[kiwirugby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain Did you ever think this thread would still be going strong?

Amazing!

Back on February 20th, 2006, BigD started something for which AKG should pay him one huge commission! And, for many of us, we owe him a big, THANK YOU!

 

[Wil]

Been almost 5 days since i got my K81s.

Im so so so happy with them. My Shure E4cs havent been used for a while. Interestingly, i still find that the K81 sounds better than the E4c. The bass is much bigger, rounder and tighter and the highs much more shimmery and detailed.

I've had the A900s, Etymotics ER4s, E2c and E4c and the K81s are the most FUN sounding of all. Out of my DAP ( unamped ), i couldnt be happier with the SQ. It makes going to school / work so much more fun.

 

[ghingus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghingus I'm back to foams in. Not sure what happened, because I used way prefer them with the foams out. But I just do what my ears tell me. I don't question them. They don't respond well to that.

Back to foams out...my ears are so fickle. Still loving the K81DJs!!!

 

[blargman]

Anyone else feel like they are listening to the band in a bottle? everything seems so "tight". no pun intended to the fit. but perhaps that has something to do with it. the bigger Sony's i had before, the headphones felt roomer but so did the music. perhaps k81dj's aren't my style.

 

[norseman8485]

I too feel they are a bit too closed in. But what the hey, you can't expect it to do everything well. GOt mine for almost a month now, headband is finally comfy for me. No pain! My foams are still out too. Yum Yum!

 

[jernmo]

I've had mine for about 5 days now, burning in almost the whole time, and listening for a lot of it. Here's my opinion fwiw:

Sound:Originally I thought the bass was overpowering and bloated. Now less bloated, and overpowering, but still significantly elevated. Everything is sounding better after burn-in, but still disappointed.
Comfort: at first the clamp was unbearable. Still is, but it's better since I've been bending the head band. Also it still doesn't quite fit my head. I've tried bending and shaping but nothing. It is almost like the ear cups don't extend low enough on my head. These phones are quite painful with glasses (especially wire-frames like mine). Once again, a disappointed.
Isolation: Amazing. I love the isolation these provide at work. I can't even hear my phone ring. Some times my office can be loud, and these just drown it out. It's nice to have that option.
Portability: Nice. I like the bag, and it has enough room to hold my PA2V2 and my DAP. So it's good in that department.
Build quality: Seems quite good. One of the better phones on the market.

Verdict: I'd give these a C+/B- I'm not ready to sell them just yet, (mostly because of the isolation) so I'm gonna keep working on the comfort and I may try removing the foam for Sound Quality. I had high hopes for these (even after I received them) but they are just too uncomfortable to keep on my head for more than a few songs at a time without taking them off and giving my ears a rest.

 

[BigD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain Did you ever think this thread would still be going strong?

Nooooooo, I myself am very very shocked by this super marathonic thread. I certainly didn't anticipate this at all.

Quote:

Amazing! Back on February 20th, 2006, BigD started something for which AKG should pay him one huge commission! And, for many of us, we owe him a big, THANK YOU!

Perhaps that could be the next big one.
Make me some money!

Quote:

This is definitly the largest thread on the headphone forums with 1,508 replies with the A250 from eBay at second with 624. Curse You in the general forum has 2,831 replies with a Watches topic in second with 1,031. The largest thread I could find would have to be the Music Game VI one in the music forums with a whopping 7,935 replies as to this date.

Atleast I owe this one to you, the great community. I've written few reviews and helped some reviews as well, but I really wanted to give it back to head-fi as I learned so much from you. Thanks.

LETS KEEP IT GOIN

 

[n00b]

Ahhh I just got them like 10 minutes ago.. I haven't bent the headband yet but I have to use the 10th detent.. It's weird.. I never thought I had a large head. It also seems as if there's some channel imbalance.. The right channel sounds louder, even when I wear them backwards it's that way. Perhaps they're not fitting over my ears right. So far they sound better for hiphop than my MS-1s though..

EDIT: Okay, it turns out I wasn't wearing them right.

I'm able to use the 8th detent after some bending, and it's starting to feel a bit more balanced in terms of clamping and headband pressure. I think these need to burn in though before I can fully enjoy them. But these are definitely good for the $55 I paid!

