I tested those 2 for a week, and the Sundaras are the most detailed headphones i've ever had, you can listen to each instrument with a lot of clarity and texture, the bass was really fast and extended, 0% bloat, but they feel very narrow. The X2HR have a wide soundstage, more bass but not as fast and its not as pleasant and extended as in the Sundaras, they have enough detail but compared to the Sundaras... just no competition. I kept the X2HR, becouse they are more confortable, once the pads get warm, you cant really feel the headphones, the Sundaras are a lot more expensive and the built quality was a big concern, it was hard to let go that tight fast bass and detail, but for my setup it was the right choice.
The old X2 were better, no aggressive highs and better lows, overal darker than X2HR. Had both, kept the older. The difference goes all down the earpads that are different - the drivers are identical.
@@PhonoDirect i bought the x2hr and the treble was too overpowering and the bass was underwhelming cuz I thought they were gonna be basshead headphones, should I try the og x2's?
I think these two headphones make an excellent pairing in a collection less than £500. You got the fun factor from the V-shaped sound of the X2HR, and the sublime neutral clarity from the Sundara. All bases covered IMO.
It always irks me when people refer to V shaped sounding headphones as "fun", like it's a general truth or something. It's not, it 100% depends on what music you listen to on them. A V shaped sound is never fun on acoustic or classical music. On the other hand, music that is already V shaped tuned will sound like it has no mids and so on.
@@Leonhart_93"Fun" in and of itself is a subjective term, brother. Saying something is V-shaped should be enough for people to make their own judgement, just like you. Assuming they've experienced it of course.
@@Leonhart_93 I will agree that fun is not synonymous with "more bass".. In fact, I consider my Grado SR80X and my Audio Technica AD2000X both more FUN than my Ananda Nano, and the Ananda Nano has much more sub bass than both of those combined once EQ'd..
This video is especially helpful for me because I've been using the X2HRs for about a year and a half or so now and have been looking to try good planars. Thanks
If you haven’t purchased the planars, try adding a DAC/amp. I was about Yu upgrade to the Ananda and I had purchased the XDuoo XD05 plus to use with them. Ended up using with the Phillips X2HR and oh my what a difference in sound! They really came alive it was amazing. The ifi hip dac would probably be the same for less$ If you do upgrade the amp will help there as well. Good luck
@@michaelslaughter7361 They sound great, but they started falling apart on me a couple months into use, and just recently completely fell apart despite me taking care of them as best I could. Do not buy them.
Love my X2HR's, but I EQ to relieve the excessive high end. Best head phones I've ever had. I don't have money growing on trees so I'll stay loyal to them for now.
Considering the x2hr's can go for 3 times less than the sundaras it's pretty crazy how they compare. I think for someone looking to upgrade from gaming headphones or cheap headphones in general the Fidelio x2hr's are a no brainer at that price point. I was trying out the audio Technica ath-ad700x and while they sounded really clear and loud, they're the most cumbersome uncomfortable thing I ever wore. I hope the Fidelios are more comfortable.
I have the Sennheiser HD407, extreme cheap light plastic headphones. There's not even a frequency response curve on the internet. I'm searching for a replacement, and had the X2HR, but damn they sound BAD compared to the old HD407!! The X2HR's V-shape is so extreme I can barely hear my V8 in my car video's. For music I didn't like it as well, way too bright in the higher frequencys. Build quality and comfort were good but I returned it the next day because it's unusable for me.
I've been using the Fidelio's for a few years & even tho I still get the FOMO feeling for the Sundara's I cant really find a reason to to pull the trigger. Doesnt stop me from wanting them, just the X2HR's provide enough for me to keep holding off. Their sound profile is what I'd describe as fun & the soundstage is pretty good for an inexpensive set. i will also add for those who it matters to, that the Fidelio's are exceptional in the gaming space. if your headphones need to do double duty with music & gaming, the Fidelio's are worth consideration.
blind test... the 600ohm beyer 880s are an absolute steal at sub $200 - they have a little magic about themselves, just like sundara. give them enough omph (topping L50/E50 stack works wonders) and they sing. sundara is a great deal at $350 ... but at $175 or so those beyers can box in the same ring and get some licks in...
