[BenF]

Is anyone else willing to share their impressions?

 

[BenF]

Comparison with NVX XPT100

I have Yoga CD-880 and 2 of its clones - NVX XPT100 and Brainwavz HM5.
They all have identical sound, and they are the original CD-880 design, meaning they are identical to FA-003, not FA-003Ti.
I chose XPT100 for this comparison because:
1) CD-880 isn't available for purchase (unless you order at least a 1000).
2) XPT100 costs 80$ instead of 139.5$ that HM5 costs
3) XPT100 has superior pads
4) XPT100 includes both flat and angled pads, while HM5 comes with 2 pairs of flat pads.

The only disadvantage XPT100 has, is that's it's unavailable outside of US and Canada.
You'd have to use a forwarding service to acquire XPT100 from abroad, but considering the price difference with HM5 - it may still be worth it.

Comfort:

XPT100's headband padding is slightly wider, yet narrower than Pro 82's.
Quality of materials is equally high.

The ComfortMax pads are slightly longer and wider, and a lot thicker.
They are extremely comfortable, more than the standard Brainwavz pads.

XPT100 comes with both flat and angled pads - you should try both!

The pads are mounted on the cups using the plastic rings.
Be careful - if you purchase pads separately - they will come without the rings.
So if you purchase a bunch of Brainwavz replacement pads - you will have to move the rings around.

Despite the truly great pads, XPT100 isn't very comfortable at first.
The headband is too small, causing significant pressure on the head.
To achieve perfect comfort, you will have to stretch the headband for a while.

Out of the box, NVX's comfort is 7-7.5 out of 10 (Pro 82 is 8.0-8.5)
Once the headband is stretched, NVX's comfort is 10 out of 10.

Sound:
Out of the box, XPT100 sounds sucked out in the mids, too thin.
A short brun-in (10 hours) makes it sound like it should.

Flat pads sound a bit boring, and very "headphone-y"- I don't feel that I am experiencing a live performance, it's just music being played at me.
Angled pads are much more fun, bass is meatier when "fat" side is in the front.
Soundstage/imaging improve greatly with angled pads

Oppo HA-2 sounds great with angled pads, flat pads need a bit tube magic.
Nobosound NS-02E makes them sound great.
Little Dot MKIII warms them up too much from the headphone out, pre-amp out is much better
NFB11.32 is the same as Little Dot MKIII - headphone out is too warm/veiled, variable out sounds great.

I recommend using a transparent yet natural sounding DAC (e.g. Oppo HA-2) with a delicate tube amp.

Bass:
XPT100 has a very tight bass, with a neutral quantity.
It takes a bass boost very nicely, but you will never get the same rumble as in Pro 82/80.
The bass just gets louder, without changing its nature.
Angled pads do improve the bass a lot.

Mids:
OOT, the mids sound plain bad - thin and sucked out.
After burn-in, the situation improves dramatically, but the timbre is off.
Using Nobosound NS-02E or Little Dot MKIII's pre-amp out gives them a near-perfect timbre.
When using angled pads, the need for the tubes isn't as big as with the flat pads.

Treble:
XPT100 is slightly more sibilant than Pro 82, other than that - the treble is really good - clear, detailed and extended.

Soundstage/imaging:
Very headphone-y with the flat pads, much better with the angled pads (fat side in the front)

Accessories:

XPT100 comes in the same box as CD-880, with a whole lot of padding.
It has a 1.2m and 3m cables, 6.5mm adapter and 2 sets of pads.

Overall:
Comparing with Bosshifi B8 and Takstar Pro 82, this is a 3-way tie.
All three outperform their price point (70-80$) tremendously.
Each has it's strong points:

Takstar Pro 82:
Very fun sound, with bass that the others can't match, and mids, that despite the slight recession, might still be the clearest among the three headphones.
Bosshifi B8:
Excellent for long sessions of relaxed listening
NVX XPT100:
The most neutral of the three, sound can be tuned by using flat/angled pads, the only one that benefits from tubes, amazing comfort.

If you are planning on buying a 300-400$ headphone from a major brand, just buy these 3 instead and keep the change.

