[peter123]

  I don't see why some of you are obsessing about the driver size. The size of the driver makes no difference, only the implementation does. Like there is no headphones from other manufacturers with smaller drivers that sound better than Takstar?
 
Somic shrunk the driver size in their flagships too and people state that it's still an improvement over the previous generation.

Who's obsessed with anything?
 
In my experience bigger drivers almost always perform better than smaller ones for offerings in the budget segment.

 

[Hal Rockwell]

The older models like PRO80 from Takstar and MH463 from Somic have been around for a long while. Since their initial release, lots have changed in the headphone world. The Chinese manufacturers had their share of progress too, so I guess they managed to decrease the driver size in their flagships and still make them an upgrade over the previous generation. There are no reviews about the new Takstar models yet, but I read some impression posts here on Head-Fi from owners of the V1 and V2 from Somic, and they state that it is an upgrade over the MM163 and MH463, though the driver size was decreased in both.

 

[peter123]

The older models like PRO80 from Takstar and MH463 from Somic have been around for a long while. Since their initial release, lots have changed in the headphone world. The Chinese manufacturers had their share of progress too, so I guess they managed to decrease the driver size in their flagships and still make them an upgrade over the previous generation. There are no reviews about the new Takstar models yet, but I read some impression posts here on Head-Fi from owners of the V1 and V2 from Somic, and they state that it is an upgrade over the MM163 and MH463, though the driver size was decreased in both.

I'm sorry but I don't agree on this. If what you're saying was correct there should be a trend towards smaller elements in full sized headphones and I haven't seen anything that supports this so far.

I'm still looking forward to impressions on the new Takstar models though, as well as the replacement for HD600 with 30 mm drivers

 

[komiez]

Yo!

Ordered the ISK HF2010 (Takstar HI2050 ?) open/semi open and will have them in the mail soon, ordered from Aliexpress.
Found this video on this dude who's trying phones. Actually there's some pretty good bass and overall clarity.
Listen with good headphones to get the sound impression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iatoa4I_ccY

Was also considering Pro 80's /HP2011 by Takstar but sounds a little boomy sometimes, although his songs are not the best in quality either haha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGfeNapZvPY

Well I'll get back after some listening with the HF2010.

 

[1clearhead]

  Yo!

Ordered the ISK HF2010 (Takstar HI2050 ?) open/semi open and will have them in the mail soon, ordered from Aliexpress.
Found this video on this dude who's trying phones. Actually there's some pretty good bass and overall clarity.
Listen with good headphones to get the sound impression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iatoa4I_ccY

Was also considering Pro 80's /HP2011 by Takstar but sounds a little boomy sometimes, although his songs are not the best in quality either haha!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGfeNapZvPY

Well I'll get back after some listening with the HF2010.

Actually, the Pro80's and the HP2011 has totally different sound signatures and so are the Hl2050 and HF2010. But, you're going to enjoy the HF2010, they are indeed very good!

 

[komiez]

 
Actually, the Pro80's and the HP2011 has totally different sound signatures and so are the Hl2050 and HF2010. But, you're going to enjoy the HF2010, they are indeed very good!

Ohh!! Thx mate!

Always going back to this post hehe, but if the soundstage is good and they translate well that's a keeper
They both looks good indeed but weird I got the impression that they were "about the same", but ofc 2 different brands must be a little tweaked The HP2011 looks nice too, I'll see where my HF2010 will take me. Cheers!!

http://www.head-fi.org/t/585356/the-takstar-technical-pro-gemini-greathon-cyberx-qpad-thread/4035#post_12436316

  Finally, I'm able to post some picks of all four headphones and give further details.....I'm talking about Takstar Pro80, Takstar HI2050, ISK HP2011, and ISK HF2010.
 
I was doing a quick analysis with several friends for the past few days and here is our results on the sound signatures and different tunings with all four headphones.
 
And here goes the overall picks we decided for......
 
1. ISK HP2011:  VERY transparent! Details from one end to the other are incredible on these with the widest soundstage and everyone of us agreed to be the most favored for overall best sound! No need to mod!
 