YES WE CARE! And there are more than two of us ;) Philips X2HR's are pretty popular for people just starting because they're Mid-Fi but currently have entry-level pricing and pricewise the Sundara's are a logical upgrade.
i bought my x2hr's for 60,- second hand with new pads included, no amp, no other costs. this is hands down the best cost to performance ratio i have ever heard, especially with EQ tuning
I got and tried extensively - Philips X2HR, X3 - Hifiman Sundara - Sennheiser HD660S2, HD650, HD660S, Momentum 3 - Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X, DT1990 Pro The headphones I kept, -Sennheiser HD650, HD660S2, Momentum 3 - Philips X2HR (side by side, Sudnara felt unimpressive in comparison), just EQ down the spike if you need to, I did not.
This is the first video of yours in watching on RU-vid, and then I noticed your icon as I'm listening on the porta pros and realized this guy is awesome haha
I like to increase 5.8k by 1-1.5 db and decrease 9k by 1 db just like you did. I feel that the increase at 5.8k gives snare drums and cymbals just a little more body without messing up how the sundaras naturally sound, because if you do go too far with that, cymbals will start to sound like they are very close and large.
Thank you for this comparison! I have Sundaras but just found x2's for $79.99. I'm boutta cop em. I wanna know what widened soundstage feels like, but don't want to buy hd800's lmao. Also, I agree with your funky spherical analogy lol. Sundara cello is zingy af
Picked up the Fidelios on Amazon Warehouse for £90 (full price 160). I just went for build quality tbh, as many comments complained about Sundara's iffy quality control.
I have both of these sets of cans and you nailed this review out of the ball park. If you ever get a chance, I'd love to know your thoughts on the HarmonicDyne Zeus.
I have the Sundaras , I've had them 2 months now! I use the Fiio BTR 5 amp/dac connected to the A&K SR 25 and the sound is amazing! Every time I put them on I get eargasms! However, the problem I have with them is after about 40 mins my ears hurt ! My ears are quite big ! So I change to the HD 599 which are comfy to continue listening. I have now seen the Fidelos at a great price so I can choose between the 3 !! People not in to music or headphones don't really understand why you want choice !! 😅
I've now tested the Fidelio and I like them as much as the Sundara I find the sound is richer on the Fidelio . An amp/dac must be used to get the best sound . The build of the Fidelios are made so much better than the Sundara and Hifiman could learn a few lessons from them!!
Very informative review, I honestly still can’t decide between these two headphones lol. I’d really love to hear what you think about the PC38x if you ever get a chance to review them.
I own the x2HR. My experience is that open back headphones are not made to be portable but mostly stationnary. So it's fine if they are not tuned perfectly and can be EQued. Imo the mid bass is slightly too pronounced and once lowered is fine. I don't experience anything wrong with the treble. That being said, The fidelio does not have bass extension and EQ does not help. (15-50Hz)It's soft and low. It makes all impact sounds sound...soft, including sudden mids vocals, sudden broken glass or car crash. Yet, I love this headphones. They are gorgeous, comfortable, sound stage is immense. I think they are great with most tracks that are not too energetic and direct. I might consider the Sundara thought but I have not listened to them. Thanks for your review.
X2HR's arriving tomorrow, my first pair of headphones above £30 lol. Looking forward to testing them out with some FLACs. Hopefully they're better than my Sony V55's
@@Rsalmond83 I love them. Had to adjust the equaliser levels and also correct a left & right imbalance (not sure if headphones or my ears) but after that they're perfect for me. Use them on my PC to play games, listen to music and watch movies. Bought the Dolby Atmos for headphones app aswell, that's awesome. Run them through a Topping E30 & L30 👍
@@3rodox are they better than v55's straight out of the box with no amps? mine v55's are falling apart after years of use but I really like the sound they produce.
I actually happen to have both as well. My thoughts were always that the Sundaras sound way better while the Fidelios are built way better. The cable that came with my Sundaras has recently broken and I've had them for about 6 months, and the headband broke within the first 3 weeks...
What do you like more about the 2-Cable connection instead of the single connection. With the Sundara Cable it's clearly not balanced so no advantage here. Two cables around the neck is more annoying. And trying to use it wireless with a Bluetooth-Receiver is also easier with the single connection.
