Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Closed Studio Headphones - 250 Ohms

As I've just started my audiophile journey, I wanted my first setup to be the best "affordable" startup kit I could put together, and so the research began. After reading different reviews on this site (thank everyone!), I kept getting pulled back to the beyerdynamic headphones as a great candidate for my first kit. Almost all reviewers had the same opinion that the sound signature was U or V shaped (scooped mids), and that is generally the way I tend to EQ my music on whatever source I'm listening to, so it just made sense that they would be mine. (oh yes, they would be mine)

Then the shopping begins... Looking at what I considered to be the affordable options, there's the DT 770, DT 880, DT 990, and the different impedance options. And that lead to some additional research, reading reviews on the closed, partly open, and fully open options, and whether or not I wanted to get an external DAC / amp for the kit. (hint: I did) With that in mind, the DT 770 Pros were the cans that kept calling out to me for the sub-bass and clear treble, and I liked the idea of the fully contained closed environment which I believe helps hear the detail even better. The higher impedance 250 ohm version made sense to me as well given my experience with loud speakers, where higher impedance drivers pushed by decent power often sounds more dynamic and alive to me.

So, I ordered my DT 770 Pro headphones paired with the iFi Zen DAC v2 from a very well known online retailer (not going to promote them here, they don't need it), and impatiently awaited arrival of my very own entry level audiophile headphone kit. When they arrived, the unboxing and setup probably took about 2 minutes, and I immediately started listening to my old progressive standards like Pink Floyd, Tool, Genesis (the good stuff with Peter Gabriel), A Perfect Circle, Kate Bush, and so on. The sound was crisp and detailed in the upper mids and trebel with a good amount of detail I hadn't heard before, and the low end was actually very surprising. In a couple of songs, I could almost imagine the sub-bass vibrating my floor and I had to take the headphones off to see if I left my speakers on. (hint: I didn't)

Ok, so they rock, but do they jazz? The next test for me was to play some of my favorite jazz artists (piano and guitar) to see if I can get more detail from what is already mostly very detailed and "airy" jazz compositions. Pat Metheny, Kevin Eubanks, Acoustic Alchemy, Joe Sample, etc. Again, everything sounded better than I had heard before with more detail, more dynamics and clarity, and I began to really notice the soundstage at this point too. It seemed in no uncertain terms that these cans were just meant for my ears, and that assumption was not met with disappointment as I carried on.

Of course, now that I began really picking up on the soundstage, I had to go back to my progressive / alternative standards to give them another listen, and yep, there it was. Those certain "extras" in Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, and Porcupine Tree songs seemed to come from different places in my office, but not only that, the instruments (especially drums) and vocals began to expand outside my immediate headspace as well the more I listened with intent. Maybe it's partially or mostly psychological, but it surprised me when I heard it because I really didn't expect headphones to give me that particular experience.

As for build quality, other than the fixed cable (coiled, which I like), I can't fault them at all. They aren't flashy or pretty colors, or anything fancy like that, and I didn't really want that anyway. They have a more practical design and are built to last, and apparently you can buy just about every replacement part online if / when you need them. Let's see that big company named after a fruit do that! (hint: they won't)

As many have already reported in reviews and threads on this site, comfort is key with these cans. When I first put them on, I didn't adjust the headband correctly for me, and they sat a bit low on my head. I was worried for all of about 5 minutes about the comfort level, given that they were new (not yet stretched) and they were sitting on a bad place on my upper jaw, not comfy at all. Then I had that (oh, duh!) moment when I pushed them up just a bit and adjusted the head band, and I let out a sigh of relief just knowing that me and these headphones were going to get along. They are relatively light weight and the velour ear pads feel amazing, so once they stretched a bit after a day or two I could almost forget I have them on.

And there you have my newbie / noob / newly initiated (re)view and perspective of the DT 770 Pro (250 ohm) headphones. Yes, I will be adding a more powerful amp to my setup (of course), and yes, I will be trying other headphones, but I really think I nailed my starter kit with these given my preferred music / sound signature. If you're thinking about checking them out, I can't recommend them enough, especially at the price.

This is a classic studio headphone. They have medium size soundstage, which is fantastic for a closed back headphone. There are not many closed backs with wider soundstage and good isolation, certainly, none in its price range. These are among the rare audiophile headphones that are not rolled off at sub-bass. Most of the open back and a lot of closed backs are having this issue. Not this one. Sub-bass is not only present, but boosted at 5dB which gives very fun sound. Unfortunately, this brings us to the main issue. The treble. Treble is piercing and fatiguing over longer listens. It's the infamous Beyer-peak at 6kHz. It gives the illusion of clarity and help catch sibilance during studio monitoring, but without EQ it is very hard to enjoy this one. With both elevated (sub)bass and treble this gives us a U-shaped signature which makes mids (hence, vocals) recessed, a common issue with V and U shaped signature headphones. All these issues are fixable with the help of EQ. Bass has a boomy quality to it which gives it power but takes away the resolution in the lower range. Velour pads are very comfortable, as is the headband. Build quality is outstanding, these headphones are indestructible, while still lightweight (270g). Isolation is very good. Unfortunately, cable is non-detachable which is the only build objection. However, cable is robust and extensible. One more, this is one of the hardest headphones to drive, so don't expect high volume from the portable sources.

My audiophile story began in 2015 when I got Audio Technica ATH M50x. I thought that was endgame and I would never need to buy another pair of headphones! Boy was I wrong! This is an expensive hobby people! Stay away if you can.

