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BLON BL-30 Loudspeaker Open-Back Headphones

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reviews9

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01 / 05

... / HEADPHONES / OPEN BACK HEADPHONES / BLON

BLON BL-30 Loudspeaker Open-Back Headphones

Name: BLON BL-30 Loudspeaker Open-Back Headphones
Brand: BLON
SKU: blon-bl-30-loudspeaker-open-back-headphones
Price: 89 USD
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 2.111111 (9 reviews)

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Product Description

Nothing compares to the sound of a true speaker system, but BLON’s BL-30 headphones come pretty close. That’s because they’re equipped with huge 70-millimeter drivers and an open-back metal mesh cavity—two key components that replicate the performance and sonic characteristics of a true loudspeaker Read More

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overview

specs

reviews9

photos16

q&a1

discussions177

Sort by: Newest

Rambone

111

Mar 7, 2022

I am still using the BLON BL-30 since my original post back in Nov 2020. I think they keep getting better and better. The sound is so full bodied and deep, makes my listening experience way more exciting than my other headphones with those huge drivers. They sound absolutely incredible and I wouldn't want to change a thing about them at this point. When I'm not using the BL-30 I typically rotate between a Sundara or Fidelio X2HR to make sure they get some love. As far as audio equipment, I found that these paired better with my Topping D10s DAC connected to a Schiit Vali 2+ AMP. My Creative G6 was a good fit for it as well. I didn't really end up liking it as much on my Monolith THX dac/amp. I still recommend these and maybe would give them a higher rating than my original post, but I still stand by these being a secondary headphone as they can get quite heavy after awhile and for the reason that they do take a LONG time to break in. It's kind of a project of love, growing this ugly little caterpillar into a stunning beautiful butterfly. When I first put them on and listened to them, these were absolute trash. They literally sounded terrible but now that they have had ample time to break in, they have become extraordinary and irreplaceable. I hope they will endure forever as I will be a sad panda if they die and I cannot get another.

Vote

Sujay Rao

110

Feb 12, 2021

BLON BL30 Update Thick pads from Techzere off Amazon. So much better than stock pads. Less agony. Everything sounds slightly brighter and cleaner. You’ll notice the stems are extended to maximum length. Despite that the lower edges do not feel flush. I have to gently push inwards here to get satisfactory sealing. This makes the sound fuller. The inward bend given to the ends of the headbands tend to unbend slightly because of the increased distance between ear cups caused by the thicker pads. I’m worried about the ends just breaking off. I see at least one “emergency” YouTube review asking people to stay away from these phones. The BL30s are no Abyss or Empyrean killers! But I wouldn’t call them untouchable. In fact, they’re quite listenable. These must be the biggest dynamic drivers available. I’m not surprised they have issues, specially selling at $100. I have no doubt that achieving anything close to “high-end” standards with this size of driver will result in a price of several thousand dollars. I’ve grown quite fond of this hunchback Quasimodo. Painful, clunky and heavy, but I keep listening to it and continue to try and mod it. No regrets. This is the Ed Wood of the headphone world. On its way to becoming a cult freak. Next with different SE cables and with Loxjie P20 and Liquid Carbon with balanced cables.

Mutantxtc

Feb 25, 2021

Sujay RaoHey could you link those pads cause I like the way they look

Vote

Sujay Rao

110

Feb 26, 2021

MutantxtcI bought these off the Amazon India Store (https://www.amazon.in/Techzere-Replacement-Cushions-Technica-Headphones/dp/B08GZH89K7). You’ll probably have to search on your local Amazon store. Here’s what it’s listed as : “Techzere Protein Leather Extra Thick Version Replacement Ear Cushions Pads Earpads for Cup Audio Technica ATH M50X / M50 / M40X / M40 / M30X / M20X Headphones, Black” Here’s something I bought on eBay. No email link. But here’s a screenshot from the purchase page.

Vote

Dmac6419

194

Feb 7, 2021

Modified Dem

MagnusXMX

Feb 2, 2021

I ordered my BLON BL-30's from Linsoul when they first came out. I took them apart because some of the internals were loose and jostling around in the ear cup housing (I'm guessing things came loose during shipping). Upon removal, I noticed the ear cups and pads were secured by three nuts and bolts and glued together with some sticky adhesive. This made the ear cup removal challenging, so I ended up cutting the pad liner and the pads to get inside and reattach the loosed parts. Putting the BLON's back together was a breeze by comparison, I ended up upgrading to new thicker pads and tossed away the crappy nut/bolt set-up. After all the research and tinkering, I am glad to say that I now have a much better set of headphones. I use an Amp/DAC combo and they do sound better with the thicker pads. The Amp/DAC combo also gives you more volume, which is needed for these larger drivers. Below are the items I used to put my BL- 30's back together. I replaced the original pads with 110mm thicker velour pads from Amazon --> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MNWV86Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I also replaced the three crappy nut & bolt set-up with easy to remove/replace Push Clip Rivets 3mm x 6.6mm from Amazon --> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RKX1K8F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

