[Achmedisdead]

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Those cables drove me nuts when I had my SR60i. 

 
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Why so? I had them on my ksc75 before but are too bulky for portable use so I switched the OFC cable for the grado cable. Now the ksc75 is more portable and the pioneer is still dual entry. The grados have cardas cables now

 

 
Like Argyris said.....it was  thick, heavy, and stiff....and after a couple years it was twisting up. Also, it was too long for walking around the house and yard with a DAP, yet not long enough to reach across the room either. And after three years, it eventually developed a short in it.

 

[Argyris]

Is it just me or are the hd681s just flat out superior going by innerfidelity graphs?
Admittedly...they're obviously not the best and I wouldn't use them as a final say all
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/SuperluxHD681.pdf
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/PioneerSEA1000.pdf
 

 
They both have their faults. Technically the Superluxes measure quite a bit better, but those leading edges on the 300 Hz square wave are like ice picks. These things have a reputation for excessive brightness. Tyll reports that EQ helps, but ultimately a better solution would be to have tweaked the design to tame the treble natively (but that probably would have increased the cost).
 
I seem to remember you mentioning an updated version of the HD 681 where Superlux had done just that. I'd love to see some measurements for that. If they've managed what you say, then they definitely deserve an appreciation thread much like this one.
 
In any case, I wonder if the SE-A1000 measurements could possibly have been thrown off by the loose headband, since they're some of the worst Tyll has ever posted. They indicate a headphone with zero bass and ridiculously high distortion and ringing--things nobody in this thread who has actually heard the headphone has reported.

 

[pichu]

his pair must have been a factory mishap. Becuase there is in no way, this headphone is distorted at all. And with little bass, I dont saee how distortion could even be a factor in the phone at all. Also, after loads of burn in, bass is more profound, and repsonsive. Alot more punchy. Ofcourse there isnt more bass, but again, its more responsive, and feels liek its "there" Also the phones are a bit more balanced out, Basically, with my exp. these headphones get more responsive throughout burnout. Also @superlux, Hearing the superlux. I prefer the sea1000 more. The sound stage is just better. Amazing mids,clean bass, thats somewhat there. And its more balaanced ( to the ear ), when it comes in from the highs and mids. Im a firm believer on not jusdging my graphs. Put the phones on, and listen to your ears, not a piece of paper.

 

[TekeRugburn]

his pair must have been a factory mishap. Becuase there is in no way, this headphone is distorted at all. And with little bass, I dont saee how distortion could even be a factor in the phone at all. Also, after loads of burn in, bass is more profound, and repsonsive. Alot more punchy. Ofcourse there isnt more bass, but again, its more responsive, and feels liek its "there" Also the phones are a bit more balanced out, Basically, with my exp. these headphones get more responsive throughout burnout. Also @superlux, Hearing the superlux. I prefer the sea1000 more. The sound stage is just better. Amazing mids,clean bass, thats somewhat there. And its more balaanced ( to the ear ), when it comes in from the highs and mids. Im a firm believer on not jusdging my graphs. Put the phones on, and listen to your ears, not a piece of paper.

A couple people said it sounded harsh or ringing. People compared it to grados with the harshness so it's not unfounded. If you didn't want people to read the graphs why did you post them?

 

[wafflezz]

Quote:

 
 
They both have their faults. Technically the Superluxes measure quite a bit better, but those leading edges on the 300 Hz square wave are like ice picks. These things have a reputation for excessive brightness. Tyll reports that EQ helps, but ultimately a better solution would be to have tweaked the design to tame the treble natively (but that probably would have increased the cost).
 
I seem to remember you mentioning an updated version of the HD 681 where Superlux had done just that. I'd love to see some measurements for that. If they've managed what you say, then they definitely deserve an appreciation thread much like this one.
 
In any case, I wonder if the SE-A1000 measurements could possibly have been thrown off by the loose headband, since they're some of the worst Tyll has ever posted. They indicate a headphone with zero bass and ridiculously high distortion and ringing--things nobody in this thread who has actually heard the headphone has reported.

From what everyone on the thread says I think I've determined that they're actually quite similar with the superluxes having more emphasis on the bass. To be honest their measurements actually look quite good apart from the bass dropoff which looks like it's horrid(probably due to low clamp force, poor placement)
pichu-I am tempted to do that. 

 

[warrenpchi]

Well, there were three of these things at the L.A. Meet this past Saturday, in various stages of burn-in.  I don't believe any consensus was reached, though a few people did buy them afterward.

 

[nick n]

One thing I thought I would mention.
I have a set of the highest model in Philips's previous lineup (  the 9000 Cineos ) that had some full-on fabric "microfiber" pads.
  If they are anything like what these Pioneers have then you might want to try using some Sony MDR-SA3000 pad replacements( ~ 100 mm diameter. )
They seem to have a pleather topped with a very thin nylon woven mesh, which substantially improves the bass levels  while still allowing a very slight breathability.
 
