AKG K81 DJ vs Turtle Beach Elite Pro Tournament

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 Elite Pro delivers full, forward, powerful and detailed sound that should work well with any game or movie. Bass is powerful yet is also fast, so it does not muddy up the overall sound signature. The mids are slightly forward so in-game dialogue is very easy to hear and understand. The highs are very detailed yet do not get harsh, so you should be able to easily pick-up minute sound effects like footsteps and the rustling of leaves, which can give you a competitive edge when gaming.

You won’t have any issue wearing the Elite Pro for extended periods. The headband and ear pads feature thick memory foam which feel very soft, and drastically reduce pressure on the head. Also, there are ear cup settings that help to minimize the tension under certain parts of the ear pads, allowing them to compress more to accommodate those who wear glasses when gaming.

The Elite Pro won’t break easily, as the headset is built quite well. The headband adjustment and joints are made of metal, while the rest of the headset is made of high quality plastic which is lightweight yet does not flex or creak.