beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Studio Headphones – 80 Ohm

 

I’ve written this (admittedly) short review whilst listening through the Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones.

Very smooth, no emphasizing treble or bass.

Wide, dynamic sound stage.

I can listen for far longer (which is bad news for my cat).

Extremely comfortable.

Good bass resolution, shows flabby bass where it could shed a few pounds (which
might be intended sometimes).

250 ohm version needs a good headphone amplifier.

Controlled with rock and dance (electronic) music (see good bass resolution).

Very handy coiled (telephone) lead to a 1/4 inch jack which is less likely to
get twisted. If it does, undo the turns you’ve made whilst putting the
headphones down 🙂

Overall: excellent value for money.

 

Why are you wasting time reading this when you could be buying a set of DT770’s?

 

For mixing and sound production, they are quite ‘flat’ in that they do not seem to add additional frequencies to one’s mix which is perfect, although for ‘listening pleasure’ they lack ‘Bass’ off the shelf – one can compensate with a mini amp (consider we’re dealing with 80ohms in my case) or through various other means, but this is just a minor consideration. They are also very comfortable and not very weighty so I feel I could keep them on for very long periods of time.

Many thanks 🙂

 

I bought these after wearing my m40x to death. I had the m40x for 6 years before they finally gave out.

After receiving these yesterday I was really impressed by their comfort and quality, they definitely feel like an upgrade. However, they appear to have developed a fault where the wire meets the headphones already.

I’m hoping that this is just a faulty set and not a fault of the design.

 

I really like that the cable is so long and is curly which makes it look short, its sounds alright, the noise cancelling is working perfectly okay, Good price, I don’t like the fact that the sound isn’t very loud compared to different brand i use, and its not much bass, definitely not for gaming

 

These are comfortable to wear and sound quality far superior to DT 100 which I’ve had for many years.
Not used for gaming. I have no concept of this!

 

The item is exactly as description. Bought it for my son for gaming and he was very happy with the quality

 

After much YouTubing I bought these off a recommendation from BadSeed Tech. This is my first venture into studio grade headphones and these do not disappoint! I went for the 80ohm version and I’m driving these off a Mayflower Arc Mk2. If you don’t plan on using an Amp/Dac then stick to anything with 40ohms or less.

First of all the price of this unit is surprising, I was expecting to pay much more for audiophile grade headphones. The velour cushions are comfortable but I could feel the clamping force after a few hours of use. It seems to get better over time so it does break in.

As a gamer the closed back feature of these is ideal to prevent noise leak, the bass that comes this closed back set (in combination with the Mayflower Arc Mk2 with the DSP on) is tremendous! These really do pull above their weight. I find the bass doesn’t interfere with my gaming and somehow contributed to it instead.

I do find that I have to drive these headphones at about the 12’o clock mark on my Mayflower or higher depending on the content I’m digesting. But that’s more or less normal. After about the 2’o clock mark the DSP needs to be turned off as it starts to struggle!

Overall I would highly recommend these closed back headphones to anyone with an amp. If you don’t have an amp it’s no big deal, just get the lesser Ohm version and I’m sure you will still be happy.

 

Amazing sounding headphones with outstanding base superb mid range and excellent treble. I’m running this on an Asus Rog z170 motherboard with the Supreme FX 2015 sound processor. Very loud, but does get a bit muddled when there are a lot of different sound going on at the same time.
I use this for gaming but also for music which is typically around the 320kbps sound quality. I suspect that any muddling in complex sound tracks is more down to the “onboard” sound amp/dac than the DT 770 Pro 80 ohm cans.
4 Non Blond soundtrack What’s Up and Vitalic’s Poison Lips sound powerful, rich crisp and clear with outstanding vocal and guitar clarity whilst listening to What’s Up and superb base registration and general clarity from Poison Lips

Grab these bargain headphones!

 

These are bar none the best headphones you can buy for this sort of money and a lot more IMO. I have two pairs of them one with the 250ohm coiled lead and the other with a 80ohms and straight lead for use in different settings – the latter I’ve owned for about 7 years. I have also got a pair of the DT1990 pro models which are significantly more expensive, and I would argue not as good certainly not value for money wise, and I would also say they are not better sound quality either for listening or using as a reference monitor, but it is useful to have more than one sound signature when testing your mixes. I also owned for a short time a pair of Focal Clear headphones which are widely touted to be about as good as it gets from an audiophile perspective without spending an inordinate amount of money, and again I would say that the DT770 are a better unit both in terms of robust design and quality, I also much prefer the sound signature. So I sent back the Clear cans within a week. But I guess as with everything, it is subjective. I would highly recommend these cans though, excellent value for money.

 

Buy…! Its practically the DT990 Pro. Too similar in sound. Same in built. Good.

 

These are wonderful headphones at their price, with excellent sound reproduction for anyone wanting to know exactly what the artist recorded.

I’ve had both the 80ohm and the 250ohm models, the former being a wonderful introduction to HiFi and the latter having a fuller rounder sound if you have a decent amplifier to drive them and deliver that ‘sub-bass’.

One other aspect to these headphones is the Beyerdynamic design which while not particularly pretty, is made so that the average user can repair any small problems quite easily, and the guys with a soldering iron can completely overhaul a set: all the parts being available for individual repairs.

You can also replace the cups quite easily, and if you’re interested in noise isolation, adding a set of leather cups will effectively block all outside sound, no ‘noise cancellation’ necessary — though this will make the soundstage even more closed, and give an even more aggressive bass than you might be prepared for.

 

First, let me get the packaging/presentation out of the way — it wasn’t great. There’s no foam protection, or anything fancy other than a business-like drawstring bag. They were also shipped from Germany in a plastic Amazon bag with no bubble wrap, not even an Amazon cardboard box with the paper padding; this resulted in the product’s box taking a little beating in transit. However, they arrived perfectly fine and usable.

