[Anaz]

Yeah I think I am not going risk it and buy the custom studio, or custom pro. Anyway, I am reading some reviews and almost everyone says that the 80 ohm version is better because it has more bass and less treble, right? As a guy who likes treble, should I go for the 250 ohm version? And how is the dt 770 compared to the new t5p?

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like the expensive headphones always come with a drawback to them. Like, they do something really good but other things bad.

I can't compare to the other headphones you mentioned, but coming from an HD 6XX I originally found the DT 770 80 ohm to have way more treble than I was used to - to the point of becoming uncomfortable after a couple of hours. Now after a few months I really like how my DT 770 80s sound, so either I've gotten used to them or the treble harshness has mellowed out with burn-in.

 

[bcaulf17]

It's quite confusing with the different variants, specifically of the 770, with the regular version, the pro, the LE 32 ohm...I recently got one on Amazon that says "DT 770 Pro Limited Edition 32 Ohm" on the ear cups, and has velour pads rather than the pleather versions the original LE came with so I'm not sure if this version is exactly the same as the LE version just with velour pads or if it has been tweaked.

Anyway, it was quite a shock going from the M50's to these. At first I found these too bright but I'm getting used to it now, since the M50's were quite dark and bassy. These have impressive soundstage and detail and the quality over all puts a smile on my face. Poorly mastered material doesn't sound very good, which is a positive as it means the headphones are showing the deficiency of the mastering. I can't comment much on the mids, they sound find to me if anything just a bit hollow. Treble has clarity and sparkle, if a bit bright at times, and the bass sounds tight and deep to me, only when it is supposed to be. Everything sounds just fine through my MacBook and iPhone 7.

My one issue with the sound of these is that vocals sometimes (again depending on the source) can have a very hollow and artificial sound, almost plasticky and metallic if I had to describe it, and the sibilance is VERY prominent. I'm wondering if these just need a little more burn-in or if I'm just not used to that kind of sound? (Hoping for similar results as the poster above me). When I first heard it I thought there was something wrong with the headphones. Sometimes the vocals almost sound like they're coming out of an AM radio... It also sounds like some snares have a bright digital sound to them when they shouldn't. None of this is fatiguing though, just a little unnatural to me. Albums I thought sounded very warm before no longer sound that way, then again the M50's had a tendency of making most things sound warm.

 

[bcaulf17]

Just a couple questions out of curiosity;

I got the 770 based on various recommendations, and got the 32 ohm so I wouldn't need an amp, but after doing some reading it seems most still prefer this one with an amp, which kinda makes me wonder if I made the right choice since I got it so I wouldn't need an amp...anyway, I think they still sound good off my phone and MacBook and get loud enough, but I'm wondering what difference an amp would make, and how big the difference would be?

Also, now that I'm curious about amps, I wonder if I made the right choice in getting the 32 ohm if they still need an amp, when I could've gotten the 80 ohm? The 80 ohm seems the most popular, and is bassier and has less treble, but it also seems as though its mids are more recessed and hollow? I think the 32 ohm sounds good and still pretty bassy, but maybe still needs a little extra oomph...not really sure though, as I only had the M50's before, where the bass was boomier but was artificial and had less impact (there are definitely still some songs on the 770 where I can feel a bit of a rumble in my head when the bass gets deep!)

Thanks!

 

[bcaulf17]

BUMP

After reading, I realize that most people are saying the 32 ohm 770 PRO still kinda needs an amp. Kind of a bummer considering I got the 32 ohm so I wouldn’t need an amp for my mostly portable listening (and it’s shorter cable), and probably should’ve gone for something more portable like the M2, B&O H6 or B&W P7.

I will say this, I think they sound pretty damn good coming out of my iPhone 7, a little better out of my MacBook Pro. Certainly better than my M50x overall, but I have some FOMO in thinking I could get more out of an amp. It wouldn’t be the most practical, but if it really makes a substantial difference I might go for it.

