Last Updated: March 25, 2020 (Refresh Now)
Samson SR850 Semi Open Back Studio Reference Headphones
Last Updated: March 25, 2020 (Refresh Now)
7.9
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
896
Old Reviews
448
Unverified
51
Spam Test
PASS
Review Analysis - 397 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Body
145cord, ear, ears, long, ear pads
+74%
-26%
" ... Comfortable and a long chord just in case. ... "
" ... Pretty good headphones for continuous listening, comfortable. ... "
" ... For the price - very good sound quality and decent construction. ... Not heavy but may become uncomfortable after 30 min or so of a listening session. ... "
" ... The audio quality is great on these and the partially open ear design makes it great for wearing during recording sessions. ... "
" ... i put the velour pads on it and that opened it up a little more and it sounds way better. ... "
" ... Very comfortable and flat response to my ear . ... "
" ... They aren't especially notable in any way, but the sound is good, the wire is long and they are super-comfotable. ... "
" ... This allowed me to comfortably wear for hours on end. ... "
Price
117headphones, sound, money, cost, budget
+94%
-6%
" ... real deal for the money ... "
" ... Avoid them, and they're truly great for the price. ... "
" ... Excellent for the price. ... "
" ... I took a chance on these because of the other reviews and the price in my budget. ... "
" ... Excellent quality for the price . ... "
" ... Other than that they sound pretty good for the price. ... "
" ... In my humble opinion they perform better than their AKG counterparts for the price. ... "
" ... For the price point, these headsets deliver, frankly the exceeded my expectations. ... "
Body / Comfort
117ear, ears, ear pads, pads, head
+77%
-23%
" ... The sound is clear and they fit my head perfectly. ... "
" ... Sound good for the price, less sound pressure on the ears ... "
" ... They are comfortable and have large diameter velour covered ear pads. ... "
" ... Comfort is pretty good, but you definitely gotta break them in. ... "
" ... The audio quality is great on these and the partially open ear design makes it great for wearing during recording sessions. ... "
" ... I also like how the headphones go around your ears instead of over them. ... "
" ... Having flexibility of movement and ears untouched by the headphone housing makes lengthy sessions a breeze ... "
" ... Comfortable and a long chord just in case. ... "
Body / Build Quality
52build quality, plastic, long, leather, headband
+58%
-42%
" ... The velour padding is also a plus as the padding does not get overly hot. ... "
" ... These make me feel better because i can here them scratching at the door if they want out. ... "
" ... Material quality us very good and delicated. ... "
" ... wished it had better material, but better material is more cost. ... "
" ... The build quality is very durable and made of high grade plastic. ... "
" ... Build wise - they are tight and do better if you put them over a box or something for a few hours (or store them that way?) ... "
" ... They have great sound and are durable. ... "
" ... So good that I bought a second within a week or so of the first set, then i put a Neutrik connector on one while shortening the cable a little bit and it actually helped a lot. ... "
Body / Cable
30long, wire, cable, plug, broke
+43%
-57%
" ... Only complaints I have are that the cable cannot be detached, and that the cans themselves are not as comfortable to wear as the padding feels like lightweight-cheap foam. ... "
" ... As a minor point--a really thin wire. ... "
" ... I will never buy another pair of headphones without a removable/replaceable cord. ... "
" ... The cables are also the cheap plastic flimsy kind. ... "
" ... like i said, they worked fine at first, but after a couple weeks the headphone jack stated getting bent. ... now, i should note that i don't use these professionally, so i took them out of the big jack they came in, and used the regular-sized jack nested inside meant for casual use in phones and stuff. ... "
" ... But only one *small* downside, the wire at the strain relief into the left can breaks after about 6 months or so. ... Hold down the cord so the plug side doesn't move and it still does it so it's the strain relief into the left can again. ... "
" ... The jack bent off and snapped. ... "
" ... The cord is very long and drags behind me at the gym if I don't stick it in my pocket. ... "
Product Reliability
27years, months, lasted, stopped working, pair
+30%
-70%
" ... I have had for 1 month and they stopped working already. ... "
" ... Lasted one month. ... "
" ... These stopped working in 1 ear within 2 months of use. ... I know they are cheap but I would still expect them to last longer. ... "
" ... They worked fine as PC headphones but after two months of use the sound has got out on one side. ... Ive had cheap headphones for years so its disappointing to buy a more expensive pair and then deal with the poor quality. ... "
" ... These are horrible and barely lasted a month. ... "
" ... Lasted 2 months, base blew out and plugin broke ... "
" ... now it's just another in a long line of regretful broken purchases. ... "
" ... A few weeks ago both lost sound in one side. ... "
Usage
26music, hear, headphones, games, sound
+96%
-4%