I liked the M50s clarity and isolation but its comfort was atrocious! I still wanted to like them because I paid a lot of money for them!. I used them for about 3 years and then I happened upon Sennheiser HD 598 SE being available at a very tempting price on Amazon. I got them on a whim. And since then they've been my most-used headphones. Just because of comfort!.

I realized the importance of comfort. Even though ATH M50x was clearer than HD 598, I still preferred HD 598 for everything. But lately, I began recording, mixing and performing live (amateur flautist here) and I felt the need for a comfortable and transparent set of headphones, especially when tracking flute pieces that tend to contain a lot of sibilant sounds. Even when mastering flute sounds, they need to be clearly audible and DT 770s were recommended for clean treble.

Comfort was my most important criterion, however (right after sound of course!) And all the reviews about reliable studio headphones pointed to DT 770s. Again there was confusion on which version I would have to get. 80ohm or 250ohm (32 ohm was out of the equation because I hate leather pads after having experienced the softness of velour on HD 598, I'm never going back to leather pads again!)

Ultimately decided on getting the 250ohm version as I had 2 interfaces and an analog mixer. All three devices can drive these headphones comfortably. I believe the 250ohm version was indeed built to be used with professional audio equipment. In fact, I have never had to crank them above 50%, beyond which they get dangerously loud for me(I have sensitive ears and I can listen comfortably with lower DB volumes than most people I've met)

So, amongst all my headphones and speakers, how would I rate them out of 100?

Yamaha HS5 studio monitors - 99/100
Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro 250 ohm - 95/100
Audio Technica ATH M50x - 92/100
Sennheiser HD 598 - 90/100
Sony MDR 7506 - 85/100

Build: These are extremely well built. The cans may look like cheap plastic but it is extremely solid construction. Beyerdynamic have thoroughly thought this design through to the last detail. I've seen DT 770s from the 2000s still being used in studios by my friends. They will last a lifetime. One weird quirk I found was with the wire that goes into the right earcup. It was not routed in the same shape as the left side. So I removed the screws from the yoke holding the earcup and rotated it and placed them back and now the wire gets routed symmetrically and beautifully as intended! I may have OCD! I like the wires to be shaped symmetrically on both sides!

Comfort: They are very lightweight and fit securely on the head. Although the HD 598 are more comfortable, these are a close second. ATH M50x are utter crap for my comfort (as I have large ear lobes). DT 770s do get very sweaty if you're not in an AC room.

Bass: Oh my! The bass is very deep and clear, much clearer than ATH M50x which I thought was the ultimate bass king. It's like the bass is rumbling

Mids: Mids are clean and flat, and do not get drowned by bass or treble. Most of my work gets done in these frequencies from 300Hz to 3kHz and I'm happy that these are very flat in these frequencies.

Treble: This would be "make or break" for most people. These are a little treble heavy- which gives them that "clarity". It also helps us identify sibilant problem frequencies during recording and mixing. Since I've gotten these headphones, my recordings seem to have less sibilant and hissy flute sounds! Even though my ears got used to the warm HD 598 sound signature, it didn't take much time for me to adjust to the highly sparkly and treble rich DT 770s. For people with tinnitus and sensitive ears to high frequencies, stay away, please. Compared to ATH M50x the treble is higher quality and doesn't get piercing like ATH M50x (although I got used to that sound signature too!) It is all in the individual taste. But for getting mixing work and tracking work, nothing can beat these. You will see many reputed artists using these as many studios have these in the recording rooms.

Separation: Very very distinct. Much more clarity than ATH M50x. All instruments are transparent. In fact, these have such precise channel separation that the first 2 days I kept wondering why my left ear was hearing more volume, I thought these were broken. I even created a return request with www.headphonezone.in and they very kindly asked me to raise a return request. But my saner mind prevailed and I decided to do a thoroughly scientific test. I imported a few popular songs onto Reaper and just measured the effective loudnesses and to my surprise, I could clearly see that the left channel was louder on many popular tracks because many professionally mastered songs tend to push the bass frequencies to the left channel slightly causing the overall LUFS on left to be higher! I was able to perceive this very distinctly on these headphones. I thought the right channel was broken! That's how pinpoint the precision is in the stereo separation. It helps a lot in fixing channel imbalances. If your studio monitoring headphones can't show you channel imbalance issues, then they're not fit to be studio monitors. I believe many professionally mastered songs were not done with Beyerdynamic headphones, because if they had, we wouldn't have such channel imbalances on big studio tracks!. On none of my other headphones, I was able to perceive that slight channel imbalance.

Sound Stage: This was a pleasant surprise for me. I expected the sound stage to be very minimal like ATH M50x but they are surprisingly airy for a closed-back headphones. They are almost as good as HD 598 which are open-back headphones!. It might be because the drivers are situated farther away from the ears in DT 770 compared to ATH M50x where the drivers are basically touching your earlobes! And this makes the treble piercing for ATH M50x. I like Beyerdynamic's design. The Germans indeed know how to build good headphones. Both Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic have nailed the basics (sound quality, comfort).

Accessories and other considerations: My only gripe is with the highly egregious cover they throw in with these! They're horrendous. But considering that these will stay only in a recording studio, they get the job done. Oh, and a non-detachable cable is sacrilegious in 2021! I will mod them with a 3.5 mm jack after the warranty period ends for these.

