AKG K81 DJ vs Bragi Dash

Despite the compact size. the bass is full, has great impact, deep extension yet is not loose. The low end also has a natural quality to it that makes these headphones great for music that is performed using real instruments.
The mids are slightly recessed, but also have a natural tone. The highs are the most recessed or rolled-off, but the detail and airiness of the music is not totally absent. This quality helps give the sound a smooth and pleasing tonality.

The K81 can be used “DJ style”, wherein only one ear cup is in contact with the head. The cups have a smooth swivel action so they can be rotated to face outwards. A user can choose to hold one ear cup up to his or her ear while flipping switches or turning knobs on the mix board with the other hand.

While these are already quite compact, the ear cups can be folded into the headband to reduce their size even further. This makes them easy to stuff inside a bag and travel with.

The clamping force is not too much at all, so acceptable levels of pressure will be applied on the ears. Also, the ear pads are thick with ample pleather padding on the surface. This combination provides adequate cushioning between the ear cups and sides of the head.

The aluminum headband itself has some good flex. Combined with the sliding mechanism of the ear cups, K81 can be adjusted to fit a wide range of head sizes. Also notable are the numbered steps on each side of the headband, which allow for accurate and consistent ear cup positioning.

Although it's mostly made of plastic, the materials don't feel cheap at all. Aside from feeling sturdy, the plastics have a smooth rubber coating which makes them feel premium to the touch. Also, the headband is made out of aluminum which is significantly more durable than an all plastic one.

The IPX7 certification means these can work even when used while swimming. Do note however that increased water pressure (like when diving) can still cause damage.

The highs and mids have good detail but are not forward or boosted. Instead, they have a smooth quality to them that makes them easy to listen to. Bass quantity is pretty high, and with good power too.

The Dash features 4GB of internal memory. This allows the earbuds themselves to hold up to 1000 songs, which can be played without connecting to a music player or smart phone.

Users can make taps or swipes on the Bragi Dash's touch-sensitive areas on the earpieces. This can help to play or pause music, skip current track or play previous track, control volume as well as other functionality.

With these earbuds synced with the Bragi companion app, users can track fitness-related stats like heart rate, distance traveled and the like.