[amerikhan]

So I've owned a set of Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO 80ohm headphones for about 5 months now. I've adjusted them every way you could possibly imagine but still the crappy metal bar and padding that goes over the top of my head puts pressure on the very top and center of my skull. Before the pain that these headphones give off becomes permanent I'd like to swap them out with headphones that are more comfortable on my slightly convex skull, or just fix them I guess.

Anyone have any ideas on salvaging them with a headband replacement? Would this (link here) work?


If I can't fix my 770's to be comfortable what other options do I have aside from just trying a new pair? I primarily use them for listening to hip-hop and drum n bass tracks, watching HD movies, and playing video games where positional sound can determine wither you frag an opponent or them fragging you. Here's my pros and cons with the Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO 80ohm headphones for the 5 months I've had them.

Pros: Very comfortable ear pads, never got sweaty ears
highly rated in the bass department

Cons: headband hurts my head
some treble is too highly pitched and hurts the eardrum

I've now got my eyes set on some Audio Technica ATH-A700s and Denon AH-D2000s. But before I buy I'd like to know if they're going to squeak the **** out of my ears with any high pitched treble, because I really don't need anymore of that. I love heavy relaxing bass. And feel free to recommend me any AMPs/DACs. Right now I'd like to buy a Little Dot MK IV Headphone Amp.

 

[Landis]

Will this be just for gaming? The AD700s shouldn't need an amp as they're quite efficient.

Note that the DT770s should be used with an amp if you weren't already using them on one, but if the headband is killing your head, then that's another story. I like the SRH840 for gaming over my DT770s, but their headphone hurts most folk's heads. For price/performance, the AD700s are usually the top pick for gaming.

 

[amerikhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amerikhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif for listening to hip-hop and drum n bass tracks, watching HD movies, and playing video games

Thanks for the response and yeah I know the 770's need an AMP for the bass to kick in. I'm going to be buying a ASUS Xonar Essence STX sound card which has a built in headphone amp and possibly getting a Little Dot MK IV Headphone Amp with it as well.

I'm considering the ATH-A700's not the ATH-AD700's because those are Open-air and I need enclosed headphones. I'm not sure if the A700's are going to satisfy my lust for bass though, and for the record I'm also looking at the Denon AH-D2000s.

 

[amerikhan]

Maybe I should just look into some extra padding or a replacement headband for my DT 770 cans. Anyone know if something like this (link here) would work?

Anyone know of any other headbands/part sites?

 

[David.M]

why would you spend $450 worth of equipment on something like the dt770(80ohm) can?

Of course, it would make an immense improvement, but that's over-kill.

if your mobo sound card or whatever you use right now is garbage, you will most definitely benefit from a DAC/Amp combination deal.

something like the Zero is usually preferred in your case if you're not going to be upgrading cans anytime soon

ZERO (Tianyun) 24/192 DAC + Headphone Amp (OPA2604) - eBay (item 350226990067 end time Feb-10-10 17:54:09 PST)

but if you can't fix your dt770's headband annoyance, Denon D2000 are excellent in the bass department and should keep make it a worthwhile upgrade over your closed dt770's; not to mention the superb comfort level that the Denon's are known for.

something borderline along the lines of Head Direct EF1/DarkVoice 337 are usually excellent options.

you may want to get a dedicated dac like the Musiland Monitor 02 US or sth if you don't have a dac at all. It smokes cards like Xonar Essence Stx to dust.

 

[amerikhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David.M /img/forum/go_quote.gif why would you spend $450 worth of equipment on something like the dt770(80ohm) can? Of course, it would make an immense improvement, but that's over-kill.

Because out of all the headphone reviews I've read it seems that the majority would think that the dt770's are cans that any bass-head would approve of. From what I've come to realize is that you can buy any headphones but you can't unlock the true potential of those cans till you get an amp to go with it which can be $200+, and that price isn't a factor when it comes to quality as long as the price is reasonable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David.M /img/forum/go_quote.gif if your mobo sound card or whatever you use right now is garbage, you will most definitely benefit from a DAC/Amp combination deal.

Are you saying that I don't need a sound card at all if I go straight for a DAC/AMP combo? What if I just get an AMP and no DAC? How important is the DAC?

