[bertobo]

After my not too pleasant experiance with the T1.2, I settled for a Denon AHD-7200 and, as I wanted an open back too, the Beyer DT-1990. While I admit the T1.2 have wider soundstage than the DT-1990 and, in some cases, superior detail, all in all my impression is, that the 1990ies are the better deal. To my ears, they not only are more forgiving when listening to less than ideal sources and amps, but the bass and mids are better presented and the highs are less sibliant. The DT-1990, for me, are indeed like a refined version of the DT-990, at least with the "balanced" pads, which is a good thing, as I happend to love the 990. If cans were cars, the Step from the DT-990 to the DT-1990 ist like going from an Audi A6 to an Audi A8 - everthing you love is there, and then some more. The T1.2 ist more like a Ferrari or any other Supercar. It's one hell of fun if you drive it under ideal conditions, like on a track, but for daily driving, you want something less harsh and less demanding.

And the DT-1990 are basicaclly two cans in one. With the balanced pads, it is a fun thing with very engaging bass that will make your toes tap. With the neutral pads, it changes into a close sibling of the T1, only that it does not need a super duper special amp, but will work just fine with the headphone jack of a good AVR or stereo amp.

To sum MY experiance up: The t1.2 can wow you with certain kinds of music and with the right amplification. The DT-1990 are not that attention grabbing, but in the long run they are superior because they just do their job, and they do it like few other cans below 1000 bucks can.

 

[Darksoul]

I eventually replaced my DT1990 with the Amiron Home and then I also acquired a T1.2 later as a compliment. I can say that for me, I do get more bass and details with the T1.2 than what I remember with the DT1990. It gets a bit difficult to compare when you consider that DT1990 is the brightest of the 3 headphones I'm comparing, so it may seem at first listen that they are the most revealing, but I feel that the T1.2 wins out on detail retrieval overall, plus imaging and soundstage. The caveat is it's 600-ohm instead of the 250 (with the same 102dB NSPL) so you'll need a source that can do it justice. Being able to run it balanced also helps in that regard.

I'm hoping a Violectric V200 to be enough...now how do I got about auditioning the T1.2.

 

[FritzS]

After my not too pleasant experiance with the T1.2, I settled for a Denon AHD-7200 and, as I wanted an open back too, the Beyer DT-1990. While I admit the T1.2 have wider soundstage than the DT-1990 and, in some cases, superior detail, all in all my impression is, that the 1990ies are the better deal. To my ears, they not only are more forgiving when listening to less than ideal sources and amps, but the bass and mids are better presented and the highs are less sibliant. The DT-1990, for me, are indeed like a refined version of the DT-990, at least with the "balanced" pads, which is a good thing, as I happend to love the 990. If cans were cars, the Step from the DT-990 to the DT-1990 ist like going from an Audi A6 to an Audi A8 - everthing you love is there, and then some more. The T1.2 ist more like a Ferrari or any other Supercar. It's one hell of fun if you drive it under ideal conditions, like on a track, but for daily driving, you want something less harsh and less demanding.

And the DT-1990 are basicaclly two cans in one. With the balanced pads, it is a fun thing with very engaging bass that will make your toes tap. With the neutral pads, it changes into a close sibling of the T1, only that it does not need a super duper special amp, but will work just fine with the headphone jack of a good AVR or stereo amp.

To sum MY experiance up: The t1.2 can wow you with certain kinds of music and with the right amplification. The DT-1990 are not that attention grabbing, but in the long run they are superior because they just do their job, and they do it like few other cans below 1000 bucks can.

Which - DT-1990, T1.2, Amerion - are more similar to AKG K812 but with lesser sibilants? I like a very detailed sound.

 

[kman1211]

After my not too pleasant experiance with the T1.2, I settled for a Denon AHD-7200 and, as I wanted an open back too, the Beyer DT-1990. While I admit the T1.2 have wider soundstage than the DT-1990 and, in some cases, superior detail, all in all my impression is, that the 1990ies are the better deal. To my ears, they not only are more forgiving when listening to less than ideal sources and amps, but the bass and mids are better presented and the highs are less sibliant. The DT-1990, for me, are indeed like a refined version of the DT-990, at least with the "balanced" pads, which is a good thing, as I happend to love the 990. If cans were cars, the Step from the DT-990 to the DT-1990 ist like going from an Audi A6 to an Audi A8 - everthing you love is there, and then some more. The T1.2 ist more like a Ferrari or any other Supercar. It's one hell of fun if you drive it under ideal conditions, like on a track, but for daily driving, you want something less harsh and less demanding.

And the DT-1990 are basicaclly two cans in one. With the balanced pads, it is a fun thing with very engaging bass that will make your toes tap. With the neutral pads, it changes into a close sibling of the T1, only that it does not need a super duper special amp, but will work just fine with the headphone jack of a good AVR or stereo amp.

To sum MY experiance up: The t1.2 can wow you with certain kinds of music and with the right amplification. The DT-1990 are not that attention grabbing, but in the long run they are superior because they just do their job, and they do it like few other cans below 1000 bucks can.