@@chuckolatte600 The only two sided cable connection I have right now on a headphone is KPH30 and the cable annoyed me so much that I made it one sides with zip ties ^^;
The Fidelio build quality has a blaring issue that in my opinion completely invalidates the build. The headphone cups are attached to the headstrap through the use of pivot screws (not actually screws but they look like it on the surface). These are plastic, which is ridiculous because one screw on each headphone carries the cable through it, and when you include the heavy build, a single drop can be enough to crack that piece and completely brick your headphones unless you go through with soldering and reattachment. That shouldn't be necessary when the real fix is for Philips to just make that plastic piece metal, like many, MANY, other headphones. Aside from that though the build is great.
I know I'm late, but *man* the difference in mic quality was huge to me. I came into your channel through your older vids, working towards the newer ones - and this was a huge jump in quality.
This is actually the exact comparison I needed. Recently bought the X2HR and was considering returning for the Sundaras, but now I know I'll probably keep what I have. Thank you!
@@tecno4u31 I never said they were? I said "considered returning for the Sundaras". I own X2HR's, and were considering Sundaras. I haven't tried the latter, but following the video, I decided I was okay with what I have
Sennie 600s for up-close-and-personal (female vocals) and X2HRs for metal (especially live recordings where you want the wiiiiiiide stage). Don't own the Sundara's, but would love to hear them. Thx for the review!
Which sennheiser? You recommend the 650s for city pop genre? I heard the hd 600 are too bright and words with "s" sounds harsh on those, forgot the technical term.
@@xevus2959 Sibilant is the word you're looking for. But no, the hd600 are not sibilant at all. Some may say it lacks bass (it depends on what you're looking for), but I boost the bass slightly with the x-bass on my Ifi Zen Can amp and that's "nice bass" for me.
@@Bushviking What kind of metal on the X2HRs? I have trouble finding a headphone that does well with metal like Metallica for example.. Ananda Nano soundstage too wide and mid bass not as present as sub bass, AD 2000X the generally beautiful mids are somehow too thin for metal vocals, HE400 SE ehh, AKGK712Pro would work but there is no bass even when EQ'd.. My SR80X gets the closest for some metal provided the lows are EQ'd to a SINFUL extent and has good overall sound with it but gets a bit clunky when too many instruments playing at once Over $1400.00 in headphones and none of them are a homerun for a simple Metallica song. Why is finding a headphone for metal so hard...Perhaps openbacks just aren't right for the genre?
If I had to choose only one ,I would choose the fidelio .. because they are easier to listen to ( especially for vocals) in the long run, the sundara are good on the short run Also, the Fidelio are easy to drive I would like to grab a Fidelio xr2
@@BookClubDisaster it's not a bad or a good thing in itself. It depends on what you like. What I can say is better with the sundara ( is the 3d Soundstage) the hd600 is already good but the sundara handle the layers of instruments better. That's not an opinion, but a fact. However the HD 600 has a bit more body for everything ( vocals , instruments = but less clear than the sundara)
and those were the X2 before the HIRES was it, we'll you were not a k g, look at the price the Sundara started out at, around $5- 600 dollars wasn't it
I had the pad replaced with thicker leather pad from China (really cheap one)--lost a tiny bit of detail but gained a lot of bass punch and the cans became really well balanced. Can't comment on the Philips but interested in getting them for my gaming.
I listen to jazz and classical on the X2HR, there is a beautiful clarity but sometimes the trouble is too intense and edgy. Classical vocalist who have been recorded with a close mike can easily be far too sibilant. Not wishing to go down an expensive upgrade path I have simply put two layers of padded cloth in each of the ear pieces. Hardly for the purist but it works well for me. Treble tamed and most of the clarity & spaciousness remains
Good comparison but the background music drives me crazy. This percussive sound, sticking out - like sample of snare drum hit randomly didn't allow me to watch it to the end.
I have mixed feelings about hifiman headphones line up to Arya, because they are very good in everything but aren't great in anything. There are plenty of headphones in their price range having more character which makes them great for specific application like Rock music, Jazz\Instrumental or Gaming (where X2HR actually shines) but Hifiman on the other hand sounds technically superior, more balanced, but ... boring. It's like buying a Camry, definitely good reliable and universal car, but you know... it's Camry :D
I was actually considering getting the Fidelio or spending a little more for the Sundara. So glad I went with the Sundara, they are great. What really surprised me was the bass, with some EQ this thing can slam hard! Also I am never going V-Shape ever again.
