Beyerdynamic Tesla T1 (Gen 1) review
*May include some crappy comical memes*
After owning so much dynamic headphones, I stumbled upon the T1.
I loved it; except I *accidentally* made hole in the diaphragm while I was trying to reconnect that less-than-hair-thick-cable that I popped out from driver to circuit.
I still had some headphones that I had before buying the T1; Sennheiser HD598,650,700 and AKG K712 (and M70x, but m70x is closed back).
the closest headphones that produced "right" sound signature to me, was HD700, except it was slightly bright, with tight bass. I decided I'd just use this HD700 till end of my life.
Except we all know, when we realize something else does better job for you, you're not going to buy something worse than one you had/listened to it.
This was exactly what happened to my life. Make holes on bank account out of some $1400 military paycheck that I'd been screwing around, while I was on training (and couldn't pass the training because of damn push-ups).
I've decided to sell all my headphones, except for one closed-back and one open-back.
the Ah-d5000 (I solved the bass issue by EQing it), and the HD700.
Except I also sold the HD700 because I wanted the T1 sound back.
bye bye, Sennheiser.
TL;DR: being an audiophile does break your bank account.
Welcome to Head-fi. Now, hand over your bank account so we can slaughter your piggy bank.
First Impression
The musicality.
smooth bass, mids, mids mids. the soundstage. very impressive, many wows.
the detail. I have yet to find any of my headphones having T1-like detail (except for AKGs, but my K712 was too bassy for me; didn't go really well with classicals either)
(more or less)
In-depth review
unboxing/packaging
Luckily, the last owner of this T1 had everything with the original packaging (thanks punit.)
It comes on a box, like all other headphones.
Except there's another aluminum box that looks like a tank armour (maybe I can shoot a crossbow bolt onto it, except the box looks really expensive to build).
Stronk Beyerdynamic case.
yep, obviously put something expensive on expensive-looking box so people can steal it!
Comfort/build
extremely comfortable. Only thing that can match T1 comfort that I had on my inventory was HD700.
HD700 pads are softer however; the headphones itself, is lighter than T1 (because most of the parts are made out of plastic *COUGH COUGH*)
The build?
No, seriously.
Most parts are made out of steel.
There's steel frame inside the headband (which is leather), the cup is steel.
the only part that is not steel, is frame inside the headphones (but It wouldn't matter because they are covered by steel), and the plastic that covers ends of leather headband.
very, very strong steel headphones.
(jet fuel can't melt steel beams)
Some thoughts about design..
The Gen 1 T1 (yes, beyerdynamic released the Gen 2 T1 if you were wondering) does not have detachable cable, while my T1 from punit had the 4 pin mini xlr detachable cable mod (aka audzeze style), done by BTG audio. the stock cable, is bulky, heavy, and long (10 ft)
Im using 5N PCOCC silver-plated cable (4ft) for this review.
Sound
Source: MSI GT72 (here comes the *overpriced* gaming laptop)
USB connections to FiiO E18 > Audioquest Evergreen cable > Schiit (pronounced shih-tah) > 6.5mm gold plated jack > 3.5mm gold plated jack+5N PCOCC silver plated 4ft cable > T1
Summary: Insanely immersive, huge soundstage (only HD800 can beat the size of soundstage IMO, maybe AKG)
detail: you probably aren't going to scoop out of everything that you can find, but I was able to hear some breathing of vocalists and instrument players. HD800 is the way for scooping out the details. Overall sound signature is very natural, compared to the HD800, while HD800 mainly focuses of being neutral/reference class.
And dare I say that T1 gives sense of realism.
Bass:
you do get the sense of feeling that bass is there. T1 is not bass heavy IMO, but it certainly does have some impact.
Sub-bass reproduction, is very transparent
excellent if you don't want to have bass impact over other frequencies (unlike the bassheavy ah-d5000, which I had to EQ the bassrange by 3dbl)
from my memory, HD700 has more bass impact than the T1.
track used for bass testing: FTL: Faster Than light (Original SoTundtrack), Space Cruise (title track)/Last Stand
(256kbps AAC. damn you iTunes, where is my lossless download option)
Mids:
Best part of the T1, IMO.
maybe the part that makes T1 shining because of it's musicality over HD800. (But T1 certainly is not neutral compared to HD800)
Liquid and Fun; at least for me. One more credit to the T1 for the musicality that it provides to my ear.
Clarinets from the Brahms sound just so fun, with the spacious/soundstage that T1 has.
(When I grow up, I'm gonna get a Stax-009...)
Tracks used: Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115: Adagio (Johannes Brahms), by BBC Music. (16bit 1411kbps PCM)
Treble:
HERE COMES THE LISTENING FATIGUE!!!
(not really)
Treble on T1 isn't that reavling compared to my 10-minutes session of HD800 and months of listening on HD700.
Musicality over detail, Im presuming. Again, you can see it's there, and for me, the treble on T1 isn't bothering me at all (im using magni 2 as amp with E18 as dac.)
Pokemon Omega Ruby&Alpha Sapphire soundtrack: Ever Grande City, 256kbps AAC (damn you iTunes again)
Klavierkonzert Nr. 17 KV 453-I, Allegro, 16bit 1411kbps PCM.
Not really revaling/netural as HD800, but it's not making me deaf or make my ear ring; so that's good.
you probably won't need them tubes to tame 8Khz bothersome treble on T1.
You certainly will (and probably put hot sauce over HD800) need a tube to calm the treble down on HD800.
that's me after demo of HD800 in stereo exchange, manhattan NY.
(except I didn't had earbleed, but my ear was pretty darn hurt. thanks, sennheiser)
Soundstage/Detail/Imaging
T1 a King derp of Dynamic headphones along with HD800, well.
Insanely large soundstage, precise and more like layered feelings of imaging.
I wouldn't tell someone that T1 is revealing, however. HD800 is way to go, IMO.
But, soundstage of T1 with imaging/airyness/detail sure does give sense that T1 is very fun headphones to listen with.
Overall:
Yeah, it's expensive. again, welcome to head-fi.
but for price range of going around $600, while HD800 is at $900ish? your opinion, I guess.
Pros: pretty much everything to me, really, plus the fun sound.
Cons: (for people who don't have T1 with detachable cable mod) cable is heavy and bulky.
Yeah, I know high-ends were meant to use it at home, but my E12 drives T1 really well (40% volume knob at 0 gain).
The design: Typical beyerdynamic design, but it sure does look $waggy enough to wear it on your neck.
It might be more durable/look cooler if beyer used aluminum part for the plastic area that covers ends of headphones (aka where it shows S/N).
Very comfortable. often times, it just disappears from my head aswell.
I tip my fedora to you sir, Beyerdynamic.
My next headphones? Stax, I bet. someone should recommend me some fun sounding headphones that surpasses T1 imaging/detail/mids/staging.
Update 1:
I just got my asgard (not the asgard 2) amp.
T1 gets gets more of smoother, realistic sounding bass, while it gets slightly darker, it still retains it's tonal balance (i'd say the amp makes T1 more natural rather than netural).