[GUIDE] Sonic Differences Between DT770-DT990 Models & More - Page 94

How do you guys find the soundstage of DT 990 Premium Vs PRO. Also how would either compare in soundstage to something like D2000, HE-500 or LCD-2.

 

Also how's the clamping force? Is it loose like D2000 that it comes off your head when you tilt or is it super tight or just right in the middle?

Edited by Zoom25 - 3/1/13 at 1:09pm

 

I haven't compared to the D2000, but of the different Beyers I've owned, the 990 Pro had the strongest clamp. Sometimes it felt a little tight, but I was able to loosen it up just a bit. Oddly, the DT770 Pro LE that I just got has a looser fit than I thought it would.

Got the DT990pro 250 a couple of days ago. I was expecting them to sound sort of like a DT770pro 80 I had before, but with a bit more soundstage, basically in the same league but with slight nuances. I was wrong. I a direct A-B comparison, DT990 eats and spits out the DT770. It's just so obviously a higher end headphones. Much more clarity and resolution in the sound, vocals sound so much clearer, instruments as well. Soundstage is bigger and imaging better. Bass is tighter and punchier, sound overall is airier and faster, everything sounds bigger in scale and sort of more real.

 

Very surprisingly, in a direct comparison to AKG K701, I find the DT990 to be remarkably similar to it. They sound virtually identical, like 90% the same, differences between them are really very slight nuances. When both headphones are plugged into both outputs on my Musical Fidelity amplifier (and they both are on the same volume), so I can quickly switch between them, there is a SLIGHTLY airier and a SLIGHTLY bigger soundstage on the K701, SLIGHTLY more bass on the DT990 and maybe VERY SLIGHTLY more higher end detail on the DT990's, while the K701's have the same detail advantage in the mid's are. K701's have a tiny bit better instrument separation due to having a bit airier soundstage.  The bigger difference is that when quickly switching from DT990 to K701 on certain music, vocal in particular, K701's seem to have a sort of "plastic" or "hallway" tonality to them. Not noticeable at all when I listen to K701's alone, but directly comparing to the DT990's, I feel DT990 have a more realistic timbre when it comes to vocals and some instruments.  But again, its not a big difference and its a negative point for the K701. That tonality is what gives it its specific soundstage, or vice versa.  I don't know which one I prefer. DT990's are still new, they have maybe 10 hours of burn-in, while K701's are close to 5 years old, but they're remarkably similar sounding, I'd bet with some music, non-audiophiles would have a hard time telling one from another.

 

What I can say is that with certain music that too much bass mixed in it, especially some jazz, I like the K701's since they slightly sort out that bass, in other words, K701's never ever, not a single time sounded boomy in the bass area. They always have this pristine clarity and purity to their sound. DT990's that clarity and purity, hell, they go beyond in the high end, but sometimes, with badly mastered music, low can be boomy in comparison to K701. But again, its not to blame the DT990's, since with properly mastered high res stuff bass is just astoundingly good. So much texture and detail, great extension and so tight and punchy. Basically, like K701's bass but with maybe 20% more presence and impact.

 

I did a little A-B test earlier with the following music, almost all 24/192 or 24/96 Hi-res stuff I get from hdtracks.

 

 

Barney Wilen - French Balads - 1987

Anne Akiko Meyers - The Bach Album - 2011

Dire Straits - Brothers in arms

The Eagles - Hotel California

Fleetwood Mac - Tango in the night

Patricia Barber - Verse

Sting - Live in Berlin

Blue Coast Records E.S.E. Sessions - 2007

Fourplay - Energy 2008

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra - Up close 2008 - binaural

Amber Rubarth - Sessions from the 17th Ward - 2012 - binaural

The Worlds Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recordings by Chesky (the one with black - red cover)

 

I listened to a few songs on each album, not in entirety, just switching from one headphone to another and listening for 20 second segments of the song several times.

 

My quick totally subjective conclusions of the K701 and DT990 would be that they both sound excellent, and both sound very different to my ears than I would have expected by just reading other peoples experiences. Especially surprising is how similar they sound.

Edited by derbigpr - 3/2/13 at 4:42am

Quote Posted by Zoom25
"How do you guys find the soundstage of DT 990 Premium Vs PRO. Also how would either compare in soundstage to something like D2000, HE-500 or LCD-2.

Also how's the clamping force? Is it loose like D2000 that it comes off your head when you tilt or is it super tight or just right in the middle?"