@@Steve-lz8vv alright thanks, didnt expect that quick of a response on a comment from 2 years ago hahaha. What i’m looking for is what you are describing, good bass and warmth to create that cinematic feel. I thought i could buy the philips fidelio cause it seems like they are pretty good at that. And maybe buy a headphone amp with it, then i can always upgrade later on to sundara. What do u think? And what amp are u using with sundara?
@@Steve-lz8vvhahaha yeah thanks bro. I just bought the motu m2 audio interface, and i think i am going to buy the hifiman sundara’s and plug em in there.
Put a thin piece of fabric behind the ear pads in front of the driver and the harshness is nearly gone. It affects the airiness and soundstage slightly but it’s worth it for the smoother sound imo
I think that, for now, I'll go with the x2hr for gaming and casual listening. I'm buying new speakers soon, so I'll put my money into better speakers instead.
I have ordered 4 headphones, including the x2hr. Of those, one of still in transit. The x2hr was pretty good, but I returned it due to the weight and lack of comfort. The looks didn't help tbh ("teletubby" is what my wife called me when she saw me with the headphones :)). Currently waiting for the AKG702 and testing the Sennheiser HD560S vs Beyerdynamic Dt990 premium 32 ohms. Both very good sound, V- shape on the DT990, flat on the HD560s. The comfort of wearing the Beyerdynamic is amazing though. They're like really nice, warm, earmuffs.
The Fidelio X2HR are my 1st "Hi-Fi" headphones...aaaaand probably the last I'll ever buy. I "upgraded" from the Blons BL-03 IEMs to the open back X2HR and I'm not very pleased. Guess I really am a cheap IEM kinda dude. At least my wallet is happy
@@chuckolatte600 Two weeks have gone by and they have grown on me. The reason for my initial disappointment is that "sound" is a lot more subjective that what I though. My initial expectations is that, since the Fidelios cost 3x more than the BL-03, the sound quality sound be significantly better. In reality, to me it's more of a side-grade. Due to my slim wallet, I've been using IEMs for years, as they are usually the type of headphone that delivers the best bang for the buck. I never owned a good set of open back headphones before. So when I got the X2s, the biggest difference (and letdown at the time) was on how much less "intimate" they sounded. IEMs have very little sound stage as you know. Previously (before trying open backs), I though that it as a negative point and it was not the "ultimate" audio experience. It turns out that I do like having music "beamed straight into my brain cells". While I'm getting the taste for the openness of, well, open-backs, I no longer view it as simply being better. It's just...different. Another complaint is the bass. I'm a shameless bass-head, and I was disappointed with the bass on the X2's. I chose the X2's based on what people said of them, bassy and fun (compared to the likes of SPH9500). However, silly old me was not aware of how much bassier IEMs are, and more importantly, how different the bass is. I love the "eardrum clap" that IEMs deliver, but that not what open-backs give. It took a bit of "learning" at first, but now I see why people call them bassy. They simply deliver a different type of bass. Instead of being the eardrum punch of IEMS, it's more akin to a vibration that I feel with my "whole" ears, closer to what speakers do. Another complaint, but admittedly a minor and odd one, is on how much more dynamic range they have. It's good for music and listening, but it means that they are not good gaming headphones (to be fair, they were never marketed as that). The Blons are hyper sensitive, and I would usually use them with the sound on my laptop at 4/100. Not sure if it is caused by the "hyper sensitivity" of the blons, or if they simply have a lower dynamic range, but for gaming that's a plus. With the reduced dynamic range, the difference between very faint footsteps at a distance and guns shots is much smaller, and much more bearable on the ears. With the X2s, for example while playing PUBG, I have to turn the sound waaay up to be able to hear footsteps easily. This means that when I fire a gun, my eardrums which I rather not. The final culprit of my disappointment were my unrestrained expectations. I was expecting to hear a clear and significant increase in sound quality. After all, they are the most expensive set of headphones I ever bought. The must sound better than some cheap aliexpress headphones, right? Well, not really. It turns out that I've been pretty good at picking my IEMs, so I am already used to "high quality sound". So while in certain properties the X2s are a clear improvement (the lower end is more detailed), they are small improvements. Nothing revolutionizing. With this said, I'm much happier with the purchase today. They are still good headphones, but they taught me some lessons that I did not expect. Unfortunately, this is bad news for my wallet, as I've been eyeing the DT-770s, as I think they would be a better purchase in the first place (being closed back and all).
