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Post by superlux on Apr 18, 2010 12:48:43 GMT
Hi all, I saw the two topics about the Superlux HD681 and have now used 40 minutes trying to find an answer without any luck. I hope you'll help me out Which model is the best and why? (I see that most of you have the standard model) The standard HD681 (the red one) The HD681 F or The HD681 B Thank you!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 14:55:25 GMT
IIRC, if you visit the Superlux website it will advise you that one (B I think) is bass enhanced and (therefore) F is treble enhanced and the Standard one is neither, AFIK most members here went for the red Standard one but I do know one member who mistakenly went for the B version and didn't like it. I'm not certain about the 'facts' in the first paragraph so confirm it before spending any money. Hope this helps, Dave.
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Post by audiofil on Apr 18, 2010 15:29:15 GMT
Superlux HD668B is the one to get In stock form easily outshines my modded HD681. It is a superior headphone in every respect.
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Post by superlux on Apr 18, 2010 16:19:51 GMT
@davek Thanks! audiofilOh no.. More choises >_< But thanks
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 18:16:09 GMT
HD668 is the most Neutral one with softer highs and no exaggerated bass. HD681 (red) has much deeper bass (somewhat exaggerated but never bloated or annoying) and if unmodded sometimes piercing/fatiguing highs. When modded the HD681 (to me) has a bigger 'fun factor' (because of the deep bass and shiny highs) Mids are not as good as HD668B the HD681B (Balanced) has less bass then the red one and has about the same amount of bass as the HD668B (that's why both have the B behind it) the HD681F (Flat) has even less bass then the B version. All HD681's need to be modded to sound good. unmodded they are acceptable if you like exaggerated detail/highs. The HD668B sounds good without modding. All have the same terrible plastic (vinyl) sweaty earpads. Try to replace these with AKG velours pads if you can. Better comfort and slightly better sounding as well. Whether you prefer modded HD681 over HD668B or vice versa is a personal thing (taste/preference). One is not technically better then the other... just... different
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Post by superlux on Apr 18, 2010 18:40:17 GMT
@solderdude Thanks for a really nice answer! I saw pictures of you guys modding.... I will never be able to do that without ruining something. I'll go with the HD668B and be happy that I don't need to mod anything And then I'll look for some ear pads. Thanks again
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 18, 2010 21:36:24 GMT
Hi Superlux..... welcome to the forum. The 668B are a lot more "neutral" than the HD-681..... the frequencies gel perfectly..... if you like this kind of "honest" presentation then look no further. The HD-681 are boosted at the extremes giving a typical "boom and tizz" type presentation. They are fantastic for listening to lively rock recordings and add "energy" into the mix. Think of the HD-681 as a 668B with a "loudness button" and you won't be far out..... I prefer the 668B as it is better balanced, overall, and affords a greater "insight" into the macro details of the recording.... you also get a better overall soundscape from the 668B... Think of the 668B as a pair of LS35A near field monitors ..... the HD-681 are more akin to Cerwin Vega in presentation. Try them both... neither will break the bank balance Mike.
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Post by superlux on Apr 18, 2010 21:47:56 GMT
@pinkfloyd Thanks - It's simply awesome that people are so helpful. I'm just looking for the neutral sound, so I'll buy the HD668B right away I didn't knew there was that much difference between different head phones (except I thought the more expensive ones were better), so I think one pair will do for now - if I then someday feel like "modding" I'll get the other ones Thanks!
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Post by superlux on Apr 18, 2010 21:50:28 GMT
Oh - by the way. Is it easy to change the ear pads? And do you know exactly which fits?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 22:02:42 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 22:07:48 GMT
Oh - by the way. Is it easy to change the ear pads? And do you know exactly which fits? Dead easy, even I can do it, so it must be!! ;D The usual ear pads recommended (exact fit) are the AKG701 IIRC but the cost more than the earphones. Someone will doubtless be along to confirm or otherwise my statement. Dave.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2010 11:55:04 GMT
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Post by audiofil on Apr 19, 2010 15:52:22 GMT
The K240 pads fit like a glove and make a big difference in comfort.
I think these pads are a must for HD668. For some reason they are more uncomfortable in stock form compared to HD681 (at least on my head). The new pads fix that.
There are also sound benefits to be had - the tonal balance seems slightly re-arranged in favor of mid-bass and mids, the treble being a bit rounded off (which is great). The sound differences that pads can make are HRTF related, so your mileage may vary.