Clamping force is perfect on my 990s.. theyr 250 ohm. Noot as tight as my 770s 250 ohm but not so loose they wanna fall off when i shake my head.
Edited by stupidmop - 3/4/13 at 6:04pm

Hey, guys, would you recommend me DT 770 80 ohm or DT 990 250 ohm; I don´t care about isolation it´s only for home use, i have big ears :( ,i don´t mind open or closed i just want them to be comfy, only for home use. I mostly listen to dnb,proggresive house,alternative rock, i also like soundtracks from movies ; so this kind of type

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8eNXv97YFY&list=FLA8qURgNEpssbfT4OGiN97Q&index=31

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NKUpo_xKyQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irlW_65xkFo

 

If i would get Xonar DG for amp/dac. Should i rather get DT 770 80ohm that would get fully powered or DT 990 250 ohm that won´t get 100%.

I also might get Fiio E10 instead of Xonar DG.. but only maybe. Thanks for answers

 

DT990 Pro, without question. Hands down.

Oky, what do you think about xonar dg powering them ?
 

 

 

DT990, it will sound better even out of the DG, and it will scale up even higher later if you add an amp. IMHO, having both, DT990 is in a different league, its like comparing Sennheiser HD25's or HD380's to HD650's.  DT770's are great closed headphones for that money and overall very pleasant sound signature. But DT770's have nothing on the DT990's when it comes to soundstage, imaging, detail, mids (especially lower mids, vocals sound so much better and fuller on the 990's), highs are clearer, and overall sound just has a sense of higher resolution to it. Its simply a better headphone, which is to me very weird since they cost about the same. I bought the DT990's not too long ago, because I found one on a discount, and didn't expect much, I though they would be an open version of DT770, but I ended up with a headphone that sounds almost as good as the AKG K701, and makes the DT770's sound like I have pillows between the headphones and ears in a direct comparison.

Edited by derbigpr - 3/6/13 at 1:09pm

WoW nice, so my finall decision is im going for DT 990 + Fiio E10 (screw xonar, i want full potential out of those headphones :-)

 

Well, E10 wont bring them to full potential, and Xonar DG will bring them closer to it, since its a better DAC than the one in E10, and the headamp in the E10 hasn't got enough juice for DT990's. It only outputs about 30 mW's into 250 ohms, while the DT990's "need" at least a 100 to get to their full potential, at least thats the Beyer's recommendation, which is correct in my experience.  If you wan't to get them to full potential, you might wanna get the Xonar ST or STX, you might find a used one for a good price, and its going to these headphones justice.

I though it´s only about ohm´s, i guess i was wrong. Since Xonar DG can power only to 150ohm and E10 can do it up to 300ohm? So Xonar DG have better DAC but worse amp and E10 better amp and worse dac. Is there another choice then Xonar ST, something around 100$?

 

It's about the resistance as well as the sensitvity that dictates what type of amplifier you can use and how much power it needs at the bare minimum. The impedance of the headphones as well as the output impedance of the amplifier have to be taken into consideration to calculate the damping factor. Higher sensitivity would mean less power is required to reach a certain dB.

Oh, complicated .. What would you recommend me to get for dt 990 250 ohm ?

 

Edit: maybe Xonar DG + Tube AMP ?!?

Edited by Maker - 3/6/13 at 2:02pm

 

A simple solution is just to get the Asus Xonar ST sound card. Its an amazing DAC even compared to MUCH more expensive standalone DAC's and the headphone amp in it has basically endless power, it runs any dynamic headphone with ease including the 600 ohm Beyers. Plus, you can change the op-amps and improve it even more.  You can not get better dac+amp for even 2 times more price, because you're paying only for top of the line electronic components, not expensive metal cases, volume pots, power supplies ,etc.  So if you're using your PC as source and listening at home only, its the best solution by far. If you need a transportable source and amp, then its not good.

speaking of DACS the Odac is my first and it made a HUGE DIFFERANCE. A used odac is like $100 or so dollars... if u game maybe a sound card is better but I only mmorpg so I don't need dorectional ques. plus i never listen to bgms i always play my own....

 

still the 990s are my favorite edm can! I hope that the mad dog is MUCH different from it. I would like a thicker Mid heavy can. My 990s 880s and xb 700s all have thin mids, ofc the byer cans aren't thin as they are neutraul [which is nice] still though there are some songs with which a tinsye bit more warmth would be nice.

 

And My mad dogs come in tommorow [they actually arrived on schedule on Satuday the 2nd BUT the stupid post office didn't leave it at my door step OR tell me they had delivered the damn thing [I didn't get tracking until to today... shame on Mr.Speakers [jk he's being very cool about it all]) So yes tommorow the Mad Dogs and the 990s will get a listen. In addition I need an audio switch box so I can swap between my two amps e.e or switch between cans for a/b

 

although take off le head but back on le head works well also. Plus I have a 3.5mm spillter so that helps as well

 

still 990 has TIGHT BASS, detailed mids, and nice Highs [I think] and the clamp is NOT to much for me... they still slide around my head... but I have a HUGE head and lotsa hair so... that might be impeading thier grip lol