[Peicille]

To make it easier for some people, I'll give you my thoughts based on all the headphones I had extensive time with:

1. DT 770 80 Ohm Pro - The pro82's sounded a little darker than the DT770's as well as not having the bass extension that the beyerdynamics phone does very well. DT770 was a little more sibilant but handled details better.
2. Creative Aurvana Live! - I like the pro82's a little better as the CAL!'s sounded like it had veil compared to them. Much warmer sound which makes sense.
3. V-Moda M100 - The V-Modas have a similar mid range but where it absolutely destroys the pro82 is the bass. Though I feel the Pro82's treble is a bit more transparent, the v-moda's just sound nicer to listen to over all. Weirdly, the pro82's sounded dark compared to the v-modas as well for most genres.
4. Superluxe 668B - I honestly believe these are the true value kings, these for being less than 35 dollars, have better clarity and bass extension than the pro82. Sub-bass is well textured and does not bleed into other frequencies. Has great impact and the only downside being its overly hot treble (I modified mine with some acoustic filters and new pads). Also, being a semi-open back, it has a decent soundstage and adds another layer of air to make the sound come to life.
5. Ultrasone HFI-580 - No comparison, if you're a neutral guy, you can skip these. Monstrous bass with weird treble. Weird thing is, i actually like these for some genres I listen to but I know for most people, they would be trash. Only had these for a few days but if you like the signature from the pro80, Sony MDR-1A, ATH-MSR7 etc, you will hate these.
6. Thinksound ON2 - My current flavor of the month right now. Two words to describe the signature, beautifully warm. They do this without sacrificing details and clarity. I'd say the Pro82's have more detail up top but unfortunately also suffer from sibilance (But not as bad as the 668B's or DT770's. Those needed modification to even listen for me personally) Bass hits LOW but isn't in your face. These are what I listen to if i don't have bass head cans on. They also look beautiful too.. I never get compliments on headphones but everyone seems to be drawn to these. Acoustic, jazz and live performances sound amazing with these, Pro 82's sound a tad veiled and anemic in comparison. I love the sound so much that I may try to recreate it after transplanting the drivers into a circum-aural style headphone shell. It reminds me of a baby version of the Fostex TH-X00's in a way, and whats funny is that it does look like its younger brother with the wood cups.

As I stated in an earlier post, I ended up giving away the pro82's after I A/B tested all my HP's against each other. With the only headphone I felt that was not as good were the CAL!'s but I sold those awhile back because of it. I also have to mention, most of the headphones I have are powered via a Cayin C5 amp with the audio running through the Fii0 E10K dac. The only headphones that don't really need amping on my list are the Thinksound ON2's and V-moda's. Rest need more juice to sound good.

 

[BenF]

I have tested 2 cables with microphones:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/For...phone-Headset-3-5mm-to-2-5mm/32817719620.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Upg...ack-Cable-Mic-For-Bose-Quiet/32810246600.html

They sound the same(good), but the grey one makes less noise when touching the 3.5mm plug, and it is compatible with both Android and iOS (red one is Android only).
The iOS/Android switch is on the back of the remote.

 

[BenF]

I'm eyeing these as well, can you tell us how are you running them? Are you using an amp? If yes, what kind? Your post concerns bass modes off or on? Last two impressions (yours included) left me a bit puzzled. There is some uncharted space between BenF raving reports and other users. I can't find the middle ground feelings that are supposed to exist in (almost) everything.

Btw BenF if you're reading this, you got me wondering when saying that clarity and detail rivals estats. Are you guessing or from own experience (no malice, just asking)?

I always speak only from experience - but I understand why you ask, too many people on this forum give second-hand opinions.
The only estat I have that exceeds Pro82s clarity is L300. L700 and SR-003 are dragging well behind.
Yes, you've read it right - the 400$ L300 is clearer than 1400$ L700. L700 sounds more like a dynamic headphone, it's closer to B8 than to L300 or Pro 82.
It's quite close to B8 in signature too - euphonic with mids forward. B8 has much better bass though.
@Peicille would like L700 and B8 over L300 and Pro 82.

L700 gets 0% of listening time with me - Pro 82, B8 and L1000R (L300 with L700's pads) get 99.9% (as far as on/over ear headphones are concerned).

Pro 82s are also miles ahead in clarity department of any planars I have - HE400, HE400S, iSine 20 - all of these are in storage.

Just like any headphone with great clarity, your chain (amp/dac) and your music have tremendous impact on how Pro 82 will sound.
Just remember how picky HD800 is...
With Pro 82, you are listening to your chain, not your headphone - since it doesn't color the sound in any way.