(Edited)

Vote

Squee

183

Jan 31, 2021

The headphones arrived unwearable for me. It took a week of tinkering with the metal headband before I could actually wear them. The foam pad is uncomfortable and does little to mask the metal band underneath. Dekoni nuggetz or something similar is necessary. The cups themselves are sturdy, due to using metal in the construction, but also heavy, and the stiff headband does not mitigate the problem. The upper mids and treble have a thick veil that can't be overcome with a brighter amp or different mods. The imaging is wonky, and everything sounds like it's coming from above the listener, rather in front of them. The bass and lower mids are engaging, but not enough to recoup its other failings. I like the direction of the tonal balance, the warmth and overall balance, but the failure of design, the thick veil, and discomfort make these a pass for me. Probably around a 2/5

Vote

Sujay Rao

110

Jan 29, 2021

BURN, BABY BURN! Hold the press! Update: post 36 hour burn-in playing classic rock via Monoprice Monolith at above tolerable listening volume (-10 db). (Blon 30 from Linsoul, not from Drop) Nothing neutral about this one. Intrinsically very warm. Seems like I’m listening to a tubey valve amp. Bass::

Henk Van Twillert playing Bach transcriptions on solo Baritone Sax. The rumble of the base notes is large and distinct. But lower bass is bloated and overhung. There is detail there. I can hear the faint sharp intake of breath at the end of each phrase. Occasionally I can hear the keys softly clacking on and off.
Smokie doing Don’t Play Your Rock And Roll To Me begins with a drum intro. Sounds good, even the bass drum hits.
Forqueray Pieces de Viole is all solo Cello. I can hear the flutter of the bass strings and the scrape of the bow. The deep cello tones do have heft.
Paul Robeson With The Williams Singers (possibly the best recording of P. R. ) sings Just A Wearyin’ For You. The textured bass voice is well rendered and the warm timbre comes through. All the words are discernible.

Midrange:

Sandor Vegh, Cemerata Salzburg. Smaller orchestras and chamber groups playing Divertimentos and Serenatas (Dvorak, Mozart, Tchaikovsky). The orchestra sounds rich and full. Strings are lush and sonorous. I can hear individual instruments distinctly. There is reasonable spacial spread. The violin notes are sharp and songful.
Bach Toccata and Fugue for Organ (on Deutsche Grammophon) is a real ball buster for any system. Astonishing delivery for an underdog headphone. Punching way above weight. The intense rumble of the organ is full and even toned, and most of the detail can be discerned. The first two phrases end in the organ swelling till it climaxes in a tumultuous roar (....ok, we need to talk). Blon 30 doesn’t piss itself. It renders it gamely. Again, the detail is surprisingly discernible.
Ben Webster plays My Romance (Ben and Sweets), the best of many recordings. His soft sax notes have a unique tone. Warm, airy and comes through large as life on B30. The unique hissing of air at the end of a note is realistic.

Treble, Vocals:

Eartha Kitt sings C’est si bon. The uniquely French rolling R’s are resolved well. The sharp Denton-glossals of the Ts and Ds can be distinctly heard. Vocals are very forward and assertive.
On one great recording of Dean Martin singing the same song Dino’s warm slightly nasal baritone is well served. The slight terminal tremolo in his voice comes through cleanly.
Adele’s Feel My Love (both studio and live). The slight huskiness is distinct. The piano intro is full and resonant. The crowd sounds are real but the stage isn’t as wide and deep as it is on the balanced-modded DT880.
Ravi Shankar’s Woodstock outing is an imperfect recording. Again crowd sounds are very real. The higher notes of the Sitar can sometimes sound tinny. B30 does a good job keeping them rounded and clean. The jangle of chokari strings, continuously struck throughout the performance are heard clear and resonant.

