Did I make the right choice?

[arande2]

I was just reading around the internet about headphones and chose the AKG K 81 DJ because I needed good sound (with great bass) and isolation (so I don't bother others around me at higher volumes).

I was just like "Bahahahah!" and ordered it.


Did I make the right decision?

 

[ShinyFalcon]

While I'm not sure about the K81s themselves, there's a (big) thread dedicated to them. But, based on your expectations I think you will enjoy them. Not entirely sure about isolation.

 

[Broosta]

Yeah I think so, based on what I have read on here they are pretty good for the money and do what they are intended - have good bass, isolate well enough, small-ish so portable-ish, ok sound in general, look nice enough.
They can be modded to improve things slightly, and if you don't like them you can still sell them.
I'm probably going to get some soon for myself.

 

[arande2]

I guess I'll find out Friday then... I had initially bought some Sony MDR V-150s before research, but then when I heard them, I immediately returned them.

I'll try out some movies and music on the output of a Pioneer Elite Vsx-91txh AV Receiver.

These will be used off of a portable CD player most of the time.

 

[ClieOS]

K81DJ is a good entry 'phone. Here are two things you might want to do: 1) Take out extra foam pad in the cup to reveal more detail. 2) Force the headband wider a bit so they give a more comfortable fit.

 

[arande2]

Yes, I've read about thsee, and I will try them.

You know, what's sad is the fact that most people at my school use the cheap headphones and earbuds that came with their portables and they don't realize how bad it sounds. The best 'phones anyone at my school uses are a low-end model ($30) from Sony.

The truth is, I really don't know what to expect from these. I'll find that thread.

 

[krmathis]

I think you did a wise choice!
They will most certainly keep you happy for a long (or short) time, until upgradeitis catch up with you...

 

[arande2]

Oh, great!

The current headphones give me the impression my portable doesn't have any bass response. I suspect it does...

I've hooked them to much better headphone outputs and there's still no bass. When I crank the bass knob and the volume, the bass appears, but the driver limits are easily reached (15v output so it is not clipping). I found another pair on my sister's floor, which is a whole lot better. The bass goes deeper, but it still misses everything below 60hz pretty much. They also sound a lot better.

According to what I've read, the bass on these is good. Looking at the response, it seems there's good below 30hz with strong output, maybe 20 with EQ. We shall find out!

From the location they're at right now, it would take about 5 hours to drive straight to my house, and they're currently in transit to the local location (they'll get there later today), which should be the last stop before my house. I expect them tomorrow. Until then, the current model will suffice.

Since I expect them to be boomy and not-great at first, I will probably listen to bass CD, which won't require great sound quality. We'll find out. After reading 150 pages of that thread (got bored), I definitely gather they're very good.

Nobody has said a bad thing about them, which is a very good sign!

Thanks.

 

[arande2]

They were ready to ship out at the local facility 20 mins ago; expect to see them when I arrive home later today. Speaking of that...I have just a couple minutes to make the bus.

 

[Blackmore]

You will get a lot of bloated bass in the beginning, but do not worry. Just remove the inside foam from the drivers and let them burn a bit, like 50 hours. If your MP3 player have a nice EQ settings, you can dump the bass from there to. And the last, but not least, use FLAC files, if possible.

And they do isolate pretty well.

Congrats!

 

[arande2]

I'll give impressions that do not involve sound and let them break in before I do that.

The cord is the perfect length for how I plan to use it, though I might still have to get an extension.

The only problem I have with the comfort is that I wish they had a little more clamping force on your head, but what's a small nitpick anyway



I can't really say much until I let them break in because even with a short 10 mins their sound has already changed.

I'll set them up with a bass CD playing on repeat and go do other things.

 

[arande2]

3 hours has made for a huge improvement so far.

What does modding do to the warranty?

 

[ClieOS]

As long as you didn't actually cut anything away (or superglue in anything), minor modding (such as foam removal) shouldn't void your warranty.

 

[arande2]

Oh good then

They just keep getting better and better! When will it stop!?

I have found out my portable radio has almost no bass response

I also don't have any money to do anything about it

My A/V Receiver certainly does though.

 

[b0dhi]

Why dont you listen to them and find out.