[GUIDE] Sonic Differences Between DT770-DT990 Models & More

Hi All,

This is Zombie_X chiming in here. I have started this large information thread to help those who want a beyerdynamic headphone, but do not know what they sound like and or trying to pick one to suit their set-up. Since I have heard all of the models from 32Ohm-600Ohm's in their current production line, I thought I'd make this thread.

I thought for once and for all I would do something about the abundance of threads regarding sonic differences between all the DT770, DT880, and DT990 models at all impedances. This thread will be the most comprehensive one ever to be around that will cover all the DT770-DT990 series in the 32Ohm-600Ohm range. I have heard every one currently in productions and will describe all their differences, strengths, weaknesses, and how they should be amped.

DISCLAIMER:

I also wanted to add in that the differences between them is not as huge as some members lead you to believe. As I stated in another thread, for example,  the DT880 250Ohm and the 600Ohm versions still sound very similar. The 600Ohm DT880 has more bass, smoother highs, and more midrange. These differences are there but not huge. The DT880 600Ohm may have smoother highs, but they are still prominent and can be edgy to some. It may even have more midrange, but ti's still recessed to a point and lacks some body. I just wanted to throw this out there so you don't get confused and think the sound signature of these is different from other Ohm models. 

The 600Ohm models still retain nearly all the sound signature of their 250Ohm versions, just improved upon and tend to have a more natural and balanced frequency response.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEIR SOUND

DT770: Can be said to have stronger treble with weaker bass and a more hollow midrange with a closed in sound. Overall a nice balanced sound.

DT880: Has a very linear sound that is incredibly neutral. Still has the strong treble but also has more midrange and bass with an improved soundstage. The most neutral of the DT770-DT990 series line up.

DT990: Has a very strong treble emphasis with shallower sounding mids and more prominent bass. It could be said that this is the beyerdynamics' "fun" headphone. The soundstage is also the biggest of the DT770-DT990 series line up.

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VIDEO DESCRIPTIONS

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DRIVER/CUP/TUNING DIFFERENCES

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SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

DT770

The DT770 is beyerdynamic’s answer to those who wanted a closed headphone with balanced sound with good isolation. It’s four versions are all good, but they have varying sound signatures. It has the most balanced sound amongst all three lines.

- 32Ohm

The 32Ohm model of the DT770 is closer sounding to the 250Ohm and 600Ohm models than it is to the 80Ohm model. The most striking difference is that they have far less bass than the 80Ohm model, but also are fuller sounding. The bass on the 32Ohm's is tight and controlled but rather light on impact. If I had to rate it's impact I would say it's like the DT880/250, but even less than those. The high while quite extended and detailed but has a slight edge to them, but not grating or strident sounding. All of the DT line (DT770-DT990) has a treble oriented sound, so the DT770 will emphasize this. Now the mids, while fuller than the 250Ohm and 80Ohm models, are there but still recessed to a degree. The mids are clear, detailed, and possess decent transparency. Now the soundstage is smaller than the 80Ohm and 250Ohm and has an "in your head" sound to it. The dynamics of this model seem slightly lower compared to the 250Ohm version, but it’s hard to tell.

- 250Ohm

This Ohm version is good improvement over the 320hm version. It has improved dynamics and transients are pretty good. The bass while, tight and controlled is kind of slow sounding. The bass seems to extend just as much as the 32Ohm model but has a little less weight to the bass. Now the mids are more recessed or shallow sounding on this model compared to the other two models, but are more detailed and transparent than the lower models. The treble though is rather strident sounding and this can has more treble than the lower two versions. The treble seems to take over the sound on modern mastered stuff. One thing to note is that the treble is more extended as well and even more detailed. Now the soundstage on this model is pretty good for a closed headphone, but still rather closed in.

- 80Ohm (PRO)

The 80Ohm model has the most bass out of all the DT770 models. The bass is nice and pronounced with having good impact and depth, though when under amped it can have a mind of it's own. When underamped the bass gets bloated and flabby. The mids are probably the fullest of the DT770 line up but still on the recessed side. The treble is presented nicely although it sounds like it slightly rolled off. The treble is also the smoothest of the DT770 line. The soundstage is smaller then the rest though and certainly smaller than the DT770/250Ohm, most likely due to the bass and treble. This ehadphone it really good for rock, rap, metal, and any other bassy music genre's.

-250Ohm (PRO)

The Pro version sounds almost the same but the thing that is most different is the clamping force of the headband. It clamps quite tight, while the other models have a looser fit. Also the soundstage on this model seems smaller cause of the clamp and the bass is also pronounced because of the clamp as well. Other than that it sounds the same.

