beyerdynamic DTX 350 p Portable Headphones

The construction is a bit flimsy and the power cord is a little too short and non replaceable. But they are lightweight and quite comfortable. Sound was initially very clear and detailed with a wide frequency range. However, the sound has degraded after less than one month of very light use. The left driver/earcup has developed a problem. Holding the earcup against the ear causes the driver to alternately work fine, or lose volume and frequency range. So I am forced to seek warranty repairs. Fortunately, Beyerdynamics include a 2 year warranty, a huge advantage compared to the lame 90 day warranty for the more expensive Sony headphones (Sony's repair warranty is also a paltry 90 days). But with the driver problem, I cannot recommend them. 

UPDATE - BUYER BEWARE: I've owned these headphones for about seven months, and the headband just snapped FOR THE SECOND TIME. The headband broke the first time after about 4 months of regular use and I treat my headphones with care. Mailed them back and Beyer repaired them for free. However, they just snapped again today and it's only been three months since the last repair. I'm 100% convinced this is a design flaw, because they snapped at the same point both times, and the plastic is quite thin at the location of the break. I've emailed Beyer to see if they'll give me a credit toward a different model, because clearly these have a critical flaw. It's disappointing, because the sound and comfort of the DTX 350p is very good.
 
Original Review:
 
Design/Build Quality: I really like the minimal, all-black design of these cans. The logos are small and not in your face. The plastic frame is lightweight, but doesn't feel flimsy. The build feels fairly solid overall. Headband adjusts easily and has a thin metal support band inside. All the hinges and swivels feel solid, not loose or creaky. I like the flat "no-twist" cables, although a single-sided connection point would have been better. There are some mild microphonics when the cable brushes against my clothing, but pretty minimal and muffled. I have no interest in using these for working out, so it's pretty much a non-issue (I don't really notice it when I'm at my desk). However, the cable length is at least six inches too short, imo. I bought an extension to use these with my desktop (which sits on the floor beneath my desk). If you're using these with a phone or DAP in your front pocket, you'll probably be okay.

Comfort: They felt a tad snug out of the box, but I stretched them overnight, and they felt pretty good after that. The clamping force is not overbearing, yet they feel stable on my head. The earcups are a good size and provide a good amount of padding. The apex of the headband is also nicely padded. I can wear these for six or more hours sitting at my desk without any problems, and I have a fairly large head. The swivels ensure that the cups rest flatly against the ears. Again, these are very lightweight.

Sound: I'm not a hardcore audio guy, so I can't go into tremendous depth on the nuances here, but I'll do my best. My other cans are ATH M50 over-ear, which have excellent sound (in my opinion). Obviously, on-ear phones are not going to be in the same league, but the overall sound is pretty solid on the DTX 350. Highs are fairly crisp, although a little harsh at higher volumes. Mids are good. Bass has some punch but isn't overbearing. I believe the sound on these is actually fairly well-balanced. However, these headphones seem to get harsher at higher volumes. I can listen to music pretty loud on my M50s, but with these I find myself wanting to keep it lower. However, this may have more to do with the on-ear design than the actual sound quality, but I'm not sure. Obviously these offer very little isolation and there is sound bleed, but the trade-off is lightweight portability.

Final Thoughts: If you're looking for "hi-fi sound on a budget," I would invest a little more money on something better, such as ATH M50 or Sennheiser Momentum over-ear. But if you're looking for a small, lightweight pair of on-ear cans for work, commuting or travel, these are a solid choice.

This is a review of Beyerdynamic DTX 350p on-ear headphones.  http://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/shop/dtx-350-p.html
 
I can't believe I almost turned down an opportunity to review these fantastic headphones.  When I was asked by Beyerdynamic if I'm interested to review their new DTX 350p on-ear headphones, I took a quick look and had a flashback of my recently reviewed SoundMagic P21.  I know there is a lot of collaboration going on between different manufacturers where products sometime get rebranded and re-released.  Going by my previous experience of Beyer A200p which was originally released by Astell&Kern under AK10 model, I remember all the fine tuning improvements Beyerdynamic introduced with that DAC/amp.  Therefore, I was curious to find out how DTX 350p turned out to be, and I'm so glad I did!  Here is what I found.
 
