[Sinery]

Thats kind of what I was leaning towards tbh. But there would be no benefit to using a sound card or something like an Astro Mixamp to get virtual 7.1 SS since I am doing exclusively gaming?

You'd want to be looking at the GSX 1000 if you want virtual surround.
Just don't expect it to give you a noticeable competitive advantage - for that you want to get a headphone with superb imaging.

 

[itzpookiie]

I just picked me up one locally on craigslist with everything they originally came with
Fidelio X2 - $125
Fiios e17k - $50

I'm new to the headphone/music listening game and these are my first pair of headphones and amp
The ear pads are a bit dinged up and I wanted to know if I should replace them with the same ear pads or is there something else that is better or more comfortable?
The cable is quite long as well since I mainly use it with my phone when I'm at work or doing stuff at home. Which shorter cable should I get to replace the stock ones?
Also when transporting them, should I unplug the aux cord from the headphone or leave it in?
Will it wear the port down or damage it if I plug/unplug often?
Thanks

 

[Sinery]

I just picked me up one locally on craigslist with everything they originally came with
Fidelio X2 - $125
Fiios e17k - $50

I'm new to the headphone/music listening game and these are my first pair of headphones and amp
The ear pads are a bit dinged up and I wanted to know if I should replace them with the same ear pads or is there something else that is better or more comfortable?
The cable is quite long as well since I mainly use it with my phone when I'm at work or doing stuff at home. Which shorter cable should I get to replace the stock ones?
Also when transporting them, should I unplug the aux cord from the headphone or leave it in?
Will it wear the port down or damage it if I plug/unplug often?
Thanks

There are no official replacement pads and finding good matching pads are difficult from what I've heard.
I know someone somewhere recommended the ori pads, I'd recommend staying stock if at all possible.

Just pick any 3.5mm cable from a reputable source, see how nice the world is when there's a standard connector?

If you're gonna move them around something else will break before jack wear becomes an issue (you may have to clean it though).
I'm gonna guess the headphone port doesn't have a mild plating, your cable may though.

 

[OldDude04]

I am planning on getting a pair of these headphones for only PC gaming (no music at all). I have a question in terms of how to set it up as I am a little confused on the best method for this particular headphone set. I don't mind spending money, but if it is marginal to no difference then Id prefer to not spend extra.

What would be the way to go?

Sound card? (Sound blaster or Asus)
AMP/DAC? (FiiO EK10 vs Schitt stack)
Straight to motherboard? (high end $400 board - Asus Formula VIII)

You could go with an internal Sound Blaster card for your PC or get an external Sound Blaster sound card like the E5 or G5, all of those have 7.1 capabilities. As someone else before me said, you could also go with the Sennheiser GSX 1000, another external sound card for PC gaming. However, I think for your use, you might like using Razer's Surround Pro software. I say that because the Razer software isn't sound card specific, meaning it works with whatever card you have, and the Sound Blaster software is card specific. I've owned quite a few Sound Blasters and I find them a bit buggy on the software side.

 

[NotreDameGuy]

You could go with an internal Sound Blaster card for your PC or get an external Sound Blaster sound card like the E5 or G5, all of those have 7.1 capabilities. As someone else before me said, you could also go with the Sennheiser GSX 1000, another external sound card for PC gaming. However, I think for your use, you might like using Razer's Surround Pro software. I say that because the Razer software isn't sound card specific, meaning it works with whatever card you have, and the Sound Blaster software is card specific. I've owned quite a few Sound Blasters and I find them a bit buggy on the software side.

Since my last post I have actually been looking into the Sennhesier GSX 1000 and have heard good things. I just don't know if the $230 cost vs $75 for the FiiO E10K is worth it.

