Philips Fidelio L3

Design and features:

This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling home/studio-style over ear model provides good sound and excellent active noise reduction. Its closed design and electronic noise canceling feature reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music, and the audio cable can be detached to get it out of the way when the headphones are being used for noise reduction only. The headphones have medium sensitivity when powered regardless of whether they are in noise cancelling on, ambient monitoring, or noise cancelling off mode, so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and all but the lowest-powered portable audio devices. The Fidelio L3 has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include that the earcups fold and swivel to flat for ease of carrying and storage. The headphone noise cancellation control setting switches between ANC on, ANC off, and ambient sound monitor (Pass-through) modes by button control on Right earphone; these settings can be customized using the Philips Headphone app to select between five different levels of ambient sound transparency levels and two different ambient modes (transparency and voice). Voice mode emphasizes voices around you. Has two different ANC modes (noise cancellation and adaptive noise cancelation). Adaptive noise cancelation automatically adjusts ANC level based on your environment. Has touch controls for music player transport, call connect/disconnect, volume control and button controls for ANC on /off, /Ambient mode, digital voice assistant activation, and power on/off, Has Power on/off, Bluetooth pairing, battery status, and other voice announcements. Has Quick conversation feature that will pause audio when your hand covers the right earphone and will resume audio when hand is removed. Supports Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant digital voice assistants when it is used with Bluetooth devices that have those capabilities. Has quick charge feature: 15 min of charging will provide 6 hours of playtime. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. Free Philips Headphones app download for Apple or Android mobile devices can be used to change the EQ settings between custom or four different presets, show battery level, change various settings such as deactivation the auto pause feature, choose between pausing and not pausing audio when the monitor function is activated, access user manuals and update the earphone's firmware. Supports Google Fast Pair. Has multi-point feature - allows simultaneous connection of two Bluetooth devices. The Fidelio L3 comes with detachable 49-inch long standard audio cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Airplane in flight adapter, Carrying case, Quick Start, Safety Manual. This model comes with Home/Studio-Style Bluetooth wireless noise canceling closed over ear headphones that come with detachable 49-inch long standard audio cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Airplane in flight adapter, Carrying case, Quick Start, Safety Manual/Warranty card.

Sound quality:

We found the Fidelio L3 delivers sound quality that falls in the good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise canceling mode engaged and the Philips Headphones app sound effect function set to off (as received state of the earphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is boomy and somewhat prominent. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is fairly even, but somewhat grainy, a bit hazy and congested, and has a noticeable plastic resonance (something like what you would hear if you talked into a semi-rigid plastic cup). The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended, but a bit smeared, prominent, and has a "swooshy" quality. Does a decent job of recovering room ambience but is somewhat closed sounding. Good dynamics. Warmish character. The overall sound can best be summarized as bassy and somewhat grainy and plasticky. A faint rushing sound is audible when there is no audio program to mask it. When cord connected to AC powered devices may produce a noticeable humming and/or hissing noise. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. A faint rushing sound is audible when there is no audio program to mask it.

Comfort and Fit:
We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears. As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use. Users with larger heads might find that the headband does not have enough adjustment range to allow the earcups rest properly over the ears and/or that the headband presses uncomfortably on the top of the head. Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the earpad seal and reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone. Some users may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward. Incidental contact with the touch controls on the right earcup can cause unintentional playing, pausing, volume changes, or track skipping. When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard slightly through the headphones regardless of whether the headphones are in noise cancelling mode. When the audio cord is used the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be faintly heard through the earphones.

The Philips Fidelio L3 home/studio-style Bluetooth wireless noise canceling headphones have a closed over ear design. These iPod/cellphone-centric headphones can be used with the noise canceling feature turned on or off, and are intended for use with iPods, iPads, some other cell phones, as well as standard audio devices. The headphones have an inline microphone and inline remote with and integrated volume, music player function, and call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include that the earcups fold and swivel to flat for ease of carrying and storage. The headphone noise cancellation control setting switches between ANC on, ANC off, and ambient sound monitor (Pass-through) modes by button control on Right earphone; these settings can be customized using the Philips Headphone app to select between five different levels of ambient sound transparency levels and two different ambient modes (transparency and voice). Voice mode emphasizes voices around you. Has two different ANC modes (noise cancellation and adaptive noise cancelation). Adaptive noise cancelation automatically adjusts ANC level based on your environment. Has touch controls for music player transport, call connect/disconnect, volume control and button controls for ANC on /off, /Ambient mode, digital voice assistant activation, and power on/off, Has Power on/off, Bluetooth pairing, battery status, and other voice announcements. Has Quick conversation feature that will pause audio when your hand covers the right earphone and will resume audio when hand is removed. Supports Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant digital voice assistants when it is used with Bluetooth devices that have those capabilities. Has quick charge feature: 15 min of charging will provide 6 hours of playtime. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. Free Philips Headphones app download for Apple or Android mobile devices can be used to change the EQ settings between custom or four different presets, show battery level, change various settings such as deactivation the auto pause feature, choose between pausing and not pausing audio when the monitor function is activated, access user manuals and update the earphone's firmware. Supports Google Fast Pair. Has multi-point feature - allows simultaneous connection of two Bluetooth devices. The Fidelio L3 comes with detachable 49-inch long standard audio cable, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Airplane in flight adapter, Carrying case, Quick Start, Safety Manual/Warranty card and is covered by a 12-month parts/12-month labor warranty.