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Post by horribletoaster on May 12, 2012 3:59:09 GMT
Hello, Rockgrotto community. First post here I've been stuck in between the two for a month now. I'm going to purchase one of two for my birthday. I am leaning towards the 681's at this time but somebody told me that the highs had lots of sibilance and mids were recessed morecompared to the 668b. But another person told me that the 668b's are flat/too neutral and aren't fun or engaging. I'm not sure what to look for in headphones. I listen to alternative rock like music (U2, coldplay, etc). These are my first good headphones in my life (best i've heard is $25 USB headset) Thanks
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2012 7:52:32 GMT
If you like 'spicy highs' and deep lows that 'thunder' over 'flat sound' go for HD681. If you like 'spicy highs' and deep lows that are more balanced over 'flat sound' go for HD681B (not F).
If you intend to modify the HD681 it would come down to preference/taste.
If you want 'flat' as in a studio monitor type of thing HD668B (but can be 'boring' with some music) If you want 'fun and entertaining' a modified HD681 or standard HD681
So it comes down to taste and preference. Buy both and sell one later (for those prices it would be easy to sell it with perhaps only marginal loss of cash but a BIG gain in knowledge which YOU prefer.
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Post by horribletoaster on May 12, 2012 18:12:44 GMT
I think I might get the Superlux 681. I can probably EQ them to help the piercing highs/harshness. I won't mod them (maybe some minor mods in the future). Plus they are $30 cheaper Do they work good for Alternative music (coldplay, u2) for example I also heard that they aren't as detailed as the 668b and have slightly recessed mids is this true?
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Post by znt on Jan 13, 2013 15:18:33 GMT
hi everybody! first post here! stuck between these two models too, but i know i would prefer the one which is more neutral, detailed and "true to the music played". @ solderdude what do you mean with <<If you want 'flat' as in a studio monitor type of thing HD668B (but can be 'boring' with some music)>>? I mean: how a heaphone that is neautral and true can be boring? so far i'm using a vintage set of can by sansui (SS-2)... i wanted a headphone semi-open to get a more spacious soundstage and a neutral and true to the record rendition...so...668b is the answer? thanks to anybody who will answer.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2013 16:42:12 GMT
Quite a few people get a surprise when a headphone is flat. The most common complaints will be things like 'boring' and 'no bass'.
I guess it's to do with our own ears and expectations of headphones. We kind of enjoy the 'enhancements' that some headphones can give more than the sound that we would normally hear via our ears.
In any case, no little headphone speaker is really capable of reproducing exactly what our ears hear from top to bottom so the whole thing is a compromise. ie; there's not really a 'correct' headphone sound.
We assume that 'correct' is flat when in real life, we don't actually hear flat. We hear loads of resonances bouncing around the walls and ceilings so 'flat' is perhaps not what we hear in normal everyday life in any case.
It's very complex.
For me, I have kind of learned what sort of sound that I prefer and tend to go for headphones that show those characteristics. I accept that 'flat' isn't exactly what I always enjoy.
The purists will say things like 'flat' is the aim but we are all assuming that the original recording was mixed down to be flat.
For me, the HD681 is a musical sound. I have flatter headphones like the AKG K601 but on some recordings, they can sound kind of 'tame' and bland.
It all depends on your own tastes as Solderdude continually says. He strives for 'flat' but does accept that tastes come into play as well. There is no one correct sound in a 2 inch speaker.
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Post by znt on Jan 14, 2013 10:51:58 GMT
I'm aware that objectivity is beyond reach especially in "hearing music from a record" and also I do agree << 'flat' is perhaps not what we hear in normal everyday life in any case.>> and that <<There is no one correct sound in a 2 inch speaker>>. so I will search for a headphone thad doesn't"colour much" the sound. perhaps the hd 668b is the answer (for what i learn so far). i'm temped to buy 'em and i think i'll do it. but 'm still opened to suggestions.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2013 12:20:31 GMT
I have both and the 668B gets far more head time.
I would suggest that unless you can EQ it, or mod it, the 681 has too much treble to listen to comfortably for any length of time, especially with rock.
I find the 668B to be more balanced, and so more useable straight out of the box.
As ever, YMMV,
Jeff
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Post by znt on Jan 14, 2013 13:46:43 GMT
Ok, modding is no problem, but i think i ll go for hd668b. Probably will buy the ha3d amplifier too, just to try it with other cans! Thanks everyboby for the kind help given so far!
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Post by coil on Jan 14, 2013 17:01:15 GMT
znt, does it have to be semi-opened cans? I have HD-681 (mkII filter) and HD-662F. Haven`t tried 668b but 662F is very flat, accurate and detailed. Recommend it if you dont care about deep exaggerated lows and want to hear music as it is. Unfortunately 662F also requires EQ or filter because of top high sibilance. But with filter ist great! Especially for studio purposes. Every little detail is well separated in sound. As he said: If you like 'spicy highs' and deep lows that 'thunder' over 'flat sound' go for HD681. If you like 'spicy highs' and deep lows that are more balanced over 'flat sound' go for HD681B (not F). If you intend to modify the HD681 it would come down to preference/taste. If you want 'flat' as in a studio monitor type of thing HD668B (but can be 'boring' with some music) If you want 'fun and entertaining' a modified HD681 or standard HD681 So it comes down to taste and preference. Buy both and sell one later (for those prices it would be easy to sell it with perhaps only marginal loss of cash but a BIG gain in knowledge which YOU prefer.
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Post by znt on Jan 14, 2013 17:10:53 GMT
well, Coil, i already have two old set of closed headphones (one being a vintage mid 70's Sansui), so I thought I had to try semi-open to achieve a better sound stage...662 is intriguing none the less..apart from the "exagerated low" that doesn't match with my idea of "doesn't colour much"...maybe I'll get them togheter with the 668b... thanks for the advice!
edit: there is and there will never be an EQ in my set-up...
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Post by coil on Jan 14, 2013 17:44:03 GMT
662F doesnt have exagerated low, 662B and 662 have more bass, last one the most. B version is in the middle of them. Don`t get me wrong that 662F doesn`t have bass at all, it has but only as much as music has it (in case of electronic music with very deep lows it might be short of it).
But yeah, since you want to try semi-open then 668b is propably the way to go. It also doesn`t have to be modded (maybe apart from earpads and those two head-cushions, depends on person).
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Post by Seamus on Jan 14, 2013 21:07:38 GMT
Bear in mind Superlux are about to release the HD681 EVO (MKII) so you might want to hold on and see the verdict on that one.
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Post by madmarty on Feb 3, 2013 1:25:03 GMT
I like an accented bass (Metall, Rock) but I'm not sure if it is to much on the hd681 and if I should better get the B version. Does the bass get fatiguing over time??? What is the most fun phone even if I wear it for hours? I will do the filter-mod, too. As I can use a lathe I will also turn some stainless or maybe brass rings.
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