[kiwirugby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomjonesrocks Anyone worn/tried these things out on a plane yet? These are my headphones for work (and for that, they're absolutely IDEAL) but am taking a plane trip soon and these seem like the best choice *I* have in my "headphone arsenal" to bring along. They certainly isolate OK in an office environment--a plane is a completely different story. If they're not suited for this and I'm going to blast my ears out trying to outdo the plane though--I won't bother to bring them.

I have flown to Hawaii three times, Palau (a butt-kicking 27 hours!) and to D.C. (all from southern CA) in the past three months and had my 81s with me. If you're in front of the engines (better yet first class) the isoltaion is better. I need to crank up the volume a bit. You lose some bass interestingly enough. probably with the low noise of the engines. They work all right, but don't expect the same quality as when the ambient noise is less. Behind the engines, I would say forget it.

Now, on the beach, under an umbrella, with a long, cool tropcial drink....that's civilized and good listening!

 

[1979]

Two questions....

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 I suppose I should make the step and buy a pair... I have been looking around and thought these would work well with school and also outside listening, but I wonder if these would make my ears hot. I live in...Utah...and its always really hot around here, it was 101 today. Would getting the Velour pads make it less hot, or is it something I shouldn't worry about?

And also, how do these stand up to the CX300, if you base it entirely on SQ. I think both are portable enough for me, but anyone here have experience with both? I am seriously leaning toward the K81DJ, but I want to consider everything... And if I would go the IEM route, what would be my best bet, if not the CX300, with a budget of $100? Thanks

 

[rhythmicmoose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 And also, how do these stand up to the CX300, if you base it entirely on SQ. I think both are portable enough for me, but anyone here have experience with both? I am seriously leaning toward the K81DJ, but I want to consider everything... And if I would go the IEM route, what would be my best bet, if not the CX300, with a budget of $100? Thanks

The CX300 is great when compared to other budget semi-IEMs, but doesn't stand up to full size headphones like the K81. The signature isn't vastly different than the K81, but the sound is far more crowded, with less detail everywhere, but especially in the treble and lower bass. If you can find a pair of super.fi 5 Pros for $150ish, those would offer sound comparable to the K81. I don't know about anything closer to the $100 mark.

 

[1979]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmicmoose The CX300 is great when compared to other budget semi-IEMs, but doesn't stand up to full size headphones like the K81. The signature isn't vastly different than the K81, but the sound is far more crowded, with less detail everywhere, but especially in the treble and lower bass. If you can find a pair of super.fi 5 Pros for $150ish, those would offer sound comparable to the K81. I don't know about anything closer to the $100 mark.

Really? Is this the case with most headphones when compared to IEM, that I can save $100 and get better sound quality with cans? I suppose the downside to cans is isolation, right? How would you say isolation is between the two of them?

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 Really? Is this the case with most headphones when compared to IEM, that I can save $100 and get better sound quality with cans? I suppose the downside to cans is isolation, right? How would you say isolation is between the two of them?

From my experience, IEMS are just limited in SQ period because of the way they're made. Some who own/have heard even the UE-10Pro have agreed with this statement. However, IEMs KILL even the best closed headphones in terms of isolation. I think for closed headphones the K81DJs are very, very good. However, IEMs will still give you significantly more isolation. It's basically a trade off--sound quality versus environment. Also, the K81DJs will make you sweat a lot more, most likely.

On a side note, the velour pads came in today. I was shocked by the difference in sound quality. I didn't like them at all. I always prefer velour on headphones, both for comfort and sound quality normally, but these just didn't do it for me; they did not merely tame the bass, they killed it. The highs became slightly less pronounced, too, and the mids even recessed a bit. It sounds a good bit better if you turn up the volume a little more, but if I'm going to be running these off an iPod, I really can't afford to do that. They were definitely cooler, so I may still keep them around for walking around if the leathers are just too hot, but the tradeoffs in sound may still not be worth it. I normally really can't tell that much of a difference due to a change in pads; for point of reference, I think these have a worse effect on the K81DJ than switching a pair of regular Grados over to the bowl earpad. I normally unequivocally prefer velour, but these are just bad news.

update: I figured out why the velour pads suck, I think. They have this thick plastic/rubber coating between the drivers and the velour; it's just how they're made. I'm pretty sure that's what's at fault. It's essentially blocking 60% of the driver's surface area from reaching the phone, and funneling the rest of the sound into the smaller hole, congesting it.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn From my experience, IEMS are just limited in SQ period because of the way they're made. Some who own/have heard even the UE-10Pro have agreed with this statement. However, IEMs KILL even the best closed headphones in terms of isolation. I think for closed headphones the K81DJs are very, very good. However, IEMs will still give you significantly more isolation. It's basically a trade off--sound quality versus environment. .

Totally agree with this. But the trade off for me usually isn't worth using IEM's. My Senn HD25-1's isolate well enough to be used on all but the longest/loudest plane flights, and the sound is SOOO much better than the similar priced UM2's I had until they broke.

I have ordered a pair of K81's to see what the fuss was all about and will compare them to my HD25-1's.

 

[benton]

Just got the K81DJ today and it is amazing. I am very happy with purchase and was very suprised with isolation and SQ. One thing I have noticed is how important burn in is with these. I listened to it new then burnt in for only a few hours and already noticed a diffrence. One thing I hate is the pleather.

Can someone please send the link to the velour pads again? because I can not find it.

 

[sulcata_geo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by benton Can someone please send the link to the velour pads again? because I can not find it.

