Philips Fidelio X2HR Over The Ear Open Back Wired Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black Professional Studio Monitor Headphones with Detachable Cable

I bought these after my DT770 Pro's broke, and after a fair amount of shopping around. I wanted an open-back style of headphone so I could hear the room while I was wearing them, and for the wider soundstage that you just don't get with closed-back headphones. I've had a fair selection of different headphones, including most of the popular ones; the Audio Technica M50x's, Sennheiser HD280's, my Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro's, Sennheiser HD598's, and Grado SR80's. All of those are decent headphones, and are good in their own ways, but they each have their issues, too. The M50x's wore out fast. The HD280's had ear cups that flaked apart and felt cheap, and were hot to wear. The DT770 Pro's sound good, but have cheap plastic clips holding the sliders together that don't hold up to long-term use, and you really have to always use a headphone amp with them. The Grado's are what I'd consider the best sound quality-wise, but they're kind of uncomfortable. These headphones (the X2HR's) do their best to alleviate the problems those other headsets have, and they manage to sound the best of the bunch while doing it. The ear cups have a plastic ring, but it's never under any stress so it's not going to be a breaking point over time. The cable is replaceable, so that isn't an issue like it can be with nearly all of the other headsets I listed. The headband on the X2HR's self-adjusts, so it isn't flexing a stress point that will become an issue after a lot of use; it's also really comfortable, and doesn't require any fiddling with it to make it fit right. The ear cups are a soft but firm foam that's also pretty comfortable; they'll likely wear over time about the same as the velour cups on the Beyerdynamic's, and they pick up cat hair pretty badly, but since they don't get hot to wear and the fit of the headphones is so easy you don't adjust them constantly, either. The good: Build quality is solid, and they're built to last. Extremely comfortable and don't require adjustments to get them to fit right. The sound quality is exactly what I would want from this kind of headphones, and is better than other notable headsets I own at a similar price point. Very good at 3D sound representation for gaming. Cons: The X2HR's are a bit heavy, but they don't feel like it when you're wearing them and I've found them to be comfortable for long periods of time. Build quality is solid, but without a hardshell carrying case I'd probably leave them home before putting them in a suitcase for a trip. Overall: Without getting into stuff like "scintillating mids" or "boomy bass" that's all pretty subjective anyway, for me these are the best sounding headphones I've owned. They give the comfort of Sennheiser sets with the sound quality of Grado's, somehow finding the best of both worlds. If you're not overly concerned with buzzwords and hitting that audiophile-perfect neutral that only appeals to music mixing, or the bone shaking bass that gaming headset makers think everyone wants, these are the way to go. Other notes: They do leak a bit of sound, which is expected of any open-ear headset. Not a con, but something to be aware of. I tested the spatial sound on a PC using a Soundblaster X4, with its 7.1 mixing and with Dolby Atmos for Headphones, and both ways were way more impressive than they sounded on my DT770's. I'd strongly recommend using your favorite EQ with them rather than running without, especially if you're using a sound source that doesn't provide one...I tried them on a Fiio E10k, and without an EQ it sounded a bit flat. I used Equalizer APO, and it made a pretty big difference. Bottom line, these are big winners in both sound quality and comfort. Very, very happy with them.

