Moving beyond the DT990 Pro 250ohm

[GotNoRice]

I like my DT990 Pro 250ohm headphones a lot.  I've had them long enough that I'm on my 3rd set of velour pads now.  I power them using my Yamaha C-80 Preamp (~1984) and it works great.
 
I've built up my stereo over the years (mostly vintage components) to the point where it sounds quite good now.  Problem is, my stereo & speakers now sounds so much better than simply listening to my headphones that every time I am using headphones and hear a song I enjoy, my first thought is usually about how much better it would probably sound on my stereo using my speakers. 
 
Mainly it seems like the sound from my speakers has a higher degree of refinement in the form of more clarity, detail, and tighter bass.  I still like the sound signature of the DT990 overall though, which makes me hesitant to move to a completely different headphone.  Would moving to something like a DT990 Premium 600ohm possibly give me what I'm looking for?  Do I have to move up to something like a T90 (The T90 is not really within my budget but I use headphones enough, maybe I could justify it anyway)?

 

[SunshineReggae]

I dunno, maybe you are one of the people who just prefer speaker sound. I know I am. Consider one of the best compliments you can give a good headphone is that it sounds 'speaker like'. Yeah. Probably some will say headphone have its own benefits, but in my opinion ultimately it is always outdone by presentation of some good speakers.
 
In your case you probably need to try something with really big soundstage to accomodate what you like, maybe HD800 or Q701, who knows really. But don't go with another DT990 model, it isn't even sure there is much difference between them to begin with.

 

[GotNoRice]

Quote:

  I dunno, maybe you are one of the people who just prefer speaker sound. I know I am.

 
Yeah I know there are some things with speakers that you just can't replicate with headphones.  I love bass were you can feel it in your chest like a jackhammer and where you feel like all the clothes on your body are floating.  Hard to do that with headphones   The DT990's were the best I found that gave me good headphone bass without compromising the mids or highs.  I've seen the Q701 recommended a lot, I'll check it out.
 

 

[PacoTaco]

This is more from what I've read and stuff, but it seems like the Q701's are the bass-absent detail whoring monsters. I don't think you'd ultimately like them. Fidelio X1 might be more of your thing. That or a closed headphone.

 

[Makiah S]

 

If you liked the DT 990 get the Hifiman HE 400, I found it to be a very literal upgrade 

 

[DaveK1977]

My next step, so to speak, is trying to get a couple of talented friends of mine together to make electrostatics.  I know that nothing short of money or work is going to make something that sounds enough better for me to make it worth it, so I decided I'd like to make one first, maybe buy one later.  I've planned out a lot of things, just trying to get it moving.  I've tried quite a lot up at the $200 retail level by buying used.  The DT990 brings such clarity to piano and ain't bad for anything else, so a step up is a big step or not worth it.

 

[Makiah S]

  My next step, so to speak, is trying to get a couple of talented friends of mine together to make electrostatics.  I know that nothing short of money or work is going to make something that sounds enough better for me to make it worth it, so I decided I'd like to make one first, maybe buy one later.  I've planned out a lot of things, just trying to get it moving.  I've tried quite a lot up at the $200 retail level by buying used.  The DT990 brings such clarity to piano and ain't bad for anything else, so a step up is a big step or not worth it.

That's a cool plan but it doesn't help the OP that much
 
I felt for the money the HE 400 was a nice upgrade to the DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm, granted it wasn't a huge step. Though if you want a huge step forward for less money
 
I have an HE 4 that I run through an Audio GD NFB 10ES2, I run my HE 4 balanced as well, and imo it's phenominal 

 

[DaveK1977]

Ok, what I was really getting at is that whether built or bought, it might take electrostatics to really sound enough better.  I've not encountered any that were more comfortable at all, nor anything but a sideways step at the $500 ish level.  I figured planars like you recommended would probably be somewhat better, but without being as comfortable I didn't think would win me over.

 

[Makiah S]

  Ok, what I was really getting at is that whether built or bought, it might take electrostatics to really sound enough better.  I've not encountered any that were more comfortable at all, nor anything but a sideways step at the $500 ish level.  I figured planars like you recommended would probably be somewhat better, but without being as comfortable I didn't think would win me over.

The HE 4 is actually a really Light Weight Headphone, it's not a traditional Planar and I felt the HE 4 was a Direct upgrade to my old DT 880, even better I got dt 880 Pads on my HE 4 which made it sound better too, so at $500 you can get a nice upgrade, assuming you have an amp sufficent to drive them