[AzraelDarkangel]

I've had the DT880 Pro (250ohm) for about 2 weeks now and probably have around 20-25hrs on them. My previous headphones were Grado SR80i which I only listened to once since I got the DT880's and haven't bothered since as I've decided the DT880's are far superior in every way. I've heard they scale up nicely with better amplification and plan on getting an Objective2 amp and sometime later a usb dac. I have a tough time finding any deficiencies in their sound as they are the best I've heard and nothing at a reference level to compare them to. I have modded them though by removing the filter covering the backside of the magnet which the DT880 has but the DT990 doesn't have. The difference is subtle to me but I feel they now have enough bass where they felt just slightly deficient before (in the lower bass). The filter is easy to put back if I ever wish to do so. There is a mod thread which shows the differences between the DT880 and DT990 and it comes down to the filter in the back to attenuate the bass and a circular piece of felt over the front of the driver behind the earpiece foam to attenuate the treble.
 
I do feel there is a slight lack of something but it's hard to nail down, maybe a bit of air and space? It's probably just an amplification issue. How much change do you get with various amps and DAC combos? I almost want to remove the felt but I think it's glued in so it would be more complicated to put back. I don't find the DT880 too bright at all, but neither do I think it's dark or dull, just sounds pretty well balanced. Not sure if it's worth messing with before I have a better amp. The only other mod I plan is mass dampening the back of the magnet (careful to not cover any holes) and the inside periphery of the cup with Tungsten putty. What improvements did anybody find when moving to higher end headphones?
 
Joshua

 

[Eric_C]

Hey man, DT880 Premium (250 ohm) owner here, hope you don't mind my chiming in. I've had some similarities in my upgrade path:
MS1 > AD300 > DT880
 
And for amplification, I started out real simple:
1. CrossRoads Edge (budget SS)
2. Tascam XS-3 (basic DJ mixer)
3. Aikido (DIY tube amp)
 
That darned 880 didn't really sing until I got my Aikido. It's taken 2 years, but I can say with certainty that a good amp, that complements the sound signature of the 880, will show you what it's capable of. Like you, I didn't think the 880 was all that deficient with anything, except maybe a little bit of bass, but it wasn't particularly engaging.
 
The amp I have finally lets the 880 shine.
 
It's often said that a slightly warm amp is good for the 880, and I guess that's what's happening here. At the same time, the Aikido is by far the most powerful amp I've owned. The O2 is noted for being dead neutral and powerful--that ticks 1 of 2 boxes you might want in a 880 amp. So, I think you should go for it; it's certainly popular enough that you should be able to sell it off if you don't like the amp.

 

[AzraelDarkangel]

Yeah that's pretty much the feeling I get, that they are great but capable of more. I'm just trying to nail down where in my listening chain some very minor deficiencies are. I certainly don't feel the need for a warmer amp as mine now has enhanced bass and I don't feel they are bright (at least coming from Grado). I am curious to listen to AKG K702/Q701 as I would love to hear a more expansive out of the head soundstage, but really very few of my recordings would support that anyway.
 
Quote:

Hey man, DT880 Premium (250 ohm) owner here, hope you don't mind my chiming in. I've had some similarities in my upgrade path:
MS1 > AD300 > DT880
 
And for amplification, I started out real simple:
1. CrossRoads Edge (budget SS)
2. Tascam XS-3 (basic DJ mixer)
3. Aikido (DIY tube amp)
 
That darned 880 didn't really sing until I got my Aikido. It's taken 2 years, but I can say with certainty that a good amp, that complements the sound signature of the 880, will show you what it's capable of. Like you, I didn't think the 880 was all that deficient with anything, except maybe a little bit of bass, but it wasn't particularly engaging.
 
The amp I have finally lets the 880 shine.
 
It's often said that a slightly warm amp is good for the 880, and I guess that's what's happening here. At the same time, the Aikido is by far the most powerful amp I've owned. The O2 is noted for being dead neutral and powerful--that ticks 1 of 2 boxes you might want in a 880 amp. So, I think you should go for it; it's certainly popular enough that you should be able to sell it off if you don't like the amp.