Beyerdynamic T90 Discussion and Support Thread

[Zuqi]

I love the unique look of the chrome SR325i, those are relatively rare, no? I have the gold 50th anniversary Grado SR325i, and also the Alessandro MS2i, which have the brushed aluminum cups.

Interestingly enough, even though I've read a lot of negative impressions of the T90, often complaining of murderous treble, I've been leaning towards getting a T90 because I read the same things about the SR325i before I bought it and I love those. Like you, I think I'd appreciate the enhanced comfort and bigger soundstage and better instrument separation of the T90.

Just a little bit of information that may help. I owned SR325is, not i, I would classify its sound 'bright and energetic', which casue fatigue after around 30 minutes listen. I also owned the T90, which I would describe its treble 'ear bleeding painful', I can barely listen to them more than 5 minutes. It's even sounds overly bright with a Woo audio tube amp.

I'll put it this way, if Sr325is' treble is like a serve of slightly burnt barbecue, then the T90's treble is like an animal corpse after a forest fire.

Byerdynamic's new headphones, such a s Amirion are DT1990 are much better headphones. But if you are still curious of the T90's sound, I would recommend you to try it in a hifi shop first if possible.

 

[FlavioWolff]

Just a little bit of information that may help. I owned SR325is, not i, I would classify its sound 'bright and energetic', which casue fatigue after around 30 minutes listen. I also owned the T90, which I would describe its treble 'ear bleeding painful', I can barely listen to them more than 5 minutes. It's even sounds overly bright with a Woo audio tube amp.

I'll put it this way, if Sr325is' treble is like a serve of slightly burnt barbecue, then the T90's treble is like an animal corpse after a forest fire.

Byerdynamic's new headphones, such a s Amirion are DT1990 are much better headphones. But if you are still curious of the T90's sound, I would recommend you to try it in a hifi shop first if possible.

just clarifying: much better headphones for YOUR tastes.

for my tastes, grado treble is spot-on. not lacking and not exceeding, either. I couldnt stand the DT990 Pro 250 and HE400 treble presentations.

T90 is not a perfect daily driver for everything, but they are incredible headphones

 

[trellus]

Just a little bit of information that may help. I owned SR325is, not i, I would classify its sound 'bright and energetic', which casue fatigue after around 30 minutes listen. I also owned the T90, which I would describe its treble 'ear bleeding painful', I can barely listen to them more than 5 minutes. It's even sounds overly bright with a Woo audio tube amp.

I'll put it this way, if Sr325is' treble is like a serve of slightly burnt barbecue, then the T90's treble is like an animal corpse after a forest fire.

Byerdynamic's new headphones, such a s Amirion are DT1990 are much better headphones. But if you are still curious of the T90's sound, I would recommend you to try it in a hifi shop first if possible.

Your analogy made me crack up.

 

[FlavioWolff]

Ok, so I tried the T90 on my HK 3390 integrated receiver, which (I think) has high output impedance. I dont notice less treble, but there is thicker bass. Which means I can turn the volume down a bit, and thus I can control the sibilance. Really enjoying it. And I got a nice analog tone control. A small turn on the bass knob makes it a club phone, if I'm in the mood.

 

[Storydog]

In fact with integrated hifi amplifier, sometimes the bass is thicker, not in all cases then it depends on Music production. The treble is often allright, but its me and my ears. maybe.
Tomorrow the first time I will try T 90 on a headphone amplifier, I got an Amity(with nearly Zero Ohm Output impedance) used at Ebay Germany. I am curious.

 

[FlavioWolff]

Nice. Please share your impressions!

 

[Storydog]

Here my impressions out of 90 minutes with the T 90:

Integrated hifi amp: Telefunken RA 200

Informations here over this a somewhat underrated mid class amp, I prefer for headpone hearing :

john.ccac.rwth-aachen.de:8000/telefunken/ra200/

Headphoneamp: Amity HPA 1 V

here the link to the site oft the manufacturer, an american(?) who is living in Heilbronn/Baden-Württemberg(the same city where Beyerdynamic is located).
the current succesor is the HPA 9 S 2.

www.amity.de/English/offers.htm

CD Player: Marantz CD 42 mk II (Phliips CDM 4/19; SAA 7351 GP)

CDs:

Björnstad/Rypdal/Darling/Cristensen- The Sea – Title: II

Art of Noise – In no sense, nonsense – Title: Debut and E.F.L.

