Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO // DT 1990 PRO MK II -- Impressions Thread

[FritzS]

.......
The HD600 is more for relaxed listening.

Yes, I have the HD600 for that, it's better for relaxt than the HD490 Pro mixing and much better than a DT1990 (analytic).

And trust me that’s not how live instruments sound like.
Violins up close are LOUD. And they need to be to project into a concert hall. Trumpets ? Forget about it.
One of the reasons musicians don’t have stereos at home is that after a day of rehearsal they want to go home to peace and quiet.

Hifi in some regards is good that it doesn’t represent completely what a live performance sounds like, or we would all be deaf. I’m exaggerating of course. lol.

But to each their own. Some like a softer more polite presentation.

A piccolo flute (actually a small thing) whistles quite loudly - has to fill a concert hall with sound without a PA.

 

[FritzS]

A little quick test:
Horowitz concert, opening applause sounds more natural with HD600 than with DT1990 Pro analytic, despite EQ 8kHz -5dB
With DT1990 flat the applause sounds somehow unnaturally pointed. With the HD600 natural, real as usual.

Grand piano: DT1990 a kind of metallic sounding buzz (with and without EQ). HD600 rounder, warmer, without this metallic, a tad less fine resolution.
Cross-check with Austrian.Audio Composer, this metallic buzz is missing (without EQ). Composer is not analytically tuned.

HD490 Pro mixing sound signature roughly between HD600 and Composer.

 

[Nkam]

A little quick test:
Horowitz concert, opening applause sounds more natural with HD600 than with DT1990 Pro analytic, despite EQ 8kHz -5dB
With DT1990 flat the applause sounds somehow unnaturally pointed. With the HD600 natural, real as usual.

Grand piano: DT1990 a kind of metallic sounding buzz (with and without EQ). HD600 rounder, warmer, without this metallic, a tad less fine resolution.
Cross-check with Austrian.Audio Composer, this metallic buzz is missing (without EQ). Composer is not analytically tuned.

HD490 Pro mixing sound signature roughly between HD600 and Composer.

While I might agree with you with most of that, the Sennheisers don’t represent the weight of instruments as well. Yes they are rounder, but to me as a musician that’s not how instruments sound.
Don’t get me wrong the Sennheisers sound great and maybe have more texture compared to the 1990.
I think what most bothered me by them was the blob of a soundstage. Second was the lack of weight and punch. The 490pro is a bit better than the HD600 in that aspect. I think the soundstage of the HD600 is better than the 490pro as well.

You should try the Oratory EQ for the Beyers and make some small adjustments to taste. I like that for my ears. I have around 3 EQ settings I use based on the Oratory EQ for my Beyers. They are just slightly different.

 

[kman1211]

While I might agree with you with most of that, the Sennheisers don’t represent the weight of instruments as well. Yes they are rounder, but to me as a musician that’s not how instruments sound.
Don’t get me wrong the Sennheisers sound great and maybe have more texture compared to the 1990.
I think what most bothered me by them was the blob of a soundstage. Second was the lack of weight and punch. The 490pro is a bit better than the HD600 in that aspect. I think the soundstage of the HD600 is better than the 490pro as well.

You should try the Oratory EQ for the Beyers and make some small adjustments to taste. I like that for my ears. I have around 3 EQ settings I use based on the Oratory EQ for my Beyers. They are just slightly different.

Weight and solidity of instruments is something Beyers tend to do better than most headphones. Though the headphone I found to have the most weight to its sound as a whole would have to be the Beyer DT 48/480; they have a weight, physicality, and solidity to their sound I have yet to hear replicated with other headphones, it’s rather uncanny how much physical presence they have with vocals and instruments. The DT 1990, etc. isn’t even close to those in that aspect and the DT 1990 is a headphone that excels at it. Only issue is they are old and the FR balance is lacking and it’s a challenge getting their bass presence up to proper levels (despite having a lot of physicality and solidity in the bass), so I don’t suggest those for normal listening unless you’re willing to modify and maybe eq them. Luckily inherent timbre, etc. is excellent on those drivers.

 

[Nkam]

Weight and solidity of instruments is something Beyers tend to do better than most headphones. Though the headphone I found to have the most weight to its sound as a whole would have to be the Beyer DT 48/480; they have a weight, physicality, and solidity to their sound I have yet to hear replicated with other headphones, it’s rather uncanny how much physical presence they have with vocals and instruments. The DT 1990, etc. isn’t even close to those in that aspect and the DT 1990 is a headphone that excels at it. Only issue is they are old and the FR balance is lacking and it’s a challenge getting their bass presence up to proper levels (despite having a lot of physicality and solidity in the bass), so I don’t suggest those for normal listening unless you’re willing to modify and maybe eq them. Luckily inherent timbre, etc. is excellent on those drivers.

