jello
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Post by jello on Jan 8, 2018 22:48:46 GMT
Just tried removing a pad and was surprised to see that Takstar use plastic mounting rings on the pads that clip onto prongs dotted around the cups. Had assumed the pads would have just stretched over lips on the cups like they do on the Superlux HD662 EVO et al.
The rings are removable so can be used on other pads. The vinyl on the backside of the pads may need small holes made in it to accommodate the prongs though.
The drivers appear to be angled and there are a number of vents / ports on the housing that are covered with a thin micropore like tape, so perhaps that opens up some options to tweak the sound? Will post up some pics later.
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Post by Mr Trev on Jan 8, 2018 23:33:22 GMT
Folks (well the OP anyways) on HF have been favourably comparing the p82 to Fostexs and T1s so I could very well end up wondering "what if" if I went for the HD820 I went back to HF and did some reading, been quite a few pages added since I last checked it out. The big problem with Takstar store is they only offer DHL to Canada, which adds $35 to the price (not including the outrageous "brokerage fees" they'll add before delivering them). One bit of info I gathered that was useful was to spend the extra $ and get the case. If not for the benefit of having a case, just for the extra packaging - apparently the guys shipping the headphones alone are pretty cheap on packing materials. I don't recall any talk of pad rolling, but I remember reading the old Pro 80 had earpads made of the same material you'd expect to find in the interior of a late 70s economy car. The pro82 could be far better, I can't say, but the HM5 pads are cheap and comfy so there might not be any drawback to trying I have been darn tempted to just buy a pair now, but I should wait at least until my Vali2 shows up and see how that treats my Gear Acquisition Syndrome
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 9, 2018 0:49:03 GMT
Well, if it makes you feel any better then I'll offer my Takstar in a straight trade if the HD820 don't work out I did briefly read a few posts and reviews on HF before ordering and there does seem an awful lot of positivity surrounding the P82 with little or no backlash to date (I'm sure it'll happen). The risk with those sorts of threads is that there is a lot of enthusiasm and an element of 'new toy' syndrome and things can get blown out of proportion (not a criticism), so being a glass half empty sort I took much of what I read with a large pinch of salt and set my expectations suitably low. I'd far rather be pleasantly surprised than hugely disappointed with a purchase. And after the best part of a day's use I am quite pleasantly surprised, although perhaps not ready to give up my Fostex or Denon just quite yet!! But the Takstar sounds quite different to either of those pairs so gives me another flavour which is all I really wanted. The DHL shipping on these is pretty steep. And once you factor in their brokerage fees and tax the cost quickly mounts up! If sellers are skimping on packaging then paying an extra few bucks for the case is probably a good idea as it is quite robust with deep foam inserts so should offer good protection. In pics it looks massive but in reality it's actually quite a nice size. From what little I've read the HM5 pads seem to be more an optional extra with the P82 rather than a necessity. Some prefer HM5, some stock pads and I think it was the OP of the HF thread who commented on the P82 pads being a huge improvement over the P80 pads. It does make sense to hold off buying until the Vali 2 arrives (good wee amp) and see if that sorts your G.A.S. problem. The P82 seems a lot more readily available these days so shouldn't be too much of a problem to source a pair down the line if the urge is still there.
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 9, 2018 10:31:12 GMT
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Post by Mr Trev on Jan 9, 2018 17:24:09 GMT
Nice. The way the baffle angles the driver is similar to what the X2 does. Looks like there could be some tunability in the way the ports are taped over.
Have you been able to test if a balanced cable would work? Somebody on HF asked a couple times (due to the 4 pole 2.5mm connector) but no one evert replied. Not that it matters to me, I don't have any balanced gear.
I did find a 3rd party seller on Amazon (not fulfilled by Amazon). It'll still be shipped from China, but I'd still happier with Amazon dealing with payments than AE. Call me paranoid, but I never liked the idea of giving AE my CC number and I still don't think they accept Paypal - thing I do like about AE sellers is how they automatically low ball the declared value. Last time I ordered a couple pairs of IEMs they declared a value of $2 without even asking
The temptation is strong with this one…
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 9, 2018 19:32:20 GMT
When a headphone is dual entry one can always use them balanced. With the right cable of course.
