Superlux HD-681 Evo BK Reviews

Fantastic budget headphones

Bought some of these to replace my aging Sennheiser HD202. I was looking for something versatile---I use them for listening to music, practicing bass, and playing games.

Really pleased with these, out of the box I love the detachable cable (and it comes with a choice of two lengths) and the change of pads that are also included (the "default" ones are leather, there are velour ones inside the box. If I was complaining I would grumble that there is no guide on how to change the pads but it looks relatively straightforward.

Sound wise, I really like these. Nice, clear bass that is defined but not overpowering. The mids are spot on and the treble is clear but not piercing. They were great out of the box but I'm even more pleased now they've burned in.

My only complaint is that the adjuster band isn't great and personally I'd like a tighter fit. I have quite a big head so I'm not sure how that affects the fit. That said, they're very comfy and easily wearable for a few hours at a time. Size wise, they're pretty big. I doubt I'd wear these out and about!!

These are fantastic sounding headphones. For the price, they're incredible sounding headphones. Definitely recommended.

What I think about those headphones.

I had those headphones for few days and I have only one word "AMAZING". Those headphones can easily compare with 200-300 USD headphones, the sound quality is simply amazing and with this low price they are MUST BUY for everyone who dont want to drop a lot of money on headphones but wants best sound he can get.

Superlux HD-681

Great ear phones :)

I've owned quite a few pairs of Superlux's headphones in the past, from two pairs of the original 681s and two pairs of the Evos.

I have a more full review on the white version of these headphones in which I go into greater detail regarding the sound. I will quickly say that the sound from these headphones is leaps and bounds beyond what you would ever expect from something in this price range; not too bright, not too boomy or muddy, plenty of mids - overall great sound. They're extremely comfortable and come with both faux-leather and soft fabric ear-pads. The box also includes interchangeable cables of different lengths and a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack adapter.

The reason I've given these a three-star rating for quality is that the second pair I ordered arrived with two defects:

- There are pads mounted beneath the ear cushions as with many headphones, but also a more dense foam pad beneath that which helps to dampen some of the highs which many people find fatiguing; the pad from one side was missing.

- The sound from the right ear-cup (the one WITHOUT the dampening pad) was extremely dull - it lacked most of the low-end bass, lacked body in the mids and the highs had now space to them, no 'airy-ness'. The whole sound was unbalanced.

All of that said...

Don't let it deter you from picking a pair of these up! Of course you're going to find the odd pair that will have flaws out of the box, as with any products, albeit lemons are more common among the lower-tier items. These are ?30 though, and they can be returned if they do happen to be faulty so just go for it!

DAMN!

That freaking BASS!!

And I don't mean it in a bad way, like it is too much. I mean more in the way of thinking "how the hell can so small speakers deliver that low frequencies?".

They are a joy to work with and goes easy on your ears.

Big bonus plus that you get two pairs of phone covers. One leatherish, and one in cloth. And two cables in different lenghts.

I've bought several of these bad boys to replace the other headphones in the studio and home as well.

Good stuff!!

No brainer!

I had many headphones including the original hd-681. These headphones sound answer all the issues the previous version had. They don't have the shrilling highs and the cable is interchangable. The sound is amazing and has more deails than my Creative Aurvana Lives. They are open construction though, so while recording vocals at high volumes into a condenser mic will render some bleed into the mic. I use them for listening to music, mixing and playing guitar. They do all those things well, and for the price they are a complete no brainer. I don't see a reason to get any other headphones, and since i got them, i don't use my Creatives at all! They are big, however, (not heavy, though) so having them on outside in summer might get your ears wet. But for in-door use they are very comfortable. They also seem very sturdy. I don't imagine that a simple pull of the cable would make any harm to them. If they fell from a table (and they did...) they also would be intact. Highly recomended!

Great budget headphones

I purchased these headphones to be a secondary option to my AKG K240 MKII-s when travelling, practicing with headphones in another room and to get multiple ways to listen to my mixes.

I was a little skeptical because the price is what you would pay in a electronics store for cheap headphones that always sounded terrible to my ears. Mostly the store bought headphones would sound very bassy and would make music a bit unlistenable.

I was very surprised to find that these headphones to not colour the sound at all and have a very flat response like my AKG-s and for a price that is 6 times cheaper. When I first A/B-d these headphones with the AKG-s I thought that the difference was so minimal that I wouldn't notice it at all if I wasn't looking for it. After having used both of the headphones for several months now, I notice that the higher frequencies are not as defined and can sound a bit muddy for these headphones. All in all these headphones sound absolutely fantastic for the money I paid for them.

When it comes to build quality it seems top notch. Most headphones in this price range would be be having problems already (I have gone through so many cheap headphones), but these seem to be having no problems even though I carry them with me almost everywhere I go.

For me the fit and comfort is great and I usually wear them for hours at a time. My wife said that she has a bit of discomfort after wearing them for a few hours so I thats why these get 4 out of 5.

Surprisingly detailed sound for less than 30?

