Finally got my T90! Have it setup with WA7. First impressions are that they are definitely trebly with sparkly highs. Also there is sibilance. It is not really noticeable at lower volumes, but definitely when you turn it up.
Comparing with my HD700 I found these differences:
Beyerdynamic T90 vs. Sennheiser HD700
- HD700 has warmer sound with deeper and more bass.
- T90 has more treble and is bright
- T90 has more forward vocals and mids
- Right now the vocals on the T90 are sibilant and not as smooth. I know my HD700 used to be sibilant, but it really became quite refined with burn-in. I'm hoping the same for the T90.
- The HD700 seem faster than the T90. I attribute this to be due to the the more apparent and refined bass on the HD700. It makes the bass of the T90 seem "bloated" in comparison. I use the term bloated very loosely in this context because it is not bloated at all, just not as apparent and smooth as the HD700.
- You can hear a lot of the background instruments like cymbals and snares better with the T90. It is more revealing. I think this is due to the T90 having more treble.
- The soundstage of the two are about the same, which is an improvement from the DT880 which I found lacking in this area. (Edit: The HD700 has a wider soundstage than the T90.)
- I would say the imaging on the T90 is better only because it is more revealing.
- The T90 has a more energetic signature, while the HD700 has a warmer and laid back signature.
- I find the HD700 more euphonic and less fatiguing and I can listen for long periods of time. The T90 does get fatiguing for me, especially on higher volumes due to the treble and sibilance in the vocals. On low to medium volume, it does not have this affect as much.
- The T90 with the Tesla technology is quite efficient, and at 250 ohms is louder than the 150 ohm HD700 at the same volume level.
For me right now I like the HD700 more, but that may be because I'm used to them. Also, the T90 is intended for work and cannot be played very loudly, so the sibilance should not be a big issue. I will have to do another assessment after the T90 has some burn-in. I recall my HD700 has a lot sibilance and peaky treble as well at first, you can read about that being the big weakness to the HD700. But after burn-in, the sibilance and harsh treble are completely gone. I find the HD700 to be a diamond in the rough because all of it's major complaints are non-existent after burn-in. I'm hoping the T90 is also a pair of headphones that can benefit the same way from burn-in.
Edit:
After a couple more hours of listening, I guess either through burn-in or just my ears getting used to it, the sibilance is pretty much gone
. I definitely find the T90 to be clearer and more revealing than the HD700, however it is still harsher. At this point I find the T90 and HD700 to be almost opposite in sound. The T90 is bright and detailed in the background subtleties, and therefore very revealing. The HD700 is warm and has a very detailed bass. The bass actually seems to cover up some of the background sounds so it is less revealing than the T90. However, I find it easier and more pleasing to the ears. The T90 has a treble overtone and treble is emphasized and more forward, whereas the HD700 has a bass overtone which is more emphasized and brought out. It's pretty neat to have two headphones that are opposites of one another.