I compared to fully sealing soft straight-up pleather also which was a bit too much being slightly peaky. These pads seem to be the sweet spot between the overly sound-muffling and absorbent full-fabrics,  and the overly bassy and slightly peakish full pleathers.
 
 Anyhow a very cheap thing to try if these Pioneers have a full fabric pad. If they don't my bad
Link here to ones i got but all of the aftermarket ones seem the same  so whatever works ( or doesn't according to your individual tastes)

 

[imagic]

Quote:

A couple people said it sounded harsh or ringing. People compared it to grados with the harshness so it's not unfounded. If you didn't want people to read the graphs why did you post them?

It's smoother than most Grados. Bass is not lacking. Maybe there are some duds out there.

 

[CrystalT]

Quote:

his pair must have been a factory mishap. Becuase there is in no way, this headphone is distorted at all. And with little bass, I dont saee how distortion could even be a factor in the phone at all. Also, after loads of burn in, bass is more profound, and repsonsive. Alot more punchy. Ofcourse there isnt more bass, but again, its more responsive, and feels liek its "there" Also the phones are a bit more balanced out, Basically, with my exp. these headphones get more responsive throughout burnout. Also @superlux, Hearing the superlux. I prefer the sea1000 more. The sound stage is just better. Amazing mids,clean bass, thats somewhat there. And its more balaanced ( to the ear ), when it comes in from the highs and mids. Im a firm believer on not jusdging my graphs. Put the phones on, and listen to your ears, not a piece of paper.

personally i think you're just getting used to how the pioneer sounds, and that break in doesn't affect headphones enough to be audible.

 

[imagic]

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personally i think you're just getting used to how the pioneer sounds, and that break in doesn't affect headphones enough to be audible.

I'd have to agree. I bought three pairs and started listening to them at different times. Now I have one pair with over 100 hours and one pair with under two hours—they sound essentially identical. When I put on the "fresh" pair, I keep expecting diminished bass or something—but as far as I can tell all three pairs I own sound the same.

 

[GearMe]

Quote:

 
 
They both have their faults. Technically the Superluxes measure quite a bit better, but those leading edges on the 300 Hz square wave are like ice picks. These things have a reputation for excessive brightness. Tyll reports that EQ helps, but ultimately a better solution would be to have tweaked the design to tame the treble natively (but that probably would have increased the cost).
 
I seem to remember you mentioning an updated version of the HD 681 where Superlux had done just that. I'd love to see some measurements for that. If they've managed what you say, then they definitely deserve an appreciation thread much like this one.
 
In any case, I wonder if the SE-A1000 measurements could possibly have been thrown off by the loose headband, since they're some of the worst Tyll has ever posted. They indicate a headphone with zero bass and ridiculously high distortion and ringing--things nobody in this thread who has actually heard the headphone has reported.

 
The thread comments made me pull out my HD 681s and SR 60s to compare...
 
To my ears, if the music is somewhat laid back (Norah Jones, Eagles, James Taylor, George Benson, Vivaldi, etc.) these are a great listen.  If the music has some attack in it (SRV, Black Eyed Peas, Amy Winehouse, Dave Matthews, Big Band, Tchaikovsky, etc.) then I'm definitely looking to the 681s or Grados -- switching from the 681s to Grados when the recording's harsh.  Also using 681s when I want a broader soundstage and the SR60s when I want that Grado sound for rock or blues.

 

[CrystalT]

I can't go back to my grados for rock, or metal. SR60 and Superlux lacks the freaking incredible guitar tone, and the attack and snap on the drums that Pioneers have. Also, going back to my SR60 that I kept, it's like "Where did the detail go? :C"
 
I mostly listen to power metal, melodic death metal, black metal, and djent. The Pioneers are practically married to these genres.

 

[TekeRugburn]

Grados for rock and metal without a doubt.

The pioneers for female acoustics.

 

[rdsreference]

Just ordered job done. Looking forward to my new 60 dollar cans vs my hd 600s

 

[CrystalT]

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Grados for rock and metal without a doubt.

The pioneers for female acoustics.

 
completely disagree. Grados don't have the mids necessary, or the soundstage and imaging necessary for anything I listen to. Listening to music like Secret Sphere, Galneryus, Vision Divine, Rhapsody of Fire, etc, or Animals as Leaders, Within the Ruins, Haunted Shores, After the Burial, or Beneath the Massacre, Origin, Odium, Anaal Nakrath, etc. Grados lack the speed and instrument separation necessary for the extremely busy and fast-paced music I listen to. They also lack the powerful crunch necessary for djent, and death metal. Listening to techdeath, and grindcore on Grados is an exercise in futility. Even higher-end Grados like 325i lack everything necessary to really reproduce technical metal.
 
And oh god, math metal sounds godawful on Grados.
 
I do adore how hardcore sounds on 'em though. Hardcore Punk, Sludge, and Crust Punk sound awesome on Grados.