[MyAstroBOY]

not many people talk about dt860 on this forum.

i have a question concerning this headphone:

i listen to operas and classical music a lot,so can this headphone TRUELY and PERFECTLY handle this job?

Cheers.

 

[JaZZ]

No. Its lower treble is much too dominant and makes it sound artificial and cold. IMO.

 

[machead]

The DT860 is one of the beyerdynamic models that needs a high impedance amplifier output in order to sound its best. Jan Meier rates it as "one of our favourites" with 30 - 120 ohms in series, and his is an opinion I have learned to value. Jan will sell you an Oehlbach adapter (120 ohms) you can connect in series with the headphones. Another possibility would be the adapter cable (75 ohms) that turns an Etymotic ER4P into an ER4S. They might even sound OK if fed from the headphone output on a regular stereo amplifier, which usually has a resistor in series.

I have both the DT880 and DT931 models and find them wonderful for classical music, especially opera. When correctly driven, they both have a bright but airy presentation without an over-emphasised bass. I have not heard the DT860, but if it's in the same league as these other two, as Dr Meier suggests, it would certainly be worth a listen.

That said, my personal favourites for classical and opera would have to be the DT880 and Sennheiser HD650, with the AKG k501 a close third (provided the recording is not aggressively bright). The DT880, by the way, does not benefit from a high impedance drive, nor do any of the Sennheisers or AKGs.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by machead I have not heard the DT860, but if it's in the same league as these other two, as Dr Meier suggests, it would certainly be worth a listen. That said, my personal favourites for classical and opera would have to be the DT880 and Sennheiser HD650, with the AKG k501 a close third (provided the recording is not aggressively bright).

I widely agree on your last headphone selection, but unfortunately the DT 860 is by far not in the same league when it comes to neutrality and naturalness, and the serial resistance doesn't help much in this regard.

 

[nierika]

Quote:

Originally Posted by machead The DT860 is one of the beyerdynamic models that needs a high impedance amplifier output in order to sound its best. Jan Meier rates it as "one of our favourites" with 30 - 120 ohms in series, and his is an opinion I have learned to value. Jan will sell you an Oehlbach adapter (120 ohms) you can connect in series with the headphones.

1. If the DT-860 was really designed for high impedance output, it should say SOMETHING about it on Beyerdynamic's website and they should include an adaptor in the box!

2. Too bad the Oehlbach adapter is only 1/8"->1/8"!

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyAstroBOY not many people talk about dt860 on this forum. i have a question concerning this headphone: i listen to operas and classical music a lot,so can this headphone TRUELY and PERFECTLY handle this job? Cheers.

The answer to this question is no.The experience of listening to a 100 piece orchestra blast away at you at a good hall without the aid of amplication is a sonic experience the DT860 cannot perform.It truely and perfectly cannot handle this job.

 

[Kolokol]

Quote:

Originally Posted by machead That said, my personal favourites for classical and opera would have to be the DT880 and Sennheiser HD650, with the AKG k501 a close third (provided the recording is not aggressively bright). The DT880, by the way, does not benefit from a high impedance drive, nor do any of the Sennheisers or AKGs.

I am not sure to understand: do you mean that amps are not so usefull with Senn and AKG and the DT880 ?
Can one of these headphones (DT880 or AKG 501) be used unamped? (on a PC sound card for my concern)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssportclay The answer to this question is no.The experience of listening to a 100 piece orchestra blast away at you at a good hall without the aid of amplication is a sonic experience the DT860 cannot perform.It truely and perfectly cannot handle this job.

Which (low impedance) headphone could handle this job?

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolokol I am not sure to understand: do you mean that amps are not so usefull with Senn and AKG and the DT880 ? Can one of these headphones (DT880 or AKG 501) be used unamped? (on a PC sound card for my concern) Which (low impedance) headphone could handle this job?

My first thoughts about proper classical audio is that you should start out with a VPI Scout and a pair of Von Schweikerts.Unamped headphones are a compromise.You might try DT440 ,HD595-50 ohm,K240s,or SA5000.Listen before you buy.

 

[amartignano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by machead That said, my personal favourites for classical and opera would have to be the DT880 and Sennheiser HD650, with the AKG k501 a close third (provided the recording is not aggressively bright). The DT880, by the way, does not benefit from a high impedance drive, nor do any of the Sennheisers or AKGs.

Totally agree with this quote. I owned this three headphones and I could have answered the same thing. Only one thing: if someone like to hear the "air" of a concert hall, in this case the k501 will jump up on the first place.

Bye
Andrea