I got these because I had the DT 880 and wanted soemthing that was darker while still being neutral and not too expensive. These were recommended to me as fitting that bill and also being similar to the HD650, so it would also give me a chance to hear what others people frequently reference. That is one of the main reason I bought them as well, they were something tons of others have tried and I could compare my opinion to theirs to get a good internal reference. I used them with the CEntrance DACport HD.

Build Quality, Looks, Packaging
They feel "cheap", as in lightweight and plasticy. But, I actually don't mind this at all, so don't think of it as an insult. I just wanted to mention that because I feel someone will equate that with not “feeling premium”.

I think the headphones look ok. They are navy blue and black, however I think it would be better if they were all black instead. That would give them an aesthetic somewhere between a professional and midnight vibe. The design of the openneess also looks great and it kind of reflects light back though. I love looking into the outside when I pick them up every once in a while.

Instead of coming with a normal carrying case or pouch, it comes with this this big box which I hate. It's not travel friendly ONE BIT, it has a cutout to place the headphones in which isn't even fully snug or designed well, and the box is prone to getting easily dirty and its hard to clean or the material comes off. I'm going to sell my pair and the box already looks a bit like hell, and I've barely done anything to it. Why? Just why?

Fit
This is a tight headphone, but more than that, I'm not a fan of the earpiece shape. It’s like it's not circular enough. I'm not sure what, but it is a finicky shape and fit on my head with regards to positioning it forward or back or low or high. With these, I like to wear them slightly up and just enough forward to make it sound "right", as I find wearing it low sits on directly on my jaw bones and though it sounds a tad bit wider and treble-y, it's not in a good way, it doesn't sound like it was intended or designed to sound like that. The main problem is I feel like the back of the left headphone touches my ear too much or just fits in a way I need to fuss with. Not a pick it up and go headphone.



Sound quality
Overall, I would say that these headphones sound tall/tight, speaker-like, and warm.

Bass
It has bass, but not how I expected. The sub isn't very much. When I think of dark or warm sounds, I would say dark is more deep and murky (black), and warm is less than black, it's a brown color, it's a tilt. This is like a medium brown, not too dark in shade. They have a little bit of a tilt to them but are not extremely bass heavy. Is it good enough for me? Considering I listen to a lot of EDM (not just the “genre” EDM, aka mainstream club hits, but electronic dance music in general), I would say it’s not enough for any kind of slam but it’s not bad. I was looking for something along the lines of neutral anyways. I would like more sub though.

Mids
These headphones are all mids. I feel like the entire section is highlighted. It's present from the very first use. Something about this sounds speaker-like too, like it's similar to speakers, not a "headphone sound". This is a pro and a con IMO. It's good because it's more familiar and what I am used to in my mind, but also bad because it feels a bit off from other headphones I have experience with. Compared to my previous headphone though, DT880 250ohms, it sounds a mix of way more lively, aggressive, and “correct”.

Treble
A bit rolled off, not really sure what else I have to say. It's just smooth, non-piercing, etc. I think I can hear part of the famous "Senhessier veil". Try songs like Hannah Diamond – Fade Away. That song has a quite bright female vocal and while it won’t take it away, it’s a bit less airy.

Imaging
Imaging is ok, not sure what else to say as it wasn’t something I tested or even stuck out to me when I was using them. Some of those "8D Nation" youtube videos sound ridiculously realistic and good on these.

Soundstage
The main reason I'm selling these headphones. It's like an upright rectangle. The sound has "height" and tallness, but no width. I want to be able to distinguish different tracks in a song with ease and that is not possible with the HD6XX. Even songs like "Solo" by Clean Bandit (featuring Demi Lovato), the bass line gets shoved into the vocals on the second chorus, like merged. Stuff just becomes less intelligible. I think they are below average in this area and it's a big deal for me. I even did a little bit of research after to see if I was the only one with this issue, but I'm not. Even with cheaper headphones, I don’t find it this bad. I find they have that "forced" sound I hate so much as a result, like I am just shoving a speaker in my ear or have the volume too loud and I can't easily focus on or hear things as a result. I need to have a certain amount of space and LACK of perceived volume to be able to use them. It really is like sitting with my nose touching my computer screen and complaining that I can't make out what is around me or being mentally suffocated.

