Philips Fidelio X2 : A Review by Baycode

[muad]

The other thing is the STX output impedance is 10ohms, this could make the bass flabbier for a 30ohm headphone.

 

[maricius]

  I think it's better to wait a little, save up another 100$ and buy iDSD micro, because it will it has a very big value for its price and you won't need to change it in the future.
You can use it with every thing!
 
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-237197-ifi-micro-idsd-dac.aspx

 

I need a recommendation for an amp dac or sound card for my fidelio x2 headphones. Budget of 200-400$

It's mainly for computer use. What would give the biggest sound quality improvement and maybe some more bass punch?

 
Then you can tell me how well they pair. 

 

 

[Baycode]

Dear new and potential X2 owners, please burn the X2 before any final decisions. 10h burn-in is not appropriate. Please check the first page for more info.
 
If the recording have any peaks on the certain high frequencies X2 delivers just that. I have compared its highs to my best closed HP, Beyer DT150 and peaks on the highs are very very similar. So no need to worry on that (IMO). Just pair them with a good DAC/AMP and burn them for 200h (biggest settlement after around 50h and then after 100h). And adjust your listening levels. If you're listening on high volume you'll be hearing any peaks exaggerated. Any bad recording may contribute to this effect too...
Generally I found the highs to be very smooth. It's a gem of a headphone. IMO 299USD couldn't be a right price for it, it deserves much more...

 

[Bugattikid2012]

 
Other than it ties you one  machine... and has to live in the high electrical noise field inside a PC... no.
I went with some portable solutions. The C5D and Geek Out 1000. You can plug the C5D into about any desktop or laptop and I devices, and Android devices... A lot less restrictive. I use the Dolby Headphone plugin in Foobar through the C5D with my X1. It is OK for those occasions that call for it. Of course, when I watch a movie or do some gaming, I am not in a critical listening mode anyway.
Just a few thoughts... from the perspective of what I do and like.

What about something like the SB E5?  It seems to be pretty much the same thing as the SB Z, just in USB form (and a bit better SnR).  Wouldn't this be better?  I'd have less interference (I have a total of 7 fans in my PC, and the PSU's fan is fairly noisy(Plus it's right under where my sound card would go...)) and I'd be "portable".  As long as it still has ALL the features that the SB Z has I think that might be my best buy.  Now the only issue is that I can't find it in stores anywhere... 

 

[mandrake50]

 
What about something like the SB E5?  It seems to be pretty much the same thing as the SB Z, just in USB form (and a bit better SnR).  Wouldn't this be better?  I'd have less interference (I have a total of 7 fans in my PC, and the PSU's fan is fairly noisy(Plus it's right under where my sound card would go...)) and I'd be "portable".  As long as it still has ALL the features that the SB Z has I think that might be my best buy.  Now the only issue is that I can't find it in stores anywhere... 

I have never heard it. Looks like it is out of stock even at their store, as SB does not even list pricing for it.
I have had sound blaster cards for my PCs for many years. They work well, after you actually get the drivers to install and work. This can be a challenge. I can't count the number of times that I had to uninstall drivers and clean the registry, then reinstall because something just stopped working. Not sure if the E5 requires a full set of drivers installed for it to work. If it does, that would definitely limit the portability part. They also do not list (that I found on the E5 page) list any headphone out specs other than a distortion number. I would really want to know the output impedance and power capabilities at minimum.
 
Due to their history, I would be very leery of the driver situation.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

Afaik, drivers haven't been an issue with Creatives stuff in years, and even if they were that's the exception, not the rule/standard. You hear about driver issues with them because negative feedback is always louder than positive reviews. Most people don't say anything unless they have issues with it and post to a forum asking for help, thus the reason why negatives are loader than positives.

It was supposed to be released in the US in October sometime, but it still doesn't exist to google's shopping search. The price for it is set at $200 American, so it's not /too/ pricy. It uses an upgraded chip over the other SB products, featuring the SB axx1 chip vs the old sound core 3d chip. It has all the features as the Z does except for Dolby decoding afaik, and I'm not too worried about Dolby stuff ( though it would be nice to have ). I chose this as my main consideration now because

A: It's USB connection, so I'll have less interference than I would have if it was in my PC ( I've got 7 fans in my OC, soon to be 9+)
B: It's got scout mode, Sbx surround, voice Fx, etc and I'm really looking forward to these
C: If I had a sound card in my PC it'd be right beside my 780 Ti (soon to be two of em) and my PSU, and these two things are /easily/ my loudest things in my system
D: I guess if I wanted to, I could use it on the go now, or even on another PC, like LAN parties when I take my laptop.(Though portability is a minor concern for me)

The downside? For one it's a lot more expensive than I was looking for, and if the sound core 3d has issues with Linux, I bet this will have even more issues. Plus I guess I could lose it.
I hope these go good with my Philips X2's, they should be arriving in the next few days!

