[PeterDLai]

Wow, 600 posts and counting.

 

[jparris1]

You can see how well they work in the small Grado case by checking out the pictures in my web album

http://picasaweb.google.com/jparris1/Headphones


J-

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jparris1 You can see how well they work in the small Grado case by checking out the pictures in my web album http://picasaweb.google.com/jparris1/Headphones J-

That works really well. Where do you get the case?

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai Wow, 600 posts and counting.

well it's past FOTM now. i guess the can's just plain good

also. AKG folks seem to like consolidating threads, unlike we Grado thread spammers

 

[jparris1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli That works really well. Where do you get the case?

eBay. Just kept searching for headphone case. I also bought one here on Head-Fi that was the same but didn't have the little velcro backed pockets on the inside and was used. They came out of Taiwan. There is also a stretchy pocket on the outside back. It is essentially the same as the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 case, except that the Bose case has bumps on the inside designed tofit into the earcups of the QC2s. Those come up for sale on eBay as well, and if the cups don't fit into the 81DJs then you could just cut them out.

Edit: Now that I think about it I may have gotten both of mine here on Head-Fi. I definitely purchased a QC2 case (sans phones of course) on eBay. I looked and didn't find anything comparable on eBay now.

 

[markl]

Quick follow-up.

My K81DJs now have several hundred hours of burn-in on them. Previously I had been using my Ipod Nano's "Treble Boost" EQ setting to provide a bit more presence to the highs to balance out what many have observed as their chief (though virtually only) flaw, namely a slight reticence in the highs. The effect of the treble boost feature on the Nano is very very subtle, not night and day.

Well, over the last few weeks, I started to notice a bit of extra harshness, brashness, and even sibilance in the highs on the K81DJ. The K81 was starting to sound a bit bright!

Finally, I just decided to turn the EQ off altogether on the Nano and presto! they are now "perfect" (for what they are) again.

My experience with AKG products is limited, but from what I've heard, these seem to be stubborn cans that require A LOT of burn-in to fully mature. I suspect that over time, you will no longer require EQ for the K81DJ, or will at least back off on it a bit if you've felt you had to use it at first.

Just another observation, FWIW.

 

[philodox]

Nice impressions... have you tried removing the foam insert yet markl?

PS. I still am listening to that Scott Walker CD every once and a while and trying to get into it... but get thrown by lyrics like "It was the first time I got... gonnorhea!"

 

[kurumaya]

Wierd intersection of Scott Walker and K81!
What began as total despair that they would ever fit comfortably, have ended up being very comfy cans

Really took some doing, the now-famous 'tong' method, as well as leaving overnight stretched over my speaker cabinets! They still get a bit swampy inside on hot days, but I can live with that. Foam inserts removed, treble boost still in-effect on the iPod - listening to Autechre's 'Basscadet' while walking down the street can be very disorienting, the spatial effects are so involving...

The only problem is the dumb grin on my face, which I can't hide. PA2v2 coming in soon, we'll see if this can be improved upon...

As for SW - I still can't get to the end of 'Boy Child', but it *may* be growing on me...

 

[JMCIII]

I'd have to agree with MarkL. The longer you use these phones, the better they seem to get (or, perhaps the better our ears adjust to their sound - your choice. Taking the inserts out only increases their sonic quality. Boy, it's going to cost quite a bit to get significant improvement in an upgrade.

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurumaya PA2v2 coming in soon, we'll see if this can be improved upon...

I can't speak for the PA2v2, but my new Headroom Total Bithead makes a big difference. When you get your PA2v2, I have a funny feeling you're going to be one very happy camper.

 

[markl]

Quote:

Nice impressions... have you tried removing the foam insert yet markl? PS. I still am listening to that Scott Walker CD every once and a while and trying to get into it... but get thrown by lyrics like "It was the first time I got... gonnorhea!"

LOL, it's even worse-- "I swear on the wet head of my first case of Gonnorhea..." LOL, but that's just a translation of the Belgian Jaques Brel's original in French. I've been stocking up on Jacques Brel's remastered discs, and even though I can't understand a word, this is clearly one of THE great vocalists of all time. This man pours his very *guts* into every performance (you can literally *hear* the sweat poring from his body), and his transalted lyrics read like poetry, so he's a true artist of the highest order. He's the original "Existential Frank Sinatra", Scott is merely his offspring (amazing as he is). I recommend going over to youtube and checking out videos of his performances from the 60's and you'll see that this dude gave 1000%. He means it, man... Died young, too, but lived a hard life (as documented by his songs).

Anyway, I haven't tried the mod on K81s because I hadn't found them lacking in treble before and now after burn-in, but chiefly because I use them as work-out cans when I run. I don't want sweat to get in there and cause havoc, so i expect that covering to provide protection.

Quote:

As for SW - I still can't get to the end of 'Boy Child', but it *may* be growing on me...

LOL, oh it will. If you start out with even 10% of you receptive to what he does, in the end you're gonna surrender and demand everything he ever uttered in its best form on CD. He sells something you just can't buy anywhere else...

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by epithetless I'm in the "clamping is no problem, it's the headband that hurts" camp...and as an alternative to Szabi's mousepad idea, I cut down a strip of adhesive velcro, stuck it to the underside of the headband, and applied a foam pad from a bike helmet. It feels much better now, and -- better yet -- the velcro is completely removable. For people with HiGHFLYiN9's predicament, where an extra pad would make the phones too small, you could try adhering just the fuzzy half of the velcro to the headband...It's super-thin and should offer at least a modicum of cushioning.

Just a quick note to say I found the bike helmet pad still provided too little cushioning, and that 3/4"-wide closed cell PVC tape (aka self-adhesive weatherstripping) not only fits the headband perfectly, it looks convincingly not-out-of-place and (this is key) makes that rigid plastic disappear on my sensitive noggin. I opted for the 3/8"-thick, heavy density, black variety, and I couldn't be more pleased. That is all.

 

[OPP]

Yo I just received mine and they are nice. When I listen to hip-hop which I listen to mainly the bass is too much I think. Either that or it just seems a little scratchy? I dunno, how much burn-in time should I give them. I've only been listening for like 15 minutes...

 

[falang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPP Yo I just received mine and they are nice. When I listen to hip-hop which I listen to mainly the bass is too much I think. Either that or it just seems a little scratchy? I dunno, how much burn-in time should I give them. I've only been listening for like 15 minutes...

The sweet spot for burn in is between 20 to 30 hours. When I first listened to them, the bass seemed bloated and inaccurate on some songs. I was a little worried....till I hit the burn-in sweet spot. The bass has tightened up and now they groove like a freaked out hippy maxed out on lsd and quaaludes.

The hype is warranted. I am returning my ultrasone hfi 650s now. The k81djs will be all I need for now.

 

[OPP]

Ya I'm already feeling an improvement on the same songs I thought had bloated bass. These will be fine.