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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 600 vs Philips Fidelio X2HR
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 600 overall (117 vs 35). None of the 13 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 13
- Say they own both
- 1
- Choose the HD 600
- 0
- Choose the Fidelio X2HR
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 13 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 10 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $300 | $149cheaper |
| Overall rank | #4higher | #21 |
| People who recommend it | 117more | 35 |
| Say they own it | 149more | 61 |
| Mentions | 1,279more | 413 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | NeutralVocalsLong sessions | Open-backBassNo amp |
| Best for | Recommended as the reference headphone by people who care about accurate, fatigue-free music listening. | Recommended as an open-back with bass by people who found the Sennheisers too polite. |
| Buy | Amazon · $300 | Amazon · $149 |
#4 overall
Sennheiser HD 600
4 of the 13 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The most natural, neutral mid-range people can name; a 25-year reference
- Super comfortable for long sessions
- Timbre and tone that owners call perfect for acoustic, classical and vocals
- Owners who tried many others keep coming back to it
The complaints
- Needs a decent amp to open up; weak from phones and laptops
- Small, intimate soundstage; some call it boring
- Bass does not go deep
In their words
“My favorite headphones are my painted hd600s with a custom matching cable”
A commenter under Crinacle's ULTIMATE Guide to Headphones (crinacle) · Dec 2024
“After trying all other options, we highly recommend the HD 600”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
“I love my HD600 but have to compensate for the weak bass”
A commenter under Almost all headphones are inaccurate. Only these are good. (AP Mastering) · Dec 2024
#21 overall
Philips Fidelio X2HR
1 of the 13 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Bass with real weight for an open-back; the fun one for pop and hip-hop
- Called the most comfortable headphone several owners have owned; mostly metal build
- Easy to drive, no amp; often on deep sale
The complaints
- Stock pads: several owners hate them and replace them
- A dark, warm tuning that some find fatiguing or too dull
- Big and heavy on the head
- Stock at Philips comes and goes
In their words
“I highly Recommend X2HR”
A commenter under Philips Fidelio X2HR Review: STILL a BEAST in 2019!! (BadSeed Tech) · Sep 2019
“To anyone stupid and desperate, just get the Fidelio X2”
A commenter under Sennheiser & Massdrop HD 6XX ... Epic $199 Headphones! (Hardware Canucks) · Nov 2016
“Get the X2HR is you guys can, it's an awesome product”
A commenter under Philips Fidelio X2HR _(Z Reviews)_ Still the Soundstage KING (Z Reviews) · Nov 2019
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Sennheiser HD 600 better than the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
- None of the 13 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 117 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 600 and 35 the Philips Fidelio X2HR. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 600 or the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
- The Philips Fidelio X2HR is cheaper: $149 against $300 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 600 or the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
- The Sennheiser HD 600: 117 people recommend it against 35. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 600 is #4 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR is #21.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 600 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
- Yes. 1 of the 13 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 4 say they own the Sennheiser HD 600 and 1 the Philips Fidelio X2HR.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 600 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 600: needs a decent amp to open up; weak from phones and laptops. About the Philips Fidelio X2HR: stock pads: several owners hate them and replace them. The full lists are on each side below.