Thanks all.

 

[mandrake50]

Afaik, drivers haven't been an issue with Creatives stuff in years, and even if they were that's the exception, not the rule/standard. You hear about driver issues with them because negative feedback is always louder than positive reviews. Most people don't say anything unless they have issues with it and post to a forum asking for help, thus the reason why negatives are loader than positives.
 

I used SB cards in PCs for 18 years. I struggled with drivers the entire time. This includes up until about a year ago just before I rebuilt my PC. This is first hand experience.
 
It sounds like you are convinced. You should probably get a E5 and try it out.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

I want to, but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere for purchase and I don't know if it's worth it over the z or even the stx. It's so hard to look for these things when everywhere you go you get different suggestions.

Someone even mentioned that the sb axx1 sound chip might be a downgrade over the sound core 3d. It's a good point, but I doubt they'd be shipping all of they're products with a downgrade...

I really want good quality sound, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the x2's, yet I don't want to compromise in gaming virtual surround sound either. I'd go with the stx but it uses Dolby surround and I'm not sure if I want that or not. I wish there were more opinions out there, it'd really help.

 

[mandrake50]

I want to, but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere for purchase and I don't know if it's worth it over the z or even the stx. It's so hard to look for these things when everywhere you go you get different suggestions.

Someone even mentioned that the sb axx1 sound chip might be a downgrade over the sound core 3d. It's a good point, but I doubt they'd be shipping all of they're products with a downgrade...

I really want good quality sound, otherwise I wouldn't have bought the x2's, yet I don't want to compromise in gaming virtual surround sound either. I'd go with the stx but it uses Dolby surround and I'm not sure if I want that or not. I wish there were more opinions out there, it'd really help.

As I mentioned, even though there are Dolby Headphone Surround detractors out there... Even though it is far from technically perfect, it does give a nice effect for non-critical listening.
When I travel I use my laptop to watch movies. I generally use Dolby headphone surround... not because I am looking for perfection in sound, but because it gives me another dimension that I like. Technical prowess be damned!
 
Why not contact SB and ask them what the plan is for availability for the E5?
If it is not going to be available in your time frame, take it off of your list.
 
Now, keep in mind, you can get paralysis by analysis. You can read too much and listen to too many people's opinions. None of which are going to exactly match what your perception will be ...
 
Maybe get something with the features that you want and listen to it? With most of the decent gear out there you will most likely think it is just fine. If you can get past the "there has to be something better" compulsive buying syndrome ... You will likely be happy for a long time.
 
Having played this game for over 15 years, I can tell you that there is some gear that I like better than others. I never sell anything. I can go back to things like a cheap Cmoy amp and listen to it... and know I have "better", but can still be happy listening to it.
 
I am sure that this will not be your last audio purchase. Get something that does (at least mostly, no choice is perfect with complex requirements) what you want it to and go from there. Things will change, they always do. Your budget will change, your listening habits will change ... when they do, consider something else.

 

[Bugattikid2012]

Thanks, I feel more or less like I'm trying to convince myself to get the e5 because it seems to do everything I'm looking for, plus mobile use. However, I have rushed into buying products too soon and ended up not being happy with it (specifically my last audio purchase, the Logitech g430) and I want to make sure what I have for gaming quality does NOT sacrifice much other sounds quality, just for the sbx surround feature or scout mode feature. The general consensus is that the stx is better for non gaming quality, yet sbx makes all the difference for gaming. It's really hard to tell the difference between the quality of these two products without having a couple hours to sit down with each of then and let them duke it out.

I probably sound like a guy who can't make up his mind or some guy who is too lazy to figure it out on his own. And honestly that's half way true, you hit the nail on the head in that last post. I'm trying to figure it out, but when the main factor that you have of comparing these type of products is opinions it becomes much much much much more difficult. Googling stx vs z gives me some people who say the z is better, and vice versa. Just so much information out there that it becomes hard to choose between the final products. For example, Now that I'm considering usb dacs moreso than I was before, I want to look at Asus's line up for them again. And I'm sure there's other brands out there to consider too... but you're right, once I finally settle on the fact that I have a working product picked out I'll be good to go, just wish that that feeling would hurry up and come...

