[braker218]

Recently I was looking at full size closed headphones, but decided that I would like them to be portable as well. So I've researched portable closed headphones and have narrowed my decision to these two heaphones.

As you might know in my other "tell me what to buy" threads recently, I listen to classic rock, and while being used portably they will be driven by and iPod shuffle, and when stationary through a Gilmore Lite. So, which one would you choose if you were in my situation, and why?

 

[threEchelon]

I have an HD280 pro and I find that it lacks bass. Most people like the AKG K81DJ on the forums.

You could always buy both from Headroom and then send one back. Make sure you burn them in first.

 

[poiuy]

I think you might need to do more research - I can only speak for the 280s. They are NOT my idea of portable - I own them - and their isolation is pretty fantastic - I use them for plane, and long train rides, but they are a bit big for the commute to and from work. And would probably get pretty hot and uncomfortable in the summer.

 

[murrmax]

I haven't heard the 280s but straight out of an ipod the K81's sound excellent, they're also light, cheap and did I mention, sound great

 

[Jahn]

i owned both. imho the K81DJ is superior in SQ, build, and portability - isolation is a bit better in the HD280 tho. both clamp hard on the head, which i'm still trying to solve on the K81DJ (got rid of the HD280).

 

[murrmax]

Mine have loosened off, I recommend streching them over some books or something (I used my amp 20cm/8in space) for a day or two..

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn i owned both. imho the K81DJ is superior in SQ, build, and portability - isolation is a bit better in the HD280 tho. both clamp hard on the head, which i'm still trying to solve on the K81DJ (got rid of the HD280).

Funny, I too own both, and would have to respectfully disagree with you as far as sound quality goes. (There goes that "personal choice" business rearing its ugly head again.) The Sennheiser HD280Pro's are much more evenly balanced - when played through a portable headphone amp as opposed to straight out of an iPod - than the AKG H81DJ's, which exhibit some added bass emphisis even after extensive burn-in.

Guess I'll disagree about built quality too. The 280's are tanks compared to the K81DJ's.

Agree with the clamping. Both can be tight (something you're going to get with any sealed cans). But the 280's rest on your head (they cover the ears) while the K81DJ's rest on the ears. That make s the 280's a quieter set of cans, at the expense of weight and size. But their ability to fold up makes them an acceptable portable choice.

Getting back to the original question though, if I was making a pick for a rocker, it would be the AKG K81DJ's. That added bass emphisis when run directly out of an iPod works with the iPods lack of bass to create a solid soundfield. Plus they're lighter, so the on the go factor is better.

 

[hiredgun]

can anybody else comment on the sound quality between the 2?

 

[pencechp]

I can't compare, but I'd like to provide a more favorable review of the HD280. It really depends on what you're using the phones for. For classical and jazz--things where you'd like a relatively analytical presentation--these phones are really stellar. They REQUIRE the blue tack mod (see my signature) to get the mid-bass out of them. Once you do that, the bass is nice. Not overblown, not huge, but nice. It goes deeper (at least 20Hz, I'd say) than lots of other phones.

And the treble is quite good as well--much, much detail, which is really great. Soundstage is a bit lacking, as is warmth/musicality. These are my only two complaints about this phone.

 

[dvallere]

I had/sold the 280s and have now the K81DJ. The 280s had the death force head clamp, they were enormous and ugly, and always had a somewhat 'distant' sound, as though I were listening to a concert down the hall somewhere. The K81 has a bit of clamp force, but nothing like the 280. They are more discreet and have a more upfront sound, like perhaps in the 3-4th row of a concert. I'd take the K81DJ any day.

 

[PaulRivers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMCIII ...Guess I'll disagree about built quality too. The 280's are tanks compared to the K81DJ's...

The 280's have a reputation for having their headband crack:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...=hd280+cracked
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...=hd280+cracked
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...=hd280+cracked

Other than that, they don't seem to have other durability issues. But I haven't heard anything bad about the durability of the k81dj's. Of course, they also haven't been out a whole year, so there's fewer issues, but I seem to remember you can twist around their headband into all kinds of weird shapes and stuff and it's fine...

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulRivers The 280's have a reputation for having their headband crack: Other than that, they don't seem to have other durability issues. But I haven't heard anything bad about the durability of the k81dj's. Of course, they also haven't been out a whole year, so there's fewer issues, but I seem to remember you can twist around their headband into all kinds of weird shapes and stuff and it's fine...

You can bust anything if you want too. My 280Pro's have been in use by both me (on trips) and my kids (teens - so you can guess how they treat things) for well over a year and a half and I haven't had any issues.

By the bye, I tried the Blue Tack tweak on my 280's and wouldn't you know it, it worked as advertised. The bass goes a bit deeper and the frequency response is better overall. In comparison with the K81DJ's, the tweaked 280's come off better sounding - remember, I'm running my cans out of a outboard headphone amp.

 

[pencechp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMCIII By the bye, I tried the Blue Tack tweak on my 280's and wouldn't you know it, it worked as advertised. The bass goes a bit deeper and the frequency response is better overall. In comparison with the K81DJ's, the tweaked 280's come off better sounding - remember, I'm running my cans out of a outboard headphone amp.

That makes me *very* happy to hear. My 280s and my headphone amplifier haven't yet been in the same place (280s off getting recabled), so I'm really looking forward to trying them out properly.

 

[derek8555]

My HD280's have been heavily used for half a year, no crack whatsoever, maybe this is just all random? Oh and I never abused them.

Btw, how exactly did u perform the bluetak mod? I put 2mm of bluetak covering the whole surface inside the cup, but then the highs get rolled off, bass got shallower(yes, i said shallower...), more midbass though.

 

[pencechp]

2mm is probably excessive. I've got somewhere between 0.75 and 1mm (I wasn't very precise). Give that a try.

In general, the Blue Tack lets you "tune" the headphones. More blue-tack = more mid-bass. Add and remove as you see fit to get the sound you'd like.