be used with the older X Box One X.

I assume so considering how older headsets using Xbox 2.4ghz like the Arctis 9x works.

 

[angelom]

Would you agree that except for people whose ear lobes won't fit the round cups, the HX is a *much* better buy than the H95? Braided cables tied with leather and an airplane adapter and a nice volume ring aren't worth $300. And there are sizable improvements, such as the fixed ANC during voice calls, the wear sensor, and the ANC/transparency & on/off/bluetooth pairing buttons.

For me the wear sensor, on/off ANC/transparency button aren't important at all when comparing with h95. The volume dial, for me, is one of the very best things of the h95 and is COMPLETELY necessary.

I'm agree that braided cables and airline adapter isn't necessary that is premium construction. About the sound, we don't knowing 100% sure if they're different because, at least, one aspect is the drivers are having different material.

And about the material of the hx earpads that someone mentioning before, they're leather (not plastic/pleather):

 

[garethr]

Would you agree that except for people whose ear lobes won't fit the round cups, the HX is a *much* better buy than the H95? Braided cables tied with leather and an airplane adapter and a nice volume ring aren't worth $300. And there are sizable improvements, such as the fixed ANC during voice calls, the wear sensor, and the ANC/transparency & on/off/bluetooth pairing buttons.

Yes I think I would. They’re overall much better value, and still a large enough step up from the Sony/Bose competition to feel very B&O.

I’d say in these the APM has some stiff competition for sure now.
Seems B&O are finally starting to get into their groove again.

 

[matteventu]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/03...x-bang-and-olufsen-beoplay-portal-headphones/

These look very similar to the HX. Besides maybe dual pairing for Bluetooth, I wonder if there are any sound quality differences.

Oh man, I'm so screwing pissed at B&O after seeing these for how little effort they've put in the HX.

These (Beoplay Portal) come with bigger battery (1200mAh, the HX don't have 2.4GHz connection, so it definitely could have fit in them too), proper volume control buttons, microphone that works also when using the 3.5mm line-in cable and USB-C cable (HX don't), and most importantly, parametric EQ settings in the app (something we've been asking B&O since the H7 came out).

The ear cushions also look much more comfortable than the ones of the HX.

Seriously, they could have done much more with the XH.

I am quite disappointed.

 

[MayaTlab]

parametric EQ settings in the app

That doesn't look to me like a parametric EQ :

Could be better than nothing but that's wholly dependent on what exactly is the basal FR curve.

 

[matteventu]

That doesn't look to me like a parametric EQ :



Could be better than nothing but that's wholly dependent on what exactly is the basal FR curve.

Oops that's due to my ignorance, I thought "parametric EQ" was just the 5 (or more) band equaliser, not another more specific kind of EQ, my fault

Still, that 5-band EQ has been asked for years, now they've launched two different headphones within a week and just the gaming variant has it!? I mean, you have to be an asshole to consider your "music" customers of 2nd relevance compared to the ones you're aiming this headphones to (gaming people).

 

[thersites]

Oh man, I'm so screwing pissed at B&O after seeing these for how little effort they've put in the HX.

These (Beoplay Portal) come with bigger battery (1200mAh, the HX don't have 2.4GHz connection, so it definitely could have fit in them too), proper volume control buttons, microphone that works also when using the 3.5mm line-in cable and USB-C cable (HX don't), and most importantly, parametric EQ settings in the app (something we've been asking B&O since the H7 came out).

The ear cushions also look much more comfortable than the ones of the HX.

Seriously, they could have done much more with the XH.

I am quite disappointed.

Same price, too! Surely something had to be sacrificed in order to meet the same price point as the HX?!

 

[angelom]

These (Beoplay Portal) come with bigger battery (1200mAh, the HX don't have 2.4GHz connection, so it definitely could have fit in them too)

Battery is only little more big in the new beoplay Portal but battery life is many worse than beoplay hx and, of course, than h95 (12 & 24 vs 35 & 40 and 38 & 50 for h95).

I think the 5 bands EQ in the Portal model is meaning that maybe this feature is coming for all the other b&o bt models. I'm hoping this is true even when I think the factory sound of the h95 is very close with perfect.

 

[thersites]

Yes I think I would. They’re overall much better value, and still a large enough step up from the Sony/Bose competition to feel very B&O.

I’d say in these the APM has some stiff competition for sure now.
Seems B&O are finally starting to get into their groove again.

The only significant advantage I see in the APM is the (clearly?) better ANC. Frankly, I’m underwhelmed by the ANC in the H95/HX.

 

[Ravencroft]

Oh man, I'm so screwing pissed at B&O after seeing these for how little effort they've put in the HX.

These (Beoplay Portal) come with bigger battery (1200mAh, the HX don't have 2.4GHz connection, so it definitely could have fit in them too), proper volume control buttons, microphone that works also when using the 3.5mm line-in cable and USB-C cable (HX don't), and most importantly, parametric EQ settings in the app (something we've been asking B&O since the H7 came out).

The ear cushions also look much more comfortable than the ones of the HX.

Seriously, they could have done much more with the XH.

I am quite disappointed.

The only thing I wish the HXs would have is the virtual Dolby Atmos. There's a review by a B&O dealer according to whom the sound quality on HXs are better:

So the HXs have better sound quality and much better battery life (35 hours vs 24). I'd be curious to have mic comparison.