[SunRay95]

Really? You learn something new everyday. I have been thinking of investing in a pair of ad 700s. I may actually go through with it now.

Really really they are fantastic for classical as they have a good bordering excellent soundstage so are also good for movies however they do lack alot of sub bass so not good for dubstep.

Take my opinion with a grain of salt as everyone is different but go and read some reviews as there is quite a few here on headfi and make the decision for yourself

 

[saxophone]

Yeah, I think I will either get the AD 700 or save up and get a DT 770/860/880/990 Pro. I still haven't really decided what I want to go to from the srh 840.

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

For sheer comfort and build quality the beyers are the best that i have seen in any headphone i have ever owned as they have all user replaceable parts where afaik the audio technicas don't and are no where near as comfortable if you have a large head and/or ears. Also they sound far superior to the m50's imo
One massive vote for the beyers

Yes, but I heard the Beyers are horrible unamped. Is this true? 
 
And which would sound better unamped, the Beyers or the M50s? 

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

 
I mentioned the 940 and DT770 because he mentioned trying the 840 and didn't mention thinking it was too large. I may be wrong in their sound - I haven't tried either.

I've had both and enjoyed them, but they are a bit different that want he wants, at least from what I read. The DT770 is "v" shaped in sound which would be similar to the M50, so it didn't seem like a sensible upgrade. The Shure 940 is a detail monster. I really loved it, but the bass lacks impact and body which some people complain about. With amping it is a bit better, but coming from the M50 (or 840) it would likely feel a bit recessed. I also mentioned size because beyers are huge. The Shures are quite large too, and if he wants some sort of portability those are both meant for stationary use. 

 

[saxophone]

Quote:

Yes, but I heard the Beyers are horrible unamped. Is this true? 
 
And which would sound better unamped, the Beyers or the M50s? 

Don't get the 250 ohm one if you don't have an amp. The 80 ohm model should be easier to drive, but it's still not quite easy. An amp would certainly be beneficial.

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

Yes, but I heard the Beyers are horrible unamped. Is this true? 
 
And which would sound better unamped, the Beyers or the M50s? 

Beyers are not horrible unamped, but they do improve with the added power, and the improvement will also depend upon which version you are using (80, 250, 600). Between the two the M50s benefit much less from amping. Stating which will sound better is more preference than fact.

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

Yeah, I think I will either get the AD 700 or save up and get a DT 770/860/880/990 Pro. I still haven't really decided what I want to go to from the srh 840.

What type of music would you primarily listen to? 

 

[saxophone]

Quote:

What type of music would you primarily listen to? 

It's too dynamic. Last week, I was listening primarily to G!YBE. The week prior, I was listening to Bruce Springsteen. This week, I am listening to Cloud Nothings, BTBM and a local folk band.

 

[SunRay95]

As hipster2010 said the dt770 80ohm (my current favourite can i own) sound good out of and ipod however they improve with amping so they are a good can for a future improvement in your system and imo better than the m50

 

[Empire1]

Quote:

Don't get the 250 ohm one if you don't have an amp. The 80 ohm model should be easier to drive, but it's still not quite easy. An amp would certainly be beneficial.

 
So, the 80 ohm version of the DT770 unamped vs. an unamped ATH-M50... which sound quality which you describe is better? And bass? 
 
Also, if possible, could you describe the sound of these two headphones?  
 

---

Hold the presses! Just checked on Amazon, and it appears a DT990 32 ohm version is actually a few bucks cheaper than a 80ohm DT770???
 
Edit 3: And on the Beyerdynamic website, it appears there's a 32ohm version of the DT770 PRos as well! 
 
I am thoroughly confused now... 

 

[HamilcarBarca]

Quote:

Yes, but I heard the Beyers are horrible unamped. Is this true?

 
No, it's not true. But, without enough power, they won't sound their best.
 
I bought my first headphone amp about three weeks ago; I have the DT 990 Premium. They don't sound better, for a given volume, but it's easier to obtain that volume on relatively quiet CDs' (like a few of my newer classical recordings.) In some cases, with my PC hardware, the amp is the only way to get good volume. Plus, they'll now go too loud on every CD or video I've thrown at it, so I have some headroom if I need it.
 
Was I a headphone amp skeptic before this? Yes, and to a certain extent, I still am.
 
Is an amp helpful? Yes, it certainly can be.
 
Would I buy another amp? Yes.

 

[saxophone]

Quote:

 
So, the 80 ohm version of the DT770 unamped vs. an unamped ATH-M50... which sound quality which you describe is better? And bass? 
 
Also, if possible, could you describe the sound of these two headphones?  
 

---

Hold the presses! Just checked on Amazon, and it appears a DT990 32 ohm version is actually a few bucks cheaper than a 80ohm DT770???
 
Edit 3: And on the Beyerdynamic website, it appears there's a 32ohm version of the DT770 PRos as well! 
 
I am thoroughly confused now... 

I would suggest reading the first few posts in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more
 
After that, let us know if you have any questions. The DT's have a really confusing name sequence. The 770 is different than the 880 which is different from the 990. Don't think that they are relatively similar in price. Also, they have PRO and Premium versions which are all different.

 

[SunRay95]

So, the 80 ohm version of the DT770 unamped vs. an unamped ATH-M50... which sound quality which you describe is better? And bass? 

Also, if possible, could you describe the sound of these two headphones?  

[rule]Hold the presses! Just checked on Amazon, and it appears a DT990 32 ohm version is actually a few bucks cheaper than a 80ohm DT770???

Edit 3: And on the Beyerdynamic website, it appears there's a 32ohm version of the DT770 PRos as well! 

I am thoroughly confused now... 

Basically beyer do their headphones in different resistance ratings(impedances) generally the higher the impedance the more refined the sound however a dedicated headphone amp is needed.
So a 32 ohm perfect for a ipod or decent mp3 player
80ohm ok for an ipod however a portable or dedicated headphone amp will improve matters
250 ohm a good quality portable or static amp needed
600 ohm dedicated headphone amp needed

So the dt990 32 ohm will be good straight from an ipod if sound leakage is not an issue as they are open if you do need isolation the dt770 is the way to go and i would recommend the 80ohm pro version as i believe the 32 ohm version is the edition version and is not generally as highly regarded as the pros for sound quality

 

[Empire1]

Thank you guys for all the info. That was extremely helpful. 
 
I have narrowed it down to between the 32ohm and the 80ohm DT770s. 
Going unamped on both, which headphone would sound the best in terms of clarity? 

 

[saxophone]

32 ohms is built for laptops/mp3 players etc. The 80 ohm will work will these devices, but will be much better through an amp. From the link I posted, the bass on the 80 ohm is bloated and flabby ie not very clear. But, I feel as though once you do get either headphones you will get curious about what they will sound like with an amp. So, you may want to invest in the 80 just for that.