Now onto the good news… These are good, really good. I used the Sennheiser HD 558 for 5 years and the Sennheiser HD 598SR for 3 years. These are a seamless transition into closed-back headphones from these great open-back headphones. I’m not even 30 minutes into wearing them and I can tell these are a headphone for many years to come, the lows are better than I’ve grown accustom to, with ample sub-bass which is non-existant on the Sennheisers, and the highs are clear without being sibilant or harsh; I’m super happy.
Especially so, as I tried the new PlayStation Pulse 3D headset prior to these arriving and was disappointed in their small size, discomfort and fake virtual 3D sound.
These headphones genuinely seem to let me hear more than I could already with the Sennheiser’s, I don’t know if that’s placebo effect or due to the extra isolation, but it’s fantastic.

Update 1:
I paired these Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 32 Ohm with the Brainwavz XL Large Perforated Replacement Memory Foam Earpads and wow, it really opens up the soundstage!
It does lower the bass just a tiny, barely noticeable amount, but you do also get a little more breathability and the lower end gets clearer (though I don’t know if that’s due to the driver being broken in — I used a random playlist of high quality music of the genres I enjoy, with a few pink noise tracks mixed in).

Note:
If you need a microphone apparently the Beyerdynamic MMX300 MkII is the headset to go for as they’re the DT 770 Pro enhanced, albeit at the cost of having to plug into the controller on consoles which I found to distort the sound.

Update 2:
I’ve since wound some wool around the headband for a little added comfort and to preserve the protein leather. Be warned that faux leather wears down quickly (I could see mine starting to flake after a few days use which is ridiculously bad).

I’m sold into the Beyerdynamic family now and would love to try the others. They’re well thought out and the spring steel headband ensures confidence in being able to stretch it out for comfort (due to the tight clamp at first) without any plastic creaking or snapping; as is the case with other headbands.

 

Now let me preface this review by mentioning I am not too knowledgable about the specifics of sound. This review is from the perspective of someone who spends a lot of time using headphones however may not know the industry buzzwords.

Simply put, these headphones are fantastic. They have been my daily drivers for the past year, meaning 12+ hours of usage daily. The level of comfort is the first thing I feel I should touch on. I have a large head however they fit without trouble, and are exceptionally comfortable. Unlike many headphones I have had in the past, I never feel a need to take them off to “rest” my head – they almost feel like a part of my body at this point.

The sound is incredible, granted some equaliser fiddling (can be easily found online) will make the experience so much better. I use these headphones for everything from music, anime, movies, and games. They just deliver everything very richly and clearly. The bass seems especially solid, so if you’re a bit of a bass head like me, these headphones will serve you well.

The closed-back nature of the headphones also mean they do a good job at keeping the stuff you’re listening to in, and outside noises out. They are not noise cancelling of course, but they certainly work great at drowning out any noises that may be around you.

All in all, a wonderful set of headphones. I don’t foresee them breaking any time soon due to their exceptional build quality, but if they were to eventually die on me, I would likely pick up another pair as a replacement.

 

If you have a suitable amp or av receiver, get yourself the 250 ohm version, as there is more detail to be heard over the 80 ohm.

Audio is clean and natural, but with a healthy dose of bass and treble. Soundstage is big and open considering they are closed back headphones. I was pleasantly surprised that they work very well with lower quality music sources, but ideally, you want to feed them higher quality music, and you will be blown away by blu-ray audio.

These headphones have some of the BEST sub-bass in a headphone you can get. It’s what brings me back to these headphones, because their a few headphones available that can reach subwoofer-levels of bass, but the DT770 manage this and it makes all other headphones sound boring.

I find I can listen to music on these headphones and it’s very pleasant to listen to at lower volumes, without feeling the need to blast the music. At no point do I feel like anything in the audio mix or frequencies are missing, unlike the 80 ohm versions where it would occasionally sound vague.

The only issue I have is the annoying coiled cable, which weighs too heavy for my liking. Some people love this. However, there are cable mods available.

 

I’ve been using 7506’s for a long time now and so the change to the 770 80 Ohm was a big one and mainly driven by comfort issues with my ears. While the 7506’s are clear and great for production, I find the earpads too small for my ears and I end up with outer ear earache if using them for any length of time.

The 770s are much more comfortable although strangely a little more firm on the head. However, they give my ears some good spacing so that while they do still touch my ears slightly, they are ok for reasonable lengths of time. For me, this is the main factor in changing headphones.

As for the audio response, I find the 7506’s are much more trebly than the 770s which seem to hold down the high end much more – but then in return give a better overall balance.

The other thing that struck me with the 80 Ohm version was that the overall levels seemed lower with the 770s than the 7506’s. Using the same levels for both and with a comfortable level on the 770s, then swapping to the 7506 lead me to hurry to the volume nob as particularly the treble was far too much for me at the level I ended up at. However, if you turn down the 7506’s the end result is ok when mixed with the 770s.

So, while the 770s are not perfect, they are very good and especially so at the price point. They are also far better on my ears even though firm on my head.

I ought also to say that I wear glasses and found that the 770s didn’t really cause me as many problems as I expected and again, I can wear them for a good length of time with glasses not being particularly noticeable.

The final question must be to ask if now I have the 770s and had to make the choice again would I still buy them? And, the answer has to be a firm YES. While I still like the 7506’s I end up in pain using them. And, as I have been swapping between them both to write this review and have just gone back to the 770s – NOW – sooo much more comfortable with just a flatter response.

Hope this helps.

 

I’m a drum and bass / electronic music producer and I’ve been producing for going on 9 years. Over that time I’ve used countless different headphones, some good, some bad all around the 100 mark.

The beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Studio Headphones are by far the best sounding, clearest headphones that i have ever used. at the time of writing this review I’m working on my new EP and the second i started to use them i was impressed. Usually headphones take some time to “break in” and that is true for the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO. but from the start they sound incredible. so I’m excited to see how they sound after they have broken in.

The only thing that i have noticed so far is that the sound leaks from the headphones when at high volumes but as long as you don’t mind annoying the people you live with you can crank these headphones and still hear everything in perfect detail and clarity.

if your a music producer or even just someone who loves music. I’d 100% recommend the beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO

 

Very good for office use with almost no sound leakage. Very comfortable for all day wear and they somehow don’t get hot either like lots of other closed headphones. Easy to drive with a laptop as well.

Good sound quality, slightly on the bassy side which is to be expected.