OVERALL
I'm glad I tried these but they were a fail for sure. There was a small honeymoon period as I liked them for the things that the Beyerdynamic DT880 lacked, but as I got used to them, it went to crap. The soundstage is way too small and fit needs work. I would like something less mid-centric, sub-bass increase, and with a lot more separation. Before this I had the DT880 and these headphones really could not be anymore opposite. The Beyerdynamic has soundstage and comfort (!!), however it sounds synthetic and unnatural at times. The HD6XX has more realism and balance, however the fit and soundstage are nowhere near good enough IME.

I will try the Audio Technica R70X next or the AKG Pro 712.

I have these in the "standard"/premium version (straight cord), 250 OHM, and in the limited edition chrome finish.

I got these headphones because I wanted something that was neutral for production that was also a great value without being too expensive. I have tried several other headphones in the past (KRK 8400, ATH MSR7), however I found that they had terrible soundstage and were too analytical (KRK 8400) or just wrong sounding (MSR7, brightness that I did not appreciate). I had never tried semi-open or open headphones, so I was hoping they would fix the problems I've had with headphones in the past by their simply open nature.

Looks
These headphones look great! I really like the look of them. I also saw what the original ones look like and these blow them away. The chrome finish is beautiful and understated. The headphones give off a kind of "Gotham City" vibe.

Fit/Comfort
This really is an area where the headphones excel, but I would say that it's not really a matter of actual comfort you can feel, but rather a "weightlessness". When I wear these, there is no sensation of pressure points or grip on the earpads especially (headband is just a tiny bit less), that's why I don't really want to use the word comfort, because I don't feel like I'm feeling much of anything, good or bad. They do not feel super lightweight though in my hand, but they give that off on the head. I have an angular face (think thin), so most headphones sit directly on my upper jaw bones. I am used to feeling headphones in one way or another. Bonus points for having a completely SMOOTH adjustment system, there are no notches, you can get them perfectly fit for sure.

They seem to be durable and made well too. They are not flimsy.

I'm not sure if my ears or large or small, but I find these to be a good size. I wear them slightly forward, so back of earmuff touches my ear, but then I let it go, nothing to extreme.

They are 100% compatible with glasses, in both the tightness aspect and how the frame seal will not disrupt the soundstage or EQ. Keep in mind I have glasses with thin sides.

The only downside I would say is that in extended listening sessions they could come as loose. It's not like I could dance with these or rock out, they would just slip off - and this is with little to no break in time. If you want a more sealed feel, you need to get the Pro version with the coiled cable.

Sound
I read comment on Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/40uauo/sound_of_beyerdynamic_dt880_premium_after_years/cyx86hi/) that I quite agree with if I were sum these headphones up: synthetic, soundstage, and bright.

The main attribute I would say is synthetic above all. These do not sound speaker-like or "natural", they sound a bit "headphoney", just that cliché of headphones never being able to measure up to speakers, but having their own strenghts in the areas of hearing detail and how you don't need to treat them like you would treat a room with speakers. It's really a combination of the soundstage and the EQ that bring you to this synthetic place. You can get used to it and it has it's place, but it's not "real". I would be concerned with how these translate if using them for music production purposes and such, but I say that only as a consumer, not somebody who actually works in the industry. It does seem that far off though. I would say that this synthetic quality is a negative overall, but it's not horrible. Keep it in mind though. Around the time of buying these, I also bought the Massdrop HD6XX and those headphones are the polar opposite of these in many ways. They have a speaker-like sound and things are harder to place.

The soundstage on these headphones is great, but again, it has a bit of that synthetic quality. Everything is easy to place and separate and you can really make out different tracks. I love it for this quality, however, at times, I feel like it's gone a bit too far, like I'm not sure if I'm really hearing it how it was actually intended.

And these are definitely bright headphones. They are not piercing though, but they definitely lend to air and space, making reverbs on voices or instruments stand out. Bass is there, but there's no slam or impact or anything. Midrange sounds ok... not sure what to say. It's not great, it's just ok.

