[Binge]

  ...a much better value than the HD650...

 
ftfy

 

[pp312]

   I have been incredibly happy with them : ] a much better value than the HD650 IMO for mid-fi

 

 
 
To a large extent mid-fi is a state of mind. I think we should have three-quarter-fi, as mid-fi suggests a 50% gap to "summit-fi" that simply doesn't exist. The DT880 paired with the right equipment is capable, with certain genres like classical, of a performance as good as  anything up to $1500, maybe higher.

 

[r010159]

[deleted post]

 

[pp312]

We'll be forever wondering. 

 

[Bill-P]

  To a large extent mid-fi is a state of mind. I think we should have three-quarter-fi, as mid-fi suggests a 50% gap to "summit-fi" that simply doesn't exist. The DT880 paired with the right equipment is capable, with certain genres like classical, of a performance as good as  anything up to $1500, maybe higher.

 
Except for Stax and... well, a lot of Orthodynamic headphones, and the HD800... 

 
Don't get me wrong, the DT880 is a very good headphone as it is, and also at the respective price range.
 
But I respectfully disagree that the stock DT880 can compete with anything above the $1500 price range. We now have a wider selection of very good headphones at that price range and even below.
 
I think the DT880 would be good up to about $500... but beyond that, it faces stiff competition from a lot of headphones... and also considering Beyer's new Tesla lineup.
 
Also to say, I don't think the DT880 is a better value than the HD650.
 
Even considering I like the DT880 more because of its more dynamic presentation than the HD650's laid-back attitude and the infamous Sennheiser's "veil" (it's just an "over-smoothing" effect), the HD650 still does a few things better.
 
For instance, if you listen to any music with vocals, the HD650 does a far better job at that than the DT880. DT880 is too sibilant to my ears for certain tracks... whereas HD650 would sound good even with modern pop music.
 
And neither headphone can quite hold their own against Audio Technica's infamous full-size headphones at around the $500 mark IMO, but that's a story for another time.

 

[pp312]

I think you may have missed this qualifier: "...with certain genres like classical".

 

[VALIENTE]

Grado SR60 will be more warm and involving than Beyer DT880, right? Which is brighter, SR60 or DT880?

 

[NotaLefty]

  Grado SR60 will be more warm and involving than Beyer DT880, right? Which is brighter, SR60 or DT880?

SR60

 

[Bill-P]

  I think you may have missed this qualifier: "...with certain genres like classical".

 
Well, I mentioned the HD800... 

 
And another headphone to watch out for classical is the Audio Technica ATH-AD2000X.
 
It's too bad that the DT880 was made to maximize profits, and Beyer pretty much abandoned their old drivers when they moved to the Tesla range. I have heard the potential of the old dynamic drivers, and I know it has the spunk to do what you are claiming it can... provided it was dampened properly.

 

[Spiral Out]

  Grado SR60 will be more warm and involving than Beyer DT880, right? Which is brighter, SR60 or DT880?

I have the SR225 which is warmer than the SR60 and find the DT880 to be far less bright than the SR225, it's no contest.

 

[r010159]

  [deleted post]

 
LOL
 
It was a post about the technical aspects of integer mode on audio player software. I moved it to a thread for the O2/ODAC. Call it a moderate level brain fart.

 

[pp312]

 

  [deleted post]

 
LOL
 
It was a post about the technical aspects of integer mode on audio player software.

 
 
 
In that  case I'm no longer missing it. 

 
 
 
Quote:

 

  I think you may have missed this qualifier: "...with certain genres like classical".

 
 
It's too bad that the DT880 was made to maximize profits, and Beyer pretty much abandoned their old drivers when they moved to the Tesla range. I have heard the potential of the old dynamic drivers, and I know it has the spunk to do what you are claiming it can... provided it was dampened properly.

 
 
More info please. You can't just leave it at that. Maximize profits? Properly dampened? You tease, you.

 

[Bill-P]

Well, I have a pair of DT770 32 Ohm that I opened up and attempted to dampen to death and back.
 
Pretty much just the same drivers as the DT880, I guess, so the dampening principles should apply the same way.
 
I have a meet with some Head-Fi'ers this weekend. If they confirm the sound of the DT770 to be what I think it is, then I'll release instructions on how to reproduce the same modifications.

 

[wahsmoh]

   
 
To a large extent mid-fi is a state of mind. I think we should have three-quarter-fi, as mid-fi suggests a 50% gap to "summit-fi" that simply doesn't exist. The DT880 paired with the right equipment is capable, with certain genres like classical, of a performance as good as  anything up to $1500, maybe higher.

 
I agree with you about the mid-fi state of mind. Some people think spending over $1000 is going to give them over 100% performance gain over other headphones. The first time I ever heard the HD800 in a way that I could appreciate it was with the "Anaxilus" Mod and a tube amplifier that costs more than my car. Otherwise I find the HD800 to have the greatest soundstage of all headphones(the way it sits on your head and the depth of the earcups)  but other than that they are way too finicky about amplifiers that they will sound too bright and unforgiving on a lot of material. The DT880 beats the HD800 in bass quantity too 

   
Except for Stax and... well, a lot of Orthodynamic headphones, and the HD800... 

 
Don't get me wrong, the DT880 is a very good headphone as it is, and also at the respective price range.
 
But I respectfully disagree that the stock DT880 can compete with anything above the $1500 price range. We now have a wider selection of very good headphones at that price range and even below.
 
I think the DT880 would be good up to about $500... but beyond that, it faces stiff competition from a lot of headphones... and also considering Beyer's new Tesla lineup.
 
Also to say, I don't think the DT880 is a better value than the HD650.
 
Even considering I like the DT880 more because of its more dynamic presentation than the HD650's laid-back attitude and the infamous Sennheiser's "veil" (it's just an "over-smoothing" effect), the HD650 still does a few things better.
 
For instance, if you listen to any music with vocals, the HD650 does a far better job at that than the DT880. DT880 is too sibilant to my ears for certain tracks... whereas HD650 would sound good even with modern pop music.
 
And neither headphone can quite hold their own against Audio Technica's infamous full-size headphones at around the $500 mark IMO, but that's a story for another time.

I would say the DT880 is still a better value than the HD650 because: 
1. DT880 brand new is usually from $240-350 versus $400-500 new for the HD650
2. HD650 is "veiled" and lacks some of the high frequency microdetails that the DT880 spits right at you *** I have heard the HD650 with pure silver cables and this is my review of the "stock" HD650(pure silver HD650 sounds more like a DT880)
3. Midrange on the DT880 measures almost completely flat with the upper midrange scooped out a little. The HD650 has a slight peak in the lower mids and a flatter upper midrange than the DT880 which makes it more suitable to most vocals.
4. For $500 headphone you would expect more metal but the whole headphones almost completely made of plastic versus the DT880s aluminum
 
I also feel that the DT880 is so analytical that it will shred your source material to pieces if its mastered poorly. I can go back and forth between tracks that are poorly mastered and mastered well and the bad tracks I have to turn down the volume where the good tracks I can crank it up higher without sibilance.
 
I have little experience with Audio Technica headphones but I enjoy their classic look.
 
 

  I think you may have missed this qualifier: "...with certain genres like classical".

 
DT880 performs better than the HD650 at lower volumes : ]

 

[pp312]

I owned the 650 for 3 years before switching to the 880, never listen to anything but classical/orchestral, and have no doubt whatsoever as to which gives me the most convincing concert hall experience--at any level. I never had that sense of real instruments playing in a real acoustic environment with the 650 that I get with the 880.