CONS:

Thin veil that overhangs the whole spectrum and dims the B30’s sparkle slightly.
Mid bass bleed tends to over shadow low end bass,
Treble is undoubtedly slightly blunt. With tube amps there is more punch but bass becomes more prominent. With the Alex Cavali LC and Monolith everything is leaner and cleaner but treble is still slightly soft.
Modi 3 expected lu adds texture and meat, specially on high gain. Very authoritative performance.
Despite all these irritants there’s a surprising amount of detail here.
Big track to track variations. Very very intolerant of low res or vintage recordings (garden variety MP3’s, high dynamic compression recordings, straight off the iPhone).
Soundstage is impressive on some songs, average on others.
Terrible pads. Planning on trying generic thick pleather set when they arrive. Most painful headphones I’ve ever worn.
Maybe better cable will improve things. I wonder how it will do with balanced cables.

Conclusion:: 3.75 / 5 for good sound and sheer chutzpah. 1 for build and comfort. Not to be served rare. Burn it in for 2 days straight and watch the transformation. 70mm dynamic driver for $100, good enough sound - go for it. As Oasis sang, don’t look back in anger.

(Edited)

Sujay Rao

110

Jan 27, 2021

Update. New aluminium strip didn’t work out. Bent the existing headband at its entry into the earcup holder. Fits, but very painful. Heard it off an Onkyo DP-X1 direct and vis Monoprice THX. AAA Portable headphone amp. First impressions:

soft treble at best, very blunt and spongy at worst. Cymbals, other sharp percussives, high notes on violins sound like the entire top end of treble peak has been shaved off.
Thick boomy bass. Double bass solos from jazz trios sound utterly obese.
Midrange is soft and wooly.
Strangely, I can hear all kinds of details in familiar tracks.
There is moderately wide soundstage.
Basically, it’s like I’m listening to everything through a thick blanket.

Will update post 12 hour burn-in

Squee

183

Jan 26, 2021

Finished working out the mod, and posted it here: https://youtu.be/pKAeD6Joa7o You basically have to flatten out the headband and bend the flanges where the earcups attach further toward the center. Luckily, it doesn't take an incredible amount of investment or hardware, but it can be something of a timesink, depending on how much flatter you need the headband to be to fit your head.

(Edited)

Vote

Phin

Jan 23, 2021

I ordered these from Linsoul. After headband debacle Linsoul rep said to email support for the re-designed replacement so I did. They responded that a selfie with headphone is required.: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/blon-bl-30-review-impressions-and-discussion-thread.948182/page-13#post-16123706

Vote

Fayne

2603

Jan 23, 2021

PhinThat is odd and a whole bunch of do not want. They ship a defective product and require pictures of you wearing it to give you replacement/fix? Sounds like another reason for me to go back to ignoring the brand after this dumpster fire of a release. I'm so glad I bought these cans with minimal expectations. Most uncomfortable set I've had the displeasure to stick on my fat head. I have been considering cannibalizing a HE-35x or HE-4xx for the headband and yoke assembly. It seems like the ear cup diameter isn't too far off from the HE on the BL-30 and might be a pretty simple swap.

(Edited)

Dezkey

Jan 27, 2021

Phinthat's weird. I had mine replace without any issue. I simply ask them it does not fit my head and they straight away sent me a new one which perfectly fit on my head. Couldn't be happier. Probably because I didn't order from linsoul lol. The sound pretty much abit of disappointed. The stock earpads imo abit terrible. They're not too deep. I have leather earpads and tried on them. The sound turned into even more shittier. Very muddy. I'm going to roll those dem earpads into velvet or whatever non-leather/PU leather

(Edited)

VashDragon

Jan 23, 2021

Just.... So i bought my pair from Linsoul. At the time for the holidays they actually had it a bit cheaper. I got the copper pair. And well these are just... so bad. Ive gone through this discussion and read some of the reviews and different experiences people have had. Im not sure if I just have a bad pair, or if their QA just doesnt care. Im not going to return them for various reasons ill get into, but be prepared here for my wall of text on these headphones. First, the Sum of its parts. This headphone feels like someone went on newegg and built you a barebones PC where the only thing thats good in it is the oversized graphics card, and everything else is just make due crap. But, he did get you an amazing keyboard and mouse to go with it. Thats sort of what these feel like. The headband almost feels like an afterthought. Its not even shaped right. With the metal rods that hold the cups in place are not angled properly at all. You will have to spend the first hour of using these headphones, bending that headband into shape to actually get them to fit. And its really just a thing of spring steel, and not even good quality at that. So they wrapped it in an after market headband cushion you would buy off amazon, and called it a day. You can see in the pictures ive attached how ive had to flatten the headband and sharply angle the ends so the rods point to properly press the cups to the side of my head.