Have any of you compared the 32 ohm with and without an amp, and would be able describe the differences? What would I be hearing, and how substantial would these differences be? If I did consider an amp, it would be a smaller one like the E7k or E10k.

 

[Sludge]

BUMP

After reading, I realize that most people are saying the 32 ohm 770 PRO still kinda needs an amp. Kind of a bummer considering I got the 32 ohm so I wouldn’t need an amp for my mostly portable listening (and it’s shorter cable), and probably should’ve gone for something more portable like the M2, B&O H6 or B&W P7.

I will say this, I think they sound pretty damn good coming out of my iPhone 7, a little better out of my MacBook Pro. Certainly better than my M50x overall, but I have some FOMO in thinking I could get more out of an amp. It wouldn’t be the most practical, but if it really makes a substantial difference I might go for it.

Have any of you compared the 32 ohm with and without an amp, and would be able describe the differences? What would I be hearing, and how substantial would these differences be? If I did consider an amp, it would be a smaller one like the E7k or E10k.

Hi!
I honestly don't think it needs an amp. What it DOES need, is a proper DAC. The DACs in iphones and macs are not as bad as others, but they are not very good/clean etc. when listened to with a good set of headphones.

I have used the dt-770 32 ohm with a Galaxy S7, and it works. But I get a small hiss and some lacking punch/separation of bass, especially in death metal with fast drums etc.
And I actually use them at work with an E07K. They sound pretty nice with that combo. It cleans up the sound alot, but do not expect a giant night/day difference.
You will however be able too add some bass with the E07K and remove a bit of treble too, if you still find it piercing.

The Fiio E07K is also able to drive my dt-990 250 ohm and dt-770 250 ohm just fine.

 

[bcaulf17]

Hi!
I honestly don't think it needs an amp. What it DOES need, is a proper DAC. The DACs in iphones and macs are not as bad as others, but they are not very good/clean etc. when listened to with a good set of headphones.

I have used the dt-770 32 ohm with a Galaxy S7, and it works. But I get a small hiss and some lacking punch/separation of bass, especially in death metal with fast drums etc.
And I actually use them at work with an E07K. They sound pretty nice with that combo. It cleans up the sound alot, but do not expect a giant night/day difference.
You will however be able too add some bass with the E07K and remove a bit of treble too, if you still find it piercing.

The Fiio E07K is also able to drive my dt-990 250 ohm and dt-770 250 ohm just fine.

Thanks! I'm glad to know the difference wouldn't be huge, that makes me feel a little more comfortable about buying these and using them on portables. The volume is fine too. Maybe I will consider one of those Fiio's down the road, and at least use it while I'm at home. I don't really hear the hissing, but perhaps a little more clarity/separation is welcome.

Treble is not that bad to me anymore, and I'm actually using the velour pads. They sell the 32 ohms on Amazon with velour now (if grey is selected as the color. If black is selected it might still send the pleather.) There are a couple songs that are bright but this seems more due to the mastering and nothing kills my ears lol. It's just kinda prominent. One thing I did try today though...I noticed the top of the pads were dented inwards just a bit, so I shifted them and felt it tamed the highs just a little...because now the inner of the pads have more space at the top of my ear, it looks like. I wonder if that could've altered the sound a little...nah this HAS to just be a placebo!

 

[bcaulf17]

Hi!
I honestly don't think it needs an amp. What it DOES need, is a proper DAC. The DACs in iphones and macs are not as bad as others, but they are not very good/clean etc. when listened to with a good set of headphones.

I have used the dt-770 32 ohm with a Galaxy S7, and it works. But I get a small hiss and some lacking punch/separation of bass, especially in death metal with fast drums etc.
And I actually use them at work with an E07K. They sound pretty nice with that combo. It cleans up the sound alot, but do not expect a giant night/day difference.
You will however be able too add some bass with the E07K and remove a bit of treble too, if you still find it piercing.

The Fiio E07K is also able to drive my dt-990 250 ohm and dt-770 250 ohm just fine.

