[Splather]

Hi guys
 
I'm in the market for some full sized cans, gonna treat myself for my birthday. I think I've decided on the DT770's over the M50's (as comfort is a major priority), but I'm not sure which variant to go for.
 
I'll be mainly using my Galaxy S3 for playback (and perhaps my rockboxed ClipZip occasionally) and have a Fiio E6 to provide some extra power. I could possibly look at a better amp if it's warranted but that would probably be a few months down the line. Whatever I end up using, it needs to be portable.
 
Any advice on which of these headphones is best (and why)? If I lose a connecting cable/break the amp, I have some RE0's and a pair of Bose QC2 to fall back on, so I'm not overly worried about the fact that my source(s) can't drive the 250's directly, but I suppose it would only be worth the higher impedance set if there is going to be a noticeable difference in SQ? If I'm wrong, please tell me.
 
Also, couple of side questions:
 
1. I'll want to use these in a portable setting. While I'll use them stock to start with, I'll probably look at modding them to take a replaceable cable in the future. I'm not too hot at soldering but could practice - is it a difficult job?
 
2. Will they fit in a Slappa hard case? It seems a low cost option for decentish protection.
 
Any other advice you can offer (alternatives etc) would be great. However, I don't really have the budget to go outside the cost of the DT770's. I'm in the UK, in case that affects anything. And if anyone is selling, please give me a shout!
 
Thanks for reading.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm in the market for some full sized cans, gonna treat myself for my birthday. I think I've decided on the DT770's over the M50's (as comfort is a major priority), but I'm not sure which variant to go for.
I'll be mainly using my Galaxy S3 for playback (and perhaps my rockboxed ClipZip occasionally) and have a Fiio E6 to provide some extra power. I could possibly look at a better amp if it's warranted but that would probably be a few months down the line. Whatever I end up using, it needs to be portable.
Any advice on which of these headphones is best (and why)? If I lose a connecting cable/break the amp, I have some RE0's and a pair of Bose QC2 to fall back on, so I'm not overly worried about the fact that my source(s) can't drive the 250's directly, but I suppose it would only be worth the higher impedance set if there is going to be a noticeable difference in SQ? If I'm wrong, please tell me.
Also, couple of side questions:
1. I'll want to use these in a portable setting. While I'll use them stock to start with, I'll probably look at modding them to take a replaceable cable in the future. I'm not too hot at soldering but could practice - is it a difficult job?
2. Will they fit in a Slappa hard case? It seems a low cost option for decentish protection.
Any other advice you can offer (alternatives etc) would be great. However, I don't really have the budget to go outside the cost of the DT770's. I'm in the UK, in case that affects anything. And if anyone is selling, please give me a shout!

DT770s for portable use??
Maybe the Beyerdynamic COP (Custom One Pro), I believe they are lighter then the DT770s.
 
Could buy two headphones, one for portable and one for non-portable use.
JVC HA-S500-Z (folding), $77
Gemini HSR-1000 (Takstar Pro 80), $80.
 
The E6 should easily drive the COP, JVD & Gemini.

 

[adamlr]

im not sure you can make any dt beyers portable, or the cop for that matter. theyr enormous! i cant put my dt770s around my neck for example... im not even talking about weight, just the logistics of walking around with such a big headphone...

 

[Splather]

Thanks to you both for the replies.
 
Would the E6 struggle to drive the DT770's (in either version)? I appreciate what you're both saying about portability and perhaps I'm being a little ambitious. For "true" portability I suppose I could fall back on my IEM's - In terms of portability for the DT's I was thinking of basically shoving them on and walking to work, where they'd then be put back in a case. Or would they still be a bit big, realistically?
 
They DO look huge (I'm thinking "Help, I'm trapped in the middle of the Death Star!"), and I started out with the ATH M50's in mind, but I've heard a few negative comments about comfort (cup fit and pads) and general sweatiness....
 
Edit: PurpleAngel - How do the COP stack up in SQ to the 770s? I've just had a little look around, and I like the fact that they have a replaceable cable, as this means I could use them with a mic/control cable with my phone without needing to mod. As I'm not very experienced with this sort of thing, is it particularly significant that they're 16ohm in terms of sound quality?

 

[adamlr]

Quote:

Thanks to you both for the replies.
 
Would the E6 struggle to drive the DT770's (in either version)? I appreciate what you're both saying about portability and perhaps I'm being a little ambitious. For "true" portability I suppose I could fall back on my IEM's - In terms of portability for the DT's I was thinking of basically shoving them on and walking to work, where they'd then be put back in a case. Or would they still be a bit big, realistically?
 
They DO look huge (I'm thinking "Help, I'm trapped in the middle of the Death Star!"), and I started out with the ATH M50's in mind, but I've heard a few negative comments about comfort (cup fit and pads) and general sweatiness....
 
