[whoelse]

I do have a HD681F actually
 
Quote:

No, they don't sound alike.  Just for the sake of analogy, if HD381F is Sennheiser, HD681 is Beyerdynamic.  HD381F has good bass to midrange area, while rather soft in treble, HD681 has a bit V shape tonal balance, good bass and sparkly trable, with rather thin midrange.

 

 

[earfonia]

Quote:

I do have a HD681F actually
 


 

Ah I see sorry, my mistake I have HD681, haven't tried the HD681F.  How HD681F sounds?
 

 

[whoelse]

Let me say something very contradicting, is the Superlux worth? Yes, I think so. Many said it is plasticky while yes, but I think it is quite tough. Now, how does it sound? Many love it so maybe it was just me that is giving a different opinion. I went for the F version because it suppose to be flat.
 
I do not know how to descript  it. The characteristic doesn't sounds audiophile at all. It sounds like some Midi system with boomy bass, the treble sounds like somethine a wrongly or overly done EQ sound. I just cannot stand how it sound. I really want to love it, I put it on my desk and I keep taking out to try give it chances but same result each time. I have to keep turning down the volume, it was so hear peircing. Oh yes, I have burn in for at least 100hrs.
 
I open up the CANs to insert some foam to damp the treble and it does tamp down some of the high but it also make it less transparent.
 
Next, the 681F have only 1 cable on the left CAN. So how does it actually carry the signal over to the right speaker? Well, it solder to the 2 metal headbands to carry the signal. I'm sure the band is made with steel or something not design to be as good as copper wire. If you believe cable make a different then this can show how non hifi this phone can be. If you want a cheap headphone for general midi, I'm sure it does a great job. But if you want something that pair well with higher grade source or equipment, it's time for a better upgrade.
 
As for 681F compare to the 688B, I have never heard the 668B so I cannot comment. If these phones are great, as a businessman I would want to maximise my profits by selling it at higher cost.
 
The concept of good and bad arise only upon comparison. Now, what are we comparing with? I'm sure with many similar priced headphone this might well be good then there are clearly better choices out there within the same price range.
 
Sometime it is just like "The Emperor's New Clothes" when more people starting to talk about something, it might starting to sounds good. Then, it doesn't matter how good or bad when people say it. The most important is whether it sounds good to your ears. If it cost $500 but don't sounds good then it is no good to you. If it is $50 but sounds good then it is good. All out ears are born differently, we do not hear the same thing and equipment pairing is another important factor.
 
Ha. don't bash me.. I know many like it. Good, just to my ears there are the worst pair of phone I have ever heard before. Sad, as I really want to love it.
 
Quote:

Ah I see sorry, my mistake I have HD681, haven't tried the HD681F.  How HD681F sounds?
 

 

 

[AudioHipster]

Wow i tried the HD381 ...  and the first thing a notice is they fit in your ears.. easy like and stay .... i love that don;t you know.... and man they freaking sound real.. and the bass is off the chain....  if a mix is mud they let you know...  Great sound over all ...  these are enjoyable to just mellow out for hours on some fusion... real value for the money...  Thought i'd salt the beans...      D 
SuperLux they could use a small pouch so my 3 year old does not take off with them running thru the house.... trying to stick them in his ears. these are much better then my other 30 to 60$ range ear buds... no contest. 

 

[tomscy2000]

I'm really not sure why this thread has turned into a discussion about the 681 series, but let me try to put things into perspective. Of the 381 series of IEMs, I've only listened to the 381F, and they are truly excellent for the price that they're sold at. They're airy, balanced, and fairly neutral with a tad bit of forwardness in the vocals. No, they're not detail monsters, but they do pretty well for their price point. However, the bass speed is not exactly stellar, and the soundstage lacks good directionality and textured layering. They're also very poorly made. That doesn't stop me from saying that it is one of the most enjoyable pairs of budget earphones I've ever listened to --- period. It's my budget IEM benchmark for anything <$100.
 
