Philips Fidelio X2?!
Jun 19, 2018 at 9:47 PM Post #13,096 of 15,268
I can confirm that Gibson Innovations was indeed responsible for Onkyo headphones as my review sample of the A800, H900M and the H500BT were all provided by Gibson. I'm not sure that Gibson had all of the Onkyo line, in fact I'm sure they didn't because my Gibson contact didn't have access to sending me review samples of things like an Onkyo amp/DAC. Shame, the people I dealt with were extremely nice. I wish the displaced employees a soft landing and hopefully new and good jobs wherever they go. And yes, the X2s are very nice as is the A800. I also really enjoy the H900M and love the H500BT. Great efforts by Onkyo and I believe the drivers are made by the same company that the Fidelio line utilizes so the connections are evident.
 
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Jul 4, 2018 at 11:28 AM Post #13,097 of 15,268
I keep trying to sell off my pair of X2s but I can’t. Part of it is sentimental, but part of it is that I love everything about this headphone, including the sound. Even though I have cans that outclass the X2 in terms of sound quality, the X2 feel lighter on my head and ears than other cans. Less heat build up on warm days. Single-ended TRS 3.5mm means it is super easy to cable swap. And it is driven well by my iPhone. And or course they look effortlessly cool.
 
Jul 4, 2018 at 11:51 AM Post #13,098 of 15,268
I keep trying to sell off my pair of X2s but I can’t. Part of it is sentimental, but part of it is that I love everything about this headphone, including the sound. Even though I have cans that outclass the X2 in terms of sound quality, the X2 feel lighter on my head and ears than other cans. Less heat build up on warm days. Single-ended TRS 3.5mm means it is super easy to cable swap. And it is driven well by my iPhone. And or course they look effortlessly cool.

Yes, effortlessly cool:
  • They'd look contemporaneous (and cool) on Buster Crabbe's head in BUCK ROGERS
  • or on Hans Solo's head in any of the STAR WARS films
 
Jul 4, 2018 at 3:04 PM Post #13,099 of 15,268
I keep trying to sell off my pair of X2s but I can’t. Part of it is sentimental, but part of it is that I love everything about this headphone, including the sound. Even though I have cans that outclass the X2 in terms of sound quality, the X2 feel lighter on my head and ears than other cans. Less heat build up on warm days. Single-ended TRS 3.5mm means it is super easy to cable swap. And it is driven well by my iPhone. And or course they look effortlessly cool.

I sold mine a couple of weeks after I got my HD600 and I still regret it.
They are very confortables, with almost no clamp and the pads are surprisingly good in the summer (where I live, we don't go past 35ºC, but still...).

Confortable, a somewhat engaging sound signature but not too aggressive, and easy to drive. If you listen to pop, hip hop, edm... There are no drawbacks.
 
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Jul 4, 2018 at 5:55 PM Post #13,100 of 15,268
First and foremost I am a die-hard rock-and-roll fan, although I listen to all kinds of music. This coming October will be the 4th year anniversary of my owning the Philips Fidelio X2. They are not going anywhere in the foreseeable future. Although I have other headphones, I have none that I love as much as these. Fun, fun, fun!
 
Jul 23, 2018 at 1:13 PM Post #13,101 of 15,268
I just though I would say - there was an issue with the I think the first Gibson model with the earpads being of different thickness. Mine were like that, a pair I bought second hand. I also had a comfort issue with the newer pads material as although it felt soft to the touch it actually irritated my skin after not too long wearing them. It was a stingy itchy sensation. Anyway I decided to give them a wash to see if would make any difference but I made a mistake - I put them in too hot of water and this loosened the glue that was holding the pad material. Why glue was used I don't know seems a strange way to do it. The material continued to irritate me and in a moment of frustration I pulled the material off altogether.

Turns out I'm glad I did. What this revealed was that the foam thickness on both pads were exactly the same. This means that the reason that pads were of different thickness was because the material on one pad was pulled more tightly than the other one. Or too loose on the other, who knows as I'm not sure if the smaller one or the bigger one was the intended thickness. I though this might be of some interest to some here.

