[Bret Halford]

1.3 have some pretty epic bass boost stretching into the mids, which makes them seem a sound bit less bassy and more warm.

5.3 much closer to slam of 770 (80)s, has a bit more upfront around 100 Hz and maybe a bit higher extended to sub and flatter treble.

1990 with balanced is a brighter can than the rest, analytical pads more so. If you can imagine 1990 or T2 with a high shelf rolling things off >1kHz. It's pretty smooth, but some find the 1kHz null too much... that's the 1.3

I am firmly of the opinion that Beyer tried to bake in some of the tube amp synergy people loved on gen 2 and prior versions, I wouldn't want to add more warmth with tube or hybrid... I'd probably go Jot, but high power amps are at best not going to cause problems on this (and could definitely add problems, depending on your sensitivity to oversat and related issues).

 

[John Buchanan]

I am considering picking up a pair of the T1 gen 3. A couple of questions however.

How does it compare in terms of bass to the DT 770 (80 Ohm), and the DT 1990?

I have tried the T1 Gen 2 previously and felt like bass wasn't enough and my previous experience of the DT 1990 was that the treble made it a non-starter (returned it in the end).

Secondly, for headphone amps, whilst I know this can run off pretty much anything given the low impedance, what would be the better headphone amp in terms of synergy - the Lyr 3 or the Jotunheim 2? Bear in mind I do not plan to mod the T1.3 so single ended output is what I'm looking for in terms of the comparisons. I'll also likely just get the internal ES9028 DAC with either amp (I've had a Bifrost 2 before which was great but finances for now will only allow for an all-in-one box. Maybe a BF2 next year).

The T1.2 -> T1.3 opens up a whole world of bass that was only suggested by the T1.2. The treble spike of the T1.2 has also been tamed. In short, a dynamic (!!) full range headphone that runs on nearly anything, but really struts its stuff on better quality amplification. I haven't heard any problems with using any of my amps.

 

[supersonic395]

That's great insight and reading that it has the slam of the DT 770 (80) is very encouraging. Will read a bit more around see if the order gets placed.

Jot2 sounds like a great pairing - I think the fact it's available to ship in 1-3 days as opposed to 10-12 weeks will likely help push the decision that way lol.

 

[Bret Halford]

That's great insight and reading that it has the slam of the DT 770 (80) is very encouraging. Will read a bit more around see if the order gets placed.

Jot2 sounds like a great pairing - I think the fact it's available very soon as opposed to 10-12 weeks will likely help push the decision that way lol.

Not sure if you're talking about my comment, but I was talking about T5.3 for slam, not T1.3.

As with all things audio, YMMV, good luck!

 

[supersonic395]

Not sure if you're talking about my comment, but I was talking about T5.3 for slam, not T1.3.

As with all things audio, YMMV, good luck!

Oh my bad, I thought you meant the t1.3 - interestingly I've been reading that the T1.3 outdoes the T5.3 for bass slam and quantity despite the T5.3 being a closed back.

So in your experience, the T5.3 definitely outdoes the T1.3 for bass slam? How about extension down low? Do they match the 770 for the sub-bass?

 

[Bret Halford]

The 5.3 definitely have the most slam of the bunch, similar bass shelf ~100Hz to 770. Sub bass is slightly higher on 5.3 than 770 with stock pads.

1.3 has similar extension but the bass shelf isn't there, there's VERY substantial boost extending from bass all the way up to 1K, it's a warm full sound, but I wouldn't say it has the same slam, even as the 770.

Another one to consider if you want the bass slam of 770 but cleaner highs is 700 proX... Really nice working headphone.

 

[supersonic395]

Hmmm that's definitely food for thought then. If the T5.3 outdoes the T1.3 on the bass side, where does the T1.3 shine compared to the T5.3?

 

[Stevko]

Bass is very present,don’t bleeds into the mids. Highs are mellow. But still detailed. Even an apple dongel drive these.
Some schiit stuff will work great with these.
You must try them. Many reviewers don’t like them.
I took a chance. Loved them from first minute.( all my other HP=bright)
You must try self.

 

[Bret Halford]

The 1.3 sounds huge.

That gradual taper down from bass to treble tends to read as a big acoustic space to my ear. Then there's the aforementioned 1K dip, right around a lot of vocal presence... It pushes vocals back a bit in the mix and makes the rest of the soundscape larger.

The 5.3 slams and has detailed sparkle, but it's an intimiate stage.

 

[supersonic395]

Bass is very present,don’t bleeds into the mids. Highs are mellow. But still detailed. Even an apple dongel drive these.
Some schiit stuff will work great with these.
You must try them. Many reviewers don’t like them.
I took a chance. Loved them from first minute.( all my other HP=bright)
You must try self.

I don't trust any reviewers nor any other sites that have a clear anti-beyer bias (or an addiction to graphs) so no worries there.

I'll probably then go for the T1.3 for the larger sound stage with a Jot2 (with an ES9028 DAC card)

 

[Stevko]

Go for it. You will not regret.
They like clean power. Jot2 should work great.
Driving mine with 2X7.5W, lowest gain. Perfect

 

[ST33L]

I just saw that these were on sale for $699 at audio46. Seems like a good deal for TOTL headphones.

 

[Stevko]

They are on sale in the whole world

 

[kman1211]

The 5.3 definitely have the most slam of the bunch, similar bass shelf ~100Hz to 770. Sub bass is slightly higher on 5.3 than 770 with stock pads.

1.3 has similar extension but the bass shelf isn't there, there's VERY substantial boost extending from bass all the way up to 1K, it's a warm full sound, but I wouldn't say it has the same slam, even as the 770.

Another one to consider if you want the bass slam of 770 but cleaner highs is 700 proX... Really nice working headphone.

A bit different than my experience directly comparing the T5.3 and the T1.3. I found the T1.3 to have a bit more slam and better dynamics. I haven't really spent any time with the previous gen T5's so maybe this is just a T5 trait in general; but I found the T5.3 a bit restrained sounding personally something I don't recall experiencing with other closed-back Beyers I'm familiar with, maybe it's the steeply angled drivers in the enclosure causing that. But the king of bass slam of the Beyers I tried would have be the DT 1770 Pro.

 

[Stevko]

My new favorite setup