[Sonic Defender]

Just to chime in, I have just recently purchased a set of DT 880 600 ohm version and with the Valhalla the pairing can be sublime. I say can be depending on the sources i.e. cd player and music. I had been using the Valhalla with my HF2s, 32 ohm and was told the synergy wouldn't be as good. Have to say I love the combination, but as you would expect when using the DT 880s with the Valhalla to achieve the same volume level the gain has to be raised.
 
With the HF2s I rarely exceeded the 1:00 position, however with the Valhalla and older recordings I found the gain at 3:00 and even full with some 80s discs. I will say the most extreme gain needs came when I was listening through my brothers Harmon and Kardon CD player as opposed to my Rega Apollo which I think must have a stronger/cleaner output.
 
Anyway, I guess my point is that the Valhalla is a fabulous sonic match, but just a little underpowered for the 600 ohm with some material. When the source music is loud enough, while still having dynamics, the Valhalla/DT 880 combo is golden. I also really love the 880 through my Creek Evolution integrated which I assume has a good amount of voltage, I'll have to check on that.
 
I can't wait to get to know the DT 880s better, they seem so well balanced, perhaps mids a little bit back, but I have been on the Grado sound for years (which I very much like) so I guess it may just be that I am used to more forward mids? Cheers.

 

[chinesekiwi]

The Grados has more mid quantity (due to less bass quantity) and it's more forward than DT880.

 

[Darwin258]

Gentlemen:
 
I profusely apologize if I have missed the point I am interested in re Beyer 880/600 but  have the Beyer 880/32 because I was concerned with power/driving issues and so was too chicken to get the 600ohm.
 
What differences exist in sound between the 600 and 32 versions?
 
 
Regards, Thanks
 
(And thanks each and every one who have not written in Tweet text style. Makes old college prof so happy and gives hope American civilization will live on!)

 

[chinesekiwi]

Darwin:
 
Subjective differences: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/513393/guide-sonic-differences-between-dt770-dt990-models-more#post_6938759 
 
Objective differences: http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparison-beyerdynamic-dt-880-32-ohm-dt-880-250-ohm-and-dt-880-600-ohm-headphones (2 page report)
 
 

 

[Rawrbington]

ok i know im in the wrong thread, but i figured you guys would be the best to ask.  i have the 990 600 ohm and the 770 32 ohm.  Im thinking of getting the Schiit Valhalla.  I"ve heard it pairs nicely with the 880 600s so figured it would do well with the 990 as well.  Anyways, is it pretty clean?  How is it power wise?  could it possibly push a 32 ohm pair of beyers as well?
what other options in the price range works well with the 880/600?  Anything with enough juice on the low end would be a HUGE plus as i could use it with my 770s as well, and ditch my bulky ugly pioneer reciever alltogether
the real question i keep asking myself is why i decided to buy cans on such extreme ends of the impedance spectrum

 

[Graphicism]

Quote:

ok i know im in the wrong thread, but i figured you guys would be the best to ask.  i have the 990 600 ohm and the 770 32 ohm.  Im thinking of getting the Schiit Valhalla.  I"ve heard it pairs nicely with the 880 600s so figured it would do well with the 990 as well.  Anyways, is it pretty clean?  How is it power wise?  could it possibly push a 32 ohm pair of beyers as well?
what other options in the price range works well with the 880/600?  Anything with enough juice on the low end would be a HUGE plus as i could use it with my 770s as well, and ditch my bulky ugly pioneer reciever alltogether
the real question i keep asking myself is why i decided to buy cans on such extreme ends of the impedance spectrum

Of the amp's I've owned/auditioned I greatly prefer my Darkvoice 336i, so much so my 336i with DT880 bettered a significantly more expensive Beyerdynamic A1 with T1 combo. In addition I prefer it to a now previously owned Singlepower PPX3 SLAM and recently auditioned Crack, which I read here betters the Valhalla. Ultimately it comes down to headphone pairings with tubes, particular tube combinations which can only be had with specific amps and so on.

 

[Sonic Defender]

The Valhalla will drive a 32 ohm can very well. I really, really enjoy my HF2 with the Valhalla. However, I have no doubt that the bass is more controlled with my 600 ohm DT 880, which should come as no surprise. The HF2 is very engaging and more forward than the DT 880 with the Valhalla, but not so forward as to be detrimental. With some material this can be a benefit, with others perhaps not.
 
Listening to Tool, Jambi from 10 000 Days with the HF2 and Valhalla combo the extra midrange energy provided by a tube amp provides me mixed results. You certainly get more detail and energy, but with really driving guitar, I prefer the calmning effect the "slightly receesed mids with the 880. When I drive my HF2 with my solid state Creek I think the edge is given back to the HF2.
 
