Superlux HD681 Air Studio Monitoring Headphones

Having read an online review of the HD681 headphones in the SMH my curiosity was piqued. Nothing gets my audio attention like mention of the word bass. Let me explain, I have a two channel hifi set up that includes a subwoofer. Not for muddied doof doof rather finger-plucking standup acoustic - and four string electric of course. So I was excited to get this baby in the mail today (super quickly as well) and I hooked it up firstly to my CD player. I put on Herbie Hancock’s Dis Is Da Drum. Bang, right there deep clean bottom end, nice mids and crisp tops. Next came Trapezoid’s Handy Farm another bass heavy recording. Same deal, bottom, mids and top. Next I put on a record or three. St Germaine, Massive Attack v Mad Professor Part ll and some Blue Note - Lee Morgan’s ... MoreHaving read an online review of the HD681 headphones in the SMH my curiosity was piqued. Nothing gets my audio attention like mention of the word bass. Let me explain, I have a two channel hifi set up that includes a subwoofer. Not for muddied doof doof rather finger-plucking standup acoustic - and four string electric of course. So I was excited to get this baby in the mail today (super quickly as well) and I hooked it up firstly to my CD player. I put on Herbie Hancock’s Dis Is Da Drum. Bang, right there deep clean bottom end, nice mids and crisp tops. Next came Trapezoid’s Handy Farm another bass heavy recording. Same deal, bottom, mids and top. Next I put on a record or three. St Germaine, Massive Attack v Mad Professor Part ll and some Blue Note - Lee Morgan’s Sidewinder. All insanely good with these super good comfy headphones and I might add at an insane price...

I've always used cheap closed back headphones with my previous one being a Sennheiser HD400S. I wanted to get into high end audio so when I saw these and the reviews people left I thought "hmm maybe I can spend a bit less and just test out the open back experience before throwing the big money" and oh boy was I impressed with this thing. I've always been a casual music enjoyer and when I heard the sound of the Superlux for the first time, I immediately put the Sennheiser in storage.The sound at 40 dollars is just mind blowing, I heard details and notes in music that I never heard before and the songs overall sounded so much more high res, even though the source is Spotify! Despite being open back the bass can be POWERFUL if using an equaliser to pump the lower ... MoreI've always used cheap closed back headphones with my previous one being a Sennheiser HD400S. I wanted to get into high end audio so when I saw these and the reviews people left I thought "hmm maybe I can spend a bit less and just test out the open back experience before throwing the big money" and oh boy was I impressed with this thing. I've always been a casual music enjoyer and when I heard the sound of the Superlux for the first time, I immediately put the Sennheiser in storage.The sound at 40 dollars is just mind blowing, I heard details and notes in music that I never heard before and the songs overall sounded so much more high res, even though the source is Spotify! Despite being open back the bass can be POWERFUL if using an equaliser to pump the lower frequencies a bit. Wire is easily long enough for me to jam and walk around my room. Overall the sound alone makes this the best 40 bucks you can spend on some wired headphones. If you don't need a mic I'd say it's the best overall budget wired headphones ever, and don't be afraid of the "monitor" label, you can absolutely enjoy casual music. There is sound leakage but it's not loud at all, though I still would not recommend it for use if people are sitting next to you. If music is loud then there is surprisingly good sound isolation with it blocking out sounds like your heater fan running.Like all consumer goods this isn't perfect. As you can imagine some corner had to be cut deep to get this price, and that corner was cut in build quality. Plastic is light and the earcups make a creaking sound when moved. Cheapest plastic for a headband and hard foam in the earpads. Despite being semi open the ears heat up after an hour or two and the pads are drenched in sweat after that. The wire doesn't isolate noise that well so when you tap it you'll hear it in the headphone. At least the whole thing is light as. Due to being a monitor it does not perform that well with dialogue, which definitely sounded better in my Sennheiser.Tldr of the review is, best sounding cheap headphone money can buy, the hype is well justified. However if long wearing comfort and build quality is a priority then definitely spend a little extra.

Really good and really cheap, yet amazing quality! I've heard stories of these headphones' quality outpacing some very expensive giants in the industry, and hearing it for myself, I can vouch for it. There's only a few draw backs: The build quality makes it feel cheap (though it definitely doesn't sound cheap), and the treble out of the box is very harsh. It can easily be fixed by a quick EQ though!Another thing to note is fragility- and while the headphones are pretty strong, this is the second pair I'm ordering because my last one broke after 10 months of use. No smashing it into the ground in rage or anything, but an occasional drop here or there over the course of a couple months did cause it to lose volume over time, and eventually die out. Also, while some ... MoreReally good and really cheap, yet amazing quality! I've heard stories of these headphones' quality outpacing some very expensive giants in the industry, and hearing it for myself, I can vouch for it. There's only a few draw backs: The build quality makes it feel cheap (though it definitely doesn't sound cheap), and the treble out of the box is very harsh. It can easily be fixed by a quick EQ though!Another thing to note is fragility- and while the headphones are pretty strong, this is the second pair I'm ordering because my last one broke after 10 months of use. No smashing it into the ground in rage or anything, but an occasional drop here or there over the course of a couple months did cause it to lose volume over time, and eventually die out. Also, while some people say its uncomfortable, I've found it to be pretty okay, though you do need to get used to it. If not, the company does sell these comfy foam pads you can put over the ear cups to make it softer.Overall, pretty great!

