[Pharmaboy]

Well that kinda sucks for me... For some reason I thought the headphone input was 2.5mm. Have you tried modding it to remove the locking mechanism?

Nope. The hard plastic housing of the left earcup contains the locking input jack, and modifying it would (as I understand it) involve messing with this housing to somehow widen it. Way beyond my skills...

Plus I just didn't see the need, to be honest. These headphones sound so competent & straightfoward, so good, I just didn't feel any urge to "cable-roll."

 

[Sounding]

Nope. The hard plastic housing of the left earcup contains the locking input jack, and modifying it would (as I understand it) involve messing with this housing to somehow widen it. Way beyond my skills...

Plus I just didn't see the need, to be honest. These headphones sound so competent & straightfoward, so good, I just didn't feel any urge to "cable-roll."

Damn... I feel like I just made a bad buy now. I really want to use these around through my smartphone but the cable is just too damn long, and there's not even an (easy) way to fix it. *** this locking mechanism thing.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'm listening to my ISK MDH9000 clones (Marantz MPH-2s)---and I can't help but think you're looking through the wrong end of the telescope here. These things sound so damn good, for so little $$.

If the length of the cable is so problematic, just use a couple velcro cable cinches to lock down the loose part.

It's so worth it to stick with these... BTW, have you burned them in? I burned them in for 100+ hrs and there were subtle but unmistakeable improvements in the sound. I know burn-in is one of these topics that causes big pile-ons here, but if you haven't tried it, you may have even more upside in the 'phones than you think.

Like every other headphone I've heard, these like a good, strong amp--even though they're low impedence, high efficiency & easy to drive.

(just sayin')

 

[Sounding]

I'm listening to my ISK MDH9000 clones (Marantz MPH-2s)---and I can't help but think you're looking through the wrong end of the telescope here. These things sound so damn good, for so little $$.

If the length of the cable is so problematic, just use a couple velcro cable cinches to lock down the loose part.

It's so worth it to stick with these... BTW, have you burned them in? I burned them in for 100+ hrs and there were subtle but unmistakeable improvements in the sound. I know burn-in is one of these topics that causes big pile-ons here, but if you haven't tried it, you may have even more upside in the 'phones than you think.

Like every other headphone I've heard, these like a good, strong amp--even though they're low impedence, high efficiency & easy to drive.

(just sayin')

I don't have them yet, It's in the delivery process. I'll be fine using them on my desktop with the 3m cable. But I wanted to hangout with them, using a 1m aftermarket cable. Using velcro is not exactly what I call convenient. Oh well, seems like I'll have to deal with it. At least I got them for cheap and sound quality looks promising for the money.

 

[Aerione]

FYI, the 1st cable listed above definitely won't fit the ISK MDH9000. The headphone-facing jack is all wrong.

The 2nd might work, but I kinda doubt it. The reason is this:

• The MDH9000 (and all its clones) have an input jack that's nominally 3.5mm
• But it's a proprietary/locking input, which means that the jack on the stock cable has a little plastic ridge on the housing that allows the "locking"--also that the metal jack itself is a little longer than the average, after-market 3.5mm jack.
• I tried a couple after-market cables w/3.5mm jacks, and they wouldn't insert quite far enough in this cable to fully seat properly

For this reason (also because the headphones sound so good w/stock cable), I never bothered trying to get an aftermarket cable for my Marantz MPH-2, which has the exact same locking input jack.

Don't quite mean to revive a thread that's been inactive for a month, but I've actually been been able to swap out the cables of my MDH9000 quite effectively.
That's due to me owning quite alot of 3.5mm cables with thin connectors. The trick for the MDH9000 is to get cables with connectors as thin as the top end of the original cable.
For instance, these will do:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MEI...Aux-Cable-Male-to-Male-Audio/32697178948.html

As you can see, the plug portion isn't much thicker than the actual 3.5mm connector, and you can just slide the cable into the hole without any issues.
Sits quite tightly, even without the locking mechanism.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Don't quite mean to revive a thread that's been inactive for a month, but I've actually been been able to swap out the cables of my MDH9000 quite effectively.
That's due to me owning quite alot of 3.5mm cables with thin connectors. The trick for the MDH9000 is to get cables with connectors as thin as the top end of the original cable.
For instance, these will do:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/MEI...Aux-Cable-Male-to-Male-Audio/32697178948.html

As you can see, the plug portion isn't much thicker than the actual 3.5mm connector, and you can just slide the cable into the hole without any issues.
Sits quite tightly, even without the locking mechanism.

very interesting post! but the real question is: have any of your 3.5mm cables that fit the headphones--actually sounded better than stock?