 

[Strynox]

I am still very curious about how the takstar pro 82 performs while competitive gaming. The main aspects for me are the soundstage, the imaging and picking up quiet, high pitched sounds (footsteps). Has anyone got any feedback in that regard? Would the XPT100 be better for that purpose? Also the durability is very important for me. Do you think that the pro 82 could stand travelling for example? Has anyone ordered it without the hard case? I don't really need the case, but I am concerned about the fact that it might arrive defective/faulty if it wasn't adequately protected while transit. Thanks for your answers in advance, and special thanks to BenF for putting in a lot of work into this thread and for providing so much information about the Pro 82s.

 

[peskypesky]

Comparison with NVX XPT100.

Those NVX are some big cans!

 

[BenF]

I am still very curious about how the takstar pro 82 performs while competitive gaming. The main aspects for me are the soundstage, the imaging and picking up quiet, high pitched sounds (footsteps).

Pro 82 has amazing clarity, you should be able to pick up quiet sounds.

Also the durability is very important for me. Do you think that the pro 82 could stand travelling for example?

It's not a headphone you should be throwing in your backpack, it needs a case like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hard-Storag...Y-MDR-Z7-Z-7Headphones-Headsets-/261672694337
The hard case that comes with Pro 82 is for storage, not traveling.

Has anyone ordered it without the hard case? I don't really need the case, but I am concerned about the fact that it might arrive defective/faulty if it wasn't adequately protected while transit.

Don't worry about ordering it without the case, it will be padded well enough to arrive safely.

Thanks for your answers in advance, and special thanks to BenF for putting in a lot of work into this thread and for providing so much information about the Pro 82s.

You are welcome!

 

[BenF]

Only 1 day is left to vote on top of the page - what will be the last comparison?
(to vote for ISK HD9999 - leave the comment here)

 

[MaDMaxiBo]

Only 1 day is left to vote on top of the page - what will be the last comparison?
(to vote for ISK HD9999 - leave the comment here)

How about if i want to learn which is better or if Takstar wins then, is there a big difference between Edifier H850 and Takstar Pro 82 due to their bass quality?
Not a brief comparison but just as an opinion. since Edifier has a half price. Should i buy it or could you say Pro 82 is just for you if you love bass. )

 

[BenF]

How about if i want to learn which is better or if Takstar wins then, is there a big difference between Edifier H850 and Takstar Pro 82 due to their bass quality?
Not a brief comparison but just as an opinion. since Edifier has a half price. Should i buy it or could you say Pro 82 is just for you if you love bass. )

H850 is in CAL! territory, it can't compete with Pro 82.

 

[MaDMaxiBo]

H850 is in CAL! territory, it can't compete with Pro 82.

Thanks a lot.
i dunno what that CAL! means but anyway

i already have a Takstar HD5500. im looking for a better quality of sound for just listening music, if possible with a good feeling of bass with a budget of under $100, and watching movie on my pc. my Creative Audigy z2s is dead. im looking for a card too. total should be $100, card and headphones.

now i should find answers for

1- is there a far better option around $70 instead Takstar Pro 82 ?
2- is there a big difference worth upgrading from HD5500 to Pro 82?
3- which sound card is best option around $ 30 for my pc (win10 x64) ?

thats all

 

[slowpickr]

Thanks a lot.
i dunno what that CAL! means but anyway

CAL! = Creative Aurvana Live!

 

[BenF]

Thanks a lot.
i dunno what that CAL! means but anyway

Comparison with CAL!

is there a far better option around $70 instead Takstar Pro 82 ?

I don't know if there is a far better option for under 400$, forget about 70$.

 

[BenF]

Only a few hours are left to vote - the poll is closing in 6 hours!
People keep voting for BossHifi B8, even though it already was reviewed...
Comparison with CAL!
Comparison with Bosshifi B8
Comparison with ISK HP2011
Comparison with NVX XPT100/Brainwavz HM5/Yoga CD-990
To vote for ISK HD9999, leave a reply here.

 

[Peicille]

After having these for nearly a week, I have a few updates. I've clocked around 60 hours of listening time with these thus far.

During the review, I ran them through a FiiO E10K with bassboost on and gain at low. Not a big fan of how they sound OEM, but to my ears, as they lack the bass depth while having slightly hot treble. The pads + hardware bassboost on the FiiO makes these come to life.

