L2BO Hi-Fi

I was hoping for a great set of cans, however, the sonic profile was not to my liking (too bass light). The greatest downfall though was the extreme clamping pressure of these headphones (I wear 7 3/4 hat). I did not want to try modifying though to relieve the pressure, as this would have been unfair to the seller if returning an altered product. That said, this is a beautiful set of headphones. The leather headband and orange stitching makes for a sweet executive look. The aesthetics overall are very low-profile and much appreciated as I have some headphones that look like space helmets (I'm looking at you Fidelio X2's). The fit and finish and build quality are spot on and extremely handsome, and the ear cups were of ample size to accommodate my ears comfortably. The sound signature is very good also, but just seemed to be missing that little something that makes me want to keep them. After years of using closed-back headphones, I bought the open-back Philips Fidelio X2 in 2014 and have never looked back. Open-back cans provide (to me) a much airier, spacious sound that tends to be outside your head, while closed-back are more intimate sounding, as if originating in your head. The L2BO/27 is a semi-open headphone and I was hoping for an open sound signature somewhere between my X2's and ATH-M50's/Status Audio CB1's. I was really looking for a reason to sell the M50's!! Alas, these did not make the cut. To me they sounded totally like a closed-back headphone, with an intimate in-your-head presentation. This also served to produce a somewhat narrow sound-stage. Depth of sound-stage was good, but the sound-stage width seemed constricted between my ears. They sound every bit a closed-back headphone to me, and not that that was totally bad as I was hoping/looking to replace the M50's. The frequency range seems very balanced, and the upper highs/treble are some of the best and most discerning I have heard from a headphone yet. Crystal clear with great instrument separation. I think the mid -range is where these shine however. Both male and female vocals sound natural, authentic, and amazing. Guitars crunch perfectly, perhaps helped by the great clarity in lower treble frequencies. The lower frequencies and bass are where I had a problem, and I guess the excellent bass produced by the X2's spoiled me. I researched the L2BO/27 thoroughly on various sites such as Head-fi and Innerfidelity, and all were in agreement that the bass on these cans really shined. I did not agree after listening, but I also realize that everyone hears differently. The upper portion of the lower frequencies were great and kick drums and such provided authority easily. The very lower registers were lacking in regards to bass guitar, low bass, sub-bass, and decay. I just found them to be light in this regard and lacking impact. I am not a bass-head, but I wanted more out of these than they gave, and I typically do not equalize. Headphones to me have to be great right out of the box. So, I gave them plenty of head time before deciding to return them, and, sound signature aside, this is where I discovered the clamping pressure to be too much for me. If the sound had been a smidge closer to what I was seeking, I would have kept them and perhaps tried bending the headband slightly to give some relief. This headphone does deserve all the stars and great reviews it gets here and elsewhere. This was just a case of slightly missing the mark for me. Really, really wanted to like these, and the seller was absolutely fantastic!!

This is a review of the Phillips Fidelio L2. I got these on Black Friday for $100 and in the 6 weeks I've had them it is a steal for the price. The packaging is nice with a large box with protective padding on the inside to protect the headphones. Other than the headphones, the box includes a fabric carrying pouch, 2 removable cables (one with a one button mic and one without), and some pamphlets. The headphones have really nice build quality. Metal on the housing and bands in this dark metallic finish. The headband has little padding that is wrapped in leather. However despite the metal build, the headphone is very light and the headband will not cause a problem for most. I have a rather large head and with the headphone adjusted to my size, there is still plenty of room to increase the size of the headband. This headphone will fit most. The earcups have thick leather padding. One of the few cons of this headphone is the lack of removable earpads. This is unfortunate since this helps increase the lifetime and option for different materials like velour. It does matter the orientation you wear these headphones. There is a small L and R on the inside of the yokes. There is a difference if it is backwards. Just remember that the earcup with the cable goes on the left. Both cables are a meter long, braided, and terminate in a relatively short straight jack. One cable has a inline mic with a universal one button mic. This mic works on ios and android with play/pause and double click for next track. The one other con I can think of is the cable without the mic could be longer. I know the headphone is targeted more toward mobile use, but since the mic is universal, the second cable could've been targeted for home use. The cable was too short to be routed behind my pc so I had to buy an extension. Overall build is really good for the price and will suit most. The sound now. These are semi- open headphones. That means the back is not completely sealed but the drivers isn't completely expose behind. They are somewhere in the middle. They block outside noise pretty well despite being partially open, and they do not leak much. I am no means an audiophile. These are my first decent set of headphones. I don't have a dac, amp, or a flac library. Just someone with a pc and phone that plays mp3 files, youtube, and pandora. I've used the Shure SE215 IEMs for years before this and they have a relatively flat signature (perhaps warm at times). The L2s have a similar sound signature as the Shures. They are balanced with good, detailed bass however not overpowering. The highs are nice and aren't fatiguing to my ears at all. No complaints about the well controlled mids too. Since these are semi-open, sound stage is pretty good. While gaming with them, I could pretty accurately hear footsteps from the correct direction. You won't get crazy separation in songs with the beset detail. They can sound muddy if there are a lot of elements to the song. They won't compete with headphones like the Master and Dynamic MH40 I got to try. They aren't meant to compete with headphones like that. Overall a great sounding headphone unless you have very specific needs. In conclusion, these are a great all-around pair. If you can them for about $130 or less I highly recommend them. I give them 4 and a half stars for the short cable and lack of removable earpads. Minor gripes and gave them 5 stars on amazon since I can't do half stars. Hope this reviews helps and hope you enjoy them if you purchase them:)

