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DT 1770/ T1 GEN 2 Impressions
INTRODUCTION
I recently had the chance to go down to the new Beyerdynamic showroom in Singapore, mainly to give the DT1770s a spin, but also to check out some other gear as well. I had a pretty great time talking with Kamal and Mateen of Beyerdynamic, and definitely gained further insight into the state of the audio industry and Beyer’s new product line. For those in Singapore, the new showroom is tucked away in the Ubi area –a little hard to reach, but this still the best place to go if you want to test the latest and greatest in Beyerdynamic tech in a quiet environment.
Now, the showroom is still being added to, but you’ll notice that most of the setups are showpieces from Canjam. There’s the familiar preloaded touchscreen database with popular audiophile tracks (Hotel California anyone?) running through to the Beyerdynamic amplifiers/ headphones. Now, I did have the chance to test out the T5P during Canjam, but not all that much else –can’t remember if I did the DT1770. Due to the popularity of the T1.2 (at least while I was there), I didn’t get the chance to try out the new Beyerdynamic flagship.
DT 1770 IMPRESSIONS
First on the board is the DT1770. Now, I tried the DT770s a while back, and at the time, I wasn’t quite struck by them. I felt that sound and design wise they didn’t do as well as the DT880s. But time flows like a river –I do apologize for the terrible Alan Parsons Project reference –and I went in with great expectations. The first thing I noticed was just how good it looked. The DT1770s feels great to touch, and exceeds the old Premium line in build quality by a fairly good margin. In fact, I’d say it rather looks like a refined (and slightly more subtle) MDR-Z7. And that’s a good thing, because Sony does have some of the most coherent industrial designs on the market. From the anodized black aluminum yokes to the minimalist font to the careful headband stitching, the DT1770 cuts a svelte figure that would make many an audiophile drool.
Design wise, the DT1770 features a Tesla 2 45mm Driver, so we are definitely seeing a bit of “trickle down” technology here. In addition, a single sided replaceable cable (Mini-XLR) is going to increase the longevity of these headphones significantly, especially for pro applications where equipment is put through a lot of use. For power, the DT1770 was run out of Beyer’s flagship amp, the A2.
Sound impressions –I’m going to just say that the old DT770 wasn’t available for comparison, and that this was by no means an extended audition, so it’s not going to be conclusive. However, here is what struck me the most. The DT1770 is still V-shaped sounding. Midbass is impactful and satisfying quantity wise, and is fairly fast and punchy. There’s a tad of “reverb” and the overall result is both impressive and visceral. Mids are clear and transparent, but lacking a bit of body. Trebles are fast and airy with a fair touch of sparkle. The overall result is a musical sounding headphone that is also strangely airy (very Beyer). It’s definitely got resolving qualities, and is going to be a sure hit with anyone who enjoys the DT770 and the Beyer sound in general. I too was captured by the sound –more so than the original. If there is one thing that could be improved though, it is the smoothness of the overall sound. The DT1770, as a sum of its frequencies, sometimes doesn’t sound completely coherent, and can come off as a bit dry due to its technical prowess.
T1.2 IMPRESSIONS
I also tried out the T1.2. I really don’t want to go into too much detail, as I did not have the original T1 on hand and I think that making short impressions like these conclusive would do a great disservice to both headphones. But, we're going to have to face the music -so might as well get started. Currently, community impressions for these are all over the place. Some have stated that it is smoother, while others maintain that it is harsher and less coherent. I'll say this - the T1.2 has an added bass section while still maintaining some of the Beyer highs of the original. It is without a doubt, a T1. I think the treble has indeed been checked. Slightly more intimate, but still fast, and resolving. However, it doesn’t have the bleeding edge feeling in terms of airiness and expanse of the original T1. The late production run T1's are highly competitive (recently acquired one myself) against the T1.2, and it starts coming down to personal preference in my opinion. T1.2 could definitely have experienced more dramatic changes (think HD800s), but at this point the score has yet to be settled on whether this is a replacement for the original T1.
AND THEN SOME
While talking with Mateen, I brought up how the DT880 was built like a tank, and he subsequently brought out a very old DT48 Nagra Edition. Now my knowledge regarding Beyer esoterica is very limited. However, I will say that I was very impressed. Fairly accurate, and amazing with older recordings/ genres (sounds “analog” if you get what I mean), I was stunned. It was a great way to end an eventful day.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Feel free to tell what you think, whether you disagree, agree, etc. etc.
