Superlux HD668B Headphone Review -- Gaming Headphones on a Budget

[Faceman]

I just received my Superlux HD668B Headphones and after a day of heavy use, I wanted to do a review to show people from a non-audiophile, gaming specific perspective that you can get excellent quality headphones without paying $100+.

 

I bought these headphones from Massdrop for only $30.  It did take almost 2 weeks to arrive, but that is the Massdrop business model.  You can find them on Amazon for $40, or the sister HD681's for $30.

 

I didn't know what kind of headphones to get. I had high demands and a low budget.  Most people on this forum told me what I wanted couldn't be achieved without spending over $100.  Me being a savvy consumer, knew I would find an acceptable alternative, and thankfully I was pointed in the right direction by @mvitkun.  Going headphone and microphone separately also helped me achieve my goal, and I recommend this path to anyone looking for a "gaming" headset.

 

Before my purchase, I did some research online and every single website had nothing but rave reviews for the Superlux HD668B.  Here are a few stand out quotes, I will link the full reviews below.

"On a budget, you'd be hard-pressed to find better sounding headphones for the money."

"You don't need to be an audiophile to appreciate these headphones."

"All in all, the HD668B is a kind of headphone that *wows* you the first time you hear it, particularly because of two things: its exceptional sound and its price tag."

 

Headfonia Review

Reviewed.com Review

Innerfidelity Review

Head-Fi Review

Amazon Customer Reviews

 

I also went to different tech stores prior to my purchase to get an idea and compare how headphones sound based on price bracket.  These stores(Best Buy, Tigerdirect) heavily push the Sennheisers as they dominate the display racks it shows because it is one of the most highly recommended headphones, marketing in effect!  I knew I wanted some excellent quality headphones, but I didn't want to pay the Sennheiser price.

 

On to my opinion:

 

     The packaging on the outside is nothing special, dull and uninviting even.  On the inside though, it is packaged very well within the box, secured well so there is absolutely no moving around during shipment.  It comes with many goodies so you can tailor the cable length and type to your desired length and output.

 

     The headphones themselves aren't very pretty and there is not much in terms of holding it to your head.  I was instantly worried that they would not fit securely on my head.  I was very, very wrong.  With what little "material" there is, it is utilized well.  I can head bang and jam considerably without much wobble.  It is very, very lightweight and comfortable, this is where the minimal design comes into play.  The headphones fit over my entire ear very well and don't feel cramped or compressed.  There is no pressure applied on or around my ears that some headphones use in order to stay put.  I have already worn these for 5+ hours today, and continue to wear them while writing this.  Really impressed with how comfortable and secure they feel considering how minimalistic these headphones look at first glance.

 

     On to durability, they feel very sturdy for how little material is actually used.  I am able to bend and manipulate them with little resistance, but I never get that "be gentle" sensation that comes with some products.  All headphones seem to be susceptible to breakdowns, regardless of price bracket.  That alone makes me very wary of spending so much money on a product type that is easily broken, so I knew I would want to go with a more budget oriented headphone.  If these headphones break down in the future, I will come back to edit this review to be as transparent as possible with my critique.

 

     In terms of sound quality, these headphones are as advertised, excellent audio quality without costing much. I first decided to listen to some music to get an idea of their true design purpose.  The music was crisp, it was like listening to my favorite songs for the first time because I was hearing things I had never heard before.  Definitely top notch and on par with the Sennheisers I tried in-store.  I tried playing different genres of music to get a better idea of its capability, and everything sounded incredible.  From Rock & Roll to Hip Hop to House Music, it was all like a new experience because the sound was that incredible and only sounded better the louder I turned up the volume.  It definitely helps to play around with the Realtek audio pre-set equalizer settings depending on the type of music, but you get the desired end result.