First thing is first, you will need an Amp or DAC or some other kind of sound card to drive these things. I plug mine into the back of my Logitech G560 speakers and still have to crank that sound up. It is what it is. BUT these are absolutely amazing. I was intimidated coming off of my HyperX Cloud Core's. I really considered getting the Takstar Pro 82's, for you that don't know Takstar Pro 80-82 are basically the same as the HyperX line- it's the same headphones re-purposed for gaming. I didn't buy the Takstars because the headphone jack at the cup used a 2.5 mm and not a 3.5mm. Deal breaker. I thought about the Status Audio CB1s and honestly would have gone with those if the build was better. I bought mine for $62 and would easily had paid double that. Music is crystal clear and the bass is pronounced enough that bass heads might even take a look. Gaming is nice, very spacious and airy. Don't be afraid of that statement, I was and I am so glad I took the chance here. Basically, the positioning is head and tails above any "gaming" headset. I was also afraid of the open back design and no one addressed it in their reviews so I will here. They are semi open. There is bleed, but you don't straight up hear everything either if someone else is wearing them. They are not closed, but your not going to disturb someone in the same room. It's fine, don't be afraid of this, they are practically closed. Construction is awesome, nice metal framing. Comfort is awesome. Clamps tight on the head out of the box, but loosens up like a baseball glove in no time, or I might just be getting used to them. If you find them sub $100, just buy them. Great multimedia heaphones.

Here are my impressions of the Philips Fidelio L2: Pros: - The sound is simply outstanding. Warm and clean... All the instruments and voices are real: piano, violins, guitars, trumpets, percussions... not a harsh note anywhere. Great for all the music genres I tried so far: Radiohead sounds as good as David Brubeck Quartet... different but still great :-) - Sound stage feels actually wider than in Philips SHP9500... Not as wide as in Audiotechnica AD700 but close... - Sound insulation is better than openbacks. Both in and out... But yep they are not closed so they do leak a bit. - The headphones are a bit bigger than I imagined from the pictures... Fits my large head pretty well - Material/build quality is excellent. - Plugged those into PC and phone - sound is still as great as from my Yamaha stereo amp. - Great price (got mine for CAD$144+tax) Cons: - Open backs (both Philips 9500 and Autiotechnica AD700) are lighter and a bit more comfortable applying less clamping force - A bit more heat than openbacks (but less than closed) - It took 3 weeks to deliver (Canada Post lost them for about 2 weeks in the "wrong warehouse") Overall excellent pair of headphones which was totally worth waiting for... Highly recommended but beware, everyone's ears are different... Background: Lockdown times are tough - kids expropriated my beloved Audiotechnica AD700 (openbacks)... So I decided that I need to try something new and ordered a pair of Philips SHP9500 (open) and the pair of Philips Fidelio L2 (semiopen). First I got the Philips SHP9500 and to be honest they disappointed me a bit... They are comfortable and sound is good but not as great as reviews/tests claim it is... It's not as clean and spacious as Audiotechnicas. So my expectations for the Fidelio L2 were low... But when I finally tried the Fidelio L2 I realized how wrong I was...

Habe seit einigen Jahren meinen L1 lieb gewonnen liebäugelte dann ,aufgrund der sehr guten Bewertungen ,mit dem AKG 371 für € 135,- Dann hörte ich mir, bei einem bekannten ,die AKG Reverenzklasse an ; für meinen Geschmack entäuschend "langweilig". Also bestellte ich mir den Philips L2 € 186,- Besitze mehrere "mittelpreisige" Hörer : Marshall, Sony ,Koss , Sennheiser, Fiio , Superlux Doch dieser L2 stellt sie alle " in den Schatten" ! …………….(einschließlich dem L1) Kristallklar mit Bass- Bums würde ich den Sound umschreiben . Kann das Teil bedingungslos empfehlen . Genuß ohne Reue !!!

Easy to power headphones, even with an ipod/iphone Forward, energetic sound but measured, not too in your face. Resolution, nuance, timbre can be bettered by Senns but at a price.

Comfort is fantasic. I can wear them for a long time with no discomfort on my ears or head. Not too hot. Design and construction are excellent ----except for one thing - the cable rubs on your collar and is made of a cloth material that makes sound IN the headphones. Simploe solution is to hold the wire while on the phone, but not so easy when just listening to music. Best to go topless? ;)

Very nice,comfortable Headphones,only a little too much trebles in my Opinion !Otherwise very good !!!