Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
But not better than the hd 650, do u agree??
Professional vs Home: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro vs Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
- Thread starter kman1211
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Light - Man
Headphoneus Supremus
I have not heard it but from what I have read it would not have the bass or the energy of the X2.
The X2 is one of the most musical and enjoyable headphones I have had in ages, well worth trying, best of luck in your search.
Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
X2 are no doubt great headphones which are better built than the hd 650 but in terms of sound quality the senns are better than the X2, especially the mids which are lush with organic sounding vocals, at least in that section i cannot consider the X2 to be superior. The X2 are fun sounding whereas the 650's may be more analytical in comparison.I have not heard it but from what I have read it would not have the bass or the energy of the X2.
The X2 is one of the most musical and enjoyable headphones I have had in ages, well worth trying, best of luck in your search.
Thanks for ur suggestion though, i'll compare them on my O2 side by side only if i get an X2
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Coolranch
New Head-Fier
Amirons are the spiritual successor to the T90s with "additional fabric" added to essential dampen the piercing highs people complained about. The mids/highs are rather laid back and distant compared to the 1990s. I prefered the 1990s because I actually like forward mids. Amiron for a laid back experience, 1990s to feel the music, imo
Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
Same here, we need life like vocals !! For a laid back presentation we have the hd 6xx !!!
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro vs Beyerdynamic Amiron Home
In this review I am going to be comparing the DT 1990 vs Amiron and explain exactly these two headphones differ to help people decide which they should get due to their sound preferences as well as genre preferences. These two headphones do sound more different than one may think considering they sell for the same price and use very similar drivers. I am driving both headphones from the Sony UDA-1 via optical from my desktop computer which easily drives both headphones with authority and I feel is a good pairing for both. I'm using the stock cables on both for I plan on comparing them both in stock form. I've owned both headphones for over a month now and feel confident they are both fully broken in. I am comparing the DT 1990 with the Balanced pads mainly, I could never get into liking the Analytical pads on the DT 1990 much.
Note: The DT 1990 Pro on this review is on the Balanced pads. I will likely add the Analytical pads to the review in the future. The Analytical pads makes the bass even more linear and it does soften up the treble a bit on the DT 1990. The DT 1990 sounds slightly more liquid on the analytical pads and the sound is more expansive. It's somewhere between the Amiron and DT 1990 with Balanced pads sound wise.
This post may be edited a few times.
Build Quality & Accessories
In terms of build quality the two headphones are very well made, the DT 1990 does feel the more robust of the two due to a bit more metal in it's design and the sturdier feeling headband as well as it's much stronger clamping force. The Amiron has more plastic in it's build overall and a looser clamp which gives the impression it may be of lesser quality when in reality it really isn't. In terms of accessories, the DT 1990 wins hands down, it has two different sets of pads, two sets of cables, and a nicer carrying case. The Amiron just has one cable, one set of pads, and a lower quality carrying case. The Amiron does have the advantage of a dual-entry cable which allows for balanced without modding. The DT 1990 Pro uses the AKG mini-XLR 3 pin plug which is a bummer if one plans on going balanced. Both headphones are actually quite modular as both have modular drivers. Both use similar looking drivers but they are tuned differently so swapping them will also change the sound. The Amiron Home is a bit more open and does leak a bit more than the DT 1990.
Amiron Home Internals
DT 1990 Internals
Comfort
This is another area the headphones differ quite a bit is their comfort and fit. Which is more comfortable depends on the person. The DT 1990 has firmer pads, stronger clamp(think HD 6xx clamp), and the pads are a bit deeper. The Amiron has a much looser clamp(quite loose, like the T1 in clamp), the pads are soft and comfy but don't have the depth the DT 1990 so may pose a problem with those who have ears sticking out a lot. The pads can be swapped between the two.
Sound
Now to the most important part of the review, the sound. How do these two headphones differ? I spent a month comparing the two headphones so I feel I have a very good grasp on their overall sound signature. A simple description of their sound will be that the DT 1990 has a drier more intimate presentation while the Amiron Home has a more liquid and softer presentation. It's a bit more complicated than that, especially when comparing the midrange and the treble where a lot people seem to differ most in their impressions. I will help explain why this is the case. Both headphones are very musical and euphoric sounding to my ears with excellent clarity and tonality and timbre. Both sound very organic and natural to my ears. Also listening fatigue on both is very low to my ears.
Bass
Okay first we are going to start with the bass and how they compare.
Amiron Home: The bass on the Amiron has a stronger mid-bass presence with a softer more expansive and laid-back texture to it. I personally find it quite fast and textured. It has quite a strong impact and is quite expansive. It extends well into the sub-bass and has pretty good control. It creates an expansive and enveloping feeling in the bass.
