[Stochastic]

X2s just got here!  I will post early impressions shortly.  One thing I can say: comfort is phenomenal!  Right out of the box there are zero issues with fit or excessive clamping force for me.  Sound leakage isn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.  At moderate to moderate high listening volumes these aren't obnoxiously loud.  Audible yes, but not to the point that it would be really annoying for someone across the room IMO.  They also don't seem all that heavy to me, but I can't really judge that until I've used them for a few 3-4 hour marathon sessions.  

 

[obsidyen]

Ok guys, first impressions after 3 hours of listening.
 
Very comfortable. Much more comfortable than HD650 and Fidelio L2.
 
Sound:
 
- Very hi-fi, analog sounding. Certainly not mid-fi. These headphones can give many "flagships" a run for their money (I'm looking at you HD700 and TH600).
 
- Slightly warmer than neutral. If you like this type of sound like I do, you're going to love these. These are, in my opinion, superior to HD650s. They have that analog sound like HD650 but sound better in every way I think. More clarity, more bass (especially sub-bass), better instrument separation, better soundstage and more detail. Treble isn't rolled off but isn't harsh either. Quite the opposite, these headphones are as forgiving as HD650s.
 
- Compared to L2s. Fuller sound, everything sounds more hi-fi, more like live music. In fact I'm quite surprised how almost every song sounds like live performances. It's like being in a venue with a good sound system and just listening to your favourite band. Timbre is very realistic. L2 is brighter and more neutral. Whilst listening to John Waite's Missing You, at loud volume guitar riffs can feel slightly uncomfortable (kind of harsh, but not totally harsh) with L2. With X2, there's no harshness at all. Keep in my though, my ears are very sensitive to treble (I hate AKG Q701).
 
- Bass is the best I've ever heard in open back headphones. Maybe not basshead level like TH600/900. But still lots of bass! Sub-bass is great. I listen to a lot of EDM, and these sounded great with trance, dubstep, house tracks I've listened to. I wouldn't need a closed back headphone at all. Very good for EDM as well as pop, rock, fusion jazz. I don't listen to much classical so I leave that to someone who has experience in that genre.
 
- I don't think you need an amp/dac for these. They sound amazing from the headphone jack of my Samsung laptop, Macbook Pro (2014) and iPad Air 2. I think valve amps would be a big no-no (I haven't tried but just guessing) as it would make the sound too warm. If you want to use an amp (maybe you have a computer with a crappy sound card) use low output solid state amps. Something like Theorem 720 DAC would be nice.
 
- If someone told me these were Sennheiser HD750 and they were USD 700, I'd buy them. Sub USD 1000, these are one of the best headphones for those who enjoy full, forgiving sound that can sound good with modern music (not just niche genres like classical or jazz). These are forgiving but sound much better with high quality files (flac, high res etc). Very happy with my purchase.
 
- In my opinion, X2 is better than both L2 and HD650. But this is just my opinion, it's more suited to my tastes, your mileage may vary.
 
Ps1: I don't believe in burn-in.
Ps2: I'll write more if I can get my hands on some gear (amp, dac etc.) and listen other songs in my collection.
 
 
Wow, just wow. These sound amazing with one my favourite dubstep tracks.
 

 

[Flomet]

Ok guys, first impressions after 3 hours of listening.

Very comfortable. Much more comfortable than HD650 and Fidelio L2.

Sound:

- Very hi-fi, analog sounding. Certainly not mid-fi. These headphones can give many "flagships" a run for their money (I'm looking at you HD700 and TH600).

- Slightly warmer than neutral. If you like this type of sound like I do, you're going to love these. These are, in my opinion, superior to HD650s. They have that analog sound like HD650 but sound better in every way I think. More clarity, more bass (especially sub-bass), better instrument separation, better soundstage and more detail. Treble isn't rolled off but isn't harsh either. Quite the opposite, these headphones are as forgiving as HD650s.

- Compared to L2s. Fuller sound, everything sounds more hi-fi, more like live music. In fact I'm quite surprised how almost every song sounds like live performances. It's like being in a venue with a good sound system and just listening to your favourite band. Timbre is very realistic. L2 is brighter and more neutral. Whilst listening to John Waite's Missing You, at loud volume guitar riffs can feel slightly uncomfortable (kind of harsh, but not totally harsh) with L2. With X2, there's no harshness at all. Keep in my though, my ears are very sensitive to treble (I hate AKG Q701).