2. ISK HF2010:  They are a close second with a very nice bass response followed by a great presentation on the vocals and crystal clear treble with excellent soundstage. No need to mod!
 
3. Takstar Pro80:  All of us agreed that the soundstage are a tad better than the HI2050 and has a bold and rich sound to them, which is due to the modding I did with them.
 
4. Takstar HI2050:  These are still good for there price, but soundstage does fall just behind the Pro80's and can get a little grainy with fast-paced music, as we all agreed after further evaluation. But, overall vocals and details are good.
 
 
Here are some picks with the ISK HP2011 next to the Takstar Pro80's.....
 
 
 
Finally, here are all four headphones together in sequence: HF2010, HI2050, HP2011, and Pro80.
 
 
 
To conclude, everyone hears differently and might be looking for a certain signature that either calls for more bass, more vocals, or even more details on top. My friends and I took over three hours of testing and finallizing our results for the best interest and help we can offer everyone here on head-fi.
 
Hope this helps! 

 

[1clearhead]

@komiez.....
Like-wise!

 

[DeeKay10]

Not a lot of closed headphones experience on me, but I got the Takstar Pro 80 and they have probably the most annoying type of isolation. High sounds are blocked fine, but lows, male speech in particular, reverberate inside these like hell.
Bought the headphones for the office to shut my boss up, but I can hear the old geezer better than ever with these on my head. God damn it. -_-
 
Sound is detailed and balanced for the price, although the stage is small. Obviously no ambient details, not at these price levels (nor expected). I had hoped these would be the closed variation of the Philips SHP9500, but the result is a mixed bag. Not worth the extra $20-30 compared, IMO.

 

[paradoxology]

  Not a lot of closed headphones experience on me, but I got the Takstar Pro 80 and they have probably the most annoying type of isolation. High sounds are blocked fine, but lows, male speech in particular, reverberate inside these like hell.
Bought the headphones for the office to shut my boss up, but I can hear the old geezer better than ever with these on my head. God damn it. -_-

Replacing the stock pads with Brainwavz H5 pads might help improve isolation. 

 

[DeeKay10]

  Replacing the stock pads with Brainwavz H5 pads might help improve isolation. 

The first thing I thought of, but I noticed that even when I press the headphones hard against my head, the isolation remains pretty much the same. Must be the construction. I tried on-ear headphones that isolate more than these (AKG Y50, Sony MDR-7506, although neither sounded as good). =/

 

[mysacisanorange]

Hey, has anyone tried the BASSTYLE th-5001. They essentially look like pro80's, with a detachable cable and thick pads.

I was wondering if these were just a pro80 rebrand, or if they were different.

The driver size is listed as 50mm vs the 53mm of the pro 80's. Impedance is 63 ohms vs the 60 of the pro 80's. Sensitivity is also slightly off.

I assume this is in the margin of error right? The drivers are probably the same.

They look really nice and I'll probably be getting these over the mdh9000's

 

[komiez]

Alright guys, quick review of the ISK HF2010 semi open headphones.

SO! Been producing a lot and I am very sensitive and careful of choosing my audio equipment, always striving for good sound. In my home studio I have the Focal Alpha 60's which have a good punchy bass (if treated with isolation pads like the isoacoustics), great mids and great hf's.
Still a student somehow and saving up for a better computer, I wanted some boost to my relatively untreated room and AKG K240s lacking in the bass region-they are better with the sound card amp but still, need more boost.

To me, the HF2010 sound more like a closed headphone with some "extras" from an open headphone.
I was amazed by the sound quality, everything is there perfectly glued together. The bass is there, tight and with a nice punch and boom, just like if you'd be on a concert watching Axwell Ingrosso or the mau5. Sound wise, it's like you're in a sound proof / treated room or a studio - well treated - and you're in the middle of it.
Listening to EDM it has a nice punch with great lows and great highs. Listening through high volumes, the hi's are there to almost the level that they are too much but at the limit where it's too much.
I would almost compare them to the Genelec M-series (M030 and M040). Nice punch, mid is cool but could be a little boosted, and the hf are there almost too high but still OK.
A mix between Adam A7X or A8X or the M-series would be a good description. Yes guys, the HF2010 sound is fantastic.
They absolutely sound like an expensive pair of cans, but they're not. Bought them via AliExpress for 40 bucks, a no brainer just for trying out the sound.

