[tjumper78]

I need to find a pair of cans that are easy to drive(portable amps), yet has the similar sound of DT990.

I've recently decided to go with Pico and Headsix, and got rid of all my desktop amps and DACs.
I have 2 pairs of cans. Alessandro MS2i and 2005 Beyer DT990 250ohm.
While MS2i really shines with both Pico and Headsix, I am not getting the same sound from DT990 as I did when it was driven by Gilmore Lite and Little-Dot MK4se. No power, boomy and uncontrolled bass, and harsh highs.
I know that DT990 are difficult cans to drive.

So I need to find a pair of cans that are easy to drive, yet has the similar sound of DT990. I really love the sound of DT990. I like its bass and highs(kinda harsh at times but it was tamed down when driven by bigger amps), and I don't mind its supposedly recessed mids.
Please recommend some cans. Open or closed, I don't care. Must be uber comfortable, and the pads should be velour, not leather or pleather. My budget is $300ish.
Thanks.

 

[MacFrank]

Hi tjumper,

why don't you sell your 250Ohm DT990 and buy a new 32Ohm DT990 from the Beyerdynamic manufacture?

 

[tjumper78]

many have told me that the lower impedance didnt necessarily mean 'easy/easier to drive'.

 

[MacFrank]

For me, technically a 32Ohm headphone is much more easy to drive than a 250Ohm Headphone as you need less current to gain the same power output from your headphone. That's the physic's part of the story.
If the bass of your DT990s is now less controlled as is was with your Gilmore Lite then I do think that a lower impedance model could better the situation, as your Pico won't need such a high current output to drive it.

But I have to admit that I don't have experience with portable Amps like the Pico in use with big cans, as I listen to UEs.

Sorry, seems like I won't be able to give you an answer. Hope you'll get help!

 

[warrior05]

I'm going to disagree here. I find the DT990s fairly easy to drive due to their sensitivity. For example, I find the 62 ohm K701s much harder to drive to bring out their goodness. It isn't just about impedance. Actually, I recommend you try the 600 ohm pair. I find it to soften the harshness without sacrificing any of that wonderful bottom end. My 990/600 are my favorite pair of headphones and find they sound awfully nice amped by my Pico.

 

[tjumper78]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warrior05 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm going to disagree here. I find the DT990s fairly easy to drive due to their sensitivity. For example, I find the 62 ohm K701s much harder to drive to bring out their goodness. It isn't just about impedance. Actually, I recommend you try the 600 ohm pair. I find it to soften the harshness without sacrificing any of that wonderful bottom end. My 990/600 are my favorite pair of headphones and find they sound awfully nice amped by my Pico.

i actually thought about getting dt990 manufaktur 600ohm real hard before i got rid of the bigger amps.
i guess i need to give my dt990 some more time with pico, rather than with headsix.

 

[YtseJamer]

Have you ever tried the Ultrasone Pro 750 or 2500 ? Maybe they would be better than your DT990 ?

 

[tjumper78]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfillion /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you ever tried the Ultrasone Pro 750 or 2500 ? Maybe they would be better than your DT990 ?

i dont have any experience with ultrasones. i am just looking for cans that have similar sound as to the dt990. i will do some readings on those ultrasones.

 

[tjumper78]

any other suggestions?

 

[Tiemen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjumper78 /img/forum/go_quote.gif any other suggestions?

Denon AH-D2000?
Audio Technica ATH-A900?
Maybe it's worth searching some info about them.

 

[Shahrose]

tj, didn't you have the hd650s before too?

and for a headphone with better bass (in every aspect of bass) and tamer highs (but not dark by any means) than the dt990s, go for the pro750 ultrasones.
also, i've read that the hfi780 sound more like the dt990 than the prolines, since they have more treble and more bass.

EDIT: one other thing i forgot to mention was that both of my suggestions are significantly easier to drive than the dt990s.