The extended bass, mids and supposed ‘hyped’ higher frequencies sound great to these 57 year old, slightly deaf ear holes. I’m going to do some mixing with these, and I HATE headphone mixing, they normally give me a headache. These are comfortable, and the fact you can hear whats going on in the back ground, makes for a relaxed and less claustrophobic experience. When did open back headphones become a thing? I really should get out of my dumpster more often. Well done Artist on another cracking transaction.

A+ budget buy but not 4 mixing/critical listening!

I bought these with the hopes of using them as a second set of headphones to mix with after my Shures broke at the same spot on the headphone for the second time. After reading some great reviews about them I figured the price was right so why not give them a go. Short review is that this is a nice sounding set of headphones for the price but if you're someone like me looking to do mixing and critical listening on them then save your money and just get the Sony's or Shure's your likely also looking at. Do they have a place in my home? Yep! They are pleasant-sounding headphones with a bump in the low end that isn't overpowering and makes it fun to listen to stuff. The highs and mids are ever so slightly muted so that when you turn it up they kick in but without ... MoreI bought these with the hopes of using them as a second set of headphones to mix with after my Shures broke at the same spot on the headphone for the second time. After reading some great reviews about them I figured the price was right so why not give them a go. Short review is that this is a nice sounding set of headphones for the price but if you're someone like me looking to do mixing and critical listening on them then save your money and just get the Sony's or Shure's your likely also looking at. Do they have a place in my home? Yep! They are pleasant-sounding headphones with a bump in the low end that isn't overpowering and makes it fun to listen to stuff. The highs and mids are ever so slightly muted so that when you turn it up they kick in but without getting harsh. They are decently comfortable headsets but def gave me just a bit of fatigue from the fit after hitting about the 45-minute mark - this may improve once they are broken in but I thought it worth mentioning. Still though for the price point this is a solid 4 as long as you're not planning on doing pro audio work with them!

Have 25-30 USD to spend on headphones? Try these and keep them even if they are not your first/only pair.

TL;DR... Review Title. These headphones are very hot, the sibilance sometimes might 'hurt' your ears because it has like a very high peak not sure at which frequency but some S and cymbal sounds are just piercing if they fixed that hot peak these would be extremely impressive for the money. They are not as controlled so if you are looking for extremely high fidelity these might not be your best bet, but i would easily say that around twice the price or even 3-4 times the price (considering they can cost aroud 25 bucks) you will hardly find anything better, heck they might even make you rethink about how much you actually like more expensive headphones you might have in your collection. The only thing, [[besides that hot treble peak and maaaaaybe veeeeery slightly ... MoreTL;DR... Review Title. These headphones are very hot, the sibilance sometimes might 'hurt' your ears because it has like a very high peak not sure at which frequency but some S and cymbal sounds are just piercing if they fixed that hot peak these would be extremely impressive for the money. They are not as controlled so if you are looking for extremely high fidelity these might not be your best bet, but i would easily say that around twice the price or even 3-4 times the price (considering they can cost aroud 25 bucks) you will hardly find anything better, heck they might even make you rethink about how much you actually like more expensive headphones you might have in your collection. The only thing, [[besides that hot treble peak and maaaaaybe veeeeery slightly cardboardy sounding but very unveily and clear mids (bass i think is just about right for open back headphones)]], that i would be afraid about when using these could be build quality since i just got them so i don't know for how long these will last, but for the price even if they last 1-2 years i would feel they already did some very good service. Hopefully they will last even longer than that. If you have 25-30 to spare and you want to try another set of headphones i would easily tell you to just go for these and experience what they have to offer, i believe they could easily fit into any headphone collector's repertoire even if at the very least as a curiosity, the curious case of cheap but satisfying/fun sounding headphones. Comfort i believe to be a strong feature as well, very lightweight, nice 'clamp' strength, relatively easy exchangable earpads and potentially cheap as well, there are even some modding examples (you don't even need to dig hard to find them). They could have used some detachable cables but there's even a mod for that out there. It includes the 2 most common plugs for portable devices and for amps and a funny pouch that just kinda feels like it adds value to the whole thing even if cheaply made. I WILL be using these MORE (probably WAY MORE) than i thought before getting them (one pair for the office, one pair for home sort of thing with some other model being for home). I don't add pictures to this review cause everybody knows what they look like.

