Superlux HD 681

I am already on my way out of the Head-Fi community for personal reasons, but I will add my final contribution with a review of the Superlux HD 681 headphones, knowing full well that I already have gone through and tried over 50 headphones under the $500 mark, I must at least have one thing worth saying. I feel that the Superlux HD681 is that thing, being something that none of the other headphones I have come across can do quite well in terms of dynamics and neutrality. But, before I dive into its own characteristics, I will give some perspective of my headphone history and then I will explain my thoughts on the Superlux headphones to conclude.

Years ago, I started out with the lowly Sennheiser HD201, plasticky in both construction and sound, and I knew then that there had to be something better than that current audio experience. Soon, I was succumbed by a rich yet detailed Sennheiser HD555 and it gave me an experience that few speakers had been able to offer me in the lower midrange and bass regions, but it seemed somewhat subdued--yet still detailed--in the upper midrange and treble regions. A year later, I found myself owning a Grado SR225i, having a more forward midrange but, interestingly enough, because of my extremely small ears causing the foam to surround them like a circumaural headphone and the plastic screen to press against my ears, its treble was less detailed, quite slower and much darker than my HD555, much to my dissatisfaction. Quickly, I sold them on Amazon marketplace and I nearly regained the money invested in their purchase, then going on to try each of these headphones as well as many others for at least two hours either demoing or owning them over the years: Audio Technica ATH-m50s, Grado RS-2i, Superlux HD668b, Shure SRH840, AKG Q701, Sennheiser HD558, Sennheiser HD598, Sennheiser HD650, Beyerdynamic DT770, Beyerdynamic DT990, Beyerdynamic DT880. Of all of these models, I came to feel most sonically comfortable with the Beyerdynamic DT990, which, while having a clearly colored presentation, still had all of the other audiophile necessities like dynamics and extension in the spades. However, I still had my reservations about the upper midrange being a bit overshadowed by the bass and treble as well as the slightly overexuberant treble, but I recently sold them to an eBayer and parted with them to continue on other paths in life.

Now, I needed something very inexpensive to take its place and so I began my search online for a likely candidate and the Superlux HD681 soon came into my radar. I had already owned the Superlux HD668B and raved about it for a time, only later to find myself considering it to be a bit lifeless like the Grado in my rare "small-ear circumaural scenario."  However, it seemed to have more positive comments than the HD668B, not to mention having graphs that looked equally impressive, so I went on to order them. Within a few days, a box was on my doorstep and I was quick to bring it indoors and open it.

Once plugged in, the Superlux HD681 gave me a very pleasant surprise. It was neutral, vocals and instruments not having any warm or cold or energetic or lush quality to them like any past headphone gave, but an almost eerie realism to them, just like a live concert. It was dynamic, meaning that every part of the sound spectrum seemed to move in harmony and shift with a unison quickness as it would in real life, and it did not have the no-nos of an overindulgent upper bass stealing the dynamics from one area like the HD668B had to try to make its point. It had soundstage, just as the recording had it and not a pleasingly named technology that would be only partially beneficial at best, an accurate portrayal of changes of volume, tone and placement that made anything incredibly easy to spot in a recording. This was the same I found with anything I threw at it, from the wild and rhythmic classic Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen to the symphonically splendid Hawaii by Elmer Bernstein and too many other tracks to name. And, to my surprise, no razor blades cut into my eardrums in the process like Tyll Hertsens of Innerfidelity has suggested, which, in my experience, a Beyerdynamic DT990 could do much more easily if it did have such a sound, but it certainly does not have.

There is no doubt about it. I got rid of my audiophile equipment and was handsomely rewarded in return by something even better for much less than I could ever dream of. I hope that this news may be of help to you because I find the Superlux HD681 to do everything right on all fronts. I pull up a song that I typically use for demoing, test for a certain aspect, such as an instrument for its neutrality, or ambiance in a concert venue, and it passes with flying colors every time. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose except $30.

Reading reviews is one thing, as we all have our own subjective opinions, but when something receives a majority of praise, I think it's worth a try.

When the 681's arrived, I wasn't impressed with the packaging, but they looked as I expected them to look. They feel pretty durable and the look is retro, I can't see myself taking these outside since they don't fold up and they are kind of fugly.

Looks aside, the sound from these is nothing short of amazing. 

I'm running them out of my Dell Inspiron 530 desktop (Core 2 Quad) with a Behringer UCA222 in the signal path. The files are all WAV or FLAC. 

The 681's are very easy to drive, I don't feel the need to hook up my Fiio E05 or my Fiio E11. I'm getting plenty of volume, with room to spare, from the desktop.

I've been listening to a very wide variety of music and the 681's are working very well with everything. Acoustic, Folk, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Progressive Metal, Industrial, Hip Hop, Rap, they all sound really amazing on these Headphones.

