Superlux HD-681 modifications

[arien12]

Just got through this thread.. wow what a read! You guys have really put these cans through their paces, dissected them and figured out what makes them tick! Not to mention coming up with some very creative ideas to make these shine, in performance and aesthetics

I ordered a pair of HD681s from the Canadian Superlux dealer PawMusic last week for $50CAD shipped so I should be getting them early this week. To say I'm excited to give them a try is an understatement

I'm disappointed to have found this place over a year too late to get a set of Mick's end caps, they really make these cans look classy... If you ever decide to do another run of them heli, let me know, I'd be very interested in a set. 'til that day I'll have settle for some other way to weigh down the cups .. perhaps a Canadian equivalent of the Two Pence mod? Not sure if the Loonie would fit on the end caps (it's about 6mm larger in diameter)
Maybe I can convince one of you fine European fellows to ship me over a pair of two pence??


After I let them burn in for 100 hours or so I'll decided if there are any mods I'd like to try.. has anyone compared the "new" version to the original version to see if anything has changed with respect to the sound?

If the sibilance problem still exists, I'd like to make one of Frans' filters, (probably mk2) but I'm having difficulties finding the components from a Canadian source
Is anyone selling a parts-only filter pack?

btw, this is my first post.. I think I'm going to like it here

Edit: anyone notice the new replacement pads that popped up on ebay from a Chinese seller (wang_yifei)? Looks like he only started selling them this month for about £10 shipped. Only 2 sales but both had positive feedback.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250861305825?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp5197.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D250861305825%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1#ht_1942wt_1106

[Deleted]

Hi Arien 12 and welcome!

btw, this is my first post.. I think I'm going to like it here

I bet you will, its the best on t'internet.



Ref. pads and filter - see my reply 827 on p.34.

If the sibilance problem still exists, I'd like to make one of Frans' filters, (probably mk2) but I'm having difficulties finding the components from a Canadian source
Is anyone selling a parts-only filter pack?

Why don't you p.m. Frans? He designed the filter so may still have a few packs left.

Edit: anyone notice the new replacement pads that popped up on ebay from a Chinese seller (wang_yifei)? Looks like he only started selling them this month for about £10 shipped. Only 2 sales but both had positive feedback.

These look O.K. and seeing as how I can feel a set of 668B's coming on and I couldn't wear them with vinyl pads, I might just try a pair of these - well spotted


@ Mike & the Mods ( sounds like a sixties pop band ;D) - Is it just my imagination or have we gained quite a few new members recently on the strength of the '681?

[natospec]

Is it just my imagination or have we gained quite a few new members recently on the strength of the '681?

um... No... (hides hd681 behind dog) im not here because of that... it was the... um... the food! yes! im here because of the food based threads!... not buying it eh?

[natospec]

ive never really understood the premis behind recableing. but i have recabled mine. found some very similarly looking cable thats of much higher quality, not sure of the manufacturer, i tend to just have thousands of different cables of varied lengths stashed in the attic. every drawer in my room, and under a few loose floorboards.

[proid]

I have something new hehe

The resistor are sure right but the inductor don't have colour line, i asked the seller 4 or 5 times to make sure that it's 1uH and i got new ceramic cap too, it's look better

Fish tank wool , blutack and a cheap DMM. Haha, i'm so happy, must mod it now, will report later

[Deleted]

you do not need 1uH ... you need 470uH !

the caps must be 1uF..

[Deleted]

"There may be trouble ahead . . . ."

[proid]

Aug 8, 2011 19:28:55 GMT @solderdude said:

you do not need 1uH ... you need 470uH !

the caps must be 1uF..

OMG, how can i make that mistake . But i have done the mod, i'm sure i don't get sibilance anymore because when i finished the mod with 1 cup, i immediately compared it with the other one and there was no hash high

Update: I just have just checked and it's seem like the left cup volume is lower than the right cup, maybe it's the prolem of dampen.

[arien12]

Aug 8, 2011 0:09:39 GMT arien12 said:

... I'm having difficulties finding the components from a Canadian source ...

In case any one else from Canada is looking for these components online, canada.newark.com has the exact same components solderdude listed from Farnell (even the inductor has the same order code)

Inductor: 470uH, EPCOS B82144A2474J, Farnell order code: 517070
Capacitor: 1uF/X7R ceramic multilayer, AVX SR305C105KAATR, Farnell order code: 1650727

... still waiting for my 681s to arrive

[proid]

Aug 10, 2011 2:01:08 GMT arien12 said:

Aug 8, 2011 0:09:39 GMT arien12 said:

... I'm having difficulties finding the components from a Canadian source ...

