[Me x3]

 
Would you please share your thoughts on the 990s and the differences between it and the 880?

DT990:
 
1- Significanty brighter
2- Definitely bassy next to DT880 (mid-bass and lowest mids boost)
3- More recessed and lusher midrange
4- More vibrant
5- More expansive/open soundstage
6- Really picky with recordings
 
DT880:
 
1- More neutrality allows you to hear more macro-details
2- Tighter, more precise (less bloom)
3- Smaller (roomy) but often more cohesive soundstage where depth can be easier to interpret
4- Still picky with recordings, but not that much (better all rounder)

 

[Makiah S]

   
Yes, and usually with regard to treble. Mind you, I've also seen positive reviews, but they weren't as unanimously positive as the reviews for the 770 and 880.
 
Frankly, I can't believe Beyerdynamic makes a BAD headphone, and most of us would be pretty happy with most of what they offer. So the reviews represent subjective responses to very slight variations. I ended up buying the 770s because I went to a Guitar Center hoping to try a bunch of headphones from several makers. They had none of what I wanted to try, but they had the 770s. So I gave that a try, thought it was fantastic, and decided I was done reading reviews that seemed to struggle to communicate in written language narrow shades of sound. These were good enough for me to declare the search over.  I ended up buying the 880s later simply because I also wanted an open pair for home use (the 770s sit on my desk at work).
 
I find, by the way, that my 880s are clearly better than my 770s, but some of that difference might have to do with the fact that I'm amping the 880s but use my 770s straight out of my MacBook.
 
Would you please share your thoughts on the 990s and the differences between it and the 880?

 
 

  DT990:
 
1- Significanty brighter
2- Definitely bassy next to DT880 (mid-bass and lowest mids boost)
3- More recessed and lusher midrange
4- More vibrant
5- More expansive/open soundstage
6- Really picky with recordings
 
DT880:
 
1- More neutrality allows you to hear more macro-details
2- Tighter, more precise (less bloom)
3- Smaller (roomy) but often more cohesive soundstage where depth can be easier to interpret
4- Still picky with recordings, but not that much (better all rounder)

wow nicely done
 
yea that pretty much sums it up

 

[DangerClose]

I was swapping between the two yesterday on short sections of songs and movies.  My opinion is similar to what's already been written about them.  Some main things are, DT990 has a noticeably (though not hugely) airier and bigger soundstage.  Obviously more bass.  Not necessarily more amount of highs, but they peak higher and sharper.  
 
The most interesting one to me from the list in the previous post is "Tighter, more precise (less bloom)."  I was eq'ing the bass down on the DT990 and adding dampening, trying to emulate the DT880, but the DT880 still sounded a little tighter.  My DT990 is a 250, the DT880 is a 600.  The DT990 has more worn down, squished pads, the DT880 has new ones.  I don't know how much effect those factors might have.  
 
DT880 is like every aspect is in proper correctness and amount with everything else compared to the DT990 being more fun and exciting.  Epic action scenes in movies with trumpets blaring sound peakier, but more epic and grand.  
 
These things are noticeable and obvious when A-B'ing them, particularly the bass, but it's easy to tell both headphones are from the same family.  People can prefer one over the other, but it surprises me if someone outright hates one but loves the other.  

 

[Me x3]

  https://youtu.be/okWr-tzwOEg?t=4m
 
Probably one of the worst, checking all the boxes:
 
1. Classical, so high dynamic range and low overall volume 
 
2. Close recording (can hear the soloist breathing many many times)
 
3. High frequency harmonics from the strings (exacerbated by close mic = no high freq attenuation from distance)
 
I don't listen to classical THAT much, but these passages make me stick with the K712 when I do, since the DT880 (with the Fiio, at least) makes it just slightly uncomfortable to listen.
 
Any genre that the DT880 does particularly well? I haven't had them long enough to find a genre that makes these shine, at least not in the way the K712 takes any kind of acoustic to a whole new level

The violin is just a tad louder (more forward) through the Sennheiser HD800.
Beyerdynamic DT880 is close behind, but it's a bit sharper.
That recording is bright even through my Sennheiser HD650.
 
Plenty of albums sound great through Beyerdynamic DT880.
 
If you prefer warm/laid back recordings you can try:
Alexis Cole - A Kiss In the Dark (2014) (Binaural - Chesky)
Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra Wilson - Rendezvous (1998)
Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly (1973)
 
But really there's plenty of nice albums that make DT880s shine:
Loreena McKennitt - Live in Paris and Toronto (1999)
Amber Rubarth - Sessions From The 17th Ward (2012) (Binaural - Chesky)
Gary Karr - Super Double Bass
Eleni Karaindrou - Concert in Athens (2013)
Mstislav Rostropovich - Bach - Cello Suites
Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Out of Season
Allan Taylor's albums (Stockfisch Records)
Halie Loren - They Oughta Write a Song (2009)
Some of Sophie Zelmani's albums (The Ocean and Me, Time to Kill, etc...)
Acoustic Alchemy - Against The Grain
Omara Portuondo - Omara Portuondo (2000)
Jacintha - Lush Life
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Autumn In Seattle
Puss in Boots Soundtrack (Henry Jackman) sounds very well through DT880s
I can write a hundred albums, even from 'less audiophile' genres
Virgin Black - Elegant...And Dying (2003) is interesting
 
A Fiio E10/E10K drives DT880 just fine, but you need something better to push up their performance, especially in the treble region. Even a 99 dollar Magni 2 fed by E10K DAC (Line Out) gives a more refined treble.
Asgard 2, Matrix HPA 2, most Violectric and Burson amplifiers work great but are typically more expensive.

