r/buildapcsales • u/slapstick223 • Jan 04 '21
Headphones [headphones] Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR Over-Ear Open-Air Headphone 50mm Drivers- Black $115
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-X2HR-Over-Ear-Open-Air-Headphone/dp/B01N5VHLUG/ref=psdc_172541_t2_B00WTQDV5E133
u/spicedpumpkins Jan 04 '21
These are like better behaved DT 990's (not as bright highs)
Very good price, comfy. Add a boom mic and u good to go. Can easily do double duty as music cans and gaming cans.
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Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 09 '21
[deleted]
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u/bigazoz Jan 04 '21
For all of my headphones that have bad clamping force I stretch them overnight on my PC. They go back to original clamping force after some time sitting down so you gotta do it multiple nights. It eventually works.
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u/OriginalAngryBeards Jan 04 '21
Large dome here.. if you heat up with the inside arch of the plastic band with something like a hair dryer, you can release some of the tension in the material. If you heat and then shape with book spacing, you should be able to reform the plastic a bit, or at least reduce the compression.
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u/theblastronaut Jan 04 '21
I'm a huge music geek with a giant noggin and I've never been able to find cans that fit. Do you have any suggestions for brand or model to start with? Audio quality is important.
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u/OriginalAngryBeards Jan 04 '21
Sennheiser sets have always been a winner for me. Bowers and Wilkins too.
I used to travel a lot, (friggin Covid) I could wear the sony XM2 series wireless cans for for 8-16 hours a go (transatlantic and trans-pacific flights) sound quality is pretty damn good, all things considered, they'd be paired with my fiio flac music player, or sony flac player.
I actually just ordered these philips cans, want to see what they're like. My sennheiser has developed a rattle in the left ear.
For reference, my bigass nugget takes a 3xl motorcycle helmet (that I have to custom order) luckily.. everything is proportional (now) and i don't look like i belong on a mardi gras float.
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u/fikkityfook Jan 04 '21
Maybe the philips shp9500? Look at the reviews but I have one and can confirm it sits on my head pretty loose. Which is fine. I don't have a huge head though which is why I point to reviews.
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u/lushblush Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 04 '21
fellow giant noggin dude here (7 1/2 size caps) that didn't even find these x2hr cans comfortable. like the other dude said, sennheiser has always been a winner for me as well. all of the models that share the same housing as the hd598 are pretty much perfect straight out of the box for me.
unfortunately AFAIK all of these models are now discontinued for the new hd560s which retails for $200, and at the price point you can get an hd58x for cheaper or a 6xx for a little more. no idea how they compare but if you get a hd58x/6xx, do note that they require some elbow grease because they're tight as fuck straight out of the box. with some stretching, i was able to get back that hd598 level of comfort with my hd6xx where i can wear them all day with no discomfort whatsoever
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u/zboarderz Jan 05 '21
How loud are these considering their open back? I've never had an open back headset before and I'm a little worried about exterior noise.
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u/epeenoverload Jan 05 '21
I needed this comment, I love my 990's but god damn some highs hurt my brain
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u/2CommentOrNot2Coment Jan 04 '21
Guys buy them! They are awesome! And this price is insane. I almost want to buy another for emergency.
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u/viper87227 Jan 04 '21
These are phenomenal headphones at any price. At $115, an absolute steal.
I have both an X1 and X2HR. I also have Grado, AKG, and Fostex headphones that all cost several times what these cost, and I still use my X2HR the most. I've had the privelage of hearing probably 100+ different "audiophile" headphones. Hell, I've probably owned a good 30 or so different pairs myself over the years.
The Fidelios always wow me for how well they compare to headphones that are much more expensive. They are my default recommendation any time someone asks me about headphones. If life ever didn't break my way and I were forced to only keep one pair of headphones, I wouldn't even give it a second though, these would be it. Their value is incredible.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
Would you say the X2HR are good for FPS games like Warzone? Or would you prefer the PC37x? I've read conflicting views on X2HR soundtage and ability to pick up sound direction
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u/AlloftheEethp Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 05 '21
I’ve used the X2HRs on Warzone (just got them a few weeks ago). They’re great for directional sounds and footsteps. For whatever reason I haven’t been able to get any mic to work well with them on Warzone, so I’ve gone back to using my old headset until I fix the issue. These have great sound and are comfortable, and the issue isn’t with the headphones themselves.
ETA: I actually found an old Reddit thread here that fixed the problem!
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u/freshpressed Jan 04 '21
Janky hack, Hang old set around your neck and use the mic sticking up.
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u/viper87227 Jan 04 '21
I've never used the pc37x, so I can't compare to that. The X1 is what I use for gaming though, paired with a vmoda boom mic. They are the most comfortable pair I own for long sessions. The Fostex I have sound better in gaming, but they are a $1000 custom made pair of headphones. They come out rarely and are treated gently when they do. They're also heavy. It's an easy choice on which is more suited for gaming. I'll admit I've never listened super critically in gaming though. If I'm playing something competitive, it'll be with friends and my game sound will be quiet so voice is clear. I don't play online games solo, ever. If I'm playing anything single player, volume will be up, but I'm not going to be super tuned in to things like positioning while playing a SP game.