Hi, I’m also wondering on one more thing. The type of pads I’m using could also affect the sound. Have you tried both the velour and pleather? I read the pleather weakens soundstage and separation but adds bass, probably providing a slightly warmer sound. Though, I wonder how significant the difference is? I read that the velours (which I have) essentially make the 32 ohm sound nearly the same as the 250 ohm.

 

[Sludge]

Hi, I’m also wondering on one more thing. The type of pads I’m using could also affect the sound. Have you tried both the velour and pleather? I read the pleather weakens soundstage and separation but adds bass, probably providing a slightly warmer sound. Though, I wonder how significant the difference is? I read that the velours (which I have) essentially make the 32 ohm sound nearly the same as the 250 ohm.

I have only tried pleather on the dt-770 32 ohm. But velour on the dt-880 250 ohm, dt-990 250 ohm and dt-1990.
It seems probable, that it will increase bass but decrease soundstage, as the velour will not make as tight a seal as pleather. But right now you're just going insane on details. It will not change the sound much, and the velour is nicer to have on your head. Just enjoy the music, game, movie or whatever. That's what they were designed for in the first place.

 

[bcaulf17]

I have only tried pleather on the dt-770 32 ohm. But velour on the dt-880 250 ohm, dt-990 250 ohm and dt-1990.
It seems probable, that it will increase bass but decrease soundstage, as the velour will not make as tight a seal as pleather. But right now you're just going insane on details. It will not change the sound much, and the velour is nicer to have on your head. Just enjoy the music, game, movie or whatever. That's what they were designed for in the first place.

Hah you are right...the more I read around here the more I wonder about tweaks I could make. The velours do feel awful nice, and comfort was the first thing on my mind when I bought these. Was really enjoying some music on these today! Beyer did a great job on these phones. And at their current price of $160 (ish) it’s a great deal.

 

[MrMojoRisinn]

I have the DT250 80ohm and I’m admittedly disappointed. Soundstage is trash and is totally missing the ‘immersion’ factor I hear about with expensive headphones. The detail is also underwhelming. They only sound about as good as my old Audiofly AF78’s which are in-ears. For soundstage and detail, which headphones would be recommended? I also wouldn’t mind a little more fun factor, although I want to keep as much neutrality as possible. A lot to ask, I know. They will be unamped and will be plugged into my iPhone and computer. So, detail and soundstage are the most important aspects to me.

 

[Sludge]

I have the DT250 80ohm and I’m admittedly disappointed. Soundstage is trash and is totally missing the ‘immersion’ factor I hear about with expensive headphones. The detail is also underwhelming. They only sound about as good as my old Audiofly AF78’s which are in-ears. For soundstage and detail, which headphones would be recommended? I also wouldn’t mind a little more fun factor, although I want to keep as much neutrality as possible. A lot to ask, I know. They will be unamped and will be plugged into my iPhone and computer. So, detail and soundstage are the most important aspects to me.

You are using a headphone, that clearly needs an amp, unamped. The soundstage is not trash - your audio source is trash.
If you use your iphone, go for in-ears, and don't bother going for the expensive ones.
If you use your computer, check what audio output you have on your motherboard. If it's a laptop, I sincerely doubt it will be able to drive 80 ohm headphones.

And I would not consider the dt250 to be expensive headphones. They are decent, but they are cheaper than your Audiofly AF78.

If you really want unamped, fun headphones, go for Audio Technica ATH-M50x. Their soundstage is really small, but they fit the other criterias.

 

[bcaulf17]

I’m really loving the 770’s now...like, they sound JUST about perfect to me. I put them on the other day and suddenly, I heard a smoother treble that NEVER got too harsh, even with the volume up, stronger mid bass and the mids warmed up just maybe a tad. I tried out some of the songs that I had once before thought were bright and brittle on the verge of being painful, and I’m not hearing it anymore. In fact, some sounds I tried actually sounded like they had just a bit too LITTLE treble. They sound fab! Even the sibilance is barely noticeable and at this point if I hear it I can feel confident and thinking it’s in the mastering. It’s like overnight they found themselves.

