[BubbaThing]

Hey everyone, so im new to this site and ive been doing a lot of research on a pair of headphones. Ive bean looking at the dt 990 Pros and I was wondering if they are good for me. Every thread that ive looked at helps answer part of my question but does not fully. I love listening to dubstep and hip hop/pop and other electronic music. Right now im using the sony xb 500s and i find that they are really only good for bass. They seem muddy with everything else. So should i go with the dt 990 pros at 250 ohms, or something else. Ive also decided to invest in a portable amp to start with, as a desktop amp is to much for me now. The two amps ive seen are the PA2V2 and the Jds Cmody.  Would the dt's and one of these amps be a good setup? Thanks.

 

[jupitreas]

Either amp should drive these fine.
The DT990 is quite good for all music. It is not an entirely neutral headphone since the bass and the treble is emphasized. It has some of the best bass among open headphones. The high frequencies can get sibilant with this headphone, but it is not a particularly piercing and grating headphone - it is rather well behaved with well-recorded music.
 
It would certainly suit your needs but I'm not sure if it is the best choice for you... If you want a comfortable, lightweight, dynamic headphone with very good bass and a very airy, open, spacious sound, the DT990 is one of the best headphones to offer this. I personally love this can; however, many people would also point out its flaws: it leaks sound like no tomorrow, doesn't isolate at all, is rather ugly, has recessed mids, doesn't fold and is too harsh/sibilant for many people. Compared to a DT880, it is also just a tiny bit boomy and muffled (but in no way comparable to how muffled the XB500 is). It would be best to audition this headphone before buying it.

 

[BubbaThing]

Sorry im very new to this but what does harsh/sibilant mean. Are the dt 770s better? Also do you recommend any different headphones. My price range is like around 180.

 

[Darkblade48]

Quote:

Sorry im very new to this but what does harsh/sibilant mean. Are the dt 770s better? Also do you recommend any different headphones. My price range is like around 180.

 
Taken directly from the sticky:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/describing-sound-a-glossary
 
Sibilant (or Sibilance) - "Essy", exaggerated "s" or "sh" sounds in vocals. Sibilant sounds carry most of their energy through the 4Khz to 8Khz range, but can extend to 10kHz, depending on the individual. Sibilance is often heard on radio.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The DT990 Pros are a ginormous leap over the XB500s in term of clarity, speed, and fidelity. The biggest change is going from the veiled treble on the XB500 to the sharp treble on the 990 Pros.

 

[MattTCG]

Based on your musical preference you should really look at the denon d2k.

 

[BubbaThing]

The D2000's are probably better, but my price limit is 180 dollars.

 

[BubbaThing]

Also, will the Dt 990s be horrible on a plane? Will the engine noise totally ruin the music. 

 

[BubbaThing]

One last thing, how do they compare to the dt 770s 250ohm

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The 990's on a plane = absolutely not

They are open, and not only do they not isolate AT ALL, but you'd disturb those near you.

The 990s are better than the 770s for me, but the 770s are better suited for you since they are closed and isolate.

 

[BubbaThing]

I guess ill just take the xbs on the plane and just use the dt 990s the rest of the time. I can spare 13 hours i guess. Also, i read that they have treble spikes. Will that happen at low volume? I usually play the volume at less than half. Also, I play my music from my phone, is that  bad?
 

 

[jupitreas]

The DT770 have the least neutral sound of the DT700 series though and their mids in particular sound rather unnatural. They do have nice thunderous bass though and they are still a huge improvement over the XB500. They are not a bad choice, although it would be nice to audition a pair before buying. 
 
A good alternative for the DT770 is the M-Audio Q40. You can even use DT770 pads with them. They have fantastic bass and the rest of the spectrum is handled in a nice, neutral way. Their mids are not recessed and the treble is not emphasized either. They don't give the same sense of crystal clarity like the DT700 series, but they are not muffled either, and certainly leaps and bounds above the XB500. Worth considering for sure.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

At low volume, I don't see the treble being an issue. It might actually be good since it raises clarity during low volumes. In any case the 990 pros don't suffer from truly exhausting treble the way the Premiums do. Partly due to the bass being a bit stronger, so it smooths out the highs just a smidge in comparison to the Premium 990s.

 

[BubbaThing]

Jupitress, the one problem is that i cant try them out anywhere. I think Ill go withthe dt 990 Pros 250ohm. And for that amp which of teh two is better.

 

[jupitreas]

I always thought the DT990 is a DT880 that is meant to be listened to at lower volumes. Its frequency response is like that of the DT880 modified to fit the Fletcher-Munson curve at lower volume. In other words, the DT990 sounds more neutral when listened to at low volumes, whereas the DT880 sounds more neutral at higher volumes. The DT990 is therefore a more laid-back, long-hour listening headphone, while the DT880 is more a tool for critical monitoring, which is likely to be done at higher volumes and not for as long a duration.
 
Just my impression, I could be interpreting the intended usage of these headphones completely wrong.
 
EDIT: Can't help you with the amp as I havent used either. All I can tell you is that a Fiio E7 drives them very well.