[mtliu]

something like that. I wanted something that didn't look dorky in public but also didn't look like Beats. I also wanted it to be able to use a detachable cable so I can do hands free with my phone.

 

[marone]

So do you think you've made yourself a pair comparable to the sennheisser momentum or Beyerdynamic DT1350's? Lol!

Ha! Nice one...

These are great cans, the entire line can be modified so many ways, and this one can swap cables. AKG pads fit.

With tamed or modded highs to get rid of the ssssibilances these are the best you can get until you spend hundred's more.

For those with more time than money, hard to do better.

 

[mehrdadb3]

please tell me which is better for me  hd681 or hd668b or hd669 for metal(gothic and doom) and rock and some times new age

 

[wigglepuff]

are these really studio monitors or only labelled as such? how would this compare to the shl3300 in terms on detail and other sound aspects.

 

[ingenero]

I''m also in the hunt for entry level HPs, I'm considering the SR850 but, these (668B) are really a step up for the extra $10 usd? SQ wise I want a very detailed sound. That fact that these seem hacker friendly also is an advantage, the comfort worries me tho but I have some pads that might help with it.

 

[159650]

I'm going crazy; I can't decide at all between the Superlux HD668b, SOMiC HM463 or the Takstar Pro 80 (I like the case 

)
 
Here is what I gathered so far:
 
1. No clear winner! It's a 3 way tug-of-war. I've seen someone praise the SOMiC only to be followed by someone else praising the Superlux or the Takstar HI2050 (or the PRO80) If there was at least a consistent trend in the praise I'd know which to decide but at this point I can't. 
 
2. Based on Goldenears, the sound signature of the Superlux HD668b is much closer to that found in higher end headphones such as the Beyerdynamic DT990, HD800, and the Q701.
 
3. The Takstar PRO 80 have a much warmer sound, narrower sound stage presentation and a smoother treble. It has a sound more typical of the mid-tier Sennheisers such as the HD518 (extremely highly rated).
 
I like punchy controlled bass (deep bass is good too) and good high extension. I own a Q701 and love it, and also own a pair of Denon AHD5k as well as IEMs like the Fidue A83 and the TripleFi10PRO. Based on these I'd say I would get along with the Superlux very well. The only thing is that I hate the way they look, don't come with a nice shiny box like the Takstar and lastly I hate sibilant sound. I've briefly owned the Shure SE535 but returned them after a week cause I couldn't stand the sound. I also considered returning the AKG Q701 at one point because the sound was too piercing (fortunately they did burn in and are now more rounded). So I can't decide. 
 
The Takstar has a nicer case, looks nice and is probably safer choice with less risk of piercing highs. The Superlux appear to be closer to the gear that I already own and love (except Fidue and I don't quite get along yet) but with so many people confirming their shrill nature I'm not so sure it would be a good bet. 

 
Also I'm going by sound signature here. Not saying which is better or that the Superlux sound like HD800s. 
 
I'm going nuts. Spent an entire day trying to decide. 

 

[Toothless]

  I'm going crazy; I can't decide at all between the Superlux HD668b, SOMiC HM463 or the Takstar Pro 80
 

 
I haven't actually heard the Pro 80, but tried the other 2 and currently owning a pair of Takstar HI 2050. So I'm going to share my view on those 3 below
 
 
- To me, the MH463 seems to be the better built one out of the bunch (but is the heaviest, you could feel like something is put above your head and it may make you feel tired after a long listening session), but unfortunately the least competent sounding phone. The pair I auditioned sounded mellow but somewhat grainy. The pads were very shallow and didn't provide large space for the ears. Overall, I wasn't much impressed by them.
- Move on to the 668b, its built looks ridiculously cheap with all those black pastic, and the stock pads were super annoying, my ears got really sweaty after a short time wearing them (and it was during a cold winter day). It, however, sounded very exciting, bass and treble extended nicely, quite similar to the DT990 without pushing the mids too far away, though the high were slightly on the hot side. 
- Finally, the Takstar HI 2050, the one I'm wearing at the time of writing this comment. Its built quality is between 668b and MH463, leaning more towards the latter. This phone has a mostly neutral soundsig, 3 ranges sound equally loud , but some upper mid and treble frequencies can sound very, and I strongly emphasize the word "very", piercing to sensitive ears with the bad mastered recordings. Over time I have developed a love/hate relationship with this phone. It excels in genres like instrumental, classical guitar, some rock/metal etc. but doesn't quite do it with EDM stuff (Due to the lack of sub bass and the jaggy treble) and female vocal (the mid sound analytical and 'dry'). Talking about comfort, for my average Asian head size I personally think they are very comfortable, very close to the level of Beyerdynamic, but  I have seen some western people complaining about the headband unable to stretch further.
 
Note that I draw this comparison out of my memory, at different time, different places and different setups, and I'm not at all a true audiophile (and possibly never will be with my current income), therefore please don't take my words seriously. I strongly suggest that you audition all of them before making purchase decision. Best of luck!

