[size=medium]The DT 48A 5 ohm, DT48S 25 ohm, the Sony CD-3000 and the Sennheiser HD-800[/size]
[size=medium]Do you remember when you were a kid there was a little bottle marked “vanilla extract” in your pantry? You would take off the top and get a big whiff…megavanilla! The Beyer DT-48 should be marked “midrange extract”. It’s almost like the DT-48 thinks that if it’s not midrange, it’s not all that important. So you get a subdued bass, a noticeable treble rolloff and absolutely no concession to “head stage”. The DT-48 is resolutely a headphone with no aspirations to be a speaker.[/size]
[size=medium]So the discussion must center on the midrange. It’s true blue, articulate and quite detailed. And because the bass and treble are laid back, the ear is mostly led to the excellent midrange. Since the midrange is where the message is, the DT-48 is a great musical communicator. [/size]
[size=medium]The bass that is present is very articulate providing a credible foundation without ever specifically drawing the ear and the treble is brown velvet, contributing to an overall tendency towards a dark presentation. The one thing that seems a bit of a fly in the ointment is a tendency towards a bit of emphasis in the upper midrange that can at times make things a little shouty. [/size]
[size=medium]As far as the differences between the DT-48a and the DT-48s, the DT-48s is a bit brighter in the treble and the upper midrange shouts a bit less. But it’s also a little less articulate in the midrange, so it’s a somewhat less DT-48 than most DT-48 flavors. [/size]
[size=medium]The Sony provides a contrast. It (like the Sennheiser) aspires to true full range status which, by itself, will tend to make the midrange blend into the sound more. It’s a beautiful headphone to listen to without being overly euphonic. The bass is full and has good power, though it’s a tiny bit rubbery. The midrange also emphasizes beauty over sheer detail. The treble sounds to me middle-hall but clear and natural. There must be something to the biocellulose diaphragm; the Sony’s are very inviting and friendly. The head stage is wide, maybe a bit too much without the depth to balance the width. I suspect they are a headphone that may not be any ones absolute favorite, but few would not like.[/size]
[size=medium]The Sennheiser sounds a bit more “studio monitor” sounding than the Sony. They sound fully lit as opposed to the DT-48’s velvet twilight, and the Sony’s subdued lighting. They sound a bit more front of hall than the Sony but with the clarity and definition that infers. The head stage is, to me, very natural for a headphone (but still miles behind a speaker). The bass is extended and very even with excellent pitch definition, but may not exhibit the “punch” that many people like. Really, technical virtues abound (they sound VERY low in distortion) but, unlike the DT-48 which is more than the sum of it’s parts, it is JUST the sum of it’s parts. It’s can seem so evenhanded and clear as to be a bit boring to some, I suspect. Still, it portrays an orchestra about as well as any phone I have heard, overall.[/size]
[size=medium]The bottom line? The DT-48 is sui generis, that is a law into itself. It’s futile to compare it or try to rate it, it’s a DT-48, period. As far as the Sony and Sennheiser, they are headphones for different moods. I would not say either is superior to the other, actually they are complimentary. And neither is anything like perfect. I could live with either. But they are both to me firmly in the ranks of the top phones.[/size]
[size=medium]Kevin[/size]
