[Solude]

Well so far it seems the smaller the team, the better the headphone

For the impatient... the Beyer DT880 easily betters both the Senn and Grado offerings

I for one absolutely hated the Senn 600, just plain old garbage reproduction at low levels. The Grado in comparison was much closer to ideal, lots of energy, great detail and extended without ever getting harsh. The Grado impact and transient speed was very enjoyable but over a period of time something wasn't quite right. Though hands down better than the Senn in every way imaginable at low listening levels, the voice was a touch distant, the emotion of the recording was missing and the impact was just a smidgette over the top. So the quest continued...

Today I woke up to CanadaPost delivering my, previously owned so fully broken in, DT880. I gave them and my source some warm up time and had a quick listen. Listening to samples of this and that, guitar blues to piano jazz to blazing hard rock to vocals... WOW! These are everything the Grado did right but with more direct vocals, just a little less impact and more emotion and warmth without losing any detail. Dead on perfect, I'm impressed. The cymbals are a touch recessed but I can live with that. Was going to keep going with the usual drums were this and guitars that but suffice to say that the Beyer is like the Grado but with a soul, volumes of prat too. Anyway further impressions to come in a week or so. Oh one thing I found odd was the 20ft extension. The main cable is a 1/8 with a screw on 1/4 adapter, the extension is 1/4 through and through so I'm stuck heading to Radio Shack today for an adapter. If the extension was 1/8 then the screw on adapter could have been used on both the main cord or extension. Minor but still found it an odd combo.

For the curious, I run my Revo at roughly 60% volume to get full life like levels out of the Beyer. Hmm now only question is ASL HB1 or OTL MK II

 

[acs236]

When I first got my 580s, I wasn't impressed, but once I got used to them (and/or they burned in), I really started to appreciate the sound, even at very low levels. I can't see how it could be characterized as garbage. Admittedly, I find the veiled (or as I prefer to call it, slightly muffled) midrange, but even with its flaws, I think the 580 (and presumably the 600) to be quite pleasing to the ears.

I hope to try some Beyer headphones someday. From the descriptions, it seems as if I would enjoy them.

Solude, you're description of the Beyers seems a bit tempered compared to your impressions of the 325 when you first received it. Does this reflect that you found a bigger difference in sound between the 600 and 325 than you did between the 325 and 880s?

 

[Solude]

I really tried to like the Senn, heck even had JMT make me a Meta42 with the sole intent of bringing the Senn to life. A month later I still didn't enjoy it. You have to keep in mind that I have my main rig in the same room, and in both systems the sweet spot is me. So the headphone has to be something else to compete with my main rig. If it isn't then I just turn on the speaker system and enter audio bliss.

The Senn couldn't compete, the Grado could. The Grado sound was closer but still not dead on with my main rig so listening to headphones instead of speakers was justified since both were enjoyable. The Beyer on the other hand is my main rig's equal. I could be happy with either system, no comprimise.

So yes the Beyer takes everything I enjoyed about the Grado and improves on it. Little more of this, little less of that for a final presentation that's spot on to the studio experience. Well the cymbals could use a little more presence but its very minor fault. With the Senn I made faces trying to understand the vocals or trying to find what exactly wasn't quite right. With the Grado I sat back and enjoyed what I heard. With the Beyer I'm making faces but its the good kind, with my head bobbing, feet tapping, kind of a sitting strut thing going on

 

[Guyferd]

Nice comparison solude!!

 

[swalker]

great to hear that you're enjoying the headphones. I had a suspicion that a person looking for a sound similar to loud speakers would enjoy DT880s more than I did and that seems to be a case here. Now if only Canadapost could get the Grados to me right now...

 

[Solude]

Hehe should have them by tomorrow swalker

Few points of interest for Beyer if they want to release an MKII at a higher price...

Make the headband leather, not pleather.
Put some sort of symbol for L/R for the blind.
Make the main cord and extension 1/4, with a 1/8 screw on adapter that can be used on either.
Give a few more position settings on the band for larger heads.
Increase the swing range for the drivers for rounder heads.

