[boerps]

Hi,
 
I just bought the X2 and even though I basically like everything about them I'm thinking about returning them. Why? I feel like there is to much sibilance. S-, t-sounds and also high hats often don't sound very nice.
For example I just don't feel relaxed listening to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng02QSUiL8M  ---Y The high-hats sound makes me feel so uncomfortable.
 
Is this something I can fix with an equalizer? Or should I get other headphones? If so, which ones can be recommended that don't have the sibilance the X2 seems to have to some degree?
 
Also, what is the general opinion about this? Am I the only one who considers there to be too much sibilance in the X2-sound?

 

[Contrail]

  Hi,
 
I just bought the X2 and even though I basically like everything about them I'm thinking about returning them. Why? I feel like there is to much sibilance. S-, t-sounds and also high hats often don't sound very nice.
For example I just don't feel relaxed listening to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng02QSUiL8M  ---Y The high-hats sound makes me feel so uncomfortable.
 
Is this something I can fix with an equalizer? Or should I get other headphones? If so, which ones can be recommended that don't have the sibilance the X2 seems to have to some degree?
 
Also, what is the general opinion about this? Am I the only one who considers there to be too much sibilance in the X2-sound?

 
I returned them for this very reason. I bought them soon after the release and literally loved their amazing soundstage. I'm still looking for a pair of open cans with that kind of soundstage. 

But the sibilance was unbearable to my ears. I thought I got a lemon (and a part of me still thinks that), but then others reported this issue. 
 

 

[Kerry56]

@ boerps:
That song you linked doesn't bother me for sibilance.  Everything else yes.

 
The only album I've had problems with sibilance so far is The Shins Chutes too Narrow.  For example, So Says I. 
 
By the way, ugh.  Listening to the flac then that youtube version is disturbing. 

 

[boerps]

Ok, thanks for your answers.
 
So what headphones did you chose then?
Because if I'm returning my X2 I'd still be on the quest of finding good headphones in that price range.
 
What about the Sennheiser HD600 or especially the HD650 about which I read that they're supposed to be "warm"?
 
Of course I'd be happy about other suggestions as well.

 

[Pahani]

  Ok, thanks for your answers.
 
So what headphones did you chose then?
Because if I'm returning my X2 I'd still be on the quest of finding good headphones in that price range.
 
What about the Sennheiser HD600 or especially the HD650 about which I read that they're supposed to be "warm"?
 
Of course I'd be happy about other suggestions as well.

HD600 are legendary as a baseline "neutral" headphone, and are a standard against which others may be compared to. They are smooth and laid back, and in overall fidelity are superior to X2 to my ears. They are harder to drive than X2 though. I do love my HD600's
 
X2 are FAR from neutral and are considered "fun" cans....better suited than HD600 for bass-heavy tracks like EDM, etc. X2 also has a larger soundstage by a fairly good amount.
 
Personally, I like to pair a Neutral headphone with a bass-heavy set to cover all the bases....and in that regard, I consider HD600 and X2 to pair together quite well. Both are quite comfortable and with good clamp (clamp on HD600 is tighter), and once you're used to them, they virtually disappear on your head.
 
I'm currently using Stax and TH-X00 as a step up from the HD600 and X2 pairing, and they also pair together amazingly well! But at roughly double the cost of each. However, to me, they're worth it and my headphone search has stopped here for the foreseeable future.

 

[jchristophe]

Hi, anybody here know how to adjust the length ( sorry I don't know whether it's the right words or not) of this headphone? Adjusting the length here I mean that after changing it can be fitter and more comfortable to my ears because of difference size of our head.

 

[John Q Lin]

Hi guys I'm looking at the philips L2, how does it compare to the X2. Worth getting?

 

[Pahani]

  Hi, anybody here know how to adjust the length ( sorry I don't know whether it's the right words or not) of this headphone? Adjusting the length here I mean that after changing it can be fitter and more comfortable to my ears because of difference size of our head.

Unless you have a very, very small head, the automatic suspension system of X2 should self-adjust to your noggin.
 
And if your head is too small for the adjustment range, you can try adding more padding underneath the headband, I guess. Something like a folded up washcloth.

 

[Contrail]

I had the Sennheiser HD600 too, but eventually I ended up selling them. They're great reference headphones and everyone should try them. Now I'm able to understand many comparisons and reviews and decide what to choose next.

With that said, my biggest complaint was the narrow soundstage. With the X2 it's like you're in front of the stage, the sound is more 'tridimensional'.

The HD600 are like two Hi-Fi speakers on your ears. 

 

[VilMo]

Selling my Fidelio X2, Woox edition with removable pads, no QC issues. PM me if interested. The offer with pics is in the classifieds.

 

[Liquid04]

 I had to EQ down 6.3k (-4dB) and 8.4k (-9dB), as those frequencies were colouring the sound too much. Not sure if that's the sibilance people are talking about. It wasn't painful by any means, just sounded slightly unnatural and unbalanced.

 

[shortstuff]

Just coming by to say I love my X2s now!

Seems they need a lot of high volume burn in. I was using them at very high volume as speakers for a bit...seems to have run them in. Now i require no EQ at all, just PC - hifi - source mode (bypass EQ, Bass, treble balance etc) - X2.
 
It is important to get the right files too, I notice a day/night difference between mp3 vbr and then CBR 320 and then Flac and then SACD where available. 90% of my stuff is FLAC, but one of my fav albums, Depeche Mode - Ultra, I have it in 5000bit SACD!!!
 
Impressed.

 

[ChinoSon]

  Hi,
 
I just bought the X2 and even though I basically like everything about them I'm thinking about returning them. Why? I feel like there is to much sibilance. S-, t-sounds and also high hats often don't sound very nice.
For example I just don't feel relaxed listening to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng02QSUiL8M  ---Y The high-hats sound makes me feel so uncomfortable.
 
Is this something I can fix with an equalizer? Or should I get other headphones? If so, which ones can be recommended that don't have the sibilance the X2 seems to have to some degree?
 
Also, what is the general opinion about this? Am I the only one who considers there to be too much sibilance in the X2-sound?

i thought this was just me hearing something wonky...i noticed this too and its annoying. other than this i like these headphones but when tracks have more sibilance than others, i usually skip the track. looking to pick up some HD 650's for Christmas, not sure if i will sell the X2's as their good headphones outside of this

 

[Sinery]

I went to a store recently to test the X2s before buying, seeing all the drama.
Played high bitrate music through my phone and was unimpressed... coming from HyperX Clouds.
 
Also played:
http://pkl.net/~matt/noise/noise/3stepoct.mp3
And the noise originated from all over the place.
Is that hard proof of mismatched drivers?
Do the headphones need to be burned in before testing such?
Is my testing methodology even mildly valid?
 
I also tested this with the HD 598s in the same store and didn't experience such problems.

 

[dmudan]

I sold my HD650 to keep my newer X2. Upgrade the X2 cable - makes a significant difference. I'm using a Furutech one and yes it's almost half the price of the X2 but worth it in my view. I've heard many headphones up to £2k and as I don't do that much headphone listening the X2 is still great and doesn't disappoint.  If you want to try a cheaper cable upgrade try the Fisul S-Flex - it's not as durble as the Philips orginal but sounds better (directional too if you try either way!)