[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirdouglas Okay, so I gave in. I bought them. It took reading all 53 pages too. This is my first pair of cans. I'm really afraid about the issue with them not being comfortable. I tried on the triports at the Apple store and just loved the feel of them, so comfortable. I know, they don't have the greatest sound, but I was really looking for a good, portable, closed, comfortable pair of headphones to go along with my mp3 player. Hopefully this will cut it. I'm sure they'll sound great, but I hope I can stand wearing them and not having pain. But ya, they're purchased.. what should I expect from my first real headphones? I'm excited. Doug

Doug,

The comfort issue is a tad overblown, if you want my opionion on the matter. It'll take you a bit to get used to them - they are no where near as comforatable as their big brother the K 601's for example - but get used to them you will and I do belive you'll find them to be wearable for long periods of time. They are not heavy, the isolate very well, and sound great. Oh yeah, they are about a fifth the price of the Bose (and sound sooooooo much better that Amar should be ashamed of himself - if that's any longer possible).

If you find that after a week or so of wearing them that they still feel tight (and remember, tight equals bass depth and quality), look back on this thread for suggestions as to ways of loosening them up. Those suggestins DO work, so fear not, you have speant your money wisely, and will have yeas of headphone enjoyment to look forward to.

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 Quick question, do you guys find the K81DJs more of an 'anyalytical' headphone? My understanding of that word is more flat, correct? I have a friend who, in his opinion, prefers flat response over EQing music. I have been talking to him about headphones and he knows me, and knows headphones, but hes never heard these ones. I think, according to his word, I want headphones that duplicate music precisly, how the original producers of a cd would want that sound to be heard, flat, without EQ. Does this fit the bill? Or am I looking for headphones higher up on the chain? Keep in mind I am rather new to everything... Also, I have been calling around and I have been trying to find a place to demo headphones before I purchase. Any reccomendations on what phones to try in order to grasp this concept of colored sound verses flat? Is it one of those, "you hear it and you know" kind of things. I don't know what I prefer, but the way he puts it, perhaps flat sounding is what I want.

First - there are no "flat" headphones. They do not exist. Period. Each reproduces sound according to their designers ideas of what good sound should be. (Quick question - what headphones does your friend use? And does he think they are flat?)

The AKG K 81 DJ's are far from flat (as you would have learned had you read this thread in its entirety). BUT, they are fun to listen to because they are faithful to the music. Any deviations from neutral are made to make the music (the important stuff remember) more pleasureable. Remember, these are inexpensive headphones - so the resources to make them sound great were not there. Still, despite that, AKG managed to make a winner of a set of closed backed, isolating headphones that are a blast to listen to.

If you want a closer approxomation of what's on the CD, then yes, you are aiming to low. But keep this in mind as well. Should you decide to get a higher quality set of cans (like my AKG K 601's or the K 701's) you ar going to need a top quality headphone amp to get the best out of them. So your cost factor just went up big time. The K 81 DJ's, in the other hand are cheap. And as they are closed backed, can be used in situations where an open back can would either let too much music out (say, in bed at night with the wife next to you sleeping), or too much noise in (say, wearing them anywhere but a nice quiet room).

Are they the only headphones you'll ever need? I doubt it. They aren't for me, and if you chaeck some of the others who post regularly here, you'll notice that they aren't for them either. But, for $55 to $69, you can't find a better set of cans, and as I said, they are useful in places a better sounding pair couldn't be used in. Just get them, listen, enjoy, and then, if you want more, you'll know better what you're looking for.

 

[fureshi]

i recabled mine last night with Mogami microphone mini quad cable and neutrik 1/8" connector.

I like this cable. It’s not only soft but it doesn’t retain its shape too much like Starquad does so it bends easily. It is a smaller gauge than Starquad but seems like a good cable overall. With this cable, the quantity of bass is not reduced but it becomes punchier and mid bass is slightly reduced. Mids and highs seem to be elevated and there also seems to be more detail. Edges feel sharper and while it’s still not a balanced sound because of the amount of bass, they’re a step towards that. This seems to have been a worthwhile effort. The original plan was to shorten the length of the stock cable but the wires have the weird polymer coating that makes soldering almost impossible without a lot of scraping.

 

[robster]

Howdee- my AKG K81DJ's arrived today,$55 bones shipped from Fascinationproductions off Epay,I ordered them Monday,2-days to NC wow!
Hey it hurts my brain to read all the past posts,I've read several,so any break in time (burn in) time required?

Cheers,
Robert

 

[swt61]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fureshi i recabled mine last night with Mogami microphone mini quad cable and neutrik 1/8" connector. I like this cable. It’s not only soft but it doesn’t retain its shape too much like Starquad does so it bends easily. It is a smaller gauge than Starquad but seems like a good cable overall. With this cable, the quantity of bass is not reduced but it becomes punchier and mid bass is slightly reduced. Mids and highs seem to be elevated and there also seems to be more detail. Edges feel sharper and while it’s still not a balanced sound because of the amount of bass, they’re a step towards that. This seems to have been a worthwhile effort. The original plan was to shorten the length of the stock cable but the wires have the weird polymer coating that makes soldering almost impossible without a lot of scraping.

Ooh very nice! That's a very nice looking recable fureshi!

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robster Howdee- my AKG K81DJ's arrived today,$55 bones shipped from Fascinationproductions off Epay,I ordered them Monday,2-days to NC wow! Hey it hurts my brain to read all the past posts,I've read several,so any break in time (burn in) time required? Cheers, Robert

Yep, the more the merrier. You'll know when enough is enough.