@@JoaoBarbosa1996 Great comment. My experience was very similar to yours. Though I "upgraded" to the M40X instead and I'm still not as contempt with my purchase as you are with yours, even after 8 months of usage. I've been using cheap headphones and IEMs all my life and I really thought spending 10 times the money would get me 10 times the audio quality. Nope, all I got was painful treble, no sub bass and horrible comfort. Audio "quality" isn't any different. Guess the cables are nice? I still prefer my JBL T110s. And those cost 10 bucks. Tested everything I could, multiple times. Sure, less aggressive music sounds great with the boosted bass and treble. But I can just EQ my earbuds to get the same result. Recently, the Philips SHP9600 went on a massive sale, so I bit the bullet (trying to find easy to drive open backs in my country is like trying to find a unicorn, no X2HRs, no SHP9500, no Audio Technicas, these were the only option for $87). Thought I was gonna notice a massive difference in soundstage. Respectable open backs vs cheap IEMs, there HAS to be a difference, right? I didn't do much extensive testing yet, but no. They sound like closed backs. There's no difference. Either the M40X treble made me deaf, or I've got no idea what to look for. I'm really starting to feel like "hi-fi" headphones are a scam. How do I not hear a difference immediately??? Biggest diminishing returns I've ever seen. Sure, the comfort is 10/10, the detachable cable is great to have, they're easy to drive and they look nice, but like.. I really couldn't care less when they sound like shit. I'm gonna make up my mind once I actually do some thorough testing, but the fact that I don't hear a difference immediately is already a bad sign. I'm glad there's someone else who shares similar feelings. More people should speak out on this instead of deluding themselves into thinking their purchase was worth it to not anger the audiophile cult.
@@MrVybson Lots of audiophiles suffer from buyers remorse. Buying a pair of headphones that costs hundreds of euros/dollars, and then finding out that there is almost no return on the investment definitely hurts. The good thing about what we went through, is that now we will probably spend a lot less on audio gear than we thought we would originally. No need for fancy headphones/amps/dacs, etc. It's all gonna sound pretty much the same, and it will NOT be worth the cost.
@@JoaoBarbosa1996 just curious what kind of music and how you listen to it? i hear what you say though, sometimes it's hard to justify the investment and the expectasions are too high and you are happy the way it was
I watch this video because of the Sundara. I recently bought the Fidelio X2HR and returned it the next day because of the too obvious V-shaped sound and almost no mids. I don't only listen to music or gaming, I also make video's of my car. And the V8-sound is really bad with the Fidelio. The Sundara at 350 Euro is more then twice the price and for me for a headphone actually way too expensive. Imo 200 Euro is really the max for any headphone. Thx for this video.
philips is consumer product not real pro parts supposed metal are thin plastic just looks solid i think tubes inside spoil soundstage and make agressive inovative but unneccesary, had 840 sounded good but all parts broke
Been anxiously waiting on this... I've got the Fidelio X2 and yeah been debating between the Sundaras or Fidelio X3 for quite sometime. This gets me closer to a decision. Great Job mate 👌🏼
@@OriginEnjoyerIt definitely helps me narrow down my next upgrade. What's the soundstage like? I prioritize Soundstage and Audio above all. **Soundstage is arguably the most complicated aspect in headphone audio reproduction. A massive Soundstage makes for a pretty immersive experience.
Nice review. I have the Philips Fidelio, Sennheiser hd580 and hd600. I have a question. How does Sundara behave at very high volume? Does it sound as loud and powerful as the Hd600?
I've been waiting for this. I always wonder if it is really necessary for me to buy expensive headphones if all I need is something that would help me get excited about new tracks at home. I am an audio engineer and I deliver new mixes every week I don't want to work from home and focus all the time about every detail of every song when it's time to relax. I just want to be excited about my old music collection or newly discovered obscure free jazz bootleg on youtube in 360p. I hope for that, the X2HR would suffice.