So now my issue is that I have to either buy new pads which I'm loath to do or buy a new material to wrap around the foam which is what I think I should do. I'm currently using them with just the foam as pads which is actually very comfortable but not practical long term cause I think the foam might tear if left exposed, and will soak up dirt too. I wonder if anyone has ever done anything like this before, just re-clothing a pad I mean. I guess I should try and source some velour but I don't currently know where to get some in my area. Would anyone have any suggestion as to what material I should use...and what colour :) I'm thinking silvery grey myself for a bit of contrast and novelty.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wl6vc8EW-s7S1BrQb9aXsvzmmuyzGUkK/view?usp=sharing
view
 
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Jul 23, 2018 at 2:43 PM Post #13,102 of 15,268
I just though I would say - there was an issue with the I think the first Gibson model with the earpads being of different thickness. Mine were like that, a pair I bought second hand. I also had a comfort issue with the newer pads material as although it felt soft to the touch it actually irritated my skin after not too long wearing them. It was a stingy itchy sensation. Anyway I decided to give them a wash to see if would make any difference but I made a mistake - I put them in too hot of water and this loosened the glue that was holding the pad material. Why glue was used I don't know seems a strange way to do it. The material continued to irritate me and in a moment of frustration I pulled the material off altogether.

Turns out I'm glad I did. What this revealed was that the foam thickness on both pads were exactly the same. This means that the reason that pads were of different thickness was because the material on one pad was pulled more tightly than the other one. Or too loose on the other, who knows as I'm not sure if the smaller one or the bigger one was the intended thickness. I though this might be of some interest to some here.

So now my issue is that I have to either buy new pads which I'm loath to do or buy a new material to wrap around the foam which is what I think I should do. I'm currently using them with just the foam as pads which is actually very comfortable but not practical long term cause I think the foam might tear if left exposed, and will soak up dirt too. I wonder if anyone has ever done anything like this before, just re-clothing a pad I mean. I guess I should try and source some velour but I don't currently know where to get some in my area. Would anyone have any suggestion as to what material I should use...and what colour :) I'm thinking silvery grey myself for a bit of contrast and novelty.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wl6vc8EW-s7S1BrQb9aXsvzmmuyzGUkK/view?usp=sharing
view

You could buy some similar pads and transfer the top material over to those pads. Maybe the velour pads from Brainwavz round pads (not sure if you’d need XL or not).
 
Jul 23, 2018 at 6:06 PM Post #13,103 of 15,268
I keep trying to sell off my pair of X2s but I can’t. Part of it is sentimental, but part of it is that I love everything about this headphone, including the sound. Even though I have cans that outclass the X2 in terms of sound quality, the X2 feel lighter on my head and ears than other cans. Less heat build up on warm days. Single-ended TRS 3.5mm means it is super easy to cable swap. And it is driven well by my iPhone. And or course they look effortlessly cool.

When you are ready I’ll buy them :)
 
Jul 23, 2018 at 6:09 PM Post #13,104 of 15,268
I just though I would say - there was an issue with the I think the first Gibson model with the earpads being of different thickness. Mine were like that, a pair I bought second hand. I also had a comfort issue with the newer pads material as although it felt soft to the touch it actually irritated my skin after not too long wearing them. It was a stingy itchy sensation. Anyway I decided to give them a wash to see if would make any difference but I made a mistake - I put them in too hot of water and this loosened the glue that was holding the pad material. Why glue was used I don't know seems a strange way to do it. The material continued to irritate me and in a moment of frustration I pulled the material off altogether.

Turns out I'm glad I did. What this revealed was that the foam thickness on both pads were exactly the same. This means that the reason that pads were of different thickness was because the material on one pad was pulled more tightly than the other one. Or too loose on the other, who knows as I'm not sure if the smaller one or the bigger one was the intended thickness. I though this might be of some interest to some here.

