[benbenkr]

  Is there anyone who can shine a conclusive light on the X1 vs X2?
In the Netherlands the X1 available for 189 and X2 for 299 EUR.

 
Not until another few months would I say that the X2 > X1. Reason being, there's too little exposure over the X2 right now. Not even that many knows there's an X2, let alone own it.

 

[dailysmoker]

I don't get it way the change of cable,i tried 2 different cables but neither of them sounded better just worse.....stock cable is the best for me,does anybody else think that or is it just me

 

[CoiL]

Then those two other cables must be even lower quality/higher impedance and/or Your X1 cable is one of those good ones with lower impedance. Or, third option, You just like looser/warmer/muddier sound more.

 

[vizzle]

Just my 2c on X1 vs AKG k702:

1. Bass is real fun, and on other hand is quite good with o2 amp, I think I like that impact and subbass (from my mobile there is to much bass).

Thing is that akg bass is just short, quick like bumm (you can hear it but there is no impact) and gone empty space bumm and gone. AKG do not build "bass cushion". You will just get what is in mix and nothing more.

2. X1 music is closer to your ears, so I am missing that space, X1 is like room, k702 is like hall. So X1 is not as intimate.

3. X1 are good for quiet sessions where AKG shines if you play them louder then normal lvl.

4. High freq where more outlined and more detailed on AKG, they where just better.

5. X1 is like my stereo (tannoy v4) and AKG is like microscope designed for studio use. If mix is bad, you will not be able to listen to it.You can play game with pointing what is done wrong, how they balanced mix.

6. X1 is fun and quite fast fun.

7. On AKG instrument are like 10m apart, so you can just track all sounds with no problem. With x1 music is a coherent whole.

8, My head is bit to big for X1 lol so comfort goes to AKG (and yes I do not have problem with bumps)

Now I am not sure if will keep X1, but for 180e (new) will I get any better? k712 is to expensive now :/

 

[CoiL]

2. X1 music is closer to your ears, so I am missing that space, X1 is like room, k702 is like hall. So X1 is not as intimate.

7. On AKG instrument are like 10m apart, so you can just track all sounds with no problem. With x1 music is a coherent whole.

How long have You used (burned-in) Your X1 and are Your using any amping + aftermarket cable?
 
Can`t say a word about K702 but I find X1 soundstage to be very big and open and I also can track all sounds with no problem, they nicely set apart, in depth and width. Wouldn`t call X1 intimate in any way. But I agree, with X1 music sounds as coherent whole.

  For me, at the beginning they also sounded littlebit "muffled" and lacked in bass tightness & kick. After cable change and amping with at least 150-200h playtime, it "opened" up properly. Now bass&kick is tight. Also soundstage, separation and transparency much better. Totally in love with that sound they provide. The soundstage depth towards front-middle is just amazing. 
Yes, they are warmish sounding cans with only little emphasis on bass but FAR away from sub-woofer like basshead cans.
These cans are more meant for enjoying music while still being able to easily listen all the detail if wanted.
To make them sound better, they need exactly what Mike said in his headfonia review about them:

The 1840 is still more refined, and the mids and highs are smoother, but I find that a good tube amp can help the X1 in those departments. 

This headphone has a good speed and attack by default, so I won’t be needing a solid state. What it needs, however is a little smoother treble and a little boost in the mids body. The ALO Pan Am is the best pairing I’ve heard with the X1 especially with the smooth Siemens tube upgrade.

And I agree with that... based on Aune T1 + Siemens E88CC and iBasso DX50. Both smoothen littlebit X1 treble and boost up mids section. Also bass is brought down tad, making them little more neutral. Result is very very enjoyable, at least for me

 

[vizzle]

  How long have You used (burned-in) Your X1 and are Your using any amping + aftermarket cable?
 
Can`t say a word about K702 but I find X1 soundstage to be very big and open and I also can track all sounds with no problem, they nicely set apart, in depth and width. Wouldn`t call X1 intimate in any way. But I agree, with X1 music sounds as coherent whole.

 
Well as I experience burnin give you just "a bit change" so over 50h mark I think they will sound the same way as now, with slight change maybe.
 
If you think that X1 soundstage is big and open you will get lost with AKG but again k702 is like "multi sound presenting machine". X1 is better allrounder and is "bad mix/master proof"
 
And yes I am using different cable with X1.

 

[CoiL]

Well, I know many don`t believe in burn-in but I bought my X1`s as used and they had only about 50h behind them. Like I told already:

...at the beginning they also sounded littlebit "muffled" and lacked in bass tightness & kick. 