 

[tjumper78]

yea i did have hd650 but it was too dark for me. i sold it to get ms2i. quite happy with the decision. =)
i did some readings on ultrasones. interesting but i've read many cases of them breaking. dont know if i wanna go thru that.
more research on pro750 for me.

any other suggestions would be highly appreciated.

 

[Shahrose]

the build quality is pretty good on the prolines. it is plastic yes, but it's pretty dense and well built. comparing any headphone to beyer quality is folly, nothing's come close (for me anyways), but i've never felt any fragility in the prolines and haven't had to baby them.

as for treble, the dt990s have significantly more treble than the prolines, but the prolines have more bass. i would still say the prolines are bright headphones with a slightly sucked out lower midrange, kind of like the dt990s. overall i prefer the sound of the ultrasones.

 

[Wilashort]

Hi tjumper78, why you get rid of your dac (keces) and amp?, ...because of the space (i think)?, or there is another reason (hyped sound quality of the dac and amp for his price?)??
i want to hear your impressions about the pico and how sound the mids with the DT990 (sound more airier/lush and/or more forward?)?
Thanks a lot

Scott, how sound the Pico with your DT990 too, when it comes to bass (extension, quantity, slam)? or you have a link with your impressions...?
Thank you in advance.
Quote:

Originally Posted by tjumper78 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i actually thought about getting dt990 manufaktur 600ohm real hard before i got rid of the bigger amps. i guess i need to give my dt990 some more time with pico, rather than with headsix.

Yes, they sound very similar, only that the HFi-780 have a more prominent timbre in the mids [and these (the mids) are more present and with more detail, but there is a zone in the mids, that i don't like and that did some music sound hollow (as if there was missed something) compared with my DT990] and highs (and a lot of sparkle) what are harsher with louder volumes (well, it apply to the mids in some extent), but about the bass, they have a little bit more quantity/body in the lower midbass and less in the low bass and high bass, and therefore a little bit less bass slam.
But they leak A LOT of sound, more than my DT990s!, when amped; And isolate a bit more than my DT990.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Shahrose /img/forum/go_quote.gif also, i've read that the hfi780 sound more like the dt990 than the prolines, since they have more treble and more bass

 

[tjumper78]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilashort /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi tjumper78, why you get rid of your dac (keces) and amp?, ...because of the space (i think)?, or there is another reason (hyped sound quality of the dac and amp for his price?)?? i want to hear your impressions about the pico and how sound the mids with the DT990 (sound more airier/lush and/or more forward?)? Thanks a lot Scott, how sound the Pico with your DT990 too, when it comes to bass (extension, quantity, slam)? or you have a link with your impressions...? Thank you in advance. Yes, they sound very similar, only that the HFi-780 have a more prominent timbre in the mids [and these (the mids) are more present and with more detail, but there is a zone in the mids, that i don't like and that did some music sound hollow (as if there was missed something) compared with my DT990] and highs (and a lot of sparkle) what are harsher with louder volumes (well, it apply to the mids in some extent), but about the bass, they have a little bit more quantity/body in the lower midbass and less in the low bass and high bass, and therefore a little bit less bass slam. But they leak A LOT of sound, more than my DT990s!, when amped; And isolate a bit more than my DT990.

oh i loved keces da151 a lot! i just decided to get rid of littledot mk4se after i sold hd650, and there was no need for da151 to stay since i only had portable amps. i preferred the sound of mk4se+da151 over mk4se+pico. da151 was better in every department imo. pico doesnt really do anything for dt990's mids.
ms2i with quarter-mod'ed yellow senn pads became my primary cans, and i decided that a good portable amp was enough to drive it. plus having a pico saves lots of space over having desktop amp and dac.

dt990's highs are more harsh when driven by pico or headsix. it was toned down in good amount when driven by littledot mk4se. thats why i think dt990 really needs good powerful amp to perform well.

HFi-780 you mentioned does sound interesting.
gotta do more research before i start hunting for my dt990's replacement.