[Monty1089]

Hi everyone.

I made a thread earlier this week and decided to purchase the Superlux HD681 headphone for gaming. I have now decided to return it due to the really high treble these headphones have. I did a few simple mods to try and solve the issues like the paper towel mod and also using the brainwavz HM5 velour earpads. It didn’t help much. My head starts to hurt and that is not due to the comfort but due to the sharp sound.

Also i cannot equalize any settings since i play on the Playstation 4 so there is not even a option to reduce anything to fix treble etc.

Are there any other headphones around the $50-$60 price range that doesn’t have sharp treble and very good soundstage? I did see the Superlux HD668B has wide soundstage and less sharp treble than the HD681’s. However you still may need to mod it to tame it further? Also the Superlux HD681 evo model has been mentioned a few times. They seem to have more bass and less of a soundstage compared to the HD668Bs? But the sharp treble seems to have been fixed. I am leaning towards the HD681 evo model.

Are there any other headphones around that price range people can recommend? It would need to work straight off the bat (no sharp treble) since i won’t be able to EQ any settings on the Playstation 4. Also the Philips SHP9500 would most likely be off the list since i live in Australia and need to import it so that kills the budget.

Please provide some other choices if you have any. I have a $50 eBay voucher to use. It can go $50 over as well.

Thanks.

 

[PurpleAngel]

For the budget, I can't think of anything better then the HD681 EVO.

 

[Monty1089]

Thanks. I have been looking more at that model as well. It only costs $50 and i get 3 year warranty and free 100 day returns. So i can try it out and see how i like it.

I am worried it might not have a big soundstage as the hd668b but since it is an improvement over the hd681 it might be not that much different in soundtstage.

 

[serman005]

I have the HD681 Evo. The stage is pretty good. Bass is terrific. Clamp force is a little tight so you may need to stretch the band a bit. Mine is comfortable after doing so.

 

[Monty1089]

Thanks for your input. I did read about the clamp force so may need to stretch it over some books. I did the same with the original HD681.

The HD681 evo seems like the best value for under $50. I think i might take the plunge on it.

 

[Cruelhand Luke]

Philips SHP9500s

 

[Monty1089]

Thanks for that.

I have been researching for the past few days and have narrowed it down to two headphones: Superlux HD681 evo and the Philips SHP9500s.

I decided to add the SHP9500s to my list since if it sounds better then i might buy it. It will cost me $50 extra compared to the HD681 evo.

Anyone got opinions on how these both compare for online gaming and your experiences? From my research it seems the HD681 evo has a wider soundstage and more bass. The Philips has better build quality, comfort and maybe better warmer sound?

I want a warm sounding headphone with less harsh treble since i cannot EQ it and is also great for competitive gaming (Black Ops 3, WW2 on PS4, Battlefield 1)

Which one of those would be better fit for the requirements?

 

[Mhog55]

Status audio cb-1 may be worth a look. 62 bucks on Amazon

 

[serman005]

Did not know you could stretch your budget. Now that you mention that, as much as I like the HD681 Evo, I think the SHP9500 would probably meet your needs better overall.

 

[Mhog55]

There's a pair of OG Ships for sale in the classifieds for 55 bucks shipped - NIB

 

[Monty1089]

Thanks guys for the replies.

However earlier today Sydney time i bit the bullet and bought the Philips SHP9500s headphones from a seller on eBay USA. It is not a brand new set but is a store return based on the description. All up $98 AUD shipped to Australia. I could have paid another $15 to get a brand new set but would have had to use a shipping forwarder to get it here which means no warranty if it is a DOA or breaks after a week. With this seller i get 30 days returns and PayPal will refund me any shipping fees if i returned it. So it's basically a 30 day trial for me.

But i think i will like this headphone a lot. From online reviews it is a great warm sounding/balanced headphone with no sharp or harsh treble. Seems perfect for the PS4.

I should receive it towards the end of June so i will update you guys then with my thoughts after using it for around a week.

Thanks for all the help

 

[PurpleAngel]

Thanks guys for the replies.
However earlier today Sydney time i bit the bullet and bought the Philips SHP9500s headphones from a seller on eBay USA. It is not a brand new set but is a store return based on the description. All up $98 AUD shipped to Australia. I could have paid another $15 to get a brand new set but would have had to use a shipping forwarder to get it here which means no warranty if it is a DOA or breaks after a week. With this seller i get 30 days returns and PayPal will refund me any shipping fees if i returned it. So it's basically a 30 day trial for me.
But i think i will like this headphone a lot. From online reviews it is a great warm sounding/balanced headphone with no sharp or harsh treble. Seems perfect for the PS4.
I should receive it towards the end of June so i will update you guys then with my thoughts after using it for around a week.

Thanks for all the help

Depending on how Philips deals with warranties.
If the headphones were orignally sold in the USA, warranty might be handled thru a USA based division (Philips USA?), so you might have to ship the headphones back to the USA for any warrenty issues.
You might contact Philips and ask them.

 

[Monty1089]

I won't claim any warranty with Philips for this headphone since i will need to send it back to USA. So that is not an option.

I was actually referring to the eBay seller's own 30 day warranty. If it arrives broken or breaks within 30 days then i can get a replacement or refund. But the Philips 1 year or 2 year warranty won't apply to me. But i think after the first 30 days if it works great .. then with good care it should last a couple of years. Hopefully.

Also these Philips headphones i don't think were ever sold in Australia for whatever reason. Big oversight i believe.

 

[Monty1089]

Just to let you guys know my Philips SHP9500S headphone arrived today. Just under 2 weeks shipping to Australia.

I only received the headphones and no original box or accessories. It's pretty new. Even though it is a store return it smells brand new.

Only after my short use today the comfort level is 1000 times better than the Superlux HD681. These have absolutely no clamp force whatsoever! They are very very comfortable. I also love how open these are. I can hear everything which is exactly what i prefer. The superlux is open but not as much as these.

In terms of gaming you can tell the Philips has better audio quality. There is no sharp treble with explosions. It is easy on the ears and i don't need to take these off after every match. There is not as much as bass as the HD681 i noticed. But i'm fine with that. I can hear footsteps clearly on these as well.

So far i am really loving these headphones. I will keep using for a week and then report back on my real world use after a week