[cdequaker]

Hi, I am trying to decide between headphones: Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium or Hifiman HE4XX Planar Magnetic? I've never tried planar magnetic phones before, so--except for reviews I've read--I'm not sure what to expect. I listen to a wide range of music, but mostly rock and experimental.

Stereo equipment:
Rega Brio integrated amplifier
Rega Apollo CD player
MoFi StudioDeck turntable
LSA2 Statement Tower speakers

Headphones:
Bang & Olufsen Play H7
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO-80 ohm (Massdrop)
Mitchell & Johnson GL2
Sennheiser HD380 PRO
Sennheiser HD6XX (Massdrop)

Any comments about preference between Beyerdynamic DT990 Premium or Hifiman HE4XX Planar Magnetic would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[serman005]

My personal preference is for the HE4XX. However, if you prefer something more v-shaped, then the DT990 would be a better fit likely. More bass and treble energy. Planar magnetics can be magical for some (not all) people.

 

[GirgleMirt]

Owning 400i and 990, the detail/resolution on the hifiman should be a lot better and just for this the hifiman should be a no-brainer. Even the bass quality should be a lot better on HFM; 'stock' the 990 will have more bass, but the detail/texture on the bass will be better on HFM. And you can easily boost the bass with EQ. So quantity shouldn't be an issue considering you should have digital EQ available.

Also the 990s are bright and they can make some records truly unlistenable; they can sound just horrible on some records because of their poor FR. Basically, imho, the 990s are severely outclassed here. But to be fair, this is 400i ($220 last time I checked on hifiman.com), and the 4xx isn't the same, but still planar all the way IMHO. Unless you don't like more resolution, and just want more unrefined/undefined bass & treble and for some reason can't EQ...

I'd also go for a AKG K7xx before 990, as I really like my Q701, but these are also outclassed by 400i.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I own the DT990, but i think the Hifiman HE4XX would be the better choice.

 

[cdequaker]

Thank you all for your response; I appreciate it! I was leaning toward the HE4XX, and these answers confirm that choice. Cheers!

 

[ohsigmachi]

I've own pretty much the entire Beyerdynamic DT lineup and also the HE 4XX and the Senn 6XX, the Hifiman is the most bass lite of the bunch. No rumble, no muscle at all. The Beyer is muscular down low, but also has some rather piercing notes up top. So if you can deal with the hot treble in order to have more visceral bass the Beyer is for you. If you crave the absolute last granular "pixel" of every sound your can reproduces (even if it is quite sterile) then the Hifiman's are for you.

 

[Mhog55]

I've own pretty much the entire Beyerdynamic DT lineup and also the HE 4XX and the Senn 6XX, the Hifiman is the most bass lite of the bunch. No rumble, no muscle at all. The Beyer is muscular down low, but also has some rather piercing notes up top. So if you can deal with the hot treble in order to have more visceral bass the Beyer is for you. If you crave the absolute last granular "pixel" of every sound your can reproduces (even if it is quite sterile) then the Hifiman's are for you.

I agree, I found the Hifiman to be sterile for lack of better term. The Beyerdynamic is very V shaped. Neither were for me. The Massdrop Sennheiser 58X out classes both by quite a bit imo. Especially for rock music

 

[0x6A7232]

I have a set of Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum, and just got a Sennheiser 58x Jubilee on MassDrop. The 58x has a lot more clarity and detail, which is awesome and I love it. However, the G933 had a lot of bass, especially with a slight V tuning in the EQ. Like you could feel it, it was the closest I've ever gotten to a subwoofer, or perhaps a theater bass sound in a set of headphones, which I also absolutely love. After asking around about being able to get both thundering, powerful bass as well as clarity, someone on Reddit said a set of DT990 headphones should do the trick for me. However, looking at this thread, it seems the HE 4XX is better.

Has anyone here had the G933 with the bass cranked or a similar experience, and if so, how do I get the same thing, but with the clarity of the 58X (should be the same clarity as the 6XX I believe as the two are very similar from everything I've read).

I'm also getting a DAC + amp, a FiiO K3 or AudioEngine D3 is what I'm getting, at least I'm pretty sure.

Any help from fellow clarity appreciating bass lovers is appreciated! Price range should be around the $150-$230 mark (unless there's a set that does it for cheaper, ha ha).