[smashing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zadok /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I recall correctly, both the 880's and the 990's are open backed, so why the price difference? And yes, it does seem like a bit of a marketing conundrum to have a higher model number undercut another in price. Are they really that different sounding?

There's price difference between the pro version and the consumer version of the same model. There's price difference between the different impedance of the same model. Unlike Senn, the model number don't change with just a slight change. Each headphone model has its distinctive characteristic unlike another.

The drivers are quite different as well between the different versions within the same model. I personally preferred the DT880/600 over DT880/250 (consumer version) any day.

 

[boomy3555]

I looked up "sibilant,Sibilance" in the Audio term thread and they are just that in the highs. I ripped all of my CD's twice. Once using .WMP lossless in my WMP and again in .WAV for my Itunes with a Sounblaster X-Fi card in a regular Emachines PC. Amped- to the DT990's and they will absolutely require some high end EQ'ing. Now I know that there are many out there that swear off EQ'ing but I think that regardless of how the producer "intended " the music to be, It's a moot point if you don't enjoy it. So I say " EQ AWAY ".

 

[milkweg]

Well, got my DT990 today but they 'effed up and sent me DT990pro instead of the DT990 2005 edition I ordered and paid for. On the bright side I was not charged a brokerage fee and taxes were far lower than they should have been. Paid only $3.09 CAD in tax.

I just looked up specs on DT990 2005 consumer edition and DT990pro and they are exactly the same and use the same driver. If there is any sound difference it is purely due to materials and housing design differences. I do expect to be refunded some money though or they do a cross ship for the correct headphones.

 

[Wilashort]

That 'sibilance' is what give the sparkle and airyness to the sound as few headphines can do.... Some people here exagerated the proportions. Because they are used to a neutral sound (really boring sound), and detest slightly bright (and with substance (with bass)) headphones....
Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I looked up "sibilant,Sibilance" in the Audio term thread and they are just that in the highs. I ripped all of my CD's twice. Once using .WMP lossless in my WMP and again in .WAV for my Itunes with a Sounblaster X-Fi card in a regular Emachines PC. Amped- to the DT990's and they will absolutely require some high end EQ'ing. Now I know that there are many out there that swear off EQ'ing but I think that regardless of how the producer "intended " the music to be, It's a moot point if you don't enjoy it. So I say " EQ AWAY ".

 

[Wilashort]

Yeah, they have different materials. The Pro version has plastic cups (and are less open). In other hand, the 2005 Edition has aluminium cups in a 80%, the rest is plastic (in the base of the cups). The cups in the 2005 Edition are rounded; In other hand, the pro version cups are as a punch bowl in his form. That create slightly variations in the sound....
Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, got my DT990 today but they 'effed up and sent me DT990pro instead of the DT990 2005 edition I ordered and paid for. On the bright side I was not charged a brokerage fee and taxes were far lower than they should have been. Paid only $3.09 CAD in tax. I just looked up specs on DT990 2005 consumer edition and DT990pro and they are exactly the same and use the same driver. If there is any sound difference it is purely due to materials and housing design differences. I do expect to be refunded some money though or they do a cross ship for the correct headphones.

 

[boomy3555]

Well, got my DT990 today but they 'effed up and sent me DT990pro instead of the DT990 2005 edition I ordered and paid for. On the bright side I was not charged a brokerage fee and taxes were far lower than they should have been. Paid only $3.09 CAD in tax.



Well I think that they should send you the others on comp. just so you can compare them for us and report on your findings.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilashort /img/forum/go_quote.gif That 'sibilance' is what give the sparkle and airyness to the sound as few headphines can do.... Some people here exagerated the proportions. Because they are used to a neutral sound (really boring sound), and detest slightly bright (and with substance (with bass)) headphones....

I'm listening to my DT990pro right now with no burn in and I don't hear sibilance. I hear sparkly detail and a bit more bass than my HD595 is all, not sibilance though. When I think sibilance I think harsh highs and that is not what I am hearing. The sound is more refined than HD595 but comparing the two the HD595 are still decent headphones and I think some people give them a bum rap here.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I think that they should send you the others on comp. just so you can compare them for us and report on your findings.

Well, it was the DT990pro I wanted to order in the first place from them because they are cheaper but the site said they were out of stock so ordered DT990 2005 instead and end up with Pro anyway. I would rather just have the price corrected and keep the Pro. I believe the Pro version is designed to be lighter for studio use so they will be more comfortable for longer periods of wear.

 

[boomy3555]

How can they be any lighter? Plus they should just eat the price difference. It's just good business. Maybe the Sibilance I hear is just me. The highs are uncomfortable and distracting so reducing them with the EQ is necessary foe me. But then they still have about 84 hrs left to Burn-In. We'll see.

 

[Wilashort]

That is very good.... That prove that the X-Fi cards (in nature (i have an XMOD)) are the culprit for the sibilance [Just as somebody said in another thread (i think that was henmyr)].
Only i listened "extreme" (but not offensive) sibilance with very sharp/high-pitched female voices in TV specially. But anyway, i listen sibilance with all my headphones....
Quote:

Originally Posted by milkweg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm listening to my DT990pro right now with no burn in and I don't hear sibilance. I hear sparkly detail and a bit more bass than my HD595 is all, not sibilance though. When I think sibilance I think harsh highs and that is not what I am hearing. The sound is more refined than HD595 but comparing the two the HD595 are still decent headphones and I think some people give them a bum rap here.

See below my explanation.... Also, future burn-in helps to soften the highs.
Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ....Maybe the Sibilance I hear is just me. The highs are uncomfortable and distracting so reducing them with the EQ is necessary foe me. But then they still have about 84 hrs left to Burn-In. We'll see.

 

[milkweg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomy3555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How can they be any lighter?

Because DT990 has metal grill on the outside and Pro version uses more open lightweight plastic. See below url.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/com...-dt990-162200/

I have created an EQ profile for the DT990pro and did lower the high end a touch but even flat they sound good to me. Depends on the recording if it needs to be lowered or not. I have them burning in right now with a low frequency sound loop.

 

[boomy3555]

Still burning in but the bass is developing and I have turned the EQ off on many songs. and the siblance is fading fast.
I think that I'm gonna have to stop calling them "Sibilant", and start calling them SUBLIME. These are BY FAR The best Headphones I've ever heard. but these are my first semi-open/Open cans.
The closest would be my AT AHG A900's Closed cans but they are just not even close. except in price.
Does Beyer Make a Super Can like the Denon AH D7000 or the AT ESW5000 , or Senn HD650's

The only way to go on my next purchase would be to something Like them. Or should I bother?

 

[51820]

.

 

[boomy3555]

I Loaded up My DT990's with my Ipod 5thgen 80gb and a little Fiio E3 and off I went to Portland to find a place that I could compare them to some Denon AHD5000/7000, Or maybe some AT ESW5000's but low and behold I could not find any place that had anything better than the Senn hd555's. I live 2 hrs from Portland so even traveling that far just to audition some cans was a stretch. What are we left to do? My only solution is to buy on-line and return them if I don't like them .


Lots of Burn-in time.

Any other Ideas.

 

[milkweg]

Yea, most stores just do not want to carry high end headphones any more and they don't let you audition them anyway. I had to buy both HD595 and DT990pro online for the same reason. Couldn't even find an online store in Canada that sold Beyerdynamic and is why I ordered the DT990pro from a US online store. Retail stores are only interested in selling mass products and not much else. Every store around here seems to sell those Skullcandy headphones and JVC Gummys.