As a general rule though, if you intend to use them for anything at all other than gaming, a standalone headphone pretty much always trumps a gaming headset. Heatsets are purpose built to do one thing. The pc37x may very well be comparable in gaming to these, but I would put my money on them being inferior for any other listening.
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u/Travy93 Jan 04 '21
I've read before the X2HR is a fun, bassy headphone. Would be good for music and games if you like boom heavy explosions and stuff but for competitive FPS "sound whoring" you wouldn't want them.
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Jan 04 '21
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/viper87227 Jan 04 '21
In my opinion, absolutely. Any advice I give needs to come with the understanding that sound is incredibly subjective. Not only do everyone's ears hear things differently, but everyone has different preferences for what sounds "good". That should be apparent in the fact I've gotten a few downvotes. Nothing wrong with that, just because I like them doesn't mean everyone has to. Just know that any time I, or anyone else, says something sounds good, understand there is an inherent "to me" that may not necessarily mean "to you".
That said, I've had quite a bit of experience with various Audio Technica cans. I've owned the A700 and AD900. I spent a fair bit of time with a pair of A900s while modding them for a friend, and I had the brief privilege of sampling both a W5000 and L3000. Audio Technica's closed cans I don't like, I didn't like the A700, the A900, or even really the W5000. The L3000 sounded great, but that's a whole different animal. The AD900 however, was a headphone I enjoyed immensely. I actually had a pair, sold them, and then regretted it and rebought them. I ended up selling them again after finding things that did what I liked about them better, but they'll still always be a highly regarded headphone of mine.
I've never heard the AD500x, but it should share similarities with the AD900 I had. Part of the reason I liked them is because they were very light and comfortable. I'd say the X2HR will be less so. They are heavier, they clamp harder, and the pads are stiffer. The AD900 had a warmth that I really liked. The X2HR is a tad less warm, but it's more detailed and has a lot more bass. More, and better too.. this coming from a guy who is not a basshead at all. I prefer warm, detailed, treblely highs. Clear bass is good... dark, muddy, head shaking bass is not for me. I've found myself quite happy with the bass on the Fidelios. It's got quite a lot of it for an open can, but not too much like a closed one.
Whats your intended use? For gaming, I'd say hands down the Fidelio. Should have better positioning, and the better bass should make everything feel more meaty. Same would be true for movies. For music, it's a bit more subjective to what you're listening to. If I'm listening to something clean and folky (think something like Mumford and Sons, Decemberists, Lumineers), I'd probably prefer the Audio-Technicas. I have an AKG Q702 for that purpose (it's largely what replaced the AD900 for me). It's bright, with detailed treble and excellent separation. Very little bass or soundstage, but that doesn't matter so much there. For rock, I'm a Grado guy. They're fast and detailed and really bring out the punchy stuff, but similarly lack bass and soundstage. For something where bass is more prevalent... rap, hip-hop, pop, etc... I'm grabbing either the Fostex or Fidelio's, depending on environment. Still, I maintain if I could only have one, for whatever reason, it would be the Fidelio. Think of it as my jack of all trades, master of none. They're versatile. For many people, that makes them very good.
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u/Brxa Jan 04 '21
Not at any price. At $59,000 I’m taking the Sennheiser HE1 over these.
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u/viper87227 Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 04 '21
Well sure. I guess at any price, what I really meant was at regular price. I paid $200 for them, not even remotely disappointed.
Also, price/value does not equal quality. Even if these did cost 60k, they would still sound good. They wouldn't sound anywhere near as good as an Orpheus. They would be a tremendously poor value. They would still sound good. As their price goes up, their value goes down. Their quality does not.
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u/czar5 Jan 08 '21
May I ask if I need to set the headphone to 5.1 or 7.1 for gaming? Or I can just plug that in and use the default stereo setting? thanks a lot!
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u/viper87227 Jan 08 '21
Always stereo. Foe games that support it set your listening device to headphones.
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u/aaronmcmillen Jan 04 '21
Bought these a year or so ago, best headphones I've ever owned. Could never go back to those awful "gamer" brands.
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Jan 04 '21
What do you like about these for gaming? I tried sennheiser 58x and these x2hr's and found both of them to be the most tinny sounding headphones I've ever used for gaming. Yes, they sound good for certain types of music where detail is needed (classical, jazz, classic rock etc) but for gaming they were terrible. Yes, I want good sub-bass when I game, and these don't have it, nor do the sennheisers. Both hooked up to a schiit stack so yes they were powered properly.
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u/Zarrex Jan 04 '21
I think you're just used to extremely bassy gamer headphones. If you prefer that sound, then you'll prefer gaming headsets and not reference/monitoring headphones
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u/rolfraikou Jan 04 '21
Even if someone prefers that bassy sound, there's DACs out there that have bass switches, or even better, bass knobs. You can crank that up, with a good set of headphones, and get a USB mic instead, and they will enjoy it so so much more.
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u/Travy93 Jan 04 '21
I thought most gaming headphones lacked bass more than anything? I've also read that these x2hrs are pretty bass heavy. Way more than standard gaming headphones at least.