Every once in a while, a song will sound terrible on these. "Kesha - Let em Talk" sounds horrendous. Actually, I find that Kesha stands out as somebody who doesn't translate well to these in general. "Hymm" has a grainy, terrible clip sounds as well. I know you're part of the loudness war girl, but I don't remember hearing that many flaws!

Amping and Sources
As I'm not too entrenched with headphones, I don't have many amps or sources to do this review from. However, I do have my computer (Realtek ALC887), my phone (HTC 10), and a portable amp (DACport HD) and I found a surprising difference that I didn't expect.

ALC887: Surprisingly enough volume. Once you go -12DB, you'll still be able to hear things, but you will want to go higher and have nothing to work with (this is relevant if you do ReplayGain or DSP and need headroom to work with). Sound is a slightly bass-light, and there is a sense of hollowness or reccessedness in extended listening on vocals. Brightness that translates as "air" or "space". Probably nitpicking, for those who don't care, your search ends here. I wasn't having it though.

HTC 10: Very similar to ALC887, however like there is a lopsided, like V shape sound? Low end sounds better, but I can't explain how. EQ and soundstage sounds more "airy", like hearing reverbs on singer's voices is taken to another level, beginning stages of "uh oh". Wearing the earpads the most forward produces a LOT of treble in this configuration, ugh. It's clear that this is the most treble focused. Not having this combination either, I'm looking for accuracy and this also does not sound accurate.

DACPort HD: Ok, now we're getting somewhere. Does not sound as immediately fun as the two others, but seems to beef up the low end and not highlight the treble as much. Soundstage takes a hit, but maybe it's a bit more accurate. I would say that this is the best configuration.

Overall
I'm giving these a 3.5. The fit, comfort, and build quality are great. They are durable and without being overengineered too. The sound is "good", but for headphones that are supposed to be neutral and for music production, I don't feel they're really realistic. The brightness and soundstage of them gives them an analytical edge for sure, but I feel like it starts to venture away from reality. I think I would still recommend them though because they are not bad and I like instrument separation. They are also quite non-fatiguing; just like the fit, I could wear these for hours and the sound would not grate on me despite the brightness.

