[ADUHF]

A little update on my sich. I returned the white AT M50x. And thinking about getting a pair of the black ones instead, because the pads seem a bit more pliable on those. One vendor said the pads on the white version are thicker and stiffer because they have a different kind of pleather or coating than the black ones. I'm not sure if that's true. But the pads on most of the black M50x's I've tried seem a little thinner and a little better fitting than the white pads, which really didn't work for me at all. Plus, I just like the black better, in part because it doesn't show the dirt as much.

If I get the black AT M50x, then I may make a thin cloth covering for the earcups to try to make them a bit more comfortable. That has worked ok with other HPs I've owned. Certain types of cloth can attract static electricity though, which is not a good combination with a headphone that has sensitive wiring within. I may also try some aftermarket pads, or just making my own.

I ordered a new pair of the 250 ohm Beyer DT-770 to replace the used pair I currently have. If I can get the store that I bought the used set from to drop their price significantly, then I might keep the used pair instead of, or in addition to the new pair. These are still pretty hard to find though, so I doubt they will discount them any more.

I spoke to Pete at Beyerdynamic again as well, and he said they were expecting another shipment of the 250-ohm DT-770's this week in the North American distribution center. So some retailors (such as Sweetwater) may be getting more Beyers in stock fairly soon.

I will be returning the 80-ohm version of the DT-770. The 250-ohm just seems to be closer to the kind of sound I'm lookin for. Still lookin at a couple other potential options as well, like the AKG K371. And at some different methods for driving the headphones.

I also did do another listening session at GC recently, which included the AT M40x and M50x, AKG K371, and Senn 280 Pro. I think the 250-ohm DT-770, with some EQ-ing to tweak the treble and bass and L/R balance, is still my favorite of the lot. With the M50x probably still in the runner-up position. I like the sound of the M40x and AKG K371 as well though. The M40x seemed a little too rolled off in the sub-bass. (Though that could probably be ameliorated with an EQ). And seemed a bit less comfortable than the M50x. Though none of the ATH HPs is really that comfortable for me it seems. And I still intensely dislike the hinges and headband extenders on the AKG K371.

I think the only open-back I'm considering at this point is the Beyer DT-990 250-ohm. Though I still have some interest in a couple other models, such as the Senn 58x, and maybe the AT R70x (which is currently a bit more than $250). I like good bass extension though, so open HPs are somewhat lower on my list of priorities than closed-backs right now. I'd like to give one or two of these a try though, at some point, because the open-backs have a different sound.

I also wish I could find a nice flat, reliable, solid-state headphone amp, with balanced (+4 dBu) and unbalanced (-10 dBV) inputs, and switchable impedance for around $100-150. That would make things a bit easier in my setup. I visited a smaller audio shop near me that caters to more expensive audiophile listeners, but they didn't really have anything for less than around $500. And only carried Grado, B&W and Audeze HPs... None of which interest me at the moment. Amps are probably a topic for a different discussion though. And I'm still not sure I have the bread for a separate headamp at this point.

I also returned the DBX graphic EQ, for now.

Still also not a big fan of the fixed coiled cable on the 250-ohm DT-770. Though so far it has only been a minor distraction.

 

[ADUHF]

And I still intensely dislike the hinges and headband extenders on the AKG K371.

I'm not a huge fan of the complex hinging/collapsing arrangement on the AudioTechnicas either. And it always takes a few moments of fumbling with the cups to make sure I'm putting them on the right way. I can see where they might have some practical applications in a studio environment though.

It'll be interesting to see if the new DT-770 sounds any different than the more broken-in used one I have already as well.

 

[ADUHF]

New arrival! That was damn quick. Hope they sound as good as they look.

The packaging is very basic on these. It's sturdy, but just made of some medium weight cardboard. And the only accessories are a 1/4" adapter for the jack, and a lightweight black vinyl bag with a drawstring for carrying them. Very simple stuff. I like that.