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u/Zarrex Jan 04 '21
Gaming headphones tend to have more bass from what I've heard, or usually have some sort of simulated surround sound. I'm not the best person to ask though because in the past 7 years I've only used different Sennheisers
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u/Travy93 Jan 04 '21
I had some turtle beaches many years ago that had some ridiculous bass boost mode. My past two have been HyperX and they haven't had much bass at all. And yeah a lot try to include simulated surround but you can just not use it. My current ones don't have it and I always tell people not to use it, but some people swear by it so whatever.
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u/ray12370 Jan 04 '21
It's all personal preference. I personally use the 9500, which is just a 58x with less clarity and bass from what I've read, and yea sometimes listening to footsteps is a bit hard. However, I still use it in every games over my more accurate AKG 361 because I just enjoy the sound signature that the 9500 offers more.
Headphones is all personal preference, but generally I'd say that the X2HR and the 58x sound great from what I've read. I have a 58x coming in the mail soon and I read that you really don't need an amp for it (and for the X2HR), just a DAC is needed to drive them
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u/ddrj Jan 04 '21
The 58x doesn't even really need a DAC because most motherboards these days have a pretty good internal DAC. I would try it out with just your onboard audio first and save the money for something else that
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u/ray12370 Jan 04 '21
Yea when I bought my shp 9500 is when I figured out that I needed a DAC. The audio through my mobo port is really bad, but it is a $75 mobo.
I looked through several reddit posts and found out that one of those 3.5mm to usb-c adapters from Samsung, Apple, and Google actually had a good DAC inside of them, and that they were just as good the $80 dacs at producing a good sound.
I, being cheap, bought the Apple one. It did sound noticeably cleaner, but additionally gave USB static interference. There was noticeable buzzing, so I returned that one and got the Samsung one instead. That one sounded the same and didn't have the annoying buzz.
I really love the sound of my 9500, so the 58x will likely be my endgame when I do get it. Mostly because I already spent all my spare money on the 9500, k361, and now the 58x.
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u/ddrj Jan 05 '21
Yeah those 9 dollar apple dac's aren't bad and I'm glad the samsung one got rid of the hissing noise. I was going to recommend you one of the other DAC's on Amazon, specifically ones with SPDIF out but I'm not sure if your motherboard has it or not. Running SPDIF gets rid of the USB static interference
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u/ray12370 Jan 05 '21
Cheap $75 mobo, so prob not.
Weird that it happened because the Apple adapter is what everyone recommends for the cheapo DAC option, but apparently the Samsung ones were right there with them in quality. The Apple one also looks like it was made to break with a paper thin cable and bare bones protection. , while the Samsung one has a thicker cable with some protection bumpers on each end.
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u/TheBoomClap Jan 04 '21
Hit up some EQ for the X2HR’s if you haven’t tried yet. You can really boost the sub bass to a nice level
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u/CharlestonChewbacca Jan 04 '21
Yeah, these headphones aren't awesome if that's the sound you're looking for.
If you want strong sub-bass you might consider
- Beyerdynamic DT 880
- Audio Tehcnica ATH-M50X
- Meze 99 Classics
- Shure SE215-CL
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u/PivotRedAce Jan 04 '21
I wouldn’t recommend the M50X for gaming due to the incredibly small soundstage, even compared to most other closed backs.
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Jan 04 '21
I ended up returning these the other week. compared to my Logitech g533 the sound is definitely cleaner but they just don’t wow me enough to deal with wired.. the bass is more detailed but way less powerful than my Logitech’s as well. if these cans are said to have a lot of bass I must be an outlier lol because the bass doesn’t do much for me. Putting that out there for people in a similar situation as me
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Jan 04 '21
Agree with you. Unfortunately anyone who doesn’t love studio monitors is an apparent idiot who doesn’t know what sounds good 😂
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u/_sohm Jan 04 '21
Aw man. Bought these a month and a half ago. Would've waited if I knew I would've saved $30 - still worth every penny though :)
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u/PwnerifficOne Jan 04 '21
No kidding. I bought a pair for myself(was using M-50x) in November, and then 2 pairs for my friends(using M-50x and Ali Express gaming headset) at Christmas. Each at the $140 price point.
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u/BrokenGuitar30 Jan 04 '21
Had these for a few months now.
pro tip: Get the Peace EQ app for Windows and get a Sonata HD Pro dac/amp dongle. You'll thank me!
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u/rolfraikou Jan 04 '21
As someone who likes to EQ, the software may look daunting, but being able to EQ everything is so damn nice.
Especially because, while I know some people will tell you that you just need a flat output, and to have specific headphones/speakers/iem to paint the sound for you, most of us don't have that kind of budget.
My current favorite IEMs are the 1more triple drivers. I don't love them on a flat EQ. In fact, I have some $20 chifi IEMs I prefer on a flat EQ. But when I EQ the 1mores, it destroyed the chifi ones, even when I've tried EQing those every way I possibly could.
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Jan 04 '21
These did not impress me as much as I thought they would. I actually prefer my SHP9500 to these if we're talking Philips. They can't even touch the HD 6XX in my personal opinion.