[size=medium][size=10pt]These are my first pair of headphones (ever), so take this review with a grain of salt. I never used headphones before because I didn't see why I ever need a pair. My speakers were fine and I don't listen to music seriously when I'm outside of my house, so it would have been a waste of money to me. I did however use a cheap, poor quality pair only for some brainwave entrainment experiements. I never used those for anything else in fear of becoming accustomed to bad frequency response. The reason why I'm trying headphones again now is because my speakers lack in subbass, they disturb others if turned up too loud, and I wanted to a more detailed way to view music. My review probably won't be relevant for most of this site, BUT it may help other first time headphone buyers if they are interested in the 8400 being their first higher end headphones as well. I only have the Creative X-FI Go Pro so that's the only amp I can do this review with (yeah, I know it's not high end at all - limited funds means I need a bare bones solution). My ears prefer colored, fun sounds, but my brain prefers accuracy and would rather bite the bullet until it sounds pleasing. These KRKs were cheap (in terms of headphones), somewhat newly introduced, aiming for neutrality and maximum details, have a minimalist design, and feature a replaceable cable and memory foam so they looked like the perfect no frills all-in-one solution.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Packaging[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]Personally, I don't care about packing. It could be sold in a plain white box with a simple text label on it. However, mine had the clear plastic shell it came in (there may be variations based on the holding piece inside).[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Looks[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]I must be in a minority on head-fi or such, since plastic, "gaudy", or "less sophisticated" headphones appeal to me. Anything with wood or an older design turns me off. Anyways, to me, these headphones look like inexpensive matte plastic, and I like that. I like their minimalist, just the basics, look too. They don't look cheap, but they don't look expensive.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Build Quality[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]They are surprisingly lightweight. They are made from impact resistant materials throughout and thank god too. Before I had a chance to tie the headphone's cord up, they fell to the floor over a dozen times from a little over 2 feet. However, they are fine and sound the same. Another big reason I chose then is due to the replaceable cord. It is only a matter of time until I step on it and that's that. At least then I will be able to replace just the cord. It's really easy to snap in and out of the socket too.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Fit[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]Depending on the position, they have a bit of a clamp to a little less. They aren't going to fall of my head but it I can tell they are there. The memory foam on the ear pieces feel pretty invisible to me (I don't really notice them), but the headband material is a little firmer and has sometimes become slightly painful/uncomfortable after long sessions. Overall, they fit ok. The reason why I'm only saying ok vs great/good/etc, is because they fit in A LOT of positions. Exactly where/how I should be wearing them? I'm serious. I read on the forums that other headphone manufacturers try to dictate where they sit, but the 8400s are completely the opposite. I can wear them from 0-4 notches down, in a middle, forward, or back positions as well. It isn't a perfect 12 positions, but it's quite a bit.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Sound Isolation[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]These block a surprisingly amount of sound both in and out. I don't have any really formal ways to test it, but if I play at a comfortable volume and stick them on a wig head, I have to concentrate to make out leakage.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Bass[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]Lean, controlled, and bit shy. It's enough to be there, but it doesn't have any real presence. Midbass is ok and present, but the subbass is buried. You can tell if you take it away, and in test tones it shows up, but in general use it's a bit hidden. I would prefer more, but depending on the mix, it's ok. Some say they have a bit of midbass bump and I can't tell if I hear it or not (am I hearing a midbass distortion that's contained in the song or actual frequency difference?)[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Midrange[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]There's nothing that stands out about the mids to me, maybe they lean a tiny bit bright. I read there was a bit of 2.5k bump. For the most part, this is not noticeable. But on songs like Marina and the Diamonds – “Primadonna”, the vocal enters piercing territory.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Treble[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]I don't think its fatiguing, or that there is an emphasis on it, but the fact that the bass is not as impactful and the mids don't have anything to draw my attention (like a huge flaw), I feel it kinda highlights the treble spectrum at times. Some songs I've heard before, I don't remember their snares having being that sharp and having so much punch. The treble can go into the "too much" category if I wear them forward too, almost like that "false detail" sound that sounds ok at first but can't be sustained for long periods of time.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Detail[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]Speaking of detail, since it's my first pair of headphones, I can't really judge what is too much/too little, detail, but I can say I am definitely hearing new things so these things seem really detailed. Off the bat, I can hear echo decays easier and longer. From there it goes from simply hearing vocals and vocal treatments deeper (like backing vocals or overdubs), to extremely minute details (a very faint midtone buzz from the right channel in the the beginning of Rihanna - "Love Without Tragedy"), to stuff I just don't want to hear (television). The first non-music thing I used these on was the TV show Castle on my computer and it shocked me. The characters were where they usually were (their police precinct), but it's like I could more easily hear room they were in, like the ambiance/echo/shape of the room. It's not something I wanted to hear and was quite ugly.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Soundstage[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]I knew coming into headphones, especially closed headphones, that soundstage would shrink, but THIS MUCH? Really? It sounds like when you turn the volume too high and it becomes hard to discern individual tracks and parts. For a couple months, my KRKs were quite "unfocused" sounding, like I could hear what was going on, but there was a "grasp" on what I was hearing that was missing. It's like I would need to strain or try harder to hear everything as effortlessly as speakers. It is still somewhat present but not as much. I went to the glossary looking for adjectives: Here's what I came up with: not airy, no ambiance... closed is a really good description ("Closed-in sound lacking in openness, delicacy, air"), as well as forward ("forced upon the listener"). If the music is narrow to begin in (aka most mainstream music that's poorly mastered), the KRKs can push it over the edge. Having the detail I described before this is almost a punishment then, because it ends up a small space and is a bit overwhelming. It's like 2D vs 3D. All of these details are shoved together between two panes of of glass (2D), instead of having room to exist (3D). Maybe I'm just not used to the lack of air or closed-ness, but I feel really sensitive to air and openness. I can just hear the lack of air and space missing. It almost sounds "sucked out". On horribly mastered loud music, it's amplified even more. One Direction's "Live While We're Young”s is a good example. It's already quite loud and compact in the chorus, but the KRKs make it sound extra compact.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Positioning[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]The tiniest difference in either horizontal or vertical direction changes the sound noticeably. For me, I really hate this aspect because I can put the headphones on all those different ways (that I described above) and end up with a slightly different sound each time. If I have them centered and at neutral level (0-1, sometimes 2 notches), they sound a bit forced upon me and with that "unfocused" quality I described. Move them back a little and they come into focus while sounding denser yet narrower (don't ask me how), more bass impact. Move them forward and they sound less forced, but also sound more detailed, but it can be too much too handle or even more unfocused sounding. Treble emphasis. Simply drop them down to 3, and they open up, sounding less "forceful", and if dropped to 4, they even more so, but then they sound like they are coming from too distant and they feel like they are sitting too low on my head without more dramatic adjusting. I noticed the positional stuff in the beginning of Man Without Country - "Puppets", about the first 30 seconds. It has gone down over time (not sure if it's me or the headphones), but at one point it was simply ridiculous. I could not believe how much the tiniest change made.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Fatal Flaw[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]Not glasses compatible. They feel fine, but sound wise, there is a huge difference! This was brought up by somebody else on head fi so I decided to investigate it myself. My original conclusion was that there was a minor, yet noticeable difference. I removed the plastic tips on my glasses (they still fit fine) and then it was almost undetectable. Recently I got a new pair of glasses though, ones that had a plastic temple at the end again. Tried the headphones with these again and now I can confirm that they just don't work. The temple ends are not big at all and there is nothing about them that stands out as unusual, so I'm ruling them out. Two examples are Sky Ferreira - "One (Bar9 Remix)" at 3:52-4:04, Gorrilaz - "Feel Good Inc." The former doesn't have a huge bass beat or anything, but just enough bass to be present. With glasses on, it disappears entirely. The latter has a heavier bass beat, but when wearing glasses, it lacks impact and substance. Part of it just disappears. The entire sound in general while wearing glasses is extra bass light, emphases on the high end, and more open. It sounds exactly like if you put headphones on (with no glasses) and then slightly open the front of the, so there isn’t a full seal. And It is extremely noticeable. For me, I can kiss all the subbass goodbye with glasses on.[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Other[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]They cannot be driven with cannot be driven by Realtek Integrated Audio (if you really want specs, it's some 5.1 model from 2009 that I don't think I need to be digging up). Max volume was nowhere near loud or max sounding. I tried the line out, which sounded cleaner, yet lacking in bass, and the headphone jack in the front [/size][/size][size=medium][size=10pt](which are usually of lower quality, hence why I didn't want to use them). I don't use the inline volume cable provided either. It just adds extra length and is another volume control to mess with (I have Windows for that).[/size][/size]
 