 

[init6]

I just got my K81DJ last night and I'm really liking it! Sounds great out of my iRiver iHP-120 and sounds very good out of the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Micro USB device that I use with my laptop and on my work PC. The skull crushing death grip of the headband was unbearable at first, but after stretching it out a little using the technique described in this thread, it's MUCH better. I have a small head - the headphones are set on the 4th notch - so that helps. I do wear glasses, and the headphones definitely press the arms of my glasses into my temples, but it's not too bad and it doesn't really bother me. I haven't tried removing the foamies yet because I'm liking the stock sound very much. Definitely a bass heavy can, but most of the music I listen to is pretty bass shy to begin with (a lot of acoustical stuff). When I do listen to a track with a lot of bass in it...WHOA...

The K81DJ is truly an excellent value for $55 (off eBay). The sound is forward and fun - keeps my toes tapping! I highly recommend this can to anyone looking for a closed, semi-portable, easily driven, affordable headphone with great sound!

UPDATE - I just listened to some Evanescence and OMG!!...I can't believe how good it sounds!! Amy Lee's voice and her piano are crystal clear and the drums and bass are thumpin' hard (but not too hard)! Great stuff!! I can't believe I only paid $55 for these things!

 

[young&wild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by init6 Amy Lee's voice and her piano are crystal clear and the drums and bass are thumpin' hard (but not too hard)! Great stuff!!

I just got mine last Friday. I have to say this thing not only does females vocals suprisingly well but also male vocals. There's a lot of bass and its really fun and groovy along with a nice soundstage.

 

[init6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by young&wild I have to say this thing not only does females vocals suprisingly well but also male vocals.

I totally agree! I just listened to some Coldplay, Radiohead, Death Cab, Sting, and Alan Parsons and the male vocals sound fantastic! I sat here swapping between the K81DJ and my Grado SR60's and I liked the K81DJ better in all cases. The SR60 sounds bass shy and trebel bright by comparison and they just don't have the same enveloping soundstage. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the SR60 is a bad headphone, I just find the K81DJ more appealing...more enveloping...more fun.

The K81DJ does a pretty good job with isolation too. I was sitting in my chair at work listening to some tunes at low volume and suddenly, I felt a thud right next to me that scared the crap out of me. Turns out, it was my co-worker dropping a notebook on my desk to get my attention. I didn't even hear him standing right next to me trying to talk to me.

Ahhh...some Tori Amos just came on...damn that sounds good!!

 

[VR6ofpain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by init6 I totally agree! I just listened to some Coldplay

you should hear them on the K601...

 

[wnmnkh]

[Off topic]

This thread is the probably longest thread I ever seen....

[Off topic/]

 

[init6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VR6ofpain you should hear them on the K601...

I've never heard the K601 (would love to someday), but my main can for the last two years has been the K501 and I absolutely love it! Team AKG all the way for me! The K81DJ definitely exhibits the lush midrange that seems characteristic of the AKG line. Incidentally, I spent a week with my Dad's K701 and I just didn't like it as much as my K501. The K701 just sounded too synthetic to me - for lack of a better way to describe it. The sound just seemed a bit unnatural and overcooked. Maybe it was the immense detail or the liquid smooth presentation, I can't really put my thumb on it. Maybe my brain is just burned in to the K501 sound sig and nothing else seems quite right.

As far as casual, portable listening goes, I think I've found the perfect solution in the K81DJ.

 

[derek8555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n00b Ahhh I just got them like 10 minutes ago.. I haven't bent the headband yet but I have to use the 10th detent.. It's weird.. I never thought I had a large head. It also seems as if there's some channel imbalance.. The right channel sounds louder, even when I wear them backwards it's that way. Perhaps they're not fitting over my ears right. So far they sound better for hiphop than my MS-1s though.. EDIT: Okay, it turns out I wasn't wearing them right. I'm able to use the 8th detent after some bending, and it's starting to feel a bit more balanced in terms of clamping and headband pressure. I think these need to burn in though before I can fully enjoy them. But these are definitely good for the $55 I paid!

Ya I have to use 9th or sometimes 10th detent depending on how comfortable I want them to be on my head(Ya... weird I say this). If you hear channel imbalance, and when you switch it's still there, then two things can happen:
1. Your right ear is less senstive than your left ear. (hope it's not this case, so... let's see next case)
2. The way you wear them might be incorrect.
Try to wear them on your head so that you get seal on both side, and adjust it until you hear sound coming from both side form a correct image in your head.

Hope this helps