[446907]

Hello, I am warman2012. I am a newbie to the world of hifi audio with a review of the Beyerdynamic DT-880 600 ohm headphones. My review is strictly of the perspective of someone who just starting to enter into the world of headphones, so any review on my part should be taken with some caution as to the application of my review as it applies to your decision making.
 
OK, this may be a TLR type of review, if that is not for you, then please move on. 
 
First, let me describe my experience. I come from several pairs of sub-$300 headphones with my audio sources mostly coming from Youtube and MP3 file sources of varying quality. Most of them have been closed back, and two have been open back, including the DT-880. I possess an Asus DGX audio card and have recently purchased a TEAC HAP-50 DAC/AMP combo that can power 600 ohm headphones according to the manufacturer. I have had no problems in this regard.
 
Headphones I owned/used:
$20 Sony headphones from Walmart (Do not know the model number)
Monster Headphones (The Nick Cannon ones)
Audio-Technica M50x
Yamaha RH3C
Phillips SHP9500
Beyerdynamic DT 880 600 ohm
 
With these headphones, I have to admit that the Beyers are superior to these other headphones by far. The soundstage, if I am using this term correctly, is fairly realistic. That is to say, they have a tendency to be clear and reflect the environmental acoustical properties in which they were recorded. These are somewhat good for live recordings of instruments where a person would want to experience the spatial properties of the recording in question. Bass is the tightest I have ever heard off of a headphone. A saddening aspect of this headphone is the lack of sub-bass and recessed mids, thus kick drums and bass guitars will oftentimes suffer from a lack of what I would call presence. In other words, they feel distant and uninteresting additions to a lot of songs and tracks.
 
I often listen to drum solos and what I have experienced of those is that things like cymbals are front and center, the kick drum is present, but flat at the same time, and snares have a tendency to be somewhat recessed or flat. Overall, I feel when I listen to these headphones is a sense of being a clear, wide room, with character-lacking sound. I agree from other reviews that the sound is a mostly "dry" experience. Overall this headphone brings me too many mixed signals for me to bother keeping.
 
I would have to give this headphone a 6.5/10 for the price. I do not recommend this headphone.
 
Feel free to share your experiences with me, recommend different headphones, or critique my review in a positive, constructive matter. 

 

[446907]

(Edited out)

 

[GREQ]

In your opinion what headphones are good for things that you mentioned? (drum solos and Bioshock Infiinte) Both of which are things I am familiar with, especially the latter.

 

[Me x3]

Beyerdynamic DT880 is one of the very best headphones out there.
It's like a Porsche 911, you don't really want to use a 911 on a less than perfect road.
Once you've decided sitting on a 911 and start driving you need to take in consideration what the car was made for.
 
You can come here and say, the 911 is too low, front bumper hits the road in every corner, it's small inside for a family, it's too low and thus uncomfortable to go in or out, seats are waay too firm, plenty of gasoline needed for every trip, expensive parts, and so on...
 
But it's still a superb car for those who appreciate their capabilities and use it the right way.
 
DT880 is a studio reference headphone, pretty much the same frequency response as the Sennheiser HD800.
Pick top class recordings, feed them with quality DAC and amplifier and they'll sound extremely natural. They can simply dissapear.
 
Use them with compressed modern recordings, low quality files, random masterization music/soundtracks, and they'll expose every flaw, just as the Porsche 911 will expose imprefections in the road.
 
Do you really think the guys making Bioshock are concerned about perfect tonal balance?
In other words, do you think the guys making Bioshock tune the sound for perfect reproduction on neutralish studio gear?
 
Last but not least, if you are coming from very different, not neutralish headphones, take your time to judge new headphones.
Our hearing can be very tricky and it tends to compare everything new with its reference (the previous sound signature). It's always wise to spend at least 20 exclusive listening hours or so, before going back to the previous headphone for comparison. Even the most experienced reviewers and critical listeners normally dedicate exclusive weeks and even months before making claims.

 

[GREQ]

 
Do you really think the guys making Bioshock are concerned about perfect tonal balance?
In other words, do you think the guys making Bioshock tune the sound for perfect reproduction on neutralish studio gear?

I played Bioshock Infiinte with my HE-500's (neutral - could be considered for studio - sounds quite similar to DT880 in many respects) - it sounded FANTASTIC. 
The audio in that masterpiece of a game is every bit as important as the graphics, story, gameplay etc. 
You'd be surprised how good the audio in games are these days.

