TAKSTAR PRO 82 Review

Takstar Pro 82 is the successor of the Takstar Pro 80 that is modeled like the Beyerdynamic DT880. The Pro 82 is overall much better and nails it in terms of the price to performance ratio. In this review, we delve into the specs, design, comfort and fit, sound, packaging and accessories, comparison to different headphones and more of the Takstar Pro 82.

Takstar Pro 82 Specs

Driver type: Dynamic driver
Driver size: 40mm
Headphone type: Closed-Back/ Over-Ear
Impedance: 32Ω±15%
Sensitivity: 96±3dB at 1KHz
Frequency response: 10Hz-20 KHz
Pads: Replaceable/ Pleather
Headphone Connector: 2.5mm TRRS connector on headphone side and 3.5mm at the other end
Cable length: 2.2m
Color options: Black and Silver
Headphone weight: 237g/8.4oz (Without the cable)

Design

Looks and Build Quality

The build quality of the Takstar Pro 82 is above average for the price you get them in my opinion. Most of the headphone features mostly plastic, but not the cheapest plastic. The resemblance between the Takstar Pro 82 and the Sony MDR 10R quite visible. Placed side by side you can point out some features that make the headphones alike.

For starters, the design of the earcups is look quite similar. If I could stick the logo of Sony, I would. The headband and the hinges are also very similar. However, there are some notable differences between these two headphones. One being the bass switch between the earcups and the yoke holding the earcups.

The resemblance between the Takstar Pro 82 and Sony MDR 10r is probably due to the fact that Takstar, a Chinese company located in Guangdong acts as mostly an OEM for other companies. This means they make products for other companies. Because of this, they can copy the design of popular brands, and This can also be seen with the Takstar Pro 80 headphone’s design which inspired the HyperX Cloud 11 Gaming Headset.

The headphone itself is solidly built; No creaking when you wear them. The earcups are made of both plastic and metal. The headband also features a steel band which offers good adjustment mechanisms for the headphone. The headband is plush and feels very comfy while the pleather covered earpads also provide better comfort levels. The earpads are well padded and do not require modding or pads replacement.

Overall, the build quality of the Takstar Pro 82 is quite good. The choice of materials could be better like replacing the plastic yokes that somehow compromise the durability of the headphones. Compared to the MDR, I would give the Takstar Pro 82 an 8/10 for durability. However, at the current price, Takstars get a 10/10 for their affordability which should also be taken into account.

Features

Apart from the apparent headphone jack, the Takstar Pro 82 also includes a 3-level bass adjustment switch to boost the bass. The bass switch is located on the bezel of the earcups, and are easily adjustable. I found myself using and keeping the setting at the first setting, which was more neutral sounding. I think the other parameters are not useful especially the third one unless you need a bloated, fat, or boomy bass in your music. Otherwise, the bass switch is useless for professional monitoring or Hi-Fi sound, and I will delve into this topic more in the sound review of this headphone below.

Comfort and Fit

The Takstar Pro 82 is a very comfortable headphone. Weighing at 237g without the cable, the headphone feels even lighter than its own weight. Overall the comfort of the 82 is an improvement from its predecessor the 80 Pro.

The earpads feel plush and are covered by a very soft pleather material. The padding also conforms comfortably to the side of my head. The room inside the earcups is of adequate depth and wide enough to fit the ear properly. However, the mesh-like material that covers the driver inside the earcup is also soft that it would not hurt is your ear comes into contact with it. The earpads can start to get a bit hot especially if you use the headphone in a warm environment. Other than that do not let the thin earpads fool you, they are very comfortable.

The headband does have metal and is covered with pleather. The comfort the headband is quite good despite feeling thin when you touch it. It does not create any pressure points on the head, and because the headphone is light, you can wear the headphone for extended sessions without feeling fatigued. The headband adjustment is also very good, and the adjustment levels can fit most heads. When adjusted, they do stick work pretty good.

Isolation

For a closed-back over-ear headphone, the isolation of the Takstar Pro 82 is also very good. They cancel out ambient noise just by wearing them and playing your music at only moderate levels. This headphone would be perfect for a noisy office but not for use when traveling in a bus, train or plane.

Sound

The hype that came with the Takstar Pro 82 reminds me of the Phillips SHP9500. So does the Pro 80 live up to the expectations in terms of sound?

Low-End (Bass)

The bass of the Pro 82 is one of the best parts of its sound signature. The bass response of this headphone is hard to find at this price point. The sound signature of the Takstar Pro 82 can be very suitable for bass genres like hip-hop or EDM.

At the first stage, when the bass switch is closed, the bass comes out at clean, fast and accurate. It is not the hard-hitting bass you get if you are a fan of bass-heavy headphones. If you are a bass lover, the bass boost feature can boost the bass of the headphone from the current by 3dB or 6dB.

When the bass boost is at stage 2 (opens up a little hole) (3dB bass boost), the overall bass of the headphone is much improved. The bass at this stage is also fast and with good body. At this stage, the Mid-bass is even more pronounced and rumbles with authority. However, at this stage, the bass bleeds into the mids.

