[yearsofwisdom]

  Huh, I just A/B'd my brand new replacement X2's with my week old pair. The old pair seems to be much smoother in the highs and noticeably increased sound stage. I'm curious if they plain sound different or it's just the fact that they are unused and require burn-in.
 
*edit*

It would suck if the old pair was cosmetically defective and the new pair sonically :l I'll burn it in for a day and see if it opens up

I think I'm in a similar boat. The sound signatures are slight different but I'm sure that has to do with slight variation in the drivers. The pads are also different for mine so I think that could be why. 

 

[tonyo123]

Okay, so here is what I don't understand about the glued pads: it is clearly a process change (probably because the pads do not always stay in for some...my stay on fine). In the case of this or any other minor change, they don't have to tell any customer or any of us here in this forum, as long as their form, fit, and function remain the same. There are always parts and process revisions that occur over time. Just the nature of manufacturing. The glued pads clearly meet specifications. So, with the glued pad, why is anyone taking them off NOW? If the sound quality is fine, if the external cosmetics look good, if the pads themselves are fine, then leave them on until you actually have to replace them. Then order the new pads, take off the old ones, and if you tear the old ones then so be it. You got the replacement pads ready to snap in. I say worry about it in a couple of years, or five, or never (I treat mine like gold and don't see any reason I will be needing replacement pads any time soon).

As for the bass, I had the HD598s, the X2s have the depth and slam that those fine headphones are missing. The only type of music where using the 598s may not matter is classical (and not the closed mike type). However, I do acknowledge the HD598s, especially the black SEs are lighter, more compact, and exhibit very nice workmaship. They also come with extra cables. Really a nice package... just wish they had more emphasis on their bass.

 

[shuto77]

Okay, so here is what I don't understand about the glued pads: it is clearly a process change (probably because the pads do not always stay in for some...my stay on fine). In the case of this or any other minor change, they don't have to tell any customer or any of us here in this forum, as long as their form, fit, and function remain the same. There are always parts and process revisions that occur over time. Just the nature of manufacturing. The glued pads clearly meet specifications. So, with the glued pad, why is anyone taking them off NOW? If the sound quality is fine, if the external cosmetics look good, if the pads themselves are fine, then leave them on until you actually have to replace them. Then order the new pads, take off the old ones, and if you tear the old ones then so be it. You got the replacement pads ready to snap in. I say worry about it in a couple of years, or five, or never (I treat mine like gold and don't see any reason I will be needing replacement pads any time soon).

As for the bass, I had the HD598s, the X2s have the depth and slam that those fine headphones are missing. The only type of music where using the 598s may not matter is classical (and not the closed mike type). However, I do acknowledge the HD598s, especially the black SEs are lighter, more compact, and exhibit very nice workmaship. They also come with extra cables. Really a nice package... just wish they had more emphasis on their bass.

Such a headphone exists: It's called the AKG K7XX. Only drawback is that the AKG is much harder to drive and sounds lousy out of a phone (imo).

 

[sghound]

well this escalated quickly!
 
versions here & there.
 
QC problems.
 
great sound.
 
time for bloody philips to sort it out with a definitive X3.

 

[jynxed]

Umm interesting that people are saying a gibson and woox pairs. I have just inspected mine, early may this year from amazon.it, cosmetically perfect, pads not glued, no sound imballance. They have no writing on headband at all, I will have to dig the box out and see what it says.

 

[nicolo]

I got my pair in March from amazon.com. Perfect fit and finish, no cosmetic blemishes, pads not glued and no sound imbalance too. My headband says "Philips Fidelio". No Woox or Gibson anywhere.

 

[TAMAL]

Can't upload photos

 

[jynxed]

I got my pair in March from amazon.com. Perfect fit and finish, no cosmetic blemishes, pads not glued and no sound imbalance too. My headband says "Philips Fidelio". No Woox or Gibson anywhere.

Interesting, Speculation: Maybe they have changed to gibson/woox for production and thats when the cosmetic problems began. I know we need a much larger sample size.

I read this thead for a few weeks before I bought mine in may and have continued to do so since them. I dont reacll reading about problems with cosmetic flaws and glue, maybe the odd one but nothing like recently. It was always ink leakage from the pads or occadionally imballance. It is only that last couple of months I have been reading regularly about cosmetic defects.

 

[Capt369]

  I got my pair in March from amazon.com. Perfect fit and finish, no cosmetic blemishes, pads not glued and no sound imbalance too. My headband says "Philips Fidelio". No Woox or Gibson anywhere.

My x2, the woox is in small lettering on the box. Had to hunt for it.

 

[Charliemotta]

 

  I got my pair in March from amazon.com. Perfect fit and finish, no cosmetic blemishes, pads not glued and no sound imbalance too. My headband says "Philips Fidelio". No Woox or Gibson anywhere.

