• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Superlux HD668B Review (headphone)

Guerilla

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Messages
106
Likes
38
Any good candidates for lower distortion drivers to refit in these? - I have them and they are boomy as measurements predicts.
Cheers!
 

Guerilla

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Messages
106
Likes
38
The HD681 is closest to the K240 in construction.
This one also has a B(alanced) and F(rontrow) version which sound different in the bass.
The HD688B (B stands for balanced) has the K240 style cups and AudioTechnica wing style pads. These don't work for me either.
It is also available as other brands (Superlux is OEM manufacturer) some sound somewhat different.
Owned one (and several other Superlux models) before I had a measurement rig.

Typical problems with this headphone (over time):
A: soldered wires onto the headband (right channel cutting out) getting loose.
B: the 'dongle plug' wire breaks after some time of usage at the entry point of this headphone.
C: the point where the metal wires are mounted on the cups by a thick screw have a tendency to break.
Ive use mine for 10 years and no faults even Im not extreemly gentle with them.
Cheers!
 

bunkbail

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 27, 2018
Messages
520
Likes
662
Many thanks for the review @amirm ! I bought a pair of these headphones 4 years ago and I don't really liked how it sounds and decided to let it collecting dust in the closet since then. I just took them out and listened to them with the suggested EQ, they actually sound freaking good I'm legitly surprised right now.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
From what I've read around, this seems to be the conclusion. A good budget starter headphone in terms of sound after modding and/or EQing. However, I also read that the build, for even the low price that it is, is pretty bad. The argument being that yes it is cheap and not bad after EQ, but just won't last a couple of years.

Interesting review, none-the-less. Thank you.
While they look fragile they actually are not (lite enough to survive most of false and accidents), they won't last more than 2~3 years because input jack rubber (real rubber) will brake. So you are better with even cheaper Superlux HD681.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
broken-wire-sl.jpg

After approx. 1.5 year of usage.

I have modified and owned dozens of Superluxes.
2 of them broke the dongle wire and had 1 of them had the wire coming loose (happens to AKG as well) and 1 of them (a modified one that was returned) had the plastic broken.

Some people are lucky others are not.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
@solderdude what do you think of HMC660 (to take some of bad construction points of already discussed one's)? Al do those require soldering on arrival.
 

Feelas

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2020
Messages
390
Likes
315
Interestingly enough, yet another often-recommended pair turns out to be quite on the reference curve.
I can only underline what's been said before: at least knowning HD681s, the build quality is ridiculous and you're bound to buy a bunch of those, not merely one, if wanting them to survive. Really a throwaway-when-I-break model.
 

Vladimir Filevski

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Mar 22, 2020
Messages
550
Likes
712
I bought Superlux HD 668B and HD661 several years ago, the price was irresistible. But those two pads on top were pain in the head, literary. Sold them the next day.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
@solderdude what do you think of HMC660 (to take some of bad construction points of already discussed one's)? Al do those require soldering on arrival.

Ah... it's out already.
Haven't measured the production HD660Pro. This is not the same as the older HD660 which does have an actual FR plot b.t.w.
That one may differ from the proto I have.
I shall ask the developper if they changed something in the production version.
The HMC version does seem to have different enclosure. Don't know if it is based on HD660 or HD660Pro or a different version.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
@solderdude well I didn't had them either. There are cosmetically other versions like HMC660 X. Asked as those are rather bizarre interesting (for cabling and fantom power [1.5~9V]) because of rather good mic (for the price). Think those sound more like a Koss Portas.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
Superlux mics are rather good in general, at least they have very good VFM.
 

Nango

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
1,463
Likes
985
Location
D:\EU\GER\Rheinhessen
Are the settings shown in the picture Band 1, 2, 3, .... always directly applicable despite which EQ-Tools we use, no matter if this is USB-Audio or NeutronMP (under Android) ..... or not?
 

Nango

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
1,463
Likes
985
Location
D:\EU\GER\Rheinhessen
Not in vane all these models are named HD xxx or similar always like those from other premium mfr as these korean names Superlux, Takstar are known to built the low cost models for Sennheiser, beyer, AKG, etc. At least the driver units will be the same.
 