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Post by Mr Trev on Jan 9, 2018 20:07:00 GMT
The headphones are single entry, but use a 2.5mm trrs to connect the headphone side. Whether they're wired to accept balanced has yet to be confirmed
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 10, 2018 12:38:21 GMT
I noticed the 4 pole jack too. Actually the second headphone in succession I've bought that has one, the other being a Beoplay H6 I picked up a few months back. Haven't been able to test either though as I don't have any gear with a balanced out. Just typed up a longish post with some comparisons between the two (quite alike in some respects and different in others) and also giving some more thoughts after putting some more hours on the clock....and then Chrome froze just as I was finishing typing and the whole lot went down the swanny But in brief the more time I spend the less I am enjoying the pairing with the V20. I feel that in stock form the H6 + V20 is, for me at least, a smoother and more agreeable listen. Perhaps a bit less overtly 'detailed' but I can live with that. The biggest problem I'm having is that although a lot of the time they sound very good indeed at times they have a tendency to become rather edgy sounding, and for me it gets a bit much. I'm not sure if the culprit is a peak or peaks somewhere in the FR (I mentioned before I felt the highs seemed boosted) and/or a sensitivity on my part. The biggest problem area for me seems to be with cymbals particularly when they are getting struck in rapid succession (crescendo like) but also sometimes I experience it with strings, synths & piano. Oddly though male vocals, which aren't 'in your face', and heavily strummed acoustic guitar can get a little fatiguing too. And it's not necessarily on tracks I'd expect to be bothersome. As mentioned this is using the V20 and if I use the Mojo instead the edginess is greatly diminished and the mids also sound less thin. But as previously mentioned I feel the vocals sit a bit further back in the mix with the Mojo in comparison to V20. If I could combine the best of both I'd be a lot happier! Would ideally like to run the P82 straight from the V20 though so briefly experimented with tissue paper. One ply helped a little but perhaps also reduced clarity a bit. Two plies just made them sound too dulled and lacking in detail. Have seen mention on the HF thread that using alternative foam inserts might help but not sure if I have the inclination at present. But not everyone seems to find them edgy so if the listener doesn't hear them that way, or can eradicate it (mods, EQ or use some of their other gear perhaps), then I feel they have a decent headphone on their hands. It does a lot right tbh. Edit: Also meant to mention above that the foam inserts that covers the driver grilles don't look like they are attached to the pads so should hopefully be easy to swap it in or out to experiment with different types or thicknesses.
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 13, 2018 12:34:29 GMT
Quick update.
Seems the edgy and slightly thin sound I was experiencing with the V20 was a result of the 'trick' I've been doing to trigger high gain mode not being 100% reliable. Think I must have been listening on the default gain mode (the V20 auto detects headphones and decides whether to use high or normal gain mode) on Wednesday when I wrote the impressions above, because listening again the following day the edginess was all but gone. Checking the settings when I insert the headphone jack I notice that the V20 sometimes sets itself itself to 'high' whereas others it defaults to 'normal' so just a case of making sure it's set 'correctly' (well wrongly I suppose because 'normal' is aimed at headphones <50 Ohms).
Really finding this headphone quite an enjoyable listen and also digging the pairing with the Mojo much better now. Vocals seem to have come to the fore a little more and bass seems very well controlled yet impactful. A little lusher sounding than the V20 which I like.
Have now also tried them for gaming (and movies) and I'm finding them to be very capable for that job. Might even be the main reason these stick around. Positional accuracy is very good, very easy to hear finer details and yet there is enough low end grunt to provide quite an immersive experience. Soundstage is what I'd call quite natural and believable.
Being picky I still think the highs are just a fraction (2-3 dB say) too boosted for me personally but considering the relatively modest price I think Takstar done an fine job with the P82.
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 19, 2018 16:52:00 GMT
Another wee update after 10 days or so use.
Had a chance to compare these against some of my other headphones and I think it acquits itself well against more portable headphones (which I consider this to be) such as the Beoplay H6 and the Momentum 2.0. In terms of clarity, spaciousness, detail (some may be what Frans I think refers to as 'fake detail' tho') and overall balance I'd probably give it the edge. But where those other headphones have a clear advantage is build quality and materials but the P82 doesn't carry the premium price tag. It is also a bit less efficient.
Bass extension is really not the strongest point of the P82 I feel (ignore Takstar's straight line FR graph - it's pish!!) with a roll off starting at around 80Hz or so. But like the DT990 I think there is enough punch and quantity in the mid bass that it isn't really all that evident unless listening to more sub-bass heavy music e.g. EDM.
When I want to sit down and listen to music for a couple of hours the P82 is never going to be the headphone I'll reach for. Not really a criticism when the ones I prefer for that job likely cost anything up to 10x to 15x as much.
But for listening to music or radio whilst I chill out for 20 mins or so or get on with some jobs around the house it's great. But the main reason I bought the P82 is for gaming use and I really couldn't be happier in that respect and it'll get a ton of use.
Just bought a second pair in case the kids want to use them too. Bought this pair from Takstar via Ali Express for £45 after using some introductory discounts, which is almost half of what I paid for the first pair from Headphoniaks. No case this time (nice but of no practical use to me) and coming from China delivery is likely to be slower and there may be some tax / fees to pay on arrival.