 

[Peicille]

I always speak only from experience - but I understand why you ask, too many people on this forum give second-hand opinions.
The only estat I have that exceeds Pro82s clarity is L300. L700 and SR-003 are dragging well behind.
Yes, you've read it right - the 400$ L300 is clearer than 1400$ L700. L700 sounds more like a dynamic headphone, it's closer to B8 than to L300 or Pro 82.
It's quite close to B8 in signature too - euphonic with mids forward. B8 has much better bass though.
@Peicille would like L700 and B8 over L300 and Pro 82.

L700 gets 0% of listening time with me - Pro 82, B8 and L1000R (L300 with L700's pads) get 99.9% (as far as on/over ear headphones are concerned).

Pro 82s are also miles ahead in clarity department of any planars I have - HE400, HE400S, iSine 20 - all of these are in storage.

Just like any headphone with great clarity, your chain (amp/dac) and your music have tremendous impact on how Pro 82 will sound.
Just remember how picky HD800 is...
With Pro 82, you are listening to your chain, not your headphone - since it doesn't color the sound in any way.

I have never tried a stax, let alone any estat before but now I am intrigued lol.

I told myself that I'm going to get rid of more headphones and just keep 1 or 2 flagships but the chi-fi scene is making it very hard ...

I may have to take the B8 out for a spin... They sort of physically resemble the CAL! though, and I wasn't a big fan of the design but from the way you described the signature, it sounds like its made for me!

 

[fuzun]

I wonder if the newly designed Hyper X Cloud Alpha is at all related to the takstar pro 82 or if kingston and takstar plan on making a gaming headset based on the 82 in the future.

It is not because Cloud Alpha's drivers are 50mm while pro82's 40~mm.

 

[BenF]

We all hear different, have different amps dacs, players, music et.. Add personal preferences and we have a mess that is very subjective.

There are people who feel that 50usd on ears beat 7k stax systems they own and sold after finding a holy grail of headphones for 50 bucks. I'm sure a person can feel that way but it propably is not how the majority hears it.

I like to give some months before spending money on something hyped. Ovet time a general consensus is found and then we see If a product is just a fotm or something to get actually excited about.

About pro82 rivaling clarity and detail of e-stats I'm a bit sceptical. My experience is that hd800/800s barely compares to cheapest stax systems. If sub $100 closed headphone can do better than open back hd800 that is something we will hear on multiple sources soon. Not saying it is impossible but I find it highly unlikely...

Edit: and I really want to emphasize that people who love pro82 are in no way wrong. There is no right or wrong on this. I'm just talking about general consensus and how majority might perceive things

I understand your skepticism, but unfortunately more expensive headphones don't always outperform cheaper ones.
I am a not so proud owner of two 1000$ IEMs - AKG 3003 and FI-BA-SS. Just like the 1400$ L700, they get zero listening time.
A 70$ LZ-A2 gets 95% of IEM listening time instead, because it greatly outperforms both (which takes some hard-to-get tips, but still).

Pro 82 can sound amazing, if you have the right chain feeding it.
Pro 82 is incredibly clear, and makes it very easy telling a difference between Oppo HA-2 (Great!) and HA-2SE(veiled), or NFB-11.32 from the headphone out(warm and colored) and the variable out (dead neutral).
Try doing it with HD600 or ATH-ESW9 - they are way too colored.

They have no more chance of sounding great from laptop/smartphone or cheap amp/dac, than HD800 does.
You wouldn't expect HD800 to sound great from a random source, so don't expect Pro 82 either, just because it's so cheap.
Pretend they cost 1700$ instead, and you got them for 70$ because of a pricing error.
Comparison of DACs/Amps


Most importantly: even the best headphone ever won't impress you, if it doesn't fit your preferred signature.
If you like mid-forward sound - go for Bosshifi B8
If you want a truly neutral sound - go for NVX XPT100
For superior clarity and thundering bass with slightly recessed mids - Pro 82.

 

[iamSammTheMan]

i'd like to see how these stack up to my Custom Studios. Big fan of the bass sliders.

 

[Adide]

They have no more chance of sounding great from laptop/smartphone or cheap amp/dac, than HD800 does.

If these are so ultra picky about the amp/dac that's feeding them then it's a weakness and most users will have a bad experience. Perhaps they should have sold them paired with dedicated amp, that would have made the news.

Also, I'm not even asking what cheap amp/dac might be in a chi-fi product thread and assume that you are refering to built-in non-dedicated products. Else everything is fair game unless you have specific examples.

I'm eachy about opening Pandora's box and speculate about big QC issues in the light of missing stocks and opposing reports from owners but that would derail the thread from actual facts.

 

[letlive]

The Pro82 arrived yesterday. I bought it on European Amazon and it was delivered via prime shipping. I was surprised that the suitcase was included because it was missing in the product description. I really like the design and the built quality. It's so comfy, guess I could wear it for hours without problems.

Now, let's talk about the sound. The clarity is impressive. Is was said that it has a slightly U-shaped sound signature and I can definitely confirm it. After the first reports I read in this thread I expected a stronger bass but I like it though. I can also confirm that the bass slider is pretty useless and destroys the wonderful clear sound.