 

I’m not a fan of closed back headphones. However, my wife has pushed me towards a purchase because she can’t stand my habit of listening in bed to Late Junction and Geoffrey Smith’s jazz program on Radio 3 (she hates the jazz even more than what she calls the “play-school” music on Late Junction). I’ve been using Grado SR80es for the last few months, but these are too leaky for my wife’s tastes and they do get uncomfortable after a while. I already own Beyer Amirons and DT880s, both of which I love and which have a decidedly different sonic character to each other. The DT770s sound different again, with a less enhanced treble than the DT880s and a more forward bass, but they do sound good on most types of music, and they certainly excel on EDM type music compared to the DT880s. Overall, I’m very pleased with their sonic character, but they really shine in a couple of departments: they are extremely comfortable and they possess the best soundstage I can ever recall having encountered in closed-back headphones. The 80 ohm version is pretty easy to drive so that, unlike my 250 ohm DT880s, they do not need a headphone amplifier to drive them, although they certainly benefit when a headphone amplifier is employed. And, for 99 they really do represent very good value for money. And now I can listen to everything from Gazelle Twin to Oscar Peterson without getting elbowed in the ribs.

 

Read a lot of reviews before buying and you do need to research what ohms are going to be best for your usage. I have a powered mixing desk so went for the higher ohms version but using with a mobile or tablet would need to lower ohms version to get driven properly – I am no expert so do your own checking.

I have a home studio where I compose music using very high end sample libraries so I wanted some phones that would translate these recordings with good quality. I have the DT100s but whilst these have lasted for years and have good quality they are a bit “industrial” so I wanted some more finesse and these do the job. I think they are a good price for the quality. They are very comfortable too for long nightime sessions. Recommended

 

Mainly from the point of view of studio work and on-the-road mixing/mastering/performing, though also with a nod to home listening pleasure, this is comparative review of the following closed-back headphones (that can be driven without an additional amp!)

Yamaha HPH-MT5
Yamaha HPH-MT8
Beyerdynamic DT770 80ohm
Audio Technica ATH-A990Z

& two sets that I wont refer to much, due not to any manufacturing fault but to inadequate sonic quality for my purposes

Philips Fidelio X2HR (the only open-back here)
AKG K550 MkIII

/

SUMMERY

To quickly list my preferred headphones in terms of purpose :

MONITORING : (here forward treble is useful to check hiss and sibilance, and forward bass for stage thumps, etc)
1. MT8 (extra brilliance reveals hiss, mics rubbing on clothing, high-freq accurate syncing of instruments etc)
2. DT770 (emphasises sibilance – which so can be avoided before recording, recessive mids an issue -vocals sound distant – though when recording asking your vocals to be closer to the mic is not usually a bad thing).

MASTERING : (here a flat freq response or slightly hi-fi speaker colouration of EQ is useful)
1. MT5 (most monitor-speaker like though a dip in the mid-highs, great for mastering and listening, lacks some microscope clarity, may result in a brighter mix)
2. MT8 (critical and open, lacks some bass though overall v.useful flat freq response, highs a tad too forward for enjoyable listening, may result in a darker mix with over generous bass)
3. DT770 (critical, high freq bump at sibilance freq may result in flatter mastering of voice details)

LISTENING : (depends on the sound signature that gives you pleasure, generally non-fatiguing and full)
1. MT5 (slightly darker than A990Z – yet more powerful and detailed, mids can shout, portable)
2. A990Z (open soundstage perfect for classical music, mids can shout, somewhat confusing, not portable)
3. X2HR (open soundstage, enjoyable, forgiving, not portable)
4. DT770 (may need a headphone amp, sibilance issue will be fatiguing, can bridge the gap between the studio and listening pleasure, not portable)
5. MT8 (detailed and bright, portable)

Depending on which way you look at this :

The MT8’s are a flatter freq response more analytical version of the DT770’s, the DT770’s are a more open soundscape version of the MT8’s but with a loss of mid presence and a sibilance freq bump. MT8 : “I dissect”, DT770 “I reveal”.

The A990Z’a are a more distant, softer, open soundscape version of the MT5’s. The MT5’s are a more powerfully defined, faster, ‘aggressive’ and closer sounding version of the A990Z’s. A990Z : “I sit back”, MT5 : “I’m there”.

/

DETAILED REVIEW

In a subjective realm I’ve tried to be objective as possible – which does require lengthy descriptions, this may be more information than you require but in terms of describing these headphones I hope it helps. It does though depend on what you require and if you believe – unrealistically – there is an ideal headphone out there!

Mainly in order of preference

1:
MT5 : good for : Mastering, Monitoring and Listening. Overall frequency signature similar to the A990Z’s. The closest to the overall presentation of my Neumann K120 studio-monitor speakers, though with a couple of minor dips.

HIGHS : detailed, calm, not elevated or gratingly ‘hi-fi’ / ‘club-fi’. Have a slightly woody quality, won’t cause you any pain – so you can turn them up, not fatiguing at all. Actually the closest to my studio-monitor speakers. In terms of final mastering as the highs are a touch dark – almost like you’ve connected them to a tube amp – but not soft in any way, just less clinically up-front (and less clashy) than others here. They may not reach far enough up to analyse recorded hiss, over 10kHz they start to fall away (while the MT8’s are reaching their peak) – but otherwise very even and clear. Mastered result are good though may contain hiss. If you value slightly over-present sizzling highs in a headphone, these may not be the ticket for you. Actually the A990Z highs are best placed of this whole group – though don’t have the detail of the MT8’s.

HIGH-MIDS : as well as not quite reaching far enough up to analyse recorded hiss there is a dip in the ‘low-highs’ or ‘high-mids’ around 4kHz. That said the highs don’t seem odd in any way, they are just slightly dark as a result – but still v.fast and detailed.

MIDS : forward and detailed. There is a downside to forward mids in a closed-back headphone,
they can shout / project resonation at high volumes, if fact I almost enjoy it – it energises the cartilage in my nose – really does! Thus there is a slight W shape to the freq response, raised at the ends and the centre – and with corresponding dips between (but don’t let this worry you, it’s fairly healthy, far better than a V shape).

LOWS : v.powerful, defined and tight, might even say these have the most satisfactory bass of this group. Aggressive thwacks hit v.powerfully and cleanly, impressive.

