[Zero_99]

Disclaimer: First off, let me start off by saying: I'm by no means an 'expert' with regards to headphones, and I'm definitely an amateur when it comes to doing a full blown review. The best pair of cans I own so far in terms of sound quality at the time of writing this would be my: Koss KSC-75s, which is my reference point. I do not own an amp and these opinions are based on using these headphones unamped from my computer.

Noting the things mentioned above ... continue reading on if you're still interested. Below I will attempt to compare/review the AKG K81 DJs to my Sennheiser HD 202s, which are my current cheap closed supra-aural cans of choice, and also a brief comparison to my Koss KSC-75s as well.

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-UPDATES-
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OK so maybe I should have waited a little longer before writing everything I did in posting my impressions

. Thus, I have updated some of the portions concerning: Comfort, Sound Quality, and the Final Summary at the end.



EXPECTATIONS:
-------------------
First of all, going in to this purchase I was looking for something to be a step-up from the Koss KSC-75s. After reading all the 'favourable' reviews and hype in the official thread, and getting some advice here, I finally decided to go ahead and make my most expensive headphone purchase thus far. I was probably swayed towards the AKG K-81s more just because they are quite easy to get a hold of in Canada, while also conforming to my budget of: ~$100 CAD. These were to be used mainly: unamped from my computer, and perhaps also with my portable MP3 player.


BUILD QUALITY:
-------------------
AKG K-81 DJ

The K-81's are solid! Featuring: A rubberized plastic/metal design that feels quite durable. The headband is where the metal lies, which is visible from top view with the AKG lettering. The earcups are circular, medium-sized, are able to rotate 180 degrees, fold, and have pleather material on them.

These headphones use a Y-cord design which is fairly long at: 2.5m in length. They are terminated to a gold-plated 1/8" mini-plug jack, which is definitely the most solid mini-plug jack, out of the headphones I own. They also come with a 1/4" full-size screw-on adapter, and carrying pouch.


Sennheiser HD 202

They are less sturdy, probably as a result of their all plastic 3-piece design. Mind you, I still think they have decent build quality. (I had these for ~1.5 years now, and they have endured cold/hot weather, snow/rain etc.) The earcups are oval, medium-sized, and velour earpads which are softer than the K-81s. You can also dis-assemble the earcups from the headband on their ball-sliding protrusion system. (Possibly for more compact storage? But I personally never do that.) They don't fold, or rotate though.

These headphones use a Y-cord design as well, and the cord is even longer than the K-81s at: 3m in length. They are also terminated to a 1/8" mini-plug jack (Not gold-plated though), and it comes with a 1/4" adapter too. But they also come with a belt-clip thing-ama-jig to wrap the excess cord with, which I find quite useful. The cord itself seems to be ever-so-slightly thicker than the K-81s and at the point where the cord attaches to the earcups it seems to be more solid.



COMFORT:
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AKG K-81 DJ

Initial Reaction:
OMG!!!

Vice-like grip of death! Need I say more? OK that might be exaggerated a little bit -> further explanation:

These are supra-aural and rest on my ears, I use like #6 for the markings on each side of the headband. I personally find these headphones really really uncomfortable. I really can't stand these for more than 20-30mins of listening, as they hurt my ears too much, due to their clamping pressure.

Follow-Up:
Originally I only stretched them out on objects which were about the size of my head. So ... after I took a more aggressive approach on stretching them out -> The comfort levels have improved somewhat now, and they are becoming more tolerable to my ears. I mean my ears still hurt after listening for a while, but less-so now than before. My ears are still left red, and sore after usage though.

BUT: This is probably simply because my ears are getting more used to the pain I initially endured, and my tolerance level for my ears getting abused went up too.

I personally don't really want to use them for an extended amount of time though. If it's less than an hour I guess it wouldn't be too bad now though. Many people fine the comfort levels they get to be completely satisfactory though, so I'm probably in the minority of people who find these unconfortable.