Edit: wanted to expand upon my comments re. the bass because after reading them they seem a little clumsy. Don't want to give the impression that the P82 has a similar amount of lower / sub bass as the DT990, far from it. My likening of the two is more with regard to the punchiness I hear in the bass of both (DT990 punch papers over far more cracks).
However, when I compare the P82 to the AH-D7200, TH-X00 EB or HE-560, all headphones with very well extended bass, that's where I feel it comes up a little short. I don't really experience the same transition between 30 Hz to 20 Hz or so where the bass almost changes from being audible to something more palpable in nature (rumble). But if I compare to the T5P 2nd Gen, a headphone I feel would benefit from a few more dB in the lower bass, then the P82 probably has the edge in terms of low end grunt.
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krjo
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Post by krjo on Jan 27, 2018 8:23:07 GMT
Hi new here. I bought the P82 from this site: www.tomtop.com/p-i3156s.html maybe it will help someone who is not comfortable with aliexpres.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jan 27, 2018 8:32:48 GMT
Welcome to the forum. You are the 500th member !
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 27, 2018 10:46:05 GMT
Received the pair I ordered from Aliexpress this morning. This was my first purchase on AE so decided to play it safe and order from Takstar themselves.
Really can't fault the service I received. They shipped quickly (w/ tracking no.), communicated well and the headphones were really nicely packaged. Took 12 days from me ordering to arrive and didn't incur any additional charges.
Seen a few favourable posts on HF from members who've used tomtop and they seem like a decent option too.
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jello
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Post by jello on Jan 28, 2018 11:04:58 GMT
Interestingly this new pair sound even better (subjectively) than the last. I don't want to say one is better so much as different. Each shines in its own way but the new pair is closer to where I wanted the first pair to be.
Biggest gripes with the old pair:
I) not enough low end grunt. New pair addresses this and the deep bass / sub bass clearly has > quantity. Still not as much as a bassy headphone such as the TH-X00 say but not lacking for sure.
ii) highs a few dB too elevated. Highs on the new pair are more subdued (comparatively) and thus far I've not found them problematic on any track. The highs on the original pair do sound wonderfully sparkly and detailed with some music but with others it can be too 'overt' and grate a little esp. on poorly recorded tracks.
Original pair probably better for gaming and some music as they do allow for a slightly more detailed and open sound. At heart it still sounds like the same headphone but with it's as though one pair has been tuned slightly differently or has been EQ'd.
The first pair came from Headphoniaks and is the older version with 2.2m cable. The newer one is from Takstar direct and has a shorter cable (1.6m I think and 3.5mm jack has a rubber rather than silver metal body).
Still not sure but first pair might sound slightly quieter volume wise which got me wondering if the two cables perhaps had a different impedance. Remember with the Nighthawk cables (one of which was gimped) that a slight change in volume could result in a noticeably fuller / thinner sound. Tried both cables in turn with each pair and the differences were still evident so don't think the cable is a factor. Increasing volume on the first pair doesn't make it sound more like the new pair either, just more shouty up top (bass may be a tad fuller though).
Don't think pads are the issue either as they look and feel the same in terms of pleather used, depth, how the pad foam compresses, detachable foam insert that covers the driver grille*. Don't think the old pads are any more broken in or compressed either.
I believe BenF (thread starter) on Head-Fi asked Takstar if there had been any revisions to the P82 since inception and aside from the cable change there answer was no. So I am not sure why they sound different. Perhaps it is just production variance or could be something else.
As I say I don't feel either pair is bad or faulty, so much as different. Indeed the first pair was good enough to convince me to buy another! The fact that the new one is closer to my tastes is just a bonus.
In some ways this has helped me undersand why some of the impression with regards the bass in particular didn't really align with my own. Some commented on just how deep and impactful the bass could be whereas others felt the bass was almost non-existent and the headphone lacked dynamism. With the first pair neither really seemed consistent with what I was hearing and although I personally wanted more low end elevation I would not say they were especially lacking. I think I commented previously that I felt the lower bass probably had a tad more quantity than the T5P 2G just to try and give a rough comparison with another closed back I own.
(* may swap over these inserts just in case they are slightly different in terms of density or thickness as I know that others have found that different types of foam can be used to tune the sound a bit)
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Post by Mr Trev on Jan 28, 2018 16:57:54 GMT
Unfortunately this seems to be a common problem with inexpense Chinese gear. Whether it can be nailed down to unannounced production changes (doesn't just happen with cheap Chinese gear, both my X2 and 400i went down this road) or production variances (my bet, keeping prices this low have to make an impact on QC) has yet to be determined (in this case).
Your complaint about low end grunt (you're not the only one) has kind of turned me off these. That's one of the things I'd expect from a pair of closed phones. Unless they can make Doom and Sludge live up to their names, I don't think I'd ultimately be happy with them. It'd be nice if some more folks could get them into they're hands for review purposes and find a more common consensus.
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