" ... steer clear and spend a little more to get a bigger set ... "
" ... I use use them primarily for gaming, listening to music, and chatting with friends online. ... "
" ... Clear separation of voice ... "
" ... However, I listen mostly to classical, jazz, vocals, and soundtracks (including movies and games). ... "
" ... Great for listening to music, games, videos, etc. ... "
" ... I been using these for playing PUBG shooter game. ... They are better than gaming headsets that I have used. ... "
" ... These are amazing for gaming as well ! ... "
" ... It's not 'that' bad but someone sitting next to you will definitely be able to hear your music. ... "
Sound
22volume, loud, noise cancellation, open, hear
+95%
-5%
" ... I can hear all sound detail while at moderate volume. ... "
" ... They allow a lot of ambient sound in, and when I have them on I can hear what's going on around me almost to the same degree as I can when I'm not wearing them at all. ... "
" ... These headphones work well with the noise cancellation, the value is excellent, the sound quality is fantastic and can be comparable to $150 or higher sets. ... "
" ... It's not 'that' bad but someone sitting next to you will definitely be able to hear your music. ... "
" ... Bright, loud, clear, and comfortable! ... "
" ... These cans have balanced sound and can play loud without distortion. ... The fact that I'm comparing these to headphones that cost 8x more speaks volumes. ... "
" ... The sound stage will have you looking around the room for another person. ... "
" ... I was surprised at the effectiveness of the noise cancellation. ... "
Usage / Gaming
18music, headphones, games, use, opinion
+100%
" ... Used for music/gaming on PC. ... "
" ... These are amazing for gaming as well ! ... "
" ... I use them for pc gaming and so far they're great! ... "
" ... Being that I bought these headphones under $40 this has been the best gaming headset I have owned or have heard yet. ... "
" ... However, I listen mostly to classical, jazz, vocals, and soundtracks (including movies and games). ... "
" ... For how cheap these headphones are, they are great for music and gaming for me. ... "
" ... For $35 i cant complain much, for gaming or listeing or anything else these are a winner imo. ... "
" ... I use use them primarily for gaming, listening to music, and chatting with friends online. ... "
Service
18arrived, something, return, money, expected
+50%
-50%
" ... I returned and purchased a different item. ... "
" ... Returning and going with the beyerdynamic dt900 open backs. ... "
" ... I now have to pay money to ship it back for them to simply “repair” it and not exchange them. ... "
" ... I'll be returning these when I get the chance. ... "
" ... The item was broken on arrival. ... "
" ... Sent back, going to get something else. ... "
" ... I was very upset to see that the warning was not listed on the Amazon product description because I would not have purchased them if so. ... "
Connectivity
18port, use, pc, music, mm
+83%
-17%
" ... Loved it so much I bought a 2nd set for the laptop . ... "
" ... Syba Sonic SD-DAC63057 24bit 96KHz USB 2.0 plus Stereo Headphone Amplifier ... "
" ... I paired these with the Creative Super X-Fi DAC . ... Tested with Fleetwood Mac and Pink Guy, and with a surprisingly positive result. ... "
" ... I use these for gaming on my xbox one plugged in with a 3.5 mm mic adapter. ... "
" ... I've used these with my phone, tablet, musical keyboards, an Xbox One and they sound great with all of them. ... "
" ... My Samson SR850s are reserved for my laptop and iphone use. ... "
" ... So good that I bought a second within a week or so of the first set, then i put a Neutrik connector on one while shortening the cable a little bit and it actually helped a lot. ... "
" ... I work at computer most of the day then come home and spend even more time at a computer. ... "
Microphone
17music, mixing, audio, voice, vocals
+94%
-6%
" ... So far, these have been a blast to use when recording music. ... "
" ... I bought these as an upgrade for the Tascam headphones I use while recording and editing my podcast. ... "
" ... Sound quality is acceptable, I prefer my higher quality headsets but the fidelity is perfectly adequate for monitoring during recording. ... "
" ... My voice (such that it is) sounds pretty darn good in these while recording. ... "
" ... They fit really well and it does cancel out background noises, which makes them good for recording music. ... "
" ... I really like these headphones, I use them for recording and editing video, the sound quality especially for the price sounds great but I have larger ears so wearing for more than an hour, it starts to hurt. ... "
" ... Although I'm not an expert, I think they are a great entry level headphones for recording/mixing monitoring. ... "
" ... It’s my piano mic so I can play and record practice wo others having to “share” my prowess. ... "
Sound / Volume
14loud, hear, low, louder, dont
+93%
-7%
" ... The plus or minus depending on how you look at it is you can hear room sounds ... "
" ... They allow a lot of ambient sound in, and when I have them on I can hear what's going on around me almost to the same degree as I can when I'm not wearing them at all. ... "
" ... Also, if it's really quiet where you work, full volume is somewhat audible, at least they'll be able to tell if you're listening to music rather than a tutorial. ... "