 

[Aerione]

Better... Probably no.
Same?
Yes.
The cables that come with the MDH9000s are pretty thick and sturdy, you probably can't do much better than that.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Hmmm...the cable that came w/my Marantz MPH-2 (headphone is identical to MPH9000 except for cosmetics/color) is pretty skinny.

I always felt these headphones sounded so good w/stock cable, there'd be no point in cable-rolling. But maybe your stock cable is better than mine.

 

[mechanix]

Hello everyone. I know I'm a bit late to the party but I just received my pair of Hi2050s after glaring reviews I've been reading online for sometime. Unfortunately, I've been feeling a little let down. While they have fantastic detail and soundstage especially for this price, I'm finding them very difficult to listen to. They sound very harsh and metallic to my ears, and I think they have a bit too much and uncontrolled bass (I know pretty much everybody says the opposite about bass). I'm listening straight from my laptop (via foobar asio4all plugin) and sometimes on my HTC One A9.

For comparison I also own Grado SR60 and it is much more better to listen to.

 

[Noldir]

Hello everyone. I know I'm a bit late to the party but I just received my pair of Hi2050s after glaring reviews I've been reading online for sometime. Unfortunately, I've been feeling a little let down. While they have fantastic detail and soundstage especially for this price, I'm finding them very difficult to listen to. They sound very harsh and metallic to my ears, and I think they have a bit too much and uncontrolled bass (I know pretty much everybody says the opposite about bass). I'm listening straight from my laptop (via foobar asio4all plugin) and sometimes on my HTC One A9.

For comparison I also own Grado SR60 and it is much more better to listen to.

Coming from a Grado everything has too much bass

Straight from the laptop they do function, but they sound better with some dedicated (cheap) gear like the odac/o2

 

[Kol12]

Besides Brainwavz HM5 pads is there is a list or something of compatible pads with the Pro 80? Pads on my Pro 80 have worn through...

 

[oriole]

How do ISK 2010 compare to CAL? Would that be a downgrade and are the earpads larger/better?

 

[komiez]

Depends on your priorities. If gaming is the first priority then Superlux HD668b is the best option as it has widest sound stage and very good positioning. It's good for music, but not as good as ISK HF2010 (I'm assuming ISK HF2010 to be almost same as Takstar Hi2050).

If music is first priority then ISK HF2010 would personally be my first choice. It's ok for gaming, just not as good as Superlux HD668b.

ISK HP2011 should be the choice only if you need closed back. They are good headphones without a doubt, I just personally prefer Hi2050 (HF2010) over them and they certainly can't compete with HD668b for gaming. Although if you need closed back headphones then I would recommend you to spend a bit more and get Bosshifi B8 instead.

Long time ago but, I have the isk hf2010 and ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM. But would be cool to have a pair of closed ones. Considered the HP2011 closed isk ones which are hf2010/hi2050 but closed ones?
I do either synthwave-edm and orchestral music...love the hf2010 soundstage and great mids, perfext for vocals.

B8 still the best closed ones?? Appreciate answrr since Im about to buy these now haha!

 

[komiez]

Hi!

I'm torn between ISK HF2010 and ISK HP2011. I would buy it for gaming but also to listening some music. I like the sound of violin, trumpet and piano, but i listen all kinds of music including anime's. Also for watching movies. So not for monitoring or recording.

Which is more comfortable and listenable for longer period of time: the semi-open HF2010 with velour pads or the closed HP2011 with leather (?) pads. How sweaty are they after a few hours of listening?

As i read the comparison both seems to be very good headphones in this price range.

Any ideas which would help me decide?

Take a look at my review here, I do synthwave EDM and classical film music and much piano, I LOVE them. Best headphone I have ever owned and they beat almost all AKG's which I love...almost
https://www.head-fi.org/posts/13095373/

Go with the isk hf2010, NOW!!

 

[nomad1]

Long time ago but, I have the isk hf2010 and ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM. But would be cool to have a pair of closed ones. Considered the HP2011 closed isk ones which are hf2010/hi2050 but closed ones?
I do either synthwave-edm and orchestral music...love the hf2010 soundstage and great mids, perfext for vocals.

B8 still the best closed ones?? Appreciate answrr since Im about to buy these now haha!

I received Bingle B910 (another copy of Takstar Hi2050, ISK HF2010) and Bosshifi B8 together at my office. Without any burn-in, there was absolutely no comparison (B8 was much better). I asked my friends to check them as well and they all preferred B8. According to all of them B8 was significantly superior in terms of sound and build quality.