[Myrra]

Let me address some of his "hard info".

First, he says that "Pro 82 has a warm/full sound signature".
...

Well, I meant mostly the frequency ranges & waterfall graphs etc. This is rather subjective opinion to me. You still need a common sense to interpret measurements -- like you wrote -- channel matching for instance. Peak around 5-7kHz is said to affect closed headphones a lot. Or differences less then 6dB, at frequency ranges where almost inaudiable. For some might be important info, for some a guideline. I see it mostly as a guideline with measurements, conclusion should be done using the other reviews on his page with "known" headphones. Ultimate way is of course to try it -- for 80$ not a big deal.

So far I haven't seen any measurements at all. Nice to see they rather follow Takstar's provided graphs...

[edit] BTW, I'm used to make my own conclusions apart from others, so probably not that sensitive to written text

 

[BenF]

Well, I meant mostly the frequency ranges & waterfall graphs etc. This is rather subjective opinion to me. You still need a common sense to interpret measurements -- like you wrote -- channel matching for instance. Peak around 5-7kHz is said to affect closed headphones a lot. Or differences less then 6dB, at frequency ranges where almost inaudiable. For some might be important info, for some a guideline. I see it mostly as a guideline with measurements, conclusion should be done using the other reviews on his page with "known" headphones. Ultimate way is of course to try it -- for 80$ not a big deal.

So far I haven't seen any measurements at all. Nice to see they rather follow Takstar's provided graphs...

[edit] BTW, I'm used to make my own conclusions apart from others, so probably not that sensitive to written text

Sorry if it sounded like I was trying to argue with you, I just want to debunk his article for all the people on this thread.
My MiniDSP EARS should be delivered on Monday, but I won't be home for another month, so the measurements will have to wait.

 

[oldmate]

for 80$ not a big deal.

Actually I beg to differ. Assuming $80 is AUD it is say 10 per cent of the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro here in AU. Why waste the money spent on this headphone when you could put it towards something vastly superior and stopping this nonsense that an $80.00 pair of a Chinese copy of the MDR1A is the sheez.

 

[tommo21]

Sorry if it sounded like I was trying to argue with you, I just want to debunk his article for all the people on this thread.
My MiniDSP EARS should be delivered on Monday, but I won't be home for another month, so the measurements will have to wait.

Sorry Ben, but you've completely wrong about Solderdude. He has tested 100's of headphones. and he writes his honest opinion about every single one of them. He's the most trustworthy tester I have ever seen on the internet and is crtitcal to absolutely all headphones he tests.He's also a consultant to many manufacturers and has a a more proven trackrecord than most in this thread I believe.

I'm actually more concerned about your "affiliation" with Takstar and Takstar sellers, as your hype of these headphones and the specific sellers are very uncritical. This has made me, and I'm sure others also a bit wary of you comments and the need to defend every critical comments that comes these headphones way. Try to allow others their opinion and don't shoot people down because they have other experience than you.

Here's my 5 cents on the headphone. The headphone is OK, but no better than Audio-Technica m40X(better mids) or The Superlux HD662 EVO(Which is half the price of the Takstar)

 

[oldmate]

I'm actually more concerned about your "affiliation" with Takstar and Takstar sellers, as your hype of these headphones and the specific sellers are very uncritical. This has made me, and I'm sure others also a bit wary of you comments and the need to defend every critical comments that comes these headphones way.

Yeah. About time he was honest and declared his interest in Takstar. I'll bet my balls he works for them.

I've always been a little suspicious about this guy - perhaps it was his comparison with the TH900's which was an absolute joke.

So Ben - are you going to fess up or what??

 

[J Mirra]

I do not think BenF is affiliated with Takstar i think he is defending the headphones as he is the thread starter and the 82's are his favorite headphones.

When I had the LDMKII inline the synergy with them was amazing and I could not stop listening to them over all my other headphones as I stated pages back now.

I now have the Audio-gd R2R 11 and the T1's are back, imaging, staging, micro detail.

Everyone should have an opinion on what they hear and prefer, let's all enjoy our music fascination with whatever sounds the best to us

 

[iancraig10]

Solderdude has no axe to grind with any manufacturer.

Read the thread on DIYAH which contains less emotion and hype than here. He only reviewed them because one of the members heard differences between two versions.

Could be QC or actual differences.

Solderdude has a lot of experience with headphones, speakers and amps since he has worked in the business in the past for well know manufacturers.

He knows what he's talking about. English is not his first language so occasionally the wording may seem strange but it is easy to see most of the time what he means.

He says what he hears and sees in measurements with honesty and doesn' t get 'hyped' about any headphone.

