[adevriesc]

Let me say that I've read other posts declaring the sonic similarity of the SR850 and Superlux 668B. Those were usually unsubstantiated statements, but I took them seriously enough. So here I am - the proud owner of Samson SR850s. I chose those over the Superlux because of Samson's customer support... But something bothered me.
 
The Samson SR850 is rated at 32 ohms and the Superlux 668B is rated at 56 ohms. Samson's closed back SR950 is rated at 32 ohms, the same as the HD662.
 
That leaves a few options (not in any sort of order):
A) Samson changes the drivers in the 850, but not the 950.
B) Samson does not change the drivers and labelled the 850 wrong.
C) Samson replaces the drivers in both models with the same part.
D) Superlux is messing up somehow.
 
Which of those options is right? Are the SR850 and 950 carbon copies of their progenitors, or is there something different under the hood? What, if any, sonic differences manifest?
 
Please, enlighten me. My curiosity is getting irksome. If there are no answers, perhaps someone can let me audition their Superluxes and A/B (or vice versa).

 

[adevriesc]

Still curious. (bump)

 

[dhruvmeena96]

They are complete mods of superlux, from driver to chamber......samson did this to save money on headphone moulds as editing is cheaper than creating

Driver are from focal audio, with a custom tuned voice coil of 32ohm impedance from samson

Next difference is internal airflow management..... this gives the headphone little bit more air than normal(superlux have complete openish design giving rather edgy treble)

Plastic is thicker than superlux

And if u want something better go for samson sr950

As these are tuned superlux with better driver but same sonic characters(samson hive better rhythm, transition, speed and tonal character while having same sonic charater and fr graph)

This make samson sr850 little bit more bassy thaan superlux

And sr850 needs burn while most superlux sound nice out of box

 

[dhruvmeena96]

And iif u go with sr950 i can give u a cheap mod which i did years ago(now i have audio technica m70x) which makes them sound better than sony mdr 1r and akg q701

 

[metinus93]

And iif u go with sr950 i can give u a cheap mod which i did years ago(now i have audio technica m70x) which makes them sound better than sony mdr 1r and akg q701

Can you tell me what mode you're talking about? I'm tend to buy sr950

 

[dhruvmeena96]

I am talking about modification not mode..
Buy akg earpad or any velour earpad ,dynamat extreme, paxmate plus.
When u remove earpad u will see a stupid damper on dispersion plate

Remove it and paste dynamat. Over dynamat paste paxmate.. this will control bass and treble sibilance

Add the velour earpad

Burn them for 500hrs
Pink noise 250hrs 40%vol
White noise 100hrs 40%vol
Frequency sweep sine 20hz to 20khz 150hrs 50%vol on a decent amp like fiio e6

 

[DangerClose]

Next difference is internal airflow management..... this gives the headphone little bit more air than normal(superlux have complete openish design giving rather edgy treble)
 

 
I don't understand that comment.  The SR850 has more air, but the 668b has a more openish design?
 
There was something odd to me about the SR850.  They have the soundstage size of an open headphone, they leak like an open headphone, but the sound has "air" more like a closed headphone.  
 
All of that is fine together, but it's a bit of a strange combination, especially after listening to so many open backs with more air.

 

[s1rrah]

   
I don't understand that comment.  The SR850 has more air, but the 668b has a more openish design?
 
There was something odd to me about the SR850.  They have the soundstage size of an open headphone, they leak like an open headphone, but the sound has "air" more like a closed headphone.  
 
All of that is fine together, but it's a bit of a strange combination, especially after listening to so many open backs with more air.

 
I've had both for a few days now and find them (of course) very similar ...  the Samson is slightly warmer with slightly narrower sound stage and slightly more prominent bass .. the Superlux is more analytical with more treble emphasis and slightly better imaging and sound stage ...
 
I decided to keep the Samson as I like it's head band better... 
 
Both are astonishingly good values, though.

 

[HumbleMan]

I have 4 of these phones, and they are wonderful: the HD668B, the SR850, the SR950, and the HD681. The HD668B and SR850 are my favorites; they sound great with everything and I'd take them over headphones costing up to 50x as much. The HD681 and SR950 are nice, but I spend very little time listening to them when the other two are available.

Comparing the four, the first two are like siblings, as are the latter two, and the two sibling groups seem like cousins. The HD668B is very balanced. The SR850 emphasizes highs and lows more than the HD668B, while being just as clear; it's the more exciting sibling while the HD668B is the relaxed sibling. Detail is the same, high.

The SR950 and the HD681 sound very similar despite one being open and the other being closed. Both emphasize the highs and deemphasize the lows and mids compared to the HD668B. The SR950 is not fully closed; without music, I can still hear some external sounds but at a lower volume than in any of the other 3 phones. Detail is high in both and comparable to that in the first sibling pair.

Comfort-wise, the HD681 and HD668B are the most comfortable out of the box, followed by the SR950 and SR850; both of these are head-squeezers, although the SR850 was by far the worst, and needed stretching. The SR950 comes with the most padded earcups.

If I could just have one, it would be the HD668B, followed by the SR850, followed by the SR950 or HD681 depending on whether I wanted open or closed phones. Fortunately, they all cost between $30 and $40, so I didn't have to choose. The HD668B is also the only one of the four with a detachable cord, which gives me hope it'll still be going a decade from now. It's also the only one that doesn't have the AKG-style headband, opting for the AT wing approach instead. It's worth noting that it's also the one least suited to big heads. I have one and it fits me, but I feel I have more room to grow with the other three.