Beyerdynamic DT770 vs 880 vs 990 - Page 3

shahrose, that could very well be. Maybe its my setup which indeed would be good, maybe its my ears.
At least I'm quite happy with the results right now and not really considering getting big upgrades for the audio part. I could need a larger screen but thats a different story, involves me finding a bigger wall and is way off topic.

I consider myself lucky that I don't really have those sound problems and spend more time enjoying the equipment. Back when I bought my beyers I was looking for something with more in the low end frequencies and so far the 990's have served me very well.

what are the differences between open and closed headphone in relation to how they sound and perform?

Speaking in general terms, an open can has a larger soundstage and less impactful bass. Most closed cans have a good bump in the upper bass but a smaller soundstage. I find that most closed cans also are less detailed and natural sounding than open cans. Open cans are more airy and just seem to breathe better.

If you've never heard an open can, it may be worth trying one out, since IMHO, they are very good.

if i could, i'd always go for open cans. they sound better and more realistic. more airy, larger soundstage, usually more natural bass response. it feels as though there are no diaphragms around your ears, that the music is almost coming from everywhere around you from the air. the fact that you can hear what's going on outside, and the sound is allowed to leak out helps this presentation further.

closed cans have more bass strength and give you isolation. those are the 2 reasons why i have some closed headphones in my arsenal as well.

Well, i am a little confused with your interpretation about that the soundstage of dt990 is more shallow than dt880, but it's further away?; please explain what you mean; or you refer to the soundstage width...?. The soundstage of dt880 is deeper than dt990 but closer. Well, here you mean that the soundstage in the dt880 is deeper but it sound closed in, or it not?
And it: and dt990 is like 6th row but with a 2m deep stage. If the DT990 is in the 6th row how is that it's 2m deep? and not 6m deep? (well unless the space in the six rows were narrower, that it did measure 2m deep...). well i understand it in another perspective, but i want that you clarify it better.
In other hand, yes, i can't sacrifice the airyness and spaciousness of my DT990 (with my Xmod with CMSS3D enabled in the middle, it sound more open) and the bass, and more when i want an headphone that sound with the stage of a loudspeaker, and it is the best (clear it depend of the kind of music/recording/etc quality that you hear) for that....
Was for all it, that i buy in the past year this headphone instead of the DT880
Yeah, i'd like a little bit more depth in the soundstage.

i agree, you lower a little DB in the higher freq (above 8 Khz) in some trebly songs and it sounds good. Although it depend of the user preference...
Yeah the Arietta has a very good work, specially with sibilant music and sounds in general, with the crossfeed filter raised up, it soften the treble a little and make that the sound in general, sound clean. With my setup (with the help of my XMOD) i don't lose sounstage, quite the opposite, it sound deeper and wider. The only that i lose a little is a little bit of energy (or presence) in general and an minuscule bit of bass...

This headphone don't get sibilance, is the source...
How is that the DT990 is not as airy as an HD600 if the senneisers (almost all) sound darker in his signature...?
With my DT990 when i listen a TV program, i difficulty can hear normal outside sounds (as the phone number at 3.15 meters away, or my cat when miaow, behind the door of my room at 1.15 meter away)
An yes, any headphone of those ,sound closed in with poor amplification.
For me (even) my DT990, sounds a little bit closed in without my XMOD, but that depend of the source that you are listen...


Yeah, that's the dilemma. For that his DT990 sound closed in. You have said it...
Yes, in the principle i had the same issue with the bass, but after of the minimum burn in time, the boomyness disappear. About the texture, it is excelent (much better than my DT770pro)
Yes in general terms, but not with the Beyerrdynamic DT990 SE, it has a little bitt more impact than my DT770 but less deep bass volume (and strenght), and for that it doesn't resonate as much as the DT770 because of the chambers (one is completely sealed and the other is %60 open...)
In other hand the DT770 has an weaker midbass and specially high bass in comparison with his lower bass.
And yeah, open headphones sound more natural and with an more spacious sound overall, as you say in your third sentence.

Not really sure what to think of the 990's.. The only thing they do very well is bass impact & extention.. Detail/Mids/Soundstage are pretty pedestrian. I expected more from Beyers flagship headphones.. & ones that retail for 559.00. Still for 200.00, they are a great purchase, & I wouldn't sell them unless I had to.. But I still prefer my DT880/650/SA5000/340 over them by a pretty wide margin.

