AKG K81 DJ vs Sennheiser HD380 Pro

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 tight clamp on the 380HD helps create a seal that prevents quite a bit of sound leakage.

The 380s sit well over your ears and do not typically touch them when positioned correctly. This helps make them comfortable as the clamping force is distributed over a wide area, not directly on your ears.

These headphones, as far as reference or pro-quality headphones go, are fun sounding. There is a slight boost to the lower frequencies which adds fullness and depth to the bass. The mids are also full-sounding, but there is a peak at the upper mid frequencies which can make guitars in heavy music sound harsh. The highs have good detail to them, but the peak in the top frequencies can also make the sound a bit grainy.

The HD380 Pro is quite portable thanks to the detachable cable. Also, the included cable has a specially designed locking mechanism which prevents it from being detached accidentally.

The HD380 Pro can produce great sound even paired with low power amps. Some headphones require expensive amps to sound properly, but for these, even entry-level portable amps are sufficient.

These headphones can easily be brought along while traveling and spending time outdoors thanks to the included carrying case. The solid, clam shell design gives the headphones extra protection from impact and scratches.

The large ear cups and the strong clamp allow for impressive passive noise cancellation.

These headphones have fairly wide soundstage, despite being closed back.

The ear cups of the HD380 Pro can be folded up into the headband. This reduces these headphones' size and footprint, making these much easier to fit inside a bag.