The good thing I like, is that they are very transparent, just like 1clearhead said. I know some tracks that I always have as reference tracks, and with the ISK's they sounded Fab!
I'd wish for one thing tho, more emphasis in the low mids, some male vocals sounded a little bit "behind" and could be increased, the HF's female vocals and strings and other HF stuff sounds terrific, but the Lows/bass plus the HF's together mashes the mids and low mids a little bit, why I thought they sounded a little bit like Adam's, very punchy (not muddy) but, a little boomy.

Metal and rock is greeat, listening to Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield (love Boogie Nights) and yes, the vocal is there and they're great. Iron Maiden, likewise, everything is there. Run to the hills was a little bit thin tho, although it was long time ago since I listened to them.
Well, when I put on some 80's music especially Depeche Mode with a lot of bass, vocals and synths is there and wow, again, back to the treated room. But not tonight was a phenomenal translation in the ISK's. Loved it. Changing genre to EDM and house music, Dirty South's Find a way, terrific sound! What a boost in the bass, low bass, airy vocal, now they feel like an open can but with a LOT of bass!! City of dreams, great track with a lot of elements, it's great. Listening to Walking Alone and the Piano rendition, damn, what a feeling.
Well, how's Avicii or Alesso? Hey brother was terrific. Alesso's Years takes me to an open Tomorrowland stage and an airy party, but still keeping the image great and it's tight and glued.
Angels and Airwaves  The adventure, sounds good, nothing special but good. Sweet Disposition by Temper track, sounds great too.
Changing to a little 80's again and Electrich Youth's album Innerworld which I have been listening to a lot, the vocals are fantastic (female vocals), bass is there with a good punch and the air is there too but still with a studio feel. Last genre, classical music: Overall great! The roomy feeling is there, I'd love to have a more cleaner sound like my AKG K240's which sounds like a pair of open cans compared to the ISK's have better clarity and soundstage, but the ISK's are not that far behind actually. All Hans Zimmer tracks sound awesome and...I really can't complain. The Dark Knight theme is great and the horns are majestic.

Overall, they sound like a much more expensive pair of headphones, mostly they are great on many genres and types of tracks! I have listened a lot to the soundtrack of Drive, Kavinsky and Electric youth - A real hero, the track has such an amazing bass and wamth and still have this open feeling to them, a nice soundstage, like a room reverb mixed with a plate reverb haha, or something like that. They are perfectly glued and if you'd do a blind test you'd think they are like a DT880Pro or something. To me they totally beat the DT770, DT770 sounded muffled to me like a cheap pair of bad monitors or the KRK Rokit 5's or Adam 4-5 series, the sound is stuck somewhere.
Ofc the Beyers are good but, I just think for the price you get an AMAZING pair of headphones, which translates well which is good if you're a producer and only produce by your headphones.
Some frequencies became more present and you hear every detail if you just listen carefully.

Oh snap! I just realized that my "quick review" was a bit longer haha! Anyways, I really like to get value for the price and with the ISK's I got everything and a little bit more.
You could definitely mix and produce some top lists track, because everything is there for you. Now it's just up to you. Learn them and use them and enjoy the great price.
Shipment was about 2-3 weeks, box was 90% solid hehe but you got a nice package and it's really great they're in aluminium too. I will listen to some TImecop and The Midnight and evaluate some more tracks with male vocals, but overall, great pair of cans and super recommended!

Now I'd like to find, just a pair of these but which are even MORE open ! Perhaps the Takstar's or some other headphones?
Maybe people here would rate the Pro 80's and HP2011 as the best Closest one, I'd rate these like some of the best semi-open ones. And let's find the best open ones.
These ones are definitely great for mixing and have the feeling of sitting in the well treated room with some air but overall tightness. But would be nice to have a reference pair of headphones which are open (like the Q701, K7XX, K712 etc). Really tempted in getting a Q701 or the K7XX massdrop and buy a Schiit amp to them since I don't rely on my K240's anymore, or I'd need to amp the crap out of them.