 

[ADUHF]

The new and used 250 ohm DT-770's do sound different. And I think much of it may have to do with earpads, which are thinner, flatter and more worn on the used pair. I'll try swapping the pads on the two headphones to see if that makes a difference though.

The new HPs with the stiffer, thicker pads sound a bit clearer, brighter and more precise than the old headphones. The bass is also a little boomier sounding on the new HPs, which I don't like so much. The older HPs have a somewhat warmer, looser, louder, and more "intimate" sound. And they also seem to reach down into the lower registers with a bit more ease, and less boominess. They are maybe not quite as accurate or precise sounding though.

Will probably be ordering a new amp this week to try with these. One which is a bit more "audiophile" grade*, with more power & lower impedance than the headamps on the mixers I've been using. Signal path will probably go somethin like this...

🖥 Samsung TV

➡ (Optical)

Insignia D/A Converter

➡ (RCA)

🎛 Mixer/Equalizer

➡ (XLR)

Amplifier

➡ (1/4" TRS)

Headphones

The Insignia DAC (Model NS-HZ313) is just a cheap little converter I got at Best Buy for ~$30 to convert my TV's TOSLINK optical output to analog audio, so I can run it into a standard amp or mixer. It also works with coaxial.

(*Except for the price $$.)

 

[ADUHF]

Switched the pads on the new and used 250 ohm DT-770's, and it definitely seems to make a difference in the sound. The newer, thicker, stiffer pads definitely give the headphones a somewhat different sound quality to my ears than the older thinner pads.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The HD 600 is an all time killer headphone. It is difficult to beat it for any amount of money (that I have).

The DT1770 is a nice pair of cans also. But both 300 ohm Sennheisers and 250 ohm Beyers need a good amp to sound like they should.

 

[ADUHF]

The DT1770 is a nice pair of cans also. But both 300 ohm Sennheisers and 250 ohm Beyers need a good amp to sound like they should.

Thank you for the reply, gimmeheadroom. Don't know much about the DT-1770 beyond what I've seen in the way of graphs and read on Rtings. But I tend to agree about the amp for the 250 ohm Beyers. The 250 ohm DT-770's sound pretty good with the headamps on my mixers. But those are higher impedance than a typical portable device. I would also like to see how these HPs perform on a better quality amp though with more power. And am working on getting that organized. More when I know more on that.

I am also planning on getting a lower impedance headphone, which would be a little better suited to lower impedance portable devices... in addition to the 250 ohm DT-770's. Pretty sure it'll be a (black) AT M50x, since I found a pretty good deal on those. Though there are still a couple other models I'm considering, such as the AKG K371. All of the above are difficult to find right now locally. I think the separate headamp I'm considering would be low enough in impedance though and also high enough in power to drive either a higher impedance HP like the 250 ohm DT-770, or a lower impedance HP like the AT M50x. That is my hope anyway.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I got a powerful amp recently and a new pair of DT1770s at the same time. When I tried the DT1770s they were kinda meh ok I guess this is the way they are. Then I ran the amp on gain position 2 out of 4 and the DT1770s came alive. So now I know that these 250 ohm Beyers need voltage to sound best, just like the 300 ohm Sennheisers do. There are probably tens of thousands of people who don't use enough amp with these headphones and don't have any idea how great they can sound.

Take another look at the HD 25s before you buy the AT M50X. They look weird and make you feel dumb but they scale to amazing heights of sound quality with a good amp and source. And all the HD 25 parts are available, you can build one from parts. There is a healthy aftermarket for them including pads and cables.

 

[ADUHF]

Take another look at the HD 25s before you buy the AT M50X. They look weird and make you feel dumb but they scale to amazing heights of sound quality with a good amp and source. And all the HD 25 parts are available, you can build one from parts. There is a healthy aftermarket for them including pads and cables.