SennheiserUSA http://shop.sennheiserusa.com/retail...ct_prod=069417

I live outside of USA , then I could not buy the velour pad from SennUSA shop

 

[benton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sulcata_geo SennheiserUSA http://shop.sennheiserusa.com/retail...ct_prod=069417 I live outside of USA , then I could not buy the velour pad from SennUSA shop

Thanks!

 

[1979]

oops, sorry.... Ignore this post...

 

[benton]

The sound on these is really out of this world for the price. The more I listen the more I am in love. Everything just sounds so beautiful on these, the bass is perfect and precise, everything is nice and clear, there is a nice soundstage and its a closed can! They are all around the best purchase for me yet, and I like them more than my old HD-555. I am so happy I can finally stop messing with IEM's.

 

[PeterDLai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn From my experience, IEMS are just limited in SQ period because of the way they're made. Some who own/have heard even the UE-10Pro have agreed with this statement. However, IEMs KILL even the best closed headphones in terms of isolation. I think for closed headphones the K81DJs are very, very good. However, IEMs will still give you significantly more isolation. It's basically a trade off--sound quality versus environment. Also, the K81DJs will make you sweat a lot more, most likely. On a side note, the velour pads came in today. I was shocked by the difference in sound quality. I didn't like them at all. I always prefer velour on headphones, both for comfort and sound quality normally, but these just didn't do it for me; they did not merely tame the bass, they killed it. The highs became slightly less pronounced, too, and the mids even recessed a bit. It sounds a good bit better if you turn up the volume a little more, but if I'm going to be running these off an iPod, I really can't afford to do that. They were definitely cooler, so I may still keep them around for walking around if the leathers are just too hot, but the tradeoffs in sound may still not be worth it. I normally really can't tell that much of a difference due to a change in pads; for point of reference, I think these have a worse effect on the K81DJ than switching a pair of regular Grados over to the bowl earpad. I normally unequivocally prefer velour, but these are just bad news. update: I figured out why the velour pads suck, I think. They have this thick plastic/rubber coating between the drivers and the velour; it's just how they're made. I'm pretty sure that's what's at fault. It's essentially blocking 60% of the driver's surface area from reaching the phone, and funneling the rest of the sound into the smaller hole, congesting it.

I actually take back what I said about the velour pads earlier in this thread. The sound is definitely not even close to the same (I just tried switching back since people were finding the velour pads so poor performing).

I got too used to the new sound, so now switching back to the uncomfortable pleather pads made it sound heavenly again. The other problem was that I probably thought it sounded good again because I tried it without pads and then with the thin ones and didn't like the sound either way. The final way, which sounded the best in my opinion with the velours, sounded dramatically better than the other two combos. But it still wasn't back to how it originally sounded with the pleather.

With that in mind, I still like the AKG foam pads in. The highs are too much for me without them.

The velour pads are, however, actually a lot more comfortable for me than the pleather pads. So now I'm a little dumbfounded as to what is more important to me.

Fortunately, the weather here is getting a bit cooler. But beside that fact, the pleather just doesn't feel as comfy as the velour on my ears.

 

[benton]

Wow talk about a bummer. I was really looking forward to no more pleather, but not after what I am hearing. Meh, at least I save $20...

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai I actually take back what I said about the velour pads earlier in this thread. The sound is definitely not even close to the same (I just tried switching back since people were finding the velour pads so poor performing). I got too used to the new sound, so now switching back to the uncomfortable pleather pads made it sound heavenly again. The other problem was that I probably thought it sounded good again because I tried it without pads and then with the thin ones and didn't like the sound either way. The final way, which sounded the best in my opinion with the velours, sounded dramatically better than the other two combos. But it still wasn't back to how it originally sounded with the pleather. With that in mind, I still like the AKG foam pads in. The highs are too much for me without them. The velour pads are, however, actually a lot more comfortable for me than the pleather pads. So now I'm a little dumbfounded as to what is more important to me. Fortunately, the weather here is getting a bit cooler. But beside that fact, the pleather just doesn't feel as comfy as the velour on my ears.

Yeah. That's how I felt at first. I was like, 'Hmm.This velour doesn't sound too bad. I'm all right. At least the bass is tamed a bit.' Then I listened to some bassy songs, and I was liek, 'wait a second...tame is not the word I'm looking for...GONE is more like it.' Then I put the pleather pads back on and the K81DJs went from being all right to amazing. It's a real shame. Velour is so much more comfy. I guess we can always hope for a fix from AKG; I mean, they made velours for the 271. Why not these?

 

[1979]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn On a side note, the velour pads came in today. I was shocked by the difference in sound quality. I didn't like them at all. I always prefer velour on headphones, both for comfort and sound quality normally, but these just didn't do it for me; they did not merely tame the bass, they killed it. The highs became slightly less pronounced, too, and the mids even recessed a bit. It sounds a good bit better if you turn up the volume a little more, but if I'm going to be running these off an iPod, I really can't afford to do that. They were definitely cooler, so I may still keep them around for walking around if the leathers are just too hot, but the tradeoffs in sound may still not be worth it. I normally really can't tell that much of a difference due to a change in pads; for point of reference, I think these have a worse effect on the K81DJ than switching a pair of regular Grados over to the bowl earpad. I normally unequivocally prefer velour, but these are just bad news. update: I figured out why the velour pads suck, I think. They have this thick plastic/rubber coating between the drivers and the velour; it's just how they're made. I'm pretty sure that's what's at fault. It's essentially blocking 60% of the driver's surface area from reaching the phone, and funneling the rest of the sound into the smaller hole, congesting it.

Could you mod this to fix it? I am sadend by this news as well, but I still wonder if there is anything that can be done. I would love velour pads, but not at the expense of sound quality.