I had been using Sennheiser HD595 for several years until the headphone cable got caught between the armrest of my chair, which eventually caused it to fall down to its' death. So looking for a replacement headphone with a similar sound clarity but with a far smaller budget in mind... I wasn't very optimistic to say the least.

The Superlux HD-681 Evo arrived in a box where the product laid well packed. It includes a 3.5 to 6.3 mm headphone converter as well as two different cables (1 metre and 3 metre). The converter is not of best quality, it actually uses a clip-on in order to stay secured. I didn't like that. The cables are straight, quite thin and the connector seems to be adequate. They also included extra velour pads, which I as a matter of fact immediately replaced the pleather pads with (pleather pads are by default installed on the cans).

For a 28? pair of headphones I must say the build-quality is surprisingly robust. However, at the beginning I felt quite a force pressing around my temples and ears. To alleviate this, I let it stretch for several days (I used the triangle-shaped cardboard package which the headphone was wrapping itself around, plus some books for further stretching). After a few days of stretching the clamping sensation was gone and by now I had already burned them in some (I used various music and a burn-in soundfile found from JBL's website). If I recall correctly, someone recommended at least 100 hours of burn-in for this model.

The sound. Oh the sound... Clear. Wide. That was my first impression. For a headphone to sound this good for such a low price is nothing more than a bargain. The clarity and separation of instruments is something I was greatly pleased with, especially when listening to soft rock or similar music. While playing Toto - Africa from beginning. Kick drum, soft snare, cow bell on drum kit in the left ear, extra handheld cow bell in the right ear, congas in middle, succeeded by the famous synth-riff. Wonderful. However (be warned)! The highs were too high to my ears. I have some sensitivity to sibilance and I feel that these headphones amp those frequencies quite adamantly. The bass is very much present, but it is not presented in a controlled manner as it interferes and sometimes overpowers the mids in other songs.

After using these headphones sporadically (letting them burn in when not wearing them) I always felt the highs were unbearable. They were simply too pronounced and sharp for me to enjoy 90% of whatever music I was listening to. Well luckily there are two ways of fixing this.. Well, actually three, but two of them are very similar just differentiating in methods, so let's stick with 2. EQ (Equalization) and physical modification of the headphone.

After playing around with an EQ, I mostly adjusted the 5k and up, by simple lowering them more and more the higher up I advanced in frequencies. Now this may be placebo, but I felt the presentation and sonical experience turned muddy and veiled. So I tried a second alternative, add cotton pads (those round, white soft pads used for facial-cleansing and make-up removal). I simply added one pad inside each cup, fitted them right through the opening without needing to open the cups up, using my finger to slide the pad under the velour pad edges. To explain my initial reaction: it felt right. The sound was just the way I liked it, similiar sound profile that I was used to from my 595's. The sibilance was gone and I still found the headphones sounding enjoyable. Now, as I said, it may be placebo or it may not be, so it should be up to everyone to try an EQ or cotton pads. The bass is still quite the same. To be honest, I don't recall exactly how it sounded without the cotton installed, but hey, these cost 28?. Some sacrifice is inevitable.

Final thoughts.

These headphones are so cheap, that... that they don't sound cheap? That didn't make no sense, but neither does the price tag for these. These cans sound to my ears as a pair of 100? (or even more) phones. But because they are inexpensive, these have become my main "fun-phones", that is, I do not really need to worry too much how I'm handling these, whether it's at home or on the move somewhere else. It's carefree. It's fun. The sound is also quite exciting for watching films as the bass is very present when needed. Rock music goes quite well with these, as well as EDM. The only thing I really can't do with these, is enjoy classical music, but I already knew this prior to my purchase. The HD-681 Evo's bass is simply not very controlled, too much interference is going on around the low mids which takes away much of an orchestra's presentation. But remember, 28?, sacrifice is inevitable. I often use these when playing VST pianos in Cubase, it's a pleasure.

Ok just buy them already, have some fun.

Easy to brake, like i have done, but i have repaired it myself. . To much middle tone for sound-tuning,mixing and mastering (Anyway, better use monitor speakers for that.) ,but ok for me to record vocals with then. .. .

Excellent product!

These headphones provide excellent value for money - they sound excellent, putting headphones costing many times more to shame.

And that's fresh out of the box - they'll only get better as the drivers loosen up.

They're comfortable to wear for extended periods too - I swapped out the fitted ear pads for the supplied velour ones immediately, as I'm not particularly fond of having sweaty ears.

If you're looking for headphones you'd be a fool to turn your nose up at these budget marvels!

Superlux HD-681 Evo

It surprised me, in a good way.

I didn't expect much for the money, but I think I got an amazing value for the this price.

The box, the accessories and the touch of the headphones has an overall feel like a more expensive piece.

Its quite big and it covers your whole ears. Actually, it hugs around your ears with the soft ear-pads. Very comfortable, you can wear for many hours without problem.

Sound. I think its okay. I am using with pc and not for monitoring or mixing. For general purpose, I think its perfect. I do listen music with it, and it sounds fine.

They not made for professionals. but I think they cover all your needs if you are not fussy.

And if you are fussy, this is not your price range.

So again: I got good quality and amazing value for the price. I highly recommend it! To general use, for everybody.