I'm really glad I took a chance on these.

Compared to other Headphones that are in the same bracket, like the Panasonic RP-HTF600-S Stereo Headphones and the Monoprice 8323, I believe they aren't in the same league, as far as performance. I realize the 681's are a semi-open design, but so are the HTF600's. I'm not putting the 8323's or the HTF600's down, as they are very good headphones in their own right, but I overwhelmingly prefer the sound of the 681's.

The 8323 and the HTF600's are more portable but the Panasonic's don't really fold either but the cups rotate a little, whereas the 8323's fold up in the smallest portable package of the three.

So, the details the 681's produce are spot on, to me. I don't have a higher end set up to compare them to, as the only other headphones I own are Sennheiser PX100's, PX200's, and Audio-Technica ATH-M50's. 

Out of all those sets, I really prefer the 681's. I don't find they are lacking in any aspect. The bass is deep, fast, and tight. The midrange is fabulous, the vocals and instruments sound SO good. I don't feel the treble is too bright or forward or harsh. These headphones seem to reproduce exactly what you feed them, and that is no small feat.

Since they are "semi-open" the sound isn't contained, so others can hear what you are listening to and the sound from the surrounding environment creeps in without much resistance. This is another reason I don't see the 681's as ideal for use on a commute or in an office environment, unless you need to be aware of your surroundings. I don't think you have to crank the volume up much to get a really decent level of sound with these either.

I do appreciate the reviews on equipment submitted by everyone else on head-fi. This is a great resource and it was very helpful in my search for some decent setups.

As with anything else, this is just my opinion of the 681's. Your mileage may vary.

Setup: Windows Media Player (Variable Bit-Rate WMAs at approximately 300kbps) -> PreSonus AudioBox USB ->Superlux HD681

FOLK/ACOUSTIC

Barton Hollow (The Civil Wars): Simply put, these cans make this song sound HUGE! Right from the get-go, the HD 681s impressive soundstage makes evident intricate panning on guitars, drums, strings and vocals. The kick drum is refined and tamed but present, and the male and female vocals sound superb. 

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree (K.T. Tunstall): The HD 681s brilliantly emphasize the hard panning of this song's drums, making this much more obvious than my Audio-Technica ATH-M50s (yeah, sure, open vs. closed headphone. The fact that this is even a comparison is a testament to the value of the HD 681s.) The guitar and vocals are clear and sound great, if a tiny bit congested.

HIP HOP/RAP

Air Force Ones (Nelly): This song shows off the HD 681's remarkable bass. Quantity-wise, the HD 681s have less bass than mainstream headphones like Skullcandies or even audiophile endorsed headphones like the previously mentioned Audio-Technica ATH-M50s. However, the bass that is present is punchy and serves as a background to some AWFUL lyricism. 

Everything I Am (Kanye West): After listening on my ATH-M50s, this song sounds deflated. There just isn't enough low end here to keep me satisfied. Fortunately, these headphones do fairly well with EQ, so getting things to a level I could appreciate. Kanye's voice on this track sounds a bit piercing, but the strings and piano sound wonderful.

POP

Set Fire to the Rain (Adele): Vocals sound rich, full and breathy (and Melodyned, but don't blame Superlux for that one.) Strings sound clear across the board. The HD 681s really shine here.

Don't Let Me Get Me (P!nk):  The hi-hats/cymbals are fatiguingly harsh. The kick drum is murky as all get-out. The song in general sounds congested. However, the vocals and guitar sound clear controlled. This was still painful to listen to.

ROCK

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked (Cage the Elephant): The bass in this sounds JUICY. It's something to behold. Vocals sound transparent, and the HD 681s reveals layering techniques that are being used. The drums sound punchy, and the hard-panned guitar serves as an excellent example of the HD 681's abundant depth.

I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (The Ramones): Vocals sound clear. Drums sound clear. Bass sounds clear. Guitar sounds clear. Nothing to complain about here.

ELECTRONIC

Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Skrillex): The high-pitched beginning synth is downright painful due to its harshness. The drums sound wonderful, and unsurprisingly, the bass drop is detailed and transparent. Some of the high-pitched parts of the drop are a bit fatiguing. Vocals sound a bit crisp, but are clear and pleasant. 

Face to Face (Daft Punk): The kick drum and bass on this sound warm in all the right ways. Vocals sound clear, if a bit sibilant. The guitars are extremely detailed and sit beautifully in the mix. Daft Punk on the HD 681s is a real treat.