 

[cheeno50]

I don't know if the Z is that great. Apparently the ZxR is many times better and it has swappable op-amps.
 
I'm considering getting the ZxR over the STX because it has that edge for movies and games while still being a really good sounding card for audiophiles.
 
However, a USB dac/amp is still an option I am considering. Any recommendation for one 200-450$? 

 

[rudyae86]

Thanks, I feel more or less like I'm trying to convince myself to get the e5 because it seems to do everything I'm looking for, plus mobile use. However, I have rushed into buying products too soon and ended up not being happy with it (specifically my last audio purchase, the Logitech g430) and I want to make sure what I have for gaming quality does NOT sacrifice much other sounds quality, just for the sbx surround feature or scout mode feature. The general consensus is that the stx is better for non gaming quality, yet sbx makes all the difference for gaming. It's really hard to tell the difference between the quality of these two products without having a couple hours to sit down with each of then and let them duke it out.

I probably sound like a guy who can't make up his mind or some guy who is too lazy to figure it out on his own. And honestly that's half way true, you hit the nail on the head in that last post. I'm trying to figure it out, but when the main factor that you have of comparing these type of products is opinions it becomes much much much much more difficult. Googling stx vs z gives me some people who say the z is better, and vice versa. Just so much information out there that it becomes hard to choose between the final products. For example, Now that I'm considering usb dacs moreso than I was before, I want to look at Asus's line up for them again. And I'm sure there's other brands out there to consider too... but you're right, once I finally settle on the fact that I have a working product picked out I'll be good to go, just wish that that feeling would hurry up and come...

Just to keep it simple...I have listened to dolby headphone using the mix amp pro on my friends ps4 playing battlefield 4 and to me....it doesnt sound that great. When I play BF4 on my PC using my usb recon3d....it sounds just better to me. Feels more immersive while keeping that clarity of highs and mids. Of course, I was using my X1 with them and i felt like they paired well with my Recon3D more than the mix amp pro. It really just depends on personal prefrence. Honestly, I dont think you need to be an audiophile and nit pick every detail about SBX and DH. As long as you have that clarity within the high and mids and having that wide soundstage, you can play with either one. Either way, you will be too focused on shooting noobs in BF4 ( at least for me) and sound will just be the icing on the cake to making your gaming experience that much better.
 
Also, I was told and have read that the SB Z has similar sounding qualities as the Schiit Modi....so for music, it may just do well for music.

 

[Flomet]

I ordered these twice then cancelled from Amazon before they were in stock due to the lack of bass, but I pulled the trigger as I had to try these and I am so glad I did.

I got my X2's yesterday and hooked them up to my Fiio X5 and O2 amp and found they sound just right, everything is there and I expect the sound to get better after some burn in time.

95% of my listening is EDM and the bass is deep and controlled and a pleasure to my ears, I did have the X1's a few months ago and from memory there is not a lot of difference in the bass. I believe that the difference in the bass has been exaggerated between the two.

The only problem I am having is the clamping pressure is a little too much for me as I have a larger than average head, can someone let me know if this changes in time or do I need to adjust the headband?

 

[Baycode]

I ordered these twice then cancelled from Amazon before they were in stock due to the lack of bass, but I pulled the trigger as I had to try these and I am so glad I did.

I got my X2's yesterday and hooked them up to my Fiio X5 and O2 amp and found they sound just right, everything is there and I expect the sound to get better after some burn in time.

95% of my listening is EDM and the bass is deep and controlled and a pleasure to my ears, I did have the X1's a few months ago and from memory there is not a lot of difference in the bass. I believe that the difference in the bass has been exaggerated between the two.

The only problem I am having is the clamping pressure is a little too much for me as I have a larger than average head, can someone let me know if this changes in time or do I need to adjust the headband?

Glad to hear that you're enjoying the X2 my head is medium sized. At first clamping force was a little high for me too. In time headband softened and its clamping force and comfort is excellent now.

 

[Flomet]

Glad to hear that you're enjoying the X2 my head is medium sized. At first clamping force was a little high for me too. In time headband softened and its clamping force and comfort is excellent now.

Thanks for the reply, I hope they do soften in time as I don't like the idea of adjusting the headband.