[raptor84]

Former DT440 and current DT150 owner

 

[Kernmac]

DT880 (2005-2006) 250ohm - on the way.

In my search for more of what I like about the AD900, I end up with the semi open Beyer. I came across a DT880 appreciation thread which spanned from 2005 till end of 2006 and no more posts since. It was interesting to note that the DT880 was still in a lot of Headfiers signatures that had posted, perhaps testimate to the quality of the fon. Heres hoping I chose right. I will post my impressions a little after I get them (Using Little Dot MKV) and start a new DT880 thread; hopefully an appreciation thread.

 

[Townyj]

Loving Beyer's since i bought my 990's

 

[AJSgolf33]

Also in love with my 2005 990s. What an underapreciated can around this site.

yay for beyerdynamic.

 

[Skylab]

Yep - the 2005 DT990's are one of my 3 "everyday" cans - I use them exclusively at work, and so they get a good couple hours a day of use, and have for a couple years - I really, really like them.

 

[Wilashort]

Completely agree....
Quote:

Originally Posted by AJSgolf33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also in love with my 2005 990s. What an underapreciated can around this site. yay for beyerdynamic.

 

[boomy3555]

I think the 990's don't get a lot of thread time, because with two different models (2005)(2007pro)and an excelent more reference quality little brother (880s') that they get lost in the shuffle. I get a lot of heat when I try to tell people how great they sound (990's,250 ohm 2005's) when I compare them to my Senn hd650's Maybe my hearing is reeaaaly bad but I can't see the big "Hype" with the Senns. Now don't get me wrong, I have had and still have more Senns than any other can or IEM and the HD's are excellent, but just not that much better than the Beyers.
With the Beyers you can have a good clear medium wide soundstage and still have some FUN. Only Beyer listeners know what I mean by "FUN".

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the 990's don't get a lot of thread time is that with two different models (2005)(2007pro)and an excelent more reference quality little brother (880s') that they get lost in the shuffle. I get a lot of heat when I try to tell people how great they sound (990's,250 ohm 2005's) when I compare them to my Senn hd650's Maybe my hearing is reeaaaly bad but I can't see the big "Hype" with the Senns. Now don't get me wrong, I have had and still have more Senns than any other can or IEM and the HD's are excellent, but just not that much better than the Beyers. With the Beyers you can have a good clear medium wide soundstage and still have some FUN. Only Beyer listeners know what I mean by "FUN".

i personally find the DT990s to be equal to the HD650 in the bass department (but bassier overall and more textured, but less tight)...slightly worse in mids, and equal if not better in the highs (extension). the one thing where the HD650 pounds the DT990 is their default tonal balance (and looks). without touching any equalizers, the HD650 sounds more natural and true to life, without sibilance (unlike the beyers). i think this is the main reason why the HD650 are so well regarded here as well as their scalability, although IME, DT990s scale just as well as the HD650.
this is also why i want to try the DT990 600 Ohm, since they aren't as bright as the 250/32 Ohm DT990s.

as for soundstage, i'm beginning to find that both headphones are about equal. with some songs i feel the DT990s have a larger soundstage and with other songs, the HD650 beat it. i think the HD650 have a larger front to back stage and the beyers have a larger left to right. comfort, build quality and durability is good on both with the edge going to the DT990s in all 3 categories.
now considering the prices, i feel the DT990 are easily the better value...for reasons outlined above.

as of now those are my impressions (usually my opinions vary slightly over time, but this is what i've gathered over my few years in the headphone world)

 

[boomy3555]

Yes,Yes,Yes Exactly !!!

I agree with all of your thoughts except the mids. I find the mids of the Senns to be clear and precise but a little too recessed.The Mids are not as overpowered by the bass and highs in the Beyers as some say. I equate this in how the vocals feel as they usually fall into the upper mids. I fell that the vocals seem more "Live" "Lifelike" with the Beyers.

 

[melomaniac]

had and did not keep the senn 650s. have and probably will keep DT880s. that said, both are nice. hope to find something that makes my (recabled) beyers as responsive as my preferred IEMs, plus soundstage.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes,Yes,Yes Exactly !!! I agree with all of your thoughts except the mids. I find the mids of the Senns to be clear and precise but a little too recessed.The Mids are not as overpowered by the bass and highs in the Beyers as some say. I equate this in how the vocals feel as they usually fall into the upper mids. I fell that the vocals seem more "Live" "Lifelike" with the Beyers.

i agree, it depends on the type of vocals. beyers are excellent for female vocals which do fall in the upper mid spectrum. i find the lower mids on the HD650 to be more prominent (some may equate that to be better), so male vocals sound better to me on the HD650s.

i forgot to mention the detail retrieval aspect...i feel the HD650 "present" more detail because they have less bass and treble so nothing gets covered up. when i equalize the bass and treble on the DT990s to be at the level of the HD650s, the details are just as easy to hear.

 

[boomy3555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by melomaniac /img/forum/go_quote.gif had and did not keep the senn 650s. have and probably will keep DT880s. that said, both are nice. hope to find something that makes my (recabled) beyers as responsive as my preferred IEMs, plus soundstage.

I Have Dennon AHD5000 arriving tomorrow and then I will probably either sell off the Senns or use them to experiment with some birch wood enclosures for them They dis-assemble very easily so maybe I can add semi-closed carved birch cups on the back (after the screen). Stain them dark grey and round off with nice piano finish. The birch has a nice musical timbre to it and I have alot of birch here.

 

[fameh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJSgolf33 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also in love with my 2005 990s. What an underapreciated can around this site. yay for beyerdynamic.

Same here. Loving that cans

I suppose other people don't value them the same because of the genres of music they listen. Sometimes they are not very easy to drive too.

 

[boomy3555]

Yes,
Except for my home theater system all of my amps are small micro-portable amps that really add no value to these medium high impedence cans. I spent the last year upgrading to custom IEM's so all of my rigs are geared for micro-portable use. I could not imagine increasing the impedence as suggested for these (250 up to 600).

 

[Skylab]

But the 600 ohm DT990's are definitely better!

You're right, though, 600 ohm is not "small micro-portable amp" friendly. But the 600 ohm DT990's with a good tube amp - WOW.