Philips Fidelio L3

Philips Fidelio L3

It’s uncertain if Philips’ Fidelio headphones have ever been purchased to put on as a vogue accent. The firm’s newest, the Fidelio L3, is not any exception. Colour choices? Dark gray. Conspicuous branding? Zippo. Distinguishing options? Pass. All proper, the ear cups seem to ‘float’ behind the open aluminium body that helps them – one thing of a Fidelio signifier for the true head-fi aficionado. But in the event you requested an artist to attract a generic pair of over-ear headphones, the consequence would find yourself trying loads like this.

Then once more, for followers of merchandise that cover a vivid gentle beneath a nondescript bushel, there’s lots to get enthusiastic about right here. Following on from the latest launch of the wired, open-back Fidelio X3 (HFC 469), the L3 enters arguably a fair more durable and extra extremely prized sector: that devoted to premium (but nonetheless moderately priced) wi-fi, noise-cancelling headphones. It’s an space historically carved up by large hitters Sony, Sennheiser and Bose. Probably the perfect Philips can hope for, then, is high-achieving outlier and, on paper, the L3’s efficiency targets are extra strategic than go-for-broke.

“We’re not chasing spectacular spec-sheet numbers with the L3,”commented a spokesperson. “Rather, the thought is ‘accessible high-end’, an ethos that extends to the selection of supplies and construct high quality in addition to a sound that’s wealthy and refined, tuned as a lot by ear as measurement by the Fidelio workforce. Bass and midrange efficiency must be heat to the purpose of being pleasurable and never fatiguing, however with out turning into colored.”

Assets embrace a wholesome battery lifetime of 38 hours, which falls to a nonetheless beneficiant 32 hours in the event you hold the lively noise cancellation (ANC) switched on. And there’s additionally a fast cost possibility. In this case, quarter-hour plugged in will get you a helpful six hours of playback wherever you occur to roam. Forget to energy down whenever you take it off and the L3 will do it for you after a couple of minutes. Wireless connectivity sees assist for each Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX HD. Pairing is a breeze, too. An extended, let’s say five-second, push on the power-up button units blue and white LEDs alternately flashing and your smartphone or pill acknowledges in the next few seconds. Key play and telephone features can then be managed with contact gestures to the outer surfaces of the left and proper ear cups. Google Assistant and Alexa are built-in so pulling up your favorite playlist shouldn’t be a chore.

The noise cancellation system makes use of no fewer than 4 microphones to minimise outdoors noise plus a fifth assigned to bid adios to background sounds when making voice calls. Predictably, there’s a devoted app. As sober as the looks of the L3 itself, it’s referred to as ‘Philips Headphone’ and allows you to alter noise cancellation by switching between pre-set modes. Also current is a devoted equaliser. Additionally, you should use the app to manage the music you’re streaming or entry track info.

The L3’s reminiscence foam and smooth leather-based ear pads do a fairly good job of blocking out undesirable noise on their very own. No coincidence, this. Considerable effort went into making it a basis of the design, the engineers reasoning it’s higher to have much less noise as a place to begin which, in flip, wants much less lively cancelling.

The ear cups have strengthening ribs so as to add rigidity and minimise vibration. Apparently, many hours have been spent figuring out their form and what supplies needs to be used. Different reminiscence foams have been examined for consolation and isolation properties. Originally the plan had been to make use of the identical sustainable Muirhead leather-based as the headscarf to cowl the ear pads, however this was switched to protein leather-based throughout improvement as a result of it was discovered to offer significantly better sonic outcomes.

Sitting somewhat additional again within the ear cups, the bespoke 40mm drivers characteristic Layer Motion Control (LMC) three-part damping, a sandwich building consisting of PEEK/PU/PEEK layers. PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) is a strong, stiff semicrystalline thermoplastic materials, famend for its distinctive mechanical resistance whereas PU (Polyurethane) is a polymer valued for its elasticity. For the L3 drivers, PU is used as a gel. It’s sandwiched between the 2 layers of PEEK for its damping properties. By various the thickness of the layers – and because of the completely different properties of the supplies used – the efficiency of the motive force may be fine-tuned – significantly with respect to the design of the ear cup enclosure. Naturally, for finest ANC efficiency, the L3 is a closed-back design.

And a really intricately thought-out one it’s too. Try this for consideration to element. There’s a tiny, tapered tube-cum-waveguide positioned in the back of every driver that’s formed to permit the again stress, akin to it’s, to decay with out intruding. It vents near, and is all however hidden by, the hinge. As nicely as serving to outline the L3’s sonic profile, it additionally performed a major half within the fine-tuning of the headphone.

Sound high quality
By no means the lightest in its class, the L3 is supremely snug and possesses ear-defender ranges of sound isolation even with out the ANC switched on. Controlling issues by primarily fingering the perimeters of your head is initially somewhat tough. You get used to it. But what of the luxurious sonic experience promised by Philips?

It stacks up. I personal some fairly spikey, in-your-face recordings and, after experiencing them through the L3, I’m ready to guess that no matter style or high quality of manufacturing it’s fed, it would steadfastly refuse to sound in any means vivid, brittle, strident or unnaturally sharp. Best say it now: even in wired guise, listening to hi-res Sting belting out Brand New Day, the inevitable softening results of a Bluetooth/Tidal streaming collaboration faraway from the equation, the tonal steadiness is comfortably the nice and cozy facet of impartial and clean as polished amber.

Bass is wealthy, plump and possesses correct timbral texture, energy and extension. It additionally performs tunes very properly. There’s an underlying, easy-going nature at massive right here that perhaps doesn’t dig down with forensic intent, however is nice at holding complicated components in concord – not least the gloriously heat, expansive and lushly layered orchestrations delivered by Prefab Sprout’s magnificent I Trawl The Megahertz – absolutely one of many all-time nice headphone journeys. The easy reality is, the L3 won’t trawl the micro-detail, nevertheless it definitely carries the musical message effortlessly with a grasp of move and tempo that by no means defaults to a bland, mechanical rendition. In quick, it sounds beautiful – slow-burning and seductive moderately than stringently analytical.

Musically supple and voiced to please, then. There’s nothing flawed with that in my guide. And don’t take with no consideration the spacious, exactly delineated, pleasingly un-bonce-centric soundstage and a dynamic compass that captures the loud and smooth, highs and lows with such calm confidence. There is perhaps extra chew, drive and specific readability available elsewhere, however the L3’s steadiness, heat, richness, refinement and unflustered energy is massively interesting. Oh, and the noise cancelling bit? It passes the late night time, en suite loo-flushing check with flying colors. Couldn’t hear a factor.

Conclusion
Head-fi fashionistas, it’s your loss. If you assume the Fidelio L3 will solely get you observed as a result of it appears to be like so plain, disgrace on you. For these joyful to don a pair, permit your self a smug inward smile. Things will in all probability sound so good, will probably be onerous to withstand. Warmly beneficial. DV    

DETAILS
Product: Philips Fidelio L3
Type: Over-ear, wi-fi, ANC headphone

FEATURES
● 40mm drivers
● Bluetooth 5.0; aptX HD
● Quoted battery life: as much as 38 hours

Read the total evaluation in  Issue 476

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March 13, 2024 at 04:27PM