[wwmhf]

To me too, X2 is revealing. On a solid state amp of mine, X2 delivers more details.  

 

[madwolfa]

FWIW, on my system I hear more details with X2 than any other headphone I ever had, sans, maybe K712, which end up just a bit too revealing (harsh) for my taste.

 

[mayday75]

  I'd guess that I'm in the minority here but I find the X2's to be very revealing and that it's very easy to pick up differences from different sources with them.
 
...

Not at all.
They are very detailed WHILE being very fun to listen to IMHO.

 

[wwmhf]

Fun is a key feature of X2

 

[peter123]

To me too, X2 is revealing. On a solid state amp of mine, X2 delivers more details.  

FWIW, on my system I hear more details with X2 than any other headphone I ever had, sans, maybe K712, which end up just a bit too revealing (harsh) for my taste.

Not at all.
They are very detailed WHILE being very fun to listen to IMHO.

Thanks for confirming that I'm not insane

After reading a bunch of posts that says that the X2 doesn't scale, doesn't need an amp etc etc I started to feel a bit lonely.

 

[wwmhf]

Thanks for confirming that I'm not insane

After reading a bunch of posts that says that the X2 doesn't scale, doesn't need an amp etc etc I started to feel a bit lonely.

 
X2 scales nicely with amps and sources. 

 

[peter123]

X2 scales nicely with amps and sources. 

If it was unclear I agree 100%

 

[gamingdave]

Posted this in another thread, but as this one is active with lots of X2 owners thought I would post it here too.
 
I have pretty much narrowed down my search for some new headphones to the Hifiman 400i and X2, with the HD650 as a now outsider. I will be playing through an Oppo HA-2 via an HTC One M8 or PC.
 
Genre wise all sorts: Rock, Blues, Soul, R&B (Dr Feelgood), Hip Hop, some Drum and Bass, occasional classical (mostly movie scores), and a bit of Country (Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson). I will also be using them for watching films and (non competitive) gaming.
 
Upgrading from 10 year old Sennheiser HD595 and more recent Amperiors, the former used in the house and the latter out and about. My biggest complaint currently is lack of bass and punch in the 595, and the Amperiors are not overly detailed or wide and a tad uncomfortable after 3hr sessions. If I am spending £200+ I want a bit of improvement all over.
 
I do like bass, but not if it overblows everything else, there needs to be some control in there. I probably prefer a fun sound over a truly accurate one, and have been known to EQ a gently V if out and about, though normally avoid EQ at home (but not afraid to use it when required). I want music to sound as it should, but obviously everyone has a different opinion on what that meens.
 
The X2 were originally top of my list having read loads of reviews online, including many here. But then I read about the QC issues they have been having of late and the 400i became the favourite. The X2 had also risen to £300 in the UK.
 
The issue is in the UK, as of today, the prices are miles apart. The X2 are £200 (though that price does keep changing) and the 400i are £360. The 650 are £225.
 
It seems compared to US prices the gap is much higher and so I need to factor in this cost weighting when reading all your comments.
 
So given for me the 400i would be nearly twice the price of the X2, and looking at the range of genres what would those who have tried both recommend?
 
Thanks
 
Dave

 

[Soundizer]

 

I am sorry, I must disagree with some of your observations. It looks like you are very sensitive to treble. X2 treble is way better than 650 (however, i agree with you in some cases the X2 treble can feel a bit grainy). 650 treble dies and it is very poor. Mids are slightly unnatural in 650 and more pronounced than X2. In X2, mids are where it needs to be. I strongly feel both X2 and 650 are not neutral but X2 is more fun and 650 is the exact inverse of it.. to put it mildly boring and lacks any energy.

Hey, but we are all not equals and agree to disagree..

Indeed

I am sensitive to treble. Most hifi equipment is a bit "hot" in treble. We tend to like it. I visit classical concerts with big orchestras often (no ear damage for those who may think...), and there it is always apparent how little treble you hear in most of the performance. Sure, if metalic instruments like copper or triangles step in, there is a lot of treble. But I find that a lot of hifi equipment magnifies the brilliance of those instruments, at the expense of the harmonic structure (in the mid and presence area; say from 500 to 2000 Hz). 