     My brother is a musician, and has been all of his life, he takes it very seriously, so seriously that he has gotten his Master's degree is Music Business.  His opinion on audio is much more credible than mine.  I asked him to try out these headphones to get his more elitist audiophile opinion.  He said they perform almost as well as his favorite top of the line Sony headphones that he spent close to $200 on.  He liked them so much that he went and ordered a pair of these headphones to have as a backup.

 

     For games, which is my intended purpose for these headphones, the quality is still present.  It really helps to be able to hear enemy footsteps or to better hear where gunfire is coming from to get a read on your enemy.  These headphones were meant for night time use only so I don't disrupt others in the house when it is late, but I noticed such a performance advantage by getting that immersive sound quality that I will end up using them more often during the day.  I cannot explain to you the thrill I got the first time I heard an enemy's footsteps behind me and I turn around to shoot him before he can melee me to death.  This would not have been possible with my front mounted Logitech stereo speakers.

 

     I really don't have any cons to add, the only area where I foresee possible future shortcomings is in terms of durability.  If these breakdown in the future, I will come back and revise my review of these headphones. 

Overall, if you are in need of some headphones, while on a budget, these babies are incredible.  Buy these headphones and a microphone separately and you will be rewarded with performance!

[SirRoderick]

Very good review providing both factual information and a motivated opinion. Really enjoyed reading that

[mvitkun]

-snip

Glad you liked the headphones.

 I got my pairs the day before yesterday and my experience with them is similar to yours. Parts of  songs that were muddled and almost inaudible before sounded crisp and clear, there was definitely a huge difference between the HD 668B and other headphones and ear buds of similar price.

 Was planning on doing my review in a couple of weeks.

 Only things I would add are that the short cable is too short, and the long cable is too long, though I just tie up the cord with one of the included twist ties to shorten the long one.

 Other than that, some reviews mention

   -the pleather material makes their ears and head sweat.

    *I felt mine heat up,though it was more of that soft warm feeling, rather than an irritating heat.

   -was uncomfortable for long listening sessions.

    *I only noticed slight discomfort after around 6 hours of continuous usage,and to be honest you shouldn't use it for periods of time which extend for longer durations.

Other than that they sound amazing especially when listening to artists like: Eklipse, Lindsey Stirling, and Escala, although they sound exceptional for all genres I found it more easy to distinguish between the quality of the HD 668B and random earbuds and headphones I own on songs such as those by the above artists.

[Faceman]

Glad you liked the headphones.

 I got my pairs the day before yesterday and my experience with them is similar to yours. Parts of  songs that were muddled and almost inaudible before sounded crisp and clear, there was definitely a huge difference between the HD 668B and other headphones and ear buds of similar price.

 Was planning on doing my review in a couple of weeks.

 Only things I would add are that the short cable is too short, and the long cable is too long, though I just tie up the cord with one of the included twist ties to shorten the long one.

 Other than that, some reviews mention

   -the pleather material makes their ears and head sweat.

    *I felt mine heat up,though it was more of that soft warm feeling, rather than an irritating heat.

   -was uncomfortable for long listening sessions.

    *I only noticed slight discomfort after around 6 hours of continuous usage,and to be honest you shouldn't use it for periods of time which extend for longer durations.

Other than that they sound amazing especially when listening to artists like: Eklipse, Lindsey Stirling, and Escala, although they sound exceptional for all genres I found it more easy to distinguish between the quality of the HD 668B and random earbuds and headphones I own.

I did just the gun a little by doing a review the day of, but I was really blown away by the performance and wanted to share as fast as I could. 

A big thank you goes out to you @mvitkun, I wouldn't have found these without you!

[Homicidium]

I got them, too. They sound exceptional for the price, although I find them to be a little bit uncomfortable after a few hours, but still for this little money I can't complain

[Suika]

I've been tempted to buy these for some time now, and this really pushed me towards it. I just need a microphone with them, if you have any recommendations with what you got.