It often happens that people are biased by what they own. Before buying the DT's, I had a freedom of choice between DT770/DT880/DT990 each Pro, or non-Pro and DT150. DT860 and lower models were out of my interest. After comparing them, the only two left on the ring - DT880 Pro and non-Pro. After AB comparison Pro won but I sometimes wonder would it would sound like with the non-Pro version? I'm happy so I made the right choice. DT990 '05 is the most fatiguing headphone from these aforementioned. DT770's are uneven with lots of bass but don't strain that much with their trebles. Regarding soundstage - kind of DT880 Pro or DT990 Pro is most suitable for my needs. It's direct, broad, with very close foreground and far reaching depth.

too bad beyer just couldn't get the tonal balance right with the dt990s. i feel they're great phones that just have a strange unbalanced (intensely bright) sound sig that needs considerable eq'ing in the upper frequency regions.

koolbubbaice, i'm surprised you think so lowly of your dt990s, i love mine, i think they're amazing. in fact after you eq the treble to reduce those crazy spikes, the sound is mesmerizing. what don't you like about them? i can't think of anywhere where they would fall far short of any of the other headphones you mentioned. i've never experienced a larger soundstage than the one the 990s give off, their mids are awesome, just recessed. they highs are also amazing, but accentuated.

are u just referring to their 'default' tonal balance when u say u don't like them?

I too, what ungrateful is the people about this headphones, when in the near past them adore those....
I like mine too. Them aren't perfect (but very near), but them give me very good moments (and that that i don't use the most of them (i don't listen a lot of music and i didn't see a lot of movies and Anime in my computer (almost nothing, i watch TV most of the time with the headphones...), but when i see a episode of a good Anime serie or when i listen to a very good song or an piece from a movie in the computer;, i was astonished for the great quality that i hear through them... ) ).

The DT990 were my favorite phone ever for movies and anime...

As for those who said earlier that the 250 ohm DT990 pro require better amplification for the bass texture, you may be right. I sold them before upgrading to a better amp. Fairly certain that I would have to give them another try now.

I don't think poorly of them.. I enjoy them.. I just wish it did better in a lot of areas.. Maybe I expected too much..

In making the choice between the DT880 and DT990 you should ask yourself at what volume you enjoy your music. I own both at the moment, and when I pump up the 990s to higher listening levels, the bass really begins to overshadow the rest of the music and in time produce fatigue. At lower listening levels though, like when I need to study or read and want the music in the background, the DT990s really shine, as the prominent bass keeps the music alive despite the low volume. The opposite is true for the 880s; at low volume levels they become lifeless and dull, while at higher volumes they sound exquisite.

i really am confused why people say the dt990s have strong/overpowering bass. without eq'ing i found their bass to be neutral to lacking. and this was from several sources and several ears (a few of my audiophile friends). unless someone's an airhead, i really can't see the bass being fatiguing. in fact, how the heck do you not get fatigued by the sibilant treble before the bass?

what about the soundstage and separation/clarity, etc? i've heard the 880's are better, which is the only thing that led me towards the 880's, though i do listen at lower volumes and i'd rather subtract eq with 990's than boost with 880's at low volumes, but then again when i turn it up i dont want to tweak sounds, and i guess i'd rather only tweak at lower volumes than the rest of the volume levels

regardless, i am surprised by the amount of bass in the 880's unamped.

Beyerdynamic DT770 vs 880 vs990

I have the Dt990pro, as well as the SennHD650, AKG701, Grado sr60, and a few others in the past. Drawing on a small variety of headphones with very different sound signatures may I try to summarize just a few points, as I am looking to purchase either the 880 or 990. The 990 has better dynamic bass and very high highs while the 880 has a better detail and defined soundstage. Where I think I may have it backwards, (or not), is if I use a baseball field as a backdrop: the 880 can be measured from the pitchers mound and has its soundstage from 1st to 3d base. The 990 comes from standing near the bag at 2nd base and the soundstage comes from the shortstop position and the 2nd base players position. I hope this is correct. Both have good mid-range properties. Both improve with amplification.
I looked at the "Headphonereviews.org" rating for both of these phones and while the 990 seemed to be stable at an "8" rating, the 880 seemed to change each time I clicked back, (rather odd)......
So, depending on your amp, source, interconnects, the music selection you have chosen, the state of your hearing, and the mood you are in regardless of who you are with; the winner is .........your choice.