Sennheiser HD 202

If I remember correctly, when I first got my HD 202s they were kind of tight fitting too, but I definitely don't remember feeling the pain I exerience with wearing the K-81s. (Because of: clamping pressure + way the pads rest on my ears) After some stretching the HD 202's actually feel quite nice on my ears now. The earcups themselves are almost identical in width, and depth to the K-81s. However, the HD 202s, are about an 1" or so taller in height. (Thus, why they are oval-shaped) You might be thinking that's no big deal, but I must say it makes a HUGE difference to the comfort on my ears. This slight difference makes the HD 202s pretty close to being circumaural on my ears, thus not resting much at all. The pads on the HD 202s are also softer too, and there is some padding on the headband as opposed to nothing on the K-81s.



SOUND QUALITY
-------------------
I'm probably not the most qualified here, so I'll give you some brief and vague impressions

. My HD 202s and KSC-75s are fully burned-in, if that makes any difference. All these headphones can be driven just fine off my unamped sources. The K-81's require the most juice, followed by my KSC-75s, and my HD 202s requiring the least juice overall. (Though I think the K-81s became easier to drive after some burn-in)


AKG K-81 DJ



Initial Impressions: (I'm guessing around 20-30 hours of burn-in)
First off, these have a lot of bass. More so than any other headphone I have owned, including the HD 202s

which are known to have quite a lot of muddy? bass. They extend deeper than the the HD 202s, and have better definition/clarity. However, at times I find them to be too boomy, and can have a little too much bass at times. The mid-range and details are probably the best compared to anything else I own. The highs seemed a little bit recessed to me, but EQing helped that a bit. Isolation is I think probably on-par compared to my HD 202s, which are fairly good.

Follow-Up: (48+ Hours)
After more burn-in I noticed that the bass has tightened up, and there doesn't seem to be as much bloated bass. The mids seem to be even better now and sound great! Overall, the sound appears to have opened up more and seem to be sufficiently more detailed and refined compared to the Koss KSC-75, while also being less fatiguing to listen to. I'm quite liking how they sound now indeed.

Sennheiser HD 202



Basically, I would say the K-81s sound considerably better in every single aspect compared to my HD 202s. Way better details, mids, and highs. I think that the K-81s have a sort of similar frequency response, to my HD 202s except without the sucked-out mids, better highs, more extension and cleaner bass.

I think some of the few reviews around here are negative surrounding the HD 202s, but to me they are quite good for what I use/paid for them. These are used basically when it gets colder outside (winter time) to keep my ears warm

. They have descent isolation, I'm guessing slightly better than the K-81s since they fit me better, but I haven't really compared directly. Extra bass is welcome during my commutes on the buses/subway.

I should also note I owned the HD 201s for a while too, and I personally found them way too dry sounding with lackluster bass for my tastes. Comfort was also better on my HD 202's for me personally. Thus, the HD 201s were sold a short time after I got then. However, I was using them unamped, and they were by far the most power hungry out of the headphones I have owned, so they might have required some more juice.


Koss KSC-75



There's just something about these little ear-clips that make me happy.

They sound so fun and nice, not as much bass as the other two, but I do EQ them a bit to get a little extra bass out of them. I think it's because these cans are Open, as opposed to the other two headphones being Closed. They are just seem to be more in your face and sound quite nice to my ears to listen to. I don't think there's anything else in their price range that even comes close.

Despite the KSC-75s lacking in overall refinement, and details compared to the K-81's, I still kind of prefer them over the AKGs. I think it's because I quite like the open airyness of the KSC-75. Although, at times the treble can get fatiguing, which isn't really a problem on the K-81s.



CONCLUSIONS & SUMMARY
------------------------------
So ... to sum it all up very briefly: If you're looking for fairly portable closed headphones, with decent isolation -> then these cans probably do live up to all the praise they've been getting around here. I think you would be quite happy with them, assuming you don't have comfort issues. I think the few of us who did find them uncomfortable, have since sold or returned them though.


More Personal Opinions/Bias:
Personally ... I rather use my easily pocketable Creative EP-630s with my MuVo as opposed to the K-81s. I consider the size advantage & better isolation of canal-phones to be more important factors on the go. But then again that's probably why I use a small flash player instead of multi-gb HD player. This is not even considering the other advantages like the EP-630s having better comfort, and being much easier to drive, which = prolonged battery life. This is all really more of a personal preference though.