- 600Ohm

This is the best model of this headphone available. It has very smooth treble in comparison to the other Ohm models and is even more extended and detailed. The treble also no longer seems to trample over the other frequencies, but is more integrated with them. The midrange on this headphone is far better than the other Ohm DT770 models. Because the treble has been smoothed out and toned down a little bit, the midrange has made a nice appearance and is also very transparent sounding with lots of detail. The mids are just right in my mind on this phone and the best of the DT770 line. Now the bass on these is full, has nice texture, and has more weight to it. It’s definitely more pronounced than its 250Ohm counterpart. Also the bass is much faster sounding on this model and is also deeper sounding as well. The soundstage is also bigger than the other three models and possesses nice depth, width, and height.
 

Also there seems to be another variation of the 600Ohm model floating around which has just as much bass as the 80Ohm model. I have heard the new 600Ohm model first hand and it sounds incredibly similar to the muddy sounding 80Ohm version. The new version is very tight in the bass and does not have that overly boomy sound to it's bass, well it does bu not as bad. The treble is no longer smeared and the mids don't sound as cluttered.

EDIT: The treble in comparison to the DT990 is nearly on the same level and is also not shrill or strident. Despite me saying the treble is smooth, it's still very prominent and pronounced.

DT880

The DT880 is a semi-open/semi-closed headphone that aims at combining the strengths of both designs into one headphone. It’s a very neutral headphone that does seem to emphasize any frequency. The treble is still more emphasized on this model compared to the DT770.

- 32Ohm

The 32Ohm model yet again, like the DT770, sounds more like the 600Ohm version rather than the 250Ohm model. It has nice treble that is extended nicely, but less detailed than the other models. The midrange is also fuller than the 250Ohm model, but still on the hollow side of things. Bass is nice and tight with good texturing and depth, but lacks in speed/dynamics.

- 250Ohm

This model tends to have a somewhat brittle sounding treble or otherwise known as thin. It is a pretty bright phone, but the treble is nicely detailed and extends more than the lower DT770 models. The midrange on this phone is a bit shallower sounding than the 600Ohm version, but is fuller than the 250Ohm DT770. It is still recessed sounding and also has more detail to it than the other versions, just not as much body. Bass on this model has great texture to it and is able to layer the instruments. So what I mean is that you can tell what bass is from what instrument. Does that even make sense? Oh but the soundstage on this model is exceptional and layers the instruments very nicely. The imaging also is better than the DT770’s non 600Ohm models and better than the lower DT880 models.

- 250Ohm (Pro)

Just like the Pro DT770, the same applies here. Less soundstage, more bass, and even more clamp. That’s about it. The drivers are the same as the normal 250Ohm model. Treble also seems to affected slightly and is a tad smoother.

- 600Ohm

Man the treble is good on this model! It has more sparkle than the 600Ohm DT770, but still remains smooth with awesome detail. Really the treble on this one surpasses all the DT770 models in terms of detail and extension. The bass on the 600Ohm DT880 is also really full in comparison to the lower models in the DT880 line up. In my opinion though the DT770 600Ohm still has a slightly fuller sound midrange. Now onto the bass one these headphones. One word can sum it up and it’s just AWESOME. It retains all the DT880 250Ohms detail, texture, and layering but improved on it and gives you more body and impact. It’s nice and full bass that is very fast and seems so natural. The soundstage has a great improvement on these phones as the other two lower models seemed confined sounding in comparison. It’s pretty wide with some nice depth to it. The layering and imaging of the sound is far better than the other models as well.

DT990

The DT990 is a fully open headphone with very impressive bass. Though the treble is more pronounced in the whole line up of headphones. I classify this headphone as their fun and bassy one. One thing to note that the DT990 has the most recessed midrange of all three lines.

- 32Ohm

The 32Ohm model for this headphone follows like the previous two lines. It sounds very much like the 600Ohm models, but has a far less refined tone to it. The bass in this model also seems a little sloppy compared to its other two incarnation and is slower sounding as well. The soundstage is still smaller like the other two lines, but bigger than the 32Ohm DT880. The midrange is fuller than the 250Ohm model, but is a lot more hollow sounding than the 32Ohm DT880. The soundstage is also wider than the 32Ohm DT880 with better imaging.