SUPER VALUE CANS

The Superlux HD-681 is a HUGE VALUE in a very big market. I have compared these to many far more expensive headphones that cost many times the price of the HD-681 and these are the real deal. Bass is full, punchy and energetic. Mid range is clear and articulate, especially horns, guitars and vocals. Treble is crisp and clear. Overall good tonal balance across the entire spectrum. They are durable and hold up well under average use. They are not bullet proof or designed to take a beating - but they hold up well under normal use. I mean, after all, whaddaya expect at this price? They are as durable and as comfortable as my 30 year old AKG K-240s which are still going strong. They are very comfortable and have just enough clamping force - slightly more than my K-240s ... MoreThe Superlux HD-681 is a HUGE VALUE in a very big market. I have compared these to many far more expensive headphones that cost many times the price of the HD-681 and these are the real deal. Bass is full, punchy and energetic. Mid range is clear and articulate, especially horns, guitars and vocals. Treble is crisp and clear. Overall good tonal balance across the entire spectrum. They are durable and hold up well under average use. They are not bullet proof or designed to take a beating - but they hold up well under normal use. I mean, after all, whaddaya expect at this price? They are as durable and as comfortable as my 30 year old AKG K-240s which are still going strong. They are very comfortable and have just enough clamping force - slightly more than my K-240s and also more than my far more costly open air Audio-Technica cans.I am confident other users can/will find something to complain about ... forgetting the extremely low cost when comparing them against more expensive competition - and these compete with those higher end cans very well. Others are sure to prefer the bass of Brand X or the treble of Brand Y or the mid range of Brand Z, and surely someone will find fault with the size of the ear cups and / or with their clamping force - but you simply cannot beat the sound of these cans for their low price. Others will compare them to much more expensive products, which merely proves how good they are.Good, solid, balanced sound for a very low cost - a huge value in my opinion. And that is just MY take ... your mileage may differ. I say money well spent. JR

Superb Performance and Value for Price

Really great headphones. Light. Comfortable. Excellent audio performance. Deep rich, but not bloated, bass. Crisp mid range and treble. Well balanced sound over the whole spectrum. Get a set of really comfy soft ear pads and you have it made in the shade. Get the pads where the photo shows a guy squishing the thick, yet very soft pads. I like these cans more than ATH50x, ATH40, and lots of other headphones costing three to five times as much. Super value for the price. TT

Superlux HD681 - Exceptional sound for the money

Hard to believe the sound quality that can be had for under 30 nowdays. Yes, they're a simple old-school headphone that major on sound quality, so no noise cancelling, no wireless etc - just a length of cable with a plug at the end. For me, comfort is good. The construction and appearance are OK but nothing special, however, these 'phones are all about fidelity. I would guess these sound more accurate than any competing headphone up to treble the price - possibly more. In terms of sound quality, they have a neutral tonal balance with no obvious vices. The bass extension is exceptional - clean and well-balanced - but it can be a little disconcerting (as it was for me) if you're not accustomed to hearing real sub-bass. These 'phones benefit from, and really deserve, a ... MoreHard to believe the sound quality that can be had for under 30 nowdays. Yes, they're a simple old-school headphone that major on sound quality, so no noise cancelling, no wireless etc - just a length of cable with a plug at the end. For me, comfort is good. The construction and appearance are OK but nothing special, however, these 'phones are all about fidelity. I would guess these sound more accurate than any competing headphone up to treble the price - possibly more. In terms of sound quality, they have a neutral tonal balance with no obvious vices. The bass extension is exceptional - clean and well-balanced - but it can be a little disconcerting (as it was for me) if you're not accustomed to hearing real sub-bass. These 'phones benefit from, and really deserve, a quality source. They're pretty comfortable too. I'm told that some folk still believe the old marketing hype that "you get what you pay for". Well with these gems, you get a heck of a lot more than you paid for. Exceptional value. Although the Superlux name may be unfamiliar to many (including me), I've read that they are a well-established outfit who make OEM headphones for others to brand as their own. Clearly, Superlux know what they're doing. Warning - don't check out the extensive and comprehensive RTINGS headphone reviews to see where the Superlux HD681sits in the pecking order if you've already purchased an expensive set!

[Rewarded Review] Perfect when listening for pleasure

I have two sets of these. For me, they are great listening cans. The bass is enhanced just enough to make it punchy without adding any muddiness. While this greatly enhances my listening enjoyment, some people might find it problematic for mixing. As for the rest, they are very clear. One thing they lack is the super-transparent high-frequency response you might get with Sony reference cans. But guess what, I don't need to hear every potential flaw when I am just try to enjoy the sound. I find that if I goose the upper frequencies of my listening source, I can hear all of the symbols, horns, and upper harmonics just fine.Overall, for me, they are perfect for pleasure listening. However, because the response is not perfectly flat some people might have trouble ... MoreI have two sets of these. For me, they are great listening cans. The bass is enhanced just enough to make it punchy without adding any muddiness. While this greatly enhances my listening enjoyment, some people might find it problematic for mixing. As for the rest, they are very clear. One thing they lack is the super-transparent high-frequency response you might get with Sony reference cans. But guess what, I don't need to hear every potential flaw when I am just try to enjoy the sound. I find that if I goose the upper frequencies of my listening source, I can hear all of the symbols, horns, and upper harmonics just fine.Overall, for me, they are perfect for pleasure listening. However, because the response is not perfectly flat some people might have trouble using them to create an accurate mix.For mixing, I use Sony MDR-7509HD.