While at the second stage, using the bass boost the bass is greatly improved. At the third position of the bass boost (Opens a bigger hole below that) (6dB bass boost), the bass is just plain horrible. The bass is just everywhere and makes the overall sound quality muddy. I think the headphone does better with one hole instead of an additional one in the third stage. Luckily, this is just an optional feature and you can decide which one is best for you.

Midrange and High-End (Treble)

The sound signature of the Pro 80 is U-shaped. Because of this, the mids do not stand out. The mids in this headphone are pushed down a little in certain areas, which affects the whole midrange. However, just as the bass ports boost the bass of the Takstar Pro 82, they also come in handy to improve the midrange. Opening the first bass port makes certain songs much enjoyable especially the guitars in rock music. While the bass ports might affect the sound signature, overall I felt opening the first bass port made the midrange a little full and warm.

The treble comes out as powerful, energetic and has a lot of reach. While a little sibilance when pushing the highs affects it, the treble is very lively and extends to soaring high levels. Unfortunately, the highs can get overemphasized or a little too aggressive in some songs. Opening the first bass port can actually help in managing the treble and calm it down a little bit.

Soundstage

Though the soundstage of the Pro 82 is not as wide, it is pretty accurate and coherent. Closed-back headphones have limitations when it comes to the reproduction of the soundstage, but this headphone did quite well in this category. In some tracks I tried, the placement of instruments is well defined, Add the treble of this headphone and you have a good and realist 3D soundstage reproduction.

Packaging and Accessories

The Takstar Pro 82 comes in a very official packaging. At less than $100, the level of packaging and number of accessories is very good. In terms of the accessories, Takstar did a good job providing all that is needed to get you up and running the moment you get the headphone.

The headphone comes with the following standard accessories: a ¼-inch adapter (3.5mm to 6.3mm connector), a 2.2m cable (2.5mm to 3.5mm), a carrying case, a warranty card, and a manual book. The manual book does explain most about the headphone and how to use it. Everything like how the bass boost works are clearly described in the manual.

The headphone also comes with a very official case that looks like a tiny road case. The case is made of aluminum and features thick foam inserts inside that fit the headphone. Because the aluminum case provided might not be portable, Takstar also provides a cloth bag that can be used as a carrying pouch for the headphone.

What we like:

• Good comfort level
• Impressive lows and highs
• Adjustable bass ports
• Good soundstage and Imaging for a closed-back headphone.

What we don’t:

• The 2.5mm jack on the headphone side
• Pads can start to get hot.

Comparison Table

The Competition

Alternatives headphones to the Takstar Pro 82 are many. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, and here we will list some of the  competitors we tested and found that they could compare to this headphone.

1. Takstar Pro 82 vs. Audio Technica ATH-M40X

First up: the Audio Technica ATH-M40X. Build wise the Takstar Pro 82 has the upper hand when compared to the M40X. The Takstar Pro 82 is smoother and move very well with no squeaky sounds. On comfort, The Pro 82 easily win. Now on the sound quality, the M40X sounds accurate on the vocals than the Pro 82, and I would trust the M40X in mixing. The Pro 82. However, has more quirks, e.g. the bass switch that makes it more versatile in its sound but I would not recommend them for studio use over the Audio Technica ATH M40X.

2. Takstar Pro 82 vs. Creative Aurvana Live

Second, the Creative Aurvana Live headphones. This a popular headphone and after comparing it to the Takstar Pro 82, I found some notable differences between the two headphones. First, the earpads of Creative Aurvana Live has are small compared to the Pro 82. The comfort of the Creative Aurvana is nothing compared to the Pro 82. The sound isolation of the Creative Aurvana Live is also very poor. The sound quality of the Takstar Pro 82 is more superior than the Creative Aurvana, but the Creative Aurvana is more balanced. Overall, the Takstar has more details and better quality. However, I have read that changing works greatly to improve the sound quality of the Creative Aurvana Live.

3. Takstar Pro 82 vs.  Audio Technica ATH-MSR7

Third, the Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7. The Takstar Pro 82 and the MSR7 are very similar. The build of the Pro 82 though it does not feature premium materials, is quite good with no flaws like the creaky sounds with the MSR7. The comfort of the Pro 82 is better than the MSR7 and also most headphones in its price range. As for the sound, The MSR7 has more detail, adequate sub-bass but the bass ports of the Pro 82 make it a very worthy contender. Overall, I would go for the Takstar Pro 82over the Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7. The Pro 82 is much cheaper and at its price beats the ATH-MSR7 hands down.

4. Takstar Pro 82 vs. ISK HP2011

Lastly, the ISK HP2011. The Takstar Pro 80 and the ISK HP2011 look very similar. I cannot tell which is a clone and which of the two headphones features an original design. However, compared to the Pro 82, there are some differences. The headband of the ISK HP2011 is bigger and sits comfortably better on the head than the Pro 82. The difference in comfort between these two headphones is very minimal. With the sound, the Pro 82 is superior in ways compared to the ISK HP2011. The bass impact of the Pro 82 has more impact, the mids are more detailed, and the treble has more energy compared to the ISK HP2011.

See the Takstar Pro 82