V.LOW : present though under 50Hz they dip just below the strength of the mids, while the MT8’s keep sub-bass just above.

SOUNDSTAGE : the least open of this group (not by much), though have immense detail and stereo width. NB large soundstage does not help in the studio, it weakens the presence and inspection of instruments (hence the large soundstage A990Z is not useful in the studio but makes enjoyable listening).

They have the most ‘hit’ and power in all freqs of all the ‘phones here, they vibrate your bones more than any of the others – in all frequencies – I’m not a bass head but the ability to affect the vibrational mental space with these ‘phones is notable.

They have a really enjoyable ‘pushy’ personality – which in a headphone is what I want and a real achievement – to be fast and super direct in all frequencies, visceral, nose vibrating. Very well judged Yamaha!

A closer, faster and more mid-centric version of the A990Z’s. A real favourite of mine, and a bargain for an ‘in the bag’ monitor headphone, I can’t see how anyone could be disappointed unless you want a very open, or brash sound.

DESIGN : 3m detachable cable, twist-lock. Neat, relatively compact, solid construction. Portable (the cans are connected to the headband with a free hanging wire – so need some care, like the DT770’s), light weight (MT8’s are on the heavy side).

2:
MT8 : good for : Monitoring, Mastering. Overall frequency signature similar to the DT770’s – but the MT8’s are flatter. The MT8 are close to my Neumann studio-monitor speakers, though with less lows and greater high-mids / highs.

HIGHS : if you need super-clarity in the highs, there’s no sibilance here but they are analytical and gradually elevate towards 10.5kHz. I’m critical of harsh highs – these are not abrasive unless your mix is poor (many commercial recordings are BTW!). They have the fastest highs of this group – revealing, breathy, airy and open, not metallic or grainy. Compared to the MT5 it’s like a sonic door has opened (sometimes too far), highs can be overbearing and swamp a mix for some recordings, certainly more forward than the DT770 though actually rise more smoothly and predictably – no noticeable sudden peaks or troughs (unlike the big problem 8kHz spike of the DT770’s).

HIGH-MIDS : the dip noticed in the MT5’s is reversed here, I’d say there’s even a slight peak here, which provides fantastic detail in this information rich region of the freq range. If the MT5’s are an autumn afternoon, these are a spring morning. They will test the quality of a mix like no other, if a mix is good and tight, these have the best highs of this group – otherwise they can seem high centric – which can be too forward and fatiguing for long periods of listening pleasure.

MIDS : Presence and detail is amazing, superlative, similar to the MT5’s though with a flatter response (the MT5 mid resonance is not often felt here).

LOWS : tight, accurate, has drive but not over-emphasised. On the whole the lows can sound recessive if you expect pounding bass (these ‘phones are not about that). The A990Z have more bass warmth but not more hit (‘thwack’). The MT5’s have more more power and more hit in the 70-200Hz range, possibly the DT770’s have slightly more power through not as much hit. The recessive nature of the bass, is in part relative to the forward highs, the ‘phones can’t be turned up too far to reveal the full bass glory – as the highs then become too loud.

V.LOW : sub-bass if present in a recording is surprisingly powerful, more so than the DT770 and even the A990Z – reaching lower and with more detail (and also as previously mentioned, the powerful bass-ready MT5’s are not as present under 50Hz). This is a strong point of these headphones, the natural bass spread, which introduces powerful sub-bass without confusing it with middle bass frequencies – this is actually rare in a headphone, sub-bass seems to come from nowhere as an instrument in itself. If your like all bass to sound like sub-bass these headphones are not for you, sub-bass is powerful only when present in the recording, which including all genres, below 40Hz is actually quite rare.

SOUNDSTAGE : slightly more open than the MT5’s, probably due to the general extra speed and clarity especially in the highs, though not as open as the DT770 and A990Z.

Below 4kHz they are the fastest most flat headphone I’ve used, above 4kHz highs are elevated – revealing – which used as a tool in the studio is valuable, less so for listening. If you’re here just for listening pleasure, these headphones may come across as too harsh and not ideal for old recordings (esp analogue transferred to digital / CD), which generally are mid and high biased and may have issues in those areas.

The MT8 emphasis on clarity in the highs is useful prior to and during recording; due to compensation, mastered results from the MT8’s can lack high/treble presence, whereas from the MT5 possibly mastered highs can be overdone slightly. The ideal headphone would be a mix of the best parts of the MT5 and the MT8. That said, the MT8’s are the best judged and most useful studio headphones I’ve ever used.

DESIGN : v.soft pads, may result in pressure from the driver-grill on your ears – esp if you have satellite-dish ears (the MT5’s have firmer, deeper pads), both the MT8 and MT5 have a neat ear-cup size and shape though some may wish the aperture was slightly larger. 3m detachable cable + detachable coiled cable, twist-lock. Foldable, neat, relatively compact and solid. Portable though on the heavy side.

3:
DT770 80ohm : good for : Monitoring and maybe Mastering. Listening – very good, if your music has no hint of sibilant type sounds. Overall frequency signature most similar to the MT8’s, in many ways I’d place them both joint 2nd place.

The DT770 80ohm version, has deeper bass and less sibilant treble than the 32ohm or 250ohm versions (which personally I’d avoid). The 80ohm has thicker winding wires and a long-throw driver – capable of higher volumes though a tad slower), the 250ohm has a short throw-driver (faster though more bright). BTW there is also the semi-open DT880 (bass light) and the open DT990 (bass ok, sub-bass light, v.sibilant & highs emphasised).

HIGHS : in presence and control between the MT5’s and MT8, so very forward. Well balanced though there’s a big big but – unfortunately there’s an isolated problem spike at the sibilance freq, around 8kHz, it’s harsh, you can accept it and use it when monitoring & recording to avoid it in your tracks – but it probably does rule these ‘phones out for listening – unless you like a lot of sssss and zzzzz in your highs, female vocals sound clashy and fatiguing. As it’s a large spike, the ear and the mind cannot adapt it’s disparity to the surrounding high frequencies, and so it sounds unnatural, sizzling and annoying – it never ‘goes away’. For mastering, this can lead to too dull a result, especially in vocal clarity. Though the MT5’s are ‘darker’ they have more edge and they have no sudden freq peaks.