BOTTOM LINE

The HD 681s are a steal at their retail price of $36. For people wondering if audiophilia is worth the money (BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! ) this is a wonderful set of cans. And heck, even for people with top-of-the-line set-ups, this is a worthwhile purchase. I favor these to my ATH-M50s in certain genres, and the ATH-M50s are some of the most loved headphones on Head-Fi. As a hobbyist producer, these are positively vital to my mixing/mastering process, as they are extremely analytical while managing to sound enjoyable. Simply put, these cans sound good, and if you can put up with some sibilant highs and a slightly weak (if incredibly clear) bass, you owe it to yourself to buy a pair.

Here's a bargain bin favorite that has withstood the tests of time. It may remind you of value headphone (the AKG k240) but before you label it some cheap knockoff, take some time to give it a listen. No, the Superlux does not outdo its AKG brethren, but instead offers a bassier, "fun" sound that is perfect for the $37 asking price. (Also, I cannot speak about packaging I tried the headphones off a friend)

Appearance/Build:

In terms of originality, this is a complete failure. But that aside, these headphones will look polarizing to any non-dedicated audiophile. That being said, let's face it: the K240 is probably one of the better looking studio headphones out there, and imitation is the sincerest form of flaterry. As for the build itself, I'm kinda stuck somewhere in the middle; the headphones are mostly plastic and seem to be on the cheap side, but they really feel like they could take a hit, and they lasted a day in my school backpack.

Isolation:

These are semi-open headphones which is basically a fancy way for saying the isolation sucks. Open headphones have holes behind the drivers which are intended to create a more free sound -- this benefits natural balance and soundstage, but it sacrifices the isolation. That being said, the isolation is better then my 535's which I compared them to. And to be honest, these have really good isolation for an open headphone, but at the end of the day they're still open.

Sound:

This is where in my mind, the Superlux start to redeem themselves. Though marketed as "Studio Monitors" the Superlux are slightly colored. That being said they hold up were a majority of open headphones struggle: the bass has enough presence to make itself felt. On the flipside, unlike some closed headphones (cough, Skullcandy, cough) the Suerplux keep the bass on control, though they do lack some of the extension of closed headphones (the open design prevents this).

In regards to the rest of the spectrum, sorry for not paying more attention to those details. The mids are full in quality and rich; the highs are vibrant and I experienced no fatigue. I just really wanted to point out the bass here because it's amazing... at least for an open headphone.

Value:

I don't think open headphones get any better than this in the price range. Maybe Superlux's own HD668B can outdo the 681's, but these are still impressive... period. For $40, they're an absolute steal.

For a while, I was going out and buying all of the little Flavor of the Month headphones, searching for that actual "giant killer." Some of them I found to be pretty solid, others I was a little disappointed that there was so much hype for them. The one FotM trend that I found the most interesting, though, were the East Asian headphones that copied the designs of other companies and then put out a sound beyond their price -- companies like Superlux and Takstar. What attracted me to the Superlux HD 681s were the measurements that Tyll had on them from Inner Fidelity -- flat response, low price, high value sound. I bought them and they didn't disappoint.

The design felt solid, although terrible for portability. I found the auto-size adjusting band to work perfectly. The pleather earpads were big and, although not the most comfortable things ever, I could wear them for hours without hurting my ears, unlike the Grados. 

The first thing I noticed was that they didn't sound like $30-40 headphones. Even the better $30-40 headphones sounded like the HTF600 or the HARX-700 -- good, but you could tell there didn't articulate detail as well as $80-100 headphones, as to be expected. I felt like they were able to resolve details as well as, or maybe even slightly better than my Koss DJ100s. They didn't have a super slow sound like my HTF600s. There was a definite brightness in the upper treble, but besides that they were excellent.

The bass was big, relatively tight, and full sounding with good impact. It was quick enough to keep up with songs like the Dark Psytrance song Zabava's bass line without muddying it up. The bass felt like it leaked very slightly into the mids, but a small EQ down at 100hz cleared it up nicely. I loved the quantity of the bass and I felt like it was slightly emphasized but not so much so that it was overpowering. The bass extension was above average for the price, but certainly not up to spec with higher end monitor headphones that have great bass extension. 

The mids came out astoundingly clear for the price. Vocals are well done and crisp. Not too much I can say about this -- I found the mids to be very pleasing.

The treble is the only area I took found an issue with when it came to sound. The treble definitely had some kind of bright spike to it. It brought up some unusual high frequency artifacts in some songs. Still, with a little EQ work, the piercing brightness faded.

Overall I found these headphones to be astounding for the price and are some that I would suggest to anyone who is fine with a semi-open design at the price point. Superlux really delivered a winner that was able to punch out of its price bracket in terms of sound quality. I'm intending to borrow a friend's Audio-Technica M50 to do some A/B testing later, because I legitimately think the Superluxes can compete against them. Are they "giant killers?" Probably not, but they certainly destroy other $30-40 FotM cans in terms of sound quality.