[donunus]

... and don't just get the 80 ohm version if the 250 ohm is out of stock because they sound different.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

... and don't just get the 80 ohm version if the 250 ohm is out of stock because they sound different.

 
I've read a lot concerning the differences between them and, after hearing/owning the 250Ω, I have zero inclination to hear the 80Ω.
 
I'm currently listening via my aforementioned PPAv2 and good lord is this fantastic!  The AQ DragonFly did a very good job, but having it feed the PPAv2 (another piece of kit that I feel is ridiculously underrated on this forum, by the way) brings EVERYTHING to another level.  Smooth... detailed... engaging... cohesive... BALANCED... I really can't ask for anything more from closed headphone listening.  I'm giving up a touch of space from the HD600, but nothing else.
 
donunus, I sincerely thank you for your active support of this product.  It's not for those that want a lot of 'X' or an exaggerated 'Y', but for we who crave neutrality/honesty/versatility this is, as you've previously stated, an endgame headphone.  It won't "wow" anyone with any one particular performance attribute, but it will allow the music to do so should it possess the trait.  That, to me, is what a headphone should do.
 
EDIT:
 
Concerning comfort, these are also excellent.  The pads are less plush than the velour'd circular-cupped Beyers and I feel them for about the first 5 minutes, but after they "warm up" they disappear on my head despite maintaining secure positioning.  I feel them again on my jaw if I talk, but they perform exceptionally well for beer drinking whilst listening. 

 

[namaiki]

I really must agree with these being quite comfortable. Very easy for these to disappear on my head during a listening session.

 

[donunus]

they perform exceptionally well for beer drinking whilst listening. 

hahahaha yes I drink while using them a lot

 

[kkl10]

I can get the DT250 250 Ohm for ~166Eur through Amazon.uk... the cheapest place I can find in Europe.
But I can get a used Sennheiser HD580 for around the same price, maybe a little less.
 
Ironically, the main problem for me is being a closed headphone because I'm very averted to the usual detrimental echos, reverbs of this type of hps that screw up the timbre of instruments and transparency, which are two of the most important sonic aspects for me, besides neutrality. I really hate to "hear the box" and probably the DT250 has this issues to...
 
I like the fact that it has similar tonal balance to the HD600 but I wouldn't like the closed part to include it's usualy the inherent detriments which I expressed above, lol.
Most likely it doesn't have the midrange, ultimate timbre and transparency of the Sennheiser, but this is probably asking to much from a <200$ closed heaphone, I guess can't get much better than the DT250. It would be to good to be true.
 
And there's also the QC issues, which made me look past this headphone for a long time...
Seriously, how hard would it be for Beyer to improve this a little further?
This particular issue really gets on my nerves!

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

I can get the DT250 250 Ohm for ~166Eur through Amazon.uk... the cheapest place I can find in Europe.
But I can get a used Sennheiser HD580 for around the same price, maybe a little less.
 
Ironically, the main problem for me is being a closed headphone because I'm very averted to the usual detrimental echos, reverbs of this type of hps that screw up the timbre of instruments and transparency, which are two of the most important sonic aspects for me, besides neutrality. I really hate to "hear the box" and probably the DT250 has this issues to...
 
I like the fact that it has similar tonal balance to the HD600 but I wouldn't like the closed part to include it's usualy the inherent detriments which I expressed above, lol.
Most likely it doesn't have the midrange, ultimate timbre and transparency of the Sennheiser, but this is probably asking to much from a <200$ closed heaphone, I guess can't get much better than the DT250. It would be to good to be true.
 
And there's also the QC issues, which made me look past this headphone for a long time...
Seriously, how hard would it be for Beyer to improve this a little further?
This particular issue really gets on my nerves!

Why even consider the beyer if you don't need a closed phone? The dt250 didn't wow me with vocals(or the midrange in general) the way the hd580 does.. 
 
"Most likely it doesn't have the midrange, ultimate timbre and transparency of the Sennheiser,"
 
The hd580 was love at first listen for me. I don't recall the same feeling when I had the dt250.....but that was the 80ohm version so take my opinion with a grain of salt. 

 

[donunus]

The 80 ohm vs 250 ohm comparison is like comparing the hd555 vs the hd600 just to give you an idea of the quality difference. The hd580 tramples the dt250-80 ohm IMO but cannot beat the 250 ohm dt250 overall regardless of whether they are open or closed IMO. The hd580 souds slightly incoherent and detached from the music in a direct comparison. I was actually comparing the hd600 and the dt250-250 before and just calculated the hd580 differences from there. I would rank them as dt250-250>HD600>HD580>dt250-80

EDIT: Oh yes... I have compared the hd580 and the hd600 side by side

 

[kkl10]

Quote:

Why even consider the beyer if you don't need a closed phone? The dt250 didn't wow me with vocals(or the midrange in general) the way the hd580 does.. 
 
