[SHAMuuu]

 
Which dt880 you are mean?
 
dt880 250
dt880 pro 250
dt880 600
dt880 pro 600

Well in the review I think he said all of them are close in sound signature, but for the most part, if anything, and from everything i've read on these, it would probably be the 600ohm.
http://kenrockwell.com/audio/beyer/dt-880.htm
Its been a while since i read that. Maybe you can see
From what i gather the 880.600.p is very rare, though maybe thru manafaktur they can make it
The clamp being tighter and all vs loose i can't say, i only know of 250 ohm
Those statements were from review, and response to hifihedgehog
 
"
The Beyer DT 880 comes in at least three different versions with different impedances: 32Ω, 250Ω, and 600Ω.
The sound is identical among the different versions except for how loud they go. I've compared the 32Ω and 600Ω versions directly to each other on my Apogee Duet 2, iPod Touch and Benchmark DAC1 HDR. The only difference is sensitivity, and how much (inaudible) distortion I measure in the amplifier.
The important part is having enough sensitivity to play loud enough from portable devices (the 32 Ω version), and to a smaller extent, the potential for minimizing amplifier distortion if you have more than enough output from studio equipment (the 600 Ω version).
Don't sweat it: get the 32 Ω version for an iPod or iPad, the 600 Ω version for use at home or studio, or the usual 250 Ω version if you want it to do everything.
Personally, I bought the 600 Ω version and it works great even in my iPod, just not very loud, and of course is fantastic with my studio gear."
 
-Ken Rockwell

 

[Argyris]

I've occasionally tried to work out how many different versions of the DT880--or at least headphones designated as "DT880"--Beyer has released over the years, counting aesthetic revisions. I can currently come up with 12:
 
-Three versions of the original 1980s-era DT880 (apart from coming with either pleather or velour pads, nobody really knows what the differences are)
-One (250 ohm) 2003 DT880
-Three versions (32 ohm, 250 ohm, 600 ohm) of the 2005 DT880 Premium
-Three versions (same impedance options as above) of the DT880 Pro (though the 32 ohm and 600 ohm are apparently special order only)
-Two special color versions (black and chrome) of the 250 ohm DT880 Premium
 
I'm sure I've missed some in there. Compare that to, say, Sennheiser's own flagship-turned-midrange headphone over much of the same period:
 
-One HD 580 in around 1992
-One HD 580 Jubilee (essentially a carbon fiber HD 600) in 1996
-One HD 600 in 1997
-One HD 650 in 2003
 
Or AKG's K/Q7xx series:
 
-Two initial variants (K701 and K702) in the mid 2000s, differing in color and whether (K702) or not (K701) the cable is detachble
-One Q701 in three different colors (so essentially the same headphone each time)
-One K702 65th Anniversary Edition
-One K712 PRO
-One K7XX Massdrop special
 
Still in production by Sennheiser: Two of these (the HD 600 and HD 650)
Still in production by AKG: Four (?) of these (I'm a bit sketchy on this, but I think the current lineup consists of the K701/K702, the Q701, and the K712 PRO)
Still in production by Beyer: Eight (!) of these (lop off the 1980s DT880 variants and the 2003 DT880)

 

[Hifihedgehog]

@Hifihedgehog, what's the amp you're using with your DT880/600? You might have mentioned it in another post but I can't find it.

I have the DT880 Pro/250 and your comparison of the two has me intrigued and wondering if I should get a pair of the 600 Ohm.

The amp is "just" an Apogee Groove which is not a huge desktop setup. But it drives all the big league headphones as well as my old Objective2/ODAC with zero noise or distortion.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

  I've occasionally tried to work out how many different versions of the DT880--or at least headphones designated as "DT880"--Beyer has released over the years, counting aesthetic revisions. I can currently come up with 12:
 
-Three versions of the original 1980s-era DT880 (apart from coming with either pleather or velour pads, nobody really knows what the differences are)
-One (250 ohm) 2003 DT880
-Three versions (32 ohm, 250 ohm, 600 ohm) of the 2005 DT880 Premium
-Three versions (same impedance options as above) of the DT880 Pro (though the 32 ohm and 600 ohm are apparently special order only)
-Two special color versions (black and chrome) of the 250 ohm DT880 Premium
 
