DT880 After 3 days of Burn-In

[jondl]

My setup:
Headphones: HD595, DT770/80 (previously owned), DT880/250 05'
Amp: Headfive
Source: X-Fi 'Hot-Rod'
Well, I just got a chance to listen to my DT880s after stuffing them into my closet for 3 days for some pink noise burn-in.

All i can say is these babies sound so much better after burn-in! Right out the box, I didn't like them at all and regretted my purchase a bit but had hopes that burn in would cure some of the flaws. I would describe my initial impressions as harsh highs and non-existent lows but I felt the soundstage right off the bat compared to my HD595s.

As for comfort, I liked the clamping on the DT770 a lot better and the headhand pad seemed lightweight as well. Besides the slight nit-picking from myself, the DT880 is VERY comfortable and that was one of the main reasons I got the DT880 over my first choice of HD650.

After burn-in the bass sounded a lot tighter and fuller while the highs tamed itself. The thing i like most about the DT880s is that at moderate levels they still sound great! My HD595s sounded pretty boring and bland at low volume and the soundstage doesn't even match the DT880s. Another plus for the DT880 was in the bass department. I really don't see how people can say the DT880s have NO BASS impact but my impression is a little skewed due to my previous cans.

Anyway, one question before i'm off for the night.
What amp would better my Headfive with these cans? I'm planning on selling my 595s to upgrade my amp. So, budget is about $300.

Thanks!

 

[skai]

why not go for corda aria

if ya on a budget if not the opera

 

[Omom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skai /img/forum/go_quote.gif if ya on a budget if not the opera

I was also upgrading from Headfive to Opera with DT880 and I can only recommend it... you will get speed, better bass and richer refined sound with a lot of details. You can consider leather earpads - it brings another bass improvement (impact).

 

[Uncle Erik]

I like tubes with the DT880. Warms them up and the mids come right out.

 

[cooperpwc]

Amazing isn't it how bad they sound out of the box and how good they sound after a bit of burn in. (First time I plugged them in I was very dissapointed. What soundstage?

)

I bet that the new TTVJ portable hybrid would sound great with your DT880s. Less expensive: a used Millett Hybrid. Check the FS forum.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like tubes with the DT880. Warms them up and the mids come right out.

Same here. I use a Woo Audio 3. My HeadRoom Micro Amp also works great with its crossfeed which adds warmth, a great match.

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like tubes with the DT880. Warms them up and the mids come right out.

x3
Didn't know how good my Millet was before I had the 880s.

Most of the other DT880 freaks in our german forum praise the bigger Meier amps though. Even one hypercritical member which wanted to get rid of the "thin sounding" 880s got cured completely by an...think it was an Aria.
Quote:

Originally Posted by cooperpwc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amazing isn't it how bad they sound out of the box

Any redneck HD485 sounds much better than a DT880 "out of the box"

 

[iancraig10]

The DT880 is the first headphone that I have used and mistaken sounds for real sounds and turned around expecting to see someone!! I wonder whether the Headfive has enough output for them though. I also have a Headfive and the volume has to be pretty high with the 880's.

With a Graham Slee Solo, they are really powerful sounding and they also seem to warm up in sound with a hefty bass when it's there on the recordings.

I presume it's the 2005 version?

Ian

 

[ryanhayn]

isn't it great how the human mental overrides the physical? i love you god!

 

[iancraig10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryanhayn /img/forum/go_quote.gif isn't it great how the human mental overrides the physical? i love you god!

It scared the Bejazus outta me I can tell you!!

Ian

 

[BushGuy]

The dt880 is the only one in the top 3 Beyers that wants a tube amp. Besides some appropriate candidates mentioned above - I still think a best choice remains EarMax Pro, or for less money one could consider ASL MG-Head OTL MkIII, or a Bada PH12.

 

[Skylab]

Another vote here for tubes with the DT880. I use mine with the excellent ASL MG-Head OTL mkIII (with Electro-Harmonix tubes), great combo.

 

[jondl]

Wow! Thanks for the massive responses. I've been trying real hard to search for the 'best' affordable amp for these babies but only to find out that i keep trying to stretch my budget! Theres head-fi for ya.

At the moment, i'm really looking into getting the Dark Voice 336i since i can get them for <$300 but the MG-Head OTL Mark3 looks very scrumptious

The only problem is i see them for $425 from a local CA vendor and it doesn't seem like anybody ever sells them used on the FS forums. Anybody wanna sell? He he he. I'm really hoping that this amp will last me a good 2 years before upgraditis overtakes me.

As for the Aria, i'm not too sure if i'm ready for a AMP+DAC combo at the moment. I'm pretty satisfied with my modded X-fi and my motherboard's USB inputs are a bit unreliable.

 

[jondl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooperpwc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Amazing isn't it how bad they sound out of the box and how good they sound after a bit of burn in. (First time I plugged them in I was very dissapointed. What soundstage? ) I bet that the new TTVJ portable hybrid would sound great with your DT880s. Less expensive: a used Millett Hybrid. Check the FS forum.

Yes, i was very surprised at how much they've improved. At the moment, I still have them sitting in my closet in its' case with a huge jacket over them to block out the pink noise while i sleep

I'm hoping to get 200+ hours of burn-in in 2 weeks!

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, i was very surprised at how much they've improved. At the moment, I still have them sitting in my closet in its' case with a huge jacket over them to block out the pink noise while i sleep I'm hoping to get 200+ hours of burn-in in 2 weeks!

Just be careful that the pink noise isn't too loud. It should just be at a comfortable listening level when you are wearing the headphones. Jacket+closet suggests you may be blasting it which I understand is not recommended.