He says what he hears and sees. He's absolutely amazing at translating figures and graphs into a description of sound. In the past, He's described a headphone that I had to me without hearing it but getting his info from graphs and figures. He was frighteningly accurate.

So Ben, you really have got it wrong about Solderdude. He has no feelings either way for the headphone.

You should chat to him on DIYAH and imo, you'd be in trouble defending your claims about his review.

He's extremely good at it. I get the impression that it's quite a good headphone from his review. Especially at it's price level.

He'd probably love to know how it 'scales up and how the measurements change with another amp. Also, your comparisons with more expensive headphones frequency responses would be very interesting to him since he knows those headphones extremely well.

In order to 'debunk his review, I'd suggest answering him directly and see what he says instead of doing that here. He's not a member of Headfi.

 

[Myrra]

Actually I beg to differ. Assuming $80 is AUD it is say 10 per cent of the Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro here in AU. Why waste the money spent on this headphone when you could put it towards something vastly superior and stopping this nonsense that an $80.00 pair of a Chinese copy of the MDR1A is the sheez.

It's USD, but it doesn't matter. I can pretty understand your approach and would take the same path if aiming for DT-1990 (or, personally, rather DT-1770). But neither of them exactly fullfil "cheap office headphones" definition, right? I would never come across chi-fi thread like this if looking for such a classy headphones. Suprisingly Pro 82 quality raises many questions and some answers and doubts. And there is (was) almost no info except this thread. So I'm just curious why bother to contribute to a thread when there are apparently no questions nor answers based on personal experience. I'm probably pretty wierd looking for such motivation as was my inital business with Chinese store (while everybody understands it's a lottery at least and that's all). But I learned something, and for a cheap price. Chinese can make a nice product and sell it any way possible, doesn't matter what you think about it. Different mentality, different approach. You learn, you evolve.

 

[oldmate]

So I'm just curious why bother to contribute to a thread when there are apparently no questions nor answers based on personal experience.

I came across this thread after some search results whilst researching a purchase were putting Pro 82's in the company of much more expensive headphones which as it turned out was just one person talking these cans up. Actually the only person on the web talking these up. All Zeos did was comment on the comfort!!

I actually did ask for some comparisons but they were not forthcoming as it turns out unless you count that joke of a comparison with the MDR1A's.

Anyways, I've gone ahead with something else so enjoy your Pro 82's.

And I still reckon BenF works for Takstar Audio so if you want to get your nose out of joint about something that might be a better place to start.

 

[heavyharmonies]

Solderdude's missive is just one more person's opinion, no more, no less. It's a very thorough review with supporting data, although I do find some of the conclusions drawn a bit head-scratching and contradictory, but if as mentioned above English is not his primary language, that could explain it.

As to Ben's manner in the thread, he's the thread starter and an overhyped fan. As with many afficionados, he probably wants people to be as enamored with the Pro 82 as he is, so goes out of his way to persuade. There's nothing wrong with that. Some of you with your Illuminati conspiracies insisting he works for Takstar need to have your tinfoil hats adjusted.

With any consumer device or recommendation, no single review should ever be used to decide upon (or avoid) a particular item. It's the consensus of opinion that matters, not one or two specific data points. You exclude the most pro and the most con reports at the tail ends of the bell curve and look and see what the majority say.

Even when that is said and done, headphone comfort and audible characteristics are very subjective. What is fabulous for one will suck for another... which is fine and dandy. There are no univerally applied truths when it comes to these things.

 

[Myrra]

I came across this thread after some search results whilst researching a purchase were putting Pro 82's in the company of much more expensive headphones which as it turned out was just one person talking these cans up. Actually the only person on the web talking these up. All Zeos did was comment on the comfort!!

I actually did ask for some comparisons but they were not forthcoming as it turns out unless you count that joke of a comparison with the MDR1A's.

Anyways, I've gone ahead with something else so enjoy your Pro 82's.

And I still reckon BenF works for Takstar Audio so if you want to get your nose out of joint about something that might be a better place to start.

Ok, that explains and I'm satisfied. Doesn't mean I agree but I understand.

Won't comment on possible market relationship between BenF and Takstar. It might be, might not. Very hard to find out. Maybe he is just too enthusiastic. Internet is full of business connections, hidden or not, I swim these waters since the very first web pages and it gets only worse. Just try to keep it clean.

There are hopefully some other great cheap heaphones when my Pro 82 dies years later. With myriads of other hobbies and obligations probably won't use them as extensively as many others before.

 

[BenF]

...I'm actually more concerned about your "affiliation" with Takstar and Takstar sellers, as your hype of these headphones and the specific sellers are very uncritical.

