[Freetrademan]

Hello everyone, just wondering how to the L2 compare with the ATH MSR7, i've listened to the MSR7 and I love how they sound, LOVE THEM! But im just wondering if the l2 are better?

I bought both. They aren't a close comparison. When I opened up the L2 and put on my test tracks, my first impression - within 10 seconds - was "Wow. I am REALLY gonna like these." They have brilliant highs, a smooth midrange, and a strong low end. Plus, they're comfortable and good-looking. Over time, that first impression has been reinforced.
On the other hand, when I opened up the MSR7 and put my music on, my first impression - within 10 seconds - was "What the hell. I've been had. They can't be serious with this thing." I have better cans that cost 50 bucks. The low end was anemic, the mids were blah, and the highs were piercing and fatiguing. I kept listening for a couple days, but gave up and boxed them up for return. Definitely not worth $250 - especially when you can get the L2 (or even the ATH-M50x, which is actually better) for $150.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

I bought both. They aren't a close comparison. When I opened up the L2 and put on my test tracks, my first impression - within 10 seconds - was "Wow. I am REALLY gonna like these." They have brilliant highs, a smooth midrange, and a strong low end. Plus, they're comfortable and good-looking. Over time, that first impression has been reinforced.
On the other hand, when I opened up the MSR7 and put my music on, my first impression - within 10 seconds - was "What the hell. I've been had. They can't be serious with this thing." I have better cans that cost 50 bucks. The low end was anemic, the mids were blah, and the highs were piercing and fatiguing. I kept listening for a couple days, but gave up and boxed them up for return. Definitely not worth $250 - especially when you can get the L2 (or even the ATH-M50x, which is actually better) for $150.

. What was the source you were using? I seriously loved the Msr7 and still do..... I bought them. They scale up well with a warmer source and a good amp, the bass reaches low, real low and the punch they deliver is strong and very fast. Mids are foward and smooth while being clear and detailed, highs are very smooth as well. There seems to be a lil oeak and may get a lil piercing but thats when listening past 75% volume, by bit piercing I mean very very slightly. But hearing you liking the L2 over the Msr7, very interested. Maybe I pull the trigger on them soon . Could describe in more detail please what else you liked more about them and to be honest I do feel i'd prefer buuld over the Msr7. The L2 just look gorgeous

 

[Freetrademan]

Well, to be honest, after some time, I changed my mind about the L2. It's certainly an impressive headphone, and I liked a lot about it, but I didn't LOVE it. I ended up returning them. There was something "cold" about it. It's hard to describe. It just felt like somehow it was missing something. Warmth? Naturalness? Whatever it was, I enjoyed them, but not enough to be in my collection. As it happens, I also got the FiiO EX1 in-ear monitors around the same time, and I found their sound quite similar to the L2. Everything I liked about the L2, I like more in the EX1, at half the price. 
 
And I can't emphasize enough how much I disliked the MSR7. I don't make allowances for sources. To me, if a headphone sounds like crap out of ANY source, that's it. I'm not going to say to it "Oh, it's not you; it's me." The MSR7 didn't have any problem with power. It just had a problem with fidelity. The bass didn't reach low AT ALL, and the high end didn't either. I seriously can't believe anyone pays $250 for these. Or $200. Or $100. 

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Well, to be honest, after some time, I changed my mind about the L2. It's certainly an impressive headphone, and I liked a lot about it, but I didn't LOVE it. I ended up returning them. There was something "cold" about it. It's hard to describe. It just felt like somehow it was missing something. Warmth? Naturalness? Whatever it was, I enjoyed them, but not enough to be in my collection. As it happens, I also got the FiiO EX1 in-ear monitors around the same time, and I found their sound quite similar to the L2. Everything I liked about the L2, I like more in the EX1, at half the price. 

And I can't emphasize enough how much I disliked the MSR7. I don't make allowances for sources. To me, if a headphone sounds like crap out of ANY source, that's it. I'm not going to say to it "Oh, it's not you; it's me." The MSR7 didn't have any problem with power. It just had a problem with fidelity. The bass didn't reach low AT ALL, and the high end didn't either. I seriously can't believe anyone pays $250 for these. Or $200. Or $100. 

. Thanks for the info so the Fidelio L2 goes lower & hits harder than the Msr7?

 

[Freetrademan]

Much.

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Much.

. I'll try to get my hands on the L2 to confirm this, its just seriously hard to find them here in Australia only place that sells Philips audio is Noisy Motel but not even there can I get my hands on the L2, only the X2

 

[JediMa70]

How do the sound with rock and metal: led zeppelin in particular

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

How do the sound with rock and metal: led zeppelin in particular

I rarely listen to metal, but I do listen to a lot of rock (Black Keys, Spoon) and I love Led Zeppelin...
I really like the L2s for rock.
They have detailed/accurate bass so a kick drum sounds right, not like a thump on a box. The soundstage is perfect for this genre, the black background really makes you feel like you are in the studio or a small club...the instruments are all in the right places if that makes sense? (I mean, on a certain David Bowie track I 'know' the piano is supposed to sound like it is coming from a certain place in the studio (center left and a little behind Bowie) and the L2s put it in that spot with really good accuracy) I don't find them fatiguing, so you can listen to them fairly loud for long periods and not feel battered by the experience.
With rock, they remind me of my Sony MDR7506, but with this buttery richness to the sound.