" ... It's not 'that' bad but someone sitting next to you will definitely be able to hear your music. ... "
" ... These cans have balanced sound and can play loud without distortion. ... The fact that I'm comparing these to headphones that cost 8x more speaks volumes. ... "
" ... Really good headset for podcasting and low volume recording. ... "
" ... I can hear all sound detail while at moderate volume. ... "
" ... If you want headphones to use in a quiet room, here it is. ... "
Body / Design
14good, feel, something, portable, plastic
+86%
-14%
" ... Good product and amazing look. ... "
" ... Buen material, artículo excelente ... "
" ... They look like they could be easily removed and upgraded. ... "
" ... The impendance in ohms actually matches the radios I use. ... "
" ... So if you're looking for something ultra-portable, look elsewhere. ... "
" ... a bit more air and detail. ... "
" ... bog standard black on grey tones, nothing really interesting about their looks whatsoever. ... Looks-wise, they are very plain, and the build quality is only slightly above average, but they are definitely worth the price you pay for them. ... "
" ... Going to be looking for something safer and better now. ... "
Connectivity / Device Compatibility
11pc, music, dac, used, phones
+91%
-9%
" ... I paired these with the Creative Super X-Fi DAC . ... Tested with Fleetwood Mac and Pink Guy, and with a surprisingly positive result. ... "
" ... I've used these with my phone, tablet, musical keyboards, an Xbox One and they sound great with all of them. ... "
" ... PC with Windows 10 (64 bits) recognized the headphones upon connecting them without any problems. ... "
" ... My Samson SR850s are reserved for my laptop and iphone use. ... "
" ... It sounds perfect with my android devices. ... "
" ... Let me explain that the purpose of this headset for me was to record and mix music when turning on the monitors were not an option. ... "
" ... Loved it so much I bought a 2nd set for the laptop . ... "
" ... I work at computer most of the day then come home and spend even more time at a computer. ... "
Sound / Noise Cancellation
8noise cancellation, open, cancelling, semi, people
+100%
" ... These headphones work well with the noise cancellation, the value is excellent, the sound quality is fantastic and can be comparable to $150 or higher sets. ... "
" ... Not 100% noise cancelling but darn near close. ... "
" ... Although, noise cancelation isn't the best I've had a lot of people think that these were top quality headphones! ... "
" ... I was surprised at the effectiveness of the noise cancellation. ... "
" ... Also very comfortable, light, and stops background noise. ... "
" ... These are of better build quality than some headphones, but comfort and noise cancellation are lacking. ... "
Service / Returns
8something, return, money, back, returned
-100%
" ... I returned and purchased a different item. ... "
" ... Returning and going with the beyerdynamic dt900 open backs. ... "
" ... I now have to pay money to ship it back for them to simply “repair” it and not exchange them. ... "
" ... I'll be returning these when I get the chance. ... "
" ... Sent back, going to get something else. ... "
" ... I was very upset to see that the warning was not listed on the Amazon product description because I would not have purchased them if so. ... "
Connectivity / Ports
8port, mm, headphone, came, cable
+63%
-38%
" ... I recommend plugging them into a headphone amplifier. ... "
" ... So good that I bought a second within a week or so of the first set, then i put a Neutrik connector on one while shortening the cable a little bit and it actually helped a lot. ... "
" ... I use these for gaming on my xbox one plugged in with a 3.5 mm mic adapter. ... "
" ... Syba Sonic SD-DAC63057 24bit 96KHz USB 2.0 plus Stereo Headphone Amplifier ... "
Usage / Calling
7open, music, sound quality, sound, semi
+100%
" ... The semi open back really doesn't make that much of a difference in sound, I've only had one incidence where someone could hear what I have been playing without them wearing the headphones. ... "
" ... But they are fantastic in the sense that I can hear everything in music. ... "
" ... It's not 'that' bad but someone sitting next to you will definitely be able to hear your music. ... "
" ... They allow a lot of ambient sound in, and when I have them on I can hear what's going on around me almost to the same degree as I can when I'm not wearing them at all. ... "
" ... Clear separation of voice ... "
Service / Delivery
7expected, shipping, quickly, fast, condition
+86%
-14%
" ... Shipping was very fast and the product arrived in great shape. ... "
" ... They work well and arrived quickly ... "
" ... I received the headphones sooner than expected - a pleasant surprise. ... "
" ... They arrived on time in good condition. ... "
" ... Package got,here way earlier than expected! ... "
Service / Product As Described
3+100%
" ... Everything is as described. ... "
" ... I hope more pictures are added to show more of what these look like, so people know what they're actually getting. ... "
" ... Product is as described. ... "
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Specifications
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