HIGH-MIDS : similar to the MT8’s, fantastic detail and presence, I say it’s the strongest point of these headphones and of this whole group – the immersive realism in this freq. realm. It’s basically the sweet spot between the elevated peak in the highs and the recessed mids

MIDS : detailed yet noticeably recessed. A positive of this V shape [recessed mids] is that it does prevent mid-freq ‘closed-back resonance’ (the MT5’s have a W shape, more so than the MT8’s). Vocals and acoustic instruments can sound rather thin and distant.

LOWS : wide, powerful and enjoyable, not as detailed as it could be – more fruity and less thwack than the MT5.

V.LOW : sub-bass present but slightly soggy. (Sub-bass frequencies can reveal a rattle, the diaphragms are slightly sticky and hair can get trapped, it’s a common problem, search for ‘DT770 buzz rattle’. Only noticeable with loud very particular frequencies around 148Hz. The cans can be dismantled but it’s a delicate procedure. One of my drivers have this issue now).

SOUNDSTAGE : very open, helped by the small bass-port (which does leak sound).

DESIGN : on the limit of needing an amp to drive them, on a MacBook Pro I’m often at 100% – while on my music interface there is power to spare. There is the DT770 32ohm version, though while more efficient it doesn’t doesn’t mean better (too efficient and the power isn’t delivered to tightly control the speaker coil, also the diaphragm is designed to be more flexible / floppy). Cable hard-wired. The cans are connected to the headband with a free hanging wire – so need some care. If you are generally not using an external amp, I’d probably pass on these, for less than loud mixes they simply may not be loud enough. Construction, very good. Hard-wired 3m cable. Not portable (unless your bag has generous room to spare).

4:
A990Z : good for : 2nd check Mastering and Listening. Overall frequency signature most similar to the MT5’s.

Overall v.similar to the MT5 but with a more open soundscape, a tad more highs, less present mids. Soundscape while on a par with the DT770 in its openness, but can sound distant. You could not rely on this headphone for critical mastering – though I do use them as a ‘speaker check’ when I’m away from my studio.

HIGHS : similar to the MT5 though with a tad more highs and better defined. Forgiving of poor recordings. While good for all genres the A990Z would be my pick for listening to classical music – due to the soundstage and the highs not as emphasised at the DT770 or MT8’s, though with the MT5’s darker highs I can listen to them for longer with more varied material.

HIGH-MIDS : have a slightly aggressive brittle grate, nothing to be too concerned about, it’s not sibilance, more of a metallic electronic squeal, which seems to confuse the highs and slightly divorce them from reality. The large 53mm driver of the A990Z seems at times to struggle to achieve fast definition.

MIDS : mids very slightly recessive which widens the soundscape though you may notice a slight lack of body and presence to the mids – especially compared to the MT5, MT8’s and monitor speakers; that said the DT770’s have the most V shape freq response. There is some shouting resonance to the mids, not dissimilar to the MT5’s.

LOWS : v.large, open, bouncy, fruity, warm. A tad too emphasised, slow & loose – lacking some detail & drive, overall some muddiness, can get a bit heavy going and bloated, I prefer the more defined MT5 and spacious DT770 bass.

V.LOW : present, enjoyable, soft. Sub-bass though is confused with the emphasised general bass, the result is the MT8 has greater sub power, detail and more overall bass separation (though less general bass) whereas the A990Z can sound bloated and lack separation.

SOUNDSTAGE : undeniably good, but wrapped up in other issues. The moment you put them on they sound great, very open, then that impression wears off – they begin to seem too friendly and lack involvement, confused highs and boomy lows. For classical, the fruity openness of the A990Z’s is welcome, though slightly flat in their lack of high separation – similar to the MT5’s in darkness, though the A990Z have a squeal to the highs which can become annoying like a saw – I’m being super critical, the highs are actually well tamed and never painful yet do lack some separation and realism. Soundstage is like large, but like a large ball of wool – you may not notice this – I’m being critical. Stereo width not that impressive.

In all frequencies dynamic hit and power is not great, so less aggressive, less interesting, just a bit too distant and knotted – can get confused with complex layer music – often an issue with large diaphragms. Good for checking what a track will sound like on a ‘normal’ hi-fi system, but they fall short of keeping me engaged.

The A990Z’s have slightly massaged all the frequencies to the extent there’s not enough clarity or speed to be used as a studio headphone (even though they are labeled ‘Art Monitors’). They are forgiving of harsh or poorly mastered recordings, basically they are good at being polite, warm loudspeakers in a room – yet on your head.

DESIGN : comfort – lightweight, no on-ear compression though pressure on upper jaw-bone caused by v.large pads. I’m not an advocate of the overall design. The metal backs of the cans is very thin (and leaks a lot of sound), I dented them the day they arrived by accidentally dropping the heavy metal-body (sharp) headphone-jack on them from maybe 12inch above. Hard-wired 3m cable. Too large and delicate to be portable.

REJECTED HEADPHONES :

5:
X2HR : I respect all of the above headphones for their position in the studio (maybe not the A990Z), the X2HR have zero place in the studio. Having said that I include them here as a listening pleasure headphone – in your comfy chair. The soundstage is wide and open, instrument separation is good. Bass is large and saggy / flabby, loose and lacking detail, highs come and go in an odd way. Wavy frequency EQ – some parts boosted others missing – lots of peaks and troughs throughout. They are not relevant in the studio due to this wavy EQ and sounding like a wet sock – there’s no analysis to be done with these. I didn’t like the ridiculously huge ‘winter earmuff’ pads either. I’d say if you have any inclination to get the Philips X2HR’s and you appreciate a ‘truer’ headphone (yet with generous bass) get the A990Z’s (though personally I’d go another step and get the more immediate MT5’s), on the other hand, if you like a full, open, fruity, forgiving sound, the X2HR’s are a good choice. Their positives are partly due to their open-back design – which is fine but be aware they leak sound like a sieve.

