If you’re into audio, tech and design, these new Philips Fidelio headphones are made for you

Philips hopes to score big with two new headphones this autumn, the L4 over-ear ANC cans and T2 True Wireless earbuds. Launched at FC Barcelona’s home ground (because Philips is the technology partner of the club), the new models combine a high specification with smart design and premium comfort. 

Philips Fidelio says its target market for the new models is the audio enthusiast, with an interest in the latest technology and design trends.  

The Luxe Review was invited to the event, for an early hands-on with the new models…

Philips Fidelio L4 headphones first look

The Philips Fidelio L4 over-ears boast extended battery life, advanced active noise cancellation, and a high level of style.  

Philips design team has reduced the size of the exterior ear cup body and introduced a synthetic soft leather material for the inner cushion, coupled to a Muirhead leather headband with reinforced aluminium alloy hinges, for an overall weight of 320g. 

The result is a snug fit with even pressure distribution that makes them perfect for long listening sessions.

At the Barcelona launch, I had the opportunity to try out the Philips Fidelio L4 headphones first hand…

At the Barcelona launch, I had the opportunity to try out the L4 headphones first hand, and was impressed by both their detail and pronounced spatial imagining, and easy-fitting comfort. 

Build quality and finish are wonderfully tactile. The earcups and headband are particularly comfortable, and exert minimal clamping force.

Key to their sonic clarity is a bespoke 40mm driver with a graphene coating. The latter adds stiffness to the driver without adding weight, resulting in lower distortion and pronounced upper mid-range articulation.  

Usability is good. The cups feature a leather-covered touch area for smooth swipe, tap, and press actions, and work with Google Assistant.

I didn’t get much opportunity to trial their Active Noise Cancellation, but the specification is encouraging. An adaptive four-mic hybrid ANC system incorporates AI technology, able to measure and cancel out low and mid-range sounds while efficiently handling wind noise, thanks to a repositioned microphone port.

The L4 uses Bluetooth 5.3 with Google Fast Pair, and supports LE Audio and the LC3 codec, for support of 32 bit  48 kHz audio at bitrates of up to 425 Kbps. There’s also LDAC Hi-Res codec compatibility, allowing for high-quality audio playback via the included, detachable, USB-C audio cable.

These headphones don’t just impress with their audio capabilities; they also excel in terms of battery life. You get an impressive 50 hours of playback (or 40 with ANC on) on a single charge. 15 minutes of quick charging gives you five hours of playback.

Philips Fidelio T2 True Wireless earbuds first look

For True Wireless earbud aficionados, the Philips Fidelio T2 are far smaller than we’ve seen from the brand previously – some 20 per cent. The charging case has also shrunk, by 40 per cent.

The buds feature an ergonomic ‘Tragus Lock’ design, to help them sit securely in the ear, and are finished in Muirhead leather, with a ceramic injection moulded shell.

According to a survey by the analysts at Futuresource, the number one frustration users have with True Wireless earbuds is stability in ear. Philips thinks it’s nailed this with the design of the T2. 

Inside, there’s a new 9.2mm graphene-coated dynamic driver for beefy bass and clear mid and high frequencies. The balanced armature module promises dynamic, detailed audio.

The number one feature consumers look for in headphones, I was told, is comfort. It’s just ahead of sound quality (76 per cent of consumers, and 75 per cent respectively). This is followed by price and then battery life.

The T2 offers an impressive nine hours of continuous playback with ANC, with an additional 27 hours resident in the charging case. 

Much like the L4, the T2 runs Bluetooth 5.3, with LE Audio, LDAC and LC3 codec support.

The TW buds may be small, but they pack in a lot of tech. Six microphones, including two bone-conducting technology mics, provide effective noise cancellation. 

Tap controls on the concave surface of the earbuds allow easy playback, skipping tracks, and pausing. A Push-to-talk feature enables hands-free voice control through Google Assistant. The IPX4 rating ensures resistance to splashes.

The Philips Fidelio L4 Over-ear ANC headphones will hit Amazon early October, priced at £349.99. The Philips Fidelio T2 True Wireless ANC earbuds will follow at the end of the month, priced at £279.99.

At the Barcelona event, Philips also previewed its new OLED+908 flagship TV. More on that here.