I wonder if shifting the ear pads would affect the sound? I spun each one about 180 degrees as I noticed the pads at the top were pressed in a bit so I tried to get them to a position where they looked more evened out.

Also answers my question, I don’t think they need an amp, the 32 ohm version that is. They sound good out of my phone

 

[MrMojoRisinn]

You are using a headphone, that clearly needs an amp, unamped. The soundstage is not trash - your audio source is trash.
If you use your iphone, go for in-ears, and don't bother going for the expensive ones.
If you use your computer, check what audio output you have on your motherboard. If it's a laptop, I sincerely doubt it will be able to drive 80 ohm headphones.

And I would not consider the dt250 to be expensive headphones. They are decent, but they are cheaper than your Audiofly AF78.

If you really want unamped, fun headphones, go for Audio Technica ATH-M50x. Their soundstage is really small, but they fit the other criterias.

I'm not necessarily doubting you, but I have heard from a few other sources that they should still sound very good unamped, and that an iPhone can do them justice. Not fully, but good enough. I do realise a desktop computer with onboard sound isn't great, though, so I'm looking at getting a decent soundcard. In Australia the AF78's go for $200 which I paid for, but my DT250's go for $400. I paid $269 for them. Do you know how different they are in specs, and what would you recommend me for good amps to do them justice but as cheap as possible? I was hoping buying the headphone would be the end all of my audio equipment buying. I don't know how I'll afford an amp any time soon, but I might.

 

[Sludge]

I'm not necessarily doubting you, but I have heard from a few other sources that they should still sound very good unamped, and that an iPhone can do them justice. Not fully, but good enough. I do realise a desktop computer with onboard sound isn't great, though, so I'm looking at getting a decent soundcard. In Australia the AF78's go for $200 which I paid for, but my DT250's go for $400. I paid $269 for them. Do you know how different they are in specs, and what would you recommend me for good amps to do them justice but as cheap as possible? I was hoping buying the headphone would be the end all of my audio equipment buying. I don't know how I'll afford an amp any time soon, but I might.

I don't know how they differ in specs. But specs are just numbers. You can not directly compare different headphones from specs, you can only judge them by listening to them.

For a cheap dac/amp combo, I would recommend the Fiio E07K. It can easily drive 250ohm.

I was hoping the ath-m50 would be my end headphone. Since then I bought dt-770, dt-880, dt-990, NAD HP50 and dt-1990. I am pretty sure the dt-1990 will be my end headphone, but it's also more than double the price of the other headphones.

It is possible that you find the dt-250 boring, if your previous headphones have had a boosted bass or vastly different sonic signature. All headphones take a little getting used too.
Also, most headphones tend to be better after some burn-in. (Though some people consider it bogus, and that the different sound is just your ears getting used to the headphone's sound signature.)
I do however recommend a better DAC than on-board or a phone, it will probably get you an overall better sound.

 

[MrMojoRisinn]

I don't know how they differ in specs. But specs are just numbers. You can not directly compare different headphones from specs, you can only judge them by listening to them.

For a cheap dac/amp combo, I would recommend the Fiio E07K. It can easily drive 250ohm.

I was hoping the ath-m50 would be my end headphone. Since then I bought dt-770, dt-880, dt-990, NAD HP50 and dt-1990. I am pretty sure the dt-1990 will be my end headphone, but it's also more than double the price of the other headphones.

It is possible that you find the dt-250 boring, if your previous headphones have had a boosted bass or vastly different sonic signature. All headphones take a little getting used too.
Also, most headphones tend to be better after some burn-in. (Though some people consider it bogus, and that the different sound is just your ears getting used to the headphone's sound signature.)
I do however recommend a better DAC than on-board or a phone, it will probably get you an overall better sound.

I've had these phone since around early Jan so I think the problem is more my ears being blocked 98% of the time. I remember when they weren't I was blown away at the sound! Cheers bro, appreciate the help. I'll look into the Fiio.