I own over 150 headphones/amps/DACs, and I have paid a full price for each and every one of them. I have never agreed to receive "free samples" or any compensation from anyone.
Not only I bought all of them, but I have never sold any of them, no matter how expensive a mistake it was - AKG3003, FI-BA-SS, Stax L700 etc.
About TakstarAudio, read here - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/tak...iscussion-thread.849965/page-84#post-14018369

...Try to allow others their opinion and don't shoot people down because they have other experience than you.

I'd skip his article if he didn't use the word "fake" so much, and didn't give the worst possible recommendation for using Pro 82 - as a portable headphone.
Even if somebody is brave enough not to be deterred by possible "fake" Pro 82s will buy it, they are very likely to be disappointed if they follow his recommendation.

...He's the most trustworthy tester I have ever seen on the internet and is crtitcal to absolutely all headphones he tests.

Could he be so critical to these headphones, because he has vested interest in selling his amps, which are supposed to fix the "flaws"?

...He's also a consultant to many manufacturers ...

Wow, didn't know that! Now that certainly looks like possible affiliation, doesn't it? He should clearly state his current/past relationships with manufacturers, if he wants to be taken seriously.
Sure smells like a potential collusion.

Here's my 5 cents on the headphone. The headphone is OK...

You should try a better chain than Fulla 2
Comparison of DACs/Amps
If you are not willing to do that - sell it, it's not going to get better by itself.

 

[BenF]

Read the thread on DIYAH which contains less emotion and hype than here.

No, thank you. I barely have time to follow this thread.

Solderdude has a lot of experience with headphones, speakers and amps since he has worked in the business in the past for well know manufacturers.

Yet he doesn't clearly state his current/past relationships with those "well known manufacturers" - suspicious behavior.

English is not his first language so occasionally the wording may seem strange but it is easy to see most of the time what he means.

Yet given his work with "well known manufacturers", he should know better than anybody how damaging using a word "fake" can be to a product/brand - but he keeps using it.
And a "warm/full sounding" headphones with distant and hollow mids - since he reviewed 100s of headphones already, I'm not buying the "English as a second language" excuse - he probably wasn't speaking Dutch to all these manufacturers he worked with.
It's not my first language either.

He says what he hears and sees in measurements with honesty and doesn' t get 'hyped' about any headphone.
He says what he hears and sees. He's absolutely amazing at translating figures and graphs into a description of sound. In the past, He's described a headphone that I had to me without hearing it but getting his info from graphs and figures. He was frighteningly accurate.

He "hears" what he sees in his own measurements. Given that his graphs aren't smoothed, he would need a robotic hearing to really hear that way - assuming he is a human, that's unlikely.

I get the impression that it's quite a good headphone from his review. Especially at it's price level.

"Thus not really recommended for studio usage and not really recommended for audiophiles either." - which part of this reads "it's quite a good headphone" to you?

He'd probably love to know how it 'scales up and how the measurements change with another amp. Also, your comparisons with more expensive headphones frequency responses would be very interesting to him since he knows those headphones extremely well.
In order to 'debunk his review, I'd suggest answering him directly and see what he says instead of doing that here. He's not a member of Headfi.

I have no interest in making him a better reviewer.

But enough Solderdude talk.
Does anyone have any new impressions?

 

[Tweeters]

Does anyone want to do a straight swap, my Pro 82's for their Bosshifi B8's? I'd be open to other headphone/IEM trade offers in case anyone might want to, or I could just straight sell them

 

[iancraig10]

Well Ben. You have him completely wrong and because of those statements that you made regarding him and allegiances, I can't take you seriously as an honest reviewer. Those statements are unfounded and downright incorrect.

You've also interpreted some of what I said incorrectly too. I'm presuming that your English is good so you have incorrectly restated what you think I was saying.

For instance, in the past, Solderdude has described the sound of a headphone that I have and HE DOESN'T HAVE, very accurately from data that he keeps. He's an expert at translating data into desription of sound ..... again .... without the headphone.

Because he has worked with companies in the past DOESN'T mean that he biased because of those companies. That's just daft. Are you suggesting that by criticising a cheap Chinese headphone he's protecting past companies? Really? Again, just daft.

He also never stated that there were fakes. He thought more a case of revisions. I think you just jumped too high at the word "fake and how this destroys a company. Just daft. If anything, most sensible people WOULD BUY FROM THE COMPANY to ensure a good headphone or a recognised distributor. So why are you on your high horse about fakes? Again, over the top.

You are too influenced by your own hype tbh. Especially as you bought them and he didn't.

Anyway, it's not really of great consequence over a headphone.

If you join the discussion with Solderdude he'll wipe the floor with you, so I understand your reticence and criticisms from afar. Far safer isn't it?

I'll forward your review to him then since you believe that you're such an accurate reviewer. I'll add it to DIYAH so you can watch what he says. (If you have time )

Glad you like them.