Maxwell – Embrya Title Luxury : Cococure

Mr. Bugslow – Backyard cinema Title:: Gilgamesch

The sound impressions:

Hearing the The Sea, with the Telefunken room informations, details and soundstage are very good. Frequence balance quitte good. Deeps maybe here and there little stronger.
With the Amity separation and placement slightly, slightly better and the screaming guitar to the end of Title II are a little less scratchy.

To the CD from Art of Noise. There are no remarkable differences between the two amps .
Both are very spacious and balanced sounding (in fact amps are not sounding, the only theme for me is the influence of output impedance.)

With Maxwells Embrya the results see no remarkable differences, except over the Amity there seems the highs stronger and more resolution. But this little, little again.
Bass quality similar.

On Mr. Bugslows Gilgamesch a bit suprise .
The deeps was a bit more contoured over the Amity. A single case?

How much the output impedance on the good old Telefunken amp is, must enlighten the digital multimeter. Maybe less than the other integrated amplifier I have.

The pure ampflification was never a theme for me, interesting is the question on the sound increasing. A decidedly headphone amp may can bring some fine details more for us hifi freaks. Till today the T 90 do not learned me shrill highs. But I recognized I had no female voices yesterday that maybe singing in high tones and serves harsh sibilants?

 

[Mad Max]

Yep, Alex, perfect statement.

My sr325is are almost perfect all arounders, but can't match this instrument separation and bass layering. Also comfort is miles behind. I'm very happy with the t90s for now. Is the Dynamat thing still recommended?

Always, so long as you are not afraid to do it.

 

[selvakumar]

guys how to replace headband slider in T90 there is no screw to remove the slider plate any help much appreciate

 

[lugnut]

I'll put it this way, if Sr325is' treble is like a serve of slightly burnt barbecue, then the T90's treble is like an animal corpse after a forest fire.

I have to say, this is the first time I have heard this description !

Byerdynamic's new headphones, such a s Amirion are DT1990 are much better headphones.

I think this is one reason the Amiron does not get much love, as it was the replacement for the T90. People who heard the T90 and had trouble with the treble don't even want to try the Amiron and they are nothing alike !

 

[472837]

I have owned the T90's once before, and quickly regretted selling them, so I have been looking for a replacement pair ever since.

I was lucky to find a pair a few days ago, and I have just recieved them.

They sound just as amazing as I remember them. I use them off of my Little Dot MK. II with stock tubes, and it sounds amazing. I have also tried running them directly off my Aune X1s, and it sounds equally great.

I know that peoples sound preferences are different, but I never understood people who think they are painful to listen to.

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

I have owned the T90's once before, and quickly regretted selling them, so I have been looking for a replacement pair ever since.

I was lucky to find a pair a few days ago, and I have just recieved them.

They sound just as amazing as I remember them. I use them off of my Little Dot MK. II with stock tubes, and it sounds amazing. I have also tried running them directly off my Aune X1s, and it sounds equally great.

I know that peoples sound preferences are different, but I never understood people who think they are painful to listen to.

those people were prob using a hybrid or solid state amp, an OTL tube amp like you use makes the t90 shine, anything else is not a good pairing for it. imo

 

[trellus]

I don't have an OTL tube amp but I still don't find the T90 painful. Sound great just out of a simple hybrid Little Dot i+ and even from my iFi ICAN and that's solid state.

 

[Burkebang]

I bought a set of used T90 a while ago. I run it from a Audio GD R2R 11 connected to my Squezebox.
I wanted to say that I almost passed on this wonderful headphone because of this review. In my opinion there is two explainations for this review. Either The guy had a faulty set or he does not know much about real soundquality.
I have been an audiophile for 30 years and have a speaker setup that noone would deny is pure highend. To get there, I have listened to hundreds of highend setups, so I know good sound when I hear it. My T90 sounds fabulous. I have not been able to use my speaker setup much since my son was born and I have missed it a lot. The T90 lets me enjoy my music so much that it is no longer a problem.

Ps! The T90 deserves a good R2R ladder DAC, it really shines with The R2R 11. This combo gets my feet tapping and hands conducting involuntary like nothing else. There is some great synergys Here. There is no fatigue at all, I often wear them for up to 5-6 hours. I have also slept whole nights with them on listening to Karunesh on repeat

 

[adydula]

Ha,,,I saw that years after I bought my T90's...everyone has an opinion and I highly disagree with his.
I use a Schitt Bifrost MB into one of several amps, OTL Tubem transformer coupled and SS amps...

Lately I have become enamored with the Burson FUN amp with SparkosLabs SS3601 discrete op amps...superb sound.
Alex