[GUIDE] Sonic Differences Between DT770-DT990 Models & More - Page 12

First off I wanted to thank Zombie_X for this wonderful thread. It helped me in so many ways when deciding to purchase my new pair of headphones.
 

Thats what I ended up choosing for myself, very good headphone, but I highly recommend getting an decent headphone amp to properly drive them (if you are considering the 600 Ohm version).

 

I compared both the DT990 and the DT880 before deciding to purchase my headphones. I was able to audition the 250 Ohm version of both. The DT880 is much more neutral and analytical compared to the DT990. I too found that the treble was very bright almost sibilant on the DT990, the treble was much less aggressive on the DT880. Yet what bothered me more was the difference in bass between the two headphones. The DT990s bass is truly exceptional, and when switching back in forth between the headphones all I could notice was the lack of presence in the bass for the DT880s. The bass on the DT880 is very good, but just doesn't have the oomph and punch that the bass on the DT990 has. So after my listening session I was already leaning towards the DT990, but the treble was worrying me. After reading many of the posts here, I ended up getting the 600 Ohm version of this headphone and paired it with a LD MKIII. This really helped tone down the "harshness" of the highs that I had experienced with the 250 Ohm version. 

 

Overall if you really enjoy music with good bass, the DT990 is the beyer headphone for you. The 600 Ohm version manages to tame some of the harshness in the treble, while the bass will be tight, controlled, and will literally blow you away.

 

Yet I have to agree with Katun that the DT990 has the upside down pyramid or u-shape sound signature: Very present bass and treble, while the mids, although still very nicely detailed, sound slightly recessed.

I actually have the 600ohm versions of both, and I still find the DT990 unbearable when it comes to treble. I simply cannot imagine what the 250ohm would sound like if you say it has more treble...

 

I will admit, the DT990's bass was really quite good and found it generally to be the perfect amount (in some cases it was too much). With the DT880, I found the bass quite good as well, but found it's slight lack of bass took from the overall body of the sound (in most songs it was too little, but it some it was just right). The DT990 was kind of a strange headphone, because it some instances, I would get fatigued off the bass AND the treble at the same time -- something I have never experience before. The DT880, I would only get fatigued off the treble, even though it has much less of it than the DT990.

 

Both of them seem to have no body to the sound though. It sounds exactly as I described with an upside down pyramid. Way too much weight on top, supported by nearly nothing on bottom and even in the middle. Some find this sound excellent, and of course that is all preference. But they both were simply too bright compared to my HD650, and lacked body and emotion in music. The DT990 was just simply unbearable in the treble, and I found it took FAR more from the music than what it added.

 

 

Oh man! Yeah the 250 Ohm would make you ears bleed!

Your post made me want to try the HD650, I need to find a pair to demo. I agree that the mids being recessed make some music lack some body, but I don't find the headphones to make music lack emotion. Then again, I haven't heard many other headphones (demoed the D2000s but found the sound to be too closed in) and listening to the HD650 would maybe help me understand where your coming from.

Zombie, I would like your advice. 

Currently, I have HD-595 50ohm and DT-770 32ohm

Hate the bass on the Senns, but keeping them due to their comfort for long sessions.

 

iTunes EQ setting for HD-595 (50 ohm):

 

iTunes EQ setting for DT-770 (32 ohm):

 

It's clear from my EQ that I think Senns are made by people who absolutely hate hip hop music.  Snoop Dogg would never buy Sennheisers.  Anyway, I was surprised at how non-bassy my DT-770s are.  I recall listening to them in 2006 or so, and they were super muddy.  Not so this time around.  You can see my EQ is much more neutral (compared to the Senns).  However, I find the mid-bass a tiny bit lacking, so I upped that part and think the treble is too harsh so you see the sharp downturn there.

 

I am about 80% happy with the bass on the DT-770s, but I'm trying to get to 100%.  Do you think I should go for the 770 pro?  or 880/990?  I want more bass, but will it come at the expense of over sharp treble?

Edited by sugarkang - 12/6/10 at 12:37pm

Hi. Zombie_X, I am really amazed by this thread. You had done not just a great job, you did a truly fundamental and encyclopedic review, with no equals on the web.. Really, tremendous job.. 