Good hunting guys!

ps. They'll benefit more with a real amp that's for sure and could be what I am missing from them - OR it's just that they need to open themselves up a little bit more, this was just after 1 day!
 

 

[Multiverso]

I recently discovered The Midnight, they are outstanding!
Great review. Thks.
PS: In that last link, chart of best open cans less under 100$, it's Superlux HD668B. I have them and Takstar Hi2050 (very hard to buy these days). Bass no significant differences; mids more realistic, distinct and life a like on Hi2050; treble a tad bright on the 668B; soundstage (on stereo music) a little better achieved on the Hi2050, with an overal balanced and very enjoyable listening sessions; just a little bit easier to drive the Hi2050 (but i always listen with amp).

 

[komiez]

I recently discovered The Midnight, they are outstanding!
Great review. Thks.
PS: In that last link, chart of best open cans less under 100$, it's Superlux HD668B. I have them and Takstar Hi2050 (very hard to buy these days). Bass no significant differences; mids more realistic, distinct and life a like on Hi2050; treble a tad bright on the 668B; soundstage (on stereo music) a little better achieved on the Hi2050, with an overal balanced and very enjoyable listening sessions; just a little bit easier to drive the Hi2050 (but i always listen with amp).

Hey man! Ha yes they're great, the new album is awesome. Love the 80's vibe. Be sure to check out Electric Youth, very dreamy and synthish sound. Timecop1983 is another cool guy with nice tracks, especially like his Journeys album (Dreams, Lost in your eyes) and a track called Secrets or smthn I think. And lastly Robert Parker, I like 85' again the most.

Oh yeah the 668B, some guys liked them very much here from what I remembered but others were more picky. The sum of all the phones was that mostly lacking bass, think it was the same even with the TS-671, I'm willing to try the Senn 558, the mod thing (removing the foam) sounds interesting. Would be nice to find a replacement pair for the DT880 or DT990 or so, a nice cheap open one but personally I still need that BASS. No basshead phones but still, the bass needs to be there for good mixes when producing.
I'll be re-reading this thread haha and see what I'll come up with. Hope some will add stuff here aswell
But yeah, the HF2010 I ordered is Absolutely amazing for the price and they sound like a much much more expensive pair For Sure.

 

[1clearhead]

  Alright guys, quick review of the ISK HF2010 semi open headphones.

SO! Been producing a lot and I am very sensitive and careful of choosing my audio equipment, always striving for good sound. In my home studio I have the Focal Alpha 60's which have a good punchy bass (if treated with isolation pads like the isoacoustics), great mids and great hf's.
Still a student somehow and saving up for a better computer, I wanted some boost to my relatively untreated room and AKG K240s lacking in the bass region-they are better with the sound card amp but still, need more boost.

To me, the HF2010 sound more like a closed headphone with some "extras" from an open headphone.
I was amazed by the sound quality, everything is there perfectly glued together. The bass is there, tight and with a nice punch and boom, just like if you'd be on a concert watching Axwell Ingrosso or the mau5. Sound wise, it's like you're in a sound proof / treated room or a studio - well treated - and you're in the middle of it.
Listening to EDM it has a nice punch with great lows and great highs. Listening through high volumes, the hi's are there to almost the level that they are too much but at the limit where it's too much.
I would almost compare them to the Genelec M-series (M030 and M040). Nice punch, mid is cool but could be a little boosted, and the hf are there almost too high but still OK.
A mix between Adam A7X or A8X or the M-series would be a good description. Yes guys, the HF2010 sound is fantastic.
They absolutely sound like an expensive pair of cans, but they're not. Bought them via AliExpress for 40 bucks, a no brainer just for trying out the sound.