Overall Thoughts:
I'll probably sell my ATH M50x because these DT 770 pros are more comfortable, better suited to my closed-back headphone needs and make my recording work easy! They help me catch mistakes right in the tracking phase and help identify mistakes in the mixing phase when EQing problem frequencies. This is a laser-focused tool for the studio. People may not enjoy listening to sounds because they are very revealing and will pinpoint all the flaws in your mix.
If you're buying them for listening pleasure, forget it (especially the 250ohm version). Although some people (like me) do enjoy picking out every single detail in a song with its analytical prowess.

I think the 250ohm variant of the DT770 Pro is one of the best bang for buck headphones period. Great soundstage, spacious sounding, good imaging, good bass response, medium texture tightness, clear mids, slightly forward treble peaks, but detailed sound.

Resolution seems best on the 250ohm variant, much better than 80ohm, but still not on the level of TOTL kilobuck cans, but still good, only noticable on very busy tracks.

This is a must buy for audiophiles on a budget IMO.

(Review is based off the addition/swap of/too Dekoni sheepskin leather pads)

Before I slapped on the leather pads these things were treble happy.. treble was front and center no matter what you played. I'm not a fan of electronic EQ so I did it the ole fashion way,,, LEATHER PADS. This helped tame the treble to exceptable levels and the treble is nice by the way.

I'm not gonna write a thesis here, quick review...

The purpose of this headphone was to get a "peek" of the Beyerdynamic "sound". And I love it. I chose closed back because my headphone system (office) shares with my two aquariums.. (hey..what can I say.. ) and.... the 250ohm picked to match up with my OTL Tubed amplifier,Darkvoice 336se.


This headphone is opposite of the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX. Where the Senns are warm and laidback...the Beyers are fast and vibrant.. I can EQ the sound of the amp by switching out a combination of tube types, (which I do almost on a daily basis). The bass rolls low with the Beyerdynamic (in a controlled manner) and never over done, everything stays even. If your a Radiohead fan, these will melt your face. Because of my infatuation with tubed amplifiers the Beyerdynamic has been my most used headphone. Beating out the Sennhieser, Hifiman 400i, Fedelio X2, and Fostex T20RP.

The evolution of headphones has been fascinating to watch over the years. Pretty much everyone aged 50 and younger has grown up using headphones, and have owned many, many pairs. Some may remember the crappy headphones that came with the original Walkman and its progeny that would usually break long before the foam covers would wear off. They were an afterthought, although Sony’s 1979 introduction of the 3.5mm “minijack” stereo connector was useful. In some ways things haven’t changed much since then, as headphones associated with portable audio is still considered disposable. Good full size “over the ear” headphones existed of course, but were mostly used by audio professionals and audiophile hobbyists with almost art-deco/mad scientist looking tube amplifiers.

In 1985 Sony once again was a step ahead when they introduced the MDR-V6 studio monitor headphones. They were not obviously revolutionary compared to the standard of headphone technology at the time, but their immense popularity with studio and audio professionals expanded to general consumers who realized their flat sound (meaning accuracy), sturdiness and portability was a great value for the price ($70). But not everyone wants completely neutral sounding headphones. In order to enjoy relatively bass heavy funk, dub & dancehall reggae, hip-hop and dance music (especially drum ‘n’ bass and later, dubstep), DJs in particular craved headphones that could simulate the immersive low-end sounds. Again, Sony responded in 1993 with the MDR-V600, which emphasized bass and featured swiveling earcups so DJs could easily switch to one-ear listening. And while previously most quality full size headphones traditionally had high impedance (100-600 ohms), the MDR-V600 was only 45 ohms, which meant they could be used without an amp on portable tape and CD players with decent loudness and sound quality.

In the years since the explosion of iPods and MP3 players, there’s been a reaction to diminishing returns in sound from poor quality sources and transducers (cheap inner ear headphones and computer speakers) that’s manifested in a growing number of people going back to buying records (they really just need lossless files and decent speakers, but I cover that elsewhere), and using better quality full size headphones. The audiophile market seems to have responded to the demand in the past decade, and often exploited it. Around 2003-07, the flagship models of headphones by industry leaders like AKG, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Denon, Audio-Technica, Ultrasone and Grado were priced around $400 to $650. There were a few exceptions of more expensive models, including Sony’s MDR-R10 which sold for several thousand, but that became more common in subsequent years, with most manufacturers, including newcomers Hifiman and Audez’e, offering headphones for well over $1,000. Perhaps fortunately, almost none of them were really made for rock music, working best with classical, jazz and folk. And when it comes to metal, when very few bands of that genre are big selling superstars, it just seems wrong to listen to their music on cans that might be more expensive than the instruments they played with.

There’s a number of sub-genres of metal and heavy rock, which I often clump together as “stoner/psych/doom,” that emphasizes fuzzy low tones and bladder-shaking bass that would benefit from some headphones that do the music justice. Cans of doom! There’s no shortage of bass-heavy headphones, but most of them are models of poor quality and bad value. It’s hard to get heavy bass without being too boomy or just flatulent and all over the place, and sacrificing quality of the mid-range too much. Bose has long been the whipping boy by audiophiles, and more recently, Dr. Dre’s Beats By Dre have become the most common example of bad quality and value. They’re also hugely popular, and while they may serve as a gateway to better things for many people, they’re also a huge rip-off, especially with Beats Studio at $300. So what’s a rocker on a budget to do? Skullcandy’s Aviator offers better sound at half the list price ($150), though again, the quality might not be quite there. Next week they’re issuing a special Dinosaur Jr. edition along with the release of a single. Lemmy Kilmister has his own series of vanity cans with Swedish company Krusell International AB, with the top model, the Motorizer, selling for a more affordable $129. With endorsements from rockers across the globe (who wouldn’t want to support Lemmy?), they should sell well. I haven’t gotten to hear it but Lemmy’s m.o. to “make them louder than everybody else’s” is not exactly promising.



