Philips Fidelio X3 Review: Its BACK but is it BETTER than the X2HR?? 

“That’s what Philips has to say but what THIS Philips has to say...” mind blown

This makes me appreciate my X2HR's even more. I actually ended up getting it for $80, down from a $99 sale price because I initially ordered the SHP9500S and received the wrong one from Amazon THREE TIMES. I complained to customer service and they covered the difference in price so I got the more expensive X2HR's for a banging deal.

It sounds like they messed up the entire point of the Fidelio line. That’s too bad, I was hoping the x3 would great as I personally own the x2hr. A pair of Philips Fidelios not having much bass is like a sennheiser 6 series headphone having a recessed midrange. Great review Brian. I’ve been looking forward to a video about the x3.

I got an x2 on your recommendation, which I have appreciated very much. It's neat that there's an x3 now but I think I'll pass. The x2 ticks all my boxes. Thanks for the content bro.

I own the original X2 that i picked up for $250. The X2HR went on sale for $99 and had to check it out. After close to 2 years of ownership of the X2HR i believe the original is my preference. Then the X3 just went on sale on "Prime Day" for $135 so i had to check it out knowing i could send it back if it wasn't to my liking. I've only had it for like 5 days but it is quickly becoming my favorite. The layering width and spacial cues are far superior than the HR that i received. Also i find the HR's treble to be a bit fatiguing and not noticing that at all on the X3's. The X3's have less sub bass but i am totally satisfied with the bass. I actually feel that it is more accurate. The original X2 i think is excellent but the X3 to my ears is a more refined headphone. Was all ready to send it back but it is staying. If i were to send one back it would have been the X2HR. That being said for $99 the X2HR's are a PHENOMENAL headphone to wear while playing bass guitar. Been playing for 42yrs now and they work great for that so i will keep them for my practice cans. I can see at the price these were reviewed at of $350ish that some price bias would def creep in. For the price i got them for i don't think it is close. This all for my earballs of course. ;)

This is a really comprehensive review of the X3, lots of informative bits to help you decide if you’re undecided which variant to buy.

The sheer quality of your intros and videos in general keeps me coming back to hear what you have to say about any product. You rock! 💯

I bought thr X2HR and got a Fiio BTR5 for wired and wireless use, and it’s been nothing short of amazing. Added a mod mic usb and I really enjoy my setup. Thanks for your reviews and recommendations man. Really enjoy watching your content, cheers! 🍻

Your reviews are always such a good source of information for what to buy, bearded buddy

Brian P man your reviews are so detailed. I'm not even after headphones but I love your reviews so much I still watched it all the way through. You describe everything to detail and don't hesitate or stutter when given all the info. Amazing job, looking forward to your review on the Glorious Model O wireless 😀

I'm still super smugging about my X2HR purchase last week. Thanks for the reviews.

Nice of them to engrave your name in the sides 👍

I have the x2hr paired with the boom pro and the schitt fulla 3... I don't want/need audiophile level sound, and I think you hit the nail on the head. Sounds like Philips didn't quite understand why people liked the previous version.

X2HR is by far the best overall music headphone out there right now anywhere below 300

Thanks for the review! As a 9 month owner of & gamer on the X2HR, I was mildly curious about the X3 especially for exploring balanced. MIGHT watch for this set on the used market but not really in any rush if it's not such a step up from the x2.

Philips must have toned down the bass because some of the "audiophiles" out there complained.

Brian is rocking 225k subs it is so cool. Great breakdown man 🤘🏼👍🏼

Good review, thank you. The elastic and (non replaceable) foam pads are pretty much shot in my 9 year old X1's. At the moment amazon are doing both sets of cans for about same price so it was this review that made me go for the X2HRs over the X3.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with these. Great video as always!

I'll stick with my x2s based on your recommendation.. love them! Also from a bearded brother to another.. yours is still on point!

Having never listened to the X2HR's personally, but picking these up at $200, I'm very glad I caught them on sale. I've listened to other open-backed headsets in the past and comparitively, these sound amazing (especially with a little EQ treatment) and/or some Dekoni pads, but if I had picked these up at $350 I would have been very disappointed compared to others in that price category. With that being said, if you were interested in these, go snag em now while they're cheap (At the time of this writing they're actually on sale again for $190), as that's a steal and 100% worth it at that price point in my humble opinion. Thanks for the great review as always Brian!

I got the X2HR for $112 back when Amazon was having a crazy holiday sale, along with the Schiit Fulla 3 and it's been amazing. I think I want to upgrade to the Dekoni choice leather pads whenever they're back in stock.

The X3 looks pretty clean, but the industrial design on the X2 is just something special. Also, I already have the occasional issue with sibilance on the X2, so if the X3 has even more brightness in the highs, that's a no go; sorry Philips... Thanks for another great video other Philips!!

I've seen 5 different reviews on the X3. This review actually pushed me over to get the X3, even though it is the least flattering of them all.

I'm still rocking the DT770 Pros from your review and I love listening to them everyday. Low key want to pick up the X2s before they go away forever though...

Dude this guy's voice is incredible lol do you do voice over work?

Very detailed review. BP always got the best videos!

