Blast from the past - Do I still recommend? - RHA S500 & Superlux HD681 Evo - review

[@Trashloot]

Please don't take this as a negative. Watching this video felt like talking about tech with my dad. You have just this calm and still excited vibe. Im definitely gonna check you channel out. Oh and you sold me on the super lux evos.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I am glad you enjoyed the video. Yeah I am older then most so no hurt feelings. Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing 🥰

[@marianoramirez5435]

Thanks!very clear explanation about the superlux, you and another video guy help me to decide to buy it.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness. I am glad you found the review helpful. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Thank you for watching, commenting and subscribing.

[@h-dawg6462]

hi, just ordered the evo .... in white!!! as it was cheaper here on ebay uk. haha i'm a sucker for cheap tech, but judging from graphs online the high's are rolled off which i like. can't wait ! thanks for sharing your story about them. all the best. oh, and i think i'd better sub as you seem like an honest fellow! 😁

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 👍 Look forward to hearing your impressions. Thanks for the kind words and subscribing, much appreciated.

[@h-dawg6462]

@@TheHonestAudiophile been a while, but yes, really nice headphones for the price! the sound was very bassy and dark at first, then once warmed up were very balanced and clear (especially with the included velour pads). i'm using them to mix and master music, and i love the detail and separation they provide for their price range. they're a keeper! i'm currently testing out the 'oneodio monitor 80's' for the same use, and i have to say they are very comparable!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@h-dawg6462 Thanks for the impressions. I'll have look at the Oneodio Monitor 80, thanks for the suggestion.

[@JohnPereiraJP]

Congratulations for your concerns about budget headphones. Even with a lot of very good CANS there behind you. Most of the public can not to paid for high end headphones and the best chanels have just this kind of stuff. Now yours are the best.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words and support. I think it's important to cover a variety of gear in varying price point. Plus it helps me to keep my perspective and not to get spoiled with the higher end gear only.

[@AvidEric]

Thank you! This by far was the best (as in detailed, relatable) review I've found for the Superlux. I'm in need for a replacement to my partially broken Sennheiser HD 570 and currently am basically on an almost non-existing budget. So your re-review was the needed tip on the scale I needed to actually order them. (And they're even only about $33 over here in Germany.) And maybe I'll save up another $25 for the Brainwavz as well as they seem to provide a nice distance between ear and speaker casing.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words. I am sure you will enjoy them. I look forward to hearing your impressions.

[@AvidEric]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Well, they're here. And sound-wise, I quite like them - though localization could be a bit better... but maybe I'm just a bit spoiled from the Sennheiser I'm coming from. The cables are nice, especially the short one helps keeping things cleaner on the desk. Something that I noticed right away though was how "hard" the ear pads are on the ears, with there being no difference between the pleather and the fake velours ones (and also my ears are touching the inner pad). Now I have to admit, the velours on my about 15-17 year old Sennheiser were soft like cotton balls and flat like pancakes, but those Superlux seem just a bit too hard. Also, the clamp force is a bit much for me to wear them as long as I sometimes need to (several hours). That along the about 5.5cm inner diameter, which is too small to not have my normal sized ears squeezed into them to not have the pads sit on my ear lobes... I don't know if I want to deal with that in the long run. To reduce the contact pressure I left them tensioned over a box over night that's quite a few centimeters wider than my head - so far with no effect on the clamp force. I'll look for a wider box for another night/day of them on it or may just try bending the rods open a bit wider so the headphones are lighter on my ears (diameter 59cm - I guess similar to yours). Now I'm wondering if the Brainwavz pads that you have are softer than the original pads? Just, more... soft? And also, is the inner diameter bigger than it is on the original ones? But even if they are better in all these things, I'm wondering if they'd make the clamping force issue even worse, considering they're thicker than the original ones. What's your opinion on that? Hope to hear back from you.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@AvidEric Awesome. I am glad you are enjoying them, kinda sorta. The Brainwavz pads are larger , thicker and softer so they are better all around in my opinion. As for clamp force, I don't really have an issue in that area.

[@AvidEric]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Alright, thanks for the quick reply!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@AvidEric My pleasure, you are welcome.