Superlux HD-681 EVO excellent !

The headphones are very comfortable, have a soft and comfortable ear-pads.

Additional comfort is provided velours pads.

Can be used for hours without problems.

Bass area is predominantly a bit. Powerful bass range is good and fun to blast and various film effects.

It is recommended to remove the sponge, which is located between pads and speaker headset, so the sound becomes brighter, and quality bass area is improving.

Medium tones are excellent, treble is slightly dominant, but OK.

If you like powerful, voluminous, fast and accurate bass area, as well as excellent and clean middle range of tones and brilliant treble that allow for hours of relaxed enjoyment in music, then Superlux HD-681 EVO excellent choice, without competition in a similar price range.

Really worth the money

First, bought this for my brother who's searching for a headphone for playing bass in the middle of the night..and the result is very satisfying as he said that this headphone beat many high end headphones out there and saying that it cannot be this cheap..so he checked the price again and said it's not a dream..the sound from high to low really express clearly..he tried with everthing such as portable game, playing song from handphone, using for bass guitar practice, even as earmuff for playing drum..everything really satisfying for this price..also its really good for monitoring when recording a song..really recommended..

Good bang for the buck!

I needed a pair of wear and tear headphones and decided on these ones mainly because of the look. I was kinda suprised by the sound quality. It's crisp, clear and big!

I've had more expensive ones with a lot muddier sound. I like how sturdy they are even though they could have been a bit smaller. The open solution for the exchangable cables is great, but I don't know why manufacturers insist on using 1m cables as the short alternative. 0,5m or even 0,3m would be better suited.

All in all it's an awesome pair of headphones and I'm buying an extra pair for my dad :)

Very capable cheap headphones!

These headphones are absolutely brilliant value for money.

The sound is very revealing. Mid bass is somewhat emphasized as with headphones like the ATH-M50, but it's not muddy enough to overwhelm. Excellent positional/directional accuracy and instrument separation. There wasn't a song I listened to that doesn't sound great through these headphones.

It's worth remembering that these are not closed headphones, they are semi-open. Sound will leak, both out and in. Best to avoid using these in noisy environments or when you don't want to disturb others.

Attractive shiny/matte plastic looks with a chrome accent, but the glossy plastic attracts a lot of fingerprints.

Solid construction with a replaceable cable - helps to prevent damage to the connection to the headphones themselves. (great, since this is what caused my last set to die on me after getting trapped in a swivel chair leg.) The self adjusting headband is easy to use but may need some time to stretch in order to easily fit bigger heads. (Like mine, unfortunately.)

They're lightweight, and can easily "disappear" and feel like you're no longer wearing them. The cable does however causes a lot of noise if dragged on clothing, etc..

Not exactly portable, but since these are studio headphones, and not really intended to be used when out and about, this can be overlooked. The inclusion of alternative velour earpads is a nice touch. It's down to personal preference, but I think they're much more comfortable and provide a better sound than the pleather earpads included.

Overall, these headphones compare very favourably to sets costing much more, and are definitely worth considering if you're on a budget.

Slightly flimsy

One the one hand, there is a kind flimsiness to them, on the other hand, they are light. I don't know if you can have one without the other, but it seem a slightly sturdier build wouldn't hurt.

The sound is good. Airy with a wide stereo field. Nothing major to remark on, good or bad.

The construction is open, so there is much leakage and little isolation, so they wouldn't be my first choice in a studio situation.

On the flip side, isolating headphones have to squeeze your head, which these ones don't, not much anyway.

The low weight and lack of squeeze, combined with included velour pads makes it possible to wear them for hours on end.

Great sound and comfort

I was looking for a review of another headphone when I stumbled upon this one. As that reviw said, I really think the headphone sounds and feels much more expensive than the are. Really a lot of nice sound, deep bass and comfort for cheap money. I'm very satisfied with my new Superlux HD-681 Evo.

Great headphones for the price

Best headphones for this price I have encountered. Might not be the first choice for an enthusiastic, but definately a good option in this range.

Bought two pairs, black and white. Both have been working well since.

Great price for the sound quality, not very durable

The sound quality is really great, especially for the cheap price.

The build quality is ok except for the headband, the headband is "self-adjusting" and prone to break after continuous usage. you can open the headphones to adjust them a bit larger by untangling the rubber bands, this might fix the issue. Or you can replace the headband when it breaks.

The headband is the weak spot of these phones both in comfort and durability, still i can't imagine you will find anything better for the price.

Amazing sound quality for cheap

These headphones have insanely good sound quality for such a cheap pair. Being semi-open they have a nice balance of wide soundstage and deep, punchy bass. They also isolate you from outside noise rather well, but they do leak a bit of sound.

The build quality is decent. It looks and feels like cheap plastic, but should be sturdy enough for anyone who takes care of their equipment. Besides, at this price range it's not too big of a loss if they do break.

The accessory list is pretty impressive. The headphones come with a bag for the accessories, two removable cables (1.5m and 3m) and a pair of velour earpads, which are much more comfortable than the default pleather ones.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied by these headphones. You can not get anything better at this price!