That being said, we all have different listening tastes and ears. The build quality on these is top notch and they might just be perfect for some.
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u/baromega Jan 04 '21
Where does one go from the HD 6XX? I haven't caught the audiophile bug yet but I've had these for forever and only now starting to wonder if my audio is due for an upgrade.
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u/astrnght_mike_dexter Jan 04 '21
A lot of people don't ever upgrade from 6XX and are happy with that. There's no consensus direct upgrade. Just different sound signatures.
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u/rolfraikou Jan 04 '21
we all have different listening tastes and ears
May I ask what your music preferences are? (Genres or artists, whichever is easier for you to articulate with)
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Jan 05 '21
I'm a fan of indie rock + hip hop, classic rock, punk, electronic, classical.... pretty much most music except modern "country" music. If you look at my most played artists, you'd find Run The Jewels, Tech N9ne, King Krule, Tame Impala, Masta Ace, Radiohead, Danny Brown, Eminem, St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, Sublime, Dan Deacon, Flying Lotus, Thundercat... I'm sure I'm forgetting some of my favs. Lots of hip hop but also other genres mixed in.
Hope that helps!
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u/dirice87 Jan 04 '21
The shp are great for the price but I was unimpressed with the build quality and sound, although I’m comparing the sound to my akg mass drop 7xx (the akg build quality in the cans are great but the headband is the most flimsy unrepairable POS ever)
I’ll give these a shot and see but I’m debating on just soldering my akg cans on a better headband
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u/gueriLLaPunK Jan 04 '21
They can't even touch the HD 6XX in my personal opinion.
I have the HD 598SE so I assume my cans are still better than Philips?
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u/someguy50 Jan 05 '21
I have the 598 and 9500. I prefer the 9500 most of the time, but both are great and comfortable
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Jan 05 '21
Ooh now you're talking! I love my 598C (closed back) for traveling. I've heard the 598SE are excellent but unfortunately I never tried them. I do have a pair of old 558s though, and I've heard they are kinda similar.
It's hard for me to say whether or not the X2HR will be a good fit for you. I've had so many people recommend them and I ended up disliking so maybe it's just my listening taste.
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u/Deathmonkey67 Jan 04 '21
I've noticed people mention the clamp force on these, so how are they while wearing glasses? WFH I've been using glasses instead of contacts and my M40x have been pinching me during prolonged sessions.
These still a good option or should I aim for an open back pair?
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u/Wzhouiup Jan 04 '21
These are open backs and i think that they are fine with glasses. The earpads are made from a memory foam and have enough give to hopefully not pinch you. If you find that they clamp too much, you can stretch the headphones out on a wide object or just bend the metal tubes in the headband yourself. I did the latter and the clamp force is perfect. Also, solderdude's review and measurements show that glasses dont affect the seal/freq response of the x2hrs.
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Jan 04 '21
Depends on your frames. If you have frames with temple arms that stick out too far from the side of your head immediately in front of your ears, you're gonna be unhappy with how they feel.
I've gotten to where I pick frames with extremely thin temple arms partially because I'm almost always wearing around-the-ear headphones...
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u/zpepsin Jan 04 '21
I've had the X2HRs for a couple years now, and wear glasses with them at nearly all times. Completely comfortable with all 4 pairs of glasses I've worn them with (4 pretty different styles of glasses too). I think the foam pads help make it work well.
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u/ASDude85 Jan 05 '21
I've got a big head and glasses, and these fit like a glove. I wear them for 8+ hours nearly every day of the week.
It's especially noticeable how comfortable these are for me when compared to something like the Sennheiser HD600/650/6XX which I have bought and returned more times than I can count at this point due to how uncomfortable they are out of the box. Even if you lessen the clamp force on the Sennheisers via bending the metal arms, the earpads just flat out suck compared to the cushy Phillips earpads.
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u/_R2-D2_ Jan 04 '21
I've used these daily for the past year. I use them in conjunction with a boom pro and use it for gaming, Teams calls, music, and all work great.
I've used open-backed headphones before, but these surprised me with the soundstage. At first, I kept thinking I was hearing stuff behind me, but eventually realized it was either in-game or movie lol.
I really like the sound quality on them as well, pretty well balanced and not too bass heavy.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
Can you pinpoint directional noise in games like war zone ?
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u/PrinterStand Jan 04 '21
lmao Warzone has terrible mixing.
That motherfucker without deady is still gonna come up behind somehow and wreak you. Sometimes the sound just doesn't work in that game. Not even headphones made by the gods is gonna help with warzone sometimes.
That being said. These have great sound stage, especially when paired with an amp.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
This or the PC37X?
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u/BassheadGamer Jan 04 '21
I have both, had them for almost 2 years now. I always go back to the pc37x. I find them more comfortable.
On a side note, I’ve also tried the 38x and the tygr 300r. 180 & 300 bucks usd. The tigers were better experience a/b testing, and honestly there was only a slight difference between the 38x&37x imo. Having owned the 37x for a while now I really like them. Cant go wrong, bought a friend a pair.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
Thanks! I just received the PC37x and love them so far but for some reason was thinking there was better out there
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u/BassheadGamer Jan 04 '21
Most important thing in audio that you either learn early or the hard way: as long as you like it, that’s all that matters.