In case any one else from Canada is looking for these components online, canada.newark.com has the exact same components solderdude listed from Farnell (even the inductor has the same order code)

Inductor: 470uH, EPCOS B82144A2474J, Farnell order code: 517070
Capacitor: 1uF/X7R ceramic multilayer, AVX SR305C105KAATR, Farnell order code: 1650727

... still waiting for my 681s to arrive

I heard all of your headphone except the metro and i'm sure the 681 will blown all other one out of water even without mod

[kingoftown1]

so what's the best way to remove the red rings in one piece? Should I just try to slip in an X-Acto knife and work it around underneath?

[Deleted]

so what's the best way to remove the red rings in one piece? Should I just try to slip in an X-Acto knife and work it around underneath?

Yes, carefully.

[kingoftown1]

bleh...gonna be a pain, but still worth it. That red is hideous.

[arien12]

Aug 10, 2011 5:03:21 GMT proid said:

I heard all of your headphone except the metro and i'm sure the 681 will blown all other one out of water even without mod

Glad to hear that, even though it makes waiting even more difficult

Aug 11, 2011 5:12:56 GMT kingoftown1 said:

bleh...gonna be a pain, but still worth it. That red is hideous.

What are you going to do once you get the rings off? I've been trying to think of a way to make the rings more aesthetically pleasing - ie less red

Make sure you post some pictures!

[kingoftown1]

I was planning on giving them a light sanding and spraying them black, and maybe putting a thin coat of poly over them (but I'm not sure that they'll need it).

[Deleted]

I'd like to spray them with a rubber coating, so the whole of the outside is industrial rubber and nice and 'dead'. (and sealed)

You get rid of the plastic red and get a better sound, all in one.

Ian

[PinkFloyd]

What about that "stoneshield" stuff they use on car sills?

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2011 19:16:24 GMT PinkFloyd said:

What about that "stoneshield" stuff they use on car sills?

That's pretty heavy duty!!

Seriously - liquid rubber. Never open them again. Sealed in solid as a rock without metal rings and may look better and no worries about damage or repair again!!!

Don't use stinky rubber though, they'll smell like Durex.

That'll deaden them down and they may even float.

Ian

[ellhead]

Hey guys, first post on here.

After using in ear headphones for years, (Sony EX33LP -> JVC marshmellows -> klipsch s2) I was looking for a cheap set of over ears to replace my beloved s2'S as periods of long listening was quite fatiguing and made my ears incredibly itchy, not to mention the amount of "stuff" that used to come out with them.
I was originally looking at a set of AKG K44's when the superlux headphones were mentioned in another forum, a quick google search plonked me here and within reading about 12 pages of this thread i had already ordered my pair.

The headphones arrived yesterday and I was shocked by the colour scheme, the pictures I had seen showed the reds full and vibrant where as mine looked dull, dirty and cheap. very disappointing.
Not to be put off, I whipped out my phone for an initial listen. Initial thoughts were terrible, the sibilience was incredible, treble too high, bass lacking and incredibly hard to drive. I hooked them up to my PC and left them playing music at moderate levels.

I was thinking I had been conned and had ordered fakes lol. After reading ahead on the thread I found that superlux had changed the colour scheme (god only knows why).

After a few hours I went back and it was a totally different story! the treble had eased off and the low end had come out, brilliant!

I'm going to leave them bed in a couple more days and maybe think of modifications in a few weeks.

On that note, there have been quite a few mods made to these by various members with just about all of them ending in positive results, some of this may be due to placebo and some may just be the headphones naturally bedding in.

My first question is about the aluminium rings that everyone was raving about at the beginning of the thread, is it worth investing in something similar? I may be able to get some of the technicians at uni to fashion me the smaller rings on a lathe and I was thinking, for the large outer ring, making a mould out of plaster from the original and then filling the mould with lead to make a lead ring which i would then paint silver.

I'm not too keen on rewiring as I rather like the cable that came with it.

also, the way the headphones were packaged has left a large "dent" in the padding which is rather annoying me, is there anyway of working this out or is it just a matter of leaving them clamped to a flat surface and hoping for the best?

on a side note, I don't think i have ever came across a forum with such nice members before! not in the audio strand at least. there is a real sense of community and no elite-ism that you find i other forums. it is also really good that superlux as a company has taken an interest in the forums too, listening to the end users thoughts is always a good idea.

