[Makiah S]

  I heard the D2k has good bass. Do you think the DT 880's bass paring with the NFb 10ES2 is better than D2k's? I have a 880 (250) and I am thinking of getting a D2k or Pro 900 mainly for their bass. I have been asking around here for a good amp to bring more warmth and better bass impact to my DT 880, but people have been saying different things so I still can't really decide

I'm actrually driving my D2k with the same amp, my D2k was also balanced
 
and I would avoid the Pro 900... I have not heard them but I hear they are obniouxsly bright 
 
and for more warmth and bass to the DT 880 try teh Schiit Vali! 

 

[Chris J]

   
That's not enough to adequately power the 600 ohm version. Don't get the 600 ohm version unless you're using a high output impedance amp like an OTL tube amp because you can get the 32 and 250 ohm versions a lot cheaper and you will have a lot more usable volume. The 600 ohm is not "better" overall, that is a myth. The 32 and 250 ohm versions are equally as good (based on what amp you're using, as I mentioned).
 
If it were me I would get the 32 or 250 ohm 880s, basically whatever I can find the best price on which is usually the 250 ohm Pro, and an O2. The magni is supposedly a bright amp and that usually doesn't match well with the 880s. The O2 is more neutral.
 
Down the road you can add a DAC, something like the Stoner Acoustics UD110 or HifiMeDiy Sabre DAC, which are both just $50. For now, if you've got a relatively new mid- or hi-end motherboard then your sound card will probably work pretty decently as a DAC. Make sure volume is maxed out in Windows and in the music program you're using. I'd also try ASIO and/or WASAPI to see if they provide an improvement. ASIO provides a slight but noticeable improvement on my MS2 and MS2+. I haven't tried using it with my motherboard's built-in sound card but I suspect you could gain a little sound quality there as well because the Windows sound mixer can degrade the signal and ASIO and WASAPI completely bypass it.
 
I just got my little brother that same setup for Xmas-- 32 ohm DT880 Premium and an O2 w/ rear power . Add one of the aforementioned DACs and you're probably coming pretty damn close to the sound quality of my setup (G109 & MS2+) which cost just under $800. A very good setup indeed, especially for the price, and potentially an end game setup if you can avoid the itch to buy other headphones and amps.
 
Oh, this is all assuming you're talking about a desktop setup. If you'll be using them for portable listening I recommend no higher than the 32 ohm version and you'll still need a portable amp to get the best out of them.
 
ASIO: http://www.asio4all.com
 
EDIT: Chris J and I will have to agree to disagree. I've used several amps and sources that supposedly had enough to power my 600 ohm 770s yet I couldn't get quietly recorded tracks to play anywhere near loud enough for my tastes.

 
 

I've never had a problem with any reasonable headphone amp driving 600 Ohm DT880s.
OTOH, I always use high gain headphone amps:
I have to set my Matrix M Stage to a gain of 20 dB
I have to set my FiiO E12 to a gain of 16 dB

My FiiO E17 can be set to 12 dB of gain, it does work, but I would not tell anyone to use the E17 with 600 Ohm DT880s as a long term game plan. Sure, it works most of the time..................and would be good enough for some folks. Depends on how loud you want to listen.
My iBasso D12...............um.........no.....maximum gain is 6 dB.
My old HP notebook................um.....no.....
iPod, iPad..................um.........no

So 80 mW is enough, assuming the amp has enough Voltage gain.
Gain IS NOT power!

 

[flyinion]

   For now, if you've got a relatively new mid- or hi-end motherboard then your sound card will probably work pretty decently as a DAC. Make sure volume is maxed out in Windows and in the music program you're using. I'd also try ASIO and/or WASAPI to see if they provide an improvement. ASIO provides a slight but noticeable improvement on my MS2 and MS2+. I haven't tried using it with my motherboard's built-in sound card but I suspect you could gain a little sound quality there as well because the Windows sound mixer can degrade the signal and ASIO and WASAPI completely bypass it.
 
 

 
This is the soundcard I'm using, http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html I'm not actually using the built in sound on my motherboard.

 

[Makiah S]

   
This is the soundcard I'm using, http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html I'm not actually using the built in sound on my motherboard.

Hmm nice looking PC card, might want to add a Schiit Vali to that rig though for $119 the Vali makes a heck a nice companion to the Beyer House Sound! Plus you already have a nice dac to feed it with 

 

[devhen]

 
This is the soundcard I'm using, http://www.htomega.com/clarohalo.html I'm not actually using the built in sound on my motherboard.