Edit: PurpleAngel - How do the COP stack up in SQ to the 770s? I've just had a little look around, and I like the fact that they have a replaceable cable, as this means I could use them with a mic/control cable with my phone without needing to mod. As I'm not very experienced with this sort of thing, is it particularly significant that they're 16ohm in terms of sound quality?

i have never owned an e6, but the e11 works just fine with my 250 ohm dt 770s...
 
im not saying theres no way you can use them portably, im just saying that imo it would be impractical, but iv seen (or rather read of) other head-fi members who use them portably and are very happy. you see, i dont walk to work, i take the bus, and if i need to buy a new ticket, ill have to talk to the driver, meaning id have to take my headphones off, and like i said, the dt 770s are too big to put around my neck, its like having a neck brace that restricts your movements. so for me, they dont count as portable. btw, they dont come with a case.
 
"would they still be a bit big, realistically?"
whats realistic to you? theyr pretty big, thats half the fun : P

 

[Splather]

Ah, OK - makes sense. I'm an antisocial kind of guy (IRL) so I'd just put my change in the machine on the bus and avoid talking to the driver! 

. Casewise, I was thinking of one of those Slappa jobs - not quite a suitcase, but enough to protect them in my bag at work etc.
 
They seem to be the same form factor as the COP, so I'm a bit stuck now. The COP have the removable cable without a mod which is a bonus, but the bass port thing seems to be a bit of a gimmick (could be wrong there). I'm rubbish with amplification and impedances - 16ohm for the COP, vs 80/250 for the DT770s. The question is does the impednace make a difference in terms of SQ? Oh, the perils of being inexperienced...

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks to you both for the replies.
 
Would the E6 struggle to drive the DT770's (in either version)? I appreciate what you're both saying about portability and perhaps I'm being a little ambitious. For "true" portability I suppose I could fall back on my IEM's - In terms of portability for the DT's I was thinking of basically shoving them on and walking to work, where they'd then be put back in a case. Or would they still be a bit big, realistically?
 
They DO look huge (I'm thinking "Help, I'm trapped in the middle of the Death Star!"), and I started out with the ATH M50's in mind, but I've heard a few negative comments about comfort (cup fit and pads) and general sweatiness....
 
Edit: PurpleAngel - How do the COP stack up in SQ to the 770s? I've just had a little look around, and I like the fact that they have a replaceable cable, as this means I could use them with a mic/control cable with my phone without needing to mod. As I'm not very experienced with this sort of thing, is it particularly significant that they're 16ohm in terms of sound quality?

The Fiio E6 can drive the DT770 Pro 250-Ohm headphone, but the E6 is just about maxed out doing it.
I've never listed to the Beyer COP, but as they are only 16-Ohm, you should not need to buy another amplifier to drive them.

 

[adamlr]

Quote:

Ah, OK - makes sense. I'm an antisocial kind of guy (IRL) so I'd just put my change in the machine on the bus and avoid talking to the driver! 

. Casewise, I was thinking of one of those Slappa jobs - not quite a suitcase, but enough to protect them in my bag at work etc.
 
They seem to be the same form factor as the COP, so I'm a bit stuck now. The COP have the removable cable without a mod which is a bonus, but the bass port thing seems to be a bit of a gimmick (could be wrong there). I'm rubbish with amplification and impedances - 16ohm for the COP, vs 80/250 for the DT770s. The question is does the impednace make a difference in terms of SQ? Oh, the perils of being inexperienced...

im very much inexperienced myself but im going to go out on a limb here, risking angry comments from old timers and say that no. as far as iv understood from reading around this website, impedance ratings are more of a guide to amplification than an indicator of sound quality. different impedances may sound different, but not necessarily better or worse. its more a question of what youll be using the headphones for, and where youll be plugging them into.
 
what do you mean "a gimmick"? i dont understand where your getting at? 
 
im assuming you live somewhere where auditioning the headphones isnt a possibility, so reviews will have to do. this site is full of them, use the search option to find reviews and comparisons, and make up your dicision based on the music you listen to and the use intended for these headphones. thats my 2 cents
 
oh yea, i guess any old bag will do. they pretty durable too.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Ah, OK - makes sense. I'm an antisocial kind of guy (IRL) so I'd just put my change in the machine on the bus and avoid talking to the driver! 

. Casewise, I was thinking of one of those Slappa jobs - not quite a suitcase, but enough to protect them in my bag at work etc.
They seem to be the same form factor as the COP, so I'm a bit stuck now. The COP have the removable cable without a mod which is a bonus, but the bass port thing seems to be a bit of a gimmick (could be wrong there). I'm rubbish
with amplification and impedances - 16ohm for the COP, vs 80/250 for the DT770s. The question is does the impedance make a difference in terms of SQ? Oh, the perils of being inexperienced...

I think in the old days, for the mass market (and Professional studios) high impedance headphones were about the only way you would get good sound quality from headphones.
I would think in the old days there was very few audio devices than can properly drive a low impedance (Ohm) headphone anyway.
But as high quality portable audio products have become more popular and you can store high quality audio on those portable audio devices.
It's worth it for headphone manufacturers to make headphone with a low impedance (Ohms) that have good audio quality.
 
So the impedance sound quality issue is driven more by market demand then anything else.