You're who I go to for audio, because we have very similar taste in "sound". I bought my x2 on your recommendation and sold my Jubilee's. No regrets. Thanks.

"YOU READY? LET'S GO!", Love you dude!

Love the Vice City style colors you always have on your videos. Cheers man, you're doing awesome!

You answered exactly the question I needed answered about the boom mic issue. Thanks, man!

Nice video! I never tried the X2, but i got the X3 for $230, and im really in love with them! The best headphone i ever heard 💚

Incredible video!! Completely agree with your on it!! I also loved the X2 HR more than the X3, the X2 has better lower end as per my preferences

I'm in no rush, but once these get down to 250 in the next year I think that's when I'll grab them. LOVE the X2HR's. 58X's have been solid as well. My 6XX's need some more love lol.

X2’s r just too fun. Don’t feel like upgrading them until another open back has more soundstage, more sub bass.

Love your reviews. Own Aeon Flow Open, 1990's, and 58X among others. Your reviews were spot on. Review the M570. On sale and is a steal at the current price. I sent my Sundara's back with channel imbalance issues out of the box. I unfortunately lost the QC lottery.

One of the best channels in my opinion. You deserve Millions of subs. Keep it up. Awesome content !!!

I'll be rocking my X2's for a while. I actually like the new design though. I am using the boompro for that gaming headset setup until I finally decide to get a stand-alone mic. If/when I move up to that audiophile level I would probably look elsewhere though.

Brother....seriously this video is amazing. You deserve all of revenue...and I need myself some trade coffee..and Philips cans. Also what’s happened to the Sim Rig video what you were going to do? 🤣🤣

I love your videos style, i feel an informed and honest speak, unlike most kids out there talking about audio. Thanks!

Great video, just bought the hd58x and I think I'll love them.

I still use an SHP9500 with VMODA as my gaming and music listening setup... it was cheap but it really, really works well. Can't believe I hadn't given those a try earlier.

Funnily enough I use the X2HR for gaming all the time hooked up through an extension and a V-Moda BoomPro. One of the best purchases I ever made instead of buying another gaming headset. I obviously use it for jamming out too, and prefer its look and build over these new X3s.

ohh im excited for this one!

Awesome review! Hope to see more of your content! Just subscribed

The X2 is still one of my favorite looking headphones ever, these look cheaper.

Big Dome crew comin in to represent again!

Big head bros, love ya for keeping us covered!!!

I love the X2, I’m still curious about these though.

Thanks for the info man! Really helpful! ❤️

I just ordered these. I'm a big fan of the X2's and already have an amp with 2.5mm balanced so I couldn't help myself. Btw, you remind me of Sgt. Zim at 0.48 :)

you can get x3's for about $200 now, probably makes them a much easier recommendation

Got the X1 for about $200. For some reason once it gets to that $350 mark I feel it’s okay to start looking into the $500 zone where the best bang for buck reside. Phillips may find out they’ve lost many buyers by losing that single connection/boom mic combo

Would love to watch your beard maintenance video

I've had a pair of X2's and they were *absolutely* amazing! I used them daily from 2017 to 2019-ish where i switched to Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (i think), and they were actually equally as good, they broke last year though sadly. So my question is, should i go for the X2's or X3's? Both are on sale for around $150.

Legendary intro 🔥

For Jazz and any acoustic music these are enormously better than the X2HR, which I also have (heading to Ebay soon as no longer needed). You did state to listen very different types of music which explains the very different conclusion you reached. But these headphones do have a place in alternative, rather than replacement, of the X2. I see them as a viable alternative to the HD800S for who is on a budget.

I have had the X2 since 2015 and still use them till this day. I don't think I will be upgrading to the X3 or even consider buying them anytime soon at their current price. I might just buy and try them out later on but return them if I don't like them. I plan on buying another pair of X2's though :)

I got these for Christmas cause they were 40 percent off, seemed like a better buy at that point for me. Not disappointed

I love my X2's so much I hope I can try these out somehow.

Keepikng my X2HR then. Thanks for the video!

Love my X2 and a lot of it is to do with that rumbly bass at any volume.

All my X2HF needed was some dense felt (sticky backed slider felt) about the size of a quarter stuck to the inside of the metal grill. Cleaned the low end without loosing subbass.

Crazy how a coffee from a local roaster near where I live was featured in the ad

For those looking for an upgrade to the X2/X2HR without foolishly spending money on the X3, I would suggest going for the Hifiman Sundara instead. The Sundara fixes everything wrong with the X2HR, including its harsh/sibilant treble, recessed mids and improved comfort due to being lighter weight. The bass on both is about the same, but the Sundara is much more impactful, punchy and never bloated or boomy. The clarity, imaging and instrument separation are way better on the Sundara. I don't notice a real downgrade to the sound stage either. I upgraded from the X2HR to the Sundara and I'm going to return the X2HR (as much I love it for its performance to price).

I own a pair of X3s. Never auditioned the X2s, so I cannot confirm the differences stated in this review. What I can say is that I don't find the highs to be sibilant or aggressive at all. To me they are slightly less smooth as the HD650s. Bass is pretty strong, but I agree, they don't 'bloom', like my NightHawks do. But the bass probably is still bigger than neutral. Soundstage is great with these and I enjoy them with every kind of music.