 

[446907]

I'll be frank about it, I had a pair of SHP9500's that were great in the mids. They seemed to bring out certain things more than others. I don't know any other headphones for the purposes mentioned above. I am still wanting to try out different pairs. Seems like some elements stand out more than others. I mean, they are GREAT at open air stuff, really. But that might as well be like a bed with no springs in it. No tonality or body to really bring the music out. Like a rainbow with a few sparking colors with a touch of a bland regular color that is just, there. Not my style.
 
(Also, I was a tad bit angry in my second addition to that post I had mentioned earlier.)

 

[446907]

Its not the audio itself man, its the fact that when I tried to use some weapons, there was just like a hole, of sorts, if you can possibly relate, to the sound of gunshots and background explosions that, 'was just there,' not visceral or engaging while using this headphone. The open air quality made the bland gun shot sounds and others like it more noticeable. The strengths of the DT880 are also its bane. Doesn't seem right to me if a headphone is going to tote an open-air concert hall experience if the rest of the sound lacks presence and depth, like a planetarium with a lot of space, but 2d planet cutouts hanging instead of the full spheres of all the planets. I don't know how else to describe it.

 

[GREQ]

So basically what you're saying is that you personally don't like the sound.
 
It's important to remember that your taste in audio is just as subjective as your taste in fashion, art, food and drink. 
Your senses are also different to other peoples, you see, smell and taste slightly differently to other people - hearing is no exception.
 
Making bold sweeping statements like the one you edited out are commonly frowned upon around most forums 

 
+1 on the SHP9500 - that headphone has a lot going for it. 
 

Its not the audio man, its the fact that when I tried to use some weapons, there was just like a hole, of sorts, if you can possibly relate, to the sound of gunshots and background explosions that, 'was just there,' not visceral or engaging.

That's one thing about Beyer studio headphones - they're designed for LONG extended use at work in the studio - so the sound needs to be detailed but as relaxing and low-pressured as possible.
If they were 'visceral' or more impactful, a lot of professionals wouldn't buy them due to hearing fatigue. 

 

[Me x3]

  I played Bioshock Infiinte with my HE-500's (neutral - could be considered for studio - sounds quite similar to DT880 in many respects) - it sounded FANTASTIC. 
The audio in that masterpiece of a game is every bit as important as the graphics, story, gameplay etc. 
You'd be surprised how good the audio in games are these days.

 
I know the game, to me the audio there is fine for a game, it's interesting, fits the ambience very well, but it's not high fidelity in my book.
Don't get me wrong I have nothing against the game, I don't pretend David Chesky working hard to make a Sci-Fi game gun sound exactly as a real one.
There's no point for that.
The sound of the game works great for the game but it can not be compared with the best 2L/Chesky/Linn/Reference/Telarc/FIM/... recordings.

 

[446907]

I see. Well, I am glad I didn't get the 990. The 880 is high enough with the "Sss" effect as it is. The Beyers are really pretty good in the imaging department to some degree. I'd actually keep the 880's if they had more, I dunno, mid-range presence and still kept the airy aspect to them.
 
(What do you mean, sweeping statement? You mean the literal "edited out" text?)

 

[446907]

Here are some Golden Ears graphs comparing the DT 880 with the SHP9500. Maybe you guys could help with a better interpretation of the two compared.
 
http://en.goldenears.net/31990 (SHP9500)
http://en.goldenears.net/11302 (DT880)

 

[GREQ]

(What do you mean, sweeping statement? You mean the literal "edited out" text?)

I was talking about the post you edited out:
I read it before you deleted it.
 

(Edited out)

 

[alynx]

I actually use the DT 880s for my "music production" and Im so glad that they are not warm or overly visceral. I couldnt do hours and hours of listening and fine tuning that one sample with lets say the HD 650s. Id get tired very quickly.

 

[haiu2323]

  I actually use the DT 880s for my "music production" and Im so glad that they are not warm or overly visceral. I couldnt do hours and hours of listening and fine tuning that one sample with lets say the HD 650s. Id get tired very quickly.

Warman's experience with the DT880 600Ohm is very similar to mine. And I think that's actually a compliment to Beyer's consistency and quality control. These headphones are meant to be studio reference headphones and they do just that. I, like many, wish they had a bit more body to the bass and sub-bass but not really a dealbreaker at the end of the day. They are definitely not "fun" headphones but they do a hell of a job of being comfortable and accurate and I actually appreciate them for that.