Philips Fidelio X1 Headphones

Time was when Philips was among the most mighty consumer electronics firms to walk the earth's surface - or the High Street.

Now obviously, in the first portion 'teenies', it's Apple. But before the morning comes the darkest hour. Philips' aura had faded in the past decade, but its products coming out are actually starting to impress. With the Philips Fidelio X1's start, so this tendency continues.

The firm has not been celebrated for its audiophile products so the start back lifted some eyebrows.

The drive units being light but big in diameter matched 50mm events and handpicked are thought to be developed. A radial pattern is supposed to stop breakup.

The drivers are affixed to the interior of headphone cup utilizing a a plate that was tilted to align the loudspeaker with all the natural angle and after that place into double-layered, machined aluminium, ear shells.

The end result is an extremely classy looking pair of headphones, and they are no less fine to wear. The earpads that are comfy are chosen memory foam, covered in velour material that is breathable. A lightweight net hammock, which remains beneath the primary leather covered headband conjoins these - it is a fairly similar system to that used from the most up-to-date Audio Technicas. Continuing the high-end subject, the frames that are earcup are hewn from aluminium alloy. All in all, the GBP270 Fidelio X1 is twisted together as any headphone I have struck under around GBP400.

Sound quality

Having reviewed lots of similarly priced hi fi headphones recently, I was really interested in these attractively presented cans compared. The clear answer is very well - they can certainly hold their headband up in relation to sonics to Sennheiser's uber-popular HD650 and Audio-Technica's ATH-AD900.

Really, the Fidelios are voiced halfway between both, and it's a compromise that was very clever.

Whereas the Sennheisers opaque throughout the mid and are somewhat full, as well as the Audio Technicas spry and clean from bottom to top, the Philips bring some of the former's heat and gentility, with much of the latter's forensic detail. The effect is an extremely listenable pair of headphones, as I discovered on a my conventional torture track, the Southern State Tapestry of Felt. Of jangling Rickenbackers full, having a recording style that is specially unromantic, it may be hard work with some 'telephones, but the Fidelio X1 stayed glossy and smooth. In once it actually sprayed it detail in the listener, revealing focus and its exceptional clarity. This was done in a manner that was highly natural, yet.

The do not Wait for Monday of corduroy is an easier job (because it is a recording that is better), and the difference was signposted by the Xls certainly. Here we got an extensive variety, bass-driven sound, with some wonderfully glossy hi-hat cymbal work up top. Vocals were clear, vocalist Ben Addison's voice's grain carried without descending into distortion. Ditto with all Herbie Hancock's The Prisoner, the Philips headphones demonstrating their smoothness, sophistication and penetration into this wonderful late nineteen-sixties Bluenote recording's jazz tones.

I came beguiled from these brand new cans. The Xls provide tight, fulsome bass, an in-depth and broad group with actual shine, and a grownup treble that's around accentuated or never grating. Factor in the wonderful assemble and they are undeniably exceptional worth.

Philips Fidelio X1 Headphones photo