DT 1990 Pro: This is one of the DT 1990's strong points, the bass is more linear with better sub-bass extension. It's more aggressive and punchy in nature and has better control than the Amiron Home. At louder volumes the bass hits very hard and the bass is a bit quicker than that on the Amiron Homes. This makes the DT 1990 a better choice for EDM, etc.
Midrange
This is an aspect where things start changing a bit more between the two headphones.
Amiron Home: The midrange on the Amiron is actually similar to the DT 1990 until you start getting to the upper midrange around the 1-2khz region. The Amiron Home has around 2-3 decibels less presence in this region due to this the midrange takes a softer more expansive sound. To put it simply the Amiron Home has a more recessed midrange than the DT 1990, but this isn't always a bad thing especially for those who like a large soundstage and a less intimate sound. The Amiron's midrange does sound a bit darker and more liquid than what is found in the DT 1990.
DT 1990 Pro: The midrange on the DT 1990 is dry and intimate largely due to more presence in the 1-2khz region. Like in the bass, the DT 1990 is also more linear in the midrange. This stronger upper midrange I found makes the DT 1990 really shine in terms of strings and percussion and it has a snappier more impactful nature to it's midrange. The midrange has a brighter, fuller, and drier tone to it.
Treble
The treble is another point of contention between these two headphones, but which one is actually brighter? While I found both headphones to have fairly strong treble energy the treble is quite refined and not what I consider fatiguing personally.
Amiron Home: To put it simply, the Amiron Home has a brighter treble than the DT 1990 but the treble is a bit softer due to a broader raise in the treble. While having maybe a couple decibels less in the 9-10khz region, the Amiron has a lot more energy in the 7-8khz, so for those sensitive to that region may actually find the Amiron too bright especially at louder volumes. Overall the Amiron has a more delicate, softer, and brighter treble texture to it.
DT 1990 Pro: Overall the DT 1990 Pro is darker than the Amiron Home in terms of treble, but the treble can be a bit spicier and more bitey as the treble is more of a peak in the 9-10khz region than the broader raise found in the Amiron.
Conclusion on Sound
Overall I find the sound on the Amiron Home to be softer more relaxed and more of a headphone one will listen to at moderate listening levels. It's also better suited for more relaxed genres such as classical, softer rock, many instrumental songs, softer EDM, etc. The Amiron Homes also really shine for movies, shows, and video games due to it's more expansive soundstage and softer texture to the sound. I found I tend to listen to the Amiron Home at a lower volume naturally than the DT 1990. The Amiron Home can handle more energetic genres, but it may not have the force and aggression one desires for those genres.
The DT 1990 is a headphone I consider to be more neutral, robust, and energetic. It sounds good with all genres and is what I consider a genre-master as it handles all genres and uses well. While not as good for softer genres and movies/games as the Amiron it's not bad at all in those aspects. But where I feel the DT 1990 shines is more energetic genres and the headphone is probably the best EDM open-back I've heard anywhere near it's price. It's also very good for metal, hard rock, etc.
In conclusion if you want a gaming headphone and/or relaxed listening headphone get the Amiron Home. If you want jack of all trades and energetic genre master get the DT 1990. Also if you listen louder, the DT 1990 may be better suited. The Amiron in my experience is better suited for moderate listening volumes. The Amiron has a darker midrange yet brighter treble while the DT 1990 has a brighter midrange yet darker treble. The Amiron is more liquid sounding while the DT 1990 is drier.
Both have very good dynamics, but honestly I have to give dynamics to the DT 1990, it's so tactile when well driven. It does have very good treble and midrange as well as bass dynamics which may be a bit off-putting for some as some people don't seem to understand it and may mistake it for brightness. Many headphones I find actually suffer in terms of midrange and treble dynamics and body.
In terms of scalability, I get the impression the Amiron may scale up a bit higher on gear, but that may not actually be the case as I haven't directly compared them on higher-end gear. Also due to it's more open nature, the Amiron does sound more open than the DT 1990. I actually consider the DT 1990 semi-open while the Amiron fully open.
I personally like both headphones around the same, which I like better will change depending on my mood. If I want a liquid and relaxed sound I listen to the Amiron Homes. If I want a dry and more robust sound I listen to the DT 1990. I'm keeping both headphones personally, which wasn't actually what I intended but just turned out that way.
Another way to describe their sound is similar to how they look and feel. The DT 1990 is more masculine and robust and the Amiron is more feminine and delicate. How dry or liquid both headphones sound heavily depends on the system.