- Bass is the best I've ever heard in open back headphones. Maybe not basshead level like TH600/900. But still lots of bass! Sub-bass is great. I listen to a lot of EDM, and these sounded great with trance, dubstep, house tracks I've listened to. I wouldn't need a closed back headphone at all. Very good for EDM as well as pop, rock, fusion jazz. I don't listen to much classical so I leave that to someone who has experience in that genre.

- I don't think you need an amp/dac for these. They sound amazing from the headphone jack of my Samsung laptop, Macbook Pro (2014) and iPad Air 2. I think valve amps would be a big no-no (I haven't tried but just guessing) as it would make the sound too warm. If you want to use an amp (maybe you have a computer with a crappy sound card) use low output solid state amps. Something like Theorem 720 DAC would be nice.

- If someone told me these were Sennheiser HD750 and they were USD 700, I'd buy them. Sub USD 1000, these are one of the best headphones for those who enjoy full, forgiving sound that can sound good with modern music (not just niche genres like classical or jazz). These are forgiving but sound much better with high quality files (flac, high res etc). Very happy with my purchase.

- In my opinion, X2 is better than both L2 and HD650. But this is just my opinion, it's more suited to my tastes, your mileage may vary.

Ps1: I don't believe in burn-in.
Ps2: I'll write more if I can get my hands on some gear (amp, dac etc.) and listen other songs in my collection.


Wow, just wow. These sound amazing with one my favourite dubstep tracks.

I love EDM but just played that track on my X2's and must say it sounds great and gives the X2 a workout.

I don't regret for one minute purchasing the X2's

 

[ThurstonX]

Got 'em.  First thing I did was put them on.  Perfect clamp, really comfortable, just enough room inside the cups.  Now off to listen 

 

[obsidyen]

I love EDM but just played that track on my X2's and must say it sounds great and gives the X2 a workout.

I don't regret for one minute purchasing the X2's

The thing with, EDM, unlike hiphop there's lots of treble too. So you need to hear that treble well. That said, if the headphones sound harsh, it can get fatiguing quickly. That's what I didn't like about TH600s, they have great bass but the treble was unbearable in dubstep and electro house (Tiesto for instance) tracks. I think it's better for hiphop. With X2, there's no treble harshness, it just sounds right like in a club.
 
X2 is great for classical rock too. You know classical rock can sound unpleasant and piercing with bright headphones. I certainly didn't enjoy it with L2. Not the case with X2. Very natural and lovely sound. Listening to Octopus' Garden by The Beatles now. Time to rediscover my The Beatles collection.

 

[Flomet]

The thing with, EDM, unlike hiphop there's lots of treble too. So you need to hear that treble well. That said, if the headphones sound harsh, it can get fatiguing quickly. That's what I didn't like about TH600s, they have great bass but the treble was unbearable in dubstep and electro house (Tiesto for instance) tracks. I think it's better for hiphop. With X2, there's no treble harshness, it just sounds right like in a club.

X2 is great for classical rock too. You know classical rock can sound unpleasant and piercing with bright headphones. I certainly didn't enjoy it with L2. Not the case with X2. Very natural and lovely sound. Listening to Octopus' Garden by The Beatles now. Time to rediscover my The Beatles collection.

Most of the time I liste to Deep/Progressive House, but I do like other genres. I have found what ever you throw at the X2's it just sounds right. A few people have said they are bass light, but I have found that if the track calls for bass then the X2's deliver and with sub bass if required. It is more satisfying than my HD650's.

If you like rock then have a listen to Dark Side Of The Moon as it sounds great to me.

 

[lofthanza]

Are the X2 darker or brighter than the ath-m50? I find the ath-m50s bit cold and harsh in the treble and therefore I find them fatiguing in high volumes. Also, the mids in the ath-m50 are recessed for me. So, does the X2 do better in those areas than the ath-m50?

 

[ZorgDK]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on these babies. Have anyone seen them cheaper anywhere than 292$ (234€)? That's what they go for on Amazon.it.

 

[Stochastic]

Wow, that’s a very glowing evaluation obsidyen!
 
