Beyerdynamic T5 (3rd Generation)

[KPzypher]

Hi mate I know it been a while but would you be able to give some impressions on the t5 3 after all this time owing them? I am also very interested to know how do you describe the ndh20 vs t5 and if there is any other closed back you think could be a better option? For me also best isolation is very important.

Thanks !

I'm on a quest for a closedback to and T5 is definitely on my radar. I want something inoffensive and darker sounding this time, and T5s seems to fit the bill. Too bad there aren't too many choices if you're looking for something portable.

If NDH20 is on your radar, you might want to look into Ollo S4R. I have the openback version (S4X) and it's pretty darn flat. SRH1540 is a good option to IMO. It's light and comfy and Shure's treble is fantastic, very sweet sounding without fatigue similar to T1.2. I just wish bass is slightly toned down. Z7M2 is just boring with poor isolation, Stellia, i couldn't get past the metallic timbre. Austrian audios have the best imaging/separation/resolution for a closedback with good soundstage, but it's just too darn piercing in the HF. Perfect for gaming though. HD820 i liked, but clamp force is too loose and isolation wasn't all that good. Denons and ATs I usually find too bright in the treble, and ATH-WP900 looked fantastic and light, just sounded wonky as well with excessively scooped out mids. If you're looking for something cheap, 1AM2 is a stellar choice. Although resolution and imaging isn't the best and bass slightly bloated, i think this is where comfort trumps everything. Super portable and lightweight. But the ports up top doesn't make for good isolation.

Sorry for all the rambling. Today's my last day at work, and i'm just killing time lol.

Let me know if you find something good so I can try them to.

 

[Vitaly2017]

I'm on a quest for a closedback to and T5 is definitely on my radar. I want something inoffensive and darker sounding this time, and T5s seems to fit the bill. Too bad there aren't too many choices if you're looking for something portable.

If NDH20 is on your radar, you might want to look into Ollo S4R. I have the openback version (S4X) and it's pretty darn flat. SRH1540 is a good option to IMO. It's light and comfy and Shure's treble is fantastic, very sweet sounding without fatigue similar to T1.2. I just wish bass is slightly toned down. Z7M2 is just boring with poor isolation, Stellia, i couldn't get past the metallic timbre. Austrian audios have the best imaging/separation/resolution for a closedback with good soundstage, but it's just too darn piercing in the HF. Perfect for gaming though. HD820 i liked, but clamp force is too loose and isolation wasn't all that good. Denons and ATs I usually find too bright in the treble, and ATH-WP900 looked fantastic and light, just sounded wonky as well with excessively scooped out mids. If you're looking for something cheap, 1AM2 is a stellar choice. Although resolution and imaging isn't the best and bass slightly bloated, i think this is where comfort trumps everything. Super portable and lightweight. But the ports up top doesn't make for good isolation.

Sorry for all the rambling. Today's my last day at work, and i'm just killing time lol.

Let me know if you find something good so I can try them to.

Haha
Well thank you for the entertaining input and a round trip of headphones from what you described shure’s sounds like an option and maybe the s4r too. In the warm realm there is also the lcd 2c but its quite heavy to ware all day I think.

The other intriguing options I see is meze lirics, celeste….

Though… I selected tge T5 3rd gen cause of a friend recommendation and cause of very positive reviews. At first I wAs willing to go with ndh20 but my friend convinced me that bayer dynamic is a more reputable company so I trusted him on that call

Regarding sony stuff, well sony is darn good with hardware and dapp but their headphones and speakers specially the tuning is not my desired thing. But I love 1a and 1z daps its best in class.

I saw hifiman made a new affordable closed back headphones but they are way to flashy and bulky lol for me to ware outside


I am initially looking for a reference class musical listening experience with transparency and resolution on the rendez vous, and this paired with the new ibasso dx320 or new 1am2.
I like to feel the air moving also so it get very physical but not basshead way, all in normality of things without piercing horrible trebles. Yes I can hear all the way up to 17.5k hz
Me have Tiger Ears hearing capabilities

 

[Vitaly2017]

I am also looking for a 4.4mm pentaconn balance termination cable any recommendations? I didn’t see anything available in that regard on the official site hmmm

 

[Mhog55]

I am also looking for a 4.4mm pentaconn balance termination cable any recommendations? I didn’t see anything available in that regard on the official site hmmm

The Meze 99 Classics silver upgrade cable works, unless you're after something longer.

 

[Giru]

Hi mate I know it been a while but would you be able to give some impressions on the t5 3 after all this time owing them? I am also very interested to know how do you describe the ndh20 vs t5 and if there is any other closed back you think could be a better option? For me also best isolation is very important.

Thanks !

Hey,

So the deal was that I had asked the distributor to lend me both the t5 and the t1 for a week and I had promised to retain either or pay a small fee if I didn't.

