The budget-friendly Samson SR850’s wide soundstage and neutral sound make them great for critical music listening, while the emphasized treble is excellent for clear instrumentals and mixing. But for the price and design, you miss comfort, onboard controls, durability, noise isolation, and travel convenience.
The Samson SR850 is a mid-range wired headset released in 2012, offering a semi-open design for audiophiles and studio technicians.
This device has thick earcup cushions and a leather strap for padding the headband. It also has large 50mm neodymium drivers for more dynamic sound.
You can find other studio headsets on our list of the best headphones today.
Unfortunately, this model doesn’t have volume controls. Also, it doesn’t have a microphone or noise-canceling technology, so it might not be the best option for outdoor users.
It features an 8.43 -foot ⅛” TRS cable, which is not detachable. A ⅛” to ¼” TRS adapter enables connecting to professional studio equipment and musical instruments easily.
However, this unit also features cheap plastic parts. Continue reading our Samson SR850 review below, and see how it measures up against the best over the ear headphones on the market.
What Is Not on the Box
What the brand doesn’t always tell you…
our Verdict
The Samson SR850 is light and doesn’t sit tight on the head, plus the small earcups resting on the ears can be uncomfortable and lack breathability.
These semi-open headphones have poor noise isolation across all ranges and lack ANC, which is not ideal for public spaces. The build quality is middling with plastic that feels low-quality and a non-detachable cable that isn’t rugged.
Sound quality is neutral, and there’s an expansive soundstage with a bright, emphasized treble where instruments stand out, but it may be excessive.
There are no onboard controls, and the sound leakage is clear and loud, making them unsuitable for shared spaces. Connectivity includes a 1/8″ TRS cable, and bass accuracy is good, but the low-bass range isn’t thumpy like the rest of the bass range.
The Samson SR850 is a mid-range wired headset released in 2012, offering a semi-open design for audiophiles and studio technicians.
This device has thick earcup cushions…
The Samson SR850 is a mid-range wired headset released in 2012, offering a semi-open design for audiophiles and studio technicians.
This device has thick earcup cushions and a leather strap for padding the headband. It also has large 50mm neodymium drivers for more dynamic sound.
You can find other studio headsets on our list of the best headphones today.
Unfortunately, this model doesn’t have volume controls. Also, it doesn’t have a microphone or noise-canceling technology, so it might not be the best option for outdoor users.
It features an 8.43 -foot ⅛” TRS cable, which is not detachable. A ⅛” to ¼” TRS adapter enables connecting to professional studio equipment and musical instruments easily.
However, this unit also features cheap plastic parts. Continue reading our Samson SR850 review below, and see how it measures up against the best over the ear headphones on the market.
The Samson SR850 and the Samson SR880 are professional-grade headphones for studio applications. However, while the Samson SR850 is semi-open, offering a wide soundstage, the…
The Samson SR850 and the Samson SR880 are professional-grade headphones for studio applications. However, while the Samson SR850 is semi-open, offering a wide soundstage, the Samson SR880 is closed-back, so its soundstage is not as wide. However, the SR880 does a better job at sound isolation and preventing audio leakage.
With a more neutral sound profile, the Sennheiser HD 6XX may appeal to audiophiles more than the Samson SR850, which has a brighter treble-centric sound…
With a more neutral sound profile, the Sennheiser HD 6XX may appeal to audiophiles more than the Samson SR850, which has a brighter treble-centric sound profile. It also has a detachable cable, while the Samson has a fixed cable. Check out our Sennheiser HD 6XX review to learn more about the more neutral device.
While both the Samson SR850 and Superlux HD 681 have a semi-open design that offers a wide soundstage, the Superlux model boasts a more neutral…
While both the Samson SR850 and Superlux HD 681 have a semi-open design that offers a wide soundstage, the Superlux model boasts a more neutral sound profile. It’s also less tight on the ears, so it’s more comfortable for extended recording sessions than the Samson device. However, the Samsung device features more durable plastic and foam parts.