Last edited:

tonybarrett

Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
60
Likes
95
The HD681 is closest to the K240 in construction.
This one also has a B(alanced) and F(rontrow) version which sound different in the bass.
The HD688B (B stands for balanced) has the K240 style cups and AudioTechnica wing style pads. These don't work for me either.
It is also available as other brands (Superlux is OEM manufacturer) some sound somewhat different.
Owned one (and several other Superlux models) before I had a measurement rig.

Typical problems with this headphone (over time):
A: soldered wires onto the headband (right channel cutting out) getting loose.
B: the 'dongle plug' wire breaks after some time of usage at the entry point of this headphone.
C: the point where the metal wires are mounted on the cups by a thick screw have a tendency to break.
I have AKG 240 Studios from mid-1990s, bought for some home multitrack mixing, now gathering dust. I remember being bass light. Worth EQing?
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,891
Likes
35,912
Location
The Neitherlands
I don't know that version.
EQ will be beneficial for bass extension.
They probably are more suited for monitoring (given the lows roll-off) than music enjoyment.
 

Blujackaal

Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
221
Likes
102
Another interesting thing about this chinese company is the fact they are not ashamed to mention where they took inspiration with their particular products. In this case they compare its FR tuning to DT990 (not mentioning manufacturer explicitly, but obviously most probably they reference to BeyerDynamic DT990). Pricewise its almost a scandal because for the price of these you can get (roughly) just the genuine velour pads for Beyer`s HP (EDT 990 VB)

View attachment 104452

I've searched and written down all the references from their catalogue, in case anyone interested:
HD662 - reference to DT770 (most probable to Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO)
HD662F - ref.to SRH-440 (~ Shure SRH440)
HD662B - ref. to SRH840 (~ Shure SRH840)

HD681 - ref. to HP890 (~ Philips SBC HP890)
HD681F - ref. to AD500 (~ Audio Technica ATH-AD500)
HD681B - ref. to K240 Studio (~ AKG K240 STUDIO)

HD381 - ref. to CX400 (~ Sennheiser CX 400)
HD381F - ref. to MDREX90LP (~ Sony MDR-EX90LP)
HD381B - ref. to MA850G/A (~ Apple MA850G/A)

HD631 - ref. to HDJ-2000 (~ Pioneer HDJ-2000)
HD661 - ref. to MDR7506 (~ Sony MDR-7506)
HD669 - ref. to HD280PRO (~ Sennheiser HD280PRO)
HD668B - ref. to DT990 (~ Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO)

These are not new headphones, i really expect it takes £15 total for all parts to build them. The Sony MH755 costs only £5 yet with EQ can match most $200 IEM's.
 

ZolaIII

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 28, 2019
Messages
4,069
Likes
2,409
These are not new headphones, i really expect it takes £15 total for all parts to build them. The Sony MH755 costs only £5 yet with EQ can match most $200 IEM's.
No they can't (MH755) they just act as a slippers to Harman target curve. By the way Superlux is Taiwanese OEM that's why you see so much of they rebrand's on traditional markets.

Disclaimer just to mention that I dislike both EMI's (tho there are really good ones for 60~100$) for discomfort and Harman curve (bass hump).
 

Guerilla

Active Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2020
Messages
106
Likes
38
broken-wire-sl.jpg

After approx. 1.5 year of usage.

I have modified and owned dozens of Superluxes.
2 of them broke the dongle wire and had 1 of them had the wire coming loose (happens to AKG as well) and 1 of them (a modified one that was returned) had the plastic broken.

Some people are lucky others are not.
Not normal usage and a different headphone than the model reviewed
 

3125b

Major Contributor
Joined
May 18, 2020
Messages
1,352
Likes
2,204
Location
Germany
Hmm, same measured bass response as Oratory - wich I simply can't believe to be true. Is it possible that tue Gras just doesn't seal with Superlux pads?
 
Top Bottom