[@letalmike]

I just got my pair of HD 681 Evo,white edition. Last pair was failing at the headband in 2019... I loved that full sound of it so now,after 4 years,I just bought those cans again. But it is different story now: better pads and headband quality. The sound is tuned different too,like more neutral,but I still enjoy my 681 Evos.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting. Thanks for the impressions.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting. I've not heard the SHP9600, thanks for the impressions.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I've not heard the 9500 just the X2HR.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@seidelbaum Here's a link to my X2HR review.I think you'll figure it out pretty easily 😏kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJjVlnytpamsm68

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Harmonicdyne Athena is a solid option.

[@Cyba_IT]

I have a set of the standard Superlux HD681's and can confirm that they are amazing sounding for the price. It's telling that you're comparing them to Focal and Hifiman (And Sennheiser's best mid range cans) and not $100 - $200 cans. The sound is incredibly clear and balanced and I prefer them to the lower end, but still more expensive, Sennheiser's that I have. Just picked them up on a whim a few years ago after reading some good reviews and include them in my listening sessions every time. Truly an underrated gem that's a bargain at around $40.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesome 👍😎 They for sure are a great value headphone.

[@quintuplebanned4267]

I have rhas - a Scottish company, actually, (where I just came from (in Ireland now) and if you haven’t been to Edinburgh, Scotland, put it on your bucket list, it is something to see, and I’ve seen all the biggies here in Europe, multiple times, and Edinburgh still blew me away)and I just bought the Superlux for recording music. They are so weird and cool looking, so It was so cool to see these were reviewed.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I've always wanted to visit there, bucket list for 👍

[@anomyymi0108]

I've been using HD681s for almost a decade, rebought like 3 times now, I just love them even if the build quality is such you always have to start resoldering cords after a year. How much do you have to spend to get something substantially better in audio quality?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I'd jump up to HD600/650 or HE4xx

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@kabbalah111 770 will be more detailed and resolving but has more intense presentation.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@kabbalah111 intense presentation is where details seem forced upon you and it becomes fatiguing to listen to.

[@anomyymi0108]

Since this comment got bumped, couple years ago ended up buying the HE400SE (which didn't yet exist when the OP was made). I run bass-reduced harman EQ with them. I haven't tested those old superluxes in a long time, so I cannot really answer my own question, how much better these midfi cans truly are. But god damn do these planars make vocals sound so mesmerizingly clear. A clarity that hasn't lost its novelty even after 2 years.

[@Masata240]

This is probably the latest, honest, and most comprehensive review of the RHA S500 - which is surprisingly obscure when it comes to media coverage. Could you please list the names and links to the accessories and competitors you mentioned? And what do you think of the supplied double-flanged eartips? How are Comply's compared to the Decony Bulletz foam tips you mentioned?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the kind words. I will have to upload the requested links when I get back to the office later today. Please see links in description. I love RHA silicone tips they're one my go to for all IEM'S. The double flange work very well with the S500. Dekoni Bulletz vs Comply, I find the Dekoni to be softer and more comfortable, the Comply are stiff, expand too much and also cause the bass to become bloated and the treble loses its clarity.

[@Manuevaral]

Sir I'm tired finding best headphone or whatever wearables sound devices under $50 i just need clarity + sound separation + sound stage (optional: soothing thumpy bass) For movies, music ............... Also can suggest expensive one's

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Here is a link to my gear rankings: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nRHnsP_4vLg9DlD9kwJ6gQuEQFqhTR0lnrkxXo3AMG8/edit?usp=sharing Please read the ranking grade tab first as I do it differently then all the other reviewers. Also, here is a write up about it: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/another-tier-list

[@Manuevaral]

@@TheHonestAudiophile if you could suggest something will be better cz I didn't find any headphone in my budget

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I prefer the Tin Hifi T2 in that budget range. For a little more bass try the TruthEar x Crinacle Zero Red.

[@GonzaBuckRP]

me encanto la pasion con los Evo, justo estoy pensando en comprarlos y los estoy comparando con los Superlux HD681. Aqui en Argentina no hay mucha variedad, y los precios son muy altos, pero que un buen par de auriculares lo valen . Buen video!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Gracias por la amable palabra, muy apreciada. El HD681 Evo es un auricular de gran valor.

[@joserom502]

Loco, te compraste los Evo al final? Me podrías comentar que onda con estos auriculares? Porque estoy pensando en comprarlos.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yes, I own the Superlux HD681 Evo.

[@joserom502]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Hi, I really enjoyed your video! The only thing that I'm worried about is that the sound leak to the exterior. Is it that noticeable for someone who is close to me when I listen at low volume or is just when it's too loud? Sorry for my bad english.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@joserom502 Sound leak is noticeable to people around you.