I just finished a short, but incredible listening session with the Valhalla and 880. Into the Fire by Sarah McLaughlin was just so rich and inviting that I wanted to play it again right after it ended. I did switch to a Steely Dan cut from Two Against Nature called West of Hollywood. Again, just a sublime experience. The HF2 presents these same songs differently than the 880, but I couldn't say one was a better presentation than the other. I'm just glad that I have both sounds to enjoy and also that I have a really nice solid state amp to use as well as the Valhalla.
 
 

 

[dlaloum]

Hi folks,
 
I have been using my Revox 3100 (beyer DT880/600 vintage 1985) for a long time, and most recently with my Matrix M-Stage.
 
Very happy with the sound...
 
lately I have been experimenting with my Turntable/Cartridge setup, and specifically with variable cartridge loading, which subtly (and sometimes coarsely!) alters the frequency response of MM / MI cartridges.
 
My issue is that I have been finding that through my main speakers these differences are audible albeit subtle - through the headphones there is no difference.
 
This appears to indicate that my HP ring is not sufficiently transparent to expose these differences.... and that therefore I can presumably get more from these headphones.... OR that I need to shop for something a notch further up.
 
I am looking for assistance as to what might either make my existing setup more transparent or alternatively what alternatives might provide the transparency/resolution I am seeking.
 
Please note this is NOT about warmth/coolness/neutrality or other aspects of frequency response "accents" that define the "character" of a setup, but its ability to resolve fine detail differences....
 
A couple of other things (before you ask!) - I run pure digital, that is to say TT goes to Phono stage goes to DAC, which feeds AVR, which in turn drives speakers. 
The AVR is not the constraint as through this chain the differences are audible,
When using the AVR as the HP amp, the differences are not audible (it has an internal 5532 with diamond buffer HP amp)
 
My Setup:
Turntable: JVC QL-Y5F (various cartridges)
Phono Stage : JLTI Phono (with custom loading via loading plugs)
ADC/DAC: Windows7 PC with eMu 1616m - connected to AVR via HDMI
Pre/Amp/AVR: Onkyo TX-SR876
Speakers : Gallo Ref 3.1
HP Amp : Matrix M-Stage (opamps 49860 with class A mod)
HP's: Revox 3100 (DT880/600-1985), Koss Pro4x, Sennheiser PCX450, Audio Technica ATH-AD700
 
Most HP listening is done via the M-Stage connected to the DAC out of the 1616m
Listening via the Onkyo TX-SR876 uses the Onkyo's DAC and amplifiers (either speaker or HP) - but speaker based showed up the differences, where HP based did not.
 
Any input gratefully accepted
 
thanks

David

 

[Syan25]

It is possible the amp needs more voltage swing to run the headphones with more assurance. I'm having a weak response the running these phones once the music is for large groups of instruments like orchestral music...

 

[dlaloum]

I believe it puts out about 200mW into 300Ohm - these being the specs for the Lehmann Black Cube Linear of which the Matrix M-Stage is a close relative (almost but not quite a clone)
 
That would be around 100mW into 600ohm - no idea whether it has sufficient voltage to drive the HP's properly.... is that enough? (internal power supply is +/-15V... I would have thought it would have more than ample voltage?)

 

[cptindustry]

Hey guys, I just purchased a pair of used dt 880s 600ohms used on e-bay. However, the box only indicates the headphones are 250 ohms. Is there another way to tell if I've been cheated? thanks

 

[Impulsive]

600 Ohm version has 600 Ohm engraved on headphone jack termination

 

[cptindustry]

Quote:

600 Ohm version has 600 Ohm engraved on headphone jack termination

hmm, mine doesn't have it

 

[captouch]

Quote:

Hey guys, I just purchased a pair of used dt 880s 600ohms used on e-bay. However, the box only indicates the headphones are 250 ohms. Is there another way to tell if I've been cheated? thanks

The best way to be sure is taking a DMM (digital multi-meter or analog multi-meter for that fact) and measure the resistance on the headphone jack.  I wasn't sure if mine were really 600ohm (bought mine through warehouse deals/amazon, used) even though the box said 600ohms, so I confirmed by measuring.  Place black lead on shaft and red lead on each narrow band on the upper portion of the plug (closer to the tip, one band is L, the other R).  I was 623/623, which removed any doubt that I was sent the right thing.

 

[Rawrbington]

Quote:

Hey guys, I just purchased a pair of used dt 880s 600ohms used on e-bay. However, the box only indicates the headphones are 250 ohms. Is there another way to tell if I've been cheated? thanks

pics?
all of my beyer boxes say 250 ohm also, but then there is a sticker that stats the actual impedance of the can and then its stamped down by the plug.  im wondering if you have the 880 pro because theres nothing on the plug