- 250Ohm

The treble us a bit far too pronounced and covers the midrange, though it has better detail and extension over the other DT770 and DT880 models. It’s somewhat strident and can cause ear fatigue quite quickly for those who are sensitive to treble. The midrange, as stated above, is very shallow to almost nonexistent. Maybe that’s overstating it, but it’s very shallow sounding, but what can be heard is very detailed and transparent. The 250Ohm DT880 has a much fuller midrange, but the DT990’s has more detail and transparency to it. The bass is very prominent and takes over the sound. It makes the headphone sound darker. The impact on the bass is very impressive for an open headphone and it has more extension than the 250Ohm DT880, but lacks it’s texturing and layering. The soundstage easily beats the 250Ohm DT880 as this ohm rating of the DT990 is much wider and deeper sounding.

- 250Ohm (PRO)

The pro version follows the trend of the other two lines pro variants with a smaller soundstage, more bass, and more clamp. The treble seems smoother also because of the increased clamping force and aids the mids in coming forward. Bass seems to have gained impact but now there’s slightly more bass. Even more bass than the 600Ohm model, but not as controlled. The treble is smoother now from the added bass as it gets masked a tiny bit. The mids gain some body and the lower mids are more audible.

- 600Ohm

The 600Ohm model is the definitive version of the DT990 and has the smoothest treble of the DT990 line. It’s also the most detailed treble of all three lines and offers the most extension. The midrange of this model is close to the 250Ohm DT880 and is rather shallow, but far more improved over the 250Ohm DT990. The DT990 600Ohm’s mids are a little bit more transparent and detailed over its 250Ohm counterpart, but not nearly as full sounding as the 600Ohm DT880. The DT990 still has a slightly more detailed midrange over the 600Ohm DT880. Bass on this model is just insane. It has so much impact and is so tight and controlled sounding it makes you question that’s it’s an open headphone. Also the bass is very snappy and fast, far faster sounding than the other DT990 variants. Really just the most impactfull and controlled bass I’ve heard from an open headphone. The soundstage also beats all the DT770 and DT880 models and is pretty wide and deep. The imaging though is just a bit better than the 600Ohm DT880, but not by much.

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OTHER MODELS:

REVOX 3100

The Revox 3100 is an OEM version of the DT880 600Ohms and sound nearly the same as the current models but has some noticeable differences.

Side by side you can tell they are a DT880 just from their sound signature but they do have differences. The first difference is that they have a smoother and slightly softer treble. This may be because of their age but I doubt it. Also the next difference is that they have more midrange body. It add a nice body to the sound. It's not as detailed/resolving of a midrange as the current 600Ohm model, but still good. Also the bass is different. The bass has less body and weight to it, but it's also tighter and more realistic, but lacks some of the layering of the current model. The soundstage on the 3100 is also very slightly smaller than the current model. It's still airy but not as wide sounding. Next is the speed of the headphone and I must say it's faster sounding than the current model. Decay is faster and transient speeds is quite obvious between the models. The newer model seems a touch slower in comparison.

So IMO the Revox 3100 is superior to the current DT880/600Ohm. It has more speed, better transients, smoother treble, tighter bass, and more midrange. Clearly I believe it's superior to the current line.

T50P

The T50P is a closed back portable headphone from beyerdynamic that sports their new tesla technology.

Well I usually don't expect much from portable headphones other than them usually being overpriced. I'm happy to say that the T50P is not over priced sounding at all! It has a rich and smooth sound with nice bass impact. Talking about the bass, it has nice impact and is very tight and controlled, easily the best bass I've heard out of any portable headphone. I would say the bass is similar to the DT880 600Ohm's bass, but less impact and body. Next about the treble, it's just absolutely grainless and offers great extension and is very detailed. The treble is also very airy. The midrange is something special my friends. It's a fleshed out midrange that is on the warm side of things. It's very transparent and resolving, especially for a portable headphone. I'd say it's as fleshed out as the T1's midrange, but not nearly as refined, but nonetheless it's something special. The soundstage is about the same as that of the DT770, meaning it's a little closed in sounding. I foudn that there weren't any odd resonances at all. This is great considering it's a closed headphone.

Oh and a word on the fitting for these. I find the best result when you rest them towards the back of your ears so the pads slightly overlap the back of your ears. This way you get a much fuller sound.

T70 / T70P
The T70/T70P are newly modified drivers now with the Tesla driver technology from beyerdynamic. 

The sound very similar to the 600Ohm DT770, but much more refined and resolving. They seem to have a fuller sounding signature and tighter bass. The treble is smoother and more detailed. In comparison to the DT770/600Ohm they are warmer sounding, more detailed, resolving, and have faster dynamics. They are a great improvement over the DT770/600Ohm and worth the money in every way. The dynamics are much improved and the bass is much quicker souding

Since these now use the new Tesla tech from beyerdynamic they are now much easier to drive and have better dynamics. They get louder than either the DT770 250Ohm and 600Ohm much quicker and can get much louder than either of those as they have a higher power handling now. This also gives you more flexibility amp wise. From my SPL Auditor they are super loud right at 1/8 the way up the volume. With the 250Ohm DT770 the volume had the be a bit more than 1/4 of the max volume. The 600Ohm DT770 is loud at a bit more than 1/4 and between that and 1/2 of the total volume. 