Quote:

Originally Posted by David.M /img/forum/go_quote.gif something like the Zero is usually preferred in your case if you're not going to be upgrading cans anytime soon ZERO (Tianyun) 24/192 DAC + Headphone Amp (OPA2604) - eBay (item 350226990067 end time Feb-10-10 17:54:09 PST)

Seems like a solid deal. Would you still recommend this with the Denon D2000?

Quote:

Originally Posted by David.M /img/forum/go_quote.gif Denon D2000 are excellent in the bass department and should keep make it a worthwhile upgrade over your closed dt770's; not to mention the superb comfort level that the Denon's are known for. something borderline along the lines of Head Direct EF1/DarkVoice 337 are usually excellent options. you may want to get a dedicated dac like the Musiland Monitor 02 US or sth if you don't have a dac at all. It smokes cards like Xonar Essence Stx to dust.

Dang you must really think more of the Denon D2000 than the dt770. You ask why I'd be spending $450 in equipment for the dt770 and now you're giving me names of amps costing $800+ (DarkVoice 337).

Chances are I'm probably going to be getting a pair of Denon D2000's soon anyways so I'll take it you recommend those and a MUSILAND Monitor 02 US as my DAC instead of the STX soundcard. What's the STH you mentioned?

So that's putting me at about $140 for the MUSILAND Monitor 02 US and $420 for the Head Direct EF1(EF5). There's so many amps to choose from it makes me feel overwhelmed when it comes to finally making a decision. Honestly I might be obsessed with the Little Dot IV. The amp would cost me $334 total with shipping and it has a lot of stellar reviews and a good description to go with it, and it would look better on my desk haha.

How does the Head Direct EF1(EF5) compare to the Little Dot IV? Is it better for bass? Does it have precise 3-D imaging? Thanks for your response thus far.

EF5 Headphone amplifier
Little Dot MK IV

 

[HeyItsBattleKid]

If you want a quick solution to both of your problems, get some Denon D1001 or Creative Aurvana Live. I used them for gaming, and sound is not hard at all to position with those. Plus!!!!, they don't make many comfier phones, though mine can get a little warm after a few hours.

Otherwise, Denon D2000 + a decent DAC/Amp. The Zero that David.M is quite popular and well regarded (one I'm personally interested in). The uDAC is a bit more recent (also something I'm quite interested in). You and I are in a similar boat. I've got some AD700 on the way for gaming, but plan on using a different set of headphones for music. If you need an all-arounder, I would look closer at the stuff I may have mentioned.

 

[David.M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amerikhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Because out of all the headphone reviews I've read it seems that the majority would think that the dt770's are cans that any bass-head would approve of. From what I've come to realize is that you can buy any headphones but you can't unlock the true potential of those cans till you get an amp to go with it which can be $200+, and that price isn't a factor when it comes to quality as long as the price is reasonable. Don't get me wrong, the beyerdynamic dt770's(closed 80ohm) are great headphones that would most definitely benefit from a amp(preferably solid state because of the low ohm, but tubes can give rich warm texture), but i just think open beyerdynamic cans are pretty much better on every aspect. You probably should of researched more and have gotten the 250 ohm or 600 ohm of the dt990. They are well regarded here and have superb detail for any bass-head lover, unless closed cans are a must? Some exceptionally excellent closed cans just sound amazing(denon d2000 for example) because of its sealed design. it feels open, airy and more alive. Some closed cans are known well for their bass impact, but don't really offer the musicality type feeling. Are you saying that I don't need a sound card at all if I go straight for a DAC/AMP combo? What if I just get an AMP and no DAC? How important is the DAC? That Zero Dac/AMP that i linked you should be a decent match for those closed dt770(80ohm) beyers if all you have right now is the onboard sound card from your cpu. It will drive them without hesitation. Not the mention the awesome sound signature that the Zero is known for after the 200+hour burn in Dac is very crucial. garbage in = garbage out. you can have a million dollar amp, but if your source is worth a bag of 1 dollar Doritos, you're better of jumping out of your window than to hear what comes out of those headphones You don't need a sound card right now since the Zero will compensate with its own DAC. It has a usb interface that works pretty good (from what I've heard) The Zero might not come with the usb cables, but, you can purchase the USB A to USB B cable for so cheap. You can get them for like $2 at monoprice--all of their stuff is really high quality and inexpensive. Get a sound card later down the road, then instead of using usb interface, you can either use Digial Coaxial or Toslink or the toslink from the back of the Zero Dac to your Sound card. You will then receive Digital signal instead of Analog, making everything sound sharper and cleaner than ever before ! Seems like a solid deal. Would you still recommend this with the Denon D2000? ofc. It'll run alright with the Denon D2000, but the Zero's main selling line is the Dac's. The built in amp in the Zero will work "ok" but the better the amp, the better the Denon's will sound. And Denon D2000 are usually picky about their amps Dang you must really think more of the Denon D2000 than the dt770. You ask why I'd be spending $450 in equipment for the dt770 and now you're giving me names of amps costing $800+ (DarkVoice 337). sorry bout that, I don't really know your exact budget so these high-end amps(like the DV/EF1 just pop in my head because they are incredibly incredibly insanely good with the Denon. Chances are I'm probably going to be getting a pair of Denon D2000's soon anyways so I'll take it you recommend those and a MUSILAND Monitor 02 US as my DAC instead of the STX soundcard. What's the STH you mentioned? sth= something. Musiland Monitor 02 US is an excellent choice as well. I have the 01 US version and it works very nicely as a source as opposed to Dac's that coast 3x the price. The Zero is no slouch either. both have built in amp that sound "alright" but they have best bang for the buck written all over. The better you amp, the better your cans will sound. I'll probably go for the Musiland Monitor 02 US cause it's just so much versatile and has a magnificent DAC's that usually range up in the $600 price ratio. So that's putting me at about $140 for the MUSILAND Monitor 02 US and $400 for the Head Direct EF1. How does the Head Direct EF1 compare to the Little Dot IV? Is it better for bass? Don't get the Head Direct EF1 at $400, look for stuff in the For SALE section. You can get it for much cheaper. I remember the Head Direct being for sale for $200 in a christmas special.