I'm sure I've missed some in there. Compare that to, say, Sennheiser's own flagship-turned-midrange headphone over much of the same period:
 
-One HD 580 in around 1992
-One HD 580 Jubilee (essentially a carbon fiber HD 600) in 1996
-One HD 600 in 1997
-One HD 650 in 2003
 
Or AKG's K/Q7xx series:
 
-Two initial variants (K701 and K702) in the mid 2000s, differing in color and whether (K702) or not (K701) the cable is detachble
-One Q701 in three different colors (so essentially the same headphone each time)
-One K702 65th Anniversary Edition
-One K712 PRO
-One K7XX Massdrop special
 
Still in production by Sennheiser: Two of these (the HD 600 and HD 650)
Still in production by AKG: Four (?) of these (I'm a bit sketchy on this, but I think the current lineup consists of the K701/K702, the Q701, and the K712 PRO)
Still in production by Beyer: Eight (!) of these (lop off the 1980s DT880 variants and the 2003 DT880)

Head-Fi'er @MrTechAgent is the only known owner of the DT 880 Pro 600 here in the forums. Like myself, he had nothing but glowing remarks to say about his 600-ohm version.
http://www.head-fi.org/products/beyerdynamic-dt-880-pro-600-ohms/reviews/11267
 
(As an aside, I woke up this morning and I am still finding my DT 880 Premium 600-ohm just as wonderful and pleasing as I left them. These are a very underrated pair of headphones that deserve far more spotlight and praise. I feel like I stole these for the price I paid for them since they sound so complete and satisfying.)

 

[xinghui0711]

  Head-Fi'er @MrTechAgent is the only known owner of the DT 880 Pro 600 here in the forums. Like myself, he had nothing but glowing remarks to say about his 600-ohm version.
http://www.head-fi.org/products/beyerdynamic-dt-880-pro-600-ohms/reviews/11267
 
(As an aside, I woke up this morning and I am still finding my DT 880 Premium 600-ohm just as wonderful and pleasing as I left them. These are a very underrated pair of headphones that deserve far more spotlight and praise. I feel like I stole these for the price I paid for them since they sound so complete and satisfying.)

 
DT880 is quite underrated which deserves to be on par with the famous HD650. I think what turns off people away from DT880s is the lean and bright sound signature. People that are treble sensitive obviously will prefer HD650's warm signature and rolled off treble instead.  

 

[RemoteBoris]

Hi all,
 
Sorry for jumping in, but reading back a bit, I'm wondering if the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms would be a good replacement for my much abused 2003 DT880's? I'm not an audiophile, but have enjoyed listening to and sometimes creating music with these headphones over the last dozen years. They now have a nasty buzz at certain frequencies probably being due to having been dropped many times. Would the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms be much the same (or maybe similar but better if that makes sense)?

 

[Hifihedgehog]

   
DT880 is quite underrated which deserves to be on par with the famous HD650. I think what turns off people away from DT880s is the lean and bright sound signature. People that are treble sensitive obviously will prefer HD650's warm signature and rolled off treble instead.  

Relative to reality, the DT 880-600 is quite neutral in its midrange which often comes as a shock to people who are unfamiliar with live music, particularly when it is miked close to the source of the sound. I am not giving a pass to the other 250-Pro units which historically I have found consistently to overshadow the midrange with an glaring brightness, the bass lacking depth, and a generally constrained sound. The old-school audiophiles like Tyll Hertsens at InnerFidelity seem to revel in their fondness of their stereotypical warm sound since it does not call attention to itself and thereby it allows you to analyze the music from a distance in a way.  That is why the HD 650 has been wildly popular while the HD 600 has dwindled in sales and lost the limelight to this more safe- and "fun"-sounding (I call this dull and restrained) younger sister model. The tonality on the DT 880-600 is what I would call neutral, with a Grado having a severely bright midrange and an AKG, a Sennheiser, and a Audeze having moderately bright, moderately warm, and severely dark ones. Compared to the HD 650 and less manner the HD 600, the DT 800-600 has a leaner, less romantic upper and mid-bass and has less deep bass roll off. To my ears, this leads to a faster, punchier, more dynamic, dare I say lifelike response in the bass region than either of these Sennheisers.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

 Hi all,
 
Sorry for jumping in, but reading back a bit, I'm wondering if the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms would be a good replacement for my much abused 2003 DT880's? I'm not an audiophile, but have enjoyed listening to and sometimes creating music with these headphones over the last dozen years. They now have a nasty buzz at certain frequencies probably being due to having been dropped many times. Would the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms be much the same (or maybe similar but better if that makes sense)?