 

[Anarion]

I just ordered Superlux HD668B with velour pads as second/backup headphone (and it looks like it takes forever to get my HD 595's fixed, lazy people there at Sennheiser Nordic or they give poor instructions how they want the package). I don't know what to expect.

 

[mtliu]

The 668B is great for $50. I've had the same opinion about other Superlux models too (531, 631, and 681EVO). Velour pads makes them sound a little better - evens out the shrillness. For the price I paid for each model of Superlux cans, they easily sit at the top of the price/performance for their respective prices. The construction/durability is not so great - but at the same time, I've yet to break a single one - so maybe they look cheap and cheesy, but will hold up over the long haul, only time will tell.
 
However, what I've found is that I can find cans that sound better than the 668B if I spend $200. Granted for that price, I can get 4-6 pairs of 668Bs - so even though the price for the more expensive set is 4-6x more, I don't get 4-6x better sound for spending more. But what I do get, is more clarity, more smoothness, and no more shrillness - plus instead of the Superlux mostly plastic construction, I get mostly metal housings and memory foam pads.

 

[Anarion]

These were 29 € + 8,90 € (VAT included) for the pads @ Thomann.de so I don't think that I can complain them feeling a little bit cheap, lol.

 

[SSandDigital]

They are all copycats.  Audio Technica I think are up at the top for R&D in audio with Senn, Beyer, AKG, and Sony, yet copies Bose and Sony for design, but the internals are their own.  McIntosh are well known for their speaker amp/systems yet their headphone is shoddy lazy Beyerdynamic Tesla, zero effort there.  NAD and B&O and others same thing, just make some fancy looking shell and no effort internals.  It's just about creating something that is similar to someone else to catch attention and hope their brand name will carry the price.  Superluxx doesn't have a brand name but by pricing lower for copies, it's kinda same thing to me.  The only companies that seem to be staying true to themselves is Senn and Beyerdynamic for both design and sound.  Senn slowly is becoming more and more commercial to compete for the Beats crowd. 

 

[Roderick]

I don't think anyone disagrees that superlux copies the design of akg, beyr and these days even sennheiser. I don't like it but they still deserve some credit. They make their own drivers and do their r&d. Who knows...maybe they even built headphones for senn, akg and beyer because all their cheaper models are made in asia these days. Superlux isn't successful because their headphones look like akg headphones. Superlux is successful because their headphones sound better than similarly priced akg's, sennheisers or beyers.
 
Calling mcintosh headphone a shoddy lazy beyerdynamic copy with no effort sounds just bitter. Yes...there has been a cooperation with beyer and mcintosh has been open about that. What is wrong with that? It's a new headphone not a headphone previously released by beyer.
 
I don't know where nad and b&o get their drivers from but apparently those are good sounding headphones. And not just about looks either. Especially nad visos hp50's have acoustic design that obviously took time and effort.
 
It seems like you appreciate innovation but don't want things to change either. Beyer has used the same design for ages and so far their biggest innovation since the 80's has been more powerful magnets. Sennheiser came up with ring driver on hd800... probably their only major innovation since open headphones. Of course both companies make their new models better all the time but the evolution is very slow...major breakthroughs are rare.
 
For past five years or so it has been the new planar headphones by audeze and hifiman that have been moving the industry forward. There is also a dynamic/balanced armature headphones by final audio and upcoming enigmacoustic dharma which is a hybrid dynamic estat that can be driven by a traditional amplifier. Of course hybrid headphones are not a new thing...probably akg k340 is the best known. Ah...akg has also been a disappointment for me. First they started manufacturing their at the time flagships in china and after that they released k812...new flagships with ground breaking innovation of: more powefull magnet. I don't know if it's harman's bosses or what but one could expect something more creative from a company that made k340 and k1000.
 
In Short: Don't make a big deal out of someone copying a 30 year old headphone design...Bigger problem is the old companies not coming up with anything new

 

[mtliu]

There are rumors going around that the same factory that the folks in China who make Superlux are also an OEM driver facility for name brand cans - many of whom have been mentioned on this very page of this thread. When the name brand decides to move get another OEM, the Superlux factory will take what they have learned from being an OEM and just keep making the drivers for their own cans - most of the time with little or no modification.
 
Just a rumor though, but they certainly do make great products for their price range. However, expecting a $40 set of cans to best a $200 set is wishful thinking. Superlux comes somewhat close in sound (maybe 60-70%). 
 
If price were no object, and I could afford any set of cans in the world, it would not be Suplerlux. But since price is an object with me, I have purchased 7 sets of Superlux cans. Some became gifts, some are at work at the DJ station, some are at home, and I ripped some of the drivers out to put in portable headbands.

 

[Anarion]

My HD-668B's should arrive next week (Easter and weekend kinda messed up things...) together with velour pads. However I'm not really sure how to remove the stock pad let alone how to install the new ones. Is there any tutorial anywhere for these headphones how to do it?

 

[Roderick]

If you know how to take off your hat you should be qualified to remove pads from the headphones. Just take them off, there is no glue, screws or anything like that.