As an owner of DT990 250ohm I totally agree with your description and suggestions. Now I'm peaty sure I'll gonna sell this headphones. The only question is what to buy instead.. 

      Tell me please, if you had to chose one single model from the DT series, beside the Tesla's, and use it for all your music (in my case : classical, new-age, folk, rock, metal, electronics), which model will you choose ? One single headphone (<250$) for everything (possessing a 150$ source + 250$ tube amp) ? Which will you personally choose ?  ATH/Sennheisers are too expensive... 

Edited by AlexRoma - 12/6/10 at 5:15pm

 

 

I would choose either the NoXter modded closed back DT880, or the DT150.....

Both have threads of their own by the way.

 

I just got a DT770-600 and haved hooked it up to the Fiio E7/E9 combo. I was honestly expecting to get some powerful bass that would make the Beats seem tame but surprisingly it doesn't have it. The sound stage is great and all but where is my bass? When I squeeze the headphones to my ear things get better but thats not practical...

the 600 ohm DT770s are great for the deep (and not necessarily obscene amounts of) bass and clarity. If you're looking for big booming bass, should have gone for the 80 ohm DT770s, now those are true fart cannons.

I have the Beyer 770/80 Pros. I thought I loved them. I recently found true love in my Grado SR325i's. However, I do miss some of the bass and I really miss the sound stage of the Beyers. The sound stage might not be great in the 770's but compared to the Grados it is. So my question is, no longer able to listen to my 770/80's, I would like to find something that gives me slightly more bass than the SR325's (I don't need or want boomy, just more) and I really want a much larger sound stage but I have to have the mid range and highs of the SR325's. Is there a Beyer that can fit this bill and be able to run off my Little Dot 1+?

 

I have no place to demo Beyers so I have to go off research and recommendations. 

That honestly sounds like the 990s to me. People often complain about how bright and piercing the treble on the 325 is. You would most like fall in love with the 990s, as the main complaint about them is the treble, just like the 325. The bass is awesome and quick, Not slow or boomy like the 770 Pro 80 (which I also owned).

Yeah...I had the Alessandro MS-1 and I thought the brightness was going to cause my ears to bleed. I sold them off very quickly and moved on the the 770/80 and have had them a couple years. In that time a place opened up that sells high end audio and I was able to go in last week and demo some headphones. He had the complete Grado lineup except for the PS1000. I took in my amp and tried on everything he had. At first I was hesitant on trying the Grados after my MS-1 experience but I found the whole lineup delightful, getting better as I went the line. So I ended up with the 325i's. I do not think they are too bright in the least. My amp/DAC has everything to do with that though. If I plug them into my iPod or directly into my computer I cannot even keep them on my ears for 5 seconds they are so harsh. Pipe the music through my DAC and amp and it mellows it out to a much warmer sound that I cannot get enough of. But yeah...I have been reading up on the 880 and 990 series and I do think that the 990 may be the ones for me to try. Now if I can find a good deal on them...

 

If you want bass that resembles the quantity of the Beats with decent SQ for everything else, then I don't think any Beyer headphone will do it for you imo. The DT 770 pros are the most bass heavy according to people and after trying my D1100 and the DT 770s, the D1100 would be better for you. They are like the Beats done right. The 770 pros are more laid-back and more balanced and studio-ish. The D1100 have a warmer sound, it's very crisp and detailed and the bass is just BOOM. If you are looking for the Beats type of sound, the Denon 1100s should be for you.

 

 

Anyways I have the Denon D1100 and while they are great for rap, hip-hop, and have a warm colored sound that is unique to the Denons (I haven't heard the other Denons, I'm just going off what others are saying), I find that I'm a little drawn to the Dt 770 pros' sound a little more. With my Samsung Captivate and little E5 amp, it's harder to drive the volume up, but it still sounded good at my normal listening volume. The Beyers sound more accurate and natural and the bass isn't as overwhelming at all compared to the D1100. It extends deeper and I can "feel" it moreso than on the D1100s. So it turns out I may pick up a Beyer after all.

I currently have both 990 Pro 250 Ohm and 880 Premium 250 Ohm and when comparing them side by side i totally agree that 880 are less bright then 990 but 990 give me better details then 880. The only question i have if there will be noticable difference between 990 Premium 250 Ohm and 600 Ohm