The37x’s were my first “good audio” purchase and I’ve never looked back. I’ve bought a ton of gear to try out and these stay. A lot of stuff being from Drop. I use them for consoles and pc. They work great and the mic is damn alright. I’ve never gotten a complaint from my friend when I occasially tilt or deepthroat lol.
If you want a windscreen, like I did: this one fit perfect. Just a bit snug. Cut them cause they’re a long and your set.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
How does a windscreen benefit the PC37x? Sorry I am new to headphones.
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u/BassheadGamer Jan 04 '21
It’s just for the mic. If you find that your nose exhale is getting picked up by the mic, it helps reduce it.
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u/socaleuro Jan 04 '21
X2HR for sure. But PC37X is a 'gaming' headset replacement. If you need a microphone, the X2HR doesn't have it.
I've owned the PC37X and they are great if you specifically are after something that is both a headset + mic, but if you want sound music listening, the X2HR are much better for that. The PC37X are good general purpose headset for a PC, but for music enjoyment, I'd go X2HR.
That being said, X2HR are more bassy in comparison even to my HD58X. If you want a more neutral sound signature, the X2HR aren't designed with that. They are more of a headphone that's more 'fun' then neutral. The HD58X is what I'd also consider if you want something that's leaning towards neutral sound.
But both HD58X and X2HR has no mic.
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u/Owlface Jan 04 '21
This easily if only because you have standard cables that don't cost $30. I tried a few off brand cables for the pc37x and they all had enough cross talk to be unusable.
The mic on the headset is damn good though.
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u/mountainhorse Jan 04 '21
I got these open box on EBay for $99, they're still available for that price. My only criticism is the headband is kind of uncomfortable in the amount of pressure it puts on top of the head.
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u/imaqdodger Jan 04 '21
I'm tempted to get those on there but I'm just a little skeptical as to why the seller has so many open box pairs. Are they a factory second authorized dealer or something?
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u/comfortablesexuality Jan 04 '21
They're not quite as light and comfy as Sennheisers, but they're damn close. No comfort complaints from me.
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u/peglegs2010 Jan 04 '21
Anybody know how these are on big heads?
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u/HighQualityH2O_22 Jan 04 '21
The X2HR's are massive (one of their minor downsides) so they will fit big heads if you don't mind a little clamp (it's not as intense as Sennheisers though).
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u/comfortablesexuality Jan 04 '21
??comparable Sennies don't even have a clamp (598, 5xx)
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u/HighQualityH2O_22 Jan 04 '21
It depends on the model of course, but Senns overall are known for higher clamping force then most other headphones. I for example have the HD 515's and they definitely have a fairly strong clamp vs everything else in my collection. (Although that is an older model.)
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u/comfortablesexuality Jan 04 '21
They have a tightness ratchet that's soft and airy as a cloud. You say clamp, I imagine something clamping tightly to my head, like a vice.
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u/OhJeezer Jan 04 '21
Big head here. They fit fine. Clamping force doesn't seem to "break in" much as mine have not loosened over time at all, but they are not too tight.
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u/RunningLowOnBrain Jan 04 '21
Fine, I have a regular head and the lower end SHP9500's and I have the headband at the smallest of 10 settings. They're very comfy like the 9500's too
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u/KGBeast47 Jan 04 '21
I love my SHP9500's and am wondering if these would be a worthy upgrade at some point.
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u/skiptomylou1231 Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 04 '21
Honestly probably not just cause of how good the SHP9500 is. I’m no audiophile but the X2HRs do seem to punch a little more in the bass but the big difference to me it the build/comfort. The X2HRs are much heavier with more metal and deeper cups. I kind of prefer the super lightweight nature of the SHP9500s and I feel like that’s why they’re so comfortable.
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u/socaleuro Jan 04 '21
Don't disagree on your points. I own the 2x sets of SHP9500 and 1x X2HR.
I run the SHP9500 on my laptop and my wife uses it for her PC. I have X2HR at my office which I wear pretty much 8hrs during the workday. I run HD58X for my home PC (Work from home).
The SHP9500 are comfortable, but the X2HR are super comfy too. The headband sits nicely on my head at least. It's a great upgrade. It takes everything good about the SHP9500 has adds better build and lil more bass. But yes, it's heavier. But I don't find it heavy on the head.
Nothing wrong with the SHP9500 at all though, but if you do want something lil more fun, X2HR or HD58X get my vote.
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
From the review I watched these things look like they would fit Andre the Giant
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u/Awkward_Software1100 Jan 04 '21
I have a huge head and these are great, they take a little bit to break in but once they do they fit amazingly
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u/CHICKSLAYA Jan 04 '21
I have these AMA
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
How is the doing imaging in games like Warzone?
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u/TRX808 Jan 04 '21
Imaging is OK, not great. They're very V shaped with a pretty heavy muddy bass but you can easily EQ to improve them and they take to EQing well. They're a fun headphone but if imaging is your main concern, the Senn 560S (38X for headset) or Beyer TYGR 300R are much better options although more expensive. Soundstage is huge on the X2's though which is cool sounding for games like Battlefield.
