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Superlux HD 681 vs Shure SRH440

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When comparing Superlux HD 681 vs Shure SRH440, 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 Shure SRH440 is ranked 79th. 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

TypeOn/Over-Ears

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Pros

Pro
Not tiring to wear

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
Reference quality sound which can be fun to listen to

Sound signature is fairly neutral, with slight elevations to the bass, mids and highs.
Bass has a nice fullness to it, with some extra depth which gives the sound a lot of body.
The mids are neutral but slightly forward, making the vocals sound really clear. Aggressive guitars can sound a bit harsh because of this though.
Treble has good extension, and the added peak on the highest frequencies add more sparkle to the sound.
Overall, these headphones can be used both for critical listening and for casual music enjoyment as well.

Pro
Superb sound isolation

The closed back, over the ear design blocks out a significant amount of noise, allowing users to easily focus on the audio. Sound leak is also kept to a minimum.
These are great for tracking and monitoring, and are also great choices for use in quiet environments like a library.

Pro
Headphone cable is detachable

You can easily remove the cable when these are not in use, making them easy to store. This also makes the cable easy to replace when needed.

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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
Build quality is rather poor

The overall build is quite plasticky, with a lot of rattles. While it is not fragile by any means, the build quality certainly does not inspire confidence.

Con
Ear pads are not the most comfortable

Pleather is used on the surface of the ear pads which traps heat and can make the area around the ears warm up fast. Also, while the ear pads are large and soft, they are also quite thin. People with larger ears may experience their ears rubbing against the driver housing, which can get quite uncomfortable.