Philips Fidelio X3 Open Back Headphones $304.73 + Delivery ($0 with Prime) @ Amazon US via AU

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dazzles on 11/11/2020 - 19:49 amazon.com.au (262 clicks)
Last edited 12/11/2020 - 16:32 by 1 other user

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This headphone usually retails for $349 USD which is completely overpriced. At $304.73 AUD I think its a good price - or more what it should be priced from the start.
30ohm impedance so doesn't need an amplifier - reviews say its got banging bass but is overpriced UNTIL now.

Alternatively, I own an earlier model of Fidelio as well as a pair of SHP9500. Personally speaking the SHP9500 is a more balanced pair and obviously 100% better value so I would recommend it for those that do listen to a wide variety of genre. You can find a trusted aussie seller on ebay selling them for ~$150 AUD which is worth the $20 premium over a Chinese seller imo.

Price History at CamelCamelCamel.

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  radissimo on 11/11/2020 - 20:25

  thanks, I love my X2HR, this is step towards different direction so I will give it a shot.

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  jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 20:26

  You should be able to get the SHP9500 for much cheaper than that on AliE, especially right now, and then there's the SHP9600 to consider as well.

  But moving back to the point of the post, there's a reason why the X3 are suddenly so cheap: they got panned by pretty much every reviewer as being worse than the X2HR.

  Treble issues were the most commonly cited problem. This is a straight avoid until there's a revision.

  • 

    radissimo on 11/11/2020 - 20:41

    only mainly Youtubers,
    online reviews mostly positive e.g: https://www.avforums.com/reviews/philips-fidelio-x3-home-hea…

    Yes, were overpriced ,but for above price, worth it

    • 

      jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 20:49

      The writer for that is of exactly the same pedigree as any YouTuber.

      While they're not everything, you can see what the issue is on the FR curves: spikes in the 6-8kHz range, creating sibilance. On a good track, it will sound dynamic and detailed, but on anything but the best mastering you will start to hear issues.

      This is a headphone for people who have tube amps and FLAC collections, otherwise it is just way too much. At this price or less, people are better off looking instead at the AKG K371 (for a closed back option), the Sennheiser HD 6XX (though no stock until 2021, apparently), and the Sennheiser HD 560S.

      It's just way too problematic to buy without demoing first.

  • 

    aja12 on 11/11/2020 - 20:50

    I don’t remember seeing or reading any reviews “panning” the X3. The biggest criticism was the price.

    • 

      jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 20:52

      Price and mid-treble was a consistent theme I saw when I was reading more critical reviews that actually picked through technical analysis alongside subjective.

      You all don't honestly think a brand new headphone went from USD $350 to $200 in 3 months just because production ramped, do you? These were delayed before covid, and when you see the measurements it's fairly obvious why.

      • 

        aja12 on 11/11/2020 - 21:01

        You all don't honestly think a brand new headphone went from $350 to $200 in 2 months just because production ramped, do you

        Care to point out where anyone suggest that?

        SHP9500 & X2/X2HR’s didn’t earn their reputations because of their remarkable sound or measurements, it was their value proposition. You can’t launch a successor to something like that at US$300.

        • 

          Gnostikos on 11/11/2020 - 21:03

          @aja12:

          SHP9500 & X2/X2HR’s didn’t earn their reputations because of their remarkable sound or measurements

          The X1s and X2/X2HRs certainly did. They went as low as ~$180 at times and for that money you could not find an equivalent pair of cans with such a decent sound stage anywhere, much less anything as comfortable as the X1s/X2s with such a high quality build.

          • 

            aja12 on 11/11/2020 - 21:05

            @Gnostikos:

            and for that money

            Exactly my point.

        • 

          jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 21:11

          @aja12: The SHP9500 earned that before becoming doubly expensive, and both X2 revisions started at USD $300, but the original X2 took about 4 years before it was consistently below $200 USD.

          I think you're confusing your history here a bit, so let me clarify what happened: Gibson owned Philips Audio for years, then in mid-2018 went bankrupt and sold the brand to a Chinese firm. There's your 'value leader' tag.

          That does nothing to disguise that the SHP9500, X2HR and X3 have some serious flaws, even at these price points. Again, you can see it in the curve, but at least the SHP9500 is trying what it does to boost soundstage. The X3 won't be interesting until it's nearing $150 AUD, like its predecessors, but by then you'll have competitors with far better mids and treble, in tonality, timbre and detail.

          Sennheiser, AKG and HIFIMAN are seeing to that.

          • 

            aja12 on 11/11/2020 - 21:20

            @jasswolf:

            I think you're confusing your history here a bit, so let me clarify what happened:

            Yet again, care to point out where I mentioned anything about history or time lines?

            but the original X2 took about 4 years before it was consistently below $200 USD.

