Ben Gramain Posted April 3, 2006 Report Posted April 3, 2006 So I am extremely fond of the HD25-1. They isolate as well as many IEM's, they sound OK, they're lightweight and can be ;iterally thrown in a bag with impunity. However for someone who has had more headphones and you can count on every appendage, I am getting 'samey-headphone-syndrome'. I want a change. The K181DJ is looking like the only competitor around at the moment that I haven't heard or had. I have just cancelled my order for a K181DJ as the supplier is being an arse. They told me it would arrive this week,, and this is after many, many weeks of waiting. A web seller have them in stock apparently and can dispatch next day. I am about to buy them, but if I buy something worse than the HD25 I will be a) miffed and out of pocket because I will probably give them away or sell them to a lowballer. Are they worse? Better? More / less isolating? More/less efficient? More durable? More portable? The questions might as well continue ad infinitum... Advice? Another phone recommendation? What should I do?
Dusty Chalk Posted April 3, 2006 Report Posted April 3, 2006 You should not buy them. "Samey headphone syndrome" is an indication that you're not listening to music enough, or perhaps not listening to interesting enough music -- you should spend the dosh on music, instead.
Ben Gramain Posted April 3, 2006 Author Report Posted April 3, 2006 Music budget is definitely not an issue, and variety thereof is not either.
Dusty Chalk Posted April 3, 2006 Report Posted April 3, 2006 I'm just saying, that itch you're feeling in your wallet -- it's not healthy. You should just put some salve on it.
jjcha Posted April 4, 2006 Report Posted April 4, 2006 Heh, I've been there, and I say why not? An old friend of mine, zChan on head-fi has the HD25-1, K181DJ and ES7 and tells me that the 181DJ's finally the one and he can stop searching.... Best, -Jason
philodox Posted April 4, 2006 Report Posted April 4, 2006 I've been considering selling my Shure E4's and getting them... how do they isolate? I used to use the K271 Studio's portably and they offered just the right amount of isolation.
boodi Posted April 4, 2006 Report Posted April 4, 2006 I'm interested as well in them as even if they looks extraordinary similar to hd-25 in function , they suggest (lookwise) a more impactful bass and more mellow mids . ah
Ben Gramain Posted April 4, 2006 Author Report Posted April 4, 2006 It would be kind of nice if there was more bass but clean, and a reduction in the sibilance that the HD25 is prone to every now and again. But I wouldn't want to give up the isolation.
philodox Posted April 4, 2006 Report Posted April 4, 2006 Just saw some better pictures and man, are the K181DJ's ever dorky looking. I am now considering the K81DJ instead. I think that given the size and price of the K181DJ you are better off getting the K271S or K171S. The K81DJ is around twice the size of the K26P supposedly... which is just about right for me. I think I might actually sell off the Shures. I like them well enough, but am missing full sized headphones on the go.
ojnihs Posted April 5, 2006 Report Posted April 5, 2006 I actually have both the K271S and K81DJ. I love the K81DJ's to be honest and it's weird Jay, I feel that the K271S are too big for portable use...or maybe it's that I care about my image too much.
philodox Posted April 5, 2006 Report Posted April 5, 2006 Ben - Yeah, there is some info in the K181/K81 thread on head-fi... they are a fair bit bigger. It's those geeky switches that kill me though. ojnihs - How do the K81DJ's sound compared to the K271S. Do you find they need amplification?
ojnihs Posted April 5, 2006 Report Posted April 5, 2006 ojnihs - How do the K81DJ's sound compared to the K271S. Do you find they need amplification? You know, there are times when I try the K81Dj's and I like them better than the K271S. I think the reasoning behind that is because they have better bass than the K271S, although I'm going to have to say that they can't quite match the sound clarity. The mids are nice and clear and the highs are rolled off, just like the K271S. I think the reason I like them is because they're so much like the K271S but with better bass. Sure, they clarity isn't as clear, but they're not that much worse. I really find that they don't need to be amped to sound great. The bass gets tighter and everything sort of spreads out with amplification, but I've come to realize, after using my Hornet on the go, that I really don't like carrying too much around when I'm walking to and from class. I've been using the K81DJ's unamp from my iPod and I like it just fine.
Ben Gramain Posted April 8, 2006 Author Report Posted April 8, 2006 Curiousity run over the cat. One K181 on it's way.