Okay, I need to preface this review by saying up front that I returned these headphones because they didn't fit me. I have a tall head, and the suspension mechanism kept pulling the headphones up enough that they got uncomfortable after a while. However, it's important to note my star rating: I'm returning these, but they still got five stars. That's how impressed I was with their sound and build quality. They sound really, really good, with clear highs that aren't overbearing, present mids, and solid bottom end that will not let you ignore it, but won't rattle your teeth, either. I'm not an audiophile, but I was quite pleased with how much better balanced their sound was than any other consumer headphone I've tried. The sound I got out of these was detailed, nuanced, and quite pleasing. I didn't listen to a lot of really complex music to see if they'd just turn into a wall of sound when there was too much thrown at them, however. When talking about their sound quality it's important to note that these are open-back headphones. They do *not* isolate or noise cancel. They're not supposed to. They're supposed to allow noise out to create a more open and broad sound stage, giving them more of a natural sense of presence. It's an experience much closer to listening to a good stereo system than using closed back headphones, which seal your ears in little chambers and blast them directly with sound. That has it's place, like if you're listening to music in public or in a loud environment, but it doesn't give a natural and open-air feel like open-back headphones do. If you're looking for more of a natural sound but don't want to piss off your neighbors, open back headphones are a solid option. If your partner is asleep in bed next to you and you want to watch a movie, you definitely want closed back headphones. One advantage to open-back headphones is that the larger sound stage gives you a better sense of position from audio when gaming. That's one of the main reason I gave these a try, and I was quite pleased with the results. It feels a lot more like you're there, or using a good 5.1 system, than when using closed headphones. Their build quality is impressive. These headphones feels very solid, but also refined and polished. I was really surprised by that. The only part I can tell is made of plastic is the cups of the headphones themselves. The band and frame that attaches to the cups are metal. Even the support band that rests across the top of your head is made up of metal bands inside a pad. That's not gonna wear out any time soon. For the sake of comparison, the Sennheiser PC38X headset I replaced these with is made up almost entirely of plastic. It feels incredibly cheap by comparison. However, it fits my head. The cable is also quite nice. It's braided and long. The braiding feels both flexible and strong, reinforcing the cable without making it overly stiff. The connectors are slim enough that I can't imagine anyone having trouble getting them past a cell phone case. The only real knock I have for these headphones is that the included pads pick up everything they touch. Dust, cat hair, anything. However, they're soft and plush, and quite comfortable for long wear. Just know that if you've got a pet you'll end up cleaning hair off them pretty regularly.

So let me just say I've blown A LOT of money on audio gear over the years--especially on headphones. But this purchase was money well spent. Well.........that is after I returned the first pair. I was shipped a box of screws. I'm not speaking metaphorically here, folks. In lieu of the X2HR headphones, Amazon shipped me a big, heavy box of screws. I was like, "I read these headphones are big and heavy but can they be THIS heavy". I had been literally screwed. But I got a refund and my second pair are amazing. I own a few other pairs of wired, open back headphones--all of which were more expensive and are considered more "audiophile grade": Sennheiser 660s's, HiFiMan Sundara's, and AKG 712 Pro's. The others could be called TECHNICALLY better. I will say there is a better transparency to the sound whereas these have a certain amount of "noise" in the signal. But guess what? If I had to pick only one pair to keep, it would be these. They may have technical flaws, but they are the most enjoyable to listen to. The tonality and tuning of these is incredible. Nothing seems missing. The bass is huge, the treble is lively and if there are scooped mids I can't say I really hear it. Certainly not as forward and mid heavy as the 660's, but that's not entirely a bad thing as they can sound a bit congested as a result. Oh that brings me to the best part: THE SOUNDSTAGE. These have the widest soundstage I've ever heard on headphones. They almost sound like speakers on your head. Very few headphones can compete with these in this category--no matter how much you spend. Apparently the Sennheiser 800s's also sound massive--but they cost literally 10x as much. (One of these days I'll probably be dumb enough to buy them anyway). Oh and comfort? The best of all of them. They are massive. Don't look in the mirror while wearing these. You look like a dork. But they feel like pillows on your head. The earcups are perfect. And headphones like this make me question whether expensive even means better. What about Audeze headphones? Focals? By the descriptions I've read, they are all very "warm" headphones with very rolled off treble. I would probably hate them. Even the 660s' suffer a bit from this--although they do sound quite good in their own way and are probably my second favorite pair. But if I put on a rock song I find guitar solos can just sound dull and uninspiring on them. If I put the X2HR's on and play the same track, the same guitar solo soars! After you get past the $200 mark, you get VERY diminishing returns from headphones I think. You could argue there's no reason to spend more. I was watching David Letterman's Netflix interview show last night and he was interviewing Billie Eilish and her brother (who both seem very nice--shame abut their music) in their home studio and it looked like they were both wearing blue Audio Technica M50x's. $150 headphones and they are millionaires. And these seem to be the open back equivalent to the M50x's: headphones that rose from seeming obscurity to become massive hits. Hit that Buy Now button. Unless you hate great sound!

