Proline 750's vs K81 DJ's

[alexpea]

I bought the Ultrasone Proline 750's a couple of weeks ago. I'm not impressed how they sound at that price, and I really miss the Audio-Technica-sound. Today I decided to compare my AKG K81 DJ's with the 750's.

I think the 750's are better in the high frequencies, but not by much actually. The K81's are AMAZINGLY bright despite it's boomy reputation. Sure, the 750's smash the K81's concidering the clearness and deepness of the bass, but the K81's certainly got the same power! The first thing I noticed when puitting the K81's on (after loooong listening-period with the 750's) is the direct sound they provide compared to the 750's. Sure, I know about the S-logic-sound-technoligy, and by now I know I don't like it at all. The K81's present a much more direct sound which makes everything energic and rough!

* Listening to "The Frey - How To Save A Life" *

I'm chocklingly surprised at how much better the K81's actually sound!! The mids are far more present than the 750's, and the track sounds bigger and better. The only field the 750's beat the K81's is the seperation of the elements. The K81's doesn't have the same soundstage, and therefore much of the elements in the track clash together.

But to be TOTALLY honest, I prefer the K81's over the 750's

I've tried to get used to the sound of the 750's, and after a while I kinda liked them. But when switching onto the K81's I realized how much better they actually sound. More direct, louder mids, and actually quite good highs as well. I think I'll have to try the the bluetak-mod to see if the bass gets more refined. Cuz god damn the K81's are monsters!!!

Because of this discovery, I think I will get rid of the 750's. The first thing that comes to my mind is Grado. Cuz now I realize I'm a lover of up-front sound, and the Grado's are known for that.

 

[Slaughter]

Nice write up. How would you compare your A900s to your 81DJs?

 

[alexpea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaughter /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice write up. How would you compare your A900s to your 81DJs?

I remember prefering the A900's to the K81s. (The A900's are sold now) Mainly because they were much more detalied, and also very comfortable!! But the K81's had more power, I felt. This power, however, is imo (and others opinions) not as refined and classy as more expensive phones. It's just booming away with all its got !! But it actually doesn't sound so bad I have come to realize.

But yeah, as I said, the A900's are better than the K81's. Cuz the sound just gets more detailed and real.

PS! I advice EVERY person out there with both 750's and K81's @ their hands to compare them!! Try listening to a whole track with the K81's - and analyze every sound you hear. Close your eyes and just let the music float into your head. Now, switch to the 750's and prepare to get chocked... The sound is totally different, sound less powerful, recessed mids. And it also sounds like there's a filter on the high freqs making it sound rolled of.. Metallic is also a way I like to describe the sound of the 750's... But the biggest difference between these two, as mentioned, is the way the K81's present the sound in a MUCH more direct and powerful way!!!

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Hey Alex.
Can you please post the list of headphones you had or listened ordered from best to worst? Thanks.

 

[qazwsx]

I tried the Proline 750's, and I actually found the feeling of the sound and soundstage its best attribute. Very fluid sounding and kind of gives a feeling you are jumping into your music. Probably a good rock headphone.

 

[tomjonesrocks]

Wow.

I haven't heard the Ultrasone 750 (but was considering them) -- but if you prefer the K81DJ there's certainly a lot of phones that might please you (even more) in that general category.

AT ES7s and HD25-1s both are (generally) considered to be superior to the K81DJs--but the K81DJs are definitely likeable (IMO) for the money. Maybe the K81DJ's booming bass is what you're looking for though.

 

[VR6ofpain]

This is why I love them. They are not the best headphones, but they are still great. I have put more hours on my K81DJ than any other headphone I have. The metal headband almost seems like puddy now, it flexes so easily. I love their slightly rolled off highs and powerful bottom end. Incredible blues cans...though they are equally good doing all sorts of music. Nothing sounds bad on them, even old 128kbps mp3's on data CD's I burned years ago.

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexpea /img/forum/go_quote.gif PS! I advice EVERY person out there with both 750's and K81's @ their hands to compare them!! Try listening to a whole track with the K81's - and analyze every sound you hear. Close your eyes and just let the music float into your head. Now, switch to the 750's and prepare to get chocked... The sound is totally different, sound less powerful, recessed mids. And it also sounds like there's a filter on the high freqs making it sound rolled of.. Metallic is also a way I like to describe the sound of the 750's... But the biggest difference between these two, as mentioned, is the way the K81's present the sound in a MUCH more direct and powerful way!!!

Alex I'm glad you've found the sound you're after.

However, my own experience with Ultrasone is that their presentation is so different due to the offset drivers, that I cannot listen to them directly after listening to another pair of conventionally-firing headphones.

I'm sure it sounds crazy, but my ears seem to need some "buffer" time between pairs to adjust, otherwise the Ultrasones just sound "wrong" in any number of aspects, much like you described above.

Just for fun, and since you still have them, could you repeat the same comparison, but with maybe 10 or 15 minutes in-between the different pair, and see if your findings are the same?

 

[uraflit]

i like the k81dj sound too, the comfort issue is the only thing that bothers me

 

[cosmopragma]

I guess Ultrasones aren't for everyone.
I mean, the K81s are by far the worst headphones in my collection, and here's someone that ranks the Ultrasones even worse ......

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess Ultrasones aren't for everyone. I mean, the K81s are by far the worst headphones in my collection, and here's someone that ranks the Ultrasones even worse ......