 
Nice looking card. Don't bother getting an amp until you see how the card does. Get the 32 or 250 ohm version unless you're planning on using OTL tube amps down the road. I'd get the Pro, its $209 right now on Amazon
 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B1QENY

 

[Makiah S]

   
Nice looking card. Don't bother getting an amp until you see how the card does. Get the 32 or 250 ohm version unless you're planning on using OTL tube amps down the road. I'd get the Pro, its $209 right now on Amazon
 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B1QENY

he went with the Pro already I think or if not then there's a link but yea,
 
Nice card it should do fine with the DT 880 how ever the minuete you want to hear something different/better get a Vali and YES the vali will even drive a 600 ohm dt 880! 

 

[flyinion]

  he went with the Pro already I think or if not then there's a link but yea,
 
Nice card it should do fine with the DT 880 how ever the minuete you want to hear something different/better get a Vali and YES the vali will even drive a 600 ohm dt 880! 

Haven't actually ordered anything yet.  Hmmm, maybe I should get the 600 ohm and the Vali then lol.  I think I'm still 95% likely to get the 250 though.  I was talking to someone at Schiit though and he mentioned he uses a 1st gen of their Asgard amp on a 600ohm Beyer.  Here's his exact words from the email.  I was asking him which product he thought I'd need to properly drive them and if I was going magni or vali if I should go 250 instead......
 

 I’d stick with Magni or Vali, and the 600 ohm Beyers—they sound quite a bit better than the 250 ohm version across the board, and they really don’t need that much power output—I run mine on the older Asgard 1 all the time.

 

[Brooko]

  Haven't actually ordered anything yet.  Hmmm, maybe I should get the 600 ohm and the Vali then lol.  I think I'm still 95% likely to get the 250 though.  I was talking to someone at Schiit though and he mentioned he uses a 1st gen of their Asgard amp on a 600ohm Beyer.  Here's his exact words from the email.  I was asking him which product he thought I'd need to properly drive them and if I was going magni or vali if I should go 250 instead......
 

I’d stick with Magni or Vali, and the 600 ohm Beyers—they sound quite a bit better than the 250 ohm version across the board, and they really don’t need that much power output—I run mine on the older Asgard 1 all the time.

 
Respectfully - I'm going to disagree with the Schiit rep's thoughts.  I was running both the 600 ohm and 250 ohm out of my NFB-12 (and also the Little Dot) - side-by-side - and volume matched to the best of my ability.
 
The difference was (despite some of the comments I'd read formerly) very small - if anything.  A lot of people talk about the DT880 600 having smoother treble etc.  Maybe I have tin-ears (distinct possibility 

 ) - but I wasn't hearing "differences across the board".
 
Would be interested in how he conducted his tests ......

 

[knightboy140]

  Haven't actually ordered anything yet.  Hmmm, maybe I should get the 600 ohm and the Vali then lol.  I think I'm still 95% likely to get the 250 though.  I was talking to someone at Schiit though and he mentioned he uses a 1st gen of their Asgard amp on a 600ohm Beyer.  Here's his exact words from the email.  I was asking him which product he thought I'd need to properly drive them and if I was going magni or vali if I should go 250 instead......
 

I don't know if you saw my post before but: If money is not a problem, really get a nice schiit amp. It will sound better.
 

   
Respectfully - I'm going to disagree with the Schiit rep's thoughts.  I was running both the 600 ohm and 250 ohm out of my NFB-12 (and also the Little Dot) - side-by-side - and volume matched to the best of my ability.
 
The difference was (despite some of the comments I'd read formerly) very small - if anything.  A lot of people talk about the DT880 600 having smoother treble etc.  Maybe I have tin-ears (distinct possibility 

 ) - but I wasn't hearing "differences across the board".
 
Would be interested in how he conducted his tests ......

Don't worry about tin ears. Everyones ears are so different. It's ridiculous. I know people who heard my modded dt880 and go what is this and gave me the ._. face. And stuck on their bose/beats back on. 
 
Performance and benchmarks are one thing.
Musicality and liking what comes out is another
That's just my take.

 

[flyinion]

  I don't know if you saw my post before but: If money is not a problem, really get a nice schiit amp. It will sound better.
 
 

 
LOL money is definitely a problem right now which is why I was 95% sure about the 250ohm version and using my soundcard with its headphone amp.  The Schiit rep's comments about the 600 ohm version just had me doing a double take and wondering if I was going to make a mistake.  At this point I think my plan is 250 ohm Pro version (hoping the headband clamping is not a problem) and then down the road adding an amp of some kind using my soundcard as a DAC until I rebuild the PC.  At that point I won't likely be able to use that soundcard again due to it being very likely the new motherboard I go with won't have a PCI slot.  Then I'll look into a DAC as well.