I compared the Pro82 to my closed back reference, the Beyerdynamic Custom Studio. The sound of the Pro82 is brighter with more present highs. Maybe this is the reason why I hear more details. The Custom Studio is more balanced with a less fatigue sound signature. The bass sliders increases the bass level in a perfect way. It's the better headphone for a longer session.

Unfortunately, I discovered something weird. After the first seconds of listening I had the feeling that the higher frequencies are louder on the right side. I listened to more tracks. Sometimes I thought everything is fine, but then again the highs were more present on the right side. I thought that something's wrong with my ears and I decided to get a second opinion. I let a friend play piano and he confirmed the imbalance. So I guess I got a defective pair.

Besides this problem the Pro82 is definitely worth the price! If you like a U-shaped sound signature, you can't go wrong with it.

 

[BenF]

If these are so ultra picky about the amp/dac that's feeding them then it's a weakness and most users will have a bad experience. Perhaps they should have sold them paired with dedicated amp, that would have made the news...

They are not picky, they are transparent - will show you all the problems in your amp/dac/recordings.
It's not their weakness, it's their strength.

If your chain need to be obscured by a headphone - buy HD600/650 or B&O H6, stay away from Pro 82.
If you listen to badly recorded music - same.
Pro 82s are not for everyone, if they don't fit your preferred sound signature and/or you don't have transparent enough chain - don't waste your time with them, look elsewhere.
I've paid a heavy price trying to force myself into some headphones just because others raved about them - don't repeat my mistakes.

 

[BenF]

The Pro82 arrived yesterday. I bought it on European Amazon and it was delivered via prime shipping. I was surprised that the suitcase was included because it was missing in the product description. I really like the design and the built quality. It's so comfy, guess I could wear it for hours without problems.

I appreciate Pro82's comfort more and more over time.
Even though NVX XPT100 has pads that are technically superior, their pressure on the head can be too much. Right now I consider Pro 82 to be the most comfortable headphone I have.

Now, let's talk about the sound. The clarity is impressive. Is was said that it has a slightly U-shaped sound signature and I can definitely confirm it. After the first reports I read in this thread I expected a stronger bass but I like it though. I can also confirm that the bass slider is pretty useless and destroys the wonderful clear sound.

100% on both points

Unfortunately, I discovered something weird. After the first seconds of listening I had the feeling that the higher frequencies are louder on the right side. I listened to more tracks. Sometimes I thought everything is fine, but then again the highs were more present on the right side. I thought that something's wrong with my ears and I decided to get a second opinion. I let a friend play piano and he confirmed the imbalance. So I guess I got a defective pair.

Manufacturers don't match the drivers for non-TOTL headphones.
Most headphones have a 2-3db imbalance, this is normal. If you check Innerfidelity's measurements, it's not uncommon at certain frequencies for imbalance to reach 5-6dB (even for 1000$+ headphones).
If the imbalance is small enough, our brain adjusts quite quickly and we stop being aware.
If the imbalance is too big, you have two options:
1) adjust balance in your player
2) exchange the headphones
BTW, how does playing piano help identify imbalance?

Besides this problem the Pro82 is definitely worth the price! If you like a U-shaped sound signature, you can't go wrong with it.

 

[WaylandC]

Just a song to put in the rotation. - Limit To Your Love by James Blake

I'd really like to hear what all these higher budget headphones sound like compared to what I'm working with.

 

[BenF]

Just a song to put in the rotation. - Limit To Your Love by James Blake

I'd really like to hear what all these higher budget headphones sound like compared to what I'm working with.

Your video is not available anymore, but this one sounds EPIC with Oppo HA-2s bass boost:

I prefer the live version of the original song though:

Here is another great version:

 

[OscarPaz]

Just a song to put in the rotation. - Limit To Your Love by James Blake

I'd really like to hear what all these higher budget headphones sound like compared to what I'm working with.

This track is all about bass texture, bass extension and low-frequency play, besides being itself a great song!! It is definitely one of songs I pick to test for bass response, it is also included in the “SoundProLab Absolute Sampler Test & Demo” selection.

You can read my impressions on the performance of the Pro 82 playing this particular track via the Mojo. In my experience, the Pro 82 delivered an impressive sound.

After having my Pro 82 for over three months now, I still agree to myself to most of what I wrote in there some months ago. Except perhaps for my impressions on their soundstage, which may need some slight amendment (for the good). This change of mind came after buying the Fidelio X2, which are supposed to deliver a huge soundstage, and comparing them directly, side by side, to the Pro 82. Since the X2 are a quite popular headphone, I will probably post something more elaborated on this comparison later on, in case it's helpful for others.

 

[Daize]

I really want to pull the trigger on this. No idea where to buy atm, though . Anyone found a decent retailer with stock?