EDIT:

The T70p seems to have sharper/harsher treble than the T70 and also has a smaller soundstage. Everything else seems to be similar. Overal the T70 is smoother than it's portable brother.

Tesla T1

The Tesla T1 is beyerdynamic's flagship open headphone and clearly it's sound quality is there to show that off! (if that makes any sense ) I will be comparing the HD800 and T1 in this section as it's the only way I thought I could describe it for those who have heard this headphone.

Man oh man is this one awesome headphone. The way I could sum it up is a less analytical, and warmer version of the HD800. You heard me right! This headphone is very much like the HD800 in many ways, though the HD800 excels at imaging, bass texture/depth, and soundstage. But the T1 in my eye's (or ears) is much more natural sounding. Now it's less analytical sounding and offer's a smoother sound. The treble is not rolled off but softer you could say. That is it's not as pronounced as the HD800's treble (which I found to make somethings sound fake). The T1's treble is well extended and integrated into the sound. There is not one hint of harshness and these headphones have some of the best treble I have heard. The midrange is a wonder as well. The mids are on the warm side of neutral, but this aids in how natural music can sound. I found the mids to be even more transparent and resolving than the HD800. I listen to mostly metal and the HD800's mids were to sterile for that genre, while the T1's give the guitars the added body. Vocals sound so realistic on these headphones it gives me shivers. Now the bass, while not as deep or tight sounding as the HD800's is still one of the best out there. It extends deep and has more impact than the HD800. I found the impact on the HD800's really good, but I kind of wanted more "oomf" to the sound. The bass is very integrated as well and blends into the other frequencies very nicely. I think it has enough body and heft that it will please everyone. Now the soundstage on the T1 is very 3D and projects stuff out right in front of you. While the T1's soundstage is smaller than the HD800's I believe it's more speaker like.

DT250/80Ohm

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MINI REVIEWS:

DT770 600Ohm

DT880 600Ohm

DT990 600Ohm

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LINKS TO OTHER REVIEWS/COMPARSIONS:

• http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/526839/dt880-vs-dt990-comparison-review
• http://www.headphiles.org/index.php?topic=18.0
• http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/513393/information-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990/180#post_7126672

PART 2 - DT SERIES MODELS HEAD-2-HEAD

Here is will compare the models head to head. Currently I only have the 600Ohm versions on hand so 32Ohm and 250Ohm models will not be included. 

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DT770 VS DT880

The DT770 and DT880 sound very similar at first, but you will notice difference after more time with them.

The most noticeable difference is how the DT880 has more treble than the DT770. Both have a smoother sounding treble (to my ears), but beyerdynamic headphones in this line have a treble emphasis. The DT990's treble is extended and details, but lacks the sparkle that the DT880 posses. The DT880's treble has a good bit of extra detail to it as well as the sparkle I mentioned above. Not only that but it's also a more resolving treble.

The midrange on both is great with good transparency and details. The DT880 seems to have a slightly "thinner" much fuller sounding midrange than the DT770. I believe the DT770's DT880's sounds thicker there is because it has a softer treble than the DT880's DT770's. Now the DT880 will have slightly more detail in this region, but the DT770 is close. Even though the DT770 has more less midrange than the DT880, the mids on the DT7700in comparison to other cans like the K240 Monitor, are recessed.

EDITED

Bass on both is really tight and defined without being boomy of flabby. The DT880 has more impact to it and also extends deeper as well also having more texture to it. The DT770's is still great no doubt, but does not have the layering, texturing, and extension that the DT880 provides.

Soundstage differences between the two is very obvious. The DT770 while having a big soundstage for a closed phone, sounds a little bit confined and congested (due to it being a closed headphone). Just because it's confined sounding does not mean it's bad. It still has nice air to it, just not like the DT880. Now the DT880 is pretty spacious sounding and has lots of air to it's soundstage. The imaging on both is great and I think they are very close.

DT880 VS DT990

The DT880 and DT990 have a very similar sound, but the DT990 is noticeably brighter and has much more bass to it. 

The DT990's treble is much more pronounced than the DT880 and can be called strident by those who are not used to so much treble energy. I find the DT880 and DT990 to have nearly the same detail in the treble, though the DT990is slightly more detailed. Also th DT990's treble does not sound as refined as the previous two models.