[Faceman]

I've been tempted to buy these for some time now, and this really pushed me towards it. I just need a microphone with them, if you have any recommendations with what you got.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12752343&utm_source=GooglePLA&utm_medium=pla&utm_term=55053703&gclid=CIDfmvOUwr0CFYaK7AodwH4AAA&gclsrc=ds

 

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/2605211956821105326?q=cheap+microphone+for+computer&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.63934634,d.cWc,pv.xjs.s.en_US.kmuSasmtgXc.O&biw=1920&bih=951&tch=1&ech=1ψ=vzI8U5rFBo7isASwkoCIDw.1396454088127.7&ei=8jI8U4WFKZbLsQSIzoKoCQ&ved=0CLkEEKYrMAE

[Prokart2000]

do you need a amp or dac?

[Arshdeep]

I just received my Superlux HD668B Headphones and after a day of heavy use, I wanted to do a review to show people from a non-audiophile, gaming specific perspective that you can get excellent quality headphones without paying $100+.

 

 

How exactly would you feel for using them for gaming? FPS in mind. 

[Faceman]

How exactly would you feel for using them for gaming? FPS in mind. 

For gaming, they are amazing.  I don't like gaming without them because the quality of the sound is so much better than my Logitech Z313 Speakers.  Not to mention the advantage it gives you in the way of spacial reasoning in regards to sound.  You get a better idea of where enemies are approaching from, specifically if from behind, and a better idea of which direction bullets are coming from.  Battlefield4 with these headphones on is a real treat.

 

There was just another promotion on Massdrop for these headphones, $30 ea. free shipping.  I bought two more, one as a gift, and another as a back up.

[Arshdeep]

For gaming, they are amazing.  I don't like gaming without them because the quality of the sound is so much better than my Logitech Z313 Speakers.  Not to mention the advantage it gives you in the way of spacial reasoning in regards to sound.  You get a better idea of where enemies are approaching from, specifically if from behind, and a better idea of which direction bullets are coming from.  Battlefield4 with these headphones on is a real treat.

 

There was just another promotion on Massdrop for these headphones, $30 ea. free shipping.  I bought two more, one as a gift, and another as a back up.

Thanks so much! Ordered for 38$ on Amazon right now, I will try em out and hopefully stick to them.

[Arshdeep]

I've been tempted to buy these for some time now, and this really pushed me towards it. I just need a microphone with them, if you have any recommendations with what you got.

I just ordered these headphones and the Zalman clip-on mic. Find it on amaozn for 38+7-14$2

[The_Strict_Nein]

Just grabbed these headphones to replace my £10 Corsair Raptor LH1 Evo's. Should be coming sometime this week.

[Pearl Vesper]

On 3/31/2014 at 10:01 PM, Faceman said:

I just received my Superlux HD668B Headphones and after a day of heavy use, I wanted to do a review to show people from a non-audiophile, gaming specific perspective that you can get excellent quality headphones without paying $100+.

 

I bought these headphones from Massdrop for only $30.  It did take almost 2 weeks to arrive, but that is the Massdrop business model.  You can find them on Amazon for $40, or the sister HD681's for $30.

 

I didn't know what kind of headphones to get. I had high demands and a low budget.  Most people on this forum told me what I wanted couldn't be achieved without spending over $100.  Me being a savvy consumer, knew I would find an acceptable alternative, and thankfully I was pointed in the right direction by @mvitkun.  Going headphone and microphone separately also helped me achieve my goal, and I recommend this path to anyone looking for a "gaming" headset.

 

Before my purchase, I did some research online and every single website had nothing but rave reviews for the Superlux HD668B.  Here are a few stand out quotes, I will link the full reviews below.

"On a budget, you'd be hard-pressed to find better sounding headphones for the money."

"You don't need to be an audiophile to appreciate these headphones."

"All in all, the HD668B is a kind of headphone that *wows* you the first time you hear it, particularly because of two things: its exceptional sound and its price tag."

