[Synergist969]

  HELP!!! -------------- Becoming less certain regarding choices...
 
  Ok, about a week ago I queried the sonic character, and advantages/disadvantages of the Fidelio X1's vs. the Fidelio X2's...as well as the Hx. of issues/problems concerning them and if/how they have been resolved.
 
  NOW I am learning that TWO separate entities, (manufacturers(?)), have been/are currently(?) manufacturing the X2's...
 
My rather vague, current understanding is that the woox version is the problematic one, and the Gibson version is essentially problem free and sounds great...???...
 
PLEASE confirm or deny that I am understanding this correctly...?...and if not, please educate me further...???...
 
If in fact the Gibson version(?) is the Fidelio X2 headphone to purchase, how do I go about Identifying, locating, purchasing and verifying THAT version...
 
Thank you ALL in advance, I REALLY would like to try this headphone, however, with ALL the concerns expressed, I certainly do NOT want to mistakenly purchase a poor product...(one that  Philips would regret manufacturing/selling...)

 

[ZapX629]

    HELP!!! -------------- Becoming less certain regarding choices...
 
  Ok, about a week ago I queried the sonic character, and advantages/disadvantages of the Fidelio X1's vs. the Fidelio X2's...as well as the Hx. of issues/problems concerning them and if/how they have been resolved.
 
  NOW I am learning that TWO separate entities, (manufacturers(?)), have been/are currently(?) manufacturing the X2's...
 
My rather vague, current understanding is that the woox version is the problematic one, and the Gibson version is essentially problem free and sounds great...???...
 
PLEASE confirm or deny that I am understanding this correctly...?...and if not, please educate me further...???...
 
If in fact the Gibson version(?) is the Fidelio X2 headphone to purchase, how do I go about Identifying, locating, purchasing and verifying THAT version...
 
Thank you ALL in advance, I REALLY would like to try this headphone, however, with ALL the concerns expressed, I certainly do NOT want to mistakenly purchase a poor product...(one that  Philips would regret manufacturing/selling...)

Ok, after researching this just to be sure, the WOOX version is the original run of headphones. Gibson bought WOOX from Philips or something like that, and Gibson started manufacturing the X2 with glued earpads and less quality control according to many folks around the net. Some say the difference isn't great, others say it's a big difference. I've only heard the originals, so I can't comment myself, but that's the situation. The only way you could be 100% sure is probably buying used or asking the retailer.

 

[LayLay]

Did Woox manufacture the X1 too? (EDIT: dug out the box to check, YUP!)
 
@Synergist: well, you could still just get the X1 if you feel hunting down the right X2 model is too big of a risk. If all are as good as mine with the cable replaced then I can heartily recommend them. Of course, I haven't heard the X2's, neither of them, which is why I didn't reply to your query until now.

 

[ZapX629]

  Did Woox manufacture the X1 too? (EDIT: dug out the box to check, YUP!)
 
@Synergist: well, you could still just get the X1 if you feel hunting down the right X2 model is too big of a risk. If all are as good as mine with the cable replaced then I can heartily recommend them. Of course, I haven't heard the X2's, neither of them, which is why I didn't reply to your query until now.

Yeah, either one is going to be a great deal and great value if you're a fan of warm or fun headphones. The X2 has a bit more refinement and control, but like I said, I feel like the treble and upper midrange sounds better on the X1. They're much more similar than different, so I'd just recommend the best deal you can find. Both my friend and I agreed that if you put one on rather than the other, you could tell which is which, but wouldn't really notice unless you had heard both and payed close attention. 

 

[CoiL]

As far as I know, woox didn`t produce X1. 
Maybe I mixed up which is oog version of X2 - woox or gibson - idk, I just read that there were lot of problems with QC due to manufacturer change and ppl reporting sound quality differences. One must do his/her own research.

 

[CoiL]

duplicate post... don`t know how. Sorry.

 

[LayLay]

  I guess you should try a 0.75$ cable then...
You'll find out how the noise gets more and more resolution and detail.

I did something similar (to recap, this is about RCA interconnects). I rummaged through a big bag full of old cables to look for the crappiest cable I could find. I found a dusty, dirty old generic cheapie, impossibly thin wires, and connected them. First impression was that that my system definitely sounded different. On further listening I was very pleased by the change. They seem to take off the harshness that I had with the other cables, make the sound more mellow, nicer, I dare even say warmer. They don't have the clarity, yet the sound is more pleasant and it's easier to hear the entire music, it all sounds more homogenous somehow, less separated. And for some reason lyrics are more intelligible than before, and easier to follow. All around I am very happy, my system now sounds like I like.