The 681 series is a full-sized headphone series that presents decent value but also not exactly world beaters. My favorite version is the 681B, which is a tad boomy, but very well balanced. The 681F feels oddly thin, while the 681 is not well-balanced and the top and bottom ends don't articulate well IMO.
 
The 668B to me is a very noticeable step up from the 681 series. It is a true monitor-like headphone with good levels of detail that rival most full-sized headphones several times its price. Its semi-open rather than open design doesn't give the expansive feel of more pricey headphones, but it has good imaging characteristics. Its flaw is in its smoothness (or rather lack of). It's tuned for detail and thus nothing is smoothed over. It won't sound as refined as other phones that cost more.

 

[AudioHipster]

Thanks man for the low down on the 681B i am going to get these soon... going to try the HD-662 (EQ similar to the DT770)  as well... i am completely stoked about using the HD-662F in the studio... the best low budget can i have tracked with... Man it works... like no others for loud rock and roll bands tracking to tape... in the same room.  and i agree... this should be about the In /Ear monitors .... great job Kudos to the cat that wrote this review.... I hated wearing my sony earbuds so i didn't now i am a limited ear bud user....    Thanks for the review .... AudioHipster analog recording. 

 

[sailorman]

"I've posted this mini review in other forums, but since there is not many info about Superlux HD381 here, maybe this mini review can be usefull for the forum members here."
 
To the OP:  HaHa.....I'm so glad I re-read your first post and caught that line because I just saw this review on sgheadphones and I was about to accuse you, (or that other guy), of plagiarism!! 

 
Thanks for doing it.  You're right. There's not a lot of info about these out there, even now, a year later.

 

[nfinite]

Hi, finally I found a thread for superlux 381 series...
 
I have a pair of 381 series, the F one.. so far I enjoyed this IEM very much... sounds good and the price is quite unbelievable..
My 381F has been well burned (300+ hours)... the sound becoming warmer than out of the box... but the mid, bass, and high are more refined than out of the box, without any sibilant..
 
Btw, anyone tried 381F with sony hybrids tips? does it affect the sound signature?
 

 

[icemanmd78]

Will this IEM benefit from an amp, like the Fiio E11, using an iDevice? Or, can it "stand alone"?

 

[tomscy2000]

Yes, just about all earphones and headphones will benefit from an amplifier. However, it is not necessary for you to buy one, unless you already have one. It's relatively sensitive, so output isn't a problem, but other improvements that come with amplified output accompany as well. I almost never took mine outdoors, so it was hooked to my desktop amp 99% of the time. I didn't notice any synergy problems with the extra power because of my amp's low output impedance, and also dynamic driver headphones tend not to have too many impedance variation issues.

 

[icemanmd78]

Yes, just about all earphones and headphones will benefit from an amplifier. However, it is not necessary for you to buy one, unless you already have one. It's relatively sensitive, so output isn't a problem, but other improvements that come with amplified output accompany as well. I almost never took mine outdoors, so it was hooked to my desktop amp 99% of the time. I didn't notice any synergy problems with the extra power because of my amp's low output impedance, and also dynamic driver headphones tend not to have too many impedance variation issues.

Thank you, Sir, for that insight... A lot of members from headphiles.org, when I posted the same question a few hours ago, also vouched that the Superlux doesn't really need an amp (unless I already have one). I'm happy to have invested on a good IEM.

 

[Mozu]

My folks surprised me with a pair of these for Xmas, and I've been really pleased with them so far. They're comfortable, and they sound great, although they're still burning in, and the lack of isolation compared to other IEMs makes them excellent (for me, anyway) for biking and jogging.

 

[Mironov]

Do you recommend the 381F for metal and some electronic genre?

 

[tomscy2000]

I haven't had the 381F in a while but I wouldn't recommend it for electronic, as I don't feel the drivers are all that fast. The overall tonal balance is pretty much suitable for any genre of music, though.

 

[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]