[Thommohawk]

I just received my dt990s (250ohm) yesterday! Man these are great... Im really enjoying them for gaming and movies. Been using a e11 to amp them but would like to get a desktop amp. Checking out the magni, o2 or e9...any other suggestions?

Do the dd990s get better after burn in?

 
Someone show me a better headphone anywhere near the price range for immerserion gaming and movies it'd have to be something truly special to beat these.

Incredible about sums these up! 

PS
 
That includes music too if you like a bit of bass with your clarity, and you can get on with the treble some cant and are sensitive to it but honestly I've heard a LOT harsher treble in my time....point being you won't go too far wrong with these unless you're one of those people who like headphones with hardly any bass and a boring 'up in the rafters' presentation. 

Subjective this game is, but eww. I hate those types of headphone doesn't matter if it's Bose or Sennheiser I just don't like that sound....totally basic junk to me.

 

[lenroot77]

Someone show me a better headphone anywhere near the price range for immerserion gaming and movies it'd have to be something truly special to beat these.


Incredible about sums these up! 


PS

That includes music too if you like a bit of bass with your clarity, and you can get on with the treble some cant and are sensitive to it but honestly I've heard a LOT harsher treble in my time....point being you won't go too far wrong with these unless you're one of those people who like headphones with hardly any bass and a boring 'up in the rafters' presentation. 


Subjective this game is, but eww. I hate those types of headphone doesn't matter if it's Bose or Sennheiser I just don't like that sound....totally basic junk to me.

I agree... Im coming from a pair of sennheiser 558s and the 990s just feel so alive. An absolute steal for the 145 dollars I paid for them new on Amazon.

I'm trying to decide on an entry level tube amp. (250ohm)

 

[Thommohawk]

I agree... Im coming from a pair of sennheiser 558s and the 990s just feel so alive. An absolute steal for the 145 dollars I paid for them new on Amazon.

I'm trying to decide on an entry level tube amp. (250ohm)

 
Well I went for the Bravo V2 (I think, it's the one that's square box and totally open n see through) with an aftermarket Sylvania tube and the combo cost me £70 but the sound is amazing. 

If you want to spend extra there's the Little Dot tube amps but you will have to import those unless you can find a local reseller but I can't speak for those because I've never had one of those, I assume they're even better though. 

 

[Nympho]

Anyone that is into DIY amps the Bravo V2 runs a 12au7 tube, which is a warm sound oriented amp.

 

[jdpark]

  Yes, it seems that the Dt990 pros are good with music that involves a lot of elements, and with low bass-oriented tracks and electronic music, but I'm not satisfied with the acoustic sound. Violins in chamber music sound thin and tinny with my set-up, even compared to my Grado 80s, which also have a lot of treble energy. It's not that these phones hurt my ears, but that the treble and mids are out of balance, with the mids taking a hit, particularly in the upper ranges where guitars, violins, and higher-pitched voices are. Above that range, such as with cymbals, there's a bit of sparkle, which is probably why, again electronic and dance music are good with these. 
 
Some have said that the Sennheiser HD 600 are also a good bet in the sub-500$ range, for acoustic accuracy. They also seem to have a much more balanced tone. I think maybe I should have saved another couple hundred and got them instead of the Dt990s. Then I could have had well-balanced bass, and a natural sound that is a better all around headphone. Otherwise, I'll probably have to save even more and get the Grado PS500e, which are apparently also excellent for acoustic reproduction.

Replying to myself, here, but now I have to update my impressions. I'm using a really good entry-level audiophile headphone amp here (considering buying it, but borrowing for the weekend), the solid state Lehmann audio Rhinelander, and wow, much more realistic mids than the Schiit Magni, to my ears.  I'm also getting a much better soundstage, with instrument separation, and better timing in the mids and highs. The harshness of the highs is less pronounced, but all the detail is still there.  For instance, I'm listening to Schoenberg's Kammersymphonie No. 1, which is notorious for bringing atonal music to the mainstream about a hundred years ago.  It's got a lot going on, and unless you've got really good speakers, you're probably not going to get it at all. The Beyers are doing quite nicely, I must say.
 
However, I still feel that ironically the weak spot of these phones is the bass.  Most of you guys would disagree, because you can feel the bass better on these phones than with a lot of other phones. Yet, I still feel that it could be tighter, offering a bit more of a visceral experience the way Grados do when amped properly. I think the Beyer T1 fixes the loose bass here, and probably the 600 ohm versions of the dt880 and 990 are also a bit better in the bass category.  Also, I think even higher end amps, like the Beyer A1 would spank the pants off these phones, but alas, most of us got these phones because they were a good deal, and by the time you spend $500 on a good DAC and $1000 on a great amp, you might feel weird using $150 headphones.  
 
The good news is that these phones do scale up big time, so if you can't afford the top-of-the-line at the moment, they will do the job until you can.