My x2, the woox is in small lettering on the box. Had to hunt for it.

Mine says "Philips Fidelio" too, but I got mine in April. Glad I did. 

 

[KewlMunky]

Okay, so here is what I don't understand about the glued pads: it is clearly a process change (probably because the pads do not always stay in for some...my stay on fine). In the case of this or any other minor change, they don't have to tell any customer or any of us here in this forum, as long as their form, fit, and function remain the same. There are always parts and process revisions that occur over time. Just the nature of manufacturing. The glued pads clearly meet specifications. So, with the glued pad, why is anyone taking them off NOW? If the sound quality is fine, if the external cosmetics look good, if the pads themselves are fine, then leave them on until you actually have to replace them. Then order the new pads, take off the old ones, and if you tear the old ones then so be it. You got the replacement pads ready to snap in. I say worry about it in a couple of years, or five, or never (I treat mine like gold and don't see any reason I will be needing replacement pads any time soon).

As for the bass, I had the HD598s, the X2s have the depth and slam that those fine headphones are missing. The only type of music where using the 598s may not matter is classical (and not the closed mike type). However, I do acknowledge the HD598s, especially the black SEs are lighter, more compact, and exhibit very nice workmaship. They also come with extra cables. Really a nice package... just wish they had more emphasis on their bass.

Everyone is removing the pads now because one of the first users on here to get an X2 from the $100 off sale discovered they had the glued pad. They had contacted a Philips rep. about it, and was told it could either be defective or not genuine. The rep. advised them to get a replacement. This coming from a Philips rep. has cause widespread panic and people think the sale was to get rid of less than perfect units. Thus everyone is not thoroughly inspecting their X2 (and a lot of people seemed to have jumped on the sale). Along with this, everyone else has been scanning for any other possible imperfections. The latest one noticed is the trim ring. I have a slight imperfection on mine as well, though I bought it months ago used from a user on the forum (mine is a woox, no glued pads). I think someone else was panicing about an extra piece of leather at the underside of the headband, claiming they don't remember it on their previous one. They ended up finding a picture of their previous one and realized it was the same.
 
The short of this is that Philips started to glue on their pads, which were marketed as replaceable. This has caused a widespread panic and now people are trying to find any differences they possibly can.

 

[Gonzi]

  Mine says "Philips Fidelio" too, but I got mine in April. Glad I did. 

Inner side, above the left earcup.
But Woox vs Gibson is more about manufacturer stated at the bottom of the box. Everybody (looks like) has Woox at headband but different manufactures at the box, different pads mounting (glued or easily detachable) and probably different sound signature.

 

[Charliemotta]

 

  Mine says "Philips Fidelio" too, but I got mine in April. Glad I did. 

Inner side, above the left earcup.
But Woox vs Gibson is more about manufacturer stated at the bottom of the box. Everybody (looks like) has Woox at headband but different manufactures at the box, different pads mounting (glued or easily detachable) and probably different sound signature.

Nope..no woox or gibson or smith or johnson.

 

[wwmhf]

Mine was bought during Amazon's $200 flash sale recently. The pads are glued and the rings are not mounted perfectly. Also, I haven't found the word "Gibson" anywhere. 

 

[EternalShadow]

  Everyone is removing the pads now because one of the first users on here to get an X2 from the $100 off sale discovered they had the glued pad. They had contacted a Philips rep. about it, and was told it could either be defective or not genuine. The rep. advised them to get a replacement. This coming from a Philips rep. has cause widespread panic and people think the sale was to get rid of less than perfect units. Thus everyone is not thoroughly inspecting their X2 (and a lot of people seemed to have jumped on the sale). Along with this, everyone else has been scanning for any other possible imperfections. The latest one noticed is the trim ring. I have a slight imperfection on mine as well, though I bought it months ago used from a user on the forum (mine is a woox, no glued pads). I think someone else was panicing about an extra piece of leather at the underside of the headband, claiming they don't remember it on their previous one. They ended up finding a picture of their previous one and realized it was the same.
 
The short of this is that Philips started to glue on their pads, which were marketed as replaceable. This has caused a widespread panic and now people are trying to find any differences they possibly can.

 
mmm, no.  For a "quality" headphone, the way this leather headband is put on really is quite ghastly. Loose trimmings, visible glue, not flush at all.  Scratches in the leather in places physically impossible to be contacted during transportation or shipping.  Funny thing is, the way the headband looks in the amazon press shot is not what our headbands look like on the underside. 
 
There is no panic about the sale being used to get rid of less than perfect units.  The only thing being noticed is a pretty darn bad quality control by Philips. Whether or not that is due to the change in manufacturer is still to be seen.