TLDR: Retained the T1

Long version:
I think both the T1 and T5 are quite similar and dissimilar at the same time.
They have good resolution, detail, nuance, speed and dynamics; it's eventually the tuning and the soundstage that sets the two apart.

Get one thing clear though: the mids on both are not your usual harmon fare. I wouldn't go so far as to call the mids "recessed" but it's definitely underemphasized relative to the highs and mids. Vocals sound a bit "different" compared to other headphones. Please note that I've used the term "different" and not "weak" or "bad" etc. On the plus side the bass emphasis on both does help making the mids more full bodied esp for male vocals and instruments which have contiguous mid and low end presence. This is especially true for the T1 which due to it's semi-open nature has this great "warmth" and gentleness about the mids that is quite pleasant on many tracks with vocal passages; the T5 sounds a bit wonky in comparison.

Anyway, the T5 is more intimate with a slightly "warm-neutral" sound and extremely good punch in the mid-bass and lower Bass. However I found the bass to be too strong on certain tracks or genres (esp EDM, HH, Electronic etc). It's either magical or downright "too-much". Since these are closed backs, a lot of closed back peculiarities apply to them as well, except for soundstage which is actually quite good. Mids as I said are okay but inferior to T1.

The T1 is good but they are not your regular open backs. I dunno why beyer calls this as their first completely open back T1 (the earlier gens being semi-open)? The sound is pretty close to a closed back and they don't leak as much either as compared to say the hd800s which is basically a headphone for the listener and a small speaker for people around him. Anyway, the sound here is sublime. The T1 might not be as focused as the T5 but this also makes it more organic and realistic than it. Notes have very good decay and transients, reverbs, etc are quite articulate and enjoyable. The bass has lesser energy and is more textured and detailed. The mids, along with the augmented bass makes for pretty decent long listening sessions (the T5 gets tiring after a while). All these factors make the T1 a bit more versatile headphone.

I'm sure that if you asked a random set of 10 people to choose between the two; the vote could yield unexpected tallies with different such sets. Some would like the t5 and some t1. This is of course if you're okay with the non-harmon tuning of either.

I retained the T1. Try to audition both before you buy.

 

[Mhog55]

From what I can gather, both of these headphones sound like something you simply have to hear for yourself to determine yay or nay. The T5 is on my list of eventual listens, but more towards the bottom of the list. Too many headphones!

 

[Vitaly2017]

Thanks guys for the help, I had an opportunity and bought an open box deal from audio46 for a very good price

Lets hope this makes me happy, I like edm music a lot but according some feedbacks the t5 is not as fast for edm? Will see how the synergy paires with a more neutral analytical dx320 maybe it have a good contre balance and things will align perfectly.

I also need comfort and lightweight as well best isolation. I once had the z7m2 and wasn’t impressed by it much, it felt like it wanted to suck my eardrums inside out

The meze liric seems like a good option maybe too. I do like lcd 2c sound signature but darn that dumbbells weight on your head is quite nuts.

By any chance have any one heard Bowers and Wilkins pi7 or px7? Seems like the T5 ressembles the sound signature of those hmmm. I also do like that kind of tuning a lot

 

[Giru]

From what I can gather, both of these headphones sound like something you simply have to hear for yourself to determine yay or nay. The T5 is on my list of eventual listens, but more towards the bottom of the list. Too many headphones!

Absolutely.

Thanks guys for the help, I had an opportunity and bought an open box deal from audio46 for a very good price

Lets hope this makes me happy, I like edm music a lot but according some feedbacks the t5 is not as fast for edm? Will see how the synergy paires with a more neutral analytical dx320 maybe it have a good contre balance and things will align perfectly.

I also need comfort and lightweight as well best isolation. I once had the z7m2 and wasn’t impressed by it much, it felt like it wanted to suck my eardrums inside out

The meze liric seems like a good option maybe too. I do like lcd 2c sound signature but darn that dumbbells weight on your head is quite nuts.

By any chance have any one heard Bowers and Wilkins pi7 or px7? Seems like the T5 ressembles the sound signature of those hmmm. I also do like that kind of tuning a lot

If you liked the PX7 then the T5 should feel like a very welcome upgrade. Don't be mislead by the reviews: the beyers have near TOTL resolution and detail. Add to this the more "fun"/"different" tuning and you've got an excellent headphone at hand.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the purchase!! And do give them time. Mine has grown over me quite a bit. So much so that it's my DD now.

 

[kman1211]

Hey,

So the deal was that I had asked the distributor to lend me both the t5 and the t1 for a week and I had promised to retain either or pay a small fee if I didn't.

