The Beyerdynamic DT880 Discussion thread

[xkonfuzed]

I thought the treble spike on the DT880's was around 10k, isn't it? 

 

[Argyris]

The most offensive peak is actually the one between 5-6kHz. After that it's mostly smaller peaks and generally elevated response. The 5-6kHz peak is responsible for a bit of glare and adds some crack to snare drums, as well as catching the lower end of sibilance and cymbals. You need to look at the raw data to see it, since the smoothing algorithm and HRTF correction in the compensated results make it difficult to pick out.
 
I know everybody hates graphs, but this one is pretty spot on when it comes to the DT880:
 

 
The HD650, which it competed against back in the day, lacks any sort of peak in this region and has generally lower treble response, which has been borne out in many, many impressions.

 

[MrEleventy]

Wondering if i could get some advice here..

I currently have a heavily modded pair of D2000's (balanced, MarkL Modded, J$ Pads, Wood cups, balanced) and the LCD2 (balanced).
I can get a pair of mint DT880 600ohm right now for $200.
Do you guys think that it will complement my existing headphones well? or is there no point of owning the DT880 when i have LCD2's?

I think they're different enough that it might be complimentary. At least with the D2K & DT880. Some of the reviews that I've read on the LCD2s is that they're slightly dark and not too bright in the top end and if that's the case, it might be a breathe of fresh air from time to time. $200 is a good price for a pair and if you don't like it, should be pretty easy to resell them again with minimal loss.

 

[xkonfuzed]

Just finished writing up the MA900's review, I'll finish writing the comparison with the DT880's tomorrow as im pretty tired right now. 
Here's a link if anyone's interested: http://www.head-fi.org/t/686083/sony-mdr-ma900-full-review-comparison-with-dt880

 

[Makiah S]

Have you ever tried DT880s with a Valhalla?

 
Pff NOPE, Not interested in Single End amps any more [outside the vali which won't work with my w1000x] Sadly both of my open cans are fully balanced, as in my Amp and Dac. I feel 100% that prio to going balanced the the dt 880... the bass was sub par... but after balancing them the bass in particular along with the low mids REALLY open up, or rather tightened up! I got a more... tactile darker sound to the bass and low mids! And mind you my NFB ES2 is a bright Dac/Amp! Yea they treble is still "bright" but I like bright cans, and I also like the extra low end that going balanced has brought. Comapring SE to Balanced on the NFB10ES2, the SE is warmer but kind of veiled... the bass and low mids are some what diffused, where as with Balanced out everything is more focused and clear'r. So I'd like to hear the Valhalla with w1000x [MAYBE] but the Valhalla has a high output imdepedance so that won't work meaning
 
my next tube is going to be a LD MK IV+, dual mono fully balanced design <3 that I plan to MAYBE get in the Spring... not sure though, as my w1000x is what really needs the tube for some at home listening... so I might play around with some SE tubes first honestly... as I really don't want to ship it out and balance it [going a month without it would stink] 

  Wondering if i could get some advice here..
 
I currently have a heavily modded pair of D2000's (balanced, MarkL Modded, J$ Pads, Wood cups, balanced) and the LCD2 (balanced).
I can get a pair of mint DT880 600ohm right now for $200.
Do you guys think that it will complement my existing headphones well? or is there no point of owning the DT880 when i have LCD2's?

Go for it :3
 

I think they're different enough that it might be complimentary. At least with the D2K & DT880. Some of the reviews that I've read on the LCD2s is that they're slightly dark and not too bright in the top end and if that's the case, it might be a breathe of fresh air from time to time. $200 is a good price for a pair and if you don't like it, should be pretty easy to resell them again with minimal loss.

 
Agree'd 100% the three cans I own atm are a Dt 880 an HE 400 [A Cheap LCD 2] and a Modded w1000x so lol as one guy who owns an wooden closed back with some BASS and a dark Ortho with some BASS, take it from me the Dt 880 pairs really nice with dark bassy cans. I do find it to be refreshing [although I got my dt 880 first then my w1000x and HE 400 respectivly]

 

[caracara08]

I would say that I have the HD650 on 95% of the time for music.  Something in the treble made the DT880/600 fatiguing for me but yesterday I used it to play some FFXIV and was wowed.  That treble that made music a little harsh, made the game sounds/ambient music sound amazing.  It also seemed like the positional cues were better than with the HD650. 
 
Just my random thought of the day.  Thank you.

 

[Makiah S]

  I would say that I have the HD650 on 95% of the time for music.  Something in the treble made the DT880/600 fatiguing for me but yesterday I used it to play some FFXIV and was wowed.  That treble that made music a little harsh, made the game sounds/ambient music sound amazing.  It also seemed like the positional cues were better than with the HD650. 
 
Just my random thought of the day.  Thank you.

I like bright cans, so I don't mind the treble
 
and if you think the positonals are good with a Single End verision... BALANCE IT and just... melt! 
 