 

[Blazer39]

Since my last post I have actually been looking into the Sennhesier GSX 1000 and have heard good things. I just don't know if the $230 cost vs $75 for the FiiO E10K is worth it.

probably not worth it, im not expert when it comes to PC gaming setup, but Fidelio X2 open back design and its great soundstage/separation is more than enough for either competitive or just fun gaming

 

[shortstuff]

So I have had mine for quite some time now. I ran them for many months using foobar 2k, a high end speaker amp (whos poweramp output runs the headphones no less) and now for a few weeks just been using realtek motherboard output with no amp. They sound pretty good, I run them with no EQ at all now. I think the eq I was running (real bass exciter) has run them in, because there is plenty of bass now whereas they sucked before. FWIW I started with DT770, which BOOMED but sounded muddy, bought AKG 702's which sounded lovely but NO BASS AT ALL even EQ'd with the "bass mod", bought 2nd hand X2's which sounded like AKG's combined with subwoofers...but these had a faulty solder. I sent these back to Amazon and spent £100 more on some brand new X2s, these sounded flat! No bass again! I stuck with them.

Now I am quite happy, and thinking of pairing them with a Chord Mojo, even though I hate the aesthetics of the mojo, I think it would be awesome for both mobile and desktop use. Does anyone have Chord Mojo partnered with X2's? What do you think?

Headphone wise the only logical upgrade for me is LCD 2's and I won't be buying used again thanks to this experience so...£1000+ just for headphones and I don't have an amp currently...

 

[shortstuff]

They sound miles better with Real Bass Exciter enabled though. Try these settings

 

[Fate Zero]

Does anyone use Philips Fidelio X2 on a PS4? I plug them directly into the controller and even at full volume they sound too quiet. My £30 Sony headphones are much louder. I assume this is to do with the Dualshock controller as the X2 sounds great on my desktop and laptop. Is there any sort of small amp I can get which I can plug into the Dualshock 3.5mm port and then connect the headphones directly to? I sit quite far away from my TV so I'd rather not have a 3m cable running across my room from the console itself. Thanks

 

[shinbojan]

I've tried using them like that, but sound was terrible. I am using them with schiit 2 uber stack.

I finally got my heaphones back. Guy that did the repair did not charge me as it took him several weeks to fix the problem.

 

[FULLAUDIO]

Hello guys.
I just want to be sure, that i did not get a faulty X2 unit.

I have AKG K 712 next to me and i bought X2 last week and i have been listening to them for quite some time now.
And i found they sound different than i expected from the reviews online.

To start of: The build quality is spectacular and i got a Gibson unit that has removable pads.

Lets get to the problem:
Everywhere i keep seeing and hearing that X2s have smooth heights. My X2s are on the edge of being sibilant in the treble.
My X2s have very detailed, punchy, tight and emphasised bass. The mids are not as up front as the K 712 mids are.
The X2s have quite a lot of treble or some peak in the treble region which makes the voices sound like if they lack a little lower body ( even though they certainly don't lack body compared to my K 712 ).
Cymbals, claps and things like that are pushed right at me, and if it is a treble heavy song it is on the edge of being sibilant, my K 712 have much less sibilant treble to me.

For instance if you listen to George Ezra - Listen to the Man, immediately as the song starts playing i notice the rattle in the background, very in my ear, on the edge of being sibilant ( "sss", "sss" ), this is not the worst song, it is one of those that are quite light on the treble and it still irritates me.
And the male voice "peaks" ( what i hear is: "sssssseling usssss anyway", "lissssten to the man", "eazzzy eazzzy" ) and sounds unnatural, has some "grittiness" to it. It gets even worse in a song like MIKA - Popular, the female voice sounds very sibilant and "peaks" with ssss sound.

This is not what i was expecting when people were comparing them to HD 600 which have the least treble i have heard in a headphone .
Is there something wrong with my X2s?

 

[nplateau]

Hello guys.
I just want to be sure, that i did not get a faulty X2 unit.

I have AKG K 712 next to me and i bought X2 last week and i have been listening to them for quite some time now.
And i found they sound different than i expected from the reviews online.

To start of: The build quality is spectacular and i got a Gibson unit that has removable pads.