TLDR: Retained the T1

Long version:
I think both the T1 and T5 are quite similar and dissimilar at the same time.
They have good resolution, detail, nuance, speed and dynamics; it's eventually the tuning and the soundstage that sets the two apart.

Get one thing clear though: the mids on both are not your usual harmon fare. I wouldn't go so far as to call the mids "recessed" but it's definitely underemphasized relative to the highs and mids. Vocals sound a bit "different" compared to other headphones. Please note that I've used the term "different" and not "weak" or "bad" etc. On the plus side the bass emphasis on both does help making the mids more full bodied esp for male vocals and instruments which have contiguous mid and low end presence. This is especially true for the T1 which due to it's semi-open nature has this great "warmth" and gentleness about the mids that is quite pleasant on many tracks with vocal passages; the T5 sounds a bit wonky in comparison.

Anyway, the T5 is more intimate with a slightly "warm-neutral" sound and extremely good punch in the mid-bass and lower Bass. However I found the bass to be too strong on certain tracks or genres (esp EDM, HH, Electronic etc). It's either magical or downright "too-much". Since these are closed backs, a lot of closed back peculiarities apply to them as well, except for soundstage which is actually quite good. Mids as I said are okay but inferior to T1.

The T1 is good but they are not your regular open backs. I dunno why beyer calls this as their first completely open back T1 (the earlier gens being semi-open)? The sound is pretty close to a closed back and they don't leak as much either as compared to say the hd800s which is basically a headphone for the listener and a small speaker for people around him. Anyway, the sound here is sublime. The T1 might not be as focused as the T5 but this also makes it more organic and realistic than it. Notes have very good decay and transients, reverbs, etc are quite articulate and enjoyable. The bass has lesser energy and is more textured and detailed. The mids, along with the augmented bass makes for pretty decent long listening sessions (the T5 gets tiring after a while). All these factors make the T1 a bit more versatile headphone.

I'm sure that if you asked a random set of 10 people to choose between the two; the vote could yield unexpected tallies with different such sets. Some would like the t5 and some t1. This is of course if you're okay with the non-harmon tuning of either.

I retained the T1. Try to audition both before you buy.

I’ve had the T1.3 since it was released and only recently spent time with the T5.3. I agree with your impressions between the two for the most part.

Absolutely.


If you liked the PX7 then the T5 should feel like a very welcome upgrade. Don't be mislead by the reviews: the beyers have near TOTL resolution and detail. Add to this the more "fun"/"different" tuning and you've got an excellent headphone at hand.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the purchase!! And do give them time. Mine has grown over me quite a bit. So much so that it's my DD now.

The T1.3 and T5.3 definitely have near totl if not totl resolution. And they are more resolving drivers than the 600 Ohm T1.2 drivers. They both have an unique tuning that people either love or dislike. I personally love it.

 

[BatBoyP]

Anyone know how the T5.3 compares to the DT 700 Pro X and 900 Pro X (yes, open back)? Build quality looks good/durable, but obviously unsure how the Stellar.45 drivers companies to the Tesla driver. I can’t just recommend the T5.3 to a casual person looking for a new pair of headphones, given the price tag, but the 700/900 Pro X is a lot more accessible to friends at 250-300$, so would love some feedback from people that can give a comparison. Thanks!

I see this question has never been answered, unfortunately. I'd be very interested in this comparison as well. How does the DT 700 Pro X actually compare to the T5.3? It's a quarter of the price and targeted at professionals instead of audiophiles, but in reviews the description seems similar. Me, personally, I'd be using them wired to a synth for music production, then hooked up to a Go Blu for music enjoyment afterwards.

 

[sspkt]

I see this question has never been answered, unfortunately. I'd be very interested in this comparison as well. How does the DT 700 Pro X actually compare to the T5.3? It's a quarter of the price and targeted at professionals instead of audiophiles, but in reviews the description seems similar. Me, personally, I'd be using them wired to a synth for music production, then hooked up to a Go Blu for music enjoyment afterwards.

I did not heard any Pro X HP but you guys have to keep one thing in your mind and it was mentioned here few times and even above your post. T1/5 have insane resolution. Incredible soundstage for their category and details. I bought 1990 after T1.3 because of neutral tonality and more versatile use but for me 1990 feels really weak now. Too narrow, detailed but not resolving as T1. Pro X being even lower in Beyers food chain then DT1990/1770 will probably be even further from questioned T5 then i expect.

Nonetheless i do not recommend getting T1/5 as a single one cans for yourself and definitely not for music production, they are too coloured. These are headphones which you get as 2nd or 3rd unit maybe.

 

[CTR640]

-edit-
Not really relevant to the topic

 

[Bret Halford]

I see this question has never been answered, unfortunately. I'd be very interested in this comparison as well. How does the DT 700 Pro X actually compare to the T5.3? It's a quarter of the price and targeted at professionals instead of audiophiles, but in reviews the description seems similar. Me, personally, I'd be using them wired to a synth for music production, then hooked up to a Go Blu for music enjoyment afterwards.