[@Reculse]

Have you compared the newer superlux HD672 with the 681Evo? Is it worth upgrading when the 681 is awesome?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I haven't heard the HD672 but it might be worth looking into bringing them in for a review. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@TheRedSign]

How do these compare to the original 681 (non-EVO) soundwise? I heard they sound the same.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I haven't heard the non Evo version, sorry.

[@TheRedSign]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Oh, ok. Thx either way =)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@TheRedSign My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@ruekurei88]

They aren't the same. Original 681s are bright, Evos are warm. Details and clarity should be the same. Soundstage should be wider in the OGs.

[@TheRedSign]

@@ruekurei88 So they are different, not by much though. Thx m8

[@orcunozgener1540]

hey i want to buy a headphone for direct monitoring and mixing . Should i go with closed headphone or semi open ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I would go with a closed headphone so there is no sound leakage.

[@orcunozgener1540]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thank you so much !!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@orcunozgener1540 my pleasure, your welcome

[@laiwengti]

I'm quite interested with HD681 Evo, but I do notice there are few different models from Superlux I'm interested too (e.g. HD688B, HD671, HD662 Evo), and now, I'm not sure which one shall I own.... And I do notice these are kinda old headphones...

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The Superlux HD681 Evo has aged well in my opinion, they are a good value for the price. Granted the build quality is cheap but again the price. I haven't heard any other Superlux gear.

[@laiwengti]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I might be selling my Tribit XFree Tune and grab one of the Superlux Headphone...

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@laiwengti Awesomeness. If you do, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and impressions.

[@laiwengti]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Sure, I just stepped into such hobby, and my opinion might not be realistic for everyone's ears...

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I love hearing about experiences no matter the level of expertise, enjoyment is what matters :)

[@MrShriniketpatil]

Which latest model from Superlux would you recommend? I am looking for a low impedance, resolving and neutral sounding OEM.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I am sorry I have only heard the HD681 Evo.

[@MrShriniketpatil]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Can the HD681 do a better job than the CCA C12 or KZ ZSX?

[@MrShriniketpatil]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Thanks for sharing your views, much appreciated.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@MrShriniketpatil my pleasure, you're welcome.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@MrShriniketpatil totally different experience, over ears vs IEM.

[@xPandamon]

Putting on earpads that cost just as much as the headphones, basically. Nice video and you definitly know what you're talking about. Keep it going! Had Koss Porta Pro, then AKG K550 MKIII (which i sold, mostly because they weren't great on the go and because i needed the money, sadly), then tried some Sony WF-1000-XM3 which were okay with some EQ adjustments but not for me (In-Ears sadly still rub my skin open, pretty painful obviously) and now HD861 EVO. They arrive tomorrow and i hope they're to my liking but they do sound perfect for me. Bought two pairs so my friend can get the white ones since he desperately needs some headphones, hope he likes them aswell. Will report back tomorrow, if i don't forget about it :)

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

In ears can be very uncomfortable and give fit issues for some. Sorry to hear about your issues with them. I hope you enjoy your Superlux as much as I do. I look forward to hearing your impressions of them.

[@xPandamon]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I have rather dry skin. Which results in In-Ears rubbing it open at times, resulting in inflammation and at times even blisters from the fricition. Hoped that it wouldn't happen with these since they're pretty comfortable, sadly it did. Haven't had In-Ears in years (those were Sennheiser CX, not sure about the exact model) so i hoped i would be safe nowadays. Got them "for free" when changing my electricity provider (well 6€ more per month, resulting in 144€ over two years) but i sold them to a very happy guy for 150€ so i even made profit with them in theory which isn't to shabby ^^

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@xPandamon Sorry to hear about those issues, sounds painful. Always nice to make a profit when selling gear 👍

[@xPandamon]

