[Ross]

I have read many speculative comments on this forum about whether the new DT990s and DT880s are an improvement over the older versions, but no one seems to have any factual information about whether the changes are purely cosmetic.

There is a comment from beyer in another thread that suggests that the changes to the DT770s are only cosmetic, and that the drivers of the DT770s remain the same.

I have seen nothing - from Beyer or anyone else - to suggest that the same is not true about the 880s and 990s, other than anecdotal reports that they sound a little different. Even if they do sound a little different, this can be attributed to the changes to the housing rather than the drivers.

I would have expected any improvement in sound quality to have been heavily marketed by Beyer, at least as much as the cosmetic changes, but there has been no such marketing. This, in combination with the statement that the changes to the 770s are cosmetic only leads me to think that the same is true for the 880s and 990s.

Does anyone have any concrete information to the contrary?

 

[flamerz]

Oops.

 

[Solude]

The new driver is the 880 '03 edition. Its now in all 3 cans and the enclosure provides different tastes. The '05 880 enclosure improves the 880 while retaining its 'monitor' role while the new 990 is tops again for engaging music listening. The 880 was only tops during the time it was the only can to receive the reworked driver. Now that they all share it, its a flavor/role decision.

Of the reviews that have come around the 990/05e hangs with and bests both the Senn 650 and AKG 701

But for whatever reason it hasn't taken off here on Head-Fi. My guess is we pounded the 880 on people for so long that people are weiry about going to the previously obviously inferior 990. Course I could be totally if my rocker

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Interesting info Solude! I have wanted to hear the new 990's since I first saw them.

 

[Reputator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude Of the reviews that have come around the 990/05e hangs with and bests both the Senn 650 and AKG 701 But for whatever reason it hasn't taken off here on Head-Fi. My guess is we pounded the 880 on people for so long that people are weiry about going to the previously obviously inferior 990.

That sounds like more than a possibility.

 

[Meyvn]

I am SO glad you guys brought this up. I've been really hoping the new DT990 would get some attention, since they put it above the DT880 in the lineup again. I liked the old DT990 to begin with, so I figured it could only improve from there. I don't doubt it could best the K701 and HD650, as I already liked it better than the HD650 before. I honestly think it would've been much smarter of Beyerdynamic to just create three totally new models instead of just 'updates.' It probably would've garnered way more attention, particularly here at Head-Fi.

 

[plainsong]

If anyone curious has the chance, they should sit down with the old and new versions and simply hear it for themselves and decide what they want. No amount of talking about it seems to do much good.

If the dt990 is a tweaked 03 dt880 driver, made to sound different in a new housing, that would make sense because I feel like it's a much improved 03 dt880. Like they took the best bits of the old dt990 and put it with the best bits of the dt880, so you get the detail, proper bass impact as well.

And yeah, it absolutely hangs with the hd650.

 

[Ross]

Quote:

The new driver is the 880 '03 edition. Its now in all 3 cans and the enclosure provides different tastes.

Has this been verified as correct? It seems very unlikely to me, since it would suggest that the 880s and 990s should have a similar sound, subject to resonances of the housing.

As I own a pair of the 03 880s, and don't like them - too bright - I'm glad I still have my "old" 250 and 600 ohm 990s, which I like much better than the 880s. However, I remain dubious that the 990s use identical drivers to the 880s, unless someone has some clear information from Beyer to the contrary.

I should add that all of Beyers, in my experience, sound much better from a 120 ohm output and don't really compete with the Senn 650s from a standard zero ohm output. However, with a 120 ohm output, the 990s are certainly at the same level.

 

[plainsong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross Has this been verified as correct? It seems very unlikely to me, since it would suggest that the 880s and 990s should have a similar sound, subject to resonances of the housing. As I own a pair of the 03 880s, and don't like them - too bright - I'm glad I still have my "old" 250 and 600 ohm 990s, which I like much better than the 880s. However, I remain dubious that the 990s use identical drivers to the 880s, unless someone has some clear information from Beyer to the contrary. I should add that all of Beyers, in my experience, sound much better from a 120 ohm output and don't really compete with the Senn 650s from a standard zero ohm output. However, with a 120 ohm output, the 990s are certainly at the same level.

Well, I don't know for sure what kind of drivers the dt990s have, but I can tell you that, well, just read what I said above. The new dt990 is related to the old one, no doubt about it, but it's clearly related the old dt880. Imagine the dt990 goodness with the dt880 detail and you have an idea of the sound.

 

[aphex944]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross I have seen nothing - from Beyer or anyone else - to suggest that the same is not true about the 880s and 990s, other than anecdotal reports that they sound a little different. Even if they do sound a little different, this can be attributed to the changes to the housing rather than the drivers.

Headroom measured the frequency response of the new models-- and I believe all three showed a distinct difference from the older versions. I had the pre-2005 DT 880 for quite awhile, and I currently own the new DT 880. The differences are such that it'd be very surprising to me if it was just the housing that had been changed. I think the large consensus is that the newer DT 880s improve on almost every aspect of the older model.

As far as driving the headphones from a 120ohm output, I haven't tried this on the newer Beyer models, but I believe the last models to be designed for a high impedance output were the DT831, 931, etc.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude Of the reviews that have come around the 990/05e hangs with and bests both the Senn 650 and AKG 701 But for whatever reason it hasn't taken off here on Head-Fi. My guess is we pounded the 880 on people for so long that people are weiry about going to the previously obviously inferior 990. Course I could be totally if my rocker

My guess is that most influential head-fi members are veeery close-minded.

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea My guess is that most influential head-fi members are veeery close-minded.

More like:

1. Beyerdynamic has not had a top-of-the-line headphone that competed with the very TOTL from other manufacturers. They've consistently been an "upper-middle-class" headphone maker. Not that that's a bad thing, but not necessarily something that an "influential head-fi member" might jump on. There have been a few regular Beyer supporters around here though, and their impressions are very much appreciated.

2. More importantly, if the new line truly is different, they are more difficult to come by here in the states - especially the new DT990. Given their price increase, it's understandable that some people are hesitant before reading more from our European friends. Also, sometimes language differences make discerning reviews a bit difficult.

I admit that I am very curious about the new DT990.

 

[Andrea]

Well, that's a reasonable reading.

If I only had the means, I'd do the pioneer for you right off

 

[JohanK]

As people have said that the differences on the DT880 has been farily minor, they might very well use the same drivers but with tweaked enclosures. The DT990 on the other hand most definitely changed drivers as the reported differences between the new one and the old one has been much more signficant. At least that is what I think after reading the reports.

Of course, assuming that the DT990 approaches the DT880 in refinement but with more punch in the bass, this does not necessarily make the new DT990 a better (or worse) headphone than the DT880, just a different flavour at the same tier.

 

[Solude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg Given their price increase, it's understandable that some people are hesitant before reading more from our European friends .

To be fair the 990/05e is $315USD shipped. That's lower than the Senn 650 and AKG 701 go for in the US.