I have both T5.3 and DT700 pro X (and also 900 pro X).

The 5.3 have a very flat, monitor like response. There's very little ear resonance emphasis that one might expect in the upper mids. They sound really laid back, smooth and with a lot of bass emphasis. They're a very pleasant sound signature for long listening sessions. The build is also phenomenal, understated but luxurious and still sturdy enough to survive daily wear and tear without getting marked up.

The Stellar driver is a totally different beast than Tesla, at least in the initial tunings shown in the 700/900. They are a big departure for Beyer, even compared to their more direct Pro predecessors (DT 770, 1770 etc). The 900 has a very flat extended bass response, while the 700 has a slight, fun V with notch around 250 Hz. They both feature far more forward mids and less treble than prior Beyer tunings.

For production particularly, the pro X series is very hard to argue with. The sound is definitely more neutral, and intimate. The Tesla's extra bass slam and detail reach is visceral and pleasure for the listening, but baking it into your mixes seems like a risky prospect to me. Ditto for monitoring the T5 is total overkill.

 

[kman1211]

I have both T5.3 and DT700 pro X (and also 900 pro X).

The 5.3 have a very flat, monitor like response. There's very little ear resonance emphasis that one might expect in the upper mids. They sound really laid back, smooth and with a lot of bass emphasis. They're a very pleasant sound signature for long listening sessions. The build is also phenomenal, understated but luxurious and still sturdy enough to survive daily wear and tear without getting marked up.

The Stellar driver is a totally different beast than Tesla, at least in the initial tunings shown in the 700/900. They are a big departure for Beyer, even compared to their more direct Pro predecessors (DT 770, 1770 etc). The 900 has a very flat extended bass response, while the 700 has a slight, fun V with notch around 250 Hz. They both feature far more forward mids and less treble than prior Beyer tunings.

For production particularly, the pro X series is very hard to argue with. The sound is definitely more neutral, and intimate. The Tesla's extra bass slam and detail reach is visceral and pleasure for the listening, but baking it into your mixes seems like a risky prospect to me. Ditto for monitoring the T5 is total overkill.

Does the Pro-X lack the Beyer sound or do they still come across as a Beyer sonically despite the new tuning? Not talking just FR response but also the subtleties of their sound. While some headphones from the same brand can have very different FR response they still have traits where you can tell it’s the said manufacturer. As in do the 700/900 Pro X have a different ‘house’ sound?

While the T1.3 and T5.3 have a different tuning than other Beyers, they’re still obviously Beyers to my ears sonically due to their more subtle sonic traits.

 

[Bret Halford]

Does the Pro-X lack the Beyer sound or do they still come across as a Beyer sonically despite the new tuning? Not talking just FR response but also the subtleties of their sound. While some headphones from the same brand can have very different FR response they still have traits where you can tell it’s the said manufacturer. As in do the 700/900 Pro X have a different ‘house’ sound?

While the T1.3 and T5.3 have a different tuning than other Beyers, they’re still obviously Beyers to my ears sonically due to their more subtle sonic traits.

The 700 and 900 pro sound quite different than the Tesla variants, at least the 2nd and 3rd gen variants I have (T1.2, 5.2p, 1770/1990/Amiron, T1.3, 5.3). I would say the variation from the 'Beyer sound' is less however. The Tesla generation tended to have pretty warm lower mids boosted up from the bass, certainly exemplified by the T1.3. The proX don't have this at all, their mids are flat, even the 700 pushes its V boost entirely to the bass side of its 250 Hz null. In this respect they sound much more like the Rapid Reflex gen, (770,880,990). Across the board there's a reduction in treble that makes the pro X sound more intimate and upfront detail but also smaller. I could certainly imagine that the driver could be tuned for more treble in other future home variants, but for their application the current tuning makes a lot sense.

What makes them sound Beyer to me is their lightning fast transients, flat phase response and deep extended bass. The latter is likely due to the common design priority of high magnetic flex density (like the 'Teslas' the Stellar are packing 1+ Tesla magnetic field strength).

It's not just the sound... every strand of these headphones' DNA announces it as a Beyer Pro headphone. Despite the entirely new pad design, if you showed me the 900's grey round velour pads on their own there would simply be no other possibility than that they are Beyerbuilt. Hel, just give me the headband strap and I would feel a strange evocation of the classic Beyer Rapid Reflex units... Beyer are masters of design and they are true to themselves here as always.

Don't get me wrong, I love the T5.3 too... they're sitting right next to the 700, 900 and T1.3 on my desk right now. They are just different beasts, perhaps best enjoyed as a stable.