I personally owned two different T1.2’s. A silver one that was an earlier production model and I currently own a black one. I would agree with you in regards to the first T1.2 compared to the DT 1990, but the second T1.2 is a different beast, it’s much darker and more forgiving, we’re talking HD 650 dark which I compared to it directly, it’s the most forgiving yet most refined Tesla Beyer I’ve heard. Both headphones have been driven on the same system.

 

[Me x3]

Which - DT-1990, T1.2, Amerion - are more similar to AKG K812 but with lesser sibilants? I like a very detailed sound.

Tesla T1 (1st Generation) - skip early units sn < 4000 - but keep in mind it's a different monster.

Tesla T1 is all about microdetail and transparency in the sense of its ability to pick up the smallest nuances, variations in timbre and loudness.
While on the other hand the K812 is a macrodetail monster that presents the sound in a more roomy and tidy way but it's not as resolving of ultimate inner detail (texture of sound).
It takes some time to note this. I own both and to me, it's always nice to switch from one to the other, both neutralish and very detailed, but also contrasting in their capabilities.

In terms of car analogies, the AKG K812 is like an Audi RS4, perfectly engineered, very powerful, very capable and stable with its advanced quattro system and also a very heavy car.
The Tesla T1 is more along the lines of an Alfa Romeo 4C, which not as perfectly engineered as the RS4, it's only rear wheel drive, it's way less powerful, but it's much lighter so it can go as fast or even faster and can do some things better than the Audi.

In terms of sibilance, the key difference is that the K812 is quite energetic in the 6kHz - 7kHz region while the Tesla T1 in the 8kHz - 9kHz region, this is a small difference in numbers but a big difference in sound signature.
Depending on the recording and your ears you might find that one is more forgiving than the other and viceversa. To my ears, my Tesla T1 is just a tad less prone to emphasize sibilance than the K812 but some T1s are brighter than others.

Tesla T1 (2nd Gen) is further away from K812 as it's more compact sounding and also warmer/more mid-bassy.

 

[438555]

I personally owned two different T1.2’s. A silver one that was an earlier production model and I currently own a black one. I would agree with you in regards to the first T1.2 compared to the DT 1990, but the second T1.2 is a different beast, it’s much darker and more forgiving, we’re talking HD 650 dark which I compared to it directly, it’s the most forgiving yet most refined Tesla Beyer I’ve heard. Both headphones have been driven on the same system.

I agree, I got a black edition T1 and it’s significantly darker than my amirons. I don’t have a silver one to compare to, but it’s not what I expected

 

[kman1211]

I agree, I got a black edition T1 and it’s significantly darker than my amirons. I don’t have a silver one to compare to, but it’s not what I expected

So three people with the Amiron Home and Black T1.2, all agree the Black T1.2 is quite dark.

 

[sebna]

I personally owned two different T1.2’s. A silver one that was an earlier production model and I currently own a black one. I would agree with you in regards to the first T1.2 compared to the DT 1990, but the second T1.2 is a different beast, it’s much darker and more forgiving, we’re talking HD 650 dark which I compared to it directly, it’s the most forgiving yet most refined Tesla Beyer I’ve heard. Both headphones have been driven on the same system.

I am in exactly same situation as you and had exactly the same experience. I owned T1.2 silver and then I got T1.2 Black edition and I fully agree with your assessment. T1.2 Black are quite dark and very forgiving with zero harshness in the top end now even my D7200 have more aggressive top end then T1.2.

They are a bit too dark for my liking as those are obscuring details and limiting ultimate resolution but those are very forgiving HPs. A very good addition to the the lot.

Cheers

 

[legopart]

Bough another set of this headphones T1 GEN1, this time both drivers looking like GEN2, without damping cap on the back side, with resistance ~593ohm both.
I like them less from the first T1 that have one driver from GEN1 and one with GEN2 , with resistance ~570ohm both (with damping caps on driver back side). headphones caps darker I cut 80cm from the original cable length cause I need it and decide to make it shorter

I tried to replace the damping caps between both headphones, and nothing changed.
The one with mixed drivers sound deeper and correct

 

[bertobo]

Which - DT-1990, T1.2, Amerion - are more similar to AKG K812 but with lesser sibilants? I like a very detailed sound.

I did not own the Amiron and I only had the K812 for a few weeks, so take this with a grain of salt, but for my ears and if I remember everything corretly, the DT-1990 are closer to the K812 than the T1.2 are. As for sibilants, I think this is a very personal thing, depending on your ears and taste, but in general, most if not all Beyerdynamics will have more of that than the AKGs have. The T1.2 anyhow, but I also find the DT-1990, which I absolutely love, more sibilant than the K812. What I did not find sibilant were the AKG K712, excellent sounding cans in my opinion. Extremely detailled and not sibilant or "harsh" at all. The only downside to those is their built quality, as I had two of them and both broke within a few months. Maybe bad luck, but maybe a sign of poor quality control?

As I now mostly listen to the 1990ies, I do not miss any details with them. I would say that they deliver 95 percent of the detail the T1.2 can, only less "in your face". I never have the feeling that they hide anything from me, while with the T1.2 I had the feeling the detail was just too much, too unforgiving.