My X2s also arrived early this morning, and I spent a few hours auditioning them before heading off to work.  A few caveats:
 
(1)   Relative to most Head-Fiers, I probably have below average knowledge of audio.  While I’ve listened to a number of headphones over the years (Sennheiser 201s, 202s, 518s, ATH-AD700s, Brainwavz HM5s), this is the only mid-fi set I’ve heard.  My closest references in terms of quality are my ATH-M50s and my Adam Audio F5 near field monitors.  I also don’t have an extensive background in music or audio engineering or anything, so these are the impressions of an unwashed neophyte. 
(2)   My source is an Emotiva XDA-2 hooked up to my PC.  I do most of my listening using Spotify (320 kbps) as in the past I wasn’t able to distinguish between songs streamed at a high bitrate and lossless compressed files. 
(3)   I have no idea if driver burn in is real (if it is real I suspect it has a tiny effect), but I absolutely believe in psychoacoustic “burn in.”  I’m sure my opinion of the X2 will evolve as my brain is given more time to adapt to its sound profile. 
(4) Obviously, I'm somewhat biased as I've purchased the X2s and would very much like to enjoy them.  I've also read several reviews of them, so there's likely going to be some expectation bias.  Of course I'll try and be as "objective" as I can, but you should probably take what I say with a grain of salt.
 
The first thing that struck me when donning the X2s was their supreme comfort.  This is one thing that irks me about the ATH-M50s.  While they are by no means an uncomfortable headphone, I found that my ears slightly rubbed against the inner lining of the earpads.  After wearing them for a few hours this resulted in some minor pain.  With the X2s the earcups are large enough that they make no contact with my ears.  The velour cushioning exudes luxury and makes me feel like I’m wearing a comfy pair of earmuffs.  They are also deep enough that my ear doesn’t touch the driver.  For me the headband has ample room to stretch and easily wrapped around my noggin.  I think I have a pretty average sized head, but even those with slightly larger than average heads shouldn’t have too much difficulty accommodating the X2s. 
 
I know some have complained that the X2s feel heavy.  In my opinion, because of the way the adjustable headband hammock distributes the weight across my scalp, this is not an issue.  It’s possible that the X2’s heft might become problematic during marathon sessions—I’ll have to try them for longer to say whether this is the case. 
 
Turning to the sound, my immediate impressions are very positive.  I don’t know if I would go as far as saying that they have a hi-fi sound (I can’t really say as I haven’t heard hi-fi headphones), but the overall sonic presentation is eminently pleasing.  I agree with Tyll and others in that the tonal balance is superlative.  As he wrote, “it's as if the entirety of the music is front and center.”  I’m actually very pleased with the bass so far.  Sure, it’s not quite as tight and punchy as top closed headphones, and it probably won’t satisfy bassheads, but for my taste there is sufficient low-frequency presence to give a full, rich sound without being overbearing.  This is in contrast to most open backed headphones in this price range which tend to sound anemic by comparison.  Mids are very lush.  I was particularly impressed by how they rendered female vocals.  I’ll have to do a lot more listening before I can weigh in on the upper frequencies.  This might be a relative weak point of the X2s.  Not bad by any means, just not quite class leading.  Like obsidyen I’m very sensitive to peaky/harsh/edgy treble.  This is really dependent on the quality of the recording and mastering of a song, so I need to do a lot of listening before I can pass judgment on this. 
 
Overall, I think the X2s do a good job of balancing clarity with warmth.  They aren’t as hyper resolving as my Adam Audio F5s, and they lack that last bit of upper frequency extension, but in exchange they reward you with an enveloping, relaxed blanket of sound.  Like a fine wine, I can see myself loving these more and more with time. 
 
I can’t wait until I get another chance to hear them later tonight!
 
EDIT:  For those who want to use these without an amp, I don't think you'll have any problems.  I tested them briefly out of my OnePlus One and they sounded similar to running out of my Emotiva XDA-2.  I didn't do level matched ABX testing or anything, but that was my impression. 

 

[Stochastic]

Are the X2 darker or brighter than the ath-m50? I find the ath-m50s bit cold and harsh in the treble and therefore I find them fatiguing in high volumes. Also, the mids in the ath-m50 are recessed for me. So, does the X2 do better in those areas than the ath-m50?

Hi lofthanza.  I had the same issue with the M50s and it was one of the reasons that compelled me to get the X2s.  Tonight I'm going to do a lot of A/B testing between the M50s and X2s.  I think the X2s are a fair bit better in this respect, but I have to do a lot more listening to say for sure.

 

[jamieuk147]

Guys am not a massive fan of these pads, ears get to warn and doesnt feel so great.

Anything better to buy?, pads wise

 

[406976]

.

 

[jamieuk147]

Am coming from sony ma900, the x2 seem to clamp that bit more.

Off topic question, do you think these beat the D2000?

 

[Byrnie]

 These headphones can give many "flagships" a run for their money (I'm looking at you HD700 and TH600).

The HD700 and the TH600 are far from flagship level headphones IMO. Great impressions though!

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

To the people who have already listened to the X2's, would you recommend upgrading from the Yamaha MT-220's to the X2's for specifically gaming and watching movies?