Nothing's for everyone. There's even a thread now from about a guy who just doesn't really like his HE90 (Orpheus headphones): http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=234963

 

[slwiser]

Let me through a wrench into the mix.

How about an ATH-ANC7? I have the Proline 2500 and have had the K81DJ. The ANC7 has a balance between these two that might work. It probably are the high frequencies of the Prolines that you can't handle. The ANC7 deals much better with those while not being as much ATH as some other ATH headphones with the high frequencies. If you can get my drift with a bit of a roll off in the highes for the ANC7s. I have just put some impressions up on another thread concerning these. There price was less than 150 US shipped.

But there a world of other headphones out there that would also work as well.

 

[alexpea]

When I woke up this morning, I remembered my chocking discovery last night and thought: "Damn.. I have to make some more comparisons to make sure the 750's isn't for me"

So I decided to listen to three different tracks.

::First song --> Airbase - Medusa::
I'm gonna listen to one track at the time. First with the 750's and then switching to the K81's RIGHT after, listening to the same track.
----------
I listen alot to trance-music. Therefore I chose "Airbase - Medusa" as my trance-test-track. Starting off with the 750's. (I'm writing while listening now) I haven't tried on the K81's today, so my ears are neutral. The sound is crisp, deep and very wide. I have always thought the highs on the phones sounds rolled off and metallic, and I can only repeat myself in that matter. The comfort of these are not very good. Weird can-design which almost doesn't fit my ears. I'm getting to the end of the track now. As I analyze the soundpicture, I recognize the 750's are very good at separating the elements. Ok, that's it - switching to the K81's now !!!
----------
First thing that comes to my mind is - WOW !!! These sound soooo much up-front and direct, boosting all the music into my head. On the 750's the music sounds much more decayed and outside my head. The bass isn't as detailed as the 750's are, but they've got the same power - if not more !!! Many of you might get very surprised when reading the next thing I'm about to write... As I listen to the K81's I think their upper-range of frequencies are better than the 750's !!! They actually sound brighter than the 750's, and all the hihats are more detailed and doesn't sound as metallic as they did on the 750's. Also, the mids are much more present, giving the music life and body. The track is over.

I will now move on to another track, doing the same test-technique.

::Second song --> Sia - Breathe Me::
This song is one of the most well-recorded tracks I have ever heard. It's a downtempo pop-prog-rock-track. Melancholic feel to it..
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The intro has over a minute with only piano and vocals. The 750's present the soundstage very vividly - presenting every sound in a pleasant way. When the percussian came in, with a deep kickdrum, it sounded nice. I have listened alot to this track with the 750's in the recent days, and I've gotten used to the sound of it with the phones. Therefore I'm very curious on how the K81's will handle it. When I think of it, the 750's certainly lack the upper bass-area. 100-600hz.
----------
The K81's present the piano in a total different way. Not as crisp, but with much more warmth. Same goes with the vocals. They sound MUCH better with surprisingly more mids. When the percussians came in I was blown off my chair with the different presentation between the phones. The K81's simply beat the 750's straight down in the toilet. The bass is, as I've mentioned, not as detailed as the 750's, but the power and drive in these are just stunning. The music sounds much more alive, and not as distant and weak as on the 750's. Right, the track is finished. Moving on to the next.

::Third song --> Breaking Benjamin - Diary Of Jane::
This track is more complex, with stabbing guitars, screaming vocals and hihats all over the place. It's a melodic rock-track which is one of my favourites.
----------
Ok, starting of with the 750's as usual. The kickdrum is deep, powerful and mean!! The phones divide each element of the track very well. I aware of the out-of-my-head-sound of the 750's now, and it's easy to notice this. Sounds like the music is being played deep down in a long tunnel - only without the decays that a tunnel would contain.
----------
Putting on the K81's now. I'm very curious on how they will cope with so many things going on at the same time. The guitars sound more plastic and not as real. The power is better though, and I enjoy these more. In this track the K81's doesn't perform as well as the 750's, cuz the music is so complex. But as I said, I prefer these to the 750's for this track as well. The biggest difference I notice is the mids and the upper bass-area. The K81's beats the 750's easily in this spectre, and makes each track sound more alive and powerful.

Frequencies-area-ponits-table:

Ultrasone Proline 750's
0hz - 100hz = 8/10
100hz - 500hz = 2/10
500hz - 2000hz = 5/10
2000hz - 5000hz = 7/10
5000hz - 10kHz = 10/10
10kHz - 15kHz = 8/10
15kHz - 20kHz = 5/10
OVERALL = 6,5/10

AKG K81 DJ
0hz - 100hz = 6/10
100hz - 500hz = 8/10
500hz - 2000hz = 7/10
2000hz - 5000hz = 8/10
5000hz - 10kHz = 6/10
10kHz - 15kHz = 6/10
15kHz - 20kHz = 8/10
OVERALL = 7/10

It would have been cool to compare the A900's up against these in this test, cuz I remember prefering those WAY above the K81's... Maybe I'll borrow them from him I sold them to, and make another review

My only question now is - what should I do now...? I don't want to settle on the K81's - as they are my portable non-hi-fi-phones...

 

[robm321]

Consensus of this thread so far = A900 is a great can for the price

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Consensus of this thread so far = A900 is a great can for the price

Au contraire mon frair The 81 is a great can for the price also. Why do I keep going back to it? I buy them for my friends, and my friend's kids.