Cups are heavy but a nice chunk of metal. The metal rod that holds the cups to the headband are held in with some alan headed screws. The rods on mine were very loose and caused the cups to kind of flop around more than they should have. Pads are ok once you have a fit down. However, i almost instantly started swapping the pads to try and balance the sound better. They are thankfully easily removable. But be careful what pads you use. In the pictures ill be posted ill be using some Dekoni Velour pads. I also had to add some Dekoni Nuggets that i had used for other projects to help make them comfortable which you will see in the pictures. (The use of Velcro is due to how they were repurposed.) To be honest the nicest thing about these headphones is the cable it comes with. Its honestly one of the best cables I own. It comes with an ok after market case which will be better repurposed for other headphones.

But a lot of people have talked about the build quality, what about the sound? Well thats where these headphones kind of do a faceplant into the dirt. This is where i really questioned myself with some of the reviews and discussion i was seeing. I am possibly thinking i have a bad pair, but im not going to go through the effort of sending them back in to verify. Other reviewers in Linsoul's site match how i feel, so it might just be personal bias, or possibly manufacturing differences. They still work its just... The Bass. All of the Bass all of the time. And im a big Bass head and i love head rattling bass. The problem is the bass is so strong that it muddies up everything else. As cliche as that sounds. Ive never had a pair of headphones that actually do it this bad though. You mostly hear it in the midrange, with male and female vocals, it sounds like they are singing into a block of foam on some songs. This is where the fit and the pads come in clutch. The more relaxed the fit, and more open the pads, the more subdued the bass becomes and it clears up the mids a little. If you ever put some closed pads on these be ready to regret it. And honestly, the less these fit and more they float away from your ear, the better they sound. The gigantic driver does a good job of pumping out the audio.

Now, if you do put some closed pads on these be careful. Ive actually found that adjusting and changing the pressure on the cups will cause the driver to cut out for a moment, like its very susceptible to pressure changes and has to normalize the pressure again. Turn up the volume to loud and id be scared of what it does to my ear drums. Now thankfully, with a little bit of ear burn in, i can get used to these headphones. But any time i compare them to my 6XX or any of my other cleaner headphones, these just sound muddy. But man the bass. Bass for Days. Head rattling bass. Pop in a Bassy techno track and these are amazing. The highs are thankfully seperated enough that they dont suffer to badly. They are rolled off and not super detailed, but its there. They are also open. Very open in fact. The sound is spacious even. Ive never had a pair of headphones that were as open as these also have bass as strong as these. Which goes into my thoughts on using open pads and a relaxed fit. You want that spacious sound. However, honestly if all you want a pair of cheap bassy headphones, get the Monoprice Retros. They are cheaper and cleaner and those also have all the bass. They are just closed. Buy these for the novelty, for being the most open bassy headphones ive heard, and for the headphone cable it comes with. But be sure to check other reviews because im questioning if i truly got the same headphones some of these other people got. I could see these becoming a modders dream, i bet with the right tuning and some customizations they can be great. I wouldnt mind seeing the Blon-BL30 Argons. (Edited to fix some typos and clear up some points.)

(Edited)

Camride

Jan 25, 2021

VashDragonPretty much my experience exactly, except I ordered mine from AliExpress (which took forever) as I've had issues with Linsoul in the past so I don't order from them anymore if possible. I think these have potential, but they're probably the shoddiest made headphones I've ever used. And the worst part is it didn't have to be that way, the cups and drivers are actually fairly good (once tuned with better pads) and they seem to have some good potential. Mine had several QC issues (parts not screwed in all the way, internal nuts that had broken free of their tiny dot of glue holding them in place, not to mention the awfulness that is the headband) but the materials themselves are not bad for the most part. I had to completely disassemble mine, secure all the nuts in place with epoxy, replace one stripped out screw and bend the absolute crap out of the headband to get any kind of seal. With all that and some time burned in they weren't bad. Not great, but not bad. Personally I'm going to get a HiFiMan HE-560 headband to replace the original headband with, then play with pads and dampening. I think with a good headband and some better suited pads these could actually sound pretty good. But straight out of the box this is by far my worst new headphone experience. Anyone involved in putting these headphones together should be embarrassed of this mess.

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mbmzor

39w

Hahahaha, I found these at the bottom of a box of my cans to be trashed and after reading this review I couldn’t agree more. There is no amount of modding, EQing or amping to fix how terrible these are lol. The fit is awful, they hurt and don’t even seal around your ears, they kinda float from the top of your ear and stay open at the bottom. Forget new pads too. Junk. Take the drivers out and use them as speaker phone speakers.

Rambone

TalonOneOne

BUT Did you dieeeeeeee? LOL (Kiddin') Thanks for the heads up