I personally have not ever heard your older vintage model but veteran Head-Fi'ers @Skylab and @pataburd have. Both of them will give you alternate, vastly different opinions. Skylab really liked the newest DT 880. Pataburd believes the classic model is far superior. In my experience, most people seem to tend towards Skylab's opinion. Coupled with the fact that you already are comfortable with the Beyerdynamic house sound, I would say the DT 880-600 would be a safe choice. For me, if I had to choose knowing what I know now, I would immediately say the current generation DT 880-600 is the best headphone of what we audiophiles call the old-school trio or the teutonic triple (the Sennheiser HD 6x0, AKG K70x/Q701, Beyerdynamic DT 880). In order of sound quality, I would place the most popular options for audiophile headphones as the following:

• Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600: excellent resolution with a wickedly fast sound that brings out the smallest of details from a pitch black background; amazing extension on both extremes of the audible spectrum, where deep bass will just roar and cymbals tinkle seemingly out of nowhere; fantastic layering and separation of each and every part of the sound; the soundstage can be as enormously wide and deep as the track you are listening to
• Denon AH-D5000: deep bass down to the lowest of registers that makes the overall tone slightly warm; the upper midrange is very slightly lacking in energy; even so, the treble is in fact more resolving and coherent that the DT 990 Premium 600; lacks the mindblowing clarity and speed the DT 880 Premium 600 possesses
• Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium 600: the treble is a bit bright but in a very expertly contoured, non-peaky fashion; excellent detail; slightly strong midbass; very slightly less deep bass relative to the upper and mid-bass; the midrange is very slightly softer than the rest of the sound but is actually quite clear and tonally correct
• Denon AH-D2000: great extension on both ends of the spectrum; fast dynamics and great punch with a wonderful wow factor; the upper midrange, however, has a slight suppression that makes the tonality slightly off; a great introduction to Hi-Fi for friends and family who are partial to the Beats-style of sound and want to experience clarity without sacrificing bass response
• Shure SRH-940: the treble is very fast and detailed; the sound is a bit open for closed headphones, likely thanks to the velour pads, but it is nowhere close to the openness of the Denon AH-D2000 or AH-D5000; the bass, however, has a hole in the midbass, leading to a somewhat constrained sound; the midrange is decently natural but nothing extraordinary
• AKG K70x/Q701: the midrange has a slight hard, plasticky quality; the treble is detailed in the lower and middle treble, but the uppermost treble (>11 KHz) is abrupted severed and shelved; the bass seems a bit soft; the overall sound has a permanent artificial width to it as if the headphone is forcibly trying to widen the sound by applying a certain range of resonances to its internal structure
• Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro: the bass is okay, but the lower bass seems slightly quiet and lacks punch to make it exciting and fun; the midrange is okay but nothing spectacular and lacks some energy in the upper midrange; the lower and upper treble impart a glare that messes with the tonality of higher pitched sounds
• Sennheiser HD 600: the midrange, upon first listen, sounds neutral but, listening more closely, though it is the most prominent region, it is noticeably constrained; the bass is slightly too warm in the upper bass and is lackng quite a bit in the lower bass; the treble is dark and veiled in the mid-treble, with reasonable extension in the upper treble; the sound as a whole is very slightly more open than the Shure SRH-940 but not as open as the closed-back Denons; it reminds me of those 30-some year-old, standard-issue, wooden box-shaped floodstanding speakers, which are warm and never offensive but currently are occupying space at your local second-hand store because the owner and shoppers find them too boring to listen to
• Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro: the bass is very wooly and clouds the rest of the sound, especially the midrange; the midrange is very veiled and the upper mids are especially muted; the treble has a very narrow peak to give the illusion of clarity but it is not very detailed

 

[xinghui0711]

Hi all,

Sorry for jumping in, but reading back a bit, I'm wondering if the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms would be a good replacement for my much abused 2003 DT880's? I'm not an audiophile, but have enjoyed listening to and sometimes creating music with these headphones over the last dozen years. They now have a nasty buzz at certain frequencies probably being due to having been dropped many times. Would the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms be much the same (or maybe similar but better if that makes sense)?