Thanks,
Thatonenoob
INTRODUCTION
I recently had the chance to go down to the new Beyerdynamic showroom in Singapore, mainly to give the DT1770s a spin, but also to check out some other gear as well. I had a pretty great time talking with Kamal and Mateen of Beyerdynamic, and definitely gained further insight into the state of the audio industry and Beyer’s new product line. For those in Singapore, the new showroom is tucked away in the Ubi area –a little hard to reach, but this still the best place to go if you want to test the latest and greatest in Beyerdynamic tech in a quiet environment.
Now, the showroom is still being added to, but you’ll notice that most of the setups are showpieces from Canjam. There’s the familiar preloaded touchscreen database with popular audiophile tracks (Hotel California anyone?) running through to the Beyerdynamic amplifiers/ headphones. Now, I did have the chance to test out the T5P during Canjam, but not all that much else –can’t remember if I did the DT1770. Due to the popularity of the T1.2 (at least while I was there), I didn’t get the chance to try out the new Beyerdynamic flagship.
DT 1770 IMPRESSIONS
First on the board is the DT1770. Now, I tried the DT770s a while back, and at the time, I wasn’t quite struck by them. I felt that sound and design wise they didn’t do as well as the DT880s. But time flows like a river –I do apologize for the terrible Alan Parsons Project reference –and I went in with great expectations. The first thing I noticed was just how good it looked. The DT1770s feels great to touch, and exceeds the old Premium line in build quality by a fairly good margin. In fact, I’d say it rather looks like a refined (and slightly more subtle) MDR-Z7. And that’s a good thing, because Sony does have some of the most coherent industrial designs on the market. From the anodized black aluminum yokes to the minimalist font to the careful headband stitching, the DT1770 cuts a svelte figure that would make many an audiophile drool.
Design wise, the DT1770 features a Tesla 2 45mm Driver, so we are definitely seeing a bit of “trickle down” technology here. In addition, a single sided replaceable cable (Mini-XLR) is going to increase the longevity of these headphones significantly, especially for pro applications where equipment is put through a lot of use. For power, the DT1770 was run out of Beyer’s flagship amp, the A2.
Sound impressions –I’m going to just say that the old DT770 wasn’t available for comparison, and that this was by no means an extended audition, so it’s not going to be conclusive. However, here is what struck me the most. The DT1770 is still V-shaped sounding. Midbass is impactful and satisfying quantity wise, and is fairly fast and punchy. There’s a tad of “reverb” and the overall result is both impressive and visceral. Mids are clear and transparent, but lacking a bit of body. Trebles are fast and airy with a fair touch of sparkle. The overall result is a musical sounding headphone that is also strangely airy (very Beyer). It’s definitely got resolving qualities, and is going to be a sure hit with anyone who enjoys the DT770 and the Beyer sound in general. I too was captured by the sound –more so than the original. If there is one thing that could be improved though, it is the smoothness of the overall sound. The DT1770, as a sum of its frequencies, sometimes doesn’t sound completely coherent, and can come off as a bit dry due to its technical prowess.
T1.2 IMPRESSIONS
I also tried out the T1.2. I really don’t want to go into too much detail, as I did not have the original T1 on hand and I think that making short impressions like these conclusive would do a great disservice to both headphones. But, we're going to have to face the music -so might as well get started. Currently, community impressions for these are all over the place. Some have stated that it is smoother, while others maintain that it is harsher and less coherent. I'll say this - the T1.2 has an added bass section while still maintaining some of the Beyer highs of the original. It is without a doubt, a T1. I think the treble has indeed been checked. Slightly more intimate, but still fast, and resolving. However, it doesn’t have the bleeding edge feeling in terms of airiness and expanse of the original T1. The late production run T1's are highly competitive (recently acquired one myself) against the T1.2, and it starts coming down to personal preference in my opinion. T1.2 could definitely have experienced more dramatic changes (think HD800s), but at this point the score has yet to be settled on whether this is a replacement for the original T1.
AND THEN SOME
While talking with Mateen, I brought up how the DT880 was built like a tank, and he subsequently brought out a very old DT48 Nagra Edition. Now my knowledge regarding Beyer esoterica is very limited. However, I will say that I was very impressed. Fairly accurate, and amazing with older recordings/ genres (sounds “analog” if you get what I mean), I was stunned. It was a great way to end an eventful day.
Anyways, thanks for reading. Feel free to tell what you think, whether you disagree, agree, etc. etc.
Thanks,
Thatonenoob