Salt Peanuts Posted April 11, 2006 Report Posted April 11, 2006 Curiousity run over the cat. One K181 on it's way. Cool! Keep us posted on how you like them (or not like them). Personally, I'm contemplating on getting a pair of K271's again to use them in semi-portable (okay not really) fashion. I miss them very much.
Ben Gramain Posted April 12, 2006 Author Report Posted April 12, 2006 Not that usual for me to comment so soon, but I think I've heard all I need to using them throughout today after the accelerated burn-in. The K181DJ isn't in the Teutonic mould for DJ phones. It's Japanese... read: flab, slow response, somewhat diffuse, unfatiguing tonality. And that's with the bass boost switch off. With the switch on, you're bringing in a truckload of enclosure honk along with the upped bass. In terms of build and look, it's also very Japanese... It's basically a slightly more robust (and less willfully OTT blingin') Panasonic HDJ-1000. The bass is more impactful than the HD25 for sure, but the speed has gone out of the window. Mellower sure, but also less capable and more diffuse. Given those major tradeoffs I'll definitely say "OK, I'll live with the sibilance". I'm going to put them on accelerated burn-in for another two days. However I think I know driver behaviour well enough by now to know that there isn't anything major in the way of hidden potential of these cans. At least they're better than the MDR-V700DJ... but then, having paid twice what someone would for the V700's (typically ?75) for the 181 (?150) I'd expect it. I'd say they're reasonably entertaining, but perhaps too DJ-specific to warrant acquisition by the jaded headphonophile. A (caveat: properly driven) K271S is notably ahead in terms of SQ, although they're not what even I'd call transportable. I'm just heading outside to peel the cat off the road and apologise to it.
ojnihs Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 I'm just heading outside to peel the cat off the road and apologise to it. Lol! Sorry that you had such a bad experience with the K181DJ... I haven't heard them so I can't really make a comment. Maybe you should try the K81DJ, they're pretty darn good to my ears...well good for the price at least.
Salt Peanuts Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 A (caveat: properly driven) K271S is notably ahead in terms of SQ, although they're not what even I'd call transportable. Hey, Philodox and I would beg to differ!
ojnihs Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 I do agree that the K271S is transportable...but I don't use them for that purpose. They're just not what I want to be seen wearing around campus...
Salt Peanuts Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 I guess there's that. I did use to wear them at work and in library. I think Philodox used his on his commute to work...
Ben Gramain Posted April 12, 2006 Author Report Posted April 12, 2006 Que? No edits anymore? (EDIT: Ahh I get it, no more edits after a post is added) I forgot to add, it's twice the weight of the HD25, less isolating and less efficient.
boodi Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 hey from description it seems the most buggy shit of an heapdhones you've come through
Salt Peanuts Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 I forgot to add, it's twice the weight of the HD25, less isolating and less efficient. Man, is there anything good about the cans? Sorry about your experience, but thanks for taking one for the team.
philodox Posted April 12, 2006 Report Posted April 12, 2006 Yeah, the K271S are portable as long as you can pull off the look. Problem is that you need a portable DAC, amp and cable upgrade for them to come into their own... and even I don't want to carry around all that crap every day. Sorry to hear about your experience with the K181DJ. I think I'll be waiting to hear the K81DJ before I buy them now.
Ben Gramain Posted April 12, 2006 Author Report Posted April 12, 2006 I can't say it's bad in absolutes. But I did pay the most I've ever done for a DJ-type phone so did expect something akin to the HD25 in terms of sonic ability. It doesn't deliver on that front. What it does deliver is possibly a more agreeable tonality for some compared to the Senn. It's less potentially shouty, way bassier (but in that "fast-food car park full of imports on a Saturday night" type of way) and definitely is not as sibilant. It is however as remarked before very much a somewhat wooly, diffuse "Japanese DJ-phone" sound although to it's credit the K181DJ has slightly more definition than most of the ilk. Now some might say it's not possible to tell this difference in quality on the move, but both phones deliver sufficient isolation (the HD25 in particular) in order to make that difference an issue. Of course, the problem isn't just the sound. It's the aforementioned attributes too. Huge-ass cups sir? Yes please! The 181 takes up just a bit less space than the HD25 when folded.
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