Hardware/Comfort Review:

• I stand by replacing pads for the angled HM5's. After swapping pads multiple times, I prefer the HM5's over the stock pads 100%. Adding these pads do not mess with the SQ adversely at all. To my ears, it increases sound stage and really solidifies the bass tonality without destroying the mids and highs. If you're bass adverse, then maybe the stock HM5 non-angled pads may suit you. Both I feel, are massive upgrades to the stock pads.
• Bass ports are a little bit more subjective. I find that electronic music, or music in general that benefits from a V-shaped sound signature, it sounds best with all ports open. I close off one port for anything else that's not electronic/hip-hop. Additionally, for strictly electronic/hip hop songs, I will EQ the bass up 3-5db (depends on track) at 40 hz Q0.8 with a peak filter on it. You can tailor it to your liking, but I found that setting works best for increasing bass slam without muddying up the rest of the frequencies.

Sound Review:

• Bass: After getting used to the sound, I've come to appreciate the signature a lot more. Initially, these were pretty similar to the superlux 668b in that the bass extended pretty low, but lacked quantity. These aren't basshead cans per se, but bassy music is enjoyable enough to listen to. Only caveat I have is that the tone is a bit muddy compared to that of the v-moda m100. Doesn't bother me too much though as these cost 2-3 times less than the v-moda's.
• Mids: Reason why I am keeping these honestly ... For cheap headphones that have a lot of bass, it really keeps the mids together well. Frankly, these may outperform the v-moda m100's in that aspect ... They are still slightly recessed, but would most certainly give a few sub 300 dollar headphones a run for its money in this department. Listening to David Gilmour's solo in Comfortably Numb was a treat. At the same time, Robert Plant's voice was mesmerizing listening to stairway to heaven.
• Treble: Sounded hot and slightly sibilant out of the box. They are still a little bit sibilant with some songs but it may have toned down a little since then as I am not noticing it as much. Besides that, the highs sound clear and detailed. Imaging is still great, and I never get a sense that there is not enough air or sparkle in a given track.

Conclusion:

These have become my daily drivers as the sound signature is dynamic enough for me to use it for almost all genres with a little EQ. A jack of all trades and a master of none, they are a good headphone that checks a lot of the boxes on what I want out of a headphone and does it very well. If you are in the market for an ATH-M50X or a DT770 pro 80ohm, I can almost guarantee that you will be just as happy with these. If you're coming from a whole lot of bass from cheap headphones, I suggest giving your ears a bit of time to adjust before you make any drastic decisions.

 

[BenF]

After having these for nearly a week, I have a few updates. I've clocked around 60 hours of listening time with these thus far.

During the review, I ran them through a FiiO E10K with bassboost on and gain at low. Not a big fan of how they sound OEM, but to my ears, as they lack the bass depth while having slightly hot treble. The pads + hardware bassboost on the FiiO makes these come to life.

Hardware/Comfort Review:

• I stand by replacing pads for the angled HM5's. After swapping pads multiple times, I prefer the HM5's over the stock pads 100%. Adding these pads do not mess with the SQ adversely at all. To my ears, it increases sound stage and really solidifies the bass tonality without destroying the mids and highs. If you're bass adverse, then maybe the stock HM5 non-angled pads may suit you. Both I feel, are massive upgrades to the stock pads.
• Bass ports are a little bit more subjective. I find that electronic music, or music in general that benefits from a V-shaped sound signature, it sounds best with all ports open. I close off one port for anything else that's not electronic/hip-hop. Additionally, for strictly electronic/hip hop songs, I will EQ the bass up 3-5db (depends on track) at 40 hz Q0.8 with a peak filter on it. You can tailor it to your liking, but I found that setting works best for increasing bass slam without muddying up the rest of the frequencies.

Sound Review:

• Bass: After getting used to the sound, I've come to appreciate the signature a lot more. Initially, these were pretty similar to the superlux 668b in that the bass extended pretty low, but lacked quantity. These aren't basshead cans per se, but bassy music is enjoyable enough to listen to. Only caveat I have is that the tone is a bit muddy compared to that of the v-moda m100. Doesn't bother me too much though as these cost 2-3 times less than the v-moda's.
• Mids: Reason why I am keeping these honestly ... For cheap headphones that have a lot of bass, it really keeps the mids together well. Frankly, these may outperform the v-moda m100's in that aspect ... They are still slightly recessed, but would most certainly give a few sub 300 dollar headphones a run for its money in this department. Listening to David Gilmour's solo in Comfortably Numb was a treat. At the same time, Robert Plant's voice was mesmerizing listening to stairway to heaven.
• Treble: Sounded hot and slightly sibilant out of the box. They are still a little bit sibilant with some songs but it may have toned down a little since then as I am not noticing it as much. Besides that, the highs sound clear and detailed. Imaging is still great, and I never get a sense that there is not enough air or sparkle in a given track.