That being said, I think that I personally should have spent the extra cash and got the Audio Technica ATH-A500's instead, which supposedly have wonderful comfort levels. Since I will be using these cans mainly at home in a non-portable setting. For my usage I really want more comfortable headphones which I can use for an extended amount of time, without feeling discomfort.

I thought I would be satisfied with the K-81s being an upgrade to my KSC-75s -> However, in the end I'm left with a sense of dis-satisfaction and regret, while still wanting something more. I was never really satisfied with the level of comfort these cans offered me. Thus, these cans are now gone and I have since gotten a pair of MS-1s.

 

[AdamP]

I picked mine up at Axe Music for $80CAD including tax.

Anyhow, I think the clamping is just fine. The sound quality is great. Definately preferable to the KSC-75 in outdoor situations where they KSC-75 sounds thin due to external noise, wind, movement, etc...

The drivers on the 81s are hard to bottom out whereas the KSC-75 are less resiliant and make some bad noises when trying to reproduce ball loudly.

The fact that the 81s are sealed is also a bonus.

 

[Zero_99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamP I picked mine up at Axe Music for $80CAD including tax.

Really... that seems cheap. I bought mine from Axe Music as well. It was $79.92 + $10.95 (Shipping) + $6.36 (Tax 7% since I'm in Ontario) = $97.23.

I'm personally not digging how these headphones rest/clamp on my ears though.

 

[AdamP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_99 Really... that seems cheap. I bought mine from Axe Music as well. It was $79.92 + $10.95 (Shipping) + $6.36 (Tax 7% since I'm in Ontario) = $97.23. I'm personally not digging how these headphones rest/clamp on my ears though.

I live in Edmonton locally so I didn't have to pay shipping.

 

[dave al'orange]

To my ears these things sound worlds better than the ksc75s: a great deal more clarity, a little bit better staging, and even more forward funness but with loads of well-controlled bass

Less fatiguing, too.

The only thing the ksc75s have going for them in this case for me is the airy lightness that comes from being open... they are also my only open can, and that open feeling is unique and refreshing.

I'm pretty sure the pads on the k81s will break in a bit; mine seem to be a little more comfy than they were a few days ago when I got them. Try massaging them with your fingers a bit to soften them up. Also, try bending the band out just a little bit... not enough to cause a visible crease, just enough to relieve some of the inward pressure.

 

[warpdriver]

thanks for posting this as I was comtemplating getting these as some good cheap sealed cans, especially the part about clamping which is often a big problem for me.

 

[Zero_99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave al'orange To my ears these things sound worlds better than the ksc75s: a great deal more clarity, a little bit better staging, and even more forward funness but with loads of well-controlled bass Less fatiguing, too. The only thing the ksc75s have going for them in this case for me is the airy lightness that comes from being open... they are also my only open can, and that open feeling is unique and refreshing. I'm pretty sure the pads on the k81s will break in a bit; mine seem to be a little more comfy than they were a few days ago when I got them. Try massaging them with your fingers a bit to soften them up. Also, try bending the band out just a little bit... not enough to cause a visible crease, just enough to relieve some of the inward pressure.

Yup, I do agree with you, in that the K-81's have more bass, are more detailed, and have greater clarity. But, I don't think I would go so far as saying they are world's better. I guess I just prefer the open airyness sound of the KSC-75's. Guess I should have bought an Open headphone instead, since I don't care about isolation for what I'm using them for.

As for comfort I did stretch/bend them out a bit, from when I originally got them. Comfort improved a bit, but they are by no means where I want them to be in terms of comfort. I'm thinking it's just how these particular headphones lie on my ears + clamping = pain ... for me anyways. Some other people have complained about comfort as well, add me to that list. Basically as soon as I take the K-81's off my head I get that sensation of: ... Ahhhh that feels so much better! Relief to my ears.

My HD 202's have a fair amount of clamping pressure too, not as much as the K-81's though. Since the pads are bigger, softer and not sitting directly on my ears, they are much more comfy.