Surprisingly, at least to some people, you can get audiophile quality cans that will do heavy music justice at comparable prices to the mass-marketed Beats, Monsters, Skullcandy and Motorheadphones, while also putting sufficient boom in your doom. I’ve been lurking and participating in the Head-Fi forums for close to a decade, and the favorite headphone for general rock listening is the Grado SR-225i. I heard it while researching headphones, and while it excels at conveying the excitement of mid-range guitar sounds, it lacks low end depth, and can sound harsh and irritating, causing fatigue to occur quickly, within 15-20 minutes. On top of that, they’re uncomfortable and look like they were assembled in someone’s garage. Clearly I’m not a fan, but they do have their use for certain people. Just not us heavy psych and doomsters. For that kind of music, the favorite by a significant margin has been the Beyerdynamic DT 770. The company is considered one of the German headphone giants along with Sennheiser for good reason, having been around since 1924. In addition to featuring boosted “bass-reflex” technology, the DT 770 was considered since 1985 as one of the best overall sounding closed-back headphones on the market, and listed at only $250. It was discontinued in 2011 and replaced by the T70 which uses Tesla technology from their flagship T1. Unfortunately it’s priced much higher ($649) and does not share the bass characteristics of its predecessor.

Luckily for bassheads and rockers everywhere, the DT 770 Pro model is still available, and for just $179. I treated myself to a “like new” used one for my birthday for $133, a great bargain compared to the T70 and the $1,500 T1. For the past few years the Denon AH-D2000 has been my workhorse in my doom cave listening lair, and the smaller AH-D1001 in the bedroom. They are an excellent choice for rock music, with a healthy amount of bass that would satisfy anyone but the worst bass junkies. In his piece “The Battle Of The Flagships,” Head-Fi Guru David Mahler said, “The DT 770 really digs down deep with tremendous impact. Despite this, its bass presentation manages to be rather tight. What may be most impressive about the DT 770’s bass presentation is that it really is able to bring forward the sub-bass frequencies that many headphones skimp out on.” Unfortunately that Denon series lost their license with Fostex, who created the designs. The line has been discontinued and replaced by the AH-D600 Music Maniac ($550). Being brand new, I was unable to find out much information on it, and I’ve been wanting to try a Beyerdynamic anyway. I wasn’t disappointed. As promised, they are bass heavy without being completely overwhelming. The mids are somewhat recessed, making for a “dark’ sound signature that’s perfect for most heavy psych and stoner/doom metal. The bass on the new Goatess album sounds insanely over the top, and great fun. Previous listens to Age Of Taurus‘ Desperate Souls of Tortured Times seemed a little lacking in bass, and the DT 770 helped remedy that. Sessions with Black Sabbath (new and old), Saint Vitus, Magic Circle, Rote Mare, Jex Thoth, Elder, Electric Wizard, Wo Fat and Pagan Altar all benefited from the cans of doom! They’re definitely not neutral reference cans. They are available with three different impedance ratings (32, 80 and 250 ohms). I got the 250, which would sound very quiet plugged into a computer or MP3 player, but come alive on my home Meier Corda Catante.2 amp. I love this amp, with crossfeed features that helps prevent listening fatigue, which I discuss more here. That one is discontinued, but he has newer models that are even better.  Some DT 770 owners like the portable Fiio E10, which does not have crossfeed.

A close runner-up in the cans of doom category is the Ultrasone HFI-780. While it lists at $279, it’s available new on Amazon for $155, and used as low as $120. I was unable to hear these myself, as no one’s gonna be sending me free review headphones, but lots of people with large headphone collections swear by them. For portable listening, you can’t go wrong with the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 ($199/$159) sturdy studio pro headphones that fold up nicely, similar to the venerable Sony MDR-V6 and V600, both of which are still available for $80 and $250 respectively. But for cans of doom, you can’t go wrong with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro.

I love the Beyerdynamic dt770 250 Ohms.  After searching high and low for a closed back headphone I fell upon these knowing that I would carry an amp.
 
With the Cayin C5 - High gain at about 2.5 volume and yes, some bass boost - they sound tremendous.  I feel an impact of the bass, I feel a sound stage, I hear vocals and I'm enveloped in a lush sound.  Great for instrumentals.  Great for well recorded music, great for all genres.
 
However they do leak some sound.  Be prepared, you won't hear the outside world but if it's quiet around you, the outside world shall hear you.
 
That being said, go for these, get the Cayin C5 and be happy.
 
If you need to drive it from an unamped source they will sound a tad harsher BUT still great.

Creative Sb Omni 5.1 + Dt770 250 ohm

As a beginner to higher-quality cans, my only comparisons for the DT 770 Pro 250 ohm are against a pair of Audiotechnica ATH-M50s and your standard Apple earbuds. That being said, it's not fair to say there is even much to compare, whereas the 770's are the complete package. 
 