...and this was with 50h behind them. Some part of this change is probably brain getting used to it but I let them play most of time without listening so I could make better judgement. Btw, even my girlfriend said they have changed a lot after she first heard them and she didn`t listen with them at all meanwhile. I didn`t have any bigger "wow" factor when I compared them against my heavily modded HD-681 on Aune T1... but now I can make huge difference between those cans with X1 being far superior. For me this is not just "a bit of change"  
 
Not trying to say You are wrong but I certainly wouldn`t call X1`s "intimate & room".
Let them settle in for some time with little amping

 

[vizzle]

I do believe in burn-in but what I tray to say is that characteristic is/will be the same with more or less change to some aspects. When I received them bass was not far from AKG k702 with just bit more sub bass and that make me realy happy because I am not bass head. Now I can notice:
 
1. More bass, more impact and quantity.
2. Highs are getting better, no so sibilant as they where
 
With 50mm driver I think they do need some time to be at full potential.
 
 
From my memory  I can compare them to DT990 PRO 250 Ohm (same price). And they are just in different tier then Beyer.
 
1. DT990 bass and highs where missing information, just like from song to song same bass and hight line (that is what I was thinking when going from DT990 to AKG k702)
2. Beyer mids are lost with U shape, so metal and rock like Pink Floyd sound just ...if you getting bass, bass, bass and on top of that harsh highs is hard to focus with mids. I would not agree that x1 is V shaped simply because highs are just in line.
3. Soundstage, dt990 is there any?
4. Dt990 where like vice to my big head so 30 minute session maximum
 
X1 is fun headphone which can handle instrumental music like Apocalyptica (one big mess on dt990), metal like Slayer and electronic like deadmou5 and that is so impressive! If I think about price180e/126$/130pund WOW THAT IS SOMETHING!

 

[allets]

CoiL, why did you quote me there? 

 

[CoiL]

Edited You out but it was kinda part of context

 

[vizzle]

So I just read it, before it look like you quote be mistake. Tube amp (high output impedance) to ~30 Ohm headphones, why you are changing that animal that way? EQ is not enough if needed?

 

[HarleyZH]

The Philips X1 soundstage size is very impressive for a bassier can, but the K702 is a bigger soundstage, the HD800 even bigger still - K1000 the biggest. The X1 is around the T1 in stage size from my listening.

 

[CoiL]

  So I just read it, before it look like you quote be mistake. Tube amp (high output impedance) to ~30 Ohm headphones, why you are changing that animal that way? EQ is not enough if needed?

EQ can never achieve results as DAC (tube buffered) or AMP do. EQ = sound change (degrading), amping = improvement. Period.
Although, tube buffer is also kind of "eq" but no EQ can do soundstage, imaging, transparency etc. improvements like tubes.
 
X1 doesn`t scale up much with amping but little amping improves bass/kick tightness and clarity exactly as much as X1 needs (subjective of course).
Also, remember that X1 maximum power input is 500mW. Amping isn`t only about impedance. As much as I know, Aune T1 should output 1000mW @ 32Ohm 0-gain setting and that`s why I use it @ medium +10dB gain setting because it outputs 400mW @ 120Ohm. Sound improvement is noticeable between those settings.

 

[vizzle]

  EQ can never achieve results as DAC (tube buffered) or AMP do. EQ = sound change (degrading), amping = improvement. Period.
Although, tube buffer is also kind of "eq" but no EQ can do soundstage, imaging, transparency etc. improvements like tubes.

 
Well more distortion (THD+N:  1% from that 300$ amp) and problem with dumping factor (low impedance headphones) give you super eq suound? Mythical tube amps. When current is needed, just SS with "zero Ohm output". Period. Some like blonde, some like brunettes. I think that if you need to change the way X1 are, maybe will be better to change headphones?

 

[CoiL]

Aune T1 is not tube amp. It`s SS DAC (tube buffered) + SS amp: http://www.head-fi.org/t/633006/aune-t1-usb-tube-dac-amp-discussion-thread-see-first-post-for-faq
And same amping improvements with X1 go for iBasso DX50 also, running @ mid gain. Although DX50 output mW is much less than T1, still improvements are noticeable.

I think that if you need to change the way X1 are, maybe will be better to change headphones?

Maybe we all stop using amps and dacs and start using headphones as they are? Most of headphones benefit from amping, just does X1 but doesn`t scale up much as most of headphones. Still, littlebit amping give the improvement needed