[nymz]

Is this intentional by Phillips or a defect? Genuinely asking

No one knows, I think.

After researching for a bit, I think it was intentional, so they could gain some extra bucks on aftert market cables. But since they weren't very well received (sales-wise), they must have dropped that idea.

All of this is stupid. The main reason I don't use these phones anymore it's because I can't walk around the house with them since there's a 3 meter long cable tailing me

One day I might just order a normal 3.5mm cable, plug out a little of the jack and be done with it, like Zeos did on the video. But that's just plain stupid, and cable might fall. Or I need the money and I'll just sell them + the Dekoni pads

 

[HipHopScribe]

Yes. I know. I asked for a custom according to that and this image:

You took this image from a post of someone speculating about the cable configuration, not someone who had actually confirmed it. I'm not surprised it's incorrect.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/philips-fidelio-x3.913807/post-15852911

Someone was able to find a 3rd party cable that worked before:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/philips-fidelio-x3.913807/post-15876847

https://www.amazon.com/NEOMUSICIA-Replacement-upgrade-Crossfade-Headphone/dp/B01J9V298Q

That cable seems to be out of stock, but the way V-Moda wires their dual entry headphones is that you can either use only one side or you can use a split cable like this. So the cable is probably set up like this:



This would also explain why some cables work with one of the connectors only partially inserted, because those cable probably have the right side wired with the tip as the right channel rather than the ring, so the tip makes contact when partially inserted. But again, I'm also speculating. I wouldn't just order something based off this. Someone needs to check the stock cable to confirm. It's definitely possible to get a custom cable for the X3, you just need to use the proper configuration. You could also just send the stock cable to someone who can shorten it.

Obviously Philips should just sell replacement cables themselves, but given the years of frustration from people trying to get replacement pads for the X2 from Philips that seems unlikely.

 

[nymz]

You took this image from a post of someone speculating about the cable configuration, not someone who had actually confirmed it. I'm not surprised it's incorrect.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/philips-fidelio-x3.913807/post-15852911

Someone was able to find a 3rd party cable that worked before:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/philips-fidelio-x3.913807/post-15876847

https://www.amazon.com/NEOMUSICIA-Replacement-upgrade-Crossfade-Headphone/dp/B01J9V298Q

That cable seems to be out of stock, but the way V-Moda wires their dual entry headphones is that you can either use only one side or you can use a split cable like this. So the cable is probably set up like this:



This would also explain why some cables work with one of the connectors only partially inserted, because those cable probably have the right side wired with the tip as the right channel rather than the ring, so the tip makes contact when partially inserted. But again, I'm also speculating. I wouldn't just order something based off this. Someone needs to check the stock cable to confirm. It's definitely possible to get a custom cable for the X3, you just need to use the proper configuration. You could also just send the stock cable to someone who can shorten it.

Obviously Philips should just sell replacement cables themselves, but given the years of frustration from people trying to get replacement pads for the X2 from Philips that seems unlikely.

Thanks for the explanation! I'll make sure to remember this if I ever end up trying to ask for another custom

 

[cel4145]

If someone wants a 1.2m cable for their X3:

This works: https://www.amazon.com/NEOMUSICIA-R...d=1&keywords=B01J9V298Q&qid=1600720806&sr=8-1

This doesn't work: https://www.amazon.com/NewFantasia-...ywords=NewFantasia&qid=1600719824&sr=8-6&th=1

NewFantasiaDirect sent me both to test. 10 days shipping from China to Norway. Very good service.

The one that worked, acted just like the original one. L on R / R on L = No sound.
The one that didn't work, had sound on left with both L and R, but no sound on the right (well, if I just inserted it half way in, it actually worked)

Yep. I've used that NewFantasia V-MODA Crossfade M-100 replacement cable. Works great.

 

[Mr Trev]

Is this intentional by Phillips or a defect? Genuinely asking

I dunno. If this was actually intentional, it will go down in the annuals of epically stupid business decisions. Anybody who actually knows Philips knows replacement parts are non-existent. Those that don't know will be screwed if/when they need a new cable and will never be repeat customers.
I suppose the one good thing will be when folks get p-o'd and sell the phones dirt cheap you could grab them and do some easy mods (rewire the jacks in the cups) to make them the way the should've been

 

[Stevko]

If my cable broke. They go in «recycling»

 

[Bansaku]

This is correct. I easily made my own cable that works with my Sundara (and probably any other 3.5mm dual entry jack). I just bodged/bridged/shorted/shunted (or whatever your term fits best) the tip to the sleeve on the R and presto! No harm done and works flawlessly. Ya just gotta think outside of the box.

I can see the logic the engineer had designing it this way, however for a dual entry headphone, dual mono tips would have been a smarter choice.

 

[nymz]

This is correct. I easily made my own cable that works with my Sundara (and probably any other 3.5mm dual entry jack). I just bodged/bridged/shorted/shunted (or whatever your term fits best) the tip to the sleeve on the R and presto! No harm done and works flawlessly. Ya just gotta think outside of the box.

I can see the logic the engineer had designing it this way, however for a dual entry headphone, dual mono tips would have been a smarter choice.