Purchased the 770 250 ohms from Amazon for $187 and have only had them for four days now. Coming from the M50s, I also upgraded from the Fiio E6 to E12 so I could properly drive the 770's. Although I was really grooving on the M50s, I didn't always feel they had the warmth and bass I wanted, nor did I care for the swiveling cups. When looking to upgrade, I decided on the DT 770 250 ohm package based on the head-fi review of 770 880 and 990s found here - http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more. Though I looked at several other sets of phones before upgrading, I was primarily sold on the 770s based on reviews for build, style, and price point. As a newb, I wasn't quite certain what to expect from audio compared to the M50s.
 
Again, with only 4 days in, my initial response if 5 stars. 10 hours of burn in last night with pink noise from a FLAC audio source. 
 
Accessories
 
The bag these came with is acceptable, though I'm already looking for something better and more sturdy for traveling. Given I travel extensively for work, these are designated as my go to headset and want to ensure they're well protected through air travel. 
 
Build
 
Lightweight, yet solid enough to know they're built to last. Compared to the M50s, the 770's are definitely lighter in overall weight and I was a bit surprised by the almost hollow plastic feel of the external ear cups. To be honest, my first holding of the phones was a little disappointing based on this. If you've tried the M50s, you'll know how solid these are. Overall build of the 770's is good and furthered by the reviews and ability to replace every part, put me at ease. Velour pads are AMAZING... wore these through 8 hours of travel in the past week and they were no less noticeable at the end of 8 hours as they were at 5 minutes. Comfort is absolutely perfect and beats the M50s hands down. 
 
Sound
 
As a newbie to quality headsets, I'm not familiar with the technical parts of headphone reviews from an audio perspective; however, I can attest to pure and simple beautiful sound from the 770's. The bass is warm and full, but not over pronounced, wherein I felt the M50s were lacking in bass in general. It was there for sure, but didn't really make the listening experience any more enjoyable than normal. With only a few days in on the 770's, the bass is one of the areas currently pleasing me the most. Second area of noticeable interest is the pure clarity, making every instrument distinguishable in every song. This fact alone has shown me a few bad recordings or poorer bitrate songs in my library that I'm not combing back through and upgrading to FLAC.
 
Future
 
Given more reviews on head-fi for burn in periods, I put them through 10 hours of pink noise and have yet to test them out again to verify any increased performance. As such, I'll follow up again once I have more time with them. 
 
Though currently powering with the Fiio E12, I'd welcome any advice for better amplifier that may have a combined DAC. I'm primarily running these off my iPhone 6, but have been questioning picking up an X3/X5 to get better sound quality with amp so I'm not at the mercy of a secondary amp with cables. 

Really perfect sound quality for this price! And headphones are extremely comfortable!  
A little bright in highs, but it can be easily corrected with a little eq tuning. 
 
For that people who founds sound a little bright and sibilant I highly advise to try Equalizer APO with the following EQ configuration:

Preamp: -2 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 32,0 Hz Gain 3 dB Q 1,50
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 50,0 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 1,40
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 80,0 Hz Gain 2 dB Q 2,00
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 125,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 2,00
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 200,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1,50
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 300,0 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2,50 
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 500,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1,50
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 750,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1,50
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 1200,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1,50
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 1900,0 Hz Gain 0 dB Q 1,50
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 3000,0 Hz Gain 1,5 dB Q 5
Filter 12: ON PK Fc 4600,0 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 5
Filter 13: ON PK Fc 7000,0 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 3,50
Filter 14: ON PK Fc 9000,0 Hz Gain -2,2 dB Q 6,50 
Filter 15: ON PK Fc 11000,0 Hz Gain -1,1 dB Q 5,50
Filter 16: ON PK Fc 14000,0 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 4,50 
Filter 17: ON PK Fc 17000,0 Hz Gain -1 dB Q 5,50

Click to expand...

These sound as good as the closed designs can get, imo. They are quite flat. Sure, not the very best out there, but for this price point, you won't get better. They are closed, so you can't expect such airy sound as from open back designs, but they do sound fantastic, and don't get too warm (can't speak for the leather version), but they isolate the sound better. Of all the headphones I ever owned, the beyerdynamic build is just the most comfy for me. If you want a reference set of cans, I'd reccomend these guys. If you want to add some umph to your music, you can always fiddle with amps or eq. The only downside of them is the non removable cable, really. At 250 ohms, even the mobile phone amps can drive them reasonably loud (don't confuse impedance with loudness). Also, you don't really get any accesories, a silky bag, i think, that's it. Not that you need them, but all the money goes into cans, and not the packaging, I guess.

I bought my first pair of these headphones blindly as a student, based on the recommendation of my lecturer at SAE more than a decade ago.
It took me a while to get used to it, but I haven't looked back ever since. Perhaps its what I got used to, but the fact remains that I can trust the sound of these headphones to get a mix out without second thoughts. There was a time when I thought I'd get myself a 'better' pair of headphones. But I ended up getting a second pair of these bad boys after the first pair of these gave up after a long 6 years or so of constant use. 
 
I recently (finally) moved on to an open back headphone that I prefer over this pair, but that is not to say this headphones is any inferior. For the price, this is the best headphones one could find. They say the best camera is the camera you have with you. I say the best headphones is the one that you know, the one you can relate to.
 
For me, DT770 is #1 when it comes to the headphones I - know - the sound of. I do highly recommend it.
 