Could easily ask for another $20-40 with those changes, not to mention serve a larger market.

 

[lini]

swalker: I'm not sure about the loudspeaker sound part. For myself, I rarely ever listen to music on loudspeakers - nevertheless (and though I only had a brief listen to my DT880, yet) I already have the feeling, that the DT880 will be my new main headphone (the main ones before were: Sennheiser HD whatever -> AKG 240M -> another K240M -> K400 -> K501 -> Beyerdynamic DT531 -> AKG K240S), as it already impressed me with its wide extension, fairly neutral tonal balance, very nice midrange detail and "musicality".

I just wish, the DT880 had more of the somewhat "golden" treble coloration of the K240S (the Beyerdynamic sounds more "silvery" instead, but not harsh or shrill). The DT880 also doesn't have the K240S' pleasant "red velvety" bass coloration, but its at least equally extended and more neutral bass reproduction is also fairly pleasant to listen to.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[wallijonn]

Solude,

I am glad to hear that you like the initial impressions. You had me worried for a while. Good luck on matching an amp to it. What amps sound good with a 250 ohm load?

 

[Geek]

Solude,

I'm glad you're enjoying the 880s.

I have had the exact opposite impressions of the HD600s that you have, however. Assuming a proper setup for the HD600s (class A amp / player), low-level reproduction is eerily natural. Of course, it does sound kind of recessed with a poor setup at low volume.

I feel alone; it seems that many who believe the HD600 are not the top dynamic headphone believe so for reasons that completely contradict my own personal experiences with them.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[Solude]

Quote:

Originally posted by Geek I have had the exact opposite impressions of the HD600s that you have, however. Assuming a proper setup for the HD600s (class A amp / player), low-level reproduction is eerily natural.

Audio is unique in that you really need to do a side by side comparison to find faults or virtues in something. Another piece is good, an instrument in hand better still

If the Senn was my only reference at hand then my impression would be different. If I listened at a louder volume then my impression would have been better.

 

[TravelLite]

Quote:

Originally posted by Geek I feel alone; it seems that many who believe the HD600 are not the top dynamic headphone believe so for reasons that completely contradict my own personal experiences with them.

LOL, well you're certainly not alone, not by a long shot.

It should go without saying that many consider the HD600 with an after-market cable as the "gold standard" among dynamic headphones. It's just that the range of personal preferences and expectations are really huge.

TravelLite

 

[Geek]

Travellite,

On one hand, it's kind of horrifying to see so many people denounce the HD600, but on the other hand, it does give one an idea of how many different tastes there out there in the audiophile world.

Lots of my friends do hate the HD600s (and they're non-audiophiles).

Cheers,
Geek

 

[acs236]

Geek,

I only have the 580s, but I think they sound terrific, even at low volumes. They are incredibly pleasant to listen to. My only criticism is they sound a bit muffled to me. Don't let it get you down, head-fiers are a fickle bunch.

 

[wallijonn]

Gentlemen,

Make no apologies for the HD600. It is a great headphone.

But the fact that one must add a $150 cable to a $350 headphone brings the price to about $500. Fot that kind of money one can look at alternatives. The DT880 is such an alternative, as is the W1000, A1000 and CD3000.

Matt prefers the HD600 to the DT880. I would call him an audiophile. Those of us with less than Golden ears may prefer something a little less expensive. btw, he didn't like the K1000. so, yes, there are people who can hear enough sutle differences (if not gross) which makes them prefer the HD600.

For someone just starting out, the DT880 is a bargain, imo.

 

[cleaner]

The beauty of DT-880 lies in its ultra-transparency and balanced soundstage presentation. And that good separation in images hold true regardless of the type of music you listen to...symphonies, quartets, trios, synthesized new age, techno, pops, vocals, etc. HD-600 is nowhere near this...