 

[1979]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMCIII First - there are no "flat" headphones. They do not exist. Period. Each reproduces sound according to their designers ideas of what good sound should be. (Quick question - what headphones does your friend use? And does he think they are flat?) The AKG K 81 DJ's are far from flat (as you would have learned had you read this thread in its entirety). BUT, they are fun to listen to because they are faithful to the music. Any deviations from neutral are made to make the music (the important stuff remember) more pleasureable. Remember, these are inexpensive headphones - so the resources to make them sound great were not there. Still, despite that, AKG managed to make a winner of a set of closed backed, isolating headphones that are a blast to listen to. If you want a closer approxomation of what's on the CD, then yes, you are aiming to low. But keep this in mind as well. Should you decide to get a higher quality set of cans (like my AKG K 601's or the K 701's) you ar going to need a top quality headphone amp to get the best out of them. So your cost factor just went up big time. The K 81 DJ's, in the other hand are cheap. And as they are closed backed, can be used in situations where an open back can would either let too much music out (say, in bed at night with the wife next to you sleeping), or too much noise in (say, wearing them anywhere but a nice quiet room). Are they the only headphones you'll ever need? I doubt it. They aren't for me, and if you chaeck some of the others who post regularly here, you'll notice that they aren't for them either. But, for $55 to $69, you can't find a better set of cans, and as I said, they are useful in places a better sounding pair couldn't be used in. Just get them, listen, enjoy, and then, if you want more, you'll know better what you're looking for.

Thanks for the reply. Like I said, I dont really know what I want, because I haven't heard any headphones that are more expensive than $30. This helps me greatly. Also, my friend enjoys Sennheiser, but he hasn't tried many Grados. He really enjoys the HD600, calls them "sex on your ears." Obviously those are open, so it doesn't help me much. He says I should try out headphones before I buy anything, so I am currently looking for a place to demo. If I were to demo headphones in this price range, I would think to try the SR60s, HD-25s, and the K81DJs. The only problem is that the SR60s are open and I want a portable, sealed headphone, which means I seclude the whole Grado line. I am also thinking I should just buy these and shop for the "home" headphones later on, since I basically just want these to take with me when I am in places with lots of noise. Like you said, these probably won't be my only headphones. Thanks for all your help.

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1979 Thanks for the reply. Like I said, I dont really know what I want, because I haven't heard any headphones that are more expensive than $30. This helps me greatly. Also, my friend enjoys Sennheiser, but he hasn't tried many Grados. He really enjoys the HD600, calls them "sex on your ears." Obviously those are open, so it doesn't help me much. He says I should try out headphones before I buy anything, so I am currently looking for a place to demo. If I were to demo headphones in this price range, I would think to try the SR60s, HD-25s, and the K81DJs. The only problem is that the SR60s are open and I want a portable, sealed headphone, which means I seclude the whole Grado line. I am also thinking I should just buy these and shop for the "home" headphones later on, since I basically just want these to take with me when I am in places with lots of noise. Like you said, these probably won't be my only headphones. Thanks for all your help.

Your friend is correct in that trying before buying is usually a good idea. That said, these days, that is easier said than done. Especially in low cost headphones - and even higher end models. BUT, the K 81 DJ's are worth taking a chance on. They should be the perfect solution for what you're looking for. When you get them, let us know what you think.

I'm no fan of Grado's. To bright and uncomfortable. Sennheisers are OK, but a bit too laid back and the bass is a bit overblown for my taste. I'm an AKG man. The new K 601's and K 701's are superb. I found my AKG K 601's on Buy.com for $205.99 including shipping and bought them sound unheard. ANd I'm glad I did. Great headphones for home use. Comfort is their middle name, and great sound is their first and last.

 

[kugino]

does anyone find their k81dj to be somewhat overly-sensitive? i pick up more noise from these cans than any of my other low-impedance headphones - er6i, sr60, ksc75...

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino does anyone find their k81dj to be somewhat overly-sensitive? i pick up more noise from these cans than any of my other low-impedance headphones - er6i, sr60, ksc75...

Really, they are some of the quietest headphones I have. Whether I'm moving around or sitting down, they never pick up any stray noise.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMCIII Really, they are some of the quietest headphones I have. Whether I'm moving around or sitting down, they never pick up any stray noise.

i think he means the sensitivity of the cans to the audio signal, not the ambient noise.

as far as sensitivity goes, with the right amping they certainly can reveal tons, especially in the isolated environment they give you. but i don't feel like they pick up the noise floor or artifacts any better than, say, the MS-1.

 

[kugino]

yeah, jahn, i mean the sensitivity of the headphones makes every hiss audible. it's very weird. i just got a PINT and mated with an imod ipod, my sr60, recabled ksc-75, and hf-1 sound perfectly fine, both on battery and hooked up to the wallwart. however, when i hook up the k81dj, the static and noise is unbelievably loud. and on battery power when the volume is set to really low, there is a very audible crackling and hiss, like one might get when the batteries are running low...except the batteries are fully charged. i do not get this at all with my other cans...can someone replicate this?

anyone out there with a pint using AD8397 op-amps and a k81dj? can you tell me if you get this weird noise?

 

[donunus]

just wanted to say that I tried my k81djs earlier with the pads back on and the sound doesnt really have that much more bass with the pads on. The thing i notice right away is the blurring of attacks. like a rounding off edges type sound markL was describing in his review of the k81dj. Taking the pads back off clears it up and makes the sound more dynamic macro and micro. The snap of the highs comes back

 

[Travis712]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus just wanted to say that I tried my k81djs earlier with the pads back on and the sound doesnt really have that much more bass with the pads on. The thing i notice right away is the blurring of attacks. like a rounding off edges type sound markL was describing in his review of the k81dj. Taking the pads back off clears it up and makes the sound more dynamic macro and micro. The snap of the highs comes back

So in short the phones are better w/out the pads?

 

[donunus]

To me, a definite yes. I'm talking about the round disks inside. not the whole entire pleather pad.