Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 650 vs Philips Fidelio X2HR
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (150 vs 35). None of the 15 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 15
- Say they own both
- 2
- Choose the HD 650
- 0
- Choose the Fidelio X2HR
- 0
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 | $345 | $149cheaper |
| Overall rank | #1higher | #21 |
| People who recommend it | 150more | 35 |
| Say they own it | 214more | 61 |
| Mentions | 1,362more | 413 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | VocalsJazzRelaxed | Open-backBassNo amp |
| Best for | The one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions. | An open-back with bass for people who found the Sennheisers too polite. |
| Buy | Amazon · $345 | Amazon · $149 |
#1 overall
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
4 of the 15 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
- Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
- Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
- The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone
The complaints
- Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
- No real sub-bass
- Clamp is tight on big heads
- Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small
In their words
“Been using HD6XX for years and I love them for gaming”
A commenter under What GAMING Headphones AUDIOPHILES Use: 2024 Update! (BadSeed Tech) · Jun 2024
“I have both 600 and 6xx and i love them both”
A commenter under The NEW HD600!! (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I have the HD-6XX and love them”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
#21 overall
Philips Fidelio X2HR
2 of the 15 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