Review on Hi-Res Philips Fidelio L2BO Over-ear Premium Portable Headphones with In-line Mic, Noise Isolation - Black/Orange by Bob Taylor

This is a review of Phillips Fidelio L2. Got them for $100 on Black Friday and in the 6 weeks I've had them it's a steal for the price. The packaging is beautiful, a large box with protective padding to protect the headphones. In addition to the headphones, the box includes a fabric carrying case, 2 detachable cables (one with a single-button microphone and one without) and several booklets. The headphones have a very good build quality. Metal on the case and straps with a dark metallic finish. The headband has a small padding covered with leather. However, despite the metal body, the headphones are very light and the headband will not cause any problems for most. I have a fairly large head, and with headphones that fit my size, there is still plenty of room to increase the size of the headband. These headphones fit best. The ear cushions are covered with thick leather. One of the few downsides to these headphones is the lack of removable ear pads. Unfortunately, this increases the lifespan and the possibility of using different materials, such as velor. It matters which orientation you wear these headphones in. On the inside of the yoke are the small letters L and R. There is a difference if it is backwards. Remember that the cup with the cord goes to the left. Both cables are meters long, braided and end in a relatively short, straight connector. A cable has a built-in microphone with a one-button universal microphone. This mic works on iOS and Android with play/pause and double click to skip to the next track. Another downside I can think of is that the non-mic cable can be longer. I know the headphones are geared more towards mobile use, but since the microphone is universal, you could use the second cable for home use. The cord was too short to run behind my computer so I had to buy an extension cord. Overall the build is really good for the price and will suit most. sound now. These are semi-open headphones. That means the rear isn't fully closed, but the drivers aren't fully open in the back. They are somewhere in between. Despite being partially open, they block out external noise quite well and don't let much through. I am by no means an audiophile. These are my first decent headphones. I don't have a Dac, amp or FLAC library. Just someone with a computer and a phone that plays MP3s, YouTube and Pandora. I used Shure SE215 headphones many years ago and they have a relatively flat signature (perhaps warm at times). The L2 has the same sonic signature as the Shures. They are balanced with good, detailed bass without being overwhelming. The highs are pleasant and don't tire my ears at all. There is nothing to complain about when it comes to well-controlled mid-range frequencies. Since they are semi-open, the soundstage is quite good. As I played with them, I pretty much heard footsteps coming in the right direction. With the detailset, there won't be any crazy division into songs. They can sound muddy if the song has a lot of elements. They won't compete with headphones like the Master and Dynamic MH40 that I've tried. They are not designed to compete with headphones like this. All in all great headphones unless you have special needs. In summary, this is a great all-around pair. If you can get them for around $130 or less, I highly recommend them. I give them 4.5 stars for the short cable and lack of removable ear pads. Small complaints and gave them 5 stars on Amazon as I can't give half stars. I hope these reviews help and hope you enjoy them if you buy them :)