Absolutely worth it. I bought a second pair of 880s and the money was well spent. It goes toe to toe against flagship headphones but with a much more affordable price.

 

[RemoteBoris]

Hifihedgehog, xinghui0711,
 
Thanks for your advice. It is reassuring to know that the DT880/600's will be as good not just for the great sound and comfort the 2003's have but the lack of colouration across the spectrum. It's the 'nakedness' that for me is the magic - hearing everything an album or track has to offer, be it good or bad. Also it would be quite an adjustment when working on a tune to have the headphones sound very much different to what I've been used to. I was quite worried that there might be a change for the worse, as sometimes happens with manufacturers over the years.
 
Cheers

 

[Skylab]

In fact, the "newer" DT-880 600 are the only home full-size headphones I still own

 

[FritzS]

In fact, the "newer" DT-880 600 are the only home full-size headphones I still own

Which RMS voltage need DT-880 600 to spend enough loudness?
Which peak voltage?

 

[Me x3]

 
Which RMS voltage need DT-880 600 to spend enough loudness?
Which peak voltage?

 
Based on Innerfidelity measurements, you need 0.5 Vrms for 90dB SPL so 2 Vrms would sufice for 102dB SPL
6 Vrms for 111dB SPL which is normally overkill if you value your hearing health
 
Peak to Peak Voltage = Vrms / 0.3535

 

[SHAMuuu]

 

  Hi all,
 
Sorry for jumping in, but reading back a bit, I'm wondering if the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms would be a good replacement for my much abused 2003 DT880's? I'm not an audiophile, but have enjoyed listening to and sometimes creating music with these headphones over the last dozen years. They now have a nasty buzz at certain frequencies probably being due to having been dropped many times. Would the DT880 Premium 600 Ohms be much the same (or maybe similar but better if that makes sense)?

I personally have not ever heard your older vintage model but veteran Head-Fi'ers @Skylab and @pataburd have. Both of them will give you alternate, vastly different opinions. Skylab really liked the newest DT 880. Pataburd believes the classic model is far superior. In my experience, most people seem to tend towards Skylab's opinion. Coupled with the fact that you already are comfortable with the Beyerdynamic house sound, I would say the DT 880-600 would be a safe choice. For me, if I had to choose knowing what I know now, I would immediately say the current generation DT 880-600 is the best headphone of what we audiophiles call the old-school trio or the teutonic triple (the Sennheiser HD 6x0, AKG K70x/Q701, Beyerdynamic DT 880). In order of sound quality, I would place the most popular options for audiophile headphones as the following:

• Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600: excellent resolution with a wickedly fast sound that brings out the smallest of details from a pitch black background; amazing extension on both extremes of the audible spectrum, where deep bass will just roar and cymbals tinkle seemingly out of nowhere; fantastic layering and separation of each and every part of the sound; the soundstage can be as enormously wide and deep as the track you are listening to
• Denon AH-D5000: deep bass down to the lowest of registers that makes the overall tone slightly warm; the upper midrange is very slightly lacking in energy; even so, the treble is in fact more resolving and coherent that the DT 990 Premium 600; lacks the mindblowing clarity and speed the DT 880 Premium 600 possesses
• Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium 600: the treble is a bit bright but in a very expertly contoured, non-peaky fashion; excellent detail; slightly strong midbass; very slightly less deep bass relative to the upper and mid-bass; the midrange is very slightly softer than the rest of the sound but is actually quite clear and tonally correct
• Denon AH-D2000: great extension on both ends of the spectrum; fast dynamics and great punch with a wonderful wow factor; the upper midrange, however, has a slight suppression that makes the tonality slightly off; a great introduction to Hi-Fi for friends and family who are partial to the Beats-style of sound and want to experience clarity without sacrificing bass response
• Shure SRH-940: the treble is very fast and detailed; the sound is a bit open for closed headphones, likely thanks to the velour pads, but it is nowhere close to the openness of the Denon AH-D2000 or AH-D5000; the bass, however, has a hole in the midbass, leading to a somewhat constrained sound; the midrange is decently natural but nothing extraordinary
• AKG K70x/Q701: the midrange has a slight hard, plasticky quality; the treble is detailed in the lower and middle treble, but the uppermost treble (>11 KHz) is abrupted severed and shelved; the bass seems a bit soft; the overall sound has a permanent artificial width to it as if the headphone is forcibly trying to widen the sound by applying a certain range of resonances to its internal structure
• Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro: the bass is okay, but the lower bass seems slightly quiet and lacks punch to make it exciting and fun; the midrange is okay but nothing spectacular and lacks some energy in the upper midrange; the lower and upper treble impart a glare that messes with the tonality of higher pitched sounds
• Sennheiser HD 600: the midrange, upon first listen, sounds neutral but, listening more closely, though it is the most prominent region, it is noticeably constrained; the bass is slightly too warm in the upper bass and is lackng quite a bit in the lower bass; the treble is dark and veiled in the mid-treble, with reasonable extension in the upper treble; the sound as a whole is very slightly more open than the Shure SRH-940 but not as open as the closed-back Denons; it reminds me of those 30-some year-old, standard-issue, wooden box-shaped floodstanding speakers, which are warm and never offensive but currently are occupying space at your local second-hand store because the owner and shoppers find them too boring to listen to
• Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro: the bass is very wooly and clouds the rest of the sound, especially the midrange; the midrange is very veiled and the upper mids are especially muted; the treble has a very narrow peak to give the illusion of clarity but it is not very detailed

The differences are so much that it allows some other cans to squeeze in?

 
This is from Beyer support
 
"

In which way do the different impedances of the DT 880 Edition and DT 990 Edition differ in terms of sound?

The sound differences between the various impedances are very slight and most people can only actually hear them when the sounds are compared directly. They are, in any case, smaller than the differences between any one of these variants and competitor products.
In general, it can be stated that the resolution and precision of the high mids and highs is slightly better at higher impedances. There are barely any differences worth mentioning apart from this.
The variants of DT 880 Edition and DT 990 Edition with higher impedances (250 ohm and 600 ohm) should only be used by people who

1. already own such a model and want to replace it,
2. insist on the (minimally) better mid- and high-frequency playback,
3. are sure that the headphones will at least not be used on mobile players,
4. can, particularly for operation of the 600 ohm version, provide sufficient output voltage on the device to which the headphones are connected.

To reiterate clearly:
The low-resistance, 32-ohm headphones are also an absolutely high-quality variant with excellent transmission characteristics that match the best competitors in the price class. If you want a flexible and sufficiently loud solution, you are better off using the 32 ohm version in most cases. All sound advantages of the 250 ohm and 600 ohm variants are ultimately of no benefit if the headphones on the player being used do not produce the required volume."

 
They do confirm it, in a way, while still saying 250 are "good"

 

[Me x3]

Tyll Hertsens' views on the matter:
A Comparison of Beyerdynamic DT 880 32 ohm, DT 880 250 ohm, and DT 880 600 ohm Headphones
 
Brooko's comments with regards to DT880 250 Ohm vs 600 Ohm: from here
 
Quote: Brooko

I've owned both and compared the two. IMO the 600 sounds virtually same as the 250. If anything, my Pros had slightly more bass (marginal) but I put that down to clamp and maybe pad differences. My 600 might also be very slightly smoother in the highs - but again it's not really noticeable unless you critically listen - and I'd be more inclined to put it down to fit and pads.

 
 
@SHAMuuu
DT880 has been made for many years, it's not strange to find different sounding pairs.
Unit to unit variation is as real as the headphone itself, and can be seen everywhere. It's not a DT880 thing.
Go into the HD600 thread and you'll find people talking about unit to unit variation, go into K702 thread or Tesla T1 thread and it's the same thing.
 
Head-fi is normally crowded with hyperbole type of comments, so take those with a grain of salt.