I'll try to give them another look. But I'm not a big fan of on-ears, esp rather tight-fitting ones. I'm sure they are very good though.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I'll try to give them another look. But I'm not a big fan of on-ears, esp rather tight-fitting ones. I'm sure they are very good though.

Ah I missed that part. To be honest I don't like on ears either. I just like the HD 25s for the reason they're non-disposable and capable of great sound. To each his own, headphones are very personal choices. One man's junk is another man's treasure.

As far as the fit goes, my head is neither small nor large but I get enough adjustment range by pulling the cups down an equal number of clicks on both sides and then the dual headstrap holds them on in a secure way without being tight.

 

[ADUHF]

Most of these HPs have become somewhat difficult to find locally. Particularly the Beyers and AudioTechnicas. There are several GCs near me, and also a couple of Sam Ashes. And they have basically been out of stock on most of the better headphones in this price range for the last few months. And as soon as they get new stock in, it usually sells out within a matter of days. I was able to find a new pair of the black AT M50x's for a pretty good price though. And decided to give them a try.

Immediate improvement in the fit over the white version (which has much thicker pads)! I'm still not a fan of the way these headphones fit. But the black version is alot better fitting than the white version, and more comfortable on my poor abused ears. I am trying these, and also the Beyer DT-770's on an ~1-ohm, ~$100 compact desktop amp by Rolls/Bellari, called the HA543...

https://rolls.com/doc/manuals/manual_HA543.pdf

This amp has both unbalanced RCA inputs and also balanced XLR inputs. So it can be used with both consumer, and potentially also +4 dBu pro audio line level inputs. That is my hope anyway. So far, I have only tried the unbalanced RCA inputs. And I am fairly impressed by what I'm hearing so far, for the price.

The used 250 ohm Beyer DT-770's sounded fantastic the moment I plugged them in. The AT M50x is not quite as refined sounding, but also pretty good.

I tend to like headphones which are pretty close to neutral. (Neutral includes some bass imo.) Given the choice though, I will tend to prefer a slightly warmer signature vs. a cooler or brighter sound. And I also like to be able to turn up the sound on my HPs sometimes (though probably not as much as some folks here do).

As I've mentioned before, the M50x does have a little extra emphasis in both the upper bass and the treble, which can give them a somewhat U or V-shaped sound. And they can become a little harsh and heavier-handed when listening at higher volumes as a result. And the new pair I picked up seem fairly consistent with that. They do come across a little overly bright at higher volumes, especially in my left ear, which seems to have less hearing loss in the higher frequencies than my right ear. And maybe also a tad too warm in the upper bass as well.

The drivers on the M50x are angled though. So I tried an experiment, and flipped them so that the left cup was on the right ear, and right cup was on the left ear. And also flipped the RCA inputs on the headamp to compensate. This reduced some of the brightness in the upper mids and treble, making them a little more palatable to my ears at higher volume. There is still alot of high frequency detail coming through with the headphones flipped. But it's less harsh. And not as "in your face" at the higher volumes.

This doesn't fix all the issues with the bumps and dips in their frequency response though. And they still sound a bit uneven, and timbrally off a bit. So some more tweaking with an EQ is still needed imo. If you just want to take a little bit of the edge off the M50x in the treble though, or like a warmer sounding HP, then this trick could be a potentially quick and easy solution for achieving some of that.

The earcups are also tilted at a slight angle relative to the headband. Which means the headband will be positioned a bit farther back on your head, when the headphones are flipped the wrong way around. You can probably twist the earpads (which are slightly oval-shaped) a little to compensate for that though, if needed.

