[tomscy2000]

I agree with you about the bit about the tamed down electric guitars and snare drums. One reason is because of the speed. These on the whole are not very fast earphones, so the attack isn't there. The sound signature is also very slightly warm, so the bite won't be there. It's very apparent when I contrast them to my DBA-02. As you said, it's not necessarily a bad thing; I've found that not having an aggressive presentation lends well to long-term listening. They work well indoors with lower ambient noise levels, where you can really appreciate their airy soundstage.They don't need amping, but they do respond well to amping. You get more bass definition and a larger soundstage, but on a revealing setup like mine, you'll really start to hear its sonic deficiencies. There is a little bit of distortion at every frequency band, but most apparent in the vocals. It's strange though; even though I have IEMs far superior to it (namely the DBA, which offers top-tier SQ by most measurements), I still use them more than anything else.
 
Quote:

My only complaint with the sound quality still stands: tamed down electric guitars and snare drums. And it's not necessarily a bad thing (ie. Eminem - So Bad, Flo Rida - Be On You, almost any Linkin Park or Paramore song).  
I'm negotiating to get either a FA Silver Bullet or Xears TD100 II 2nd hand, only because I think I need something that can inspire confidence when going out. Some of you guys may think I'm disappointed, but really, I'm just nitpicking. No, I seriously doubt if these are UE TF10 killers, nor have I actually expected them to be, but they sure just redefined the meaning of "bang for the buck".

 

 

[Stinky Fart]

wow, this must be one of the most analytical and complete review on earphones on head-fi! Guess you weren't joking when you said you're an analytical person
Thanks for this review. I'm trying to get one but the 381F is currently out of stock. The seller is pleading me to get the other models(381, 381B) since nobody is buying them lol. I reckon your review played a part

 

[stefanolandesca]

 
 im planning to buy a superlux hd381 iem but im confused.. Which of the 381 series do you think is best for metal? Ive read that the 381f is the most preferred by many, but im afraid that the bass might be lacking here.. im considering maybe the 381 or the 381b because i want to hear the bass on the double peds and the mid bass hump..can anyone help? thanks..  

[size=0.85em]  [/size]

 

 

[nick n]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/493052/superlux-hd381-series-mini-review-comparisons/60#post_8181444
 
about metal

 

[r316hz]

Wow very detailed and informative! im looking a review like this in the 381 series, guess id be getting the 381Fs since i dont have the $$$ for some highend IEMs. Thx their boss tomscy2000, ur name says it all, very detailed and analytical, same as foobar2000! cheers!

 

[r316hz]

Quote:

 
 im planning to buy a superlux hd381 iem but im confused.. Which of the 381 series do you think is best for metal? Ive read that the 381f is the most preferred by many, but im afraid that the bass might be lacking here.. im considering maybe the 381 or the 381b because i want to hear the bass on the double peds and the mid bass hump..can anyone help? thanks..  

Get the 381F buddy, all 381 series dont have fast drivers.

 

[r316hz]

For post-hardcore, the 381F is much better! best quality for the price id say! 
Thx for this review, ive chosen the right IEMs.
sorry for being too spammy! xD

 

[sofastreamer]

as i said many times before. the hd381F is the iem äquivalent to k701. same signature AND same soundquality. they easily beat ba-based iem like phonak audeo and the likes.

 

[waynes world]

Quote:

as i said many times before. the hd381F is the iem äquivalent to k701. same signature AND same soundquality. they easily beat ba-based iem like phonak audeo and the likes.

 
Hey sofa, a buddy of mine just pointed me towards these. Friday night is typically a weak time for me when it comes to spontaneous purchases, so I have to be careful. But you like the S500's, so your opinion can't be all that bad lol.
 
So, you've had these for a while?

 

[sofastreamer]

i have them for more than one year and have a spare pair in my closet

 

[cheapbastard]

I found that the bass and speed is still lacking in 381f compared to samson sr850, so I tired poking the middle "hole" with a toothpick, it completely changes the sound, bass is reduced significantly and mids and high increased in clarity. But the bass amount is so low that the sound distorts, so I stuff a tissue in the hole and adjust the opening, and finally found the perfect balance for me with a very slightly more bass amountin samson sr850 and a more forward mids, it has become a quite high resolving earphone that can compete with much more expensive IEM.

 

[GuywhoLikesHIFI]

Hi. Can anyone compare these IEMS to the Mi Piston 3's, KZ ZST's, or Mi Hybrids? I want to know about the Detail, soundstage, and Frequency curve and general sound quality. Thanks. 

 

[bangengeman]

Hi. Can anyone compare these IEMS to the Mi Piston 3's, KZ ZST's, or Mi Hybrids? I want to know about the Detail, soundstage, and Frequency curve and general sound quality. Thanks. 

I hated the Piston hybrids. Too grainy and dark. The Piston 3 however, I like as much as the 381F. The Superlux is flatter overall, while the Piston 3 is quite V shaped. If you can still get these, then go for it. No pair of mine lasted a year. The Piston 3, however is still going strong for me. If I had to choose one, I'd go with the Xiaomi overall mainly because of the build quality and mic and volume controls. I don't remember much about the ZST, because I only tried it for a few seconds and didn't like it at all.

 

[GuywhoLikesHIFI]

Ha, I've already had the Piston 3's for 1.6 years, but I'm looking for an upgrade. 

 Well, the Superlux is off the list, thanks for that, unless it has more detail or something. 

 

[bangengeman]

Detail-wise, it's not going to be much better. It used to be my favorite dynamic IEM for a really long time, but it's a ticking time bomb in terms of build quality. If you want much more detail, maybe you should look at the Hifiman x Massdrop RE-00.