 
 
 
@Gilly87 
Audeze EL8 Open.

Background
 
To this day, I have owned a couple of "pretty good" headphones (in my opinion pre-DT770 :
* Sennheiser HD555
* Sennheiser HD448
* Shure E2-C IEMs (lost/stolen)
* Ultimate Ears Super-fi 5 IEMs (lost/stolen)
 
I also own an Fiio E7 DAC/amp, which I used along with my HD448 at work.
 
Needing a closed headphone for work, I decided ot purchase a pair of DT770 250Ohm after a lots of reading on here and arround the web. So, I've pulled the trigger on those and the much praised Modi/Magni duo. I actually got the Modi2/Magni2 straight from Schiit's website (note to all canadians: they might not be as cost effective to us with the new USD/CAD change rate and duty import taxes - a suprisingly high 75$ CAD, ouch!).
 
So, yesterday I finally received my Modi 2 + Magni 2 and today came my DT770 250ohm.
 
Expectations
 
So, my expectations were pretty high after reading so many reviews and impressions; I've have always found the Sennheiser sound signature to be pretty awesome for mid and highs, and totally lacking bass. Being what you guys would consider a basshead, I've been disapointed a lot with the HD555 ever since I've had them (5 years+). I've do appriciate them a lot more with jazz/cuban/electronic music, much less so with rock/hiphop/dubstep, because of the lack of deep controller bass.
 
Impressions / mini-review
 
Now for my impressions. When I toyed around with the modi/magni yesterday with my Sennheiser cans, I was somehow afraid I would be disapointed with the DT770. I truly couldn't see any difference between my Fiio E7 and the modi2/magni2; my set of HD555 is only 50Ohm impedance, so it doesn't really benefit from being amped.
 
But today, I finally got to give a try to the DT770, and holy crap, those things are simply awesome! I've never listened to anything sounding as clean and tight as those. The bass is so precise, deep and controlled. The highs are at least as good as the HD555 (which I can't A/B test right now, left them home), and those cans truly make the HD448 feel and sound very cheap. It's simply in another league.
 
The build quality is, like said many times before, very solid. And the comfort is pretty good. I kinda feel like they grip a little too much, but I'm sure it'll loosen up with time. Oh, and the sound isolation is exactly what I wanted: very close to IEMs in isolation level, but much easier to remove/put on the cans; which is a must at work when a coworker needs my attention.
 
And finally, I can actually appreciate *any* type of music with those cans: from hiphop to jazz, it just doesn't matter. I really don't mind them having a V-shaped sound signature, I guess; I just use the DT770 without any sort of EQ and the sound signature fits my taste. So, that's it for now. I'll post more impressions as they get burned-in and as I listen to them more.
 
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Note : My source is a retina macbook pro, 256/320/16bit mp3s mostly, tons of 16bit lossless FLAC/ALAC, and some 24bit lossless alac rips from SACD. I'm using iTunes on OSX, with the OS setup to output 192KHz/24-bit signal to the modi2 through a fairly cheap USB cable (I got some 32awg coming from monoprice, but I really doupt those make a difference at all). Oh, and I got the Psyst RCA cables from Schiit to to connect the modi2/magni2.
 
PS: Sorry about my most likely bad or lackluster use of adjectives regarding my audio impressions, I'm french canadian so bear with me

My Setup
 
Tested with my Dell XPS 8700 desktop going optical out to a Yamaha RX-V365 amp (1/4 inch headphone out). Then going 3.5mm out from the desktop to my SMSL SAP III headphone amp. I tried it through on-board audio directly from my Dell inspiron laptop, then with the SAP III amp in the mix also. I played various files (FLAC, MP3, M4A) at different bit rates using the fubar2000 media player with all EQ off. I purchased my DT 770 used off a professional DJ. They are several years old and have had their fair share of abuse. I will be comparing this headphone with my Sennheiser HD 600 throughout this review. Although the HD 600 is an open back design at double the price, it's useful to compare it as a benchmark.

 
 
 
Design/Comfort (8/10)
 
A photo or video can’t really portray the quality of the materials used on this headphone. The plastics are thick and have a high quality “thud” when you hit them. The headband is made of solid steel wrapped with a leatherette cushion held on with button clips. A thicker piece of steel is used to suspend the drivers and forms the adjustable portion of the headband. The two steel pieces are held together with a solid piece of plastic fastened with two large screws on either end. The whole assembly attaches securely with screws to the drivers. The overall design is refreshingly simple and incredibly durable. Indeed they do say “Made in Germany” and it shows in the craftsmanship. Given all the steel material it only weighs 9.5oz, a mere 0.3 oz more than the HD 600. Overall I give a clear edge to the DT 770 in materials and craftsmanship.
 

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In terms of styling, it’s clearly function over style with this one. It looks fine, you’re just not going to make any fashion statements with it. The HD 600 does look better on and off the head, hands down. Velour ear pads are simply divine, and these are no exception. Looking more closely I realized the ear pads are actually a vented leatherette material on the backside. You normally wouldn’t see this unless you peel them back. This portion is stitched to the front portion of velour. This design provides improved isolation and bass extension while maintaining optimal comfort. The coiled cable design is not my favorite though, and unfortunately it’s not replaceable. The cable is quite heavy and I just can’t stand having cable tension weighing down on my headphones. My remedy was to tie it to something to give me more slack where I wanted it. I much prefer the light and hugely long cable of the HD 600 which you can simply fold up and tie to your liking. Some like that it’s terminated to one side. This really doesn’t matter to me. I much prefer the HD 600 cable and the fact it’s replaceable is just a bonus.
 