6:
K550 MkIII : I could not like these, I tried, but my hated grew and grew. As many people seem to like these headphones, I’ll detail my observations in full

HIGHS : prominent, harsh, lack detail, sibilant across a wide range – none of this helped by the large [i.e slow] 50mm drivers – which may have been EQ pushed over the whole high pitch area. There is sizzle and a lot of clashy high freq prominence. Mid-highs are dragged into this region sapping music and voices of depth. I prefer the DT770 highs – even with their elevated 8kHz EQ peak.

HIGH-MIDS : lack detail and separation, they scream and seem to resonant in the small enclosure of the closed-back cans, instruments in this mid to high range grate together and can sound a bit of a mess. Like the highs, crashing and confused.

MIDS : all of the mid range is strangely pushed into upper mids such that overall pitch is raised and generally thin, voices become drained of full-bodied depth and leave only a high-pitch veneer.

LOWS : on the weak side, recessed and very slow – least definition and depth of this group, surprisingly one-dimensional for a 50mm driver – distance between instruments lost. The weak headband clamping force doesn’t help, but the problem is deeper than that.

SOUNDSTAGE : lack of instrument separation, confused, muddles musicality; possibly the small driver chamber doesn’t help. So much of recordings is lost, including much enjoyment. If your musical taste is for simple short-lived tiss-bang-tiss-bang bold instruments these headphones can sound ok, but if your music has complexity and layered instruments it’s like listening to your recordings at 1/2 quality.

Overall Sound : clashy, confused, compressed ‘grey’ sounding, bass weak, vocal mids thin, raised the pitch of all tracks. I wish I didn’t have to mention these here, the most ill thought-out and ill-sounding headphone I’ve tried in a long time, the billing that they offer a flat frequency response is mostly a lie and covers a multitude of sins in these cans, flat with clarity ok, but flat and clashy and terribly confused no that’s not fine. Some may hear clashy and think that’s the sound of detail, it isn’t. If they work for you fine, but to me they were a travesty, dressed up to look nice.

If you do think these sound good – and so therefore like a ‘lighter-weight’ sound, you should try the fast, clear, detailed, MT8’s – they are leagues better in every respect (they have more bass as well) yet share some analytical flat sonic signatures of the K550’s.

DESIGN : not only no sonic substance but the very flimsy headband is a joke – a weak thin piece of metal with no spring and little padding (the crown of your head will hurt even with a good head of hair). The clamping force is near zero. The adjusting swivels of the ‘cans’ are very stiff, so the cans need to be manually pressed into your head every-time you wear them to achieve a decent seal and correct angle of the ear-cups; this is kind of ok, but clamping force also maintains the ‘cans’ in a solid stationary position while the drive unit oscillates back and forth. The clamping force is so weak that a noticeable amount of bass is lost due to the cans not being held absolutely stationary – in fact vibrating inversely to the driver movements (applying light pressure to fix the cans in place helps enormously); the designer of the headband should be sacked – and this is after many years of complaints and now a MkIII version with no headband upgrade! Without doubt the weakest and most uncomfortable headband in the history of headphones, if AKG can do this – design it, test it, put it into production, MkI, MkII, MkIII, just wonder how bad the rest of the design is – it really is – and I’m including the sound, the tiny enclosures, arh I could go on for eternity, these headphones make me furious, never AKG for me again, never. The ear-cups are very large – totally over-ear though a downside is sound-focus is variable as they don’t centre in the same place on the ear every time. The pleather coating is very thin and delicate and I doubt would last long in a studio. The cans can swivel 90 degrees on their normal axis so they lay flat – which reduces some bulk when inserting in a bag, but the headband doesn’t fold inwards at an elbow like the Yamaha’s.

/

SCORING

I’ve spent a lot of time & thought weighing-up these scores days of back and forth fast A/B comparisons, etc, so compare the values carefully – they are not just plucked from the air (though are subjective – to my peculiar critical nature).

1- 10, higher the number the better; though NB I’ve gone higher, 11 indicates where there’s too much, an overdose, so 11 is actually a negative!

1st score : BODY (Power & Presence) / 2nd score : DETAIL (Speed & Accuracy)

Efficiency is how easy they are to drive. ‘5’ is on the limit of laptops and may require an extra headphone amp. Higher efficiency isn’t always a good thing, ‘lower’ efficiency or/and higher ohm resistance will result in a tighter faster response – but require more output sound-card/amp power.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MT5. . . . . . MT8 . . . . . . DT770 . . . . A990Z

High. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 / 9. . . . . .11 / 10 . . . .11 / 8 . . . . . 8 / 7 . . . . . (11 = can be too strong & fatiguing)

High-Mid. . . . . . . . 7 / 8. . . . . . 9 / 9. . . . . . 9 / 10. . . . . 8 / 6

Mid. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 / 8 . . . . . 11 / 9. . . . . 6 / 7 . . . . . . 5 / 7

Low . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 / 8 . . . . 7 / 9. . . . . . 9 / 7. . . . . . 11 / 5 . . . . . (indicative of the bass you will hear)

V.Low. . . . . . . . . . . 8 / 7 . . . . . 9 / 7 . . . . . . 9 / 6. . . . . . 9 / 5 . . . . . . (you wont often hear this frequency <45Hz)

Soundscape . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . 8

Stereo width. . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . 8. . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . 5

Efficiency. . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . 8

Isolation. . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . 9. . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . 5

Portability. . . . . . . .8 . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . . 3

Comfort. . . . . . . . . .8 . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . 7

/

CONCLUSION

I'm torn between the Yamaha MT5 and the MT8, they have similarities though are significantly different. For no fatigue 'listening-mastering' the MT5 (and being lighter are more portable ideal if you need to mix/master on the road), for 'critical inspectional mastering' the MT8. I can work with either, but if you are studio pro I suggest you get the MT8's for their greater clarity (studio pro's need, accept and adapt to emphasised clarity, whereas 'semi-pro-enthusiasts' might not - in which case MT5). The MT5 could be the same price as the MT8's, there's nothing cheap about them - including the detail, power and speed of the sound, they just offer a different (and less fatiguing) view.