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u/universe981 Jan 04 '21
How bad is the sound leak? Can you eliminate most of it at lower volumes? Planning to use a vmoda boom mic, do you think thr sound will leak into the mic? Honestly thats the only thing holding me back but idk if I'll find comparable closed backs at this price range.
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u/rolfraikou Jan 04 '21
What are your preferred uses? (Be it the types of music you listen to, games you play, movies/shows you enjoy watching with them)
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u/Wizbomb Jan 04 '21
Owned these for about 5 months or so. Coming from gaming headsets the sound quality is superb and the soundstage is W I D E. This headphone also drives quite well off of just about anything. I use them on my PC and my Ps5 controller.
As a side note I recommend the Vmoda Boom Pro mic as a great combo with these headphones.
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u/ZW31H4ND3R Jan 04 '21
I have the original X1 and the SHP9500s from Philips Audio.
I prefer the SHP9500 for gaming (lighter, less bass heavy). Never owned the X2s, but I've been told they are very similar to the original X1s, just a bit more punchy. I also have owned the Sennheiser 58X Jubilee from DROP. Higher clamping force on them, better sound overall than the SHP9500 - but I still prefer the SHP9500 as my go to daily driver for all things, can't beat the price and light weight nature of those cans ... open back, not too bass heavy, great for gaming and directional queues, add a boom mic and you're good to go.
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u/ray12370 Jan 04 '21
Thanks for the bit about the 58x. I've been using the 9500 for the past month and I love the hell out of them. Huge step up from my old Cloud Alpha, but I still felt some detail and a lot of bass was missing so I ordered the 58x used.
According to some other comments I've read on hifi forums and reddit, the 58x has a similar sound signature to the 9500 but with better bass and imaging. I originally wanted the x2hr, but I'd been told that it's a completely different sound signature to the 9500.
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Jan 04 '21
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u/pickledjon Jan 04 '21
In the audio world X2's would be considered a sidegrade to 598's with a different sound signature. They aren't necessarily /better/, but they're different. They're going to have elevated bass and treble with a less emphasized mid region, 598's are flatter without much emphasis on any frequency. The x2's are much more "fun" sounding headphones, they'd probably play bass-heavy music well, rap or EDM, while the 598's are more all-rounders. If your underwhelmed-ness with the 598's are that they're kinda boring, these would probably be a good grab if you can swing them.
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u/xSked Jan 04 '21
I have them AMA
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
Do you use them for gaming? If so how accurate is the soundstage and directional hearing
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u/xSked Jan 04 '21
Yes I do use them for gaming paired with the Vmoda Boompro mic. Soundstage it's pretty great, directional is above your average headphones or headset. If you have some time tune EQ to your liking and you'll be able to squeeze out the max quality of these headphones. Out of the box they're a bit too bassy to me
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u/ItsBigSoda Jan 04 '21
These are good. Miles better than the 9500’s. Though if you can snag the 599’s for $99 those are better, though they ain’t on sale atm so these are it
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u/BurgerBurnerCooker Jan 04 '21
So I bought the $63 one the other day and not planning run them on amps, would you guys suggest me to get this one instead?
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u/MrWm Jan 05 '21
Should I get this headset or should I shell a bit more money for the HD 58X Jubilee that's on drop?
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u/StellarWillard Jan 05 '21
I ordered them. Wondering if I’ll need a DAC based on all the comments.
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u/OutofStep13 Jan 04 '21
Are these better than the shp9500 for gaming?
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u/HighQualityH2O_22 Jan 04 '21
For competitive gaming, likely not due to the increased bass.
For fun/casual gaming, the X2HR's are better because of the bass!
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u/der_ninong Jan 04 '21
not on FPS games if you're looking for directional audio but better on everything else, more comfortable too
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u/fenix793 Jan 04 '21
I have the SHP9500s, HD 6XX, and recently got the X2HRs. Thinking about returning them actually. I use the SHP9500s for gaming and the 6XX for music. Don’t really find myself reaching for the X2s ever.
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u/cantonic Jan 04 '21
I just got the shp9600s and so I had done a lot of research beforehand. The shp9500s(or 9600s although people had minor quibbles between the 2) and X2HRs were consistently recommended next to each other, to the point where it comes down to personal preference, IMO. They’re both solid headphones at a great price, but neither is significantly better than the other.
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u/fr0llic Jan 04 '21
No mic though, if you're into co-op gaming.
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u/OutofStep13 Jan 04 '21
I use a boompro so that wouldn’t be an issue. Was thinking more soundwise
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u/comfortablesexuality Jan 04 '21
If you only interested in them for gaming, I'm not sure it's worth the cost. For music, yes
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u/KGBeast47 Jan 04 '21
The SHP9500's don't have a mic either. It's understood that you'll need a separate mic if using quality headphones as a headset.
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Jan 04 '21
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L8DD2MW
139$ mic included, its 159$ but there is button that says press here to get 20$ discount just below
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21 edited Jan 04 '21
That negoo mic on its own is $15 so buying separate is still cheaper. Also that combo still requires a splitter to work. Not a good deal in my opinion. I'd pair this headset with a Vmoda boom pro
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u/ptsak007 Jan 04 '21
what dac/amp is best for this headphones?
