[svyr]

heh, just got a used DT48e (2005+ish) still have my T5p on hand. curious to see how the two compare...

DT48e will definitely be making close friends with a tissue box and maybe having the headband bent... It's AAAAAAGR.... Crushing. Feels like there's a giant spring in the headband or something...

 

[Deep Funk]

Try comparing it with the Pioneer if you can...

 

[svyr]

Try comparing it with the Pioneer if you can...

can't anymore. Monitor 10 was too beaten up to bother taking when I moved cities. Plus it also had excruciating grip and slimmer pads to top it off.

As far as I can recall, M10 didn't have a mids focus, had more bass and still nice treble.
DT48e seems to have a mids/treble focus, although the bass isn't bad overall compared to my old 1983 DT48.

 

[Antistase]

I have wasted many hours of sleep trying to damp the weird coloration of the DT480 padding with felt and blue tack the internal of the cups and the external baffle. I've also installed DT100 pads e changed the cable with the same Mogamy wire I use for my DT48S that I love to bits.
Despite this, fixing one defect always invariably introduced others and the DT480 always sounded like a cheap, sickly conceived can with any program I threw at it. Unmodded they are horrible but, even tuned to the best compromise, the mid range, for my standards, is nasal and the LF, even truly rolling off less than DT48S, out of focus and messed up. HFs is more extended than DT48S (but not that much with open DT48S' backs) but they lack DT48S' precision and definition.
Given the fact the drivers are very similar to DT48's ones, I tend to attribute 80% of their bad performances to the cups' design producing bad reverberations and vibrations. In this respect the DT480 depicted in Judy1992's pictures seems a substantial rebuild of the cups and I'm ready to bet this could result in a very interesting pair of cans.

 

[MDR30]

What about the transformer you mentioned in an earlier post, dalethorn?

 

[Navermyr]

 
Quote:

 DT48e will definitely be making close friends with a tissue box and maybe having the headband bent... It's AAAAAAGR.... Crushing. Feels like there's a giant spring in the headband or something...

 
The Beyer boys are probably laughing - "trying to bend the DT48 headband?!"
 
You'll learn...

 

[dalethorn]

What about the transformer you mentioned in an earlier post, dalethorn?

 

That transformer was just a passive little box that did an impedance stepup for the 8 ohm DT-48s. I don't remember any more what my experiments showed with and without the box, except that I did use it always when driving the 48s from preamps and the like, since that made for better results. I wasn't aware of headphone amps back then, and was on a restrictive budget in any case. I do remember connecting the 48s to a couple of sources that had more output than a Dynaco preamp, and the noise levels were much higher in those cases. I concluded that the 8 ohm 'phone was not the right choice for home use, but I made do OK with the transformer until I got a another DT-48, that time 200 ohms.

 

[svyr]

 
Quote:

 DT48e will definitely be making close friends with a tissue box and maybe having the headband bent... It's AAAAAAGR.... Crushing. Feels like there's a giant spring in the headband or something...

 
The Beyer boys are probably laughing - "trying to bend the DT48 headband?!"
 
You'll learn...

by the looks of it the only thing that can help it is driving a tank over it . I have a feeling they can chew up a tissue box as well.

heh, these (DT48e) are useless for most modern music I listen to (rock, metal) - the treble and upper mids literally burn, but absolutely astounding for classical (small scale orchestral and chamber piano and violin). That is until they make a skull sandwich out of your head.

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

 
Quote:

 
 
 
The Beyer boys are probably laughing - "trying to bend the DT48 headband?!"
 
You'll learn...

by the looks of it the only thing that can help it is driving a tank over it

. I have a feeling they can chew up a tissue box as well. heh, these (DT48e) are useless for most modern music I listen to (rock, metal) - the treble and upper mids literally burn, but absolutely astounding for classical (small scale orchestral and chamber piano and violin). That is until they make a skull sandwich out of your head.

What do you mean "the treble and upper mids burn"? Definitely a lot of impact there, but I don't get the 'burning' part. The sony v6 are a lot brighter in the upper mids. Mine sound great with classic rock and jazz. Comfort is not ideal for sure.