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Post by zephyr on Apr 19, 2010 22:54:29 GMT
Here's my quick review of the Superlux 681 and 668b that I posted on Head-Fi Quick sum-up of the sound of the two phones: HD681 -Highs are piercing, lotsss of sssssibilancssse -Mids sound in-your-face but artificial -They sound a bit tinny -Warm and pleasant bass (IMHO) -Fun-sounding -Overall presentation suffers from the balance -Unbelievable what can be achieved with so little money these days (20€!) HD668b -lower mids/upper bass section lacks juice -Mids are still enjoyable overall and a strong trait of these cans (voices!) -Basses aren't as nice as on the 681, they are there but somewhat subtle and don't reach down very deep -also have a (relatively small) amount of shrill highs -> I'm a young listener (19) -nicely balanced overall -less fatiguing than the 681s -if they fit well on your head, they are well worth 30 pounds or more (I paid 30€ which is a steal) Also, pictures of the drivers. You can see that the driver materials as well as the copper used is different. HD681: HD668b: Sadly they are not keepers. Read for yourself: Sooo...I have tried both the Superlux 681 and 668b today. Unfortunately, both are going back because they aren't comfy on my head. The fake leather makes you sweat, and after a while, the inside of the cups presses against my ears which hurts. This has been an issue with my MS1 after 2-3 hours of use, but with these it occurs after 30-60 minutes already. After 1 and a half hour, the heat and the sweat and the pressure against my ears becomes unbearable. They don't sit too tight, they sit on my head just fine, but the cups are to shallow for my ears to be comfortable. Rock Grotto, tell me what to do next for Budget-fi? I've sold all my headphones and now I'm going to send these two back! I need something with deeper earcups so my ears don't hurt. Also, I either need something really cheap for home use only or something that isn't so cheap but good for both home and portable use. Should I go for the Skytronics? Get the Goldring DR-50? Get the Goldring NS-1000? I would get the DR-150 but then I'd have no money left for something portable.
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Apr 20, 2010 0:58:49 GMT
Goldring DR150.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 6:58:51 GMT
Yep...
The HD681 are not excellent cans when left unmodded.
a: They need to have the filter mod at least. b: Most of these have a break-in period, varies in time and effect. c: The pads need to be changed for AKG K240 velours pads. (also true for HD668B)
the filter mod adresses these points:
-Highs are piercing, lotsss of sssssibilancssse (dissappears) -Mids sound in-your-face but artificial (becomes a lot better) -They sound a bit tinny (gone)
When these points have been adressed the overall verdict will become better too.
Skytronics have even less bass and highs as HD668B, warm mids a bit veiled/muffled sounding compared to Superlux.
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toad
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Post by toad on Apr 20, 2010 8:47:31 GMT
Hi zephyr,
Personally I'd try the Skytronics. They are very cheap. MUCH more comfortable than the Superlux HD681s once you've bent the rods slightly to ease up on the clamping pressure and after modding them via the paper baffle mod they are better than the fully modded HD681s in my and several others opinions.
They are a neutral can after the mod with a nice but not over the top bass that some may find lacking, smooth detailed mids that are better than any can I've ever heard and detailed highs lacking sibilance and any trace of fatigue. They have the best soundstage of any can in my collection, different from but matching the AKG K701. They are currently my favourite headphones.
Better still, you can easily vary the mod. If five holes is too shrill or bass shy to your young ears, just cover one or more of the baffle holes again.
Don't let the ridiculous cheap price put you off. After the baffle mod these cans are a world class listen.
Ian
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Post by zephyr on Apr 20, 2010 9:07:26 GMT
Hi zephyr, Personally I'd try the Skytronics. Are the cups deeper than the ones of the Superlux cans? If they are as shallow they will hurt my ears. Is the padding material inside the cup soft? Don't let the ridiculous cheap price put you off. Yeah but... It's almost impossible for me to believe that something so cheap is going to be good. There must be a reason for it. No-name brand, cheap thingy no one ever heard of before and bam! istant success on rockgrotto? That sure is weird. Is it by any chance an April fool's joke that decided to stay all of april? I can't, because of this: I would get the DR-150 but then I'd have no money left for something portable. I'd say either the Beyer DT-235 or Goldring NS1000 for portables...
