Great for gaming and music listening. Best for this price
This headphone is an old model. Originally released almost a decade ago. I bought it because the price was too good to not get it, it was recommended alot on audio forums for entry level studio headphones, and because they're open back they are amazing for gaming.
They have a wide sound stage, which will be even better if you use it with a good DAC/Amp, and the positional tracking (imaging) is very good too. The treble is a bit harsh, some people maybe find it tiring and might give a headache so I suggest use an equaliser and lower some of the higher frequencies, that makes it more enjoyable.
They have good bass, not too overwhelming but they are semi-open back so don't expect too much bass. The mids and highs are clear and crisp, just tame the treble with an EQ.
The stock pads are pretty bad, they irritated my ear and got hot, replaced them with some velour pads that are meant for the AKG K240 and they fit perfectly and they're much more comfortable and increase the sound stage slightly too.
The clamping force is a bit too much, i left them overnight on a box that is wider than head width, around 20cm wide. It did help alleviate some pressure but theyre still a bit tight. Leave them on the box the came in for a day or 2.
I've read that people have done some mods which make them sound even better, like putting 2 or 3 ply tissue paper under the foam on top of the driver to help reduce treble. Some have done resoldering of the cables, and others have replaced the cabling for some higher quality which apparently makes them sound better, but I'm not sure about that one.
For gaming these are amazing! That's the reason I bought them. The positional audio queues are accurate and the wide sound stage lets me hear enemies coming from a good distance, which would get even better with a budget headphone amplifier like the Fiio E10k. Depending on how well the game audio is mixed, you will have a great improvement in your gaming sessions and performance.
Other than the treble, the stock earpads, and the clamping force(all of which can be fixed relatively easily), this is a great value headphone. Cheap and made to mod. Great all around value for gaming, music, movies. The HD681 Evo are also worth looking at. And the Samson SR850.
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