Elliot

[Deleted]

Hi Elliot,

They can be quite strong in the top and some members have made a filter which alleviates this. It's subtle because it doesn't seem to hit other frequencies and your first feeling is slightly underwhelming until you've had them on a long time. Then you realise that they're not as sibilant as they were.

For the price, they are a bargain and we all probably have a pair I think!! I agree about the red surround. It is a bit nasty looking.

You can fit AKG240 velour pads to them which help the sound as well. They also look much better and you don't need to worry about the dents in the cheap pads on them.

Try the mods in this order perhaps:

a) New pads. (I know, more expense - try Thomann)
b) If there is still too much sibilance - a filter.
c) More subtle - stick a coin on the outside ' and fit the metal rings. (Deadens the housing a bit)

The cost and the looks and the name kind of put you off.

Mike coined it and made me laugh when he said to me that the name sounds like a washing machine!!

We're all waiting for a new closed version to test. However, that one you have is a good 'un.

Ian

[ellhead]

I saw the thread for the new closed one which looks promising.
My intention was always to add the filter at a later date. I was originally wanting to complete all physical mods and then choose which filter design would suite my hearing best.

As my first set of proper headphones, I have no problems with the pads (apart from the dent) I don't really have a sweaty head so I think I will be able to get away with it. if I choose to keep the headphones for good I may invest in the better pads or even make my own :-p

I'll experiment by adding weights to the casing and see how it goes.
Is there any quick way of reducing the treble balance without adding the filter? would the filter design work with a variable resistor for on demand alteration?

Its fun to play. :-D

[Deleted]

Is there any quick way of reducing the treble balance without adding the filter? would the filter design work with a variable resistor for on demand alteration?

Changing the pads to velour alters the treble.

The filter targets a specific frequency and near enough leaves the rest alone. It's absolutely ingenious.

The only other way I can think of is stuffing a thicker piece of foam into the cups, but that's really hit and miss. The filter does an excellent job (although I went and lost mine!!)

Ian

[mrarroyo]

To tame some of the highs I have used various pieces of foam in front of the drivers. I have experimented with density, pore size, etc. You could also try felt material and see if the highs are tamed sufficiently for you.

[PinkFloyd]

Mike coined it and made me laugh when he said to me that the name sounds like a washing machine!!

I told Andy Chung that too and suggested that SLX may be a better name.... "SuperLuX" SLX.... sounds more like "audio" and less like a washing machine I also reckon they should up the price and fit better pads etc.

No doubt about it, Superlux 'phones are superb.

[Deleted]

I agree Mike. They hit way above their price and he has a tough act to follow with new headphones imo.

Maybe release a new (similar) line under a new name like SLX and up the price? Putting these up would now put the kybers on them and that would be a pity.

They compare really well against much more expensive competition and it kind of feels strange listening to a £17 full sized headphone and taking it seriously. Once you hear them ..... (even without a filter) ..... they sound really good.

I just received an HD681B which I bought for a friend with some pads. I fit the pads on and took a listen and honestly, they sounded awful!!

Pinched, no bass and like a cheap iem. (Ipod buds - I compared!!)

I have a 681B myself and when I compared, the sound was no way similar. My first thoughts were:

a) I've damaged the drivers while changing the pads.
b) They've changed the drivers.
c) They're faulty.

I got a bit annoyed at having to faff around with the pads so in frustration, I stuck them on an amp and played really loud, fat music through them and a very high volume. I didn't wear them.

When I came back half an hour later ......... they matched my old pair!!!

I thought I'd make or break them and send them back as faulty but these headphones seem to change very quickly from new.

It's the first time I've ever heard this in such a short time, and wonder whether getting them out of a sealed packet and playing them straight away alters the sound until they've been out in the open for a while?

Personally, I prefer the HD681B since to me, it's more 'balanced' sounding but new from the packet, it sounded truly disgusting.

I wonder whether newbies have heard the same effect and write them off very quickly? I wouldn't blame them, but the changes in the bass happened very quickly so I do wonder whether it's something to do with them being in a sealed packet.

Just another thing I find, particularly with the HD681 - they react very strongly to output impedance. Coming out of the Neco with 38 ohms in line (The one Mike made me) they become much more bassy and the treble lessens; it seems moreso than many other cans.

Ian