beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO, 250 Ohm, Open Back, Over Ear, Wired Professional Studio Headphones, Mixing, Music Production, Editing, Audiophile, 3m Coiled Cable, Black with Grey Velour Ear Pads

My qualifications: good ears. I am NOT an electrical engineer, audio engineer, expert or wealthy audiophile. I AM an experienced audio technician and someone who enjoys quality sound design in media. I've personally owned AKG K240 open backs, and Audio-Technica ATH-M50/M30/M20 closed backs. I've also used many other headphones from Sony, DT, AT, AKG, Sennheiser etc over the years, and sold them in my capacity working for a dealer. These DT 990s are all around great cans. I have the 250 ohm and I'm driving them with a Focusrite 18i20 interface. If you order the 250 ohm, you will want a headphone amp to drive them. Doesn't have to be crazy expensive unless you want it to be - $30 or 40 from any reputable brand. Pros: + Plush velour pads, high build quality, comfy headband for my big skull, good looking + A high end that can be described only as "silky", and a very tight, springy low end + Extremely detailed and spacious sounding due to open back design and quality of drivers + Non-fatiguing midrange + The frequency response feels, to my ears, somewhat less analytical and more musical than the M50s + At this price point we're firmly into "not cheap" territory, and these outperform more expensive cans Cons: - No detachable cable: if it breaks you need to disassemble it to repair the cans - Headband could actually be a little bigger for my big skull They are open back headphones so sound leaks freely in and out. I would not use these INSTEAD OF closed back headphones; I would choose based on the situation - am I tracking, listening casually, mixing, on the bus, etc. If you have a box unit AC running in your window you will hear it through these. You will not hear it very much through M50s. I have used the DT 770s and intended to buy them, but the 990s were on sale for $10 more so here we are. It's been a while since I used the 770s so I can't offer an A/B comparison but these are my favorite headphones I've ever used, so consider that my endorsement.

I’m by no means an audiophile, but I do care about all forms of digital consumption enough to make an investment in a good pair of headphones. I usually categorize my headphones based on needs and wants. For example, I use Sony Hear Ons as “lifestyle” headphones because of the Bluetooth capabilities and its portability. I also have the AKG K553’s as my “reference” headphones for editing. My goals for my next pair is something I could use with my desk setup for studio use as my daily headphone. After reading a plethora of head-fi posts and watching multiple YouTube reviews, my search led to the Beyerdynamic DT990 pros and to this day I can’t get enough of them. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect it to be a premium headphone due to the fact that it’s made almost entirely out of plastic except for the headband and the arms connecting it to the ear cups. The headband is wrapped with a soft layer of fake leather, which can attach and detach with a few clasp buttons. Don’t let the nearly plastic design fool you because it’s pretty high-quality polymer plastic and the build itself is solid. In most cases, it’s actually a good thing because it makes for a lighter headphone, perfect for long uses. The adjustments aren’t as smooth as an all-metal design, but it works fine and can extend to fit almost any head. The cable is coiled and runs around 3 meters ending in a gold-plated 3.5 mm jack. It also comes with a screw on 1/4 inch adapter, which is also gold-plated. Beyerdynamic is known for their velour ear pads and they’re probably the best part aside from the sound. It has a plush and smooth feeling unlike any other. The clamping force is somewhat tight, but I got used to it pretty fast. Some people might be concerned about the whole velour vs pleather thing and based on the performance and comfort I wouldn’t worry about that. Just to clarify, velour is known to be more open with less isolation compared to pleather. It’s also known to be harder to keep clean (can get dusty) simply due to the nature of the material itself. In terms of sound, I actually prefer the more open soundstage, which makes sense since it’s already an open-backed design. If you’re worried about cleanliness just make sure you wipe it often and try not to use it if you’re super sweaty from the gym or anything like that. Judgement on looks is subjective, but the comfort is out of the question. Given the light-weight form factor and velour pads, I found the DT 990 pros to be cloud-like even after hours of usage. Now for the good part, the sound quality. As previously stated, I’m no audiophile, but I have to say that these headphones are no joke. I’m pretty basic so I listen to most mainstream music (EDM, Hip-Hop, Chillstep, etc.) on Spotify, I watch plenty of YouTube, and I also watch a bunch of TV shows and movies on Netflix on my MacBook Pro. I also use these when I game on my PS4 Pro. With these factors for reference, I found these headphones to be my best audio investment yet. The bass is definitely prominent especially for an open back design without being too overpowering. It’s actually the biggest factor as to why I decided on buying these because I was looking for an open back headphone with good bass, which led me to the DT 990’s in the first place because they’re known to be great with both features. Between the Pros and the Premiums, a bit of research led me to conclude that the Pros had slightly more bass, which I prefer. The mids have a lot of detail but don’t shine as much. The highs are incredibly clear but can get a bit too bright for my taste. Sometimes it’ll result in a slight ear piercing sensation depending on what I’m listening too, but your mileage may vary. The soundstage is wide and gives a great representation of spatial cues resulting in an accurate listening experience. The 250 Ohm model is the sweet spot out of the three, but make sure you have a good amp to power them. Personally, I use the Behringer AMP800 Four Channel Headphone Amp and it works great. I tried connecting it to my iPhone for comparison and it’s still listenable, but you’ll have to max out the volume. I’ve had my DT 990’s for over two years now and it definitely stands the test of time. Unless you have a bunch of money to spend on something like a pair of Sennheiser HD800’s, there’s really no need to look any further when presented with great value. The price is just right even for the average consumer and offers professional grade quality. Having crystal clear audio isn’t hard to get, but when making an investment it’s important to read the fine print and research all the opinions. With the DT 990’s I can truly enjoy all digital content and I’m confident that you will too.