The midrange on the DT990 has a dip to it, this means it has less mids than the DT880. I think a lot of the mids get drowned out by the treble/bass to be honest. From what mids are there, they sound very nice and are quite resolving, even though they are thin. The DT880's mids have more body to them and can portray string instruments and vocals better. On the DT990 the guitars can sound thin and the vocal sound unconvincing. The DT880's mids have almost as much detail as the DT990 while retaining more body with equal amounts of transparency.

Bass on both models is excellent. They both go quite low and extend do depths that human ears cannot hear. The DT990 has far more bass than it's counterpart while keeping it tight and controlled. The one thing I noticed is that the DT990's bass does not have the same texturing to it as the DT880. The DT880's bass is more natural sounding with more definition to it while the DT990's is a fuller sounding bass with more thump.

The soundstage on the DT990 is bigger than the DT880's and has more air to it, though the imaging seems to be nearly identical. The DT880's soundstage has a "in your head" sound while the DT990's seems to go beyond your ears and around your head.

DT770 VS DT990

They have a similar sound but the DT770 is a much more balanced sounding headphone, though not as refined sounding as the others (especially the DT880). 

The DT770's treble versus the DT990 is much softer with less detail and air, but sounds more natural. The DT990's is a lot more pronounced and is also more detailed and airy, but not as pleasant sounding as the DT770's. Though they extend very nicely, the DT770's comes a little short in this area.

The midrange of both are noticeably different sounding.  The DT770's midrange is much fuller thinner and less resolving and detailed than the DT990's. The DT990's, as stated earlier, is dryer sounding. When listening to both headphones it's apparent that the DT990's is thin. The DT770's give a more lifelike presentation and sound more natural. The DT990's can make a lot of music sound thin but the DT770's makes music sound lifeless.

EDITED

The bass on both is still great with nice control and definition. The DT770's bass is more reserved sounding and can make some music sound as if it's not weighty, or lacks body. It's very much like the DT880's bass, but like you turned the volume down on it. The DT990's bass is far more upfront than both models and adds some life to bass light recordings. By the bass being boosted, you lose some detail and texturing in the bass. It's most noticeable on some electronic music with complex bass passages. The DT990 can sometimes smear the bass if it can't handle the passage. I found the DT770 to be more nimble in the bass and can keep up pretty good.

The soundstage on the DT990 is far more open and is an "out f the head" experience, while the DT770's is confined and very much a "in the head" experience. They both have nice soundstaging abilities and are the results of their designs. The DT990 being fully open will naturally have a wider soundstage, and the DT770 being a closed headphone will have a smaller one (though this is not always the case!).

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TESLA T1 VS. :

Here I will compare the Tesla T1 to all three DT models.

Tesla T1 VS DT770

The T1 and DT770 sound very different. The T1 having the best bass, midrange,treble, and soundstage. The Treble of both are very good. The DT770's treble in comparison is slightly more prominent than the T1's, though does not integrate as good not have the air the T1 has. The treble of both is very detailed, while the T1's can be more forgiving, while the DT770's shows what's there. The DT770's treble is more analytical sounding. The midrange on both is excellent.

I'd say they were close in terms of midrange body. The midrange body between the two are fuller than other DT models . The T1 obviously has far more midrange and easily beats the DT770 in terms of body, transparency, and resolving capabilities. The DT770's midrange is more neutral and faithful shallow and recessed. The DT770 sounds fuller than the DT880 and DT990. The DT770's mids are the most shallow of the DT lien up and nowhere near as full sounding as the T1. 

EDITED

The bass on both is really good. I find them both to extend very low, but I may have to put a anti-flame suit for saying it sounds like the DT770's bass extends deeper. Yeah to me the T1's bass has a slight roll off on the deepest notes, while the DT770 does not. In terms of bass quality the T1 easily wins. It's bass is more controlled with more impact and great layering.

The last bit to compare is the soundstage. I find them both to have exceptional layering, but the DT770 has a very 2D sounding soundstage in comparison.

Tesla T1 VS DT880

The T1 and DT880 sound very similar. The DT880 is brighter, more neutral, and sounds more analytical. The T1 as stated in part one is a smoother sounding headphone and though it's neutral, it's on the warm side of neutral. The treble on the DT880 is very detailed and airy, easily my favorite treble in a open headphone in the mid-fi category. The DT880's treble is very neutral and a tad dry sounding in comparison to the T1's softer treble. Though the T1's treble is softer sounding, it still is more resolving and airy than the DT880's and is far more detailed.

