Product Review
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I own the AKG K701 headphones and couldn't be happier with their spacious sound and accuracy - but they on the large side, and hardly the product for on-the-go listening. The K81DJ headphones aims to fill the gap for a good-sounding portable.
While you can't beat in-ear monitors for portability, the bass can be bloated (Westone UM2), sound quality lacking, or the cables flaky. For the most part, ear buds lack the kind of sound quality you need for serious music listening. A small headphone would be perfect, but an open-backed model like, say, Sennheiser PX100 is like a sponge for outside noise. A closed headphone is the only solution for many listeners.
The Senn HD25 is said to be the gold standard in portable phones. At less than half the price, the AKG K81DJ blasts open the market. Several positive reviewe on this thread have pointed out their foldable design, attractiveness, and fine sound of the K81DJ - and it's all true. The problem (as you've also probably read) comes with a bass that can be boomy at times if you don't do something about it. And you can.
There's a reason for this sound. Since these are DJ headphones, they're designed to absorb all the excess bass in club situations; but everyday listeners can make them sound great. First, pull out the two-inch polyethylene pads hidden behind the pleather ear pads; they come out like a contact lens.and the sound improvement is immediate. Second (if this is if you're adventurous), pull off the pleather pads, and unscrew the three Philips screws just behind. Now, take some Blue-Tak, and fill in the hard plastic atreas behind the phone. (You can find illustrated instructions online by searching the Head-Fi forums.) The result is a rich, detailed sound certain to surprise any portable headphone listener. No excess bass.
The only remaining issue is their heavy clamping force which, again, is designed to be an asset for deejays in noisy envionments. Leaving them stretched around a six to eight inch globe for a while can alleviate most of the discomfort, but they'll always be an extra-snug fit. Listeners with large heads might best try these out before committing.
Before purchasing the K81DJ, I'd wondered whether these mods would make the phones shine. It worked wonderfully with my 5.5g iPod, and I'm delighted. After years of pickiness, I've finally found my portable "rig" - no more searching for me.
While you can't beat in-ear monitors for portability, the bass can be bloated (Westone UM2), sound quality lacking, or the cables flaky. For the most part, ear buds lack the kind of sound quality you need for serious music listening. A small headphone would be perfect, but an open-backed model like, say, Sennheiser PX100 is like a sponge for outside noise. A closed headphone is the only solution for many listeners.
The Senn HD25 is said to be the gold standard in portable phones. At less than half the price, the AKG K81DJ blasts open the market. Several positive reviewe on this thread have pointed out their foldable design, attractiveness, and fine sound of the K81DJ - and it's all true. The problem (as you've also probably read) comes with a bass that can be boomy at times if you don't do something about it. And you can.
There's a reason for this sound. Since these are DJ headphones, they're designed to absorb all the excess bass in club situations; but everyday listeners can make them sound great. First, pull out the two-inch polyethylene pads hidden behind the pleather ear pads; they come out like a contact lens.and the sound improvement is immediate. Second (if this is if you're adventurous), pull off the pleather pads, and unscrew the three Philips screws just behind. Now, take some Blue-Tak, and fill in the hard plastic atreas behind the phone. (You can find illustrated instructions online by searching the Head-Fi forums.) The result is a rich, detailed sound certain to surprise any portable headphone listener. No excess bass.
The only remaining issue is their heavy clamping force which, again, is designed to be an asset for deejays in noisy envionments. Leaving them stretched around a six to eight inch globe for a while can alleviate most of the discomfort, but they'll always be an extra-snug fit. Listeners with large heads might best try these out before committing.
Before purchasing the K81DJ, I'd wondered whether these mods would make the phones shine. It worked wonderfully with my 5.5g iPod, and I'm delighted. After years of pickiness, I've finally found my portable "rig" - no more searching for me.
