Short answer: the Moondrop Old Fashioned. Both are rated 3.1/5 for sound quality (#321 and #332 of 481 over-ear headphones), and the Moondrop Old Fashioned costs $24.99 against $33.29 for the Superlux HD 681, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
Why pick the Moondrop Old Fashioned: Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. The catch: A 4.8 dB peak near 3.2 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
What the Superlux HD 681 does well: A very low price and a 32 ohm, 98 dB/mW load make it an easy pick for use straight from a phone or laptop. The catch: Sub-bass sits 9.7 dB below target in oratory1990’s measurement and falls 6 dB short by 42 Hz, so bass sounds thin and lacks impact.
Buy the Moondrop Old Fashioned. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $8.30 less than the Superlux HD 681.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Lower mids sit within about 0.5 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural.
Amazon $24.99 eBay
A very low price and a 32 ohm, 98 dB/mW load make it an easy pick for use straight from a phone or laptop.
B&H Photo Video $33.29 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Moondrop Old Fashioned | Superlux HD 681 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | $33.29 |
| Ranked | #321 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #332 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Back | Open | Semi-open |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 40mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 109 dB/Vrms | 98 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 32kHz | 10Hz - 30kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 63 (median of 5 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 61 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.40 dB standard deviation | 2.58 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.55 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | +1.34 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Falls 6 dB below target at 75 Hz (-18.2 dB at 30 Hz) | Falls 6 dB below target at 42 Hz (-9.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Weight | - | 0.5 lbs (230 g) |
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