The midrange on both is very good. The DT880's is midrange full and very transparent, even more transparent than the DT770's. The T1's midrange is warmer as a little bit less and more accurate sounding than the previous models. It offers the most transparency, detail, and resolving power of all the headphones compared. Personally I love both flavors but prefer the T1's midrange as it add some body to some poorly mastered material and is just so nice and full. Really adds so much tot he music.

The bass on both is incredibly similar. I find the bass on the T1 to have nearly the same tone as the DT880's (texturing, layering, impact), but the T1 does all of those aspects much better. It's still surprising that they sound similar. I should add that the T1 has a lot more impact and body than the DT880.

The soundstage on the T1 is surely wider and offers more depth and accuracy, but the DT880 is not that far behind. Sure the DT880's is much smaller sounding but the layering and imaging in the soundstage is still exceptional for a headphone in this price range.

I'd say the T1 is a DT880 on steroids and also sound much warmer.

Tesla T1 VS DT990

IMO the DT990 has the airiest treble out of top three in the DT line. It also is more prominent. I found the treble to make somethings sound artificial and add a slight metallic sound on poorly mastered recordings. Now on stuff that's mastered good the treble is great. I find it to be smooth (I may be alone on this) and incredibly detailed. Is it more detailed than the T1's treble? No it's not but can sound like it. The T1's treble is much softer sounding (can sound rolled off in comparison), but still excels at everything. I probably sound like a broken record now .  

The midrange on the DT990, as stated before, is slightly hollow sounding and can make guitars sound thinner. I believe this is from the treble boost, but also it could be seen as more accurate. The midrange of the DT990, in my mind, is the most detailed and resolving of the DT line though, but still can not compare tot he T1's. They are very different flavors of that sound spectrum.

The bass on the DT990 has more impact and body to it than the T1's, but does not sound as integrated. It can sometimes have a life of it's own and run wild. It extend really deep and I'll be bold by saying slightly more than the T1. Yet again the T1's bass has better control and is tighter with more texturing. The DT990's bass losses a lot of it's texturing because of the added bass quantity.

The soundstage on both is great and the DT990 has a much bigger soundstage than the DT880, but not nearly as wide or deep as the T1. It does have similar characteristics though such as separation and width. But that's about it IMO.

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HD600 VS. :

Here I will compare the HD600 to all three DT models. This section may sound likeI'm downing the HD600, but I am not. I'm just giving my honest impressions of these headphones.

HD600 VS DT770

The HD600 and DT770 sound very different from each other. The DT770 is a closed headphone with a smaller soundstage and emphasis on treble while the HD600 is an open headphone with emphasis on mids and bass. The HD600 has a very soft treble and what I mean is that it sounds very rolled off and lacks some detail. The DT770's treble is far more prominent and sounds more involving and more detailed. The HD600's treble is so smooth that you loose a lot of those micro details while the DT770's treble picks them up.

The midrange on the HD600 is much fuller than the DT770, but seems to lack some resolving capabilities. The DT770's is a lot thinner sounding and it's also more less accurate and more less resolving. The HD600's mids give guitars more body and also give vocals more presence while the DT770's don't add anything to the sound, they just present it as it is.

EDITED - Bad wording on my part at the time.

The bass on the HD600 is far fuller sounding with a lot more impact, but not as clear and or tight sounding as the DT770's. IMO the HD600 has good texture to the bass, but can some times sound like a one tone thump. The DT770's bass has more less texture and detail to it and extends deeper, but has a lot less impact than the HD600.

EDITED - Yet again bad wording on my end.

For soundstage for both is very different. The HD600 has a decently sized soundstage, but it's bigger than the DT770's in my opinion. The HD600 has better separation it seems, but the DT770's has better air to it.

Believe it or not, I prefer the HD600 to the DT770, but I use the DT770 because it's a closed headphone.

HD600 VS DT880

The HD600 and DT880 sound very different. The Sennheiser headphone having a more relaxed and warmer sound while the Beyerdynamic phone to have a more lively, involving sound. The treble is very different between them. Just liek with the DT770, the HD600's treble kind of sounds very muted or toned down and lacks detail  and extension while the DT880 has lots of detail and extends way up there. The DT880's treble is also far cleaner sounding and hazy sounding like the HD600's, but the HD600's treble is still nice in my opinion. The treble on the HD600 can tame normally brightly mastered music as well.

The midrange on both is as stated before with the DT770, but the DT880 has far more detail to it's midrange than the DT770 has but also is a lot more resolving and detailed than the HD600's. The HD600's midrange can sound a bit hazy and congested on some pieces, and can also add some unneeded warmth to already warm recordings. It can also add more warmth to recordings that lack some midrange body. It's also good for covering up recording errors.

