"The Lab"

[doctorjazz]

@peter123... I found they did best with good amping. They didn't count great using the Geek Out 1k or SE. They sound really nice with the Liquid Carbon and the MicroZOTL2. The RSA HR-2,which I have since sold, also sounded going with it.

 

[peter123]

@peter123... I found they did best with good amping. They didn't count great using the Geek Out 1k or SE. They sound really nice with the Liquid Carbon and the MicroZOTL2. The RSA HR-2,which I have since sold, also sounded going with it.

Thanks for the heads up, that sounds much like my experience so far. They perform really well with the Burson Conductor V2+ but also with my balanced set up consisting of a DACmagic Plus and a pair of Nuforce HA-200 mono blocks. Didn't like them as much with either of my hybrid amplifiers (Project Ember II and LD I+) but I haven't been playing around with different tubes yet.

 

[Mr Trev]

Thanks for the heads up, that sounds much like my experience so far. They perform really well with the Burson Conductor V2+ but also with my balanced set up consisting of a DACmagic Plus and a pair of Nuforce HA-200 mono blocks. Didn't like them as much with either of my hybrid amplifiers (Project Ember II and LD I+) but I haven't been playing around with different tubes yet.

Really? Didn't you feel that the 400i matched up with the hybrids pretty well? <maybe I'm thinking of someone else>

 

[peter123]

Really? Didn't you feel that the 400i matched up with the hybrids pretty well? <maybe I'm thinking of someone else>

Yes I did and it also surprises me. That being said I do prefer the HE400i the most with my balanced setup. It may also be a matter of tubes as I really haven't had the time to roll any with the HE560 yet. For causal listening I actually like the HE560 straight from the Opus #1, almost need to max out the volume though.......

The more I listen the more I like them with the Burson V2+, that is really a excellent unit that works great with every headphone that I own.

 

[doctorjazz]

I don't know the 400i, but from what I understand, it's a different animal than the 560.

 

[peter123]

I don't know the 400i, but from what I understand, it's a different animal than the 560.

That's correct, they're more different than I thought they'd be from reading about them.

 

[Mr Trev]

I would have thought that the 2 models were close enough in the product line (not SQ, necessarily) that there wouldn't be any huge variances in amps. I could see maybe the HEK or one of the higher end models having different amp preferences. It could be a matter of just finding the right tube to really make em sing, or maybe they just need some burn-in <rabble, rabble, rabble>.

I can say for my preferences so far, I do prefer my 400i through the hybrid amp (just popped the orange globe back in… my ears are smiling). It could be that because my other amps are portables, they just don't quite have the grunt of the class A mosfets either. Perhaps I should reserve judgement until I get a proper SS desktop amp

 

[Light - Man]

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[crabdog]

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Welcome to the new Head-Fi sans Huddler...

 

[Light - Man]

Welcome to the new Head-Fi sans Huddler...

A bit like this then?

Loving my new Fidelio X2 and have started to mess around with upgraded shorter cables.

What thinks that a 3 meter cable is a good idea with most new heaphones!!!

 

[Mr Trev]

A bit like this then?

Loving my new Fidelio X2 and have started to mess around with upgraded shorter cables.

What thinks that a 3 meter cable is a good idea with most new heaphones!!!

Hey, I like the long cable. Great for idiots like me who always forget were plugged in and pull amps and such onto the floor.

The x2 is pretty sweet, no regrets about getting mine.
BTW, how new? Read Philips was suppose to have an (slightly) upgraded model out this summer

 

[Mr Trev]

sorry, brainfade

 

[Light - Man]

Hey, I like the long cable. Great for idiots like me who always forget were plugged in and pull amps and such onto the floor.

The x2 is pretty sweet, no regrets about getting mine.
BTW, how new? Read Philips was suppose to have an (slightly) upgraded model out this summer

I just have it 2 weeks now, I bought it new from Amazon UK, it was an impulse buy when I bought 4 headphone including the AKG K812 which turns out not to be to my taste.

There seems to be a more expensive version out but seemingly Philips are no longer involved with making them as they sold the rights away.

When people say the mids are recessed on the X2, along with muddy bass, I don't know What they are talking about, I am finding it very hard to fault it, it makes me wonder if there has been some improvement that have not been announced?

 

[peter123]

I agree with you on the X2's, what an amazing pair of headphones for the price (and actually quite a bit more).

Fwiw I hear the midrange and bass the same way as you and my pair is old so it's probably just others that have bad ears I don't hear any sibilance on mine either.

@Mr Trev
I think that the reason I prefer the HA-200 with the HE400i and the HE560 with the V2+ is the difference in midbass on the two: the HE400i got quite a bit more.

Been searching in my memory and it may be that it's the X2's I've enjoyed the most with my LD I+, not easy getting old

 

[Mr Trev]

I just have it 2 weeks now, I bought it new from Amazon UK, it was an impulse buy when I bought 4 headphone including the AKG K812 which turns out not to be to my taste.

There seems to be a more expensive version out but seemingly Philips are no longer involved with making them as they sold the rights away.

When people say the mids are recessed on the X2, along with muddy bass, I don't know What they are talking about, I am finding it very hard to fault it, it makes me wonder if there has been some improvement that have not been announced?

As best as I can tell the new version just has new/different earpads and headband. Still haven't seen one for sale yet myself.

There was a whole s-storm over the switch from Woox to Gibson manf. There were/are some QC issues, but I feel that most of the problems were way overblown - probably compounded by the fact Philips never disclosed some changes they made. This resulted in people ripping their earpads, just to see if they were glued on or not <insert flippant remark about some people's parents possibly being related here>

I never got the whole muddy bass complaints either. My thoughts are those folk might just be using a subpar source. I know the X2 are described as easy to drive, but I find they do sound much better with a decent amp behind them.
Recessed mids?? Technically… on paper, yes, but nothing I couldn't just listen through - never bothered trying to EQ the things either