I wish Beyer made a premium headphone like the DT1990 but with everything ‘ better’. More for home use. I guess that’s the Amiron. But I don’t think its technicalities are as good as the 1990.

 

[csch92]

i guess what you are asking for is the T1

 

[Nkam]

i guess what you are asking for is the T1

Which version though ? The T1 3rd has wonky tuning. And I don’t think the other generations are still available

 

[csch92]

no clue it was just pure guessing and from their look and information it was a "better" 1990 to me

 

[Chastity]

I am an audiophile. Since I rate the DT 1990 with Analytical pads above a Sennheiser HD800S and Audeze LCD-X, I strongly disagree with your opinion.

You should consider an AMT headphone. My Monoprice AMT (EQ) >>> DT-1990 (EQ) with any pad, and outperform the HD-800S too. Lifelike tonals and estat-grade speed / separation. And $552.99 with BF25 code.

 

[kman1211]

I wish Beyer made a premium headphone like the DT1990 but with everything ‘ better’. More for home use. I guess that’s the Amiron. But I don’t think its technicalities are as good as the 1990.

Only really the T1 has better technicalities among the Tesla headphones. The T1.3 is a unique tuning but don’t find it quite as strange as the measurements suggest but still quite unique. But I found any gen of the T1 a little weird to EQ compared to most headphones maybe due to the driver angle. Amiron Home sounds most like the T1.2 at least the later black editions, though the T1’s are notably more 3D sounding with more body to the sound. I am hoping the next gen premium headphones come out soon as there hasn’t been a new release since the T1/T5 Gen 3 back in 2020 and the Amiron Hone came out 2016/2017 not that long after the original DT 1990

 

[canchet]

You should consider an AMT headphone. My Monoprice AMT (EQ) >>> DT-1990 (EQ) with any pad, and outperform the HD-800S too. Lifelike tonals and estat-grade speed / separation. And $552.99 with BF25 code.

I’ve been curious about AMT headphones since I saw the original Heddphone. Have you directly compared your Monoprice to any of the Heddphones?

 

[Chastity]

I’ve been curious about AMT headphones since I saw the original Heddphone. Have you directly compared your Monoprice to any of the Heddphones?

Tuning is different, but same capabilities. But way more expensive. The HEDD 2 will be lighter, and smaller drivers. The Monoprice AMT are OEM for them by GoldPlanar, which make the GL850 and is co-owner on the patent for the driver.

 

[Nkam]

Only really the T1 has better technicalities among the Tesla headphones. The T1.3 is a unique tuning but don’t find it quite as strange as the measurements suggest but still quite unique. But I found any gen of the T1 a little weird to EQ compared to most headphones maybe due to the driver angle. Amiron Home sounds most like the T1.2 at least the later black editions, though the T1’s are notably more 3D sounding with more body to the sound. I am hoping the next gen premium headphones come out soon as there hasn’t been a new release since the T1/T5 Gen 3 back in 2020 and the Amiron Hone came out 2016/2017 not that long after the original DT 1990

Yeah,
I guess Beyer makes most of their money on pro gear. ( which I’m sure they do).

They are also one of the companies which don’t follow the whole internet influencers game hardly at all compared to most. Well the chifi companies excel at that.

But yeah I’d love to see a new generation of high end Audiophile headphones from them as well. It’s been awhile.

 

[Waldimer]

A little quick test:
Horowitz concert, opening applause sounds more natural with HD600 than with DT1990 Pro analytic, despite EQ 8kHz -5dB
With DT1990 flat the applause sounds somehow unnaturally pointed. With the HD600 natural, real as usual.

Grand piano: DT1990 a kind of metallic sounding buzz (with and without EQ). HD600 rounder, warmer, without this metallic, a tad less fine resolution.
Cross-check with Austrian.Audio Composer, this metallic buzz is missing (without EQ). Composer is not analytically tuned.

HD490 Pro mixing sound signature roughly between HD600 and Composer.

Hello. Can I ask why you prefer the Hi-X55 over the Beyerdynamic DT 1990? What genres do you use them for? I’m so used to the sound of my Etymotic that I’m looking for something similar in the world of over-ear headphones.

 

[Nkam]

Hello. Can I ask why you prefer the Hi-X55 over the Beyerdynamic DT 1990? What genres do you use them for? I’m so used to the sound of my Etymotic that I’m looking for something similar in the world of over-ear headphones.

What’s a HI-X55?