 

[stmpjmp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_99 I got them on Friday afternoon, and had them now for like 3 days. Practically brand new with all packaging, very limited usage

That reeks of having not given the can enough of a chance to burn in. Plus, your ears havent properly adjusted either.

As far as the K81 specifically, they need some break in ESPECIALLY for comfort. I liked the sound at first (love it now

) but it really was vice like to start off. So much so I thought Id have to sell them. But now they are fine. They dont float on your ears but they are perfectly fine.

Sonicly, they are untouchable in their class (which I define as a portable (so no a500) closed, sub $100 can) I cant believe how happy I am with them esp. since Im very anti-closed can.

Vs the KSC, I find them to be superior sound wise but they arent AS fun. And yeah they dont sound 4 times better than the KSC (since they are 4 times the price)

If somebody needs closed phone with manageable portability, this is THE can to buy. If its going to be an at home can, the competition becomes much closer. (I still love the 81s but they do have equals if open cans come into the mix) If KSC is your style, an Ms1 would probably have the night and day better "sound" you are craving.

I will state again though, there is no better closed sub $100 can out there. And if you can be happy without quite as much rock "pep" as the Grados have (SR60,SR80) I think it can replace those cans in a lot of peoples collections as well.

 

[Zero_99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stmpjmp That reeks of having not given the can enough of a chance to burn in. Plus, your ears havent properly adjusted either. As far as the K81 specifically, they need some break in ESPECIALLY for comfort. I liked the sound at first (love it now ) but it really was vice like to start off. So much so I thought Id have to sell them. But now they are fine. They dont float on your ears but they are perfectly fine.

Yup ... I guess I should probably let them break-in a bit more before I decide exactly what to do with these then. I figured 2 days overnight being stretched out on some boxes while playing music would be good enough though. I guess I have to be more aggressive in stretching them.

 

[Zero_99]

I think I may have jumped the gun in some of things I wrote before. So I made some updates to the original posting. I guess these still might need some further break-in/burn-in to reach their full potential as mentioned by others. I'll probably update it further when I have time.

 

[Jahn]

this can NEEDS amping. no joke. you can read my impressions in the Curse you thread in my sig - even something like a Cmoy would kick it into gear I bet.

 

[Zero_99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn this can NEEDS amping. no joke. you can read my impressions in the Curse you thread in my sig - even something like a Cmoy would kick it into gear I bet.

So you're saying there is in fact a BIG improvement amping these cans? I had the impression from the official thread that there wouldn't be much of a difference using them amped.

 

[PaulRivers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero_99 So you're saying there is in fact a BIG improvement amping these cans? I had the impression from the official thread that there wouldn't be much of a difference using them amped.

I've heard that they sound better amped, but you can get almost exactly the same effect without amping them by (on the iPod) using the "treble boost" or "acoustic" equalizer settings.

 

[cmirza]

Quote:

I think that I personally should have spent the extra cash and got the Audio Technica ATH-A500's instead

Thats funny because I just bought a pair of A500s and am now thinking I should have got the K81DJs. I bought the A500s because I wanted some good bass cans and while they are very comfortable, I don't think it can be overemphasized that these headphones are huge. I have a fairly large head and these things are so big that I can't rest my head back in my chair. I'm still leaning twoards keeping my A500s because supra-aural headphones are too often uncomfortable for me. If anyone has heard both the A500 and the K81DJ and can post some impressions about how they compare SQ-wise I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Zero_99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmirza Thats funny because I just bought a pair of A500s and am now thinking I should have got the K81DJs. I bought the A500s because I wanted some good bass cans and while they are very comfortable, I don't think it can be overemphasized that these headphones are huge. I have a fairly large head and these things are so big that I can't rest my head back in my chair. I'm still leaning twoards keeping my A500s because supra-aural headphones are too often uncomfortable for me. If anyone has heard both the A500 and the K81DJ and can post some impressions about how they compare SQ-wise I'd really appreciate it.

Haha, I guess the best thing might be to buy the K81DJs and sell the one you like the least, but that's harder on the wallet

. I don't think anyone has ever complained about the comfort levels of the A500s. However, the AKGs on the other hand seem to have more differences in opinions.