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toad
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Post by toad on Apr 20, 2010 10:13:00 GMT
Hi zephyr, Personally I'd try the Skytronics. Are the cups deeper than the ones of the Superlux cans? If they are as shallow they will hurt my ears. Is the padding material inside the cup soft? Yeah but... It's almost impossible for me to believe that something so cheap is going to be good. There must be a reason for it. No-name brand, cheap thingy no one ever heard of before and bam! istant success on rockgrotto? That sure is weird. Is it by any chance an April fool's joke that decided to stay all of april? I can't, because of this: I would get the DR-150 but then I'd have no money left for something portable. I'd say either the Beyer DT-235 or Goldring NS1000 for portables... Hi Zephyr, I measured the cup depth on the Skytronics and there seems to be only about 1-2 millimetres more depth on the Skytronics. The pads themselves are soft and much more comfortable than the Stock HD681 pads. They don't make your ears anywhere near as hot either. There's no reason why you couldn't change the pads for some others. The Skytronics do seem to have a lot higher RRP from what we could find. The ones listed here www.avecorp.com.au/product_view.php?productID=692 are $149AU and the only difference we could see was the in-line volume control. I would say however that they aren't that well made. That said, I haven't had problems some others have reported and I have 3 pairs and have bought a couple of pairs for friends and family and they are all fine. They aren't an April fool. The thing abour Rock Grotto is we tell it how it is. Most of us have been into HiFi for decades and have a fair idea of what we are on about
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Post by zephyr on Apr 20, 2010 11:30:11 GMT
That said, I haven't had problems some others have reported and I have 3 pairs and have bought a couple of pairs for friends and family and they are all fine. Did you buy them all from the same ebay seller? Did they all have the soft pads or pleather? Some people on the Skytronics thread said that they got pleather pads which were as bad as the 681 pads. Buying them from the ebay seller I would have to pay 9£ shipping to Germany... I could get the DT235 for 36€... Tempting.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 12:05:19 GMT
DT235 is a nice sounding earpad HP so the pressure is on your ears (like the HD25) the other cans discussed are around ear types...
HP's is a PERSONAL thing. One will prefer A and the other one B or C or ...
There is only ONE way of finding out WHICH is the best can for YOU. TRY them, listen to them, audition them preferably with music you are familiar with or like to listen to.
If you can't try them in a shop or elsewhere... buy one one sell it again if you don't like it. See the loss of money as education costs. ;D
Reviews are great as an indication but are LACED with personal preferences of reviewers.
If you decide to buy on reviews then filter/use the common factors in reviews from different persons.
All Skytronics have the same pleather earpads. This stuff is cloth with very fine vinyl on it. It usually starts to flake within a few years.
Stock Superlux are also 'pleather' but have a much thicker layer of vinyl. That's the difference. This feels hot and is rather unpleasant. You can interchange the pads of Skytronics and Superlux HP's.
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Post by zephyr on Apr 20, 2010 12:38:07 GMT
What about the Goldring DR-50? They can be had for 20£ plus shipping...EDIT: shit. they don't deliver to germany If they are more comfy than the Superlux than those might be it for me. For home use I need really open cans with good soundstage. Not sure to what extent they provide this, but can I go wrong at this price?
After that, I would still have some money left to get the DT235 or whatever good cheap portable I can find. Later upgrades would probably include the Dr150 and maybe the NS1000.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 14:10:08 GMT
DR50 also has thick pleather earpads. Comfortwise not better then Superlux in the sweaty-ears department.
Check out the Thomann.de site and look for T.Bone HP's. These are cheap also. No idea about the SQ. There MIGHT be good sounding things in their line-up.
There are NOT that many seriously good sounding HP's below E 50.
for portable I use KSC35 and KSC75 earclip thingy's. IMO better then PX100 and I hate in-ears.
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Post by zephyr on Apr 20, 2010 14:17:05 GMT
Oh dear...What am I going to do. Should I maybe try modding the foam of the 668b to have more/softer foam? Also, the k240 pads are definitely going to change the sound, I think they will take away some of the bass (which isn't much to begin with with the 668b). When listening to the lowest of the break-in tones on the rock grotto page, I noticed that they really don't reach down very far. The 681 reproduced the 20hz A LOT better than the 668b.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 14:22:41 GMT
the AKG pads do not take away the bass IMO. Can check at home (have 668B, 681 and skytronic and AKG pads) Only tried the 668B with original pads and skytronic pads. They alter the sound not much. The hole in the center is a bit smaller then the original pads but they are slightly thicker. You can't beat the bass extension of the HD681. Certainly not after a break-in period of a few days.
Order the pads... if it's not what you wanted you can sell them (I can use an extra pair)
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