So now my issue is that I have to either buy new pads which I'm loath to do or buy a new material to wrap around the foam which is what I think I should do. I'm currently using them with just the foam as pads which is actually very comfortable but not practical long term cause I think the foam might tear if left exposed, and will soak up dirt too. I wonder if anyone has ever done anything like this before, just re-clothing a pad I mean. I guess I should try and source some velour but I don't currently know where to get some in my area. Would anyone have any suggestion as to what material I should use...and what colour :) I'm thinking silvery grey myself for a bit of contrast and novelty.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wl6vc8EW-s7S1BrQb9aXsvzmmuyzGUkK/view?usp=sharing
view

This all sounds like an extreme amount of trouble to go to. How would you evenly stretch a new covering over an existing earpad? That strikes me as both challenging and full of risk of failure (ie, sonic consequencies of small differences in tension of the material between one earcup and the the the other.

@Slater is right about the Brainwavz round pads--velour would be best. I put a pair of pleather rounds on my X2s last years (just messing around); it made some interesting changes in the sound, but ultimately I preferred the sound of stock pads, so restored them. My guess is that putting the velour rounds on would come as close to a "sonic wash" as one could get w/aftermarket pads.

Here's how you do it:

1 - remove existing pads

2 - stretch the backflap of the new Brainwavz round velour pad all the way around the plastic housing of the right earcup. Be careful not to press the foam backing layer of the pad against those 4 curved pins that stick out from the earpad (goal is to rest the new earpad against them). BTW, when you put the headphones on again, you won't feel those curved pins at all.

3 - putting the new pad on the left earcup is a little more challenging, because this is the earcup w/the 3.5mm input jack. Anyway note where that jack is; then stretch the new pad over the left earcup as described in #2 above. Finish by very gently/carefully poking a hole in the backflap material covering the input jack. Carefully trim the hole w/small scissors so that an input jack can be fully inserted.

That's it--you're done. Happy listening...
 
Jul 30, 2018 at 2:49 AM Post #13,106 of 15,268
I've grown from hating DMS to kind of liking him, but I think he's definitely off about the X2. It's about as resolving as you would get for the price. Bit of grain and recessed mids. He's also way off; soundstage is insanely wide.
 
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Jul 30, 2018 at 4:57 AM Post #13,107 of 15,268
I've grown from hating DMS to kind of liking him, but I think he's definitely off about the X2. It's about as resolving as you would get for the price. Bit of grain and recessed mids. He's also way off; soundstage is insanely wide.
His impressionss are a bit off sometimes.... He bashes the x2s treble and lately he is all over beyrdynamic wich as some of the most treble happy headphones ever.... Go figure....
I Aldo had the hd600 at the same time as the x2. I recently sold the hd600. Yes the Senna had more detail and more resolution But they were also much less fun, more fatiguing and harer to drive tua the x2.

As much as i like resolution and detail, as a overall headphone, for me the x2 is a much better all rounder and much more musical thank the hd600 or for instance the 80ohm dt770s.
 
Jul 30, 2018 at 9:28 PM Post #13,109 of 15,268
His impressionss are a bit off sometimes.... He bashes the x2s treble and lately he is all over beyrdynamic wich as some of the most treble happy headphones ever.... Go figure....
I Aldo had the hd600 at the same time as the x2. I recently sold the hd600. Yes the Senna had more detail and more resolution But they were also much less fun, more fatiguing and harer to drive tua the x2.

As much as i like resolution and detail, as a overall headphone, for me the x2 is a much better all rounder and much more musical thank the hd600 or for instance the 80ohm dt770s.
I agree. The x2's aren't the most detailed of headphones; but they are a fun all rounder that are very enjoyable.
 
Jul 31, 2018 at 3:57 AM Post #13,110 of 15,268
I won't go into much detail but I agree with DMS's assessment as it mirrors mine and is what caused me to sell my X2s. That was soon after getting some planars and discovering what bass was actually supposed to sound like in a HP. I've been into high end home audio for years and am used to a cleaner, more accurate reproduction. The X2's just sounded somewhat grainy to me, and every other fault DMS mentioned as well. I will say, they are a fun sounding HP though. But I'm looking for something more resolving.
 

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