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Minus the cable, all the parts are replaceable on this headphone, just like the HD 600. However, when it comes to durability, the DT 770 takes the cake. Like many others my HD 600 got the cracked headband within months. The best warranty is no warranty issues at all. This DT 770 has had years of abuse and outside of the worn out lettering, you could barely tell. The metal and higher quality plastics contribute to this, but it’s also just a more durable headband design.
 

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I have been an avid open back headphone user because with my glasses and fat head I always had issues with the clasping force on closed headphones. This was not a problem with the DT 770. Clasping force for me is perfect, and the headband support on the top of the head is adequate. The other issue I’ve always had with closed headphones is heat. Within a couple hours I usually start sweating. After several hours of use the DT 770 got warm but never to the point of sweating. Being a heavy, durable full sized headphone of a closed design, this level of comfort is unparalleled. Overall I still consider the HD 600 more comfortable. This is due to the lighter weight, roomier oval ear cups, and even more breathable open design. That being said, the DT 770 is definitely not uncomfortable by any means, and remains the most comfortable closed headphone I have ever used. Overall I give it 8/10 for the annoying cable design and lackluster styling.
 

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Sound (9/10)
 
Any desktop grade amplifier or amplified sound card will have plenty of power. Onboard audio (unamplified) on laptops or desktops will get loud enough in the 75-100% range. However, bass extension improves significantly when amplified. Even with my $70 SMSL amp I noticed a significant improvement, without the need to ever pass 50% volume. You can get this headphone with lower impedances if needed, but any powered amp will have plenty of power. In terms of power it requires about the same as the HD 600 in my setup.
 

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My first impression of the DT 770 was the improved bass extension. I was expecting this coming from an open design, but the HD 600 is no slouch in the bass department either. Bass manages to stay tight and completely honest. The moment the track calls for deep lows you feel them, but then and only then. I found myself asking “At what cost does this improved bass come?” So I threw some strong female vocals at it. The highs were very crisp, more in your face than the highs of the HD 600, but never harsh, even at unsafe volumes. Because of this, the mids took a bit of a back seat when compared to the mouth-watering mids of the HD 600. Moving on to more complex compositions, separation was outstanding across the spectrum. Sound stage is really great for a closed headphone. Better than my Sennheiser HD 25-1 II. It won’t have your head turning to locate that “noise” in the room like the HD 600 does. However, every instrument and vocal is always separate and it never sounds boxy. This could be in part to the ported design of the drivers. So “At what cost does this improved bass come?” Slightly laid back mids and a smaller sound stage. Overall I give it a fantastic 9/10.
 
 
Verdict (9/10)
 

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To be fair the DT 770 is half the price of the HD 600. All things considered you get a better value with the DT 770. Beyerdynamic manages that with superior materials and durability. You do get slightly laid back mids and a smaller sound stage with lackluster styling. However, you're still getting a completely honest representation with superior bass, durability, and isolation, without sacrificing much comfort. If needed the laid back mids can be easily remedied by EQing the highs down a tad. If you need isolation and are not looking for portability this is probably the best headphone money can buy, even at double it's price point. For my purposes I still prefer the open back design, but I still use the DT 770 in cases where I need to work in a noisy environment. I give it a 9/10 due to the cable design and lackluster styling.
 
As a result of my positive impression of the DT 770 I am itching to get my hands on the open back DT 990. This would be a more interesting comparison to the HD 600. A friend has a pair of 990's I plan to borrow in the next few months. I will post a comment with a link to my DT 990 review when I get to it.
 
Edit: I have posted my DT 990 review now.

I am really surprised to see so many positive reviews on the DT 770.  To my ears, the sound this headphone renders is muffled.  To my ears they sound as though someone has placed a heavy cloth over the microphones before recording.  That muffled sound distracts from the details heard from the music.  The frequency range is not well balanced on these headphones, in my opinion.  The mid frequency range is too loud compared to the rest.  There isn't enough for my tastes from the high and low frequencies.   This is definitely not a headphone I would use for any type of audio recording analysis.  Their sound is dull and boring, in my opinion. 

Though these are by no means perfect headphones, their price and excellent bass make them one of the best headphones you can buy for under $200.
 
These headphones are very fun to listen to. They give a very forward, full sound that completely immerses you in your music. Bass is deep and boomy, and felt a somewhat uncontrolled compared to other headphones I've owned. Treble sounds fine and there isn't much sibilance. Mids seem to be nice and flat, but can be completely washed out by the bass and treble. These are probably the most closed-sounding headphones I've owned, in that the bass sticks around for too long, recessing the mids. The soundstage is also very small, there is some positional audio, but everything always seems to be right next to your head. All of this is made worse as you turn the volume up. Isolation is fairly good, but I've heard other isolating headphones that don't display this many drawbacks.
 
While these headphones are great for music, and don't take too much of a hit from bad recordings, they are awful for gaming. Okay, they're fine if you're playing a Telltale game, but start up counter-strike and it's just a big muddy mess. I don't recommend them for gaming. Again, the low frequencies quickly overwhelm everything else, and the lack of depth in the soundstage shows as well. I also don't think these are great headphones for mixing and/or mastering, because they aren't flat at all. These headphones are great and fun for music, but not a whole lot else. They are easily driven by my portable amp, and the construction makes them ideal for wearing them outside the house. The only drawback is that they're kind of large.
 
