Beyerdynamic DT880 VS DT990

Beyers are very good, but are generally not great for the genres you mentioned. The 990 would be the better choice if you are set on Beyers. Your soundcard can power them fine, but an amp almost always provides some benefits.

i have both 600 ohm versions but i haven't heard the 32 ohm versions. i use the dt 880 most of the time for music because i love it's signature more than the dt 990. movies and games i would call it a tie since they both are comfortable and have nice soundstage, and the detail is excellent...

dt 990 might be more suited for hip hop because of the better bass quantity but i haven't tried them for that :)

haven't tried to use these cans directly out off my asus xonar d2. i don't think it's going to drive them well. as for the 32 ohms, i have no clue sorry... 

Often, closed phones have a bass punchiness that would work better for those genres of music.

If I listened to those genres, I would definitely reach for my DT150 before I reached for my DT990/600, even though the 990 is clearly a better headphone.  The 770/600 might even nail those genres a little better.

Not that the 990 doesn't do a great job with most music--they are about the best all-rounder I've heard, and will likely have a better sound signature for the kind of music you're looking for.

The 880/600 has good bass but its not super impactful. From what i've read, the 880 is not good for gaming. The 770 is recommended a lot and occasionally the 990.

Don't know what you've been reading, but on head-fi I recall the 770 recommended for single player gaming as it has lots of boomy bass which makes better immersion. The 880 is apparently one of the best for gaming, according to the 'quest for the holy grail of gaming sound' thread. The 990 also has emphasized bass but the biggest difference for me was the chainsaw like treble that just cut apart anything I put into them.

they are both equally good for placement and pinpointing in my opinion for games. the soundstage and detail retrieval is practically the same... and they are very comfortable, great for those long sessions of gaming!

about bass, well the dt 880 has accurate and ample bass. i like it well enough, and it gives enough boom for explosions and gunfire. but in comparison to the dt 990, the dt 990 has much more bass with a bit boosted treble, with slightly recessed midrange.

i suggest you audition these cans to determine what works best for you. both will be fine for gaming in my opinion :) 

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaps11 

I hear alot about the dt880 not having enough bass.  Can anyone reflect on this?   When I listened to some bose triports that was enough bass for me so if these have atleast that then im okay with that.  In games I like to know if an enemy is behind me or on the sides as well.  Between these two headphones which would more accurately tell me where a person is located?  Thanks for the replies!  (btw I picked beyers because they seem to be one of the most comfortable phones on the market-- they also look nicely made too)

I was really interested in trying out Beyers for a while, and then I got a chance to hear the 990 the other day and thought it sounded awful. I was using my D10 lineout into the owner's tube amp, and I felt the sound was all flabby, like it was coming through a wet paper bag. Is the 880 significantly different enough from the 990 that I should seek it out, or should I just chalk it up to the Beyer sound not being for me and seek something else?

What IS the Beyer sound?

Having hearing the DT990 for the second time, I can tell you it's not good for hip hop.  It's way too airy, and the soundstage is pretty good.  It's quite good for classical, and jazz and music with female vocals (listened from a friends place, I don't know the genre of all his music).  But, it's not perfect for rock songs (depends on the song/band) or hip hop.  But, listening to Celtic Women on the DT990 was pretty amazingly good.  It's one of those odd headphones (at least for me, as I don't have a large experience with headphones), I think.  I need more time to critically listen to it, not just 4 songs.

ANOTHER CELTIC WOMAN LISTENER!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trysaeder 

ANOTHER CELTIC WOMAN LISTENER!!

lol, I listen to just about anything, except for a few genres and sub genres.  But, I listen rock, to classical, to jazz, country, anything that I think sounds good (and has good lyrics) is good enough for me!  The simple pleasures in listening to music! 

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