Reviewing Process

Build & Fit

Sound Quality

Conclusion

Build quality, performance to cost ratio, isolation.Moderate sibilance and peaky upper mids.Moderate v-shaped signatureClosed over-earMusicbee (FLAC) -> Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U$80 on Amazon I’ve had the Pro80 for near a month now and during my time I feel that I am familiar enough with the sound to share my opinion. With that said this review is my opinion and I encourage readers to demo a product when available before buying.The Pro80 does many things right and the build quality matches or bests every headphone under $100 that I’ve used. Constructed of metal and plastic the Pro80 feel as durable as the DT770 that they imitate in aesthetics, which is an impressive feat considering the DT770 cost double what the Pro80 cost. The headband slider slides smoothly and holds it’s position while the cups are secured to the headband without a creek. Color me highly impressed at the build of this.The cheap pleather pads aren’t going to impress anyone but the padding is soft enough for an hour or two of enjoyment before I want to take them off. Clamp is on the weak side, the headphones shift with quick and hard head movements, though weight is not an issue. Isolation is fantastic, which is excellent for office or studio environments, though this causes heat to be trapped within the headphone making them a poor choice for warm or hot days outside.The new Takstar Pro80 are a v-shaped headphone with a good level of resolution and level of musicality. The biggest con is the hot upper midrange, coming off a bit too forward and bright at times. Overall the sound quality exceeds its price range.When using the bass shaker test the right driver exhibits rattling when pushed extremely loud at 20hz or so. It’s important to note that this test is done at extremely loud volumes that are unlistenable with music. It’s also important to note that there’s an inconsistency in this test between the drivers. During the bass shaker test there seems to be a dip or two in the bass response as well, it’s certainly not linear, but boy does it put out some big sub-bass!In real world listening I feel that James Blake’sis the perfect track to test sub-bass. It has a big and quick sub-bass portion as well as a big deep plodding bassline. The Pro80 handle both rather well, sounding full and quick during the fast portions while sounding deep and textured during the plodding bass lines. I’m pretty impressed with the quality of the deep lows, they’re controlled rather nicely, hints of bloat but for the price this is top notch.The midbass has the same qualities of the sub-bass which is a good thing and a bad thing. The fullness and minor bloat sounds great with some fuzzy electronic acts, such as Flying Lotus, while a tad slow and pushy for the likes of Steely Dan. As a whole the midbass is controlled rather nicely, but those who prefer rock oriented music might find that it’s a touch too forward in comparison to the midrange.I know that I’ve called the bass controlled while simultaneously bloated, I don’t think that the two are mutually exclusive. My mention of bloat leans towards the forwardness compared to the midrange rather than the looseness of the bass.As I said above the Pro80 are a v-shaped headphone which means that there will certainly be some recession of the midrange. This puts the midrange a step back on the soundstage while the upper mids and midbass are more forward in presentation. What this does not mean, in this case, is that the midrange is hard to discern. The midrange is rather clear with a respectable amount of resolution throughout. While I have no trouble hearing every instrument present, the midrange is a bit plasticy sounding and the upper midrange exhibits sibilance and a glassed over sheen to it, coming off artificial sounding for cymbals. In addition to the sibilance and texture issues the highs exhibit some grain, though extended well.The mids and highs are not awful, in-fact the midrange actually sounds rather good despite sounding a bit unnatural, but they do have their flaws. Those who primarily listen to acoustic instruments might find themselves looking elsewhere for a more natural sound.The soundstage isn’t hugely wide, nor is it very deep, but the presentation is respectable. This is due almost solely to the above average instrument separation that the Pro80 are capable of. Unfortunately that is about the only thing above average in this department. The soundstage is prone to clutter and I find that there are some midrange artifacts that linger, sort of a waterdrop/echo effect that is a bit unsettling.For the price I think that the Takstar Pro80 are a no-brainer buy for someone wanting a budget v-shaped headphone that is not only built well, but sounds competent. Those who love electronic music such as Flying Lotus or Baths will find themselves in love with this budget set.