If you are a "detail-hound", you might want to give one of the better Grados a chance or, if you can live with a closed design, the Beyer DT880 or the Denon AH-D7200. The latter are very detailed and bright, but never harsh or sibilant. And if price is no issue, you could try the Focal Clear, which I also found very detailed, if a bit too bassy though. A budget friendly alternative would be the AKG K-702, which are extremely resolving and are now sold for a price which is almost criminally low. They have less bass than the K-712 and the K-812, but they reward you with an insight in the music only a few cans can, and no other cans can at their pricepoint.

 

[sebna]

If you are a "detail-hound", you might want to give one of the better Grados a chance or, if you can live with a closed design, the Beyer DT880 or the Denon AH-D7200. The latter are very detailed and bright, but never harsh or sibilant.

D7200 are by far less resolving (detailed) HP then the T1.2. At least mine are, and they have over 300h so they are well run in. D7200 can be harsh, and are brighter then T1.2 Black. Also T1.2 (any version) are not the most resolving HPs, they are quite far from my speakers capabilities so I know how much information is lost.

They are very good tough and i like them quite a lot. Still would like to find HPs that would match my speakers in detail.

 

[kelly200269]

enjoy.

Am I getting a good deal if I upgrade from DT-1990 to T1.2? I want more bass and details. Can that be achieved with the T1.2 or I'm better off looking in another place?

Maybe being controversial, but IMO the T1.2 are NOT an upgrade to the 1990's. They just have different sound signatures, and the T1.2 does NOT offer improved SQ, IMO.
Is the T1.2 'better' in some respects? Yes. It has a midrange to die-for, and has a wider soundstage than the 1990's. The T1.2's are absolutely sublime with classical and jazz, and the 1990's can't hold a candle to them in these respects.
BUT the 1990's are my 'go-to' set of cans, and are impeccable with rock, pop and EDM etc. You ain't gonna get 'more bass and details' by 'upgrading' from the 1990's to T1.2's. You'll just get a different sound signature, one that you may not necessarily enjoy.
Remember, the T1.2 have an upper-mid 'spike', that doesn't exist with the 1990's. You'll either love it, or you'll hate it. That's why I call it the 'Marmite' of headphones!

 

[kelly200269]

While it's difficult for me to say whether the T1.2 is more detailed than the 1990, it definitely has more bass and an unmistakably warmer signature. The soundstage is also noticably expanded.

IMO, the T1.2 and 1990's offer similar amounts of bass, and I would say that they are equally 'detailed'. But yes, the soundstage is noticeably expanded with the T1.2's.

 

[kman1211]

enjoy.
Maybe being controversial, but IMO the T1.2 are NOT an upgrade to the 1990's. They just have different sound signatures, and the T1.2 does NOT offer improved SQ, IMO.
Is the T1.2 'better' in some respects? Yes. It has a midrange to die-for, and has a wider soundstage than the 1990's. The T1.2's are absolutely sublime with classical and jazz, and the 1990's can't hold a candle to them in these respects.
BUT the 1990's are my 'go-to' set of cans, and are impeccable with rock, pop and EDM etc. You ain't gonna get 'more bass and details' by 'upgrading' from the 1990's to T1.2's. You'll just get a different sound signature, one that you may not necessarily enjoy.
Remember, the T1.2 have an upper-mid 'spike', that doesn't exist with the 1990's. You'll either love it, or you'll hate it. That's why I

Depends which T1.2, the Black ones are agreed to be a dark sounding headphone, I haven't heard anyone say otherwise on them. The DT 1990 and Amiron Home are bright compared to it and the upper-mid spike does not exist on the black T1.2. It's in the realm of the HD 650 in terms of darkness. Though the soundstage is only moderately bigger compared to the DT 1990. On the old T1.2 I had, it was much bigger in terms of soundstage, more holographic imaging, and the upper mid spike drove me nuts. This one is dark and full sounding.

 

[kelly200269]

Depends which T1.2, the Black ones are agreed to be a dark sounding headphone, I haven't heard anyone say otherwise on them. The DT 1990 and Amiron Home are bright compared to it and the upper-mid spike does not exist on the black T1.2. It's in the realm of the HD 650 in terms of darkness. Though the soundstage is only moderately bigger compared to the DT 1990. On the old T1.2 I had, it was much bigger in terms of soundstage, more holographic imaging, and the upper mid spike drove me nuts. This one is dark and full sounding.

Apart from purely cosmetic changes to the appearance, i.e. black vs. silver, I can't see any published evidence or objective acknowledgement such as reviews, frequency response curves etc. that the T1.2SE sounds any different to the original?
I haven't done a direct A-B comparison of silver vs. black, and whilst I'm NOT saying that they must definitely sound the same, I'm not seeing anything other than a couple of people on here saying that they do indeed sound different?
Personally, and being slightly cynical, I think that it might just be a case of people 'thinking', for example that the red 488 GTB drives better than the yellow one. Because it's red