The good thing I like, is that they are very transparent, just like 1clearhead said. I know some tracks that I always have as reference tracks, and with the ISK's they sounded Fab!
I'd wish for one thing tho, more emphasis in the low mids, some male vocals sounded a little bit "behind" and could be increased, the HF's female vocals and strings and other HF stuff sounds terrific, but the Lows/bass plus the HF's together mashes the mids and low mids a little bit, why I thought they sounded a little bit like Adam's, very punchy (not muddy) but, a little boomy.

Metal and rock is greeat, listening to Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield (love Boogie Nights) and yes, the vocal is there and they're great. Iron Maiden, likewise, everything is there. Run to the hills was a little bit thin tho, although it was long time ago since I listened to them.
Well, when I put on some 80's music especially Depeche Mode with a lot of bass, vocals and synths is there and wow, again, back to the treated room. But not tonight was a phenomenal translation in the ISK's. Loved it. Changing genre to EDM and house music, Dirty South's Find a way, terrific sound! What a boost in the bass, low bass, airy vocal, now they feel like an open can but with a LOT of bass!! City of dreams, great track with a lot of elements, it's great. Listening to Walking Alone and the Piano rendition, damn, what a feeling.
Well, how's Avicii or Alesso? Hey brother was terrific. Alesso's Years takes me to an open Tomorrowland stage and an airy party, but still keeping the image great and it's tight and glued.
Angels and Airwaves  The adventure, sounds good, nothing special but good. Sweet Disposition by Temper track, sounds great too.
Changing to a little 80's again and Electrich Youth's album Innerworld which I have been listening to a lot, the vocals are fantastic (female vocals), bass is there with a good punch and the air is there too but still with a studio feel. Last genre, classical music: Overall great! The roomy feeling is there, I'd love to have a more cleaner sound like my AKG K240's which sounds like a pair of open cans compared to the ISK's have better clarity and soundstage, but the ISK's are not that far behind actually. All Hans Zimmer tracks sound awesome and...I really can't complain. The Dark Knight theme is great and the horns are majestic.

Overall, they sound like a much more expensive pair of headphones, mostly they are great on many genres and types of tracks! I have listened a lot to the soundtrack of Drive, Kavinsky and Electric youth - A real hero, the track has such an amazing bass and wamth and still have this open feeling to them, a nice soundstage, like a room reverb mixed with a plate reverb haha, or something like that. They are perfectly glued and if you'd do a blind test you'd think they are like a DT880Pro or something. To me they totally beat the DT770, but that's just me.
Ofc the Beyers are good but, I just think for the price you get an AMAZING pair of headphones, which translates well which is good if you're a producer and only produce by your headphones.
Some frequencies became more present and you hear every detail if you just listen carefully.

Oh snap! I just realized that my "quick review" was a bit longer haha! Anyways, I really like to get value for the price and with the ISK's I got everything and a little bit more.
You could definitely mix and produce some top lists track, because everything is there for you. Now it's just up to you. Learn them and use them and enjoy the great price.
Shipment was about 2-3 weeks, box was 90% solid hehe but you got a nice package and it's really great they're in aluminium too. I will listen to some TImecop and The Midnight and evaluate some more tracks with male vocals, but overall, great pair of cans and super recommended!

Now I'd like to find, just a pair of these but which are even MORE open ! Perhaps the Takstar's or some other headphones?
Maybe people here would rate the Pro 80's and HP2011 as the best Closest one, I'd rate these like some of the best semi-open ones. And let's find the best open ones.
These ones are definitely great for mixing and have the feeling of sitting in the well treated room with some air but overall tightness. But would be nice to have a reference pair of headphones which are open (like the Q701, K7XX, K712 etc). Really tempted in getting a Q701 or the K7XX massdrop and buy a Schiit amp to them since I don't rely on my K240's anymore, or I'd need to amp the crap out of them.

Good hunting guys!

ps. They'll benefit more with a real amp that's for sure and could be what I am missing from them.
Not Takstars or ISK's but they listed the Superlux one, perhaps nice to investigate a little bit more in these cheaper options:
http://headphonecharts.com/best-open-back-headphones-under-100.php

 
+1 Great review on the HF2010! I own one myself for quite a while....glad you liked them!