Arrived in a slim flat box, I was expecting these headphones to have a very travel-friendly footprint.  Typical for other Beyerdynamic headphones I have tested, I never take with a grain of salt their "writing on the box" since they are usually accurate about describing a sound signature and headphone features.  The packaging box had a lot of info about specifications, accessories (in this case a singular "accessory"), and magnetic folding cover to reveal the actual headphones under a see-through display screen - always an enjoyable unboxing experience.  Out of the box, you find a pair of DTX 350p and a draw string storage bag (the accessory).  This is probably going to be my only negative comment/suggestion, but I truly wish they would have included a large/wider storage bag.  I do understand they are trying to keep the cost down, so no fancy case.  But considering how great these will be when traveling, a good storage case would be important.
 
Headphones itself have a very solid plastic build, with only a metal band going through a headband.  I do have to admit, from the first glance they look identical to P21 in terms of a design and overall dimensions.  But the build quality is night'n'day.  There is no creaking when you twist and rotate DTX 350p, the folding joints are not as loose, and adjustable headband has better latching control to stay in place.  It really felt like a premium quality over P21.  Also, earpads in DTX 350p are softer, bigger, and plushier.  The build and earpads improvement alone justifies $20+ difference between DTX 350p and P21 models.  
 
The design details are the same where earcups rotate 90deg to lay flat on the surface and fold inside of the headband to occupy a minimum space.  Cable is flat, soft, and easy to manage while being tangle free, and it's attached to each earcup.  Also, I sensed no microphonics effect.  The headphone plug is gold plated and has 270deg angle, similar to some other Beyer IEMs.  Inside of the headband at the top, you have a soft layer of foam wrapped in the pleather similar to earpads.  In combination with a comfortable clamping force, these headphones feel very lightweight and provide decent noise isolation.  Keep in mind, this is on-ear design which sits on top of your ear, so it's tricky to get isolation right.  Here, it felt perfect and rivaled even more expensive models from V-Moda (M80 and XS).  Of course, don't expect the same comfort and isolation of T51p, but we are talking about DTX 350p which is 4 times cheaper.
 
So how do these sound?  That's where a thought crossed my mind about $69 DTX 350p being a "giant killer", except Beyerdynamic is usually on the other side of the fence being a "giant" lol!  I often use this term when I compare some budget priced in-ear headphones that come close in performance and design to a more expensive brand name ones.  With DTX 350p I was hearing a rather well balanced sound signature with a little bit of v-shape and enhanced (but not overpowering) bass.  Starting with a low end, bass has a deep sub-bass texture with a nice rumble, and a fast mid-bass punch to drive the beat.  I guess it will be unfair to compare it head-to-head with Tesla drivers of T51p, but for sure the bass was more articulate and better defined than in M80 and XS.  There is no spillage into lower mids, everything was under control.  Mids are clear and detailed, warm and smooth, and a little bit recessed but not too much back to still enjoy presentation of vocals.  Treble is crisp and extended, yet smooth enough without a hint of sibilance.  And to top it off, soundstage has above the average width with an average depth which is expected for on-ear closed back design.
 
Overall, I was very glad I got an opportunity to review DTX 350p which quickly got elevated to the top of my favorite affordable "on-ear" headphones.  On-ear design usually doesn't get as much attention while being stuck between in-ear and full size over-ear, but I think they deserve more credit because of being more portable than full size and offer better isolation and fitment than in-ears (especially for those who hate eartips).  DTX 350p has a great sound signature that will suite any music type because it has a well balanced sound with a nice low end and a clear upper mids.  It's also very convenient when you are traveling since it occupies very little space and offers a decent passive noise isolation when in public, though you are still aware of surrounding.  Considering their price of only $69 - its one heck of a bargain!  My pre-teen kids can use P21, while daddy is going to enjoy his DTX 350p
 
Here are the pictures.