 

[DCofficehack]

   
 
wow nicely done
 
yea that pretty much sums it up

I agree. Thanks, Me X3.

 

[BlueBits]

  I agree. Thanks, Me X3.

Another little tidbit is I find 880s far superior to critical listening. 990s are more fun and after having had 880s for a few weeks I prefer 990s only for freestyle/dance/club and even so because it seems to go along with the pace. 880s hold on their own but I reserve them to appreciate the midrange that is not only more forward but also seems less muddled than 990s.
 
Comparing both 600Ohm versions. Also with more hours of burn in I am anticipating the 880s to get tighter in the low range. Will wait and see. But overall very happy to own both. They are not as similar as some people may have you believe. As long as the listener is VERY familiar with one set of cans, its easy to set the other apart. Opinions on those differences differ, as always. lol.

 

[pp312]

 

[Makiah S]

 

The good news is, if you've heard the only ONE of the DT open backs, the graph does a nice job of telling you how the other sounds 

 

[Mr Rick]

This is one of my favorite comparisons.
 
 

 

[Makiah S]

  This is one of my favorite comparisons.
 
 

right hhh, you think the DT 880 is good just go listen to an HE 4, trust me the HE 4 is a DIRECT upgrade to the DT 880 it's literally a solid step forward 

 

[funkisound]

Still waiting for my new 880, probably getting it Tuesday. Will be my first open Beyer, I've owned some of their closed ones, which were all good, so I hope this one will be just as clean and tight sounding but in a more fun way with the more open and clear sound.
 
Still not sure if my choice for the 250ohm was the good one, of maybe the 600 ohm would've been a little better (my Essence STU should probably be able to drive the 600 ohm too I tihnk.. although not sure). But I guess the difference is minimal as I saw most of you say.

 

[Makiah S]

  Still waiting for my new 880, probably getting it Tuesday. Will be my first open Beyer, I've owned some of their closed ones, which were all good, so I hope this one will be just as clean and tight sounding but in a more fun way with the more open and clear sound.
 
Still not sure if my choice for the 250ohm was the good one, of maybe the 600 ohm would've been a little better (my Essence STU should probably be able to drive the 600 ohm too I tihnk.. although not sure). But I guess the difference is minimal as I saw most of you say.

Personally, I like the Pro Model better, the Head Band construction is really firm! The Premium 600 ohm build is different I'm not a fan of it, it feels flimsy 

 

[RERO]

  Personally, I like the Pro Model better, the Head Band construction is really firm! The Premium 600 ohm build is different I'm not a fan of it, it feels flimsy 

 
Yup, my Premium came with the left headband slider loose out of the box. Really hurts my OCD.

 

[obgym]

 
I think it does all things well. I mostly listen to classical and enjoy it very much. Now, that violin thing you linked to was painful, admittedly, but not the stuff I listen to.
 
Janos Starker playing Bach cello...that's good. Or well regarded Beethoven symphonies...fabulous.

Well...I WAS trying to make a point about the worst case scenario
 
Thanks for the recommendations!
 

  The violin is just a tad louder (more forward) through the Sennheiser HD800.
Beyerdynamic DT880 is close behind, but it's a bit sharper.
That recording is bright even through my Sennheiser HD650.
 
Plenty of albums sound great through Beyerdynamic DT880.
 
If you prefer warm/laid back recordings you can try:
Alexis Cole - A Kiss In the Dark (2014) (Binaural - Chesky)
Jacky Terrasson & Cassandra Wilson - Rendezvous (1998)
Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly (1973)
 
But really there's plenty of nice albums that make DT880s shine:
Loreena McKennitt - Live in Paris and Toronto (1999)
Amber Rubarth - Sessions From The 17th Ward (2012) (Binaural - Chesky)
Gary Karr - Super Double Bass
Eleni Karaindrou - Concert in Athens (2013)
Mstislav Rostropovich - Bach - Cello Suites
Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Out of Season
Allan Taylor's albums (Stockfisch Records)
Halie Loren - They Oughta Write a Song (2009)
Some of Sophie Zelmani's albums (The Ocean and Me, Time to Kill, etc...)
Acoustic Alchemy - Against The Grain
Omara Portuondo - Omara Portuondo (2000)
Jacintha - Lush Life
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Autumn In Seattle
Puss in Boots Soundtrack (Henry Jackman) sounds very well through DT880s
I can write a hundred albums, even from 'less audiophile' genres
Virgin Black - Elegant...And Dying (2003) is interesting
 
A Fiio E10/E10K drives DT880 just fine, but you need something better to push up their performance, especially in the treble region. Even a 99 dollar Magni 2 fed by E10K DAC (Line Out) gives a more refined treble.
Asgard 2, Matrix HPA 2, most Violectric and Burson amplifiers work great but are typically more expensive.

Thanks for the point of reference, I think I'll hold off on the HD800 for now. Especially after jumping on the $299 HE400i a couple days ago, planars might be a whoooole new can of worms. Also a good match with the Asgard 2 I hear  That's probably the amp I'll end up going with, if it can be compared to any burson and vioelectric...that's just tremendous value considering it can be easily had for under $200 used. 
 
Looks like I'll be having a very musical Christmas with so many new albums to sample, thanks again Me x3!

 

[Makiah S]

   
Yup, my Premium came with the left headband slider loose out of the box. Really hurts my OCD.

Like wise it wasn't just the left it was both... an it bugged me
 
the Pro 880 was ROCK solid, the Premium felt fragile