 

[knightboy140]

   
LOL money is definitely a problem right now which is why I was 95% sure about the 250ohm version and using my soundcard with its headphone amp.  The Schiit rep's comments about the 600 ohm version just had me doing a double take and wondering if I was going to make a mistake.  At this point I think my plan is 250 ohm Pro version (hoping the headband clamping is not a problem) and then down the road adding an amp of some kind using my soundcard as a DAC until I rebuild the PC.  At that point I won't likely be able to use that soundcard again due to it being very likely the new motherboard I go with won't have a PCI slot.  Then I'll look into a DAC as well.

Well if money IS an issue.....250 ohm version for sure  
good luck!!

 

[jay628]

  Hmm nice looking PC card, might want to add a Schiit Vali to that rig though for $119 the Vali makes a heck a nice companion to the Beyer House Sound! Plus you already have a nice dac to feed it with 

Hey, thanks for the suggestion. I am using the Magni right now and tbh i do think its a bit bright for the 880. I am actually considering both the Vali and Vahalla, which one do u think is better for the 880? Will the extra money spent on Vahalla make a difference? I am hoping these will add more warmth the the 880! However, I see quite a few people here saying the Vahalla is rather bright, I am wondering if it is truly a bright amp or it just needs more time to warm up the tubes ?

 

[pp312]

  Also 600 ohm vs 250 ohm.  I've owned 3 versions.  Initally the Pro 250, then the Premium 600, and now the Premium 250's.  As Mr Eleventy said, the actual difference is pretty negligible (sonically).  The only reason I'd take the 600s over the 250s is if you already own and OTL Tube amp with a highish (+ 50 ohm) output impedance vie the HP out.  Damping factor then suggests that the 600 ohm are more suitable.
 
I have an LD MKIV which is why I switched to the 600ohm.  But I got the chance to compare 250 and 600ohm side by side - and (to my ears) there was hardly any difference.  When I sold the 600 ohm and had a chance to rebuy again, I went with the 250 ohm (and still own them).  Best thing is that they are driven beautifully by my Studio V3 (DAP), and at a pinch, even straight out of my iPhone they sound OK.  The 250ohm is simply more versatile.

 
Of course with all these comparisons we have to take account of unit variation, which would more than explain any mild sonic differences. Putting aside OTL amps, the only real test would be to get at least 3 each of 600 and 250 ohm units. If there was a consistent difference between the ohmages, say more or less treble, then we could confidently ascribe it to the impedance; but if there was any kind of mix, say 2 of the 600s sounded slightly duller but the third was just as bright as the 250s or even brighter, then we're back where we started,
 
For myself I'm satisfied with anecdotal evidence, the concensus of which seems to be that with typical SS amps there is no difference that cannot be ascribed to unit variation. However, it seems clear that the 600 ohm version thrives with OTL amps and as a combination is probably superior to the 250 version either with an SS amp OR an OTL amp. Conclusion: get the 600 version if you already have or are getting an OTL amp but otherwise definitely get the 250 for it's greater versatility, and unless you have something against it--maybe the coiled cord--get the Pro version as it's cheaper and fits better (in my opinion anyway. The tighter clamp should result in better bass).

 

[bigbenrfan99]

This is probably a stupid question, but is the official Beyerdynamic screw-on 1/4" adapter in any way better than a generic Radioshack gold-plated pop-on 1/4" adapter?  I got the DT 880 used, and it didn't come with the adapter.

 

[Makiah S]

   
LOL money is definitely a problem right now which is why I was 95% sure about the 250ohm version and using my soundcard with its headphone amp.  The Schiit rep's comments about the 600 ohm version just had me doing a double take and wondering if I was going to make a mistake.  At this point I think my plan is 250 ohm Pro version (hoping the headband clamping is not a problem) and then down the road adding an amp of some kind using my soundcard as a DAC until I rebuild the PC.  At that point I won't likely be able to use that soundcard again due to it being very likely the new motherboard I go with won't have a PCI slot.  Then I'll look into a DAC as well.

Yea don't waste the money on the 600 ohm verison UNLESS you plan on pairing it with a powerful OTL tube or Balanced Tube and or Solid State
 
if anything like 4-5% of dt 880 owners feel the 600 ohm sounds better, and the tests behind that are not to accurate imo... so save some cash and buy the Pro 250 :3