[parkerlewis]

Muse is tough on the X1s I've found, especially the live ones. I believe it's the way they're albums are engineered. Also, what type of files are you using? Nevertheless, if it's compared side by side, same source, etc with your 558s, it should still be competitive. I would say the only thing would be burn in. My X1s handle Muse a bit better now after weeks of burn in.

 
I think you're right and I maybe just picked a bad first track (Hysteria) to test the X1s out with. After a few more hours listening to all types of genres I've pretty much done a 180 on the X1s and I'm enjoying them a lot, both amped with the E18 and just using them directly plugged into my laptop/phone. Tons of bass but all the benefits of open headphones that I had enjoyed with the 558s.

 

[thievesarmy]

   
I think you're right and I maybe just picked a bad first track (Hysteria) to test the X1s out with. After a few more hours listening to all types of genres I've pretty much done a 180 on the X1s and I'm enjoying them a lot, both amped with the E18 and just using them directly plugged into my laptop/phone

 
I'd let them burn in a bit - many have said they benefit mightily from it, with some even saying they outright hated the sound at first, but after a couple days of burn they changed completely. Hopefully you'll find similar results.

 

[ULUL]

I missed the X1 deal by about an hour.  Sigh.
 
If any here got one and it is not what you are looking for, I would be grateful to be able to take it off your hand. Please PM.
 
Thanks,
UL

 

[Oregonian]

Is it BASShead bass or audiophile bass?

Audiophile. Played Eagles One of these Nights on vinyl thru the Spec system.........man it sounded amazingly deep.

 

[Grandagony]

   
I think you're right and I maybe just picked a bad first track (Hysteria) to test the X1s out with. After a few more hours listening to all types of genres I've pretty much done a 180 on the X1s and I'm enjoying them a lot, both amped with the E18 and just using them directly plugged into my laptop/phone. Tons of bass but all the benefits of open headphones that I had enjoyed with the 558s.

Hysteria is a great song but it sadly sounds like crap no matter what you're listening to it on. Live it's a completely different song.

 

[ajreynol]

wow you guys aren't kidding about the cable.

As soon as I plugged them into my DAC I was like, "hmm...kinda...idunno...muddy?"

Switched the cable with one of my old Beats cables and everything I noticed to be muffled/muddy cleared up.  I'll order some other cable because this one is red...but yea.  No doubt about it.  Cable made a big difference in this case.

 

[JazzG]

Only got a chance to have a quick go on them yesterday on my iPhone, wow these are stunning and amazing how good they sound with no amplification.  Probably do what I did with my DT880s and whether I'm using them or not put some music on repeat every night for a few hours to get them burned in quicker.  Surprisingly my wife loves them as well, she had a quick listen and was like
 
Still awaiting my Boompro Mic & chat cable so not tried on PS4 yet

 

[Fearless1]

   
I'd let them burn in a bit - many have said they benefit mightily from it, with some even saying they outright hated the sound at first, but after a couple days of burn they changed completely. Hopefully you'll find similar results.

I was in this category. I nearly put them up for sale, but am glad I did not. not sure if it was getting used to the sound-signature, brain burn-in or swapping cables, but they now see a ton of head-time in my rotation. They are fantastic for the price. 

 

[benbenkr]

Maybe I'm going mad... but today (right now actually), I just decided to switch back to the stock cable just for the heck of it and hear how it sounds in comparison to the mediabridge cable. Last time I did a comparison was many, many months ago.
 
Guess what? I love the stock cable. 

 

[parkerlewis]

Audiophile. Played Eagles One of these Nights on vinyl thru the Spec system.........man it sounded amazingly deep.

 
Nice, that was one of the songs I picked to test out the X1s (though I only had a FLAC CD rip) and I really enjoyed it too.

 

[ajreynol]

  Maybe I'm going mad... but today (right now actually), I just decided to switch back to the stock cable just for the heck of it and hear how it sounds in comparison to the mediabridge cable. Last time I did a comparison was many, many months ago.
 
Guess what? I love the stock cable. 

 
What kind of music do you listen to?  To me, the muddiness and constrained highs was immediately apparent with the stock cable after switching from my D7000's.  Both issues were quite clearly addressed by swapping the stock cable with my old Beats cable.  The only way I could imagine different findings is if the music you're listening to simply doesn't spend a lot of time in the areas of sound where that cable's problems are highlighted.

I was listening to the Man of Steel soundtrack and some John Coltrane and I'd pick the Beats cable 10 times out of 10.  Those upper-lows and lower-mids that the stock cable struggles with are no problem with this Beats cable.  Not to mention the treble improvement.

YMMV, of course.

 

[chicolom]

  Maybe I'm going mad... but today (right now actually), I just decided to switch back to the stock cable just for the heck of it and hear how it sounds in comparison to the mediabridge cable. Last time I did a comparison was many, many months ago.
 
Guess what? I love the stock cable. 

 
BLASPHEMYYY!!!
 
I don't really hear much difference.
 
 
Here's my opinion on the cable:
 
I think some people take any issues they have with the sound on a piece of gear and then blame it all on the first interchangeable part.  I see this happen a lot with the Fidelio X1 - people listen to it and then blame any issues they have with the sound on its stock cable (with it's 1 ohm of extra resistance

). Add in a dose of placebo and expectation bias, and all their issues with the sound seem to magically get fixed as soon as they use a different cable (I've seen people state they hear "night and day differences" when switching out cables).  The cable starts becoming the scapegoat for everyone's issues.  After this process of people blaming their problems on the cable repeats for a while, people eventually start labeling the stock cable as "lousy","garbage", "trash", etc.  New people who get the headphones read the negative remarks and often just conform to the idea that the cable actually is garbage, and then they voice it themselves - and the cycle repeats.

 

[bassboysam]

BLASPHEMYYY!!!

I don't really hear much difference.


Here's my opinion on the cable:

I think some people take any issues they have with the sound on a piece of gear and then blame it all on the first interchangeable part.  I see this happen a lot with the Fidelio X1 - people listen to it and then blame any issues they have with the sound on its stock cable (with it's 1 ohm of extra resistance :eek: ). Add in a dose of placebo and expectation bias, and all their issues with the sound seem to magically get fixed as soon as they use a different cable (I've seen people state they hear "night and day differences" when switching out cables).  The cable starts becoming the scapegoat for everyone's issues.  After this process of people blaming their problems on the cable repeats for a while, people eventually start labeling the stock cable as "lousy","garbage", "trash", etc.  New people who get the headphones read the negative remarks and often just conform to the idea that the cable actually is garbage, and then they voice it themselves - and the cycle repeats.

I'm with you the difference in sound is barely noticeable. But this is head-fi, be prepared to be burned at the stake.

 

[Snoopy Ears]

Maybe it has to do something with which DAP and source files you're using as well.  Oh well.  All I can say is that the X1 is my favorite headphone for home listening (late '10 MacBook Pro w/ VAMP VERZA and Mediabridge cable).

 

[ourfpshero]

OMG, I have tried a few different cables with this and the difference is .............hardly there if at all. I have recabled many headphones and some, usually older, headphones do have a little change, this isn't one of them. The greater resistance to he stock cable will make a lower ohm cable seem brighter, but that's mostly a volume increase.