HD-681 : Decent affordable open headphones

Pros:

-Affordable

-Decent quality, doesnt feel as cheap as the price would suggest

-Pretty flat sounding

Cons:

-High frequencies are not very defined

-Cable not removable

I got these headphones as a backup and to try out what open headphones have to offer as I've only used closedbacks before. I mainly used it for gaming and for silently practicing guitar and for those purposes these headphones are great. Sound is decent, its fairly flat, not too much bass and not very bright either, nicely balanced. The soundstage (stereo separation) is great, not perfect but definately usable for most situations, especially if you are on a budget. Comfort is not the greatest but I can wear it for an hour or two without discomfort so its not too bad. The padding is very stiff but the clamping force on your ears is not that strong so it cancels out. You dont need a good seal for open headphones afterall...

If you are on a limited budget I can highly recommend these headphones. They sound flat enough for basic mixing and the open design also helps a lot.

However... I can't recommend these headphones for outside or public use because of its open design.

Also if you are lookign for a very high quality professional monitor then I recommend you spend a bit more money...