[jbunniii]

I decided to branch out a bit and got a pair of Beyer DT-880's. They arrived yesterday - once again fast delivery from Todd the Vinyl Junkie.

What's this? A metal case? A free extension cable? I paid nearly five times as much for a Grado PS-1 and got a thin cardboard box! Kudos to Beyerdynamic for classier packaging.

Oh, and the headphones are pretty nice too. In fact, quite nice - very attractive and comfy, definitely closer in sound signature to Sennheiser than to Grado, but with a brighter top end and (I think) more neutral mid-bass. Deep bass is definitely attenuated, if it's there at all. The sound is overall well balanced and doesn't really draw attention to itself with any obvious exaggerations like most of the Grado line. Drums and guitars are in the background relative to vocals (especially compared with Grado). I don't hear anything missing, but it's a different presentation. And that's exactly what I was after - a good-sounding headphone with a different point of view from Grado and Sennheiser, one that makes me want to listen to my CD collection again to hear it in a new light. This is why we collect headphones, right?

Unlike the HD-650, which didn't sound that good until I pummeled it with a two-week break-in and upgraded the cable, the DT-880 sounds very nice straight out of the box. Should I expect any changes with break-in?

 

[aphex944]

Definitely, I found my DT 880s lost a bit of brightness with break-in, but they gained some bass depth and impact. I was stunned at the clarity and level of detail they presented(coming from SR-60s and AKG K240s), but right out of the box they sounded slightly artificial. That all subsided with break-in, and they settled down into a nice neutral state.

Congrats on your purchase, they won't let you down

 

[Tim D]

Unless the metal box has been much improved, I think its cheap, provides poor seal, and is a waste of production cost. The Sennheiser case is much better, metal or not.

But have you seen the Beyerdynamic case for 860...*wow* genuine leather.

As for better casing than Grados...sorry but not hard to do

.

 

[gordolindsay]

It's a great team to be on ain't it!!

I got mine about a month or two ago and they are great phones. Crystal clear with a wide soundstage. Sometimes I feel like there could be a little more warmth to them but that could be had in a different amp or source I presume. Overall I am very very happy with them and definately wouldn't trade them for anything else in its price range!

 

[BrokenEnglish]

welcome aboard... we'll have a long lasting and simply beautiful journey. i had to do some weeks without my dt880 and replaced them intermediately with hd650s. the senns caught me with their sweet midrange, their warm bassline and their blackness. but after >1 year with the dt880 i'm just addicted to the clear highs, superior frequency balance (am i wrong... the hd650 seem to have a sort of midbass hump) and that impressive soundstage, these cans offer... love them...

 

[xelloss12]

Welcome, I just recently joined too. I love their tight bass, smooth highs, and wide soundstage. Only problem I have with them is that they make the "sssss" and "ssshhh" sounds in female vocals a bit harsher, but I'm sure that can be fixed with a good amp(corda ha-1 mkII coming

).

 

[BrokenEnglish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelloss12 [..]Only problem I have with them is that they make the "sssss" and "ssshhh" sounds in female vocals a bit harsher, but I'm sure that can be fixed with a good amp(corda ha-1 mkII coming ).

maybe the corda will cure it... personally i simply decided to call it "natural presentation"...

 

[Duncan]

I really must find someone with a pair of DT880s (stock) that they don't mind giving up for a week or two, so that I can do a comparison between them, and mine

Welcome to the team!

 

[rauer]

All the sudden the forum's full of DT880 posts. I hope it isn't becoming the new FOTM. I mean the whole FOTM thing is so irritating. A few weeks of fame and then the bashing starts. Oh, well. Guess this is just something we have to bear.

Don't get me wrong. I have a pair and like them.

 

[ReDVsion]

I think a headphone becomes FOTM when it's well-liked and NOT a Sennheiser.

I remember experiencing sibilance on the DT880 with my receiver, but not with my old Gilmore V1. And bass, while less than I was used to, can be quite punchy and extended if amped properly.

 

[Dr.Vencman]

I've noticed more post about the 880's too. More people are realising what great cans they are!

 

[Bill Ward]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Vencman I've noticed more post about the 880's too. More people are realising what great cans they are!

All part of the Head-Fi recycling process.

A headphone gets "rediscovered" after a period of neglect, and there's a flurry of enthusiasm as people climb on the "me too" bandwagon. Then the new wears off, and we get another "rediscovery," and a new series of threads. AKG K501s have just had their day in the sun, currently the DT880s bask, and tomorrow someone with realize what a treasure the Grado RS-1's (or whatever) really are, and the cycle will roll on.

BW

 

[Disiskurt]

How "less open" are the DT880s? I see them listed on the Beyer website as "semi-closed," but I haven't exactly heard much on it in terms of discussion.




Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Ward All part of the Head-Fi recycling process. A headphone gets "rediscovered" after a period of neglect, and there's a flurry of enthusiasm as people climb on the "me too" bandwagon.

I smell a Triport revival!

"If you just duct-tape the headband back together, they're really not that bad!"

 

[BrokenEnglish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Ward All part of the Head-Fi recycling process. A headphone gets "rediscovered" after a period of neglect, and there's a flurry of enthusiasm as people climb on the "me too" bandwagon. Then the new wears off, and we get another "rediscovery," and a new series of threads. AKG K501s have just had their day in the sun, currently the DT880s bask, and tomorrow someone with realize what a treasure the Grado RS-1's (or whatever) really are, and the cycle will roll on. BW

so true... one should start to count the fotm phones over the last years. i think this is a job for bigears...

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disiskurt How "less open" are the DT880s? I see them listed on the Beyer website as "semi-closed," but I haven't exactly heard much on it in terms of discussion. I smell a Triport revival! "If you just duct-tape the headband back together, they're really not that bad!"

Whenever a headphone is semi-closed,it is real open.