Bass on both is still very different. The HD600 still has a one tone sound to it compared to the complex bass of the DT880. The DT880's bass has a lot of texture to it and can easily trump the HD600's bass. The DT880's also extends even deeper than the DT770. The HD600 has decent extension to it but lacks some texturing. One thing to note is that the HD600 does have more body and impact to it's bass than the DT880 does, but the DT880's bass sounds more realistic and natural.

The soundstage on both is very comparable in terms of width and depth, but the DT880 sounds bigger. Layering on both is good and the DT880 has the edge on separation and air this time.  The DT880's has one of the best stages in the mid-fi category I believe, and is more accurate as far as where sounds would be originating from.

HD600 VS DT990

The DT990 is the polar opposite of the HD600 with it's shallower mids, prominent highs, and thumping bass.

The treble on the DT990 would be a shock if you were coming from a HD600. The treble could be overwhelming if you are not used to more treble, but the treble is smoother than you would think. Hell it's like the MDR-V6's hard treble. The DT990's treble is far more refined sounding than the HD600. It offers far more detail than the HD600's and also has a lot more air to it. Extension on the DT990's treble is far more than the HD600's and really goes up there.

The HD600 was a very smooth and liquid like treble that is very pleasant to listen to. It's not as detailed sounding as the DT990 but still has a great deal of detail. Also I believe the HD600 treble is more lifelike than that of the DT990

The mids on both a very different. While the DT990's mids are sound more resolving and detailed than the HD600's, they are also however a lot thinner sounding. When it comes to these two, I believe the HD600's mids have a more lifelike tone to them, but as stated before they lose some accuracy because they are smoother and more forgiving. The DT990's mids can make vocals sound thin and also make guitars sound that way as well. Not very lifelike at all.

The HD600 midrange is very lush sounding and definitely on the warm side of things. It can be said that it's more natural and lifelike to the DT990's, but I still feel the DT990's mids are more detailed and resolved. 

The bass to these sound similar in terms of impact and body. In fact the DT990 has more impact and extends deeper while remaining tight and in control. The HD600's bass can sound a bit flabby if you've listened to both. The DT990's bass does loose some texture from the added bass, but not much. It's still better than the HD600's bass from what I hear. The DT990's bass is also faster sounding. The HD600's bass can sound very slow if not amped right,b ut when amped right it gets tighter and becomes faster, but still can not beat the DT990's bass.

The soundstage on these two is also different as the DT990 has the largest soundstage out of the DT line. It's more 3d sounding than the DT880 and HD600 and is pretty airy and has better separation. The HD600's sounds more "in your head" and not as wide. The DT990 beats out the HD600 in every department.

PART 3 - AMPING THE HEADPHONES

UPDATED ON 12/17/2011

This section will be just about amping the headphones properly. I will give specifics on what you should use to power them and what not to use.

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32Ohm Models

Despite their low Ohm rating, the 32Ohm variants actually will need a little more power than what the 250Ohm require. The reason they need a bit more juice is because of their sensitivity and impedance. They have both a really low impedance and a lower sensitivity rating, thus they will need more power. Take the K701/K702 for example: despite it's low impedance (62Ohms I beleive), they have a very low sensitivity. The more sensitive a headphone is the easier they will be to power and reach a desired volume. The DT770/32 have a impedance of 32Ohms and a sensitivity rating of 101dB. This makes than a bit more difficult tog et to the desired volume and power properly. I believe they require a nice voltage swing as well as more current than most 32Ohm headphones.

For the 32Ohm versions I can suggest a nice solid state amp that is very high current with a decent voltage swing. I have tried the 32Ohm models on my X-CANV8P and must say this amp can drive them very nicely. It has more than enough current and voltage to drive them to insane volumes and not have them clip. When properly amped the 32Ohm models should have a more refined treble and bass with a bit more resolution. I find that they become softer or smoother sounding. They can sound thiner with a slight edge in the upper registers.

I could recommend the Audio-GD C2 and ROC models for this headphone as well as the X-CANV8P. Really any powerful high current solid state headphones should be able to drive the perfectly fine.

EDIT (12/17/2011):

Little-Dot 1+ Hybrid Amp:

I've found that the Little-Dot 1+ Hybrid amp is more than capable of driving them nicely. It's nowhere near as refined sounding due to the tubes and lower price point but as far as powering the phones this amp is no joke. It has gobs of power for the current hungry 320ohm headphones. The tubes halp add more life and emotion to the rather dry and analytical sounding DT line up. 

