I own four pairs of the Beyerdynamic DT480 closed studio headphones: one 5 Ohm pair, 2 no. 25 Ohm, and one 200 Ohm pair. The pair that I am offering is one of the **25 Ohm** pairs.
Components included in sale:
1 pair of DT480 25 Ohm studio headphones. As I have for all my other pairs, I have cleaned and 'restored' these. The aging original black foam has been removed from the face of the drivers. A layer of clear, cushioning plastic bubble sheet has been placed between the back of the metal driver and the case. The driver has been fixed firmly to the housing with removable poster putty. Lastly, a layer of red suede has been affixed around the face of the drivers in order to absorb some of the resonance in the sealed acoustic chamber.
1 no. official Beyerdynamic K 100.009 modular replacement jack and cord, suitable for use with all Beyer studio headphones (DT480, DT100, DT150, DT250). The cord is brand new and approximately a metre long. It was terminated by FallenAngel with a new gold-plated Neutrik 1/4" plug. The cord has only been used over the last few weeks in order for me to test it and ensure that it has been burned in a little. I've been using a nearly identical version of this cord with my DT480s for many months.
Note that whether you believe in the distinctive superiority of cord versions or not, the use of a new straight cord for the DT480--as well as for all the other studio versions that use the six-pin jack--is clearly beneficial by contrast to the original 70s coiled 'curly' cords. Not only is there more heft and precision across the sound-spectrum, but the 70s coiled cords have a tendency to 'crackle' when they're moved.
1 no. vinyl Beyerdynamic carrying case for the DT480s--an original manufacturer's accessory.
These 25 Ohm DT480s are in extremely good shape. I've also taken most of the last month to test and tweak them. They are extremely close to the DT48As' sound, and, indeed, I greatly prefer these to the extremely 'flat', two-dimensional sound produced by the DT48As' thin rubber ear pieces. Like the DT48s, the DT480s have discrete, fully-enclosed metal drivers. The DT480s seem to have been manufactured exclusively during the 70s. My sense is that, while the DT48s continued to be manufactured, the DT480s evolved into the more cheaply constructed DT100s (plastic drivers). Like the DT48s, the DT480s were sold in both 'normal' pro studio formats and in a specialized 800 Ohm variant that was used for audiometric testing and was specifically referenced in audiological research essays of the 70s and early-80s (cf. Google Books).
Sound Qualities: They sound remarkably good. The DT480s are my current go-to headphones for all general listening with my computer set-up, which is my main headphone rig. I will preface my comments abut these phones in two respects. First, they simply sound better with the new cable that they are being sold with, so if you've ever heard a pair of DT480s that was connected to an old cable, then you haven't heard what they're capable of. Second, they do benefit from a strong solid state amplifier. I find that my M^3 is ideal, in part, because the tone control allows adjustment of bass and treble response. These DT480s sound great coming from the 1/4" headphone-out of my SACD-555ES player, but they do indeed sound better--have better treble and bass response--coming from the dedicated amplifier.
As others have noted, these 70s-era cans have superb, mellifluous mid-range. They are also highly detailed, though not in the fashion that Grados, AKG 501s, or even the Beyer DT880/990 semi-opens are. As closed cans, the DT480s sound deep, fully toned, but a little airless. They don't sparkle or shimmer, but they produce tones that are wonderfully full and grainless (quintessence of the 'Beyer sound'). They have very detailed highs, though they are slightly rounded off. They have nicely impactful top- and mid-bass, but they do not reach to the very lowest rumbles. Again, you can weigh the occasional complaints that the DT48s sound like glorified AM radio against dclancy's justified praise (link) that the DT480s are incredibly involving. I think that they better all the things that have been praised about the DT100s due to their superior drivers and construction. They are indeed heavy and rugged, though much more comfortable than the dT48s. I'll leave it to someone else to judge whether a fully functioning pair of DT480s is less neutral than a pair of DT48S model.
I am asking **$145.00**, inclusive of all items, Paypal fees, and mailing by USPS Priority Post in the CONUSA.
Photos should go up tomorrow. I'll also gladly email serious inquirers the DT480 info sheet, and some review info. [Or I'll put the material in this thread if someone can guide me through posting .pdf images.]
Edited by catachresis - 6/10/10 at 8:15pm