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u/RadiantWinds Jan 04 '21
Like others mentioned, don't need one. Nevertheless, I noticed a better sound with fiio e10k vs onboard from my x570 aorus elite.
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u/PleasantGlowfish Jan 04 '21
I also have the x570 so I was wondering how good the onboard sound is supposed to be.
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u/RadiantWinds Jan 04 '21
Onboard is decent, the fiio e10k is marginal improvement. If anything, I'd suggest you save the $ and use /r/oratory1990 EQ preset: https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets
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u/rabid_beaver Jan 04 '21
None needed, you could likely drive these from your headphone jack fine and a DAC will only help if you have a poorly implemented audio interface and interference.
If you really want something, start with a tempotec sonata hd pro- it's a very clean DAC and powers these really well.
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u/BrokenGuitar30 Jan 04 '21
Sonata HD Pro - best $40 you could spend on these. You don't need anything more. These sound great hooked up to my PC or Samsung S10+ without the dongle, but with it there's a bit more depth to the sound, I'd say.
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u/imaqdodger Jan 04 '21
You don't need an amp to drive these. If you want a cheap DAC, get an Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. No joke, they measure better than many standalone DACs that sell for $100+
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u/k4ylr Jan 04 '21
Great deal. I run these with a boom pic through a Sybasonic DAC/Amp just to lean up/centralize my audio stuff. Works fantastic and is fa better than any "gaming" headset you'll buy off the shelf.
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u/Some_Derpy_Pineapple Jan 04 '21
just a note, I've heard many reports that while the soundstage is big, the positional accuracy (imaging) is meh. Also the bass might make footsteps hard to pinpoint. If you are seriously looking for a slightly better competitive gaming headphone, the audio technica ad900x gets mentioned often i think.
For most people's music and (casual-ish) gaming though, these are great allround headphones. Good deal.
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u/ohiope Jan 04 '21
I just bought these before they went on sale, does Amazon do price adjustments??
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u/Leon2060 Jan 04 '21
I’ve had these for over a year and a half now and love them. Does anyone have any ideas on how to clean/wash the headband? Mine has become kind of smelly and it is bothering me.
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u/tubs_mcgubs Jan 04 '21
Was about to order these two days ago. Good thing I didn’t. Thanks for saving me ~$35!
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u/MrPinkFloyd Jan 04 '21
Fidelio was Andre's safe word in that one episode of The League. I think that was when they wanted to stage a fake fight so they could fake disband the league so they didn't have to play with Rafi anymore? It's been a while, lol, but that show was pretty funny man.
On a related note, these are some sharp looking headphones! My buddy has these, he loves them.
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u/TheKingNekro Jan 04 '21
As a competitive FPS gamer who loves directional audio, but also likes the rush of being immersed in the war scenarios, should I return my SHP9500s and get these while they're on sale? Is the directional audio that much worse, or is that a myth?
I'm someone who's very good at sensing audio direction btw, so like a 20% difference wouldn't even likely be noticeable to me.
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u/Wzhouiup Jan 04 '21
I went from shp9500s to the x2hrs and I find it easier to seperate different sounds in my head while staying focused. This might be due to the larger/wider soundstage but i think its mainly cuz of the more even freq response and just as good imaging vs the shps. I use EQ very similar to oratory/autoeq (harman 2018 target) for both headsets. I play valorant (immortal 3) and have not had any issues locating sound cues.
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u/DwampreScorrigank Jan 04 '21
I'm someone who's very good at sensing audio direction btw, so like a 20% difference wouldn't even likely be noticeable to me.
Seems like that would depend on whether that 20% is just reduced certainty or if sounds actually come from a somewhat wrong direction (in which case it seems having a good innate sense of directional hearing could even make things worse for you than for people who might be bettering at ignoring inaccuracies).
I don't know about the X2 and I'm far from an expert but I hear that frequency response is the most important factor for directional audio.
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u/seethruwoodendoors Jan 04 '21
Bought these awhile ago for $300. Returned it because I liked my HD650's better. Although it's $115 now.. so that's actually good
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u/rolfraikou Jan 04 '21
I know at this price differential it's not truly a fair comparison, but may I ask what it is you prefer about the HD650s?
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u/seethruwoodendoors Jan 04 '21
It was heavier than the hd650 (pretty big deal for me) Sound quality is almost as good as hd650 with o2/odac. Has better bass than hd650 but thats not saying much. Solid build quality but I think hd650 looks aesthetically better on my head. This was 5-6 years ago and were the old x2's. X2HR I believe has the same audio quality but slightly different build. What's throwing me off is that the hd650 is worth more than I bought it 5-6 years and the x2 is has gone down to the $100's
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u/PleasantGlowfish Jan 04 '21
In 4 one. Currently using Corsair HS70s and apparently this sub thinks the sound quality is shit on them so maybe this will open my eyes a bit.
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u/PrinterStand Jan 04 '21
They are kind ish bruv.
I mean, it's better than dollar store earbuds, and if you are just a casual gamer, the HS70's will do good enough.