            And I’m the one confusing my history? Interesting.

            think you're confusing your history here a bit, so let me clarify what happened: Gibson owned Philips Audio for years, then in mid-2018 went bankrupt and sold the brand to China.

            Your history lesson is missing something important. Involved a change in manufacturing prior to Gibson. Anyway…

            • 

              jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 21:49

              @aja12: X2 was released mid-2014, around the time Gibson acquired Philips. The important part is in 2018, when it was sold off and the price of the X2 and X2HR went through the floor.

              The SHP9500 was also much more affordable before the sale. You can dig that info up fairly easily for yourself, so I'll bow out at this point because we're getting a bit circular here.

  • 

    neoo on 11/11/2020 - 22:57

    you can get SHP9500 at around $65 AUD on tmall(taobao) during this 11.11 event…yeah. For X3 look like people expect a more acceptable price at $160 AUD.

    Talking about the price of brand new headphone, I think HIFIMAN's brand new he400se priced at $120 AUD is more confusing… It is cheaper than he400i 2020 and spec looks better than he400i 2020? No where mentioned it's a successor, different line or region specific?

    Also, any thoughts on the new Drop he5xx at $220 USD? same price as hd6XX (before discount).

    • 

      jasswolf on 11/11/2020 - 23:48

      The HE5XX looks to be fantastic for imaging and soundstage, but its tonality seems to be a bit lacklustre, though perhaps somewhat fixed with simple mods. I'm not sure it does enough as an all-rounder to sit between the HE-400i 2020 and the Sundara the way it does at the moment.

      The HE400SE is either going to be a nod to the HE400S or the original HE400, hence the cheaper price point, and it probably points to the latter, which means a v-shaped sound.

      Have you had much luck with importing headphones from Taobao?

      • 

        neoo on 12/11/2020 - 08:15

        Thanks for the inputs. I ordered the he400i 2020 as you recommended in k371 post. The price was $165ish including delivery (actually the box is surprisingly light so delivery is cheap). Not bad for this model and shipped before 11.11 event but then I saw he400se…should i regret too much?XD

        Now I’m really looking forward to the local sale of hd6xx at $270. Actually you can order from Drop now but consider it’s normal price and warranty, better to wait till next Jan then.

        that being said, would you mind recommending few entry to mid level amplifiers that can drive both planar and dynamic cans well? Thanks mate!

        • 

          jasswolf on 12/11/2020 - 09:01

          +1

          @neoo: Schiit Magni 3+ (not Magni 3) would be the safe bet. Discrete amp, low distortion for that tech, well regarded for its dynamics. $99 USD + shipping from Schiit.com, should be cheaper than local stock.

          Khadas tone board (via AliE sales) is also an affordable DAC if you need one, but keep in mind it doesn't have a mic input.

          Are you buying used items from Taobao? I had a quick look last night and that's all I was seeing for HIFIMAN.

          • 

            neoo on 12/11/2020 - 11:54

            +1

            @jasswolf: I actually bought it from PDD, another e-commence platform in China but it primarily targets the Chinese local market and can only access via APP and so far the APP is in Chinese only. I speak Chinese so not a problem. The seller advertises it's a brand new, unopened item but who knows. Hope the logistic company and custom won't open it so I can see if there is a seal or not.XD. But yeah, on taobao the lowest seems to be around $175 AUD(839 CNY)…

            Thanks again for the DAC and AMP recommendation, Magni 3+ is on shopping list now haha. Khadas tone board is a very insteresting DAC. I'm currently using xduoo xd05plus but worth a shot as it uses different DAC chip and usb-c for charging/usb-in is also a win for me. Cheers mate!

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  Gnostikos on 11/11/2020 - 20:58

  I had suspicions about the X3s the moment I saw pre-release photos of them. They just look notably cheaper in build quality compared to the X1/X2 with lower-quality materials and a pretty drab, minimalist design that doesn't really fit the bill of a ~$300 pair of cans.

  I'm amazed Philips still couldn't be bothered giving their flagship Fidelio cans some swappable ear cups (as the memory foam on these things gets incredibly filthy over time as my several-year old X1s/X2s can attest to), a lower impedance, less microphonic cable (which people have complained about since the X1s) and the decision to have a double-sided 3.5mm jacks as opposed to the much more convenient single-sided jack on the X1s/X2s is simply (mod: edited).

  These are a prime case of 3 steps forward, 2 steps backward and even all of the "positive" reviews online (I'm talking about user reviews and not paid editorials) mention the abundance of treble and the lack of clarity with certain kinds of vocals, especially compared to their predecessors.

  Back to the drawing board Philips, you can do much better than this.