Sorry, i'm a bit drunk and answered your questions in Quote form by accident

ok the black was not looking good on the eyes, so i switched answers to red

your questions = black

my answers = red

holy SH*&, i need coffee. now

 

[TheRookie52]

How would you say the sound quality is for the DT770 Pros you have?
and im sort of a basshead too so how would you say the bass is?

To fix the tightness of your headphones you can try putting them around the pc case of a desktop computer or put a few textbooks in between them for about a day or so.

 

[amerikhan]

*edit* just found a Head Direct EF5

Thanks a lot David.M I'm gonna go straight through with your recommendations and get hooked up with the gear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRookie52 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How would you say the sound quality is for the DT770 Pros you have? and im sort of a basshead too so how would you say the bass is? To fix the tightness of your headphones you can try putting them around the pc case of a desktop computer or put a few textbooks in between them for about a day or so.

I can't comment on the DT770's since I haven't been using them with an AMP (couldn't decide on one before). I've tried to fix the headphones the way you described before with the desktop case/book but still got that pain on the top of my head while wearing them.

 

[duk]

I had the same problem with the headband.
There's a piece of rubber under the padding in the middle of the headband, removing it helped for me.
Its easy to remove, just unbutton the padding and snap the rubber piece out.
Shoud be much more comfortable after that

 

[Ironbuket]

So I've owned a set of Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO 80ohm headphones for about 5 months now. I've adjusted them every way you could possibly imagine but still the crappy metal bar and padding that goes over the top of my head puts pressure on the very top and center of my skull. Before the pain that these headphones give off becomes permanent I'd like to swap them out with headphones that are more comfortable on my slightly convex skull, or just fix them I guess.

Sorry for resurrecting such an old thread, but I have the same problem and this is the only hit when searching about this issue. I've had my DT770 pros over a year and I still get pain after very long (3hrs+) wearing them. When I first got them, it started hurting after just 1hr (I may have got used to the pain). I believe it's caused by the leather in the headband wrinkling up and causing pressure points. If you look at the top of the headband it's smooth, but the under side (the side touching your head) creates about 20 peeks. They are soft(ish) peeks, but they are still peeks and the pressure is not evenly distributed across your head.
 
The side pressure of the cans thankfully reduced over time. Though just as with the headband, that still starts to hurt after really long sessions.
 
If they used some kind of stretch material for the headband this issue wouldn't exist. Really surprised considering the age of this model that this issue hasn't already been addressed.