 

[Deep Funk]

Today I replaced the old ear pads for the DT48 which was easier than I thought it would be. The old ear pads however had slightly better isolation thus the lower notes were a bit more accessible. 
 
Am I one of the few people who think there is not enough clamping force with the DT48E? If so I have to bend the headband more inwards. Even my CD900 ST has a better grip on my head...
 
Update: isolation problem solved, it is all in how you exactly place the DT48E on your head around your ears. What was written earlier was true though, the newer ear pads do make a subtle difference on audible bass extension. The grip is still a gripe if you ask me...

 

[svyr]

Quote:

 
Quote:

 
 
 
The Beyer boys are probably laughing - "trying to bend the DT48 headband?!"
 
You'll learn...

by the looks of it the only thing that can help it is driving a tank over it

. I have a feeling they can chew up a tissue box as well. heh, these (DT48e) are useless for most modern music I listen to (rock, metal) - the treble and upper mids literally burn, but absolutely astounding for classical (small scale orchestral and chamber piano and violin). That is until they make a skull sandwich out of your head.

What do you mean "the treble and upper mids burn"? Definitely a lot of impact there, but I don't get the 'burning' part. The sony v6 are a lot brighter in the upper mids. Mine sound great with classic rock and jazz. Comfort is not ideal for sure.

a lot of metal recordings I have are mixed with bumped highs. Coupled with DT48e those sounds earsplitting.
I'd say it's the recordings' fault, but that doesn't really make mean DT48e is particularly suitable for bad recordings of that nature

 

[kesslerjesus]

I have a pair of Mono DT48s, but want to try having them re-cabled, maybe even try them with a stereo plug instead.
 
Are there any reputable dealers or users who have experience modding DT48s?

 

[lejaz]

Don't play a bright recording at high volume with the k702 or v6 either... if you value your hearing that is!
Quote:

 
Quote:

 



What do you mean "the treble and upper mids burn"? Definitely a lot of impact there, but I don't get the 'burning' part. The sony v6 are a lot brighter in the upper mids. Mine sound great with classic rock and jazz. Comfort is not ideal for sure.

a lot of metal recordings I have are mixed with bumped highs. Coupled with DT48e those sounds earsplitting. I'd say it's the recordings' fault, but that doesn't really make mean DT48e is particularly suitable for bad recordings of that nature

 

[lauri.hoefs]

Hi!
 
I believe using the NS-10M is partly tradition, because there are other cheaper and better options available, like Avantone Mixcubes or some Fostex models etc. The Yamaha NS-10M was quite common earlier, but they are slowly being phased out, as they are no longer in production and are becoming ridiculously expensive in the used market.
 
There is solid rationale in using them though. They are a great way to check how the mix will transform to a basic cheap home stereo. The reality is, that most people don't have high quality audio gear, so it makes a whole lot of sense to make a mix that sounds good on bad audio gear too.
 
 
edit: Have to add, if you ever run in to the term "reference monitor" being used in the context of really cheap and crappy little monitors, don't be surprised. It really means something completely different in monitors than in consumer audio gear...
 
 
 
-Lauri
 
 
Quote:

The engineers that I've chatted with on recording forums say you need at least a 6" woofer...preferably 8". to mix bass accurately. Though companies like Genelec are coming out with good(and very expensive) small sized speakers. I'm certain even the 4 and 5: ones have better low end than the dt48 though. Those 'horrible' NS10's appear to be some kind of a tradition, so many studios have a set of those as well. They are known for a steep bass roll off. Can't understand the rationale for using them.

 

[judy1992]

Funny.. Depending on how you feel about the DT48, that could be considered a compliment or a insult. It does seem odd. Even with today's advances Beyers doesn't change anything about the DT48 minus the cosmetics & maybe the minerals being used..
Quote:

 
I had two pairs of DT-480's I bought on a Stereophile recommendation. On a scale of 1 to 10 of what I'll call "conventionality", I'd rate the DT-480 at least a 6 or 7, most modern 'phones 9 or 10, and the DT-48 a 1 or 2.

There is nothing like a DT-48. The closest I can think of would be the proverbial string and can, but of course with the DT-48 that's a very refined string and can, suitable for music, and possessing a most interesting midrange.