Suono storico che con questa edizione limitata diventa anche più versatile. Le 990 le utilizzo in momenti di urgenza, in viaggio, quando non sono in studio e ho bisogno di consegnare un primo mix, e voglio che almeno suoni piacevole. Non sono delle spade per quanto riguarda gli ambienti e gli attacchi dei suoni, ma con questa nuova impedenza, ad alcuni volumi diventano uno standard sul quale fare affidamento. Le utilizzo sempre e dico sempre, come prima fase di mix e come termine di paragone nelle ultime fasi del mastering. Non sostituiscono l'imprevedibilità sonora dei monitor, sono cuffie e dicono tutto in modo netto, direttamente sulle nostre orecchie. Come qualsiasi tool per chi fa musica, bisogna abituarsi ai loro difetti e imparare a tradurre il loro suono, come si farebbe con qualsiasi altro mezzo di ascolto. Intonatissime e con un ampio palcoscenico sonoro, io le porto sempre con me.

Cool and clear sound for recording andmixing music in studio

Le uso ormai da più di un anno in modo praticamente ininterrotto e non ho mai avuto un solo ripensamento. Comodità top, le indossi per ore senza affaticarti, e il sound è davvero impressionante: dettagli nitidi, scena ampia, bassi presenti ma mai esagerati. Si sente che sono fatte in Germania, materiali solidi e zero scricchiolii. Per mixaggio o anche solo per ascoltare musica come si deve, per me restano una scelta sicura.

Okay so I started researching headphones a while ago and being new to the whole "how much for those cans??!!" market, I was sceptical of how much of a difference they would make and nervous about which ones to get. Short review line is, these are excellent. Job done, you can go now. Not satisfied? Well I've tested them out against my 5.1 Logitech z906 speakers which are running on an optical connection (worth noting that the DT990s are running from a Creative Labs G5 dac). In games the bass on the headphones is incredible. Cannon fire in World of Warships woke me up and not because it was loud but just because I'd never heard such a boom before. I've also been testing this on music (not an audiophile so bear with me here) and having just ran Masterchef Synesthesiaby by Swede Mason through both, one after the other, the sound was distinctive. I get why people say these cans aren't for bass heads after this test, not that it's from a lack of bass on the cans but because it's airy. The speakers delivered a wall of sound which I felt as much as heard and the result was the bass was powerful but messy. I couldn't tell one bass line from another. With the DT990s I can tell which bass line is doing what without any effort whatsoever but it doesn't assault my head with a rumble designed to make soup of my brain (that's both an advantage and a disadvantage in my book). I can say however that the bass isn't lacking. Spread Your Love doesn't have quite the dirty bass I'm used to. Keine Lust comes through nice and punchy (as I've just found out, ensure you have that dac set to direct audio or you're wasting the potential of these cans) but unlike most headphones, iems and speakers I've tried this track on, I can separate the guitars perfectly, even in the busy chorus. Now, for build quality, these feel excellent. I've broken many headsets in my time and the only ones to last have been a pair of Sennheiser PC323Ds which these DT990s are replacing. I've got confidence that these cans will last a good long while. They're solid and feel like they're going to be heavy but really aren't when they're on your head. As for fit, I have an inordinately large cranium (stop giggling!) and they fit fine. Firm clamping force fresh out of the box. Nothing uncomfortable. Does feel a little warm around my head but I'm more of a cold weather guy and it's been up to 26c in front of my pc the last couple of nights so I'm putting it down to that. Accessories wise, you get the necessary and no more. The jack adaptor seems robust and well made (the threads on the screw joint into the 3.5mm work fine, which is usually the test of a decent engineer), the bag is nothing special and there's nothing else in the box. If you like rock music from System of a Down to AC/DC and Queen Adreena, I'd say you can buy with confidence. As a parting note, I'm listening to Midlife Crysis by Faith no More as I write this and not only am I finding new pieces of the music that I can enjoy, the bass is there like I've never heard before. It's no longer a background of continual growl without much rhythm but specific notes! I am very impressed with these cans (as you can probably tell). Now all I'm left wondering at is what you'd get for the £2k cans and above? If this is the lower end of the range then call me a philistine and leave me happy here.

Just received these this afternoon. I already own Amirons, DT 880s and DT 770s and Grado SR80s. I’m not a fan of Sennheiser, so anyone who is familiar with both Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser headphones will appreciate that this is a subjective review by someone who likes Beyerdynamic’s house sound. This review is my assessment of them purely for home use. There are obviously loads of reviews of the 990s on the internet, and although very popular they obviously divide opinion. I shan’t make out that these are for everybody, but I’ll add my three pennies worth here which might cut through the superlative laden ayes and the damning nays and help some people to make up their minds on whether or not to buy a pair (I dithered for far too long). When I was in my early twenties I might have found the Beyerdynamic sound too bright and analytical, but back then I could hear frequencies up to 20khz; not so now, at 63 my hearing tops out just under 14khz, so maybe this accounts for my later-in-life infatuation with the Beyerdynamic sound. Though I like most forms of music, the bulk of my collection veers towards acoustic music - classical, jazz etc - there’s also a fair bit of dub reggae, rock, EDM and so on (so, it’s basically Prince Far-I to Schubert, Aphex Twin to CSNY, Thelonious Monk to Joni Mitchell, Public Enermy to Spirit, Poppy Ackroyd to Bob Dylan - catholic, essentially). I’ve only had a few hours to make comparisons (Bill Withers, Thelonious Monk, Radio 3, Bill Charlap, Heart of the Congos, Lana Del Rey), but I think this has given me adequate opportunity to make a pretty accurate judgement of the characteristics and comparative merits of the 990s. I’ve been listening to them mainly through a Little Dot Mk 2 with a combination of Novosibirsk and Mullard 8100 valves (sourcing from a Cyