Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed May 12, 2020 at 08:56 am
Latest change: Writing modified Aug 05, 2022 at 03:02 pm
By Jake Thauvette, Nick Cheply, and Yannick Khong
8.4
Neutral Sound
3.8
Commute/Travel
5.0
Sports/Fitness
4.6
Office
4.6
Wireless Gaming
6.7
Wired Gaming
1.6
Phone Calls
+ Create your own
overview test results deals 1 comments
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Open-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic
Noise Cancelling No
Mic No
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are a great pair of wired open-back headphones for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is very well-balanced, making them suitable for a wide range of genres and content, though some people may find they sound a bit piercing or dull on certain tracks. Thanks to their large, well-padded ear cups and automatically-adjusting headband, they're comfortable to wear, even for extended periods. As is to be expected with open-back headphones, they aren't the most versatile as they don't block out any background noise, and don't have a microphone. Overall, they're a fairly sleek and premium-looking pair of open-back headphones.
Our Verdict
8.4 Neutral Sound
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are great headphones for neutral sound listening. Their sound profile is very well-balanced, though some may find they sound a bit dull with some frequencies and piercing with others. They also lack a bit of low-bass, though this is common with open-back headphones. Their weighted harmonic distortion is very good, and even critical listeners shouldn't notice much distortion. Thanks to their open-back design, their soundstage is quite open and natural, and they're very consistent between various users or reseats.
Pros
-
Well-balanced sound profile.
-
Comfortable.
-
Premium, durable look and feel.
Cons
-
Bulky design.
-
Open-back design results in poor noise isolation and leakage performance.
See our Neutral Sound Recommendations
3.8 Commute/Travel
The Philips X2HR are bad for commuting or travel. These wired headphones have an open-back design that leaks a lot of audio and blocks out almost no background noise. They're designed for listening to music alone in a dedicated room.
Pros
-
Well-balanced sound profile.
-
Comfortable.
-
Premium, durable look and feel.
Cons
-
Bulky design.
-
Open-back design results in poor noise isolation and leakage performance.
See our Commute/Travel Recommendations
5.0 Sports/Fitness
The Philips X2HR aren't recommended for sports or fitness. These wired over-ear headphones have bulky ear cups, and their headband isn't the most stable. Even during light jogs, they'll likely move around a fair amount on the head. They also block almost no background noise and leak a lot of audio.
Pros
-
Well-balanced sound profile.
-
Comfortable.
-
Premium, durable look and feel.
Cons
-
Bulky design.
-
Open-back design results in poor noise isolation and leakage performance.
See our Sports/Fitness Recommendations
4.6 Office
The Philips Fidelio X2HR aren't recommended for office use. Since they have an open-back design, they leak a lot of audio, and even in a loud office, your coworkers will likely hear your music. They also block almost no background noise, so it may be difficult to concentrate.
Pros
-
Well-balanced sound profile.
-
Comfortable.
-
Premium, durable look and feel.
Cons
-
Bulky design.
-
Open-back design results in poor noise isolation and leakage performance.
See our Office Recommendations
4.6 Wireless Gaming
The Philips X2HR are wired-only headphones without a microphone.
See our Wireless Gaming Recommendations
6.7 Wired Gaming
The Philips Fidelio X2HR don't have a built-in microphone. That being said, if you have a dedicated mic, they may be a decent option for gaming thanks to their well-balanced sound profile and wide soundstage. Their open-back design is also comfortable to wear during long gaming sessions, though they aren't the best choice if you game with others in the same room.
Pros
-
Well-balanced sound profile.
-
Comfortable.
-
Premium, durable look and feel.
Cons
-
Bulky design.
-
Open-back design results in poor noise isolation and leakage performance.
1.6 Phone Calls
The Philips X2HR don't have an integrated microphone.
- 8.4 Neutral Sound
- 3.8 Commute/Travel
- 5.0 Sports/Fitness
- 4.6 Office
- 4.6 Wireless Gaming
- 6.7 Wired Gaming
- 1.6 Phone Calls
+ Create your own
- Updated Aug 05, 2022: We’ve added a comparison with the HiFiMan HE400se in the ‘Passive Soundstage’ test. The HiFiMan and Philips are similarly priced budget headphones, but the HiFiMan have a better overall passive soundstage performance.
- Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated May 12, 2020: Review published.
- Updated May 07, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated May 05, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Apr 14, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Mar 19, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Mar 17, 2020: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Compared To Other Headphones
Update 01/10/2022: We originally reported that the Philips Fidelio X2HR are werecomfortable than the Philips SHP9500. However, the SHP9500 are more comfortable.We have corrected this mistake and updated our review.
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are great open-back headphones for neutral listening. They havean automatically-adjusting headband to keep you comfortable during longlistening sessions. They alsolook and feel more premium and sleek than the similarly-performing Philips SHP9500. That said, like all open-back headphones, they don't block any background noise and are best suited for a dedicated music listening room at home.
See our recommendations for thebest audiophile headphones, the best open-back headphones, and thebest wired headphones.
Sennheiser HD 599
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are slightly better open-back headphones for neutral sound than the Sennheiser HD 599. The X2HR look and feel slightly better-built, and have a slightly better-balanced sound profile. On the other hand, the Sennheiser are more comfortable and feel slightly more stable on the head.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Philips SHP9500
The Philips SHP9500 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR are both great open-back headphones for neutral sound listening. The Fidelio X2HR have a sleeker and more premium design, and look and feel more durable. Their bass range is also more accurate, and they come with a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter and a slightly longer audio cable. While the X2HR have an auto-adjusting headband, the SHP9500 are a little bit more comfortable overall as they don't clamp the head as tightly. Both perform very similarly, but the SHP9500 likely represent better value overall.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are slightly better open-back headphones for neutral sound listening than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. The Philips are more comfortable, have a less over-emphasizedbass range, and a much wider and more open soundstage. Their treble range is also a bit more consistent between various users or reseats. On the other hand, the Beyerdynamic feel more durable and stable and have less distortion at lower listening volumes.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
HiFiMan HE400se
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are slightly betterheadphones for neutral sound than the HiFiMan HE400se. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Philips are dynamic headphones witha more neutral overall sound profile. Their mid and treble rangesarevery flat and even, so vocals and lead instruments sound clear, accurate, and bright. However, the HiFiMan are planar magnetics with a more immersive passive soundstage. They're also less sensitive to deviations in bass and treble delivery due to fit, positioning, and seal.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Philips SHP9600
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better headphones for neutral sound than the Philips SHP9600. While both pairs of open-back headphones have balanced sound profiles, the Fidelio X2HR have a more neutral sound. They're also better-built. That said, some listeners may prefer the extra boom and punch in the SHP9600's bass range. The SHP9600 also have a more comfortable fit.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
AKG K702
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better for neutral sound than the AKG K702. The Philips have a more neutral sound profile, which some may prefer, deliver bass more consistently, and have a much more stable fit.On the other hand, the Philips have a significantly better passive soundstage performance.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO and the Philips Fidelio X2HR are audiophile headphones with different strengths. The Beyerdynamic are better-built headphones with a closed-back design. They do a better job reproducing the thump and rumble of low bass. They also leak less audio and passively isolate you from more sound, although they aren't ideal for noisy environments. On the other hand, the Philips are open-back headphones with a much better passive soundstage performance. They're also much more comfortable.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
HiFiMan Sundara 2020
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are better for neutral sound than the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The HiFiMan have a more immersive passive soundstage and deliver sound more consistently across users. However, while both headphones lack thump and rumble because of their open-back design, the Philips do a better job of reproducing low-bass, which some listeners may prefer. They also come with a long, 10-foot audio cable.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better headphones for neutral sound than the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The Philips are open-back headphones with a more comfortable fit, a more neutral and accurate sound profile, and a significantly better passive soundstage performance. However, the Audio-Technica are still a suitable choice if you prefer a closed-back design that's better-built.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better headphones for neutral sound than the Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X. The Philips are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile, and their passive soundstage seems more natural, open, and spacious. However, the Beyerdynamic are better built.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Sennheiser HD 560S
The Philips Fidelio X2HR and Sennheiser HD 560S have different strengths in regards to neutral listening but share similar overall sound profiles. The Sennheiser have a more stable fit, better peaks and dips performance, and exhibit less audio distortion. Conversely, the Philips are more sturdily built and have better stereo imaging performance as well as a more expansive soundstage.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Philips Fidelio X3
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better headphones for neutral sound than the Philips Fidelio X3. Both are open-back headphones with a similar design and performance, but the X2HR have a more neutral, balanced sound profile. Their treble accuracy is better-balanced than the X3.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
HiFiMan Edition XS
The HiFiMan Edition XS are better audiophile headphones than the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The HiFiMan have much more consistent audio delivery, they can reproducebass more accurately, and their passive soundstage is wider and more immersive. However, the Philips are more comfortable.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Sennheiser HD 800 S
The Sennheiser HD 800 S are better open-back headphones for neutral sound listening than the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The Sennheiser feel more durable, are more stable on the head, and are much more consistent among various users or reseats. They also have a slightly better-balanced treble range, though this could vary by adjusting them on your head. On the other hand, the Sennheiser are fairly lacking in bass, and the Philips have a more accurate and natural low-to-mid bass range. The Sennheiser are considerably more expensive than the Philips, and you'll want to consider adding an amp to power the Sennheiser.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are slightly better open-back headphones for neutral sound listening than the Sennheiser HD 58X Jubilee, though they both perform very similarly. The Philips are more comfortableand have a marginally better-balanced sound profile, especially in the treble range. The soundstage of the Philips is also perceived as being slightly more open and spacious. On the other hand, the Sennheiser feel quite a bit more stable on the head and are less likely to move around or slip off.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are better for neutral sound while the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X are better for wired gaming. The Philips have a more neutral default sound profileand a better passive soundstage performance. However, the Drop have a boom mic that's able to capture your voice clearly, even in moderately noisy environments.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
Beats Solo Pro Wireless
The Beats Solo Pro Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Philips Fidelio X2HR. The Beats are wireless on-ears that feel better-built, come with a carrying case to help protect them when you're on the go and have an ANC system that helps block out a great amount of noise. They also have an integrated mic so you're able to take calls, and an H1 chip, which allows you to seamlessly pair them with other Apple products. However, the Philips are over-ears with an open-back design, making them better suited for neutral sound. They're more comfortable, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their passive soundstage is larger, more natural-sounding, and spacious.
Compare Side-by-Side
SEE OUR REVIEW
+ Show more
Test Results
Design
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Open-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic
These headphones have a premium and stylish design. Like most open-back headphones, they're quite bulky, but their mix of metal and good quality plastic gives them a sleek and high-end look.
—
8.0 Design
Weight 0.86 lbs
Clamping Force
These headphones are very comfortable. Their large ear cups are very well-padded, and they have an automatically-adjusting headband which is very comfortable. While they clamp a bit more than other Philips headphones, like the Philips SHP9500, they shouldn't cause discomfort.
—
LEARN ABOUT COMFORT
0 Design
OS Compatibility
Ease Of Use No Controls
Feedback No Controls
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
Additional Controls No
These headphones don't have any buttons or controls on them.
—
LEARN ABOUT CONTROLS
5.0 Design
L 9.0" (22.9 cm)
W 8.0" (20.3 cm)
H 4.1" (10.4 cm)
Volume 295.20 in³ (4,837.44 cm³)
Transmitter Required No
These headphones aren't very portable. They're very large and don't fold up into a more compact size. They also don't come with any sort of carrying case.
—
LEARN ABOUT PORTABILITY
0 Design
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A
These headphones don't come with a carrying case.
—
LEARN ABOUT CASE
7.5 Design
The build quality is good. While they're mostly made of plastic, they feel dense and solid and have some added touches of metal for reinforcement. They look and feel slightly more durable than the Philips SHP9500 and should be able to withstand a fair amount of accidental drops and bumps without sustaining damage. Their audio cable is detachable, so you can easily replace it should it get damaged. On the downside, the adjustable headband is held in place with two thin pieces of plastic that could get damaged.
—
LEARN ABOUT BUILD QUALITY
6.0 Design
Not very stable. While they should stay in place while sitting at home and listening to music, they aren't designed to wear while running or working out. Even a small tilt or shake of the head causes them to move, and any larger movements will likely result in them falling off your head.
—
LEARN ABOUT STABILITY
Design
—
Design
—
Design
—
Design
- Philips Fidelio X2HR headphones
- 1/8" to 1/4" adapter
- TRS audio cable
- Manual
—
Sound
Bass Amount
Treble Amount
The sound profile of these headphones is very well-balanced and accurate, making them suitable for a wide range of genres and content. While they lack a bit of low-bass, this is common of open-back headphones. Unfortunately, their treble range is fairly uneven, which may cause some higher-frequency sounds to come across as sharp, while others may be dull and lacking in brightness.
—
LEARN ABOUT SOUND PROFILE
7.9 Sound
Avg. Std. Deviation
The frequency response consistency of these headphones is very good. While you may need to adjust them slightly to achieve the same treble response, their bass is quite consistent, even if you wear glasses or have long hair.
—
LEARN ABOUT FREQUENCY RESPONSE CONSISTENCY
Sound
—
LEARN ABOUT RAW FREQUENCY RESPONSE
8.3 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Frequency Extension
Low-Bass
Mid-Bass
High-Bass
Great bass accuracy. Like most open-back headphones such as the Grado The Hemp Headphone, they're lacking a fair amount of low-bass, reducing the amount of thump and rumble they create. Other than that, the rest of the range follows our target curve almost perfectly.
—
LEARN ABOUT BASS ACCURACY
9.3 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Mid
Mid-Mid
High-Mid
Excellent mid accuracy. They follow our target curve almost perfectly for the entire range, ensuring present and accurate mids and vocals.
—
LEARN ABOUT MID ACCURACY
8.3 Sound
Std. Err.
Low-Treble
Mid-Treble
High-Treble
The treble accuracy of these headphones is great. While they follow the target curve quite well through the low-treble range, they're a bit uneven in mid-treble which may cause some frequencies to sound dull, while others may sound slightly piercing and painful. Most of the high-treble range is recessed, causing some music to sound dull and lifeless. This may not be too noticeable to everyone, however, and the treble range is quite accurate overall.
—
LEARN ABOUT TREBLE ACCURACY
7.8 Sound
Peaks
Dips
The peaks and dips performance of the Philips X2HR is good. Most of the bass and mid ranges are even and flat, and the biggest peaks and dips are throughout the treble range. The large peak in mid-treble followed by the big dip in high-treble causes sounds to be both piercing and sharp as well as dull and lifeless.
—
LEARN ABOUT PEAKS/DIPS
8.6 Sound
Weighted Group Delay
Weighted Phase Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
The imaging of these headphones is excellent. The GD graph shows that nearly the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold, resulting in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were exceptionally matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects and instruments (like voices and footsteps) in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit and yours may perform differently.
—
LEARN ABOUT IMAGING
7.8 Sound
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
PRTF Size (Avg.)
PRTF Distance
Openness 9.4
Acoustic Space Excitation 8.7
The Philips X2HR have a very good passive soundstage. Thanks to their open-back design, their soundstage is very spacious and open and music is perceived as being in front of you as opposed to inside your head. Compared to the similarly budget-friendly and audiophile HiFiMan HE400se, their soundstage doesn't sound as natural though.
—
LEARN ABOUT PASSIVE SOUNDSTAGE
0 Sound
Head Modeling
Speaker Modeling
Room Ambience
Head Tracking
Virtual Surround
The Philips Fidelio X2HR don't have any virtual soundstage features.
—
LEARN ABOUT VIRTUAL SOUNDSTAGE
7.8 Sound
WHD @ 90
WHD @ 100
The weighted harmonic distortion of the Philips X2HR is very good. Even at higher volumes, most people shouldn't notice any distortion or artifacts.
—
LEARN ABOUT WEIGHTED HARMONIC DISTORTION
Sound
Firmware
Power
Connection
Codec
EQ
ANC
Tip/Pad
Microphone
These are the settings used to test these headphones; therefore, our results are only valid when used at these settings.
—
LEARN ABOUT TEST SETTINGS
1.5 Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
Mid
Treble
As to be expected with open-back headphones, the Philips Fidelio X2HR have very poor noise isolation. Since the back of each ear cup is open, they don't block any background noise and you'll hear almost everything that's going on around you.
—
LEARN ABOUT NOISE ISOLATION
1.5 Isolation
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
The leakage of these headphones is poor, but this is expected of open-back headphones. Even at moderate listening volumes, people nearby will hear what you're listening to. If you're looking for headphones that leak less audio, try headphones with a closed-back design like the Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones Wireless.
—
LEARN ABOUT LEAKAGE
Microphone
Integrated
In-Line
Boom
Detachable Boom
Mic No
The Philips Fidelio X2HR don't have a microphone.
—
LEARN ABOUT MICROPHONE STYLE
0 Microphone
Recorded Speech
LFE
FR Std. Dev.
HFE
Weighted THD
Gain
The Philips Fidelio X2HR don't have a microphone.
—
LEARN ABOUT RECORDING QUALITY
0 Microphone
SpNR
Noise Gate
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample N/A
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample N/A
The Philips Fidelio X2HR don't have a microphone.
—
LEARN ABOUT NOISE HANDLING
0 Active Features
Battery Type
Continuous Battery Life
Additional Charges
Total Battery Life
Charge Time
Power-Saving Feature
Audio While Charging
Passive Playback
Charging Port None
These are wired-only headphones that don't require a battery.
—
LEARN ABOUT BATTERY
0 Active Features
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
ANC Control
Mic Control No
Room Effects
Playback Control
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No dedicated companion app.
—
LEARN ABOUT APP SUPPORT
0 Connectivity
Bluetooth Version
Multi-Device Pairing
NFC Pairing
Line Of Sight Range
PC Latency (SBC)
PC Latency (aptX)
PC Latency (aptX HD)
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
iOS Latency
Android Latency
The Philips Fidelio X2HR are wired-only headphones that don't support Bluetooth.
—
LEARN ABOUT BLUETOOTH
0 Connectivity
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
Non-BT Latency
These are wired-only headphones.
—
LEARN ABOUT NON-BLUETOOTH WIRELESS
9.5 Connectivity
Analog Audio
USB Audio
Detachable Yes
Length 10.30 ft (3.14 m)
Connection
Analog/USB Audio Latency
These headphones have a detachable TRS cable to connect to any device with a 1/8" jack. The included cable is over 10 feet long, which is convenient, but unfortunately, Philips doesn't include a shorter option for use on-the-go. There's also an included 1/8" to 1/4" adapter.
—
LEARN ABOUT WIRED
Connectivity
Analog
Wired USB
Non-BT Wireless
—
Connectivity
PS4 Analog
PS4 Wired USB
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
PS5 Analog
PS5 Wired USB
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
—
LEARN ABOUT PLAYSTATION COMPATIBILITY
Connectivity
Xbox One Analog
Xbox One Wired USB
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
These headphones don't have a microphone, so they can only be used with an Xbox One to receive audio by plugging them into the controller.
—
LEARN ABOUT XBOX COMPATIBILITY
0 Connectivity
Type
USB Input
Line In
Line Out
Optical Input
RCA Input
Dock Charging
Power Supply
These headphones don't have a base or dock.
—
LEARN ABOUT BASE/DOCK