Hi there.Firstly a big thank you for the full report which will definitely help all of us(among which i am since my long cherished JVC HA-S 360-much lower price tag than these but a hidden gem of hi-fi to my eyes,has expired:trying to repair them after one transducer had desoldered-result of the cable being accidently tangled in a door handle,i stayed too long on solder with my soldering iron which has ruined the small copper dot making contact with the voice coil ) deciding what HPs will( supposedly so) be up to their preference.I see from your profile that we have a lot in common-i'm one of the few who contributed to the "anti-Audioquest NH hype" saying in its devoted thread how much i had been very disappointed by them(to say the least,not taking into account the loss of my hard earned money),nevertheless i MUST point out a few contradictions,i quote:[
how can you say(either i'm a complete idiot either we don't give words the same meaning)in the same sentence that it[the Amiron]has recessed mids AND a broader soundstage,usually(the Denon AH-MM200 is a good example,having emphasis on sub-bass,recessed mids and highs,making them an overall dark but CONGESTED sound signature)it makes for a congested sound signature,no?Further on you mention[ a brighter treble..but a softer one due to broader raise]you see me confused here again.I have listened to at least 150 HPs in my life(BTW thx Amazon for giving me the opportunity to try the HPs at home-in a quiet and UNBIASED environment-and the possibility to return them free of charge if i disliked them),and the conclusion i have gathered is that HPs having a upper-mids emphasis(the JVS HA-S360 being one of the foo few exceptions,due to a a upper-bass,lower-mid emphasis)usually make for an analytical,studio-oriented,pleasureless experience as is my memory of the Beyer DT990,not having had the opportunity to listen to them with the A20 or the WA6(quoting
Hondadude85 [I once heard a pair of DT990's out of a WA6 and it was magic].
Soundstage is something not always perceived the same by people. I've always found the HD 650s soundstage larger than the HD 600's for example, and people vary on that as you may see contradictory opinions on it. But I'll explain one common way to create the illusion of a wider soundstage is a bit of an upper midrange recession, this is a trick the HD 800 pulls to even further expand the soundstage size. A forward midrange tends to make a headphone sound more intimate and less spacious. As to why the Amiron has a softer treble, after spending more time with them longer, it's because there is just no ringing in its treble whereas the DT 1990 has a small amount ringing in its treble that and the Amiron doesnt really have a spike in the treble but rather a peak which I don't find as extreme, it takes the treble mountain the T90 has and tames it. The Amiron is more v-shaped in its sound while the DT 1990 is more neutral(with a bit of brightness and more warmth than most Tesla Beyers). The Amiron is a lot warmer sounding than the old DT 990 which is a bit cold, while both may be v-shaped, it's a different curve and creates a very different presentation not to meniton how different Teslas inherently sound than the DT Beyers.
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Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
The T1 and the dt 880 has a very similar sound signature overall
They are similar to a degree but never found them very similar. The T1 is much more vivid and has much more ethereal and precise imaging and better dynamics and slam. The DT 880 sounds a bit flat and dull compared to the T1 to my ears. I do see the T1 being an upgrade over the DT 880 in terms of their sound balance but they never really sounded the same to me. I'm more familiar with the second gen T1 btw. The DT 1990 with the analytical pads was more of a DT 880 upgrade to my ears as it toned down that vividness the T1 has while keeping a similar balance to the sound.
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Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
Agreed. If u treat the dt 880's with a nice tube amp, then it wont sound bright at all, my dt 880 premiums dont sound as bright as the pro's though they reveal occasional treble peaks but thats rare with my music collection. the T1's treble is a lot more refined and is on another level, but the t1 is the successor to the dt 880 as both are semi open
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Even on the right SS amp they won't sound bright except when the peak shows itself. A bit of 10khz ringing that can rear its ugly head at times seems to be an inherent problem with the previous generation of Beyers. I personally view the DT 48/480 as the highest fidelity Beyers followed by the T1/Amiron Home/DT 1990. Yes the T1 is definitely influenced by the DT 880 but it wasn't the flagship it took the place of, because the DT 880 was never the flagship Beyer when it was out, that was the DT 48.
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Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
Ahh!!! U had a chance to listen to the dt 48, really lucky man, the t1 is even more expensive than the amiron or dt 1990 by a big margin, i suppose why??
I own a DT 480 which has essentially the same drivers and I have heard a couple different DT 48's. Modded the DT 480 heavily though. But it is my favorite headphone preferring it to the T1, DT 1990, and Amiron. Well the T1 is still considered the flagship and has the best build quality and materials used. I think it's because Beyer isn't too focused on artificially keeping their most expensive headphone the best if they make improvements on newer models are willing to trickle things down and make improvements on new models even if they may be viewed more favorably by people than their flagship. The new Teslas aren't better in all ways either, they do have cleaner treble, more bass body, and arguably better midrange tonality but the T1 is superior in many ways to the DT 1990 and Amiron when well driven. The treble on the T1 was an overload for me personally and I honestly didn't have the best system for it. So saving final judgment on the T1 for another time.
Sam20
100+ Head-Fier
Yess, i've heard that thing about the t1's treble which is a brighter than what most people would prefer neutral, can u
briefly compare the t1, dt 1990 and the amiron home?? I am already leaning towards tha amiron though...
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