DJScope
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The Takstar, Technical Pro, Gemini Greathon, CyberX, Qpad Thread
This weekend I compared Pro80's to couple of more expensive closed back headphones. Some more expensive still today, some that have had a price discount.
Pro80's compared to Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro:
COP was priced well over $200 when it was released. As many people know, Takstar's are a copy of beyers build wise. Same hinge system except takstars are oval and beyers are round. Many people have said that Takstars are a nice copy but beyers have better build quality. I don't quite agree on that.Unless you are comparing hi2050 velour pads use on beyers velours it is pretty much the same. So it is here too, when comparing COP to PRO80. Cops have a tad nicer pads and detachable cable but beyond that I can't tell which is a $50 headphone and which is $250.
Beyers sound more balanced in general. Top end is really good...Quite bright but only on the edge before it becomes sibilant. Unfortunately mids sound quite "dirty" compared to pro80's and the bass is bloated. It isn't a matter of different tuning ports used, the bass on COP just is not that good. Taksars are a clear winner here and COP were a big disappointment for me...at least considering the msrp.
Pro80's compared to audio-technica ath-m50's(old version not the x one).
M50's are a classic, propably the most recommended headphone for $150 ever. I really like m50's but these are just too V-shaped by signature. Recessed mids...if you don't understand the term give these a listen. However V-signature gives M50's a dynamic nature and I can definately understand why these have been so popular. If it wasn't for the highs that tend to be shrill and obvious lack in the midrange I would gladly take these over PRO80's. Maybe X version has fixed those issues but compared to the old version I take PRO80's.
I also compared Takstars's to Philips Citiscape Uptown. If I remember correctly Philips's original msrp was about $150. Philips beat Takstar's in soundstage and isolation. Philips also sound more natural but can't match the clarity of Pro80's. Philips are excellent at their current discount price but I still prefer the clarity of Takstar's. Close call though...
Previously I have compared Pro80's side by side to Beyer DT770 250ohm, Brainwavz HM5 and AKG K550. I don't recall why, but I preferred Pro80's over DT770. I guess it was just how pleasent the headphones sound in general. But I do remember that Beyers had one of the best highs I have ever heard. I like highs on DT770 better than on their flagship T1.
HM5's I had were digitech pro monitors. The old ones that people often said those sound like closed sennheiser hd600. As a long time fan and owner of hd600's I think it is a fair comparison. With detachable cables, and by now legendary HM5 pads Digitechs have an edge on build quality. I also thought that HM5 had a better bass texture. But those are also lacking in highs. So it became a choice between sound signatures and I prefer Takstars.
AKG K550's I had were propaby faulty. These were about $250 when released if I remember. I had no seal issue but the bass was very light. Later I found out there are variations between models and some do lack bass because of quality control issues. K550's had soundstage and clarity that PRO80's could not match but in general it was no contest. Takstar's for the win again.
I also planned on comparing PRO80's to Logitech UE6000 which have an msrp of over $200 but unfortunately UE's had a driver failure before I could do any comparisons. However I have spent more than 100 hours with the UE's and I can say that by so called audiophile standards UE's are no match for Takstars.
Here is how I would rank the headphones.
1) Takstar PRO80/HM5
2) Beyerdynamic DT770 250ohm
3) Philips Citiscape Uptown.
4) Audio Techica ATH-M50
5) Logitech UE6000
6) AKG K550
7) Beyedynamic Custom One Proo
For me PRO80's are not just the best headphones in the budget land but propably the best headphones under $150. Comparisons this weekend were made with samsung s4+topping nx1. That is just for this weekend though... Most of the headtime the headphones have gotten has been with spl phonitor, schiit vali, maverick d1, lehman rhinelander etc...
EDIT: PRO80's used are the old version with coiled cable and without the cloth covers on the driver. Pads are stock. Normally I use HM5 pads but I though since I am comparing Takstars to stock headphones PR80's should not be altered either.
