The Philips Fidelio T1 in-ear headphones are a unique wireless option. They come with two transducers, which allows for better reproduction of specific frequencies. The Bluetooth LDAC codec is supported, allowing for Hi-Res Audio streaming up to 24 bits / 96 kHz. Numerous titles are available in this format on Tidal or Apple Music. ..
Philips Fidelio T1 review: Design
The Philips Fidelio T1 is a large pair of wireless in-ear headphones, but they’re also quite small when compared to the case that houses them. The metal and Muirhead leather combination gives the headphones a great look and feel, but they’re also quite large when compared to most pairs of true wireless in-ear headphones. You’ll need a jacket or bag to conceal them while you’re out and about because at 52 x 85 x 32mm, they will thwart any pants pocket.
The headphones are large and have a sleek design. They look similar to the QuietComfort Earbuds from Bose, but they are polished in brushed aluminum instead of being gaudy. The large circular capacitive touch- screen looks stylish too. ..
The charging case for the Apple AirPods is huge. It’s not going to fit into a little jeans pocket because it’s about the size and shape of a bar of soap, but you can easily tuck it away in your purse. With magnets, you can quickly and easily snap the earbuds back into the case without having to fumble with it. It feels sturdy and well made. If we had to pick something, it would be the possibility of future damage to the leather strip along the top.
We thought the Philips Fidelio T1 earphones were uncomfortable because they are made of metal and are so long in design. But we actually forgot we were wearing them. You can pretty much count on finding the perfect fit because they include three sizes of foam ear tips and four sizes of rubber ear tips in the box. When we put them to the test, we wore them intermittently throughout the day and for nighttime workouts. The entire time, they remained stationary. It took some time before we got sick of having them inside.
The Philips Fidelio T1 is an IPX4 rated headphone, meaning that it will be fine being submerged in water but will not withstand being completely submerged. The touchpads located outside of each bud can be used to control the music. Unlike other headphones, you have to press down on the precise bud in order to pause or play the music. Having to hold the press occasionally resulted in us jostling the earbud, which could be annoying.
Comfort
The charging case for the Apple AirPods is huge. It’s not going to fit into a little jeans pocket because it’s about the size and shape of a bar of soap, but you can easily tuck it away in your purse. With magnets, you can quickly and easily snap the earbuds back into the case without having to fumble with it. It feels sturdy and well made. If we had to pick something, it would be the possibility of future damage to the leather strip along the top.
We thought the Philips Fidelio T1 earphones were uncomfortable because they are made of metal and are so long in design. But we actually forgot we were wearing them. You can pretty much count on finding the perfect fit because they include three sizes of foam ear tips and four sizes of rubber ear tips in the box. When we put them to the test, we wore them intermittently throughout the day and for nighttime workouts. The entire time, they remained stationary. It took some time before we got sick of having them inside.
The Philips Fidelio T1 is an IPX4 rated headphone, meaning that it will be fine being submerged in water but will not withstand being completely submerged. The touchpads located outside of each bud can be used to control the music. Unlike other headphones, you have to press down on the precise bud in order to pause or play the music. Having to hold the press occasionally resulted in us jostling the earbud, which could be annoying.
Philips Fidelio T1 review: Connectivity
The Bluetooth connection held strong throughout the whole test, regardless of the smartphone used. The melody continued almost ten metres distant from the smartphone, through a wooden floor. Likewise in the street and in the centre of a packed place. But it has happened more than once that the headphones cease making sound after a while of inactivity and need to be put away and then taken out of their case to restart.
The Philips Fidelio T1 headphones have a latency of about 20 milliseconds, which makes it difficult to synchronize sound and vision. Additionally, lip desynchronization is evident in videos and games.
Noise cancelling
Noise-cancelling earphones are some of the most adaptable on the market. Philips has developed a three-level ANC mode as well as a powerful Awareness mode to give consumers complete discretion over how much noise they wish to block out or let in. When you choose ANC in the companion app, you are presented with three options: High, Low, and Wind Noise Reduction, each of which is designed to serve a particular function. ..
Wind noise is a common distraction that can cause hearing loss. To reduce wind noise, we turned on High. Our toddler’s happy shrieks and whistles could not be avoided, but the earbuds can tolerate some high-frequency noises, such as bird chirps.
We were pleasantly surprised by how well Wind Noise Reduction worked. The music sounded clearer once it was turned on since the whisking effects brought on by wind were less noticeable. Although they could still be heard, the sound of fast cars in front of the house wasn’t bothersome. Four programmable levels of ambient listening are included with awareness. When set to maximum (level 4), the microphones are fully opened so you can hear every sound around you.
The Buds can pick up sound well enough to increase users’ awareness of their surroundings, but the voice mode is more effective for hearing people speak clearly without pausing or taking out the earbuds.
Audio performance
The Fidelio T1 headset is a good choice for making calls. Calls inside were clearly audible. Many people outside noted a small muffling when speaking from the backyard. Walking to the house made things worse because there was more traffic and landscaping equipment to contend with. Wind resistance was the main issue, which made it difficult to have a conversation. ..
The Fidelio T1’s mid-range is very clear and the frequency range is well balanced. The song Anette Askvik’s Liberty has a lot of cadences and variation in pitch, which is represented with exquisite accuracy. The Pharcyde’s Runnin’ has quick rhymes that are easy to understand, while Sabotage has a lot of words that are difficult to understand but still audible.
The Fidelio T1 are expressive at the high end of the frequency range. The string instruments in Jonny Greenwood’s HW/Hope of New Fields from There Will be Blood are relayed richly and with detail, though we did find the Sony to be more expressive and boasting more finesse. The treble is treated with clarity, but the T1 aren’t the most stand-out in GoGo Penguin’s Raven.
Philips Fidelio T1 review: Call performance
The Fidelio T1 is a great headset for calls. The sound quality is excellent and the wind resistance is a bit of an issue, but overall it’s a great option.
Battery and charging
The Fidelio T1 has a long battery life, thanks to its ANC feature. With ANC on, the device will last for up to 13 hours. However, if you use high volume and LDAC features, the battery life will be reduced by around one to two hours.
The AirPods offer plenty of listening time, with the 4 days of moderate use (2.5 hours per day) going without any issues. Depending on how you use the headphones, the charging case can last up to 48 hours. 24 hours is essentially twice as long as what the AirPods Pro case provides. However, a criticism would be that quick charging could be improved: Only an hour’s worth of use results from 15 minutes in the case. ..
Price and availability
The Philips Fidelio T1 earbuds are a high-end pair of earbuds that are currently available for £249 in the UK. You can find out where and how much you can purchase a pair using the widgets on this page.
Conclusion
The Philips Fidelio T1 earphones are a great choice for those looking for an audiophile-quality product, but they may not be the best choice for those with smaller ears. They have excellent sound quality across a variety of musical genres, and the ANC is more than adequate.