These are rock solid headphones. They may not look like it, but these things are very solid. Many of the parts can be easily removed for cleaning. I never have to worry about breaking them. They are also very comfortable. I love the earpads and the headband is very nice as well. The headband can become slightly uncomfortable after a long session, but take a few minutes off and you're good to go again. The cable is a bit heavy but you get used to it after a few hours.
 
Overall, don't let the cons deter you. For under $200, this is an amazing headphone.

I've spent most of my life with open type cans. A year ago, after moving into an apartment, we decided to make some changes which necessitated me to get closed headphones. This way I would not disturb my wife and vice versa, I wouldn't be disturbed by the noise of others.
 
For various reasons - price being one of them (no more than $200) - I chose the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm.
 
Audio setup: CD collection ripped to flac -> Gmusicbrowser / ALSA on Linux using a bitperfect configuration -> Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card with integrated headphone amp -> DT770 (using the cards headphone amp output)
 
The first impression is that they are extremely comfortable to wear, even for someone with glasses. I can sit and enjoy music or movies for hours and hours without the headphones bothering me. These are definitely the most comfortable cans I ever wore. Another bonus of the spacious over-the-ear design is that they always sit properly and don't block high frequencies etc., something I noticed when comparing them to the AKG K 142 HD on-ear headphones which require careful positioning else the highs get blocked.
 
Soundwise the DT 770 Pro aren't flat - both bass and treble are a little enhanced, and the midrange a little recessed. This usually doesn't bother me, as the headphones are very musical. No matter what I play, the DT 770 reproduce the music, and not just a summary of sounds. Complex passages of classical music are clearly resolved with no effort. The sound stage is quite wide, considering the closed design.
 
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong come alive on Gershwins "Porgy & Bess" recording. Rachelle Ferrell on "First Instrument" is powerful and detailed. Montserrat Caballe's "Puccini Arias" are a joy to listen to.
 
With modern music the DT 770 are capable of delivering a nice punch in the bass and sweet highs without sounding harsh, even at concert volume levels.
 
Jazz tracks such as Lew Tabackins "Tenority" are played with authority, so is Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" (the remastered "Gold" CD).
 
Is the DT 770 Pro perfect? No! It's recessed mids are clearly noticeable. But the DT 770 has a musical signature that makes it worth auditioning.
 
I'm also using the DT 770 in my home theatre where it's driven by an Audiolab 8000A. The closed design and great audio quality lets me immerse into the movies, without getting on the nerves of my neighbours.
 
Would I recommend the DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm? For use in a system with a headphone amp - yes!

I am completely re-doing my review on these headphones because I think that these cans deserve it!
 
I would say that the beyerdynamic dt770 pro 250 ohm are the best closed back headphones under 500$ or even perhaps 1000$ if you have a good enough source to bring out their full potential.  I say this because these headphones offer a true uncolored sound that stays truthful thoughtout the whole frequency response.  Nothing is boosted in any way but these are tuned to deliver a completely flat response with little to no distortion.
 
Bass : The bass is strong, tight, controlled, and does not get boomy or muddy unless the song itself is not properly recorded.  You will not hear bass this good in a 180$ dollar headphone. The sub bass is the best I've ever heard yet.  It is well extended and very present with a satisfying rumble that can please a basshead.  The quality and quantity are both good and could satisfy anyone.
 
Mids : Not ressesed at all but the mids are full and lush with a lovely separation of instruments and live sound that gives the music energy and punch.  Also super clear with good resolution and definition that gives you everything in the song.
 
Highs : a little on the soft and dark side but very smooth and plentiful.  Some might want a warmer sound or even a brighter sound but you will love how easy it is to listen to these cans.
 
Soundstage : The soundstage is super wide and has amazing instrument separation for a closed back.  These do not sound like it's in your head but the music surrounds you and sounds very realistic.
 
Comfort : The comfort of these headphones is on par with the hd800s.  Which are some of the most comfortable in the world to date along with the Philips Fidelio x1.
 
 
Durability : These are made with metal and high quality plastic that will last a lifetime.

If you are like me and listen to a wide variety of music then look no further than the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO.  God bless the Germans.  Top quality construction and sounds brilliant across a broad range of musical genres.  Great price on Amazon to top it all off.  Couldn't be happier.

I won mine at an eBay auction, slightly used and all reviews really live up to the fullest except for some over hyped cans which I have also tested before I decided to have this set.
So to presume mine has already burned in, was thinking of making it as my main home rig but I need to find a decent amp to unleash its might wherein my Fiio E17 couldn't contrary to the rave of this combo. I am using it mainly as a gaming headset as I have a very sluggish laptop and it takes a while set this baby up. I use it with my xbox - analog optical audio adapter - optical cable to the fiio e17 and finally this DT Pro 770 Pro and I could say it really has a solid performance, always I am on MW3 multiplayer and I could accurately hear footsteps and help me with better killstreaks.
As for my LAPTOP/PC audio setup I use foobar+asio fiio drivers+e17 and I could say it sounded neutral (punch and sparkle eq setting). I need to have me a decent amp to make a final conclusion. Will definitely recommend to everyone looking for a pro sounding all around over the ear headphones. Will update soon with better details