Philips Fidelio M1 takes on the right tones

Philips takes a shot at hi-end audio with the Fidelio M1 headphone.
Its the age of the cheap audio source, when torrents and 90 kbit/s MP3 files have become the bane of the audio experience. Lets face it, whatever celebrity collaboration your mobile phone manufacturer hypes about, it can never come close to the real deal. The audiophile may not be a dying breed, but compromise has become key to the listening experience. Which brings us to a whole industry segment of devices catering to the casual listener, thanks to music via mobile devices. One that even companies like Bose and Harman Kardan havent been able to escape from.
Philips seems to have their core eyes on the prized hi-end segment with devices like the M1 headphone. The first bit that attracted us was the use of aluminum. Now most of the ‘endorsed bands use plastic parts, while here the earcups and headband are thick metal components, meaning the aluminum parts add durability without weight. In terms of cables, the oxygen-free, fabric-lined cable seem great for a few alone moments. The Fidelio M1 headphones have a 26-ohm design with 40mm drivers and neodymium magnets. Something which got us interested was the acoustic semi-open back architecture. This essentially means that you kind of mix the transparent sound of an open back with the deep bass and noise isolation that a fully closed back generates. Again a specific point that should set it apart are pre-tilted drivers, which directs the sound straight into the ear canal, adding to the realism.
At the launch event, we had on stage metal band Juliana Down [who opened for Daughtry at the Dubai Bike Week] in a different avatar, doing an acoustic set. Virgin Megastore was the setting for the launch.
T3's impression? The Fidelio M1 handles well, sounds quite great especially in the warmer tones, and while a tad pricey at over a thousand dirhams, if you respect your music, its money well spent