If you are searching for the best overall headphones, ...they don't exist. There are excellent 'phones that vary in their sound and are optimised / useful for different purposes. You can pay around /$1000 for a set of headphones, but they will still have a slant to their sound, and you might even find they don't do the job you hoped. In the end, for professional studio use, you'll need two or three difference headphones to balance your sound between, though if you use monitor speakers you will appreciate the Yamaha HPH-MT5 and the brighter MT8 - they are from my experience as close as I can reasonably get to a full and exact rendition in a simple, no frills, portable and strong headphone.

EXTRA NUGGETS

Never choose headphones based on manufacturers' quoted frequency ranges, as this doesn't tell you the amplitude at those frequency extremes (i.e. they may reproduce 20Hz - but at a low volume and bass dependant on how close to your ear the driver is). There's much more to rating headphones than frequency graphs - which do show amplitude at various frequencies but don't reveal response speed, detail, timbre, depth, soundstage, instrument separation, etc. Most good headphones can reproduce a wide range of frequencies, sometimes those frequencies will be +6db above the 0db centre-line or even +10db, sometimes -6db below but even then you will still hear them and if presented with clarity may sound more present than 0db in another headphone. Just be careful of stated responses. If I say 'over 10kHz starts to fall away', don't be too alarmed, 15-20kHz will still be present and maybe super detailed; the spectrum doesn't just end. I know you'll still read manufacturer frequency response ranges, they may give a rough indication or they may be measurement manipulation for tactical sales.

For when your new headphones arrive

Audio processor sampling frequency : v.important - set to the Hz of your computer's output to the same as the source (or double for less high-freq filtration - more treble), so if the source is CD/YouTube use 44.1kHz (or 88.2kHZ for greater clarity), if film use 48kHz (or 96kHz for greater clarity). Bit depth, I recommend 24bit or if you have it, 32 bit float.

RUNNING-IN : I just purchased a second set of MT5's, so I had the luxury to directly compare brand-new for 'burnt-in'. The burnt-in MT5's are noticeably more open, fast and reveal more high freq detail, brand new MT5's may sound recessive in the highs, when burnt in for sure the highs while still slightly dark, brighten up and are near perfect.

I know this is debatable but these physically moving components need to work in, and I know this is even more debatable but even electrons need to temper the copper cables (even if it's oxygen-free and directional). Sound is physical even at the microscopic level. Yep I listen at 32bit 96+kHz - that's music I generate at those rates not just elevated DAC rates of inferior source rates.

AudioQuest recommends 150 hours burn-in for their headphones (they probably know what they are talking about!), in any case for most headphones I'd give them around 50hrs (yes that really is 12hrs per day for 4 days - or 6hrs per day for a week, at highish volume).

Place the cans either side of a pillow or turn outward so pressure waves are not fighting against each other, play at high-ish volume, long YouTube 'psybient mixes' will do the trick!

I would not critically evaluate any headphone until 50hrs of burn in, changes are not dramatic, but are noticeable and in the direction of improvement. If you hate a brand-new headphone - perhaps you will still hate it after burn in, though detail, space and freq response will improve, anyone who says this is untrue I personally would not trust their evaluations. Sonically they will change even though you might not want to believe it - actually even after 20hrs.

(NB this isn't a 'verified purchase' review as I ordered the black ear-cup limited edition of the DT770 80ohm; they are otherwise identical to the classic grey velour DT770's. Thought I'd post this review here also, cheers!)

 

I don’t always write reviews, but when I do the product must be really great 🙂 I bought 80ohm version and it’s awesome. Haven’t matched it yet with any AMP/DAC, but even without it’s just brilliant. I did test out m50x before going for these and in regards to sound quality is is quite close. On the other hand the dt770 are much more comfortable. Though I’d only suggest them if you keep them stationary at home or at work as they don’t fold and doesn’t have replaceable cable. Velour pads are just amazing and the size of cans can fit any ear.

Anyways, just take it for a spin against m50x and you won’t look back 🙂

 

Had these for over a year now, and Absolutely love them. Started out looking for a decent headset for PC Gaming use but at the time the Beyer MMX300’s were far too expensive. All the talk at the time that i found said the MMX300’s were DT 770 Pro’s with the extra mic, so I bought a Antlion Modmic4 to attach to the side to get the job done.

I’m using them with a Fiio E10 DAC day to day, but have had no issue using these 80ohm versions to listen to music from my phone when on long journeys. Sound is great for music or games, and as they are closed back they help keep out noise from people around you at LAN party’s

 

These are great, great headphones. I came from AKG K550’s, I fancied a different sound and looked around at Sennheiser HD650’s, AKG 702’s, Bayer 770’s, 880’s and 990’s. The 770’s seem to be the most loved headphones going so I thought I’d give them ago, for the price I paid; a shade under 112 I thought they were too good to pass up.

When I first got them I thought the bass was insane, coming from AKG, which seems to me to have a very high level of attack, much like the Naim Hi-FI I used to own (a sound I adore), I thought I’d made a mistake buying the 770’s. However after burning them in for about 100+ hours, they seemed to have calmed down a LOT. Maybe I’m just accustomed to them, but I am fairly sure the sound has matured and as a result sound fantastic.

I still think the mids are a tad recessed compared to AKG, but it’s all a matter of taste. I listen to a lot of rock, metal, jazz, soul & blues, quite a broad spectrum and they are well suited to all genres. I can tire of my AKG K550’s, as they really have a forward sound to them, the Bayers I can literally listen to all day and not tire of the sound.

I’ve currently got them paired with a Schiit Lyr 2 amp, Schiit Wyrd and I am using an iFi Nano iDSD for a DAC. I play only FLAC files 16/44 and higher. The 250 will play on a mobile phone or tablet, but not at a high level. I like my music loud and my little iFi Nano only has an output of 130mW which isn’t enough to really push the 770’s and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s got another 30-50mW or so more on a mobile phones power output.

I think my next pair of headphones will be the AKG 702’s, but I will definitely trial the Bayer T90’s if I ever decide to step it up a notch and get serious about a pair of ‘phones; if I don’t look into the 880’s or 990’s before then!

 

Well nothing quite prepared me for how these would sound !

It’s like standing at the front of a concert and been blasted !!! The sound is big and every instrument/Vocal can be picked out and nothing is hidden from you !! – You can hear the different resonances of the drums and the bass sounds like when you hear a bass at a concert. Vocals cut through naturally and guitars sound fantastic..