"Most likely it doesn't have the midrange, ultimate timbre and transparency of the Sennheiser,"
 
The hd580 was love at first listen for me. I don't recall the same feeling when I had the dt250.....but that was the 80ohm version so take my opinion with a grain of salt. 

 
The truth is I have been negleting the DT250 for a long time and a bit of isolation would always come in handy.
Besides, I'm looking for something close to "reference" sound which only the DT250 250 Ohms seems to have besides the Sennheiser HD600... within my budget.
 
Quote:

The 80 ohm vs 250 ohm comparison is like comparing the hd555 vs the hd600 just to give you an idea of the quality difference. The hd580 tramples the dt250-80 ohm IMO but cannot beat the 250 ohm dt250 overall regardless of whether they are open or closed IMO. The hd580 souds slightly incoherent and detached from the music in a direct comparison. I was actually comparing the hd600 and the dt250-250 before and just calculated the hd580 differences from there. I would rank them as dt250-250>HD600>HD580>dt250-80
EDIT: Oh yes... I have compared the hd580 and the hd600 side by side

 
That's quite a strong statement, donunus, do you really stand by that?
But that's simply subjective isn't it?
I don't think that would be the ranking taking into account my own sonic priorities expressed above...

 

[donunus]

I stand by that statement. It is subjective of course but it is based on the fact that I find the dt250-250 to sound more like reality to me than the hd600. The soundstage on the dt250-250 is less fake too.

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

 
The truth is I have been negleting the DT250 for a long time and a bit of isolation would always come in handy.
Besides, I'm looking for something close to "reference" sound which only the DT250 250 Ohms seems to have besides the Sennheiser HD600... within my budget.
 
 
That's quite a strong statement, donunus, do you really stand by that?
But that's simply subjective isn't it?
I don't think that would be the ranking taking into account my own sonic priorities expressed above...

I've been looking for 'reference' sound too, for a long while. Some posts by studio engineers got me interested in the k702 as a 'reference' phone, but it sounds VERY different than the hd580/600 which is also a 'reference' phone. I like the k240DF a lot, as well, as a reference phone, but it's a bit too lean in the low end. My preference is for the hd580, but I do wonder which 'reference' phone is the closest to the sound of a good reference studio monitor speaker set up.

 

[Curly21029]

As one final tweak to my (closed) reference rig, I've received a new interconnect today.  In the words of Daniel Plainview:
 

 
Nothing noticeably lacking -- nothing noticeably accentuated.  I'll be returning to the gear forums periodically to contribute what I can to the discussion, but with no need to shop I'm semi-retiring to the music subforum.
 
A big ol' THANK YOU again to donunus and the other DT250-250 supporters for turning me on to these wonderfully engineered headphones!

 

[donunus]

Getting more music and talking about music is definitely the way to go after having these cans. I just like everything on them so it just opens me up to music entirely without having to think much about genre compatibility. It feels like I am back in High School where music mattered 90% and audio was only 10% of the requirement to have a good time.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

Getting more music and talking about music is definitely the way to go after having these cans. I just like everything on them so it just opens me up to music entirely without having to think much about genre compatibility. It feels like I am back in High School where music mattered 90% and audio was only 10% of the requirement to have a good time.

 
I can fully relate to this sentiment.  I never stopped seeking new music, but with my main listening rig going through a seemingly perpetual evolution over the past year+ I'd spent too much time "compensating" for my gear's performance when making my analysis.  While certainly debatable, I'm of the opinion that appreciation for the arts often relies on the perception of subtleties.  For audio specifically, this necessitates the need for quality components.  I perceive my now-finalized setup as a direct connection from content to my brain/heart/soul.
 
The cycle of 'phones led me to the target of "a lack of adjectives."  Well... goal achieved. 

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

 I perceive my now-finalized setup as a direct connection from content to my brain/heart/soul.
 
 

Great comment! 

 I feel the same with my set up now a good deal of the time. Not that I'd refuse some higher end gear that I won't splurge on, if it were give to me.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

Great comment! 

 I feel the same with my set up now a good deal of the time. Not that I'd refuse some higher end gear that I won't splurge on, if it were give to me.

 
As someone who has purchased multiple $1000+ headphones and has demoed several more, I'm of the opinion that purchasing more expensive gear doesn't typically equate to greater appreciation for one's musical selections.  To me, the whole notion of pursuing "summit-fi" is largely a consumerist rat race.  Attempting to compare the DT250-250 to, say, the HD800 will draw cries of "apples to oranges" largely due to price and partly because of form factor, but to me a headphone is a headphone regardless of these attributes -- the application remains the same. (personal listening devices, both)  Without getting into specifics that may cause a rift, (PM me if elaboration is needed) based on my time with the HD800 I prefer the DT250-250.
 
Point being, don't discount the performance of your current gear based on what could be greener pastures.  If you don't desire more of 'X' or less of 'Y' out of your setup, then just sit back and enjoy the music.