[jdogw]

How are the superlux hd681?

 

[BigCabDaddy]

Hi all,

I am a 15 year old who has spent his entire life (so far) living with an audiophile father. I have decided that it is finally time to invest in an at least somewhat decent audio experience for myself and think that a set of headphones would allow me to obtain the best value for my (lack of) money. I'd like something both portable enough to take around with me, but also decent enough in sound quality to use for personal at home listening as well. So far I have noticed that the Seinhousser M500 - X (which I can obtain for around $220), the Audio Technica ATH M50 and Beyerdynamic T50Ps seem like the best options. I listen to a wide variety of music, whether it be Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Clash, Or Steve Kilbey-Martin Kennedy and am not some stupid Beats kid. Any opinions as to which of the above 3 thoughts would be better (I'm not specifically interested in bluetooth as a feature, I am worried about sound, although I do think pause/play next track etc controls are a nice addition but not a make or break) or whether something else in a price range not exceedingly larger than those 2 trumps both? Recently I pulled a pair of dusty and neglected AKG K141 MKII out of my father's closet and love the sound these offer, even if they are not up to his expectations. I am hoping that what I purchase will be of equal sound quality to these. I am looking for something closed not semi-open.



Thanks in advance for any replies/help,

Dashstroyer

I'm a recent returnee/noob that's probably older than your father so I don't have much to add except to say how proud I'd be of you if you were my kid. Also, I'd probably offer you my modded JVC HAS500 which would probably work great for your situation.

 

[bvhhifi]

I have the Harman Kardon CL headphones and love the sound. Does anyone have experience with their bluetooth version (BT)?

 

[po0930]

Hi, I've been visiting the site for quite a long time and finally decided to open an account because of this burning question,

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro AE/LE or AKG TIËSTO K167?

- Genres: I listen to quite a lot of music therefore I'm looking for versatility (if that's possible), but, mostly Hip-Hop, Rock and EDM.
- Equipment: My Zenbook Prime (laptop) and my PSP. I won't be amping these.
- Budget: 300 $

I've read almost all the impressions in every dedicated thread, and the only two direct comparisons (mrbigsby and Tus-Chan) were very dissonant (Beyer < AKG or Beyer > AKG)

I've been looking for something between the lines of Fischer Audio FA-003 or SoundMAGIC HP100 (good sound quality, neutral and balanced sound), that's why I came to these two. If you're wondering why I haven't picked those up instead, well, I'm tied to just buying from B&H Photo (I live in South America).

Also I'd like to know any impressions regarding durability, I know that people doubt about the AKGs but it was just one case. These are going to be tucked in my backpack quite a lot since I'm going to use them for college. Maybe inside one of these for extra protection Crumpler Haven Camera Pouch. Thank you in advance

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

I was looking for a new pair of headphones and my friend suggested the Superlux HD681. I want to know how they are. My budget is $40 and I listen to a lot of dubstep. I also seem to break headphones a lot so I need something really durable but still maintain some style.

 
Durable is one of the last words I would use to describe anything from Superlux. Stay away if you need something durable.
 
Quote:

I love my HD600's.  There's been a lot of controversy regarding the treble on these, but it is so non fatiguing and matches so well with the beautiful mids and bass, it gives a great overall impression to all your music (especially with amplification). And they do not seem to be amplifier picky.   But, as you said, it would serve you well to try and audition a set if you can.  Good luck!

 
I think I'll just have to hear them. They are certainly the pair that I am most interested in. A local guy has some hd650, I think that is the closest I'm gonna get unless I find someone willing to ship me a pair to demo. If I had the spare 300-400 sitting around I'd prolly just impulsively buy a pair.. Luckily, I don't so I'll just have to work on getting a my hands on a demo in the meantime Thanks for your impressions.

 

[musiclife]

Quote:

Hi, I've been visiting the site for quite a long time and finally decided to open an account because of this burning question,

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro AE/LE or AKG TIËSTO K167

- Genres: I listen to quite a lot of music therefore I'm looking for versatility (if that's possible), but, mostly Hip-Hop, Rock and EDM.
- Equipment: My Zenbook Prime (laptop) and my PSP. I won't be amping these.
- Budget: 300 $

I've read almost all the impressions in every dedicated thread, and the only two direct comparisons (mrbigsby and Tus-Chan) were very dissonant (Beyer < AKG or Beyer > AKG)

I've been looking for something between the lines of Fischer Audio FA-003 or SoundMAGIC HP100 (good sound quality, neutral and balanced sound), that's why I came to these two. If you're wondering why I haven't picked those up instead, well, I'm tied to just buying from B&H Photo (I live in South America).

Also I'd like to know any impressions regarding durability, I know that people doubt about the AKGs but it was just one case. These are going to be tucked in my backpack quite a lot since I'm going to use them for college. Maybe inside one of these for extra protection Crumpler Haven Camera Pouch. Thank you in advance

I believe the DT 770 pro is closer to the K701 than the K167... you should check this later one...

 

[xd00bx]

hello fellow headfi'ers. i am new to the site and fairly new to high end audio in general. after lurking on the forums for a few weeks i decided to audition some cans at a high end audio store in my area. i listened for hours to various models from sennheiser, hifiman, grado, and beyerdynamic and something became very clear... i love the sound of planar magnetic headphones! i narrowed my choice down to hifiman he400 and he500. i loved them both but the he500 had a bit more soundstage and had slightly better overall sound quality. they were exactly what i wanted but im on a strict budget of $850 for dac, amp, and headphones.

i made my decision to hold off on purchasing until i did some more research and that is when i found this thread. this is exactly what im looking for, great sound quality without spending a fortune! after looking to see what i can get used online, i found someone selling a some lightly used he500, the emotiva mini x and the required cable with speaker taps for $875 including shipping and paypal fees.

here is my dilemma; if i buy the used items i wont have enough money to buy a dac for at least a couple of months. or i could buy the he400, emotiva mini x, and cable all new and still have money for a dac. i have no idea which is the better option and i could really use some input. keep in mind im still very new to all this and these will be my very first set of high end headphones. sorry for being so longwinded and thanks for reading...

