When comparing Superlux HD 681 vs Samsung Gear IconX, the Slant community recommends Superlux HD 681 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Superlux HD 681 is ranked 5th while Samsung Gear IconX is ranked 38th. The most important reason people chose Superlux HD 681 is:
The HD681 will not put a lot of strain to your neck and head, even for long periods. Coming in at around 220 g, they are relatively light. This is due to the use of plastic as the primary build material, along with small metal tubes on the headband frame instead of large plastic or metal parts.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Not tiring to wear
The HD681 will not put a lot of strain to your neck and head, even for long periods. Coming in at around 220 g, they are relatively light. This is due to the use of plastic as the primary build material, along with small metal tubes on the headband frame instead of large plastic or metal parts.
Pro Bass and treble are emphasized
These headphones have what is called a V-shaped sound signature where the bass and treble is boosted while the mids take a backseat. The bass is powerful, deep and satisfying. Listening to bass heavy music will certainly be a good experience. The boosted treble makes audio detail up front, so nuances in the music can be clearly heard.
Pro Fairly wide soundstage
Due to the semi-open design, the sound is not completely trapped inside the ear cup housing. This gives the sound a wider, more natural feel.
Pro Clear sound signature with a good amount of bass
The highs and mids are not amazing, but they most certainly sound good with nice clarity and warmth. The bass is very good. There is a lot of low-end presence with good thump. These will most certainly excel with bass heavy music and are great choices for working out, as the thump will definitely help you stay upbeat.
Pro Internal memory can store files
The Gear IconX has 4GB of internal memory where you can store files like music and play them from just the earbuds.
Pro Fitness tracking
There is a built in heart rate monitor and you can set these earbuds to tell you exercise-related metrics at set intervals. Also, you can sync the IconX to Samsung's S Health app where you can view fitness metrics.
Pro Earpiece touch sensitivity for smartphone controls
Once synced with your smart device, you can set which of the earpieces is the primary device. You can do gesture controls on it to control your playlist as well as answer or end calls.
Pro A variety of ear and wing tips to choose from
These come with ear tips in three different sizes for you to get a nice and comfortable seal, as well as 3 wing tips in various sizes which adjust how snug these earbuds can be.
Pro Splash/sweat resistant
A nano-coating is applied to the ear pieces, preventing sweat and splashes of liquid from causing damage.
Cons
Con May feel cheap and flimsy
The plastics used in the construction of these headphones are not of the best quality. They feel flimsy and will often flex and rattle.
Con Thin ear pads may cause comfort issues
The ear pads are made of cheap feeling synthetic leather which can get warm rather quickly. To potentially add more discomfort, the cushioning inside these ear pads is quite thin, and can hurt the area around your ears when worn for many hours straight.
Con Mids can be lacking
Some may find the mids to be inadequate. Vocals, guitars and other sounds in the mid-frequencies may sound distant or too soft.
Con Treble can be harsh
While the bass benefits greatly from the V-shaped sound signature, the highs are boosted by quite a lot, and can make the treble sound too harsh for some. Cymbal hits for example can be too washy and near distorted and can be fatiguing.
Con S Health tracking only works with Samsung devices
Syncing the Gear IconX with S Health on a non-Samsung device can have problems ( heart rate monitor on the IconX cannot be detected ). This is not an issue with S Health on Samsung devices though.
Con Poor battery life
These can only last around 2 hours of playback from a full charge to empty. This is much lower compared to other true wireless headphones in this price point.