I have spent over three years with my Philips X2HRs and I feel I am finally qualified to review these headphones. They are in my opinion the best gateway audiophile headphones on the market, surpassing even their successor, the X3. Despite its flaws, and especially after some EQ, these cans shine bright, especially for the $120 I paid for them back in 2020. There may be other better options out there now, but these will remain my favorite. The good: The X2HRs would have what I would describe as a "cinematic" sound signature. They are V-shaped without a doubt, but that is not a bad thing. Bass and treble are both strong and in your face, akin to many mainstream headphones. Soundstage is wide for the price point; I would go as far to say it punches far above its weight in this regard. These are also incredibly comfortable, though the clamping force is strong due to the fairly hefty weight these possess. It doesn't bother me, but those with larger heads might find it a bit much. The EQ: These respond incredibly well to EQ, so well in fact that I would say that it might save these in the eyes of most audiophiles. With it, you can minimize the two biggest flaws of the X2HRs: muddy bass and excessive treble. Bass comes alive and quality is noticeably improved, and the sometimes fatiguing treble becomes infinitely more tolerable. I personally cannot go back to listening to these without some kind of tuning to help clear up the bass. The bad: Even with EQ, the X2HRs are not perfect. As mentioned earlier, they are far from neutral headphones, and especially without EQ can come off as overbearing or fatiguing. They suffer from muddy bass that can bleed into the mids, and some would describe the treble as piercing at specific frequencies (though I do not notice this very much). Bass extension is also not great, though this may be due in part to their open-back design. Finally, despite being very comfortable, the velour ear pads collect every little bit of crud they are exposed to and need to be cleaned periodically. Due in part to this and after three years of wear, they are starting to fall apart a little and will probably need replaced in the future.

These Phillips were purchased because the better half took my KZ10 IEM earbuds. Those earbuds really opened the world of music for me all over again and convinced me that ALL of the bluetooth buds are hands down terrible. I also own'd a pair of Koss Porta Pros back in 16' that were said to be the easiest way to appreciate Audiophile level quality which were also "open back". So? Did this purchase take another step in the right direction? I think yes for the price point. I'm really not used to cranking the audio up, as my ears are sensitive but the top end is clean on these (I don't mind losing a lil bit of hearing for this quality) The music is clean and distortion just isn't there if you crank em up a lil. I've read reviews discussing terms like soundstage, forward aiming, trill, V shape (imagine a V curved EQ line) I don't know what some of them mean but I will say this: Sound Stage - Wide but laking "Air" as I expected to hear the recordings atmosphere Vocals vs Instruments - The artist ins't perfectly center and the instruments sound like they are low and to the sides. BASS - This isn't a super bass heavy set but if you were trying to hear the treble at low levels, the bass seems to mud out the sound. I'm not a bass head so this is MAX bass for me. These aren't like standing centered between 2 book shelves but they are is for the value. The build is proper with each ear cup housing suspended by rubber struts, although they are comfortable to wear they aren't invisible. I like how easy they are to grab; I keep expecting to grab a slippery plastic finish and I'm quickly met with the tactile ring. I intend to chase the audiophile experience and purchase a pair of Hifi Man planar headphones and drive it with a matched tube amp supplied audio via a DAC. I want to feel like I'm standing between two bookshelf speakers perfectly aligned with my ears and I'm not sure that's even a thing.

Intro: So if your wondering if these are worth it... they are. If you want more details on why then keep reading. If you want my opinion on a certain aspect of the headphone then scroll down to the paragraph over what you want to know about. I’ve got them all labeled. Build: Overall these a built extremely well. There is a bit of plastic, but any part that’s going to be under stress is excessive built up with only metal parts. Unless your beating these with a bat I’d expect the electronics to give out long before something snaps or something. It feels very good in the hands. The only issue I have with the build is that they are extremely oversized. The top of the headband to the bottom of the ear cups is about 9”. It’ll look oversized on nearly everyone’s head. That said I don’t think it’s a big deal, because your not going to be wearing them out and about as they’re open back. So overall I’d give these about a 9 outta 10 for build as they’re built like a tank and look great off the head, but are oversized when your actually wearing them. Comfort: I gave these a 4 outta 5 for comfort, but that said, these things are stupid comfy. Most people will probably be able to wear these for around 6 hours straight without ear relief. I’m really happy with the pads. They’re ultra thick, lined with microfiber, and made outta memory foam (a material I love). It’s like having a pillow around your ears and will blow your mind if all you’ve ever felt are fake leather pads. They’re so big around and deep that a lot of people’s actual ears won’t actually touch any part of the headphone. They’re also very light weight which helps. Now they loose a star due to their mesh hammock suspension system on the headband. This means that the headphone is always ever so slightly pulling down on your head with extra pressure. It’s very slight and it’s distributed across the entire top of the head but it does feel nice when you go to take them off. Also the clamp force is a bit tighter than I woulda liked to compensate for the mesh system but it’s not that bad. They’re still very good in the comfort department, understand I’m being very nit picky, but I’m sticking to my 4 stars, which translates to an 8 outta 10 for my rating on comfort. Packaging: Good enough. 10 outta 10. Parts in the box: Pretty simple. You get the headphones, some papers, a clip thing for managing the cord, a 3mm to 1/4” adaptor, and the cord which has 3mm on both ends. The cord is the nicest I currently own. It’s very thick and it’s got that soft weave around it. It’s never got tangled and is also excessively long. I don’t know how it could get much better. Im going to give the stuff in the box a 9 outta 10 rating, because I really would have liked a case of some sort, even if it was just like a soft case it would be nice to have something to store, transport, and keep the dust off the headphones. Sound: The most important aspect to any headphone is the sound in my opinion. So I’m a noob audiophile and this is probably only the 4th product I’ve listened too that is actually hi-if quality. I ordered the 1 More Tripple Drivers to compare with these and sent them back as I preferred the X2s. The other headphones I own to compare these too are the Sennheiser 558s. I’ve also heard a great speaker system. If your curious I was powering these off an Oppo HA-2 from my IPhone using MP3 files (I know, I‘m scum to not use FLAC🤙). Highs- It was quite good. The detail was equal to my 558s but the X2s the weren’t as impactful and organic sounding as the Sennheisers were. The highs were definitely better than the 1 More Tripple Drivers (over ears) although those were definitely better for cymbals. Overall clarity for like upper guitar and female vocals definitely go to the X2s. That said I don’t care very much about highs as I mostly listen to alternative an rock with mostly male vocals. If highs are a priority of yours I’d advise you to check out something from Senheiser, maybe the 58X, as they’re known for having great dynamic top end resolution from what I’ve read and heard. Midds: The midds are actually better than I expected. They’re not as recessed I expected from reviews and have good detail and clarity. Again my 558s definitely win over the X2s here as vocals and guitar chords hit with a lot more impact and there is slightly better detail on those to my ear, but it’s close. The midds are miles ahead of the 1 More Tripples as those sound quite a bit muddy from being closed and balanced in a lot more of a V sound than the X2s. So overall the midds leave some to be desired but are better than I expected. Bass- So this is why I bought this headphone and is definitely what they do best. The bass and sub bass is most likely the best for the price period. It’s very clear and goes really low. What surprised me most about the base is how little of it there is. I’m not a bass head so this doesn’t bother me, that and my HA-2 has a bass boost setting which got the base to more of a level I expected. The 1 More Tripples had noticeably more bass than these, but the X2s was drastically cleaner and didn’t muddy the other frequencies thanks to it being open back. If your listening for the bass it’s there and you won’t be dissatisfied; but it doesn’t shove it up your neck like Beats do and ruin the music. Especially if you listen to songs where the base is well separated and distinct from the highs in the recording, the X2s will play it fantastic. Overall if you want the best bass currently under $150, look no further. As a whole I give the sound 10 outta 10. Although sound is something that can always be improved upon, its sound almost definitely hits above its price especially in the bass department. Overall: I purchased this headphone as a fun headphone for the days I want a bit more bass than my 558s can offer. Not only do they fulfill that role in my growing collection perfectly, but they’re balanced well enough that I’d also recommend them as a stand alone daily driver for music, movies, games, and what not. These would be a great entry into Hi-Fi headphones if your new to the Audiophile world and would probably be the best headphones you’ve ever heard. I mean they destroy any wireless Beats, Sony, or Bose headphones, even the $300 ones in sound. They can be driven off anything, so you could use them with a phone, computer, game controller, etc. If you want them for gaming I know that Sennheiser has a pair of gaming at around the same price that’s going to be better if your really competitive and only want to use them for gaming. But these will make gunshots and explosions sound cooler due to deeper bass and are much more versatile resulting sound better for music and movies. The X2s will sound better than any skull candy or consumer grade gaming headset. You can add a mod mic for about $30 for multiplayer games, but these will beat out or match just about anything besides more expensive audiophile products for single player games. As I said earlier, they’re great for movies again due to that bass which really adds energy to explosions and makes a soundtrack with nice deep dark notes sound sick. As previously mentioned they’re overall great for music especially if you want good bass although other headphones in this price range will beat out the X2s in the highs and midds. But considering overall quality, sound, comfort, and price; Id rate the X2s at around a 9.7 outta 10. They are really a great value especially as they’re price seems to be slowly dropping (it’s currently about $120 new) and even the most critical Audiophile is probably going to be happy with these for the money. If you made it this far thanks so much for reading. I hope my input was helpful. It really blows my mind that anyone would read all this so I really appreciate it. If anyone who read it is really experienced in the Audiophile realm, I would love it if you left a reply critiquing how well I reviewed the sound. I will probably update this review a good couple months from now once they’ve been fully burnt in and I’ll cover soundstage and imagery in that. Thanks again for reading what I have to say, have a wonderful day and go enjoy some music. 🎶 🎧

I am a music lover first and foremost and I love to maximize that experience with the nicest speakers and headphones [my] money can buy. I currently own Sennheiser HD800S, Focal Elegia, Beyerdynamic T5P Gen 2, Sony MDR-Z7, Sennheiser HD 598, Sony XBA-N3BP, Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10, Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 and Sony NC 1000XM3. Then I also run them through Sony NW-WM1A High Res player, Schiit Lyr 3, Sony PHA-3 and Woo Audio WA7 Gen 2 amps/DACs. I was eyeing the Focal Clear to complete my collection and set for all of eternity. I had heard a lot about the Philips Fidelio and never experienced it. Mind you, just because it was not as expensive as any of the ones I owned I never doubted its abilities especially at its price point. I am not an audiophile snob. I just wasn't tempted enough to pull the trigger until now, at the $99 BF deal. Worst case scenario I'll just use it as a headphone to use with my portable devices, IF it doesn't make the cut next to my audiophile grade headphones used in my desktop setup. Needless to say I'll be postponing my purchase of the Focal Clear for a good while now. These are really enjoyable. And they made the cut. I went straight for the tracks I normally use for my demos. Chris Jones - Long After You're Gone (Low end + Male Vocals + Instruments) Al Somma - The Very Thought Of You (Male Vocals, Instruments) Youn Sun Nah - Bitter Ballad (Female Vocals, Soundstage, instruments, best track) Norah Jones - Don't Know Why Mazzy Star - Into Dust Fleetwood Mac - Dreams George Michael - Fast Love (Pop) (G)-Idle - What's Your Name (K-Pop) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - The Long Road (Vocals, Strings) Pearl Jam - Even Flow (Rock test) Chevelle - Sleep Apnea (Rock) Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight Beyonce - Beautiful Liar (Spanish Version) (Pop) Morgan Page - Fight For You (House, Female Vocals, Electronic Music) Shawshank Redemption - Shawshank Prison (Stoic Theme) Music: Sounds wonderful. Soundstage may not be as big as HD800S (if you're curious, HD800S I think takes the crown for that against most headphones) but is ample for music, movies and gaming. Instruments have space, vocals are clear and refined, string instruments have body and volume. These headphones have a clean sound. They're not striving for every ounce of detail out of the top end but at this price point I have nothing to complain about and honestly it makes for a very pleasurable listening experience. Excellent headphones for vocals, string instruments. And very very decent for Pop and bass laden music. Better than the Sennheiser HD 598 I gave to my wife. Gaming/Movies: Excellent. Better than all my headphones except HD800S. Those have bigger soundstage, go lower, handle explosions better. Again, this is no slouch but you're comparing a top of the line headphone to a more consumer budgeted. Movies and games have a 3D sound. Sound stage is big which creates for a cinematic experience for both movies and games. This is my go to headphone for gaming now because i can just plug it into the 3.5mm jack in my PC and switch to that by going to Sound in Control Panel. I like to keep mileage on my top end headphones to only where they need to be going. And not for all road trips. vs the Focal Clear. These I think offer a slightly wider/bigger sound stage than the Clears but the Focal Clear are technically superior headphones with one of the best sound signatures and tonal balance I have ever heard on a headphone. I can save $800+ in the interim and enjoy these. Focal Clear are specifically for music while the Fidelio are better all rounders. Especially for gaming and movies, these are better for the more open sound they produce, even though not as detailed or balanced. But I prefer the openness in sound for movies and games even if the sound quality is within 80% of the 8x more expensive headphone. Any questions?

I was a little unsure of these at first, but they have continued to impress and I definitely recommend them - especially for this price point and/or you haven't tried open-back headphones. The ear pads were kind of itchy at first, but they aren't anymore (took maybe 20-30 hours of wearing to be fine). These are comfortable enough that I can wear them literally all day and aren't bothered by them like I am by headphones with leather/vinyl ear cups. The sound is better than expected, much better than expected at this price point. They are a touch bright compared to other 'warm' headphones, but to me they seem 'lively' rather than harsh. Bass is far better than expected. Certainly not boomy, less pronounced then closed-backs, but still fairly full. The most impressive thing to me (that I never really heard on other headphones) is the sound separation. All the instruments are so clear and distinct, the soundstage is wide (especially compared to closed-back or earbuds) making the sound feel very immersive. This aspect of the sound quality blew me away and has made me truly appreciate music far more than ever before. I imagine most open-back headphones are similar, but these seem like a great balance between a lively, fun sound (not super flat, but not boosted like Sony), separation/sound stage, and tight but full bass. Hard to imagine getting much better sound without spending several hundreds of dollars more. I tried the Philips Fidelio X3 and the Hifiman Sundura and directly compared all 3. I preferred these X2HR. I'm not using a dedicated DAC or headphone amp though - I tried a cheap-ish dedicated amp as well as an older Harmon/Kardon AVR that's hooked up via HDMI (using PCM) to my computer and still preferred the X2HR. There may be better sound with higher-end headphones using better DAC/Amp, but for using the lightning/3.5mm adapter on my iPhone, or 3.5mm from MacBook, or using the H/K AVR from my PC, I liked the X2HR sound better than the others. (Which was shocking based on how many people love the Sundaras). For less than $150, it's a great deal in my opinion. Also, I've compared to several BT headphones and definitely like the X2HR much better, but open-back headphones are pretty different than any closed-back or in-ears that I've ever heard. - I've tried Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, Apple AirPod Pro (1 and 2), Beats PowerBeats Pro, and Sony WH-1000xm3. Out of everything I've tried, I love using these X2HR for at home the best and prefer the Apple AirPod Pro 2 for being mobile. Also, tried replacing the ear pads with aftermarkets (I think Geekria?) and it changed the sound profile pretty significantly, so I went back to the stock and dealt with the itching until it went away.