Speaking of melting, I was never a big fan of listening to my dt 880 with vocals... the mids always lacked... a sense of delicate tatcility... a dark sense of visceralness... my w1000x has always had nice mids... intimate mids that gently tickled your ears 
 
How ever, when I balanced my dt 880 and drove, or rather listening to my Balanced Dt 880 out of the AGD NFB 10ES2... I have to say it sounds great with vocals! The whole bottom end really opened up! You know that Freq Graph that shows the 600 ohm being a little... warmer than the 250... this one 
 

Well a balanced dt 880 really is that much warmer. I drove my 250 ohm out of some very beefy hybrid tubes... and yet the 600 ohm balanced out of the NFB 10ES2 matches that graph imo, even balanced vs se on the AUdio gd, I can tell there's not as much visceral bass and warmth on the SE out... the bass and low mids are alittle more difused 
 
Either way my point is, I feel SE vs SE the 250 and 600 ohm versions sound very much the same, but when you Balance or pair the 600 ohm with a VERY powerful Amp... you get the extra warmth you see in that graph :3
 
My point... I do like them balanced! Yea it's not a GIANT increase in bass, but to my ears, the extra bass and low mid preseance is not only slighty more forward, but it's tighter... more visceral with a little less decay over the SE
 
and these combination of very small improvements, make them imo very nice with vocals! [where as before even with my warm Matrix M Stage, the 880 wasn't very pleasing with vocals] 

 

[Lumos]

  The most offensive peak is actually the one between 5-6kHz. After that it's mostly smaller peaks and generally elevated response. The 5-6kHz peak is responsible for a bit of glare and adds some crack to snare drums, as well as catching the lower end of sibilance and cymbals. You need to look at the raw data to see it, since the smoothing algorithm and HRTF correction in the compensated results make it difficult to pick out.
 
I know everybody hates graphs, but this one is pretty spot on when it comes to the DT880:
 

 
The HD650, which it competed against back in the day, lacks any sort of peak in this region and has generally lower treble response, which has been borne out in many, many impressions.

 
I will greatly appreciate if you can post HD600, HD650 and DT880 raw data comparison please, I can not find them on their web. Thank you so much
 

 

[MrEleventy]

I will greatly appreciate if you can post HD600, HD650 and DT880 raw data comparison please, I can not find them on their web. Thank you so much

 

Make your own graphs. Linky

 

[Lumos]

Make your own graphs. Linky

I am aware of this but it only shows compensated graphs, I need raw data, which I am unlucky to find

 

[pookeyhead]

Well..  they arrived today!
 

 
 
Loving them so far. So airy and detailed!   If I'm being really picky I;d say slightly sibilant at the top...  a bit glassy...  but nothing critical.  I love the way the bass can rumble away with really deep sub, but stay subtle, and doesn't interfere with the mid at all. 
 
I could wear them all day.  Had them on for 5 hours straight now...  beautifully comfortable.

 

 

[Argyris]

   
I will greatly appreciate if you can post HD600, HD650 and DT880 raw data comparison please, I can not find them on their web. Thank you so much
 

 
Here you go:
 

 

 
I am aware of this but it only shows compensated graphs, I need raw data, which I am unlucky to find

 
For future reference, you can get the uncompensated chart for any of the HeadRoom graphs by "hacking" the URL at the bottom of the measurement overlay. If you subtract two from the number (e.g. &graphID[]=963 becomes &graphID[]=961) you'll get the uncompensated trace. IIRC, subtracting one gives you compensated but unsmoothed trace. You then copy the modified URL and open it in a new tab/window. For instance, the URL for the chart above is:
 
=961&graphID[]=571&graphID[]=851&scale=30]http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=961&graphID[]=571&graphID[]=851&scale=30
 
For some reason they don't tell you this anywhere on the site, and I only found out from somebody else here on Head-Fi. I suppose this is because, to the untrained eye, uncompensated and unsmoothed results look horrible. 

 

 

[Argyris]

  Well..  they arrived today!
 

 
 
Loving them so far. So airy and detailed!   If I'm being really picky I;d say slightly sibilant at the top...  a bit glassy...  but nothing critical.  I love the way the bass can rumble away with really deep sub, but stay subtle, and doesn't interfere with the mid at all. 
 
I could wear them all day.  Had them on for 5 hours straight now...  beautifully comfortable.

 

 
That's an excellent photo. 

 
Your impressions pretty much match mine and those of many people here. The way the DT880 renders bass is one of the truly special things about it--extension without bloom or emphasis. If I had to be picky, I'd say the very bottom is a little rolled off, but only slightly, and for an open headphone of early-2000s vintage this should be considered very good performance.
 
And the comfort is amazing. Despite their size and weight, they distribute pressure evenly. Everyone I've ever had try them on has commented on how comfortable they are.

 

[dyang]

  Well..  they arrived today!
 

 
 
Loving them so far. So airy and detailed!   If I'm being really picky I;d say slightly sibilant at the top...  a bit glassy...  but nothing critical.  I love the way the bass can rumble away with really deep sub, but stay subtle, and doesn't interfere with the mid at all. 
 
I could wear them all day.  Had them on for 5 hours straight now...  beautifully comfortable.

 

Congrats!!!  They will grow on you more and more each time you listen to 'em.  

 

[wahsmoh]

   
That's an excellent photo. 

 
Your impressions pretty much match mine and those of many people here. The way the DT880 renders bass is one of the truly special things about it--extension without bloom or emphasis. If I had to be picky, I'd say the very bottom is a little rolled off, but only slightly, and for an open headphone of early-2000s vintage this should be considered very good performance.
 
And the comfort is amazing. Despite their size and weight, they distribute pressure evenly. Everyone I've ever had try them on has commented on how comfortable they are.

Comfort and an unnoticeable clamp are what makes these headphones so great for kicking back and getting lost in another world. It's one of the reasons I'm still questioning a future purchase of the HE-500s due to their weight and pathetic looking headband.