Conclusion:

These have become my daily drivers as the sound signature is dynamic enough for me to use it for almost all genres with a little EQ. A jack of all trades and a master of none, they are a good headphone that checks a lot of the boxes on what I want out of a headphone and does it very well. If you are in the market for an ATH-M50X or a DT770 pro 80ohm, I can almost guarantee that you will be just as happy with these. If you're coming from a whole lot of bass from cheap headphones, I suggest giving your ears a bit of time to adjust before you make any drastic decisions.

Wow, the mids must be very special for a basshead like you to like them
However your remarks bout the bass surprise me - it is the true star of the show.

When I want to listen to some mids-focused music, I have many great options - Pro 82, B8, XPT100 or the Staxes - which I may choose pretty randomly.
However, when I want to listen to something bass-heavy - Pro 82 is the only choice. There is really nothing like it.

Please test bass like this:
1) Original pads
2) No bass boost
3) No EQ whatsoever
I understand that the quantity won't be sufficient for you, this is purely about quality.
Is the bass quality now up to your standards?

If not, then it's probably E10K's fault.
I don't have E10K, but I do have E17. It just can't deliver well-controlled, powerful bass. It can deliver LOUD bass, but now a POWERFUL one.
This changes dramatically when I use the L7 dock and bypass the built-in amp to E12.
This is still not Oppo-HA2 level of performance, but it's miles ahead of the built-in amp.
I'm listening to E17+E12 as I'm writing this, and it's REALLY FUDGING GOOD!

This Zeos's review makes me believe that E10K has a similar setup - a great DAC and a shiiiiiiity amp:


I can't guarantee that it will work with E10K as well as it did with E17, but it's worth a try to buy a used E12 (not E12A!).
Of course OPPO HA-2 is still a better option - but it will cost you 200-250$ used. I'd still take it over HA-2SE brand new for the same price though.

 

[Peicille]

Wow, the mids must be very special for a basshead like you to like them
However your remarks bout the bass surprise me - it is the true star of the show.

When I want to listen to some mids-focused music, I have many great options - Pro 82, B8, XPT100 or the Staxes - which I may choose pretty randomly.
However, when I want to listen to something bass-heavy - Pro 82 is the only choice. There is really nothing like it.

Please test bass like this:
1) Original pads
2) No bass boost
3) No EQ whatsoever
I understand that the quantity won't be sufficient for you, this is purely about quality.
Is the bass quality now up to your standards?

If not, then it's probably E10K's fault.
I don't have E10K, but I do have E17. It just can't deliver well-controlled, powerful bass. It can deliver LOUD bass, but now a POWERFUL one.
This changes dramatically when I use the L7 dock and bypass the built-in amp to E12.
This is still not Oppo-HA2 level of performance, but it's miles ahead of the built-in amp.
I'm listening to E17+E12 as I'm writing this, and it's REALLY FUDGING GOOD!

This Zeos's review makes me believe that E10K has a similar setup - a great DAC and a shiiiiiiity amp:


I can't guarantee that it will work with E10K as well as it did with E17, but it's worth a try to buy a used E12 (not E12A!).
Of course OPPO HA-2 is still a better option - but it will cost you 200-250$ used. I'd still take it over HA-2SE brand new for the same price though.

I'm actually looking at upgrading my amp, just waiting on either of these amps to go on sale at massdrop (JDS Objective 2 / Cayin C5) both have a higher mW output so that should blow the e10k out of the water. The OPPO actually has nearly the same power output as the E10k @ 220mW at 32 ohms. E10K has 200mW at 32ohms I believe.


Don't get me wrong though, these are probably next in line as my favorite bass-centric headphones. They just don't have the extreme basshead kind of bass if that makes sense (DT770's are also in this group) ... It's hard to articulate what I mean because most people assume more bass = more muddy, less detail etc. I found the M100's to still have a cleaner/tighter bass slam, but it's also 100 dollars more. I'll try it again with a different amp, I've been meaning to upgrade that part of my set up anyway haha