 

[proton007]

As PurpleAngel says, different impedances are for those who have amp/stereo equipment already, and may not be able to use low impedance headphones, due to old specs, design, whatever the reason may be.
 
If you're purchasing a new set, there's no reason to go too high, or even too low for that matter. 80 Ohms should be within reach for most amps.  16 Ohms can be a bit low for plugging directly into mp3 players.

 

[AzraelDarkangel]

I used to have a DT880 pro 250 ohm I used for portable use as I walked to and from work and even on the bus. Straight out of my phone and I could blast heavy metal if I wanted. I consider any phone portable if It can be used from a portable source or amp and won't fall off your head as you move it around. As a bonus Beyerdynamic headphones make great earmuffs in winter.

 

[Splather]

Morning guys, and thanks for the responses. Would have replied last night but when I tried to log in on my phone the site wouldn't play nice..
 
Adamir - I'm mainly listening to rock/metal, but listen to a wide variety of other stuff including classical, rap/old skool hiphop, EDM etc. When I say gimmick, I sort of get the feeling that the adjustable bass ports are aimed at the mass market. Personally if I wanted to improve the bass response I would rather EQ than have an all encompassing bass "boost", although perhaps I'm missing the point?
 
PurpleAngel/Proton007 - This makes a LOT more sense now. I seem to remember my dad's headphones years ago (70's) being high impedance - he used to work for the BSR company, so they were decent quality that he used for his work. It figures that manufacturers would address compatibility issues esp when there's a lot of old skool high quality kit around, plus pro applications. With the COP being 16ohm, could this actually be a bit low, esp if I end up adding a USB DAC to my arsenal at some point?
 
AzraelDarkangel - That's pretty much what I'm gonna be using them for!
 
From the info you guys have supplied and from reading up on a couple of other threads, I think if I go down the DT770 route, I'll probably plump for the 80ohm version as it seems these will have widest compatibility with a range of unamped sources, but also handle amplification relatively well. I'm still tempted by the COP, the main selling point is that they have removable cables without needing a mod. I'm a little concerned that if I decide to use a DAC in future, it may be too much for them at 16 ohms, what do you guys think?  
 
PS: Thanks for helping, I'm probably asking stupid questions which I appreciate can be frustrating.

 

[adamlr]

i dont understand why a detachable cable is so important but hey, to each his own.
 
about low impedance, your right that the cop will work better "unamped", but if you do plug them into an amp, depending on the amp, the gain may be too high for low impedance headphones. what i mean is that the volume knob may appear to be overly sensitive, where a slight touch can increase the volume by alot, other than that i dont think ther should be any problem. 
 
your right, the cop are probably aimed at the mass market - so what? but hey, the dt 770s are classics, im sure youll be happy with them aswell, especially if your willing to use an eq.

 

[Splather]

Sorry, I meant that the replaceable cable was a marginal "plus" for the COP over the 770. It's not a huge consideration to be honest, but the flexibility of being able to use shorter/longer cables or add volume/phone control, mic cables etc sounded like it might give me more options for using these in the future. I could only achieve that for the 770's through a mod (and I'm no solder artist).
 
Anyway, thanks for the reply! I shall do some more digging

 

[proton007]

Quote:

Morning guys, and thanks for the responses. Would have replied last night but when I tried to log in on my phone the site wouldn't play nice..
 
Adamir - I'm mainly listening to rock/metal, but listen to a wide variety of other stuff including classical, rap/old skool hiphop, EDM etc. When I say gimmick, I sort of get the feeling that the adjustable bass ports are aimed at the mass market. Personally if I wanted to improve the bass response I would rather EQ than have an all encompassing bass "boost", although perhaps I'm missing the point?
 
PurpleAngel/Proton007 - This makes a LOT more sense now. I seem to remember my dad's headphones years ago (70's) being high impedance - he used to work for the BSR company, so they were decent quality that he used for his work. It figures that manufacturers would address compatibility issues esp when there's a lot of old skool high quality kit around, plus pro applications. With the COP being 16ohm, could this actually be a bit low, esp if I end up adding a USB DAC to my arsenal at some point?
 
AzraelDarkangel - That's pretty much what I'm gonna be using them for!
 
From the info you guys have supplied and from reading up on a couple of other threads, I think if I go down the DT770 route, I'll probably plump for the 80ohm version as it seems these will have widest compatibility with a range of unamped sources, but also handle amplification relatively well. I'm still tempted by the COP, the main selling point is that they have removable cables without needing a mod. I'm a little concerned that if I decide to use a DAC in future, it may be too much for them at 16 ohms, what do you guys think?  
 
PS: Thanks for helping, I'm probably asking stupid questions which I appreciate can be frustrating.

16 Ohms is usually the lower end of amps, and typically, headphones with 16 Ohms are made for portable use with sources that aren't so good at providing a gain (like batteries). But it *will* work with most good amps out there. Just check out the power specs to confirm.
About the cables, as Adamlr says, there's no need to change them unless you damage the cable (in which case the headphone mfr will change it for you).