As an Audio Engineer myself. I do need to hear my casual playlists with great details , quality is a no compromise . for even a casual listening , anything that i hear must and should be in an analytical way, layer and seperation is crucial that makes me relax and not get annoyed with grainy, muddy or hollow sources . thats how i was trained and i always train my mind and hearing . the fun and consumer are the Tin T2 plus IEM, Sundara , Sony SSCS5 bookshelf .
@@FMI_TheMixEngineEar all I'm saying is that there is time to listen through big genelec or atc speakers and there also should be time for the brain and ears to just calm down. Constantly over stimulating senses just leads to listening fatigue and decision paralisis during critical work. Although I wholeheartedly agree that there is nothing relaxing about listening to grain, "bad" distortion, or muddines - it makes my ears wilt ;)
Put some over-ear Grado pads on the Kosses and they’ll give SHP9600’s a run for their money. And in terms of absolute value (30-40$), they actually are comparable to Sundaras. But I’m pretty sure most people would take the Hifimans any day.
Interesting video, I want to upgrade my X2HR and I wondered about the Sundara, then I saw that the XS was worth buying too. Do someone have any recommendations for a kinda neutral headphone with some bass that is better in everything of the X2 for up to 500-600€ ?
I sold my Sundara and purchased X2HR instead for gaming purpose and no regrets so far. Sundara is technically superior headphones (well triple price validates that point), however they are dead boring to listen to. Also I'm not sure how did you prefer Sundara stock cable over Philips. Sundara is a shittiest cable world champion to my taste. Yes, Philips cable is single ended and unreasonably long (that's what she said), but you can buy a replacement from any audio-store for $5, and be happy. Sundara replacement cable cost starts from $35 and you WILL need one, as stock cable is truly horrible.
@@chuckolatte600 I've bought 6ft jack-to-jack cable on Amazon yesterday for $4 and it's infinity better than stock sundara's rubber hose, so I'm not quite sure what exactly horrible quality you are referencing to. Yes it's not balanced, but the only benefit of balanced cable I can think of is ability to drive pretty power hungry planars off some mobile device like BTR5, which is never the problem with X2HR :D
The fidelio x1 are the superior ones there's much deeper bass with incredible decay it makes no sense to be buying budget headphones when you own expensive tube amps and things lol
But.... you didn't mention the horrible lack of definition in the highs of the x2, it's like hearing white noise insted of the cymbals. Low res and vhs like sibilance. Even a k612 is a lot better. The Sundara are in another wolrld of performance.
omg, I cant agree more about the treble on x2s. They would be perfect headphones for me if not for agressive highs. Do you know of any headphones that are just like fidelios but not agressive in highs? Oh and I used to own sennheiser 650 and x2 at the same time and found x2 to be far superior in all aspects but the aggressive treble response ( loved the sennheiser treble but sold it in favor of fidelios)
@@kiavaxxaskew who knows, I used the same Fiio e10k amp with both of them. Also fidelios were much more comfy. And the layering/separation is just unbelievable.
How would the dt 770 or 990 compare to these? I think I would like the sundara but spending less than half the price on dt770's sound pretty good to me too.
I bought the shp9600 at sale price as my first open back headphones they can be a bit grainy and muffled in the mids but get for the price they are very e j yable, I have had a pair of the x2-hr's for about 10 days again at sale price from Amazon, and man I am torn as I won't keep both
@@aaroncheney6673 made my decision 9600 casual and bass music, really enjoying them. Vocals etc my 6xx’s, x2-hr treble too hot so going back and refund towards my next open back planar the name of which escapes me but have replaced my planned future purchase of the Sundara probably.
I haven't seen any of your videos and this is the first one I've seen. And as a first impression I feel like your hands don't match your voice. Your voice is deliberate and considered and yet your hands are short tempered and flamboyant. Perhaps your other videos are different but you need to make those jazz hands more mellow baseline hands. I paused at the 8 minute mark to write this comment.
Thanks for sharing! Yeah I just felt it wouldn't keep people's attention if not much as happening on camera. But now I do vids in front of the camera so that's a thing of the past