So you confirm that image is correct? I might ask for a custom like again, just for the sake of it and to use X3 again

 

[Light - Man]

I dunno. If this was actually intentional, it will go down in the annuals of epically stupid business decisions. Anybody who actually knows Philips knows replacement parts are non-existent. Those that don't know will be screwed if/when they need a new cable and will never be repeat customers.
I suppose the one good thing will be when folks get p-o'd and sell the phones dirt cheap you could grab them and do some easy mods (rewire the jacks in the cups) to make them the way the should've been

Hello Mr T, do you have the X3 or are you just tempted?

I bought it new at about £190 but I did not gel with it.

I reckon that they spent more time on the styling than they did on the sound.

It does have a wider soundstage than the X2 but I preferred the X2 overall and I therefore could not justify keeping the X3. I found that the X2 had more body to the sound and also better articulation of vocals.

A decent headphone that I could not connect with, and overall a forgettable experience for me.

 

[Mr Trev]

Hello Mr T, do you have the X3 or are you just tempted?

I bought it new at about £190 but I did not gel with it.

I reckon that they spent more time on the styling than they did on the sound.

It does have a wider soundstage than the X2 but I preferred the X2 overall and I therefore could not justify keeping the X3. I found that the X2 had more body to the sound and also better articulation of vocals.

A decent headphone that I could not connect with, and overall a forgettable experience for me.

Always tempted!

Honestly, from the impressions I've read so far, I've been leaning away. What you just posted confirms most what I've read - still waiting for @peter123 to do a thorough shake down of the 2 tho…

Still, considering you don't know until you try them, they'll always be back of mind - but only if I can get a screaming good deal (or don't buy a r70x first)

 

[Bansaku]

So you confirm that image is correct? I might ask for a custom like again, just for the sake of it and to use X3 again

It's super easy and straight forward once you understand the logic. For any custom cable all that is needed is at least a stereo plug on the right with the signal fed to the "sleeve". If you want to use the cable for multi-headphones that used mono-jacks, bridge the "tip and sleeve". Even if the jacks on the headphone are mono, this will still work. It took me longer to heat up the iron than to do the alteration.

 

[nymz]

It's super easy and straight forward once you understand the logic. For any custom cable all that is needed is at least a stereo plug on the right with the signal fed to the "sleeve". If you want to use the cable for multi-headphones that used mono-jacks, bridge the "tip and sleeve". Even if the jacks on the headphone are mono, this will still work. It took me longer to heat up the iron than to do the alteration.

Like this? Sorry I don't understand crap about cables or soldering.

Also, will this cable work on Sundara as well? I might grab one in a close future.

Thanks for the help

 

[Bansaku]

Like this? Sorry I don't understand crap about cables or soldering.

Also, will this cable work on Sundara as well? I might grab one in a close future.

Thanks for the help

For the right, yes. No modification to the left is necessary as Tip is correct. It couldn't hurt though, might even be beneficial in evening out some potential (albeit minuscule) change in resistance.

What I did was just use a small piece of silver solder to bridge the 2, like fixing a trace on a PCB. Although you could just blob the solder over the tip and sleeve connectors, but this would make the bodge irreversible (trust me, I have messed up many tiny solder connections and once it's on it's on).

 

[Saethyan]

I got the X3 for about 140 euros in a really good Offer (30% off from an already discounted price). I kept going between my X2HR and the X3 through a Fiio E17K ALPEN 2. The X3 sometimes feels a bit more clear, but less natural, especially on live recordings, where it feels like it lacks the energy of the X2. I don't have any background in audio, so I may not be able to express the sound, but the on the songs I love, I get goosebumps with the X2, and I don't with the X3. I'm not particularly bothered by the reduced bass, but some instruments sound unnatural, one example is the guitar solo in Crazy Train. The X2 sounded much better with this particular song. It may be my brain, but it also feels like the X3 has a very different decay on some frequencies compared to the X2 (has anyone else noticed this?). Some sounds stop flat, no reverb at all, and I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing, but it makes the X2 sound better to me on most tracks. On bass heavy songs the X2 does seem to be a bit too boomy at times but I fell like I'd rather correct that with an EQ than to have to boost the X3 on most tracks. Not sure yet if the X3 is a keeper, at the moment it's 70% off the door.

 

[MisterMudd]

I got the X3 for about 140 euros in a really good Offer (30% off from an already discounted price). I kept going between my X2HR and the X3 through a Fiio E17K ALPEN 2. The X3 sometimes feels a bit more clear, but less natural, especially on live recordings, where it feels like it lacks the energy of the X2. I don't have any background in audio, so I may not be able to express the sound, but the on the songs I love, I get goosebumps with the X2, and I don't with the X3. I'm not particularly bothered by the reduced bass, but some instruments sound unnatural, one example is the guitar solo in Crazy Train. The X2 sounded much better with this particular song. It may be my brain, but it also feels like the X3 has a very different decay on some frequencies compared to the X2 (has anyone else noticed this?). Some sounds stop flat, no reverb at all, and I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing, but it makes the X2 sound better to me on most tracks. On bass heavy songs the X2 does seem to be a bit too boomy at times but I fell like I'd rather correct that with an EQ than to have to boost the X3 on most tracks. Not sure yet if the X3 is a keeper, at the moment it's 70% off the door.

Just ask yourself - does it make you smile when you listen to it? If not - move the X3 out of there. For me - the X2 continues to make me smile after 7+ years and it ain't going nowhere. Other headphones have come and gone....