 

[Mad Max]

  Replying to myself, here, but now I have to update my impressions. I'm using a really good entry-level audiophile headphone amp here (considering buying it, but borrowing for the weekend), the solid state Lehmann audio Rhinelander, and wow, much more realistic mids than the Schiit Magni, to my ears.  I'm also getting a much better soundstage, with instrument separation, and better timing in the mids and highs. The harshness of the highs is less pronounced, but all the detail is still there.  For instance, I'm listening to Schoenberg's Kammersymphonie No. 1, which is notorious for bringing atonal music to the mainstream about a hundred years ago.  It's got a lot going on, and unless you've got really good speakers, you're probably not going to get it at all. The Beyers are doing quite nicely, I must say.
 
However, I still feel that ironically the weak spot of these phones is the bass.  Most of you guys would disagree, because you can feel the bass better on these phones than with a lot of other phones. Yet, I still feel that it could be tighter, offering a bit more of a visceral experience the way Grados do when amped properly. I think the Beyer T1 fixes the loose bass here, and probably the 600 ohm versions of the dt880 and 990 are also a bit better in the bass category.  Also, I think even higher end amps, like the Beyer A1 would spank the pants off these phones, but alas, most of us got these phones because they were a good deal, and by the time you spend $500 on a good DAC and $1000 on a great amp, you might feel weird using $150 headphones.  
 
The good news is that these phones do scale up big time, so if you can't afford the top-of-the-line at the moment, they will do the job until you can.

 
The 600-ohm DT990 is much more than "a little better". 

Worth a try.

 

[jasonite]

I'm a new owner of some kickass 990 Pros and I totally love them! These are my very first higher-end cans so I don't have a lot of experience, but I'm glad I chose these. I use them primarily for gaming, but I also love listening to music and these are so fun. Right now I drive them with my Sound Blaster Z soundcard--which I know isn't ideal--but I think these are a great buy. Anyone listened to Lenny Kravitz's cover of American Woman on them? I use that as a reference song for friends and family that have yet to try them out.
 
One question I do have though. I'm considering buying an amp. I want to keep the 5.1 capabilities of the sound card but have a better tuned amp that I buy separately, and I'm told that's feasible. I'm currently looking at the Fiio E12 which looks pretty great. What do you guys think of this driving the 990 Pro?
 
 
J

 

[jasonite]

No ideas?

 

[Nympho]

if you want a neutral sound schiit magni 

 

[jdpark]

In that budget range, people have mentioned the Bravo V2, as well as the Little Dot +, (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Dot-6JI-standard-Headphone/dp/B00A2QM5O6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=12GQYWN92B6FAD5DEC8C) as good starter hybrid tube amps. They would probably give a bit more juice to the mids, and be good for music, though not necessarily the best for movies/games.
 
I don't know if the Schiit Magni is the best, most people don't love it with the Beyers because it doesn't really bring out the soundstage capabilities, and because it tends to be a bit too bright and edgy for these already bright and edgy phones. 
 
If you can afford it, I hear the Schiit Valhalla 2 is a very good match for these phones, but probably only worth it if you plan on upgrading your source, as well. 

 

[yezz12]

Looks like i'm the third one joining in here looking for an amp, i'm using 250 Ohm ones with Asus Xonar DG soundcard, barely drives them to my preferred sound level.
 
Been looking at Bravo V2 and V3, compared the numbers, they are the same. I guess you just pay for the EQ options with the Bravo V3?
I might buy Little Dot I+, though isn't there like "bottlenecking" because of my average soundcard? I have no understanding yet of amps. I could buy a Creative Titanium (non-HD) at €30 refurb, though i don't think it will be a huge upgrade from Xonar DG.
 
Someone also recommended Fiio E11k though then i'd pay for unnecessary portability and Fiio products are recommended for <150 Ohm headphones.

They would probably give a bit more juice to the mids, and be good for music, though not necessarily the best for movies/games.

 
I thought all the gaming related things are determined by the sound card alone? How do amps matter?

 

[razor5cl]

Well if the amp changes the sound then it may or may not make it better/worse for music or gaming. The sound of the headphone is universal across all applications, not different for music/gaming etc.

 

[yezz12]

Well if the amp changes the sound then it may or may not make it better/worse for music or gaming. The sound of the headphone is universal across all applications, not different for music/gaming etc.

Then i have no idea what i'm looking for in an amp. It's 50/50 gaming/music for me. One thing i know for sure is, whatever the DT990 Pro does, i like.

 

[razor5cl]

Amen. I really like them too, they really are a very good all rounder and yet they do what they do so well. 

 

[Nympho]

If you like the sound out of your dt990 then get a O2 dac and amp  http://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/o2-odac-combo/
Nice clean amp that sounds great with multiple headphones.