@@TheHonestAudiophile So, they are finally here. Listened to them for about 1 1/2 hours and i must say they sound really nice especially for the price. Definitly better than the Sony WF-1000-XM3 (with an EQ mind you) and not as good but more fun than the AKG K550 MKIII i had. Easily beating the Koss Porta Pro of course. Sound leakage is pretty bad i'd say, that is something they could improve on a newer model. They look pretty good although cheap but seem pretty sturdy and the cable management is pretty ingenious, tested the pull out feature and it does indeed work as expected. Immediatly swapped to the Velcro pads, the pleather ones are okay i guess but not great while the Velcro pads aren't to shabby. Nice bass, slightly boomy at times but still pretty balanced (and definitly superior to other headphones in that price range), mids are good but could be a tad more and highs are really nice, much better than on my WF-1000-XM3 while not being as harsh than my AKG K550 MKIII. So overall really good for that money AND they actually sound good with rock which was hard to achieve with the Sony ones and pretty much impossible with the AKG even with my Fiio A1 bass boost. They just lacked the energy needed when it comes to lows which isn't very suprising. Don't know if i missed anything, sound is great even without EQing, they're very comfortable and lightweight (after swapping the earpads) and are really cheap, not to mention the 3 years warranty you get on thomann.de for them which is just ridiculous for that price range. Can only recommend them and i bet if i play around with Viper4Android i can make them sound even better. So far i only activated gain control, might try to create a DDC profile (frequency response correction) to see if that improves it further. Will update this with my friends opinions later since he isn't an audiophile in the slightest so it should be more "normal" ^^

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@xPandamon awesomeness, glad you are enjoying them. Thank you for the update and impressions.

[@pommespanzer6268]

These headphones go over the ear and don't press on the ear right?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Yes, the Superlux are an over ear design. Swapping pads to the Brainwavz XL makes the ear hole even larger.

[@pommespanzer6268]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Would you recommend them for gaming, or are there headphones in a similar price range that are better for videogames?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@pommespanzer6268 Yeah they're decent for gaming. I haven't tried very many over ears in that price range.

[@pommespanzer6268]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Alright thanks for the help. Great Video by the way.

[@codetrain020]

Can't believe a $35 headphone can beat the X2HR in bass. Do you prefer the 681 Evo over the X2HR in terms of overall sound? Or does the X2HR still beat it in terms of mids, treble, imaging and soundstage? And what do you think is more fun between the two?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I prefer the 681 Evo over the X2HR. For me the X2HR is one of the worst fitting and sounding headphone I've had on my head.

[@codetrain020]

@@TheHonestAudiophile Oh wow that's awesome! I was considering the X2HR as my go to fun headphone. Thanks for saving me money and I really love your honest reviews!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@codetrain020 My pleasure, you're welcome. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJjVlnytpamsm68

[@JohnPereiraJP]

im looking for the takstar pro 82. No more in-ears after blons ( it alread is the definitive in-ear).There is some good stuffs under 100 usd out there.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Takstar Pro 82 may have to get those in for a review. They look interesting.

[@budgetking2591]

@@TheHonestAudiophile they are a must-have, did you get them ?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@budgetking2591 Takstar Pro82? I haven't heard the pleasure as of yet.

[@edmundsiadari6234]

Cooler master Mh751 uses the takstar pro 82 drivers I think

[@warmlycalculated390]

Have you heard the vanilla HD 681? How does it compare to the evo?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Sorry haven't heard the non Evo.

[@2ndLastJedi]

Your passion is infectious. I'm 45 and never had open back headphones before, I just ordered HD681 for $39 aud and I. Really excited now coming from Hyper X Cloud II.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Awesomeness 💓Look forward to hearing your impressions. Thank you for the kind words, greatly appreciated. Enjoy the Music 💓Honesty is the Best Policy!

[@calvinyip364]

My hd668b the connector have issues and sound is breaking . And I don't know how to soldier

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

That is a bummer, sorry to hear that.

[@calvinyip364]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I suspect is the wiring from the headphone jack. It still have sound from certain angle. I been using it 2 years and it fail yesterday. I just ordered the Samson sr850 but it's a pleather earpad instead of the velour and it's way cheaper than the 668b. Don't know it's original or not.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Interesting. I havent heard the Samson SR85O. Look forward to hearing your impressions and comparison.

[@calvinyip364]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I did my research online some say the superlux 681 evo is better. Some said the Samson sr850. Lots of mix review. My unit is ship directly from China . 1 thing I don't like about the super lux 668b is even through this 2 years of constant wearing. It still hurt my ears after 30min of wearing them. Hope the Samson is much more comfortable

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@calvinyip364 interesting

[@linolingelbach2214]

does this sound better than the cca c12?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

CCA C12 is better then the RHA S500.

