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Sennheiser HD 650 vs Philips Fidelio X2HR

More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 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

Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 15 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.

At a glance the better number on each row is highlighted
Sennheiser HD 650Philips Fidelio X2HR
Typical price$345$149cheaper
Overall rank#1higher#21
People who recommend it152more35
Say they own it213more61
Mentions1,403more413
Typeopen-back wiredopen-back wired
Known forVocalsJazzRelaxedOpen-backBassNo amp
Best forThe one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions.Recommended as an open-back with bass by people who found the Sennheisers too polite.
BuyAmazon · $345Amazon · $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

#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

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 650 better than the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
None of the 15 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 35 the Philips Fidelio X2HR. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is cheaper: $149 against $345 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 35. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR is #21.
Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
Yes. 2 of the 15 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 4 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 2 the Philips Fidelio X2HR.
What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Philips Fidelio X2HR?
The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the Philips Fidelio X2HR: stock pads: several owners hate them and replace them. The full lists are on each side below.

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