[retskrad]

In my country, the dt990 pro costs 150 dollars and the dt880 pro costs 240 dollars. On amazon the dt990 pro costs around 200 bucks and the dt880 pro 250 bucks. They pretty much sounded overall the same to me, whats the reason behind such a price difference?

 

[MorrisL]

They not only sound like the same, they indeed are the same headphone. The only difference is that 990 has a fully open grill (semi-open for 880) and a some felt on the 880 drivers, which tames the highs and bass (not by much). These cosmetic differences are clearly not enough to warrant a price difference between the two. So, it boils down to simple marketing... Screw that, I say! The 50 dollars you save getting a DT990 is enough to buy everyone and their dog enough felt to turn their 990s into 880 on demand. I've actually been experimenting with my 990 and some felt, and I'm beginning to realize that this simple mod is enough to make 990 sound like a better 880, given that you don't actually lose 990's superior sound stage.

 

[kramer5150]

  In my country, the dt990 pro costs 150 dollars and the dt880 pro costs 240 dollars. On amazon the dt990 pro costs around 200 bucks and the dt880 pro 250 bucks. They pretty much sounded overall the same to me, whats the reason behind such a price difference?

amazon prices vary a LOT depending on inventory levels and what their distribution channels have in stock.
 
surf the camelcamelcamel amazon price tracker to see just what I am talking about.  You can score some excellent deals on Amazon, if you catch their inventory levels at the right time.  Generally they drop their prices a little when inventory drops, which makes sense since they base their inventory management model on a fleet-sale system.

 

[MorrisL]

  amazon prices vary a LOT depending on inventory levels and what their distribution channels have in stock.

Yeah, but Beyerdynamic itself set the msrp on 880pro a good $80 more than 990pro. It is this marketing decision that eventually influences the rest of the price ups and downs online.

 

[kramer5150]

Its similar to the differences between the HD558 and 598, HD580 and HD600, SR60 and SR80.  Slight tweeks between the models and different MSRPs.  Often times its not hard to buy one model and mod it up to the levels of another.  Some of these mods are very well documented across the www.  Headphile has been doing Beyerdynamic mods for over a decade.  So yes absolutely... buy lo and mod hi!!
 
I have an HD558 incoming.  I absolutely intend to mod it to 598 levels, and possibly beyond... if the 558/598 driver responds as well to poster-tack vibration damping as well as the PX100II drivers in my SennGrado build.

 

[MorrisL]

  Its similar to the differences between the HD558 and 598, HD580 and HD600, SR60 and SR80.  Slight tweeks between the models and different MSRPs.  Often times its not hard to buy one model and mod it up to the levels of another.  Some of these mods are very well documented across the www.  Headphile has been doing Beyerdynamic mods for over a decade.  So yes absolutely... buy lo and mod hi!!
 
I have an HD558 incoming.  I absolutely intend to mod it to 598 levels, and possibly beyond... if the 558/598 driver responds as well to poster-tack vibration damping as well as the PX100II drivers in my SennGrado build.

You forgot the low key 518! Some say they can make a 598 out of them easily. And they're about $70!

 

[kramer5150]

  You forgot the low key 518! Some say they can make a 598 out of them easily. And they're about $70!

I left the 518 out of the discussion because its plastic earcup grill mesh pattern is less flow-through perforated than either the 558 or 598.  I'm not sure how easy it would be to open up the 518 grille cups to the levels of the other two.

 

[retskrad]

People on headfi calls the dt990 is inferior and less detailed to the 880, whys that? Why does the 990 have a higher model number?

 

[DoppenShloppen]

I've used the dt880 but not the 990. from what I've read they do sound very different. A quick look at the freq response graphs of the 2 shows that the dt990 are very v shaped with lots of bass and extra highs, while the dt880 is relatively neutral, maybe a tad bit bright. Most people prefer a neutral sound, so most people prefer the 880's.

 

[Shaffer]

People on headfi calls the dt990 is inferior and less detailed to the 880, whys that? Why does the 990 have a higher model number?

Because, most are kids with no money for good supporting gear, while playing crap source material, and very little experience with sound. Especially, good sound. FWIW, I own both 880/600 and 990pro. Given a choice between the two, I always pick the 990. This being said, it's not an easy can to drive. Many are attracted by the DT990's relatively low price, but lack the means to get the best (or even close to it) out of them.

Edit:

 

[retskrad]

I feel like the 990 was made to give an illusion of being at a concert very far away from the band on the stage and you want the concert atmosphere, while the 880 is made to inspect the stage itself, ure less in the concert enviroment and more intimate with the band.

The 990 i feel is quite a strange headphone, it has a big ass soundstage, I think its phsychoaccoustics. With bad quality recordings, they are absolutely horrible.

with audiophile recordings IMO it ecplises the 2x expensive hd650.

i feel the 880 is a safer choice, the 990 is basically the 880 with more dynamics and even mire demand on a good source. Todays music fits the 880 more because 90% of songs out there are badly mastered.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I feel like the 990 was made to give an illusion of being at a concert very far away from the band on the stage and you want the concert atmosphere, while the 880 is made to inspect the stage itself, ure less in the concert environment and more intimate with the band.
The 990 i feel is quite a strange headphone, it has a big ass sound stage, I think its phsychoaccoustics. With bad quality recordings, they are absolutely horrible.
with audiophile recordings IMO it ecplises the 2x expensive hd650.
i feel the 880 is a safer choice, the 990 is basically the 880 with more dynamics and even mire demand on a good source. Todays music fits the 880 more because 90% of songs out there are badly mastered.

 
The DT990 has full bass and treble, which slightly over shadows the mids.
The 250-Ohm DT990 bass is somewhat lose and less controlled and loud.
 
Where as the DT880s is a more balanced headphone (a little on the bright side).
Bass/mids/treble working well together.
 
So I say the DT880 is more for people who are more into details in the audio, while the DT990 is a more fun sound.

 

[retskrad]

Does anyone know why the 990 has the highest model number in the DTxxx line although people seem to prefer the 880? did beyer make any announcement?

 

[kramer5150]

Its just a number, accompanied by/with a preference shared by many.  No different than those who prefer the RS2 over the RS1, or those who like the HD600 more than the HD650.  There are probably other examples too.  Its really nothing more than that. I don't think there ever was any kind of announcement one way or another.  There are also some who prefer the DT770 over the DT880... fwiw.

 

[DoppenShloppen]

The 990 is also probably cheaper because some uneducated people may see the 880 as looking nicer than the 990's dull plastic and by purely on visuals.