I got the X2HR/00 version when they were on sale, i liked the attack in the sound and the spacious soundstage, but at first i was suprised as a basslover that i thought they were too bassy as they felt a little boomy at first, but after a couple of weeks of burn in they sound like a very different headphone compared to right outta the box, even though my brain has probably adjusted to them but they do change after burn in, atleast my pair did, the bottleneck of these headphones are the treble metallic shrillness on certain material and it is still there, but not as much as in the beginning thankfully

great review, keep up the good work!

Thanks for another great review. I'll stick with my X2HR's for now i think ;)

thanks for the review!

Aayyyee repping Lagwagon!! Great band!

This headphone is absolute beauty, so modern looking, I feels relaxed just by looking at it

Happened to be here exactly on the right time, 3 seconds after the video release.

Fuck ! I let the phone down for a sec and he switch to coffe review ! So i pick the phone again and go to another review ! Piss

Since this product isn't available on Indonesia, I will research first. Are X3 better than X2HR and good choice for X2HR successor ? Because I have X2HR and I like this headphone.

I have the X2HR for sale. Bought them because of you but regret it when I heard it. Like the mids are gone

They clearly forgot about the Sundara when they priced their X3 at $350 LOL.

Nice review :-) At this price you also can find a (brand new) Audioquest Nighthawk Carbon, which is a beast.

All My Headphones Now Sound Better Because On Sept. 11 2020 I purchased my BTR3K it and it's clip case are still going strong . I Skipped Getting The BTR5 . On March 9 2023 I finally took the plunge and got the BTR7 And WOW It's A Bluetooth LDAC Codec Beast But In Wired DAC Mode Is Where The BTR7 Really Shines . I Am Hard Pressed To Tell The Difference Over My Hidizs S9 Pro DAC AMP DONGLE And BTR7 When In Wired DAC Mode Of BTR7.

I have the x3 and I love the sound signature !

Can you make a new best gaming headset video? Idk if there are better options under a 100 than the Philips SHP9500 or the Sennheiser GSP 300. Also thanks for the amazing content, always a reliable source for detailed not too long reviews!

I bought these on Amazon ($200 ATM), but I think I will be returning them. The sound quality is similar to my Sennheiser 599s but these make my head a bit hot and I loathe split cables (I didn't even think about looking at this detail when I bought them given the X2s). The sound stage is smaller too. There is a potential though, I've only had them since yesterday. I'll decide if they're keepers in a couple weeks, but like I mentioned right now I'm leaning towards return.

I think Philips reused their old drivers for the shp 9600 and X3, tuned them a bit with dampening materials, changed the aesthetics, and released them as new products. To me they are a fancy iteration, but not a warranted release.

Just bought them for around $230 (NOK 2.000). Can't wait for them to come

From someone that's lived in seattle my whole life and my knowledge of how it's changed *recently*. May I ask what brought you here?

I love your reviews. I own the x2hr and I still cant get on board with the ridiculous huge head band.

I want that brass knuckle mug more than a new set of headphones

Thanks for your test

Got the X2HR last black friday when they dropped under $100. Love them. Looks like the SHP9600 are gonna be the better of the new Phillips headphones.

Great review! Where can I purchase that shirt??

Great video and content. Tip, try and make more pauses between your speech, specially when entering the advertising. It was ok when coming out of Ads.

I have a disgustingly oily 10-year old X1 with an Antlion Modmic, fed by an 02 Amp/DAC. Best sound I've ever heard, but feels heavy on the head. I would appreciate the lightness of the X3, but the split cable is a deal breaker for me.

Every time I buy something you post a video about a similar product the next day 🤯

my x2s earpads are falling apart. i love the sound and appreciate the single entry cable for ease of use with mic cables as my primary use of the x2 was gaming. might pick up the x2hr before they are gone.

Hey Brian, are you going to review the 9600's?

It's because of the x2hr build quality was the reason why I had to get the jubilee I haven't had the headphone for a month and they already cracked at one of the grommets the black grommets that kept the ear cup on the headband. I'll just wait for the price to go down on these

I got both x3&x2hr, be honestlly and the sound is very very big different, the x3 can feel better dynamic, more tight bass details and less dynamic compression. if you listen to the violin or piano, you can hear the “Grainy” and “muscle” is more spririt than the X2HR. But X2HR still have these advantages. the 1st is the x2hr got deeper bass expansion. Yes!! the X3's bass is powerful but not too deep. The 2nd because the X2HR sounding more soft in whole frequency, especailly in treble range, you can feel some deeper soundstage and extensive soundfield.

The X3 is now $220 on Amazon, I’m curious as to how the price difference would change your opinion. Think they’re as good or better than their similarly priced competition?

It's hard to compare the HD6xx's to the X3s unless you are using the default Sennheiser cable with the 6xx's. I would recommend a Periapt cable for the 6xx's. Sounds a million times better, the audio feels seperate from the headphones.

Hey Brian, what is the best headphone and dac/amp combo you can recommend for watching movies?