Pro80's compared to Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro:
COP was priced well over $200 when it was released. As many people know, Takstar's are a copy of beyers build wise. Same hinge system except takstars are oval and beyers are round. Many people have said that Takstars are a nice copy but beyers have better build quality. I don't quite agree on that.Unless you are comparing hi2050 velour pads use on beyers velours it is pretty much the same. So it is here too, when comparing COP to PRO80. Cops have a tad nicer pads and detachable cable but beyond that I can't tell which is a $50 headphone and which is $250.
Beyers sound more balanced in general. Top end is really good...Quite bright but only on the edge before it becomes sibilant. Unfortunately mids sound quite "dirty" compared to pro80's and the bass is bloated. It isn't a matter of different tuning ports used, the bass on COP just is not that good. Taksars are a clear winner here and COP were a big disappointment for me...at least considering the msrp.
Pro80's compared to audio-technica ath-m50's(old version not the x one).
M50's are a classic, propably the most recommended headphone for $150 ever. I really like m50's but these are just too V-shaped by signature. Recessed mids...if you don't understand the term give these a listen. However V-signature gives M50's a dynamic nature and I can definately understand why these have been so popular. If it wasn't for the highs that tend to be shrill and obvious lack in the midrange I would gladly take these over PRO80's. Maybe X version has fixed those issues but compared to the old version I take PRO80's.
I also compared Takstars's to Philips Citiscape Uptown. If I remember correctly Philips's original msrp was about $150. Philips beat Takstar's in soundstage and isolation. Philips also sound more natural but can't match the clarity of Pro80's. Philips are excellent at their current discount price but I still prefer the clarity of Takstar's. Close call though...
Previously I have compared Pro80's side by side to Beyer DT770 250ohm, Brainwavz HM5 and AKG K550. I don't recall why, but I preferred Pro80's over DT770. I guess it was just how pleasent the headphones sound in general. But I do remember that Beyers had one of the best highs I have ever heard. I like highs on DT770 better than on their flagship T1.
HM5's I had were digitech pro monitors. The old ones that people often said those sound like closed sennheiser hd600. As a long time fan and owner of hd600's I think it is a fair comparison. With detachable cables, and by now legendary HM5 pads Digitechs have an edge on build quality. I also thought that HM5 had a better bass texture. But those are also lacking in highs. So it became a choice between sound signatures and I prefer Takstars.
AKG K550's I had were propaby faulty. These were about $250 when released if I remember. I had no seal issue but the bass was very light. Later I found out there are variations between models and some do lack bass because of quality control issues. K550's had soundstage and clarity that PRO80's could not match but in general it was no contest. Takstar's for the win again.
I also planned on comparing PRO80's to Logitech UE6000 which have an msrp of over $200 but unfortunately UE's had a driver failure before I could do any comparisons. However I have spent more than 100 hours with the UE's and I can say that by so called audiophile standards UE's are no match for Takstars.
Here is how I would rank the headphones.
1) Takstar PRO80/HM5
2) Beyerdynamic DT770 250ohm
3) Philips Citiscape Uptown.
4) Audio Techica ATH-M50
5) Logitech UE6000
6) AKG K550
7) Beyedynamic Custom One Proo
For me PRO80's are not just the best headphones in the budget land but propably the best headphones under $150. Comparisons this weekend were made with samsung s4+topping nx1. That is just for this weekend though... Most of the headtime the headphones have gotten has been with spl phonitor, schiit vali, maverick d1, lehman rhinelander etc...
EDIT: PRO80's used are the old version with coiled cable and without the cloth covers on the driver. Pads are stock. Normally I use HM5 pads but I though since I am comparing Takstars to stock headphones PR80's should not be altered either.
theuprising
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I love these headphones, but really they beat the DT 770? Among most around here the DT 770 is a straight upgrade to the Pro 80.
I took the A900x over the Pro 80's, why don't you give them a listen. A big thing that I look at that most other people don't is the pliability of the drivers with EQ. The Pro 80's didn't really respond to well to EQ but its stock settings were nice and neutral so it didn't matter to me. The A900x has a coloured slightly V-shaped signature but responded GREAT with EQ, making it have the Pro 80's sound signature with worse sub bass, better treble, and huge soundstage making it overall an upgrade.
