[Hanga]

Hi Head-Fi users

About 11 years ago you guys recommended me the Beyerdynamic DT990, and I purchased the 05' edition 250ohm.

This turned out to be a great advise. At first I wasn't too impressed. The treble was harsh and it lacked a bit of punch in the bass. Luckily I stuck with them and with time the treble became softer and my ears adjusted to the lesser bass.

I have been very fond of them ever since. I love the detail and soundstage that they bring, and the light and airy sound profile.

However, 11 years of daily use has taken its toll. They are quite worn out.

I am therefore considering buying a new pair. And that leads me to my question.... Should I just buy the same DT990 again or is there a similar but even better alternative out there? For instance I see that Beyer have developed a DT1990 - is that something to consider?

Also, do the DT990 still take quite a long time to soften up the treble?

Music preference: EDM (trance, house, progressive etc.) and rock.
Head amp/dac: Firestone Fubar III

 

[serman005]

So, you are looking at an open headphone? What is the budget?

 

[Hanga]

So, you are looking at an open headphone? What is the budget?

An open headphone yes.

As far as budget goes, let's set the bar at the DT 1990 price range (aprox. $600/ €530 / £480).

 

[Hanga]

Can someone perhaps compare the DT 1990 vs. the 990 ? The cost twice as much but are they better ? Do they also have the harsh treble that takes a long time to soften ?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Beyerdynamic T90 headphones, great clarity.
Or for something like the DT990, Soundmagic HP200 (improved DT990?).

 

[Cybertox]

As someone who owns a pair of DT 1990 Pro but never listened to the DT990, I really dislike the amount of treble, sibilance and hissing the DT1990 Pro have. Would advise against them if you are sensitive to treble or dislike it altogether.

 

[Hanga]

As someone who owns a pair of DT 1990 Pro but never listened to the DT990, I really dislike the amount of treble, sibilance and hissing the DT1990 Pro have. Would advise against them if you are sensitive to treble or dislike it altogether.

Beyers are known to be on the bright side and I like that. What I do not like is the quite long breaking in period that the DT990 has. Out of the box they sometimes get harsh but they do eventually soften, leaving a lovely bright detailed treble that I like. I was just hoping that perhaps the DT 1990 has less or no breaking in period which some reviews seem to indicate.

 

[Cybertox]

Overall, I believe the DT1990 Pro is darker and has generally speaking less treble when compared to the DT990, but I cant comment on the breaking-in process and how long it is. From my experience, the break-in of headphones and amplifiers has minimal impact on the overall sound output.

 

[WildStyle-R11]

DT990 Pro the 250ohm on my system was bright and continued to be bright. I got used to it, so it wasn't that bad, but still noticeable and annoying. I upgraded to DT 1990 for various reasons and one of them was a hope that the treble would be more tame. It may be, but not enough. The sound signature is as similar as it can be, you just get higher sound quality over 990.
So no doubt that DT 1990 is the superior headphone, but if you are looking for a calmer one, this isn't it. It also comes down to the setup you use really, because it is possible to tame them to an extent, but at that point isn't it just better to get a headphone that does that right out of the box?