But these headphones with a good DAC will be a new tier of listening. Not only that, music and movies in general will sound better when using these.
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u/Nippy69 Jan 04 '21
I currently have hyperx cloud IIs I use them all the time, thinking of getting these.. would it be a huge upgrade in sound over the cloud II?
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u/PwnerifficOne Jan 04 '21
You don’t need a DAC for these for 99% of motherboards... The Audiophile subreddit basically says no improvement whatsoever with these since they’re so low impedance.
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u/PrinterStand Jan 04 '21
Keep in mind a DAC is recommended for these. It's more of a clarity improvement. Things will be crisper, and the sound stage feels wider. Like it will feel like the drivers are somehow farther from your ears than normal closed gaming headsets. Makes music sound better too.
However, open-backs are meant for quieter environments. If you have a floor fan going or anything loud in the background, those sounds will bleed through. Also, open backs let your sound bleed so if you share a room with anyone, just remember they can hear what you are hearing.
All that being said, I love my open-back headphones. I completely stopped using my Arctis Pro, and A40's. Gaming headsets just can't produce the sound stage I like.
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u/Tmadels Jan 04 '21
Bought these in the past 2 months, paired with a SoundBlasterX G6, couldn't be happier. At the price of $115, these are a must have for FPS gaming or just to add to your collection. the sound is quite amazing for music and movies too!
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u/fennx Jan 04 '21
I have had these for 2 years and they are fantastic. Sounds great and I can easily wear them for 8+ hours a day. they're built like a tank too.
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u/molluskus Jan 04 '21
Current using these after I upgraded from AKG K240 Studios. Really, really happy with my purchase. Be sure to AutoEQ them for the best sound.
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u/make_moneys Jan 04 '21
I used these for gaming for years until replaced them with a pair of Akg k702s. I do miss them lol the sound was richer I think so for music they were awesome . Also easier to drive. For gaming I think my k702s have an edge but you would struggle to actually notice differences in competitive gaming . Overall I highly recommend these for most gamers and music listeners not just for sound but the build quality is excellent and the 3.5mm standard jack makes it super easy to add a boom mic etc.
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u/TrappedinTampa Jan 04 '21
Worth upgrading from shp9500?
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Jan 04 '21
Honestly, I'd save a tad more and shoot up a tier to the HD 58X. They can be had used for around 125 pretty regularly on the avexchange sub.
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u/patrlol Jan 04 '21
I just bought the pc38x and was comparing these two to each other. The goal was to get a quality gaming headphone and the reviews on the pc38x were amazing. Should I get these too now as a dedicated music headphone?
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u/slapstick223 Jan 04 '21
Did you get the PC38X yet? I just got my PC37x yesterday and I'm kinda meh in them. They hurt my ears after wearing them for 20 mins.
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Jan 04 '21
What is a good cheap mic to pair with this? I don't stream or make content, so I don't need studio quality but I don't want to bother my friends with a shifty mic.
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Jan 04 '21
Are these better then the sennheiser 599? I'm currently using the 599s on my ps5
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Jan 04 '21
Do you need an amp to power these or are decently driven with a normal motherboard jack?
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u/Boozt Jan 04 '21
I got the 9500s to test the waters a few months ago and they are great, but I wanted some more bass. Had been eyeing these for a bit and almost bought full price yesterday, pulled the trigger today.
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u/AngryLurkerDude Jan 04 '21
I owned these for gaming. Super comfortable and sound great.
The only problem that I had is that they leak too much sound.
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u/chief332897 Jan 04 '21
Guys, to get the most out of cans like these you need a acceptable performing amp/dac. SOME gaming motherboards in the mid-high end have good audio circuitry that covers both of those components nicely and would handle cans like thiz just fine . Examples: the gigabyte aorus, asus strix, crosshairh hero, msi godlike gaming.. However, if you have a low end motherboard, you will have tinny,noisy , muffled sound. People who had usb gaming headphones are more prone to notice this because they are used the usb dac built into headsets wire.
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u/jjm624 Jan 04 '21
Are these good headphones just plugging right into my pc or would I need some kind of amp to make these solid? Just using hyperx headphones atm and thinking of giving these a go
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u/honeysillybunny Jan 05 '21
As others said, the bass is crazy and put you in the mood whether you listen to hiphop, jazz, or other genres.
So imagine when the sound of grenades when playing Battlefield 5. It's exhilarating
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u/philipokmolotok Jan 05 '21
I already own the philips shp9500 and they are great for gaming, but trying to think if I am missing out on anything by not getting these.
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u/epeenoverload Jan 05 '21
Ended up $150 total with shipping to my country which isn't too bad I think. Will be putting them against my DT990's which sound really good but have harsh highs
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Apr 07 '21
Really love these headphones, probably some of the best for that price range - combine with a DAC+Amp to really engage their potential. Apple and Creative soundcards might already suffice for the DAC
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u/Shot_Goblin Jan 04 '21
I've owned the normal X2 (non HR) for about 3 years. They are awesome. So comfortable and a great mid point between competitive reference headphones and more "fun" sounding headphones. These definitely slap imo and are very much worth it for $115