Lets get to the problem:
Everywhere i keep seeing and hearing that X2s have smooth heights. My X2s are on the edge of being sibilant in the treble.
My X2s have very detailed, punchy, tight and emphasised bass. The mids are not as up front as the K 712 mids are.
The X2s have quite a lot of treble or some peak in the treble region which makes the voices sound like if they lack a little lower body ( even though they certainly don't lack body compared to my K 712 ).
Cymbals, claps and things like that are pushed right at me, and if it is a treble heavy song it is on the edge of being sibilant, my K 712 have much less sibilant treble to me.

For instance if you listen to George Ezra - Listen to the Man, immediately as the song starts playing i notice the rattle in the background, very in my ear, on the edge of being sibilant ( "sss", "sss" ), this is not the worst song, it is one of those that are quite light on the treble and it still irritates me.
And the male voice "peaks" ( what i hear is: "sssssseling usssss anyway", "lissssten to the man", "eazzzy eazzzy" ) and sounds unnatural, has some "grittiness" to it. It gets even worse in a song like MIKA - Popular, the female voice sounds very sibilant and "peaks" with ssss sound.

This is not what i was expecting when people were comparing them to HD 600 which have the least treble i have heard in a headphone .
Is there something wrong with my X2s?

GIve it about 100 or so hours to burn in a bit. The treble should calm down.

 

[pierpaolo452]

Hello guys, I Need ti buy an headphone (a good upgrade from my superlux hd 681 evo) and i'm very undecided between the new sennheiser hd599, the Fidelio x2, I read a lot of thinks about Fidelio but i can't find a lot about the sennheiser hd599 and i'm afraid that fidelio is a bit too dark, Can anyone help me? Thanks so much

 

[squee116]

So I have had mine for quite some time now. I ran them for many months using foobar 2k, a high end speaker amp (whos poweramp output runs the headphones no less) and now for a few weeks just been using realtek motherboard output with no amp. They sound pretty good, I run them with no EQ at all now. I think the eq I was running (real bass exciter) has run them in, because there is plenty of bass now whereas they sucked before. FWIW I started with DT770, which BOOMED but sounded muddy, bought AKG 702's which sounded lovely but NO BASS AT ALL even EQ'd with the "bass mod", bought 2nd hand X2's which sounded like AKG's combined with subwoofers...but these had a faulty solder. I sent these back to Amazon and spent £100 more on some brand new X2s, these sounded flat! No bass again! I stuck with them.

Now I am quite happy, and thinking of pairing them with a Chord Mojo, even though I hate the aesthetics of the mojo, I think it would be awesome for both mobile and desktop use. Does anyone have Chord Mojo partnered with X2's? What do you think?

Headphone wise the only logical upgrade for me is LCD 2's and I won't be buying used again thanks to this experience so...£1000+ just for headphones and I don't have an amp currently...

I would expect you wouldn't be terribly offended by the HD650's sound sig, though the soundstage won't be quite the same... if you didn't want to jump straight to the most uncomfortable pair of headphones designed by man for the admittedly luscious sound signature.

 

[squee116]

Does anyone use Philips Fidelio X2 on a PS4? I plug them directly into the controller and even at full volume they sound too quiet. My £30 Sony headphones are much louder. I assume this is to do with the Dualshock controller as the X2 sounds great on my desktop and laptop. Is there any sort of small amp I can get which I can plug into the Dualshock 3.5mm port and then connect the headphones directly to? I sit quite far away from my TV so I'd rather not have a 3m cable running across my room from the console itself. Thanks

Not that I know of.
a) I don't think the controller would have battery life or power output to act as an amp for headphones in general, though for relatively efficient ones like the X2, maybe.
b) I went through the same issue trying to make my own headset for the ps4, like I do for the PC. You can get the Astro Mixamp, plug it into the USB panel in the front of the PS4, and you can use your own mic and headphones to create your own virtual "headset". You can use headphones you want to amp directly from your PS4 this way, but you'll still have a cable going from the the PS4 to the couch or wherever you sit.