 

[JediMa70]

I had the chance to test for a couple of days the AKG K371 and they sound fantastic BUT they are very delicate, the ones of my friend in few weeks are starting to have issue where they fold, it got losey and it looks like it's going to break soon. This is a real issue and it's stopping me from buying them. What I liked it's the neutral and clear sound and that they are very easy to drive SO... I dont want to risk to buy headphones that will break soon and so there's just ATH M50X? Becasue when i tested them some time ago they didn't sound that neutral

 

[ADUHF]

I had the chance to test for a couple of days the AKG K371 and they sound fantastic BUT they are very delicate, the ones of my friend in few weeks are starting to have issue where they fold, it got losey and it looks like it's going to break soon. This is a real issue and it's stopping me from buying them. What I liked it's the neutral and clear sound and that they are very easy to drive SO... I dont want to risk to buy headphones that will break soon and so there's just ATH M50X? Becasue when i tested them some time ago they didn't sound that neutral

Imo, you should get what sounds (and fits) good to you. The M50x is neutral-ish... like many of the other headphones here. It is all a question of degree though. And what sounds good to you that really matters. If you don't like the sound, then they will just collect dust, and be a waste of your money.

Since I use EQ on pretty much all my headphones, the tonal balance doesn't have to be perfect for me out of the box. Because I can tweak it to sound the way I want. That's why I also pay attention to other features like the fit, comfort, easy of use, durability, impedance, distortion, etc.. And take all the above into consideration.

I probably will not use the AT M50x as much as the DT-770's, because I like the sound on the latter alot better. I wanted them mainly as a point of reference for their neutral-ish sound. And because they are somewhat easier to drive than the 250 ohm DT-770. The black M50x is actually pretty comfortable for me. I was surprised by that, because the ones I've tried previously seemed to clamp my ears more tightly than these. So maybe they changed the tension on them a little.

There is no perfect headphone though, esp. in this price. So you take what you can get, and try to work with it the best you can. I think I can probably work with some of the deficiencies on both the DT-770, and maybe also on the AT M50x for now. But maybe others cannot... And maybe my opinions on them will also change, as I begin to use them more.

There are other options out there to consider as well, such as the Sennheisers, the Beyer DT-150 for ~$200, which some here also seem to like. And other HPs that I'm sure you've already thought of. So the DT-770, K371, and M50X are not the only games in town.

I liked the sound of my old AKG K553's (after some tweaking with an EQ). But they also had some design-related issues as well. And the K371 seemed to be riddled with QC issues when they were first released. So that's one of the reasons I'm trying to steer clear of the AKG's this time, and try something different. I'm sure I will find a few issues with the Beyers and AudioTechnicas as well though. And maybe your friend can figure out a way to fix the issues on the K371, so they will work more reliably.

The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro also needs some EQ-ing imo, to really sound decent. But maybe another closed Sennheiser headphone, like the HD 569, would be more up your alley. (?) Alot of folks seem to like Sennheisers.

Also, if you don't like the AT M50x, then you might try one of the other AudioTechnicas, like the M40x. Because it has a somewhat different sound. They are not quite as well-extended in the bass, and a bit withdrawn in the mids. And the pads were not quite as comfortable for me as the M50x. But some people seem to like the sound of the M40x better than the more "sparkly" M50x.

 

[JediMa70]

In italy something to consider is also what's available and for what price, for example the HPs are above 200 euro (so really overpriced) and also really often not available. Now on Amazon.it also ATH M50X is not available anymore.. (pretty weird) so all of this makes more complicated to decide becasue here you have to add these 2 extra points to the list. I don't know the Senn HD 569 i hardly found any review and I guessed that are not so good.. I had the open back and they were fine but not so good. I tried the ATH M40X but I liked the M50X more. So my biggest concern is just bout the folding part of the AKG 371, because comfort wise are perfect, very easy to drive and I like the sound too. And what about Sennheiser HD 599 SE?

 

[m1ndripper]

I think everybody should listen to HD6xx/HD600/HD650 just to hear what true reference sounds like on a budget. It will allow you to gather what sort of sound signature you like (e.g. if you like more treble/bass you may prefer your DT770/M50 more). However you do need a decent DAC/amp solution to truly hear the potential (which def puts it over the $250 budget).