Superlux HD671

The Superlux HD671 is a closed over-ear headphone that the manufacturer identifies as a simple, lightweight but extraordinary piece of equipment. Since it should be suitable as monitoring headphones, I test the HD671 in the studio to see what the low-budget option from Taiwan can offer.

Design & Technology

The outward appearance of the HD671 is not accidentally reminiscent of two successful headphone models from AKG. Like the AKG K52, the HD671 is a circumaural closed headphone with 50mm drivers and shares the double-strut design of the headband and the size adjustment. Further details of the headband were copied from the AKG K701. If you like the design of the mentioned AKG models, you should also check out the look of the Superlux headphones.

The HD671 weighs only 224 grams and in conjunction with their not too high contact pressure, these headphones wear consistently pleasant, even over a long period of time. The technical values of the Superlux are also good on paper. Their average impedance of fewer than 33 ohms makes them a good partner for not only smaller audio interfaces, but also smartphones, tablets and laptops. With nearly 100 dB SPL of maximum sound pressure, they also deliver serious sound power.

Equipment, Processing & Handling

The headphones have a permanently installed cable, whose length, measuring in at 2.45 m, should probably be sufficient in most home studios. The gold-plated mini jack plug is well protected against corrosion. A gold-plated screw adapter on large jack plug is also included. In addition, there is a nylon bag with a drawstring in which the HD671 can be safely transported and stored.

The headband pull works inside the plastic headband with elastic rubber bands. The upholstery is economical but sufficient and the headset is comfortable. The ear cushions are also a surprising feature. Here, Superlux tries out new, idiosyncratic ways. At first, their look is reminiscent of car tires and the more I think about it, the more this design analogy was probably not chosen randomly. The ear cushions are made of a rubber/rubbery mixture that retains its shape when the headset is set down. When wearing the device, the air-cushioned earphone “tires” adapt perfectly to the shape of the head. Contrary to my first guess, they actually do not press. However, the attenuation of the outer sound is excessively low for a closed design. Superlux seems to have lost sight of the purpose of closed-back headphones. The strong synthetic/rubber odour of the ear padding takes some getting used to. Hopefully, after a while, it will disappear. If you prefer to replace the “rubber tires”, you will find a comfortable replacement in the velour upholstery of the almost identical Superlux HD681.

The headphone’s handling is on par with its price. The processing, however, is exemplary for a headphone in this price range. The earpads are removable and even washable. The bend protectors of the cable are well dimensioned. The texture of the surfaces largely counteracts fingerprints and scratches. There’s really not a single point that I could even criticize.

Sound Quality

The Superlux HD671 surprises me with a brilliant sound that you would not expect from a device of this category. The headphones deliver an extremely high openness which ensures disproportionate graduated tonal depths and a good, if not impressive, stereo impression. The subjective signal resolution also strikes me as positive. With its fine resolution, this budget headset is much more than the majority of its competitors. Although here and there (depending on the audio production), in the range around 7 kHz, it can be a bit too much of a good thing. But at this point, that’s really just nitpicking, especially considering that the device does not even cost 40 euros.

The basses of the HD671 provide a good counterweight but remain rather unspecific because they are uncontoured. Nevertheless, the bass range is top notch for this price range. But I am really surprised when listening to sub-basses in urban music. Here, the Superlux headphones win big. Their signal dynamics are also above average. Sure, audio nerds should not expect the sound of a reference headphone that delivers transients super-precisely, but newcomers and those looking for a cheap deal will find the HD671 to be comfortable-to-wear, well-made pair of budget headphones which offer an amazing sound quality for the price range. This is due to its frequency response, which drops significantly less above 1 kHz than many other headphones.

Applications

Because of its sound and features, these headphones are actually great for use in the home studio and even as second/third party headphones in professional environments. Their use as monitoring headphones is likely to greatly enhance the recording and mixing setup of many newcomers. As a monitoring tool, the Superlux HD671 will definitely do a good job. As a user, you should not be fooled by their low price.