 

[JediMa70]

I rarely listen to metal, but I do listen to a lot of rock (Black Keys, Spoon) and I love Led Zeppelin...
I really like the L2s for rock.
They have detailed/accurate bass so a kick drum sounds right, not like a thump on a box. The soundstage is perfect for this genre, the black background really makes you feel like you are in the studio or a small club...the instruments are all in the right places if that makes sense? (I mean, on a certain David Bowie track I 'know' the piano is supposed to sound like it is coming from a certain place in the studio (center left and a little behind Bowie) and the L2s put it in that spot with really good accuracy) I don't find them fatiguing, so you can listen to them fairly loud for long periods and not feel battered by the experience.
With rock, they remind me of my Sony MDR7506, but with this buttery richness to the sound.

thank you !

 

[JediMa70]

How would you compare them with Beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohm?

 

[Andyken]

How would you compare them with Beyerdynamic dt770 pro 80 ohm?

I owned a pair of DT880s, but I haven't personally heard the DT770s, although I know they have received favourable reviews. The DT770 pro 80 ohm are closed back headphones, whereas the L2s are semi open, so I would expect the sound from the L2s to be more expansive but they will leak sound more and let in more outside noise, which is not an issue for me but might be for you.

Even some years after I wrote my original review and having tried out a number of other headphones, I haven't yet found a pair in their price range that I consistently prefer to my L2s. They are just so dynamic, revealing and engaging that I return to them as my headphones of choice time after time.

Oh the L2s are also easier to drive than the DT770s, so should sound better with portable devices.

 

[JediMa70]

I had the chance to listen few headphones and now i can give my humble feedback..
I had Grado Sr80e and Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80, I liked them both very much but both of them were missing something.. well in my opinion L2 takes the best of both and put them together in a very nice looking set of Headphones!
Grado have fantastic mids but not sufficient bass and sharp highs, and Beyer have fantastic bass but a very deep V sound and limited soundstage, well L2 have the same mids of grado, the same bass of Beyer and gentle highs with a very detailed sound, the only part where they lose is comfort, pads are warm and and not so big. So i bought them and i'm happy to have added them to my Monolith M1060, Senn HD600 and HifiMan He400i

 

[HardstyleLoco96]

Hello, it has been a very long time since I have posted on here. Well in the end I bought the X2, owened them, loved them, miss them. But after getting myself some iems ( Oriveti New Primacy and bought a Effect Audio Ares ii cable and some spinfits ) I found myself using the iems more and realised my preference of sound signature has changed drastically. So I ended up selling my beloved X2. But something in my heart and mind has always itched me to try the L2. Reading reviews and one that seriously got my attention (Brookos) comparison to T1 never listened to them but have listened to the DT1990 pro and loved them. So right now the L2 are selling for a really good price in a few places. I am looking for something with slightly forward mids, great treble and a good low end, nothing boomy but will hit when called for. I know the soundstage may not be as large as the X2 but if overall clarity is ahead. I think I may have found what my heart has been craving for a few years now. I have the Elemental Watson which can also change the sound slightly on the L2, making it sound slightly warmer but giving even more detail and bass imapact, better separation and soundstage. So ladies and gents. Please. I need a comparison of the X2 and L2. What should I expect in the overall sound. And for detail retrieval and overall clarity, what would you compare the L2 to?

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

I had the chance to listen few headphones and now i can give my humble feedback..
I had Grado Sr80e and Beyerdynamic DT770 pro 80, I liked them both very much but both of them were missing something.. well in my opinion L2 takes the best of both and put them together in a very nice looking set of Headphones!
Grado have fantastic mids but not sufficient bass and sharp highs, and Beyer have fantastic bass but a very deep V sound and limited soundstage, well L2 have the same mids of grado, the same bass of Beyer and gentle highs with a very detailed sound, the only part where they lose is comfort, pads are warm and and not so big. So i bought them and i'm happy to have added them to my Monolith M1060, Senn HD600 and HifiMan He400i

A little late getting back to this thread...but if the original pads don't suit you I know of a fantastic solution.
Step One, remove the original pads, gently careful not to tear.
Step Two, mail them to me
Step Three put a set of HM5 hybrid pads on them. You get the comfort of a velour pad on your ear while retaining nearly all the bass of the pleather. I mean it, it's not enough to miss, 1db maybe?
That's what I did with my L2 and I love them. I'm a huge fan of the stock L2 pads, I wish I could get another set, I have them on my Sony MDR 7506 and they are PERFECT for that headphone. But I much prefer the HM5 hybrids on the L2

 

[Cruelhand Luke]