 

[Midgetguy]

  I did something similar (to recap, this is about RCA interconnects). I rummaged through a big bag full of old cables to look for the crappiest cable I could find. I found a dusty, dirty old generic cheapie, impossibly thin wires, and connected them. First impression was that that my system definitely sounded different. On further listening I was very pleased by the change. They seem to take off the harshness that I had with the other cables, make the sound more mellow, nicer, I dare even say warmer. They don't have the clarity, yet the sound is more pleasant and it's easier to hear the entire music, it all sounds more homogenous somehow, less separated. And for some reason lyrics are more intelligible than before, and easier to follow. All around I am very happy, my system now sounds like I like.

Perhaps you're more treble-sensitive than you initially thought. Taming the highs would stay in line with your thoughts about there being less clarity since I feel the two are very connected and sounding more pleasant means your ears agree with it more, probably because it's now smoother and less fatiguing with lower treble energy.

 

[artheo]

My Chord Mojo is expected to arrive around Thursday 28.
 
I will post again when I receive it...

 

[artheo]

CoiL:
about the "Van Damme Pro Grade Classic XKE pro-patch" cable, can you safely recommend it not only as a headphone cable for the X1's but as a line-level interconnect too? For example to construct a 3.5mm to RCA cable, in order to connect a DAC to an integrated amplifier.
Have you compared it to any other ready-made or bulk cable such as Mogami, Belden, Canare, Choseal etc?

 

[CoiL]

  CoiL:
about the "Van Damme Pro Grade Classic XKE pro-patch" cable, can you safely recommend it not only as a headphone cable for the X1's but as a line-level interconnect too? For example to construct a 3.5mm to RCA cable, in order to connect a DAC to an integrated amplifier.

I don`t know what You mean about "safe" but it is very good quality cable imo. I did use it for my own made 3.5mm > RCA LO connection (for using with DX5X):

 
 

Have you compared it to any other ready-made or bulk cable such as Mogami, Belden, Canare, Choseal etc?

No, I haven`t compared the SQ if You meant that. For me, with home-hi-fi systems, it`s enough if cables have good build quality and screening along with good quality plugs. Never noticed much difference between home system cables between amps and such. Well, at least I haven`t heard difference yet but I don`t have high-end or even midrange system at home, so who knows, maybe there is difference. 

 

[artheo]

Safely recommend means recommend without any doubts and I understood from your answer that you are pretty sure about that cable.
 
My experience with audio cables is that they don't affect much the actual SQ but add some "character" to the sound. For example I 've noticed that thin cables sound thinner too and have a bit smaller soundstage in comparison to thick cables. The two bluejeans cables that I have, pronounce and extend better highs and lows. Also some cables I own sound more forward and others more laid back. But in all cases the differences are subtle.
So I am asking now, does the Van Damme pro patch cable have a special character?
An amazon reviewer tried it as a tonearm cable and was rather disappointed as "The high frequencies and mid range seemed 'compressed' with the midrange also too prominently emphasised, whilst the bass seemed slightly vague". Is this the true character of the Van Damme cable or the "bad" performance was due to inappropriate use?

 

[CoiL]

 
So I am asking now, does the Van Damme pro patch cable have a special character?

I really don`t know. It is cable, not character. It does have quite low impedance (per 3m cable I measured 0.8 Ohm). It is SPUPOFC, twisted pair and that`s all I know.

An amazon reviewer tried it as a tonearm cable and was rather disappointed as "The high frequencies and mid range seemed 'compressed' with the midrange also too prominently emphasised, whilst the bass seemed slightly vague". Is this the true character of the Van Damme cable or the "bad" performance was due to inappropriate use?

Hasn`t compressed anything with gear and implementations I`ve used it for. Midrange "emphasize" could come from just of the nature of this cable - it is copper and can`t say anything "vague" about bass. Like I said, I don`t have such gear and selection of different cables to claim one sounding different or "better". There are also many other factors than cable and if one calls some cable "bad" because it didn`t fit his system or subjective (pseudo?) hearing taste - then it is purely subjective and it doesn`t apply to everything and everybody.
 
In case of X1 - main issue was(is) stock cable impedance which was(is) too high and affects sound. That VanD. cable made X1 sound better to my ears with my gear and that`s it. 
I can recommend it for headphone cable and for interconnects usage because I haven`t found any "issue" with their sounding or "character" as You say.

 

[artheo]

Ok you are very clear.
 
One technical question, off topic. When you make a 3.5mm to RCA cable like the one in the picture, you solder two cables coming from the RCA plugs to a single cable which goes to the 3.5mm plug? Or you twist two cables from the 3.5mm jack and separate them before they rreach the RCA plugs? And finally do you put some custom sleeve to look like in the picture you posted or what we see is the cable's original coating?

 

[CoiL]

That` s original cable coating and it comes in many different colours: http://www.van-damme.com/14.html
 
I used twisted pair for L/R connections and screening for ground. From Y-split towards RCA ends - R channel uses both twisted wires and L channel uses another cable twisted pair, screening for ground.