The HD650 has been given a diffuse field response as much as possible based on measurements, and after that has been tuned with the bass as if you would listen to loudspeakers in a practical situation - to make it closer to a reference that is used for final mixing music in recordings. For a lot of people (without giving it a judgement!) that means it has too much energy in the high-bass/fundament region. If you take a graphic equalizer, tune down the HD650 with 2 dB on the 125Hz and 250Hz, and add diagonally an increasing curve from 4kHz, via 8kHz to 16kHz, you get a headphone that emphasizes the pluck of a guitar instead of the guitar enclosure. A record engineer could do the same BTW, by putting the microphone closer versus further away from an acoustical guitar. It's all a matter of preference, and there is no absolute reference. So, at the end, it depends on the records that you like to use as a reference. 

I do disagree with you on the mids (from 500 to 1000Hz), there I find the headphones even pretty equal, supported by the measurements. It's more like how the mid is relative towards the fundament area (125-400Hz) and the treble (4kHz) which are the biggest differences. 

I do not have a technical background but read these posts with interest as just got the Fidelio X2 and they make my ears hurt with very sharp "sssss" sounds. I had the Senn HD600 previously and no such problem. Can you recommend a better higher quality headphone than the Senn HD600/650 as my budget is £350 pounds approx and Senn HD600/650 are only £225/250. I thought the Fidelio X2 was an upgrade at a bargain price but the treble is so painful even with treble turned down which does not sound right.

 

[Soundizer]

Last but not least, the waterfall diagram for the X2 (time in ms):




You clearly see the resonance at say 220Hz, and quite some nasty stuff between 1 and 5kHz)

The following waterfall is the one for the HD650 (measurement depths is the same, X2 is a nit more efficient, hence the different scale):




It shows that the decay of rubbish lies closer to the noise floor, and is less broad in frequency.  

And for those who like, the HD800:



Forget about what happens below 100Hz (due to the time of the FFT window). 

Do these charts help explain why I experience pain when listening to the X2 treble? I tried different sources and amps with adjustments to treble/eq, but still painful.
Is this Siblance from the "sssssss" sounds and sharp sounds?

 

[madwolfa]

I had the Senn HD600 previously and no such problem. Can you recommend a better higher quality headphone than the Senn HD600/650 as my budget is £350 pounds approx and Senn HD600/650 are only £225/250. I thought the Fidelio X2 was an upgrade at a bargain price but the treble is so painful even with treble turned down which does not sound right.

 
This is really weird. As someone who came from HD600, X2 is MUCH more forgiving, darker headphone.

 

[Soundizer]

I had the Senn HD600 previously and no such problem. Can you recommend a better higher quality headphone than the Senn HD600/650 as my budget is £350 pounds approx and Senn HD600/650 are only £225/250. I thought the Fidelio X2 was an upgrade at a bargain price but the treble is so painful even with treble turned down which does not sound right.

This is really weird. As someone who came from HD600, X2 is MUCH more forgiving, darker headphone.

It does nit make sense but ear pain and now short head aches. Never once had any problems at all with the Senn HD600 not even slightly.
Can you recommend some really good headphones without any siblance please. £350 / 500 US dollar budget.

 

[madwolfa]

It does nit make sense but ear pain and now short head aches. Never once had any problems at all with the Senn HD600 not even slightly.

 
Sounds like you might have to check your listening volume level...

 

[Hifivoice]

   
This is really weird. As someone who came from HD600, X2 is MUCH more forgiving, darker headphone.

 
The X2 has very apparent and splashy treble, and overall more treble compared to an HD600 or HD650. I re-tried multiple times, but always return to the HD650. 
 
M,

 

[madwolfa]

  The X2 has very apparent and splashy treble, and overall more treble compared to an HD600 or HD650. I re-tried multiple times, but always return to the HD650. 

 
I would never buy X2 if that was the case. And I got rid of HD650 after 6 months - seemed like a boring headphone to me...