 

Headfonia Review

Reviewed.com Review

Innerfidelity Review

Head-Fi Review

Amazon Customer Reviews

 

I also went to different tech stores prior to my purchase to get an idea and compare how headphones sound based on price bracket.  These stores(Best Buy, Tigerdirect) heavily push the Sennheisers as they dominate the display racks it shows because it is one of the most highly recommended headphones, marketing in effect!  I knew I wanted some excellent quality headphones, but I didn't want to pay the Sennheiser price.

 

On to my opinion:

 

     The packaging on the outside is nothing special, dull and uninviting even.  On the inside though, it is packaged very well within the box, secured well so there is absolutely no moving around during shipment.  It comes with many goodies so you can tailor the cable length and type to your desired length and output.

 

     The headphones themselves aren't very pretty and there is not much in terms of holding it to your head.  I was instantly worried that they would not fit securely on my head.  I was very, very wrong.  With what little "material" there is, it is utilized well.  I can head bang and jam considerably without much wobble.  It is very, very lightweight and comfortable, this is where the minimal design comes into play.  The headphones fit over my entire ear very well and don't feel cramped or compressed.  There is no pressure applied on or around my ears that some headphones use in order to stay put.  I have already worn these for 5+ hours today, and continue to wear them while writing this.  Really impressed with how comfortable and secure they feel considering how minimalistic these headphones look at first glance.

 

     On to durability, they feel very sturdy for how little material is actually used.  I am able to bend and manipulate them with little resistance, but I never get that "be gentle" sensation that comes with some products.  All headphones seem to be susceptible to breakdowns, regardless of price bracket.  That alone makes me very wary of spending so much money on a product type that is easily broken, so I knew I would want to go with a more budget oriented headphone.  If these headphones break down in the future, I will come back to edit this review to be as transparent as possible with my critique.

 

     In terms of sound quality, these headphones are as advertised, excellent audio quality without costing much. I first decided to listen to some music to get an idea of their true design purpose.  The music was crisp, it was like listening to my favorite songs for the first time because I was hearing things I had never heard before.  Definitely top notch and on par with the Sennheisers I tried in-store.  I tried playing different genres of music to get a better idea of its capability, and everything sounded incredible.  From Rock & Roll to Hip Hop to House Music, it was all like a new experience because the sound was that incredible and only sounded better the louder I turned up the volume.  It definitely helps to play around with the Realtek audio pre-set equalizer settings depending on the type of music, but you get the desired end result.

     My brother is a musician, and has been all of his life, he takes it very seriously, so seriously that he has gotten his Master's degree is Music Business.  His opinion on audio is much more credible than mine.  I asked him to try out these headphones to get his more elitist audiophile opinion.  He said they perform almost as well as his favorite top of the line Sony headphones that he spent close to $200 on.  He liked them so much that he went and ordered a pair of these headphones to have as a backup.

 

     For games, which is my intended purpose for these headphones, the quality is still present.  It really helps to be able to hear enemy footsteps or to better hear where gunfire is coming from to get a read on your enemy.  These headphones were meant for night time use only so I don't disrupt others in the house when it is late, but I noticed such a performance advantage by getting that immersive sound quality that I will end up using them more often during the day.  I cannot explain to you the thrill I got the first time I heard an enemy's footsteps behind me and I turn around to shoot him before he can melee me to death.  This would not have been possible with my front mounted Logitech stereo speakers.

 

     I really don't have any cons to add, the only area where I foresee possible future shortcomings is in terms of durability.  If these breakdown in the future, I will come back and revise my review of these headphones. 

Overall, if you are in need of some headphones, while on a budget, these babies are incredible.  Buy these headphones and a microphone separately and you will be rewarded with performance!

If you have problems with the comfort, adjust the "wings" of foam and replace the earpads. Here is a link to popular earpads for the 668B's

https://www.amazon.com/Cosmos-Velvet-Replacement-Cushion-Headphones/dp/B00KLPRQMO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1517850067&sr=8-7&keywords=akg+earpads