Bass become fuller and more rounded (tubes tend to do this) but also a tad slower sounding. Texturing on the bass is lessened but the trade off for a slightly fuller bass is negligable. What I mean by rounded bass is that it gets softer and less controlled and the extension suffers a tiny bit and is not as snappy. It sounds as if the bass can be a tad hazy and less defined. Not bad IMO as it's a more fun sounding bass.

Mids are just glorious and are very lush and inviting with still being quite clear. Vocals sound almost ethereal and so fluid now. Gone is the stereotypical "hollow" mids on the DT line. Really the DT990 sounds quite emotional now. Guitars and such gain a lot more body. Actually this amp has the most mids of the tube amps I have tried.

Finally the treble is noteworthy as it's just plain smooth. I mean HD600 smooth, but without the excess roll-off as some say. This makes the DT990 quite enjoyable as well as the DT880. The treble loses some detail and extension but that's the trade off with tubes. Tubes roll treble and that's fine by me as it's a desired coloration with these types of amps.

Lastly the imaging tends to suffer the most as it blends together more. Imagine is noticeably less accurate and the separation suffers as well. All the sounds and instruments really mesh together. This in turn makes the music a lot less clinical and just more easy to listen to and also quite fun.

250Ohm Models

Now despite these having a higher Ohm rating than the previous model, it is in fact a bit easier to amp. This time the impedance works in it's favor and widen the gap between the impedance and sensitivity. I am not sure of the exact specifics but I know now that the higher impedance coupled with the sensitivity now makes these crave more voltage than current.

For these you could use a nice solid state amp but it would have to have a higher voltage swing than normal. Really anything that can swing about 20V P-2-P should drive them jsut fine, but an even higher voltage swing do do them more justice. For the higher voltage swing I could recommend a nice OTL tube amp. You could use the: Woo Audio 3, CSP2+, Darkvoice 336, and the Bottlehead Crack amps. There are probably many more out there that would do ust fine, but these are ones I ahve either heard or own.

I also found that my X-CANV8P could drive the 250Ohm models very nicely. Not quite up to par with a fully fledged OTL amp but darned good.

600Ohm Models

Finally we reach the highest Ohm rating available out there. These models reguire the most power to properly amp them. For these I fully recommend a OTL tube amp as tubes mate well with high impedance headphones since they output a load of voltage which high impedance headphones crave. Solid state might struggle here as it can output more current than they can provide voltage. Now I know amps like the Beta 22 can output more than enough voltage to drive these so that amp is one of a few out there.

For the tubes amps I can say to use the same ones that I recommended for the 250Ohm versions with the addition of the Woo Audo 2. They generally have more than enough voltage to drive them. Solid state amps like the Roc can drive them perfectly fine in balanced mode, but in single ended mode this amp can struggle at louder volumes. Really for solid state you would have to look at the Audio-GD Pheonix, Beta 22, Rockhopper M3. Those are the only ones I have heard to be honest, but there are more out there.

EDIT (12/17/2011):

SPL Auditor / SPL Phonitor:

I found that the SPL Auditor and SPL Phonitor drive them well into the area of perfection. Both amps will drive them to their complete fullest without compromise. Bass on all model tightens up considerably and becomes more textured and clear as well as the extension improving. The bass also hits harder and in a lot cleaner in it's presentation.

The mods clean up nicely and are insanely transparent. This amp is so colorless that the mids are crystal clear. You can clearly hear (no pun intended) much more detail and resolving capabilities of the headphones. Guitars are just fantastic.

Treble probably has the most improvement. If you thought the treble on any of the models was grating or strident then I think this amps helps that issue. Treble becomes smoother and the grain on the DT models is lowered quite a bit. It's not anything like a tube like treble but still much smoother and refined than you would expect out of a solid state amp.

Imaging improves a bit but nothing to write home about. The layering and precision of the sound becomes more accurate and focused. Still not anything super special but great non the less.
 

 A least that's my take on the whole sensitivity bit, but maybe someone else can chime in to help me out. I believe I got that all right, but I know they are some exceptions out there. 

I think the bass on those is totally insane for an open headphone.

I do insist . I love the thump that the bass provides, though I do prefer my T1's over the rest of my beyer headphones.

Well I'd say the DT990's bass is just far better controlled and defined with more thump as well. It's like the HD650's bass, but very tight and controlled unlike the HD650's muddy bass.

Hi and welcome to Head-Fi, and sorry about your wallet.

They aren't weak sounding unamped, but despite their 32Ohm impedance, they still need one because their sensitivity is still low. They will sound good out of an Ipod or Zune, but an amp will help. The Bravo/Indeed amps work good with these phones.

Personally I would just give them a chance and listen to them for a few days. If you don't like them after that just return them.