I have used these with an unamped Sony MP3 Walkman and listened to (MP3 320) Led Zeppelin II, Mazzy Star (so tonight), Nirvana (Nevermind, In utero), Queen (II,Night at the opera), Hendrix (Elec Ladyland), Air, Mercury Rev (Desrter’s songs) Kate Bush (kick inside) – All this type of music sounded stunning on these !!

Stunning !

I cannot recommend these enough !!! –

 

Music and, more importantly, sound quality is subjective to the listener therefore it is worthwhile explaining a little about my headphone/music history so that you may decide whether my experience will compare to yours. If you are a seasoned audiophile and you regularly use a set of Grado PS1000’s as part of your sound make-up, then you might not agree with everything in this review entirelly. However, if like me, you are not a seasoned audiophile or someone who has spent thousands on headphone equipment over the years and paying 130 for a set of headphones is seen as “pushing the boat out”, then this review may help is justifying your decision to do so. All of my previous earphone purchases have been floating around the 50 – 70 mark. I paid 60 for my current gaming headset (Sennheiser PC330) and my current portable in-ear earphones (Denon AH-C551). I mainly listen to music on my PC and I currently use a Fiio E10 DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter), which cost roughly 60 from Amazon. I mostly listen to rock music although I have quite a range of music genre’s across my 400GB music library, including electronic, dance, metal, rap, blues and hardstyle. Artists include Rammstein, AC/DC, Velvet Revolver, Metallica, Stereophonics, Snoop Dogg, Deadmau5 and Headhunterz.

So now on to the headphones themselves…

Comfort

Out of the box, the first thing that struck me was how comfy the soft, velour earpads looked. Coming from the Sennheiser PC330 “on-ear” headphones, the comfiness experienced by the Beyerdynamics was on a different level. The Beyerdynamics are considered “over-the-ear” headphones. This means that they completely envelope your ear and, at least in my case, your ear never actually touches the headphones (I would say I have bigger than average ears). The velour pads therefore clamp themselves against the side of your head although such is the softness of the pads, you would hardly notice them there. I have seen some reviews where people have complained of the headphones being too tight or uncomfortable. I don’t know how these could possibly be considered anything but extremely comfy.

Comfort Rating – 5/5

Build Quality

The earphones are built using a combination of metal, plastic and velour. The cans are made of plastic, although seem to be pretty sturdy. There are companies online that will replace the plastic cans with wooden ones, although I don’t quite understand why this is desirable. I would imagine wooden cans would add to the weight and therefore reduce how comfy they are but each to their own I suppose. The hinges which attach the cans to the headband are made of metal.

One of the great features of these headphones is that almost every part of the headphones can easily be replaced. You can buy spare parts from Beyerdynamics directly or even look around on Amazon/eBay. I think the headphones look extremely durable and I seem to be backed up by other reviews online (There seems to be quite a large number of reviewers who claim you could “through these down a hill” and they would still work. I’m not sure if throwing a set of DT 770’s down a hill has any benefits, but it is good to know that the option is always there!)

Build Quality – 4/5

Sound Quality

I must admit, when I first received these headphones, I did not have access to my PC therefore I plugged them into my Galaxy S3 and was slightly disappointed. Although the sound was “good”, it was pretty hard to justify spending 130 on. I hoped the improved sound from my Fiio E10 would make a difference. And it did….a whole lot.

Bass
Using Windows Media, I activated the TruBass enhancement and the bass response of the headphones almost blew me away. After a few hours of tinkering, I now have my media player set to WinAmp, I have customised the EQ a little (a little more emphasis on the bass) and have installed the Real Bass Exciter plug-in. I can honestly say that the only other times that I have heard (and felt) bass like this is when I have been at the front row of a rock concert. The really low frequecy basslines generate enough vibration within the earphones that it actually tickles your ears. COnsidering my ears never actually touch the earphones, that should give you an idea of just how explosive the bass can be. These are advertised as being able to re-produce sound as low as 5 Hz (much lower than the human ear can hear) and I honestly believe that. I had a 1000 watt amp and 12 inch subwoofer in my old car and even the bass there wasn’t comparable to these.

Mid Range
Even with my emphasis on the bass, I can still hear everything that is going on with the mid-range sounds. Vocals would normally fall in to this category and I can tell you that even though I am being blasted with extreme amounts of bass, the vocals manage to rise above this and are crisp and clear. I can honestly say that I have absolutely no negatives to describe on the mid-range sound quality.

High-End Range
I had read previous reviews where the high-end has been described as a little harsh. I have been trying to find this harsh sound ever since I started listening to the earphones and I have yet to find this. It could be that because I have came from my Sennheiser PC330 headphones, where the high end can be a little “screechy”, I am a little less sensitive to any “screeching” that the Beyers make. I could also be because I haven’t been able to listen to these headphones on full volume, mainly due to the fact that I enjoy not being deaf. Honestly, I have the volume on these sitting at around 70% and there are absolutely no faults with the high-end sound reproduction.

Sound Quality – 5/5

Overall

Overall, I’m going to give these headphones 5/5. Sure, nothing is perfect and if someone let me listen to their set of Ultrasone Edition 10 headphones, then my definition of perfection would likely change, but in the meantime, I am absolutely thrilled by the sound quality provided by these earphones. If I have any negatives, it would be the sound leakage. It isn’t a problem for me as I only use them for personal listening whilst in the house but if you wanted to use these in public, be prepared to let everyone else listen as well. On that note, these are also not very portable. They come with a 3 metre non-detachable lead so it would be very difficult to prevent yourself from tripping up on it. They aren’t marketed for being very portable though so if you buy them for that reason, then you really haven’t researched enough. It would be like buying a sub-woofer and a set of PA speakers and then complaing that they are quite difficult to carry around with you.

If, like me, you haven’t spent as much as 130 on a pair of earphones and are reluctant to do so, all I can say is that I was in the same position and I can categorically state that the sound reproduction on these has absolutely rekindled by love affair with music. Do you enjoy music? Do you enjoy listening to music? Do you need earphones and have a spare 130? Press the Buy Now button.