I forgot about the philips uptowns, I wonder how they compare to the momentums as I see them described similarly.
I took the A900x over the Pro 80's, why don't you give them a listen. A big thing that I look at that most other people don't is the pliability of the drivers with EQ. The Pro 80's didn't really respond to well to EQ but its stock settings were nice and neutral so it didn't matter to me. The A900x has a coloured slightly V-shaped signature but responded GREAT with EQ, making it have the Pro 80's sound signature with worse sub bass, better treble, and huge soundstage making it overall an upgrade.
I forgot about the philips uptowns, I wonder how they compare to the momentums as I see them described similarly.
RedHarlow
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Is there a difference between the Gemini DJ HSR-1000 and the Takstar Pro 80's?
theuprising
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RedHarlow
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Good because the gemini are cheaper.
Dimon Hell
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I'm quite impressed with that kind review!
Pro80 are my very first headphones ever, and after a few days of listening i though i gonna upgrade those with DT770, but now i'm not so sure... Maybe they really that good? Then, probably, i should keep em, at least for comparing with more expensive motels, that come in future?
Pro80 are my very first headphones ever, and after a few days of listening i though i gonna upgrade those with DT770, but now i'm not so sure... Maybe they really that good? Then, probably, i should keep em, at least for comparing with more expensive motels, that come in future?
It has been a while since I had DT770. At that time I mostly used PRO80, HM5 and Beyers. Beyers ended up getting least headtime. I can't say why exactly I preferred Takstar's and HM5 over Beyers...I just did. However If I had a new change to compare DT770 to PRO80's and I ended up liking the Beyers more...the difference would be minimal. Definately not worth the money.
I am definately interested in a900x. Hopefully I get a change to hear those someday. I had w1000x for a while though. It is way more expensive than DT770, PRO80's and HM5 but it is also a lot better. If I were considering an upgrade from PRO80's I would skip DT770 and such and jump directly to headphones in the price range of w1000x.
I had similar experience with eq on PRO80's. Not so many headphones are easy to eq. To my experience bass heavy headphones with recessed highs are the easiest to work with.
Gr33nL34f
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the gemini hsr-1000 is probably the best value closed can under $200 the dt770 isn't worth the extra cost ($190) over the hsr-1000 ($45) not imo.
Hal Rockwell
500+ Head-Fier
Just purchase the angled and hybrid HM5 pads from MP4NATION with the 4th of July discount coupon. Will report the moment they'll arrive and I'll have some time comparing them to the regular HM5 pads.
Me x3
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Soundmagic HP150 is probably the right way to go coming from Takstar Pro 80.
quisxx
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Hp150 lacks bass impact. Other than that, yes I would definitely consider them an upgrade. I loved those things soooooo much. If you want a pro 80 with better pads/overall fit, more rumble (but tight/contolled), and beautiful but smooth highs, the Hp150 is that.
Gr33nL34f
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i'd probably go with the hp150 over the 770.
mysticstryk
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Recently purchased the Gemini HSR-1000 (pro 80) from amazon for $50. I really like them and am amazed at the sound quality for the price. I was flip flopping around getting the m50x but I didn't like their fit or sound. Somebody recommended these as even better though a third of the price. They were not wrong.
I like them so much in fact that I have been considering buying their open back designed Takstar HI2050. I currently own a pair of Senn HD 595 though, and like them a lot. How would the 2050 be compared to the HD595?
I like them so much in fact that I have been considering buying their open back designed Takstar HI2050. I currently own a pair of Senn HD 595 though, and like them a lot. How would the 2050 be compared to the HD595?
drunkensoul
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Has anyone removed the logo on the side of the Takstar Pro 80's/Gemini/CyberX. I want a logoless look but I am not sure the best way to try to make it that way.
Thanks
Thanks
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