[@linolingelbach2214]

Actually I’m planing to buy my first headphone. Can you tell me the sound signature of the hd681 evos? I bought the cca c12 because of your review, and I loved them, thanks 😊

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@linolingelbach2214 The Superlux HD681 Evo are good introduction into the world of open overear headphones. They have bass that has decent details, can be a little boomy and bloated especially on busier tracks. The mids are a little warm with adequate clarity and natural sound. The treble can be a little bright at times, especially on more treble present tracks. Soundstage has a nice open airiness to it, average soundstage width and layering with okay placement and seperation. They will sound a little muddled on busier songs. I still think for the pricepoint they are an excellent introduction into openback headphones.

[@linolingelbach2214]

@@TheHonestAudiophile So the sound signature is warm?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@linolingelbach2214 The bass and mids have a slight warmth too them.

[@Gaurav-ni7xo]

Hey I purchased s500u they are sounding pretty normal do I need to burn

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Fit and seal makes a difference, burn in also may help; I found them to sound good for the price. The S500u is great value for the price but they aren't giant slayer's.

[@Gaurav-ni7xo]

@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks alot for replying

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

My pleasure, you're welcome.

[@6TheBACH]

Hello the Honest Audiophile, I think I did a poor choice... I just got a HD560s to replace my busted HD681Evo (bought 6 years ago), and the sound in the Sennheiser is really "muffled", almost "muted", compared to my old Superlux. I thought that meaby I need an amplifier for these new heaphones, but I never had any issue with my HD681Evo. I paid 120€ for the HD560s, thinking I was buying a "better" headphone all around compared to the Superlux product. Sure, the 560s are incredible confy and light, but the audio clarity is just not there. I think I got robbed or something, I' m just speechless. How can a lot of people suggest the HD560s when they sound like 15€ headphones compared to a 40€ product in my country? Do I need to do something? Meaby wait for the headphones to "settle"? I still have my HD681Evo, and it should be possible to save them (just need to solder a new jack, since the old one broke), but damn, I really thought the HD560s were a big deal. All hype no substance? How is this even possible? Is there something I'm missing? Wtf man, W T F.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The 560s is harder to drive than the HD681 Evo so a more powerful amplifier may help. Break-in is also a possible solution but that shouldn't take but a few hours to happen. My opinion is that they are being underpowered but also they just aren't your preferred sound signature. Sorry that you spent the money, hopefully you can return them for a refund or sell for similar price that you paid.

[@benchmarkerlovesgaming140]

I just got mine (used) and they’ll be coming on Friday hopefully. I can’t wait because they’re my first “studio” headphones other then some Corsair void wireless and they don’t sound good for the price of a 100 pound just extremely comfy or apple ear buds which sound alright but aren’t amazing and I am not a big fan of ear buds.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I look forward to your impressions.

[@benchmarkerlovesgaming140]

@@TheHonestAudiophile I’ll tell you what I think when I get them

[@bibekbohidar6905]

My s500u will be coming tomorrow. Do i need to burn it first?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

The S500u benefits from a few hours of run time. But for the most part, they are just plug n play

[@albertopuertamillet5907]

Do you think the Superlux HD-681 Evo Bk are the best under 30€?

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

I have very limited listening to headphones in that price range. I would say the Superlux are better then the Monoprice Retro.

[@jari121]

I think that Superlux hd 681 is better than hd 681 evo. I have both and 681 is more clear and open sounding, less v-shaped and have bigger soundstage.

[@damianledesma1894]

Oh my, Im' just planning to get the HD681 EVO and now they're things of the past 🤦. By the way, any recomendations for Samson RS850 vs HD681 EVO? Good video, thanks!

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@damian ledesma The HD681 Evo is a good choice. I haven't heard any Samson gear, sorry.

[@czdot]

I have read that HD681 EVO and Samson RS850 were pretty much the same thing. I would go for closed-back Superlux HD 662 EVO. I own a HD 681 and to me, HD 662 EVO sound better. I bought a few different 100mm pads from Aliexpress and tried them on both headphones. HD 662 EVO still came sounded better to me.

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

@@czdot Thanks for the information. Haven't heard any other Superlux gear so may have to have listen.

[@dreadlock17]

@@czdot HD681 EVO and HD662 EVO difference is one semi-open and closed back, no?

[@kathiravanc6171]

Check out the RHA ma390u they sound better than s500 imo

[@TheHonestAudiophile]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look into them and see if I can obtain a pair for review.

[@MrRondonmon]

The 20th Century lasted until 2001, so 2020 is still the old decade.. JUST SAYING, lol. Good review !!