[size=medium][size=10pt]Overall[/size][/size]
[size=medium][size=10pt]I wanted to love these headphones but I was pretty disappointed for a while. They feel pretty sensitive to start. I would like my headphones to just snap into one spot, like "This is it! The perfect position that feels the most natural and sounds the best." vs having a ton of a positions that feel good but all come with a slightly different sound. And I don't know if it's because I'm extra sensitive to a closed sound or not, but it doesn’t come easily to my ears/brain. By now, I am more used to it and it's not a huge problem, but the soundstage combined with the details and "forcedness" still kinda kills me. I know these headphones aren't supposed to make music sound better than it is, but I didn't expect things to sound this bad. Sometimes they are very easy to enjoy and at other times sound like their only purpose is to induce fatigue as fast as possible. It's not as easy to listen to music for extended periods of time because everything feels very squashed then. It amplifies the 'everything sounds like it's at the same volume' effect of the loudness war. The way I listen to music also involves a lot of movement and analysis. Sometimes I'll jump from section to section, trying to isolate things and block everything else out (kind of like the PS2 game Frequency where you play one part when switch to another one), other times I’ll focus on the entire sound it was created as one big chunk, and other times it'll be completely different, like focusing on rhyming sounds or passages, or the level of different things and just how things sound, like trying to hear all the detail. The fact that the soundstage is small and closed makes this harder. And then throw the glasses issue in. If I am to be honest, I have to give them low ratings given these experiences. I still have them, and only use them without glasses, but unless I use them a lot, things don't sound "right" or natural to me. They are quite unforgiving.[/size][/size]