Beyerdynamic DT880 *closed-back*

[NoXter]

What you need:

- A DT880 edition 2005 or a PRO with 250ohm
- a pair of DT660 velour pads

The mod doesn' work with the older DT880. If it also works with a 600ohm model... I don't know.
DT770 pads do not bring the same good result. (see update)

How to:

Step 1:

In this picture you can see all the holes in the housing which have to be closed. The red circle marks a little plasticnose which will be interesting later.

Step 2:

This ist the taped version. Doesn't look good, but you cannot see it in the end. It is important to tape the holes particular.

Step 2.5:

As you can see in Step 2 one of the holes remains open. Do you rember the plasticnose in Step 1? Until this point you must tape the hole.

Step 3:

Now put the original damping material back into the housing.

Step 3.5:

Driver with original damping felt. The red marked position is a result of a screwdriver as we have been a bit too enthusiastic opening the housing. So, be careful.
Fortunately there haven't been any influences on sound.

Step 4:

Now put some wool-felt on it. I don't know the correct name of this material, but you can experiment with different materials. At least you can use simple felt, but it schould not be too thick or you cannot attach the attachement-ring anymore.

Step 5:

Original foam. It isn't necessary but in this case I didn't want to see this purple felt.

Finished:

As you can see, you can see nothing.

Well, thats it.

What changes?

The Bass is much stronger than stock, but you get real sub-bass an the bass is in general more precise. The mids get warmer an get more consistence. Vocals sound much fuller. Treble is significant lowered. HD650 niveau I would say, but whithout the veil in sound.
The airiness and soundstage of the DT880 lacks a bit with the mod, but compared to HD650 for example nothing you should worry about.

Nice side-effect: The closed-back DT880 isolates very well!

Pictures powered by Nickchen.


******UPDATE******

The update is about step 2.5 .

new step 2.5:

In the first step I closed the housing completely. After that I made a small hole directely in the middle with help of a ballpen's spike.



I don't know why, but now I can use (black) DT770 pads without destroying the sound. I used the black ones which sound a bit different. But I think the silver ones will also work.

The bass is now lowered and the overall sound more coherent. The 770 pads are more comfortable than these 660er and provide better isolation.
It's still possible to use dt660 and the result is also better than in the previous version. Maybe you like result with them more.
Personally I prefer definetely the 770er pads now.

About the felt. You can use the original one, use something different or you use none. So you can regulate a bit the soundsignature. More damping results in more warmth sound for example.

[YGingras]

I was under the impression that DT-880 2005 had more or less the same driver as DT-770 but that the improved response curved of the 880 was entirely due to the open design. How would you compare your closed back DT-880 to DT-770?

[Nick 214]

Originally Posted by YGingras

I was under the impression that DT-880 2005 had more or less the same driver as DT-770 but that the improved response curved of the 880 was entirely due to the open design. How would you compare your closed back DT-880 to DT-770?

Yeah, I think the OP just made a restricted-flow DT-770..

NK

[NoXter]

Originally Posted by YGingras

I was under the impression that DT-880 2005 had more or less the same driver as DT-770 but that the improved response curved of the 880 was entirely due to the open design. How would you compare your closed back DT-880 to DT-770?

The drivers of DT880 and DT770 seem to be similar, but at least they're not the same. Imo Dt770 is a closed version of DT990, respectively DT990 a open version of DT770.

The closed-back DT880 is a complete different headphone compared to DT770. Deeper and more precise bass, no recessed mids (they're better than stock DT880), no sharp highs and it has a much more warmer tone.

This was one of Nickchens and my concerns when we closed the DT880, that it is just some kind of DT770. But it isn't. It is now more something like a Sennbeyer.

[lutwey]

Originally Posted by NoXter

The drivers of DT880 and DT770 seem to be similar, but at least they're not the same. Imo Dt770 is a closed version of DT990, respectively DT990 a open version of DT770.

The closed-back DT880 is a complete different headphone compared to DT770. Deeper and more precise bass, no recessed mids (they're better than stock DT880), no sharp highs and it has a much more warmer tone.

This was one of Nickchens and my concerns when we closed the DT880, that it is just some kind of DT770. But it isn't. It is now more something like a Sennbeyer.

i believe that dt770 880 and the 990 share the same dirver. its hust that the

770 is closed
880 is semi open
and the 990 being open.

[QQQ]

Drivers basically the same in 770\880\990. At least, there's nothing you can't diy to make them completele same: How to convert DT 880 into DT 990 (and vice versa). DT 770 Info.

[nickchen]

The DT770/880/990 drivers themselfes don't differ, but I think that it's their backwards dampening material and the housing that provide different sound signatures.

I must say the the DT880cb is a real awesome headphone. What I like most about it that some of my major Beyer dislikes (mediocre bass, cold mids, sharp highs) get cured, but without entering into the undesired DT770 or Ultrasone territory. NoXter's desciption of a Sennbeyer nails it perfectly down. I personally preferred it to NoXter's new HD650, the Senn is a bit boring in comparison.

It also sounded a lot like my beloved DT271, but with much more authority and musicality. I'm pretty sure I'll convert my DT880'2003 in such a creature as soon as I'm fluid again. I'll need 2005 housings for that, so it's not that simple and cheap for me.

[apatN]

Ah, your mod. Very interesting I must say as I stated before, a closed DT880 sounds like a recipe for disaster. For example, if I lay my hands on the DT880's (03 though) back the sounds loses a lot of its airy tone the Beyers are famous for.
Thanks for sharing!

[nickchen]

You can't simulate the mod that way, as padrolling and a different housing than your 2003 model are dominant part of that mod.

[QQQ]

What's so special in 660's pads? And what if use them on dt 770?

[NoXter]

There is nothing special with the dt660 pads. But these pads work with the mod and dt770 pads do not. That's all.

I never tried dt660 pads on DT770 but the result will be another than in this case.

[QQQ]

Hi Nox!
But, what is the differencies between 660 and 770 pads? They look pretty alike aside from color..

[NoXter]

I think the main difference is the foam inside of the pads. At the least the velour itself changes the sound also a bit and the one of dt660 is not so fluffy and coarser.

I wish it would work with 770er, because they're more comfortable. I will try also the silver dt770 pads. In our tests we used black DT770 pads which use another velour. But I don't have much hope that it works. On k271 these pads sounded siginifcantly different, but ... We'll see.

[CDBacklash]

Originally Posted by nickchen

The DT770/880/990 drivers themselfes don't differ, but I think that it's their backwards dampening material and the housing that provide different sound signatures.

I must say the the DT880cb is a real awesome headphone. What I like most about it that some of my major Beyer dislikes (mediocre bass, cold mids, sharp highs) get cured, but without entering into the undesired DT770 or Ultrasone territory. NoXter's desciption of a Sennbeyer nails it perfectly down. I personally preferred it to NoXter's new HD650, the Senn is a bit boring in comparison.

It also sounded a lot like my beloved DT271, but with much more authority and musicality. I'm pretty sure I'll convert my DT880'2003 in such a creature as soon as I'm fluid again. I'll need 2005 housings for that, so it's not that simple and cheap for me.

are the 770 pro drivers the same as the 770 consumer edition?
If they are, whats different in the packaging, and is there a mod around that changes them back and forth (removing padding on the back?)

[nickchen]

Okay, I got 2005 housings and DT660 pads and of course did the mod. Very content until now, got something like a "better DT770" (no mids recession, tamed highs, more warmth).

As this mod allows to adjust bass amount exactly according to personal liking, I ended up somewhere in the middle between DT770 and DT880.