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Hi all,

I am a 15 year old who has spent his entire life (so far) living with an audiophile father. I have decided that it is finally time to invest in an at least somewhat decent audio experience for myself and think that a set of headphones would allow me to obtain the best value for my (lack of) money. I'd like something both portable enough to take around with me, but also decent enough in sound quality to use for personal at home listening as well. So far I have noticed that the Seinhousser M500 - X (which I can obtain for around $220), the Audio Technica ATH M50 and Beyerdynamic T50Ps seem like the best options. I listen to a wide variety of music, whether it be Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Clash, Or Steve Kilbey-Martin Kennedy and am not some stupid Beats kid. Any opinions as to which of the above 3 thoughts would be better (I'm not specifically interested in bluetooth as a feature, I am worried about sound, although I do think pause/play next track etc controls are a nice addition but not a make or break) or whether something else in a price range not exceedingly larger than those 2 trumps both? Recently I pulled a pair of dusty and neglected AKG K141 MKII out of my father's closet and love the sound these offer, even if they are not up to his expectations. I am hoping that what I purchase will be of equal sound quality to these. I am looking for something closed not semi-open.



Thanks in advance for any replies/help,

Dashstroyer

In addition to the DT 1350, check out the Sennheiser HD25-1 II and maybe a refurbed Amperior.

 

[po0930]

Thanks but I haven't considered those because they are open a not exactly portable

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Quote:

Hi, I've been visiting the site for quite a long time and finally decided to open an account because of this burning question,

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro AE/LE or AKG TIËSTO K167

- Genres: I listen to quite a lot of music therefore I'm looking for versatility (if that's possible), but, mostly Hip-Hop, Rock and EDM.
- Equipment: My Zenbook Prime (laptop) and my PSP. I won't be amping these.
- Budget: 300 $

I've read almost all the impressions in every dedicated thread, and the only two direct comparisons (mrbigsby and Tus-Chan) were very dissonant (Beyer < AKG or Beyer > AKG)

I've been looking for something between the lines of Fischer Audio FA-003 or SoundMAGIC HP100 (good sound quality, neutral and balanced sound), that's why I came to these two. If you're wondering why I haven't picked those up instead, well, I'm tied to just buying from B&H Photo (I live in South America).

Also I'd like to know any impressions regarding durability, I know that people doubt about the AKGs but it was just one case. These are going to be tucked in my backpack quite a lot since I'm going to use them for college. Maybe inside one of these for extra protection Crumpler Haven Camera Pouch. Thank you in advance

I believe the DT 770 pro is closer to the K701 than the K167... you should check this later one...

The closed and bassy DT 770 Pro is almost a polar opposite of the semi-open K 701.

 

[roguegeek]

Quote:

I believe the DT 770 pro is closer to the K701 than the K167... you should check this later one...

 
I have both the DT 770 Pro and the K701 (well, K702) and I would say these are exact opposites in almost all aspects.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

I was looking for a new pair of headphones and my friend suggested the Superlux HD681. I want to know how they are. My budget is $40 and I listen to a lot of dubstep. I also seem to break headphones a lot so I need something really durable but still maintain some style.

Absent a clearance blow out, you are not going to get much for $40.  You might get OK durability and you might get OK sound (the Superlux), but you will be severely challenged to get both.

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

Thanks but I haven't considered those because they are open a not exactly portable

The DT 770 (line) is very large and not very portable either.

 

[po0930]

The DT 770 (line) is very large and not very portable either.

Yep, I know. But at least, as I stated before, you could cram them in a big enough backpack, they are almost the size of my old MDR-XD200. My main concern is the ruggedness of the product. I'd be great If anybody has ever done this. As I said before, I'm planning on doing this with the headphones inside a protective bag. The K167 seems pretty portable but there are some complains in the CQ department (well, just one). I just wanted to know how these compare Sound Quality wise and if I can attempt the backpack maneuver with either of those.

 

[txoutback]

Looking for recommendations... I'm probably asking too much but here's my wish list...maybe you know of something close?
 
Mandatories (In order of importance):

1. Full-sized closed circumaural
2. Under $120

1. Understated looks (not flashy gimmicks/logos/huge Darth Vader headband)
2. Good enough bass for casual listening to ambient and electronica almost 8 hrs a day at quiet sound levels, so some amt of bass coloring is good but...
3. Accurate enough for occasional light sound editing without over-colorizing...like for developing sound on mobile games and other multimedia...not professional studio stuff with real musicians making albums.
4. No shrill treble / sibilance  idiosyncrasies..I can't handle that for 8 hrs a day, unless it can be modded away.
5. Best isolation possible without a death grip
6. Doesn't require an amp, I use a Macbook Pro and iTunes for music, then occasionally an iPad3 or Yamaha Amp for TV shows. I prefer to keep the enhancer and eq features off.

 
Would also like (In order of importance):

1. Flat folding (rotating) earpieces so they're "semi portable"
2. Durable enough to ride in a backpack laid flat on a laptop
3. Single entry cord
4. Detachable cord
5. Relatively Lightwieght
6. Modifiable to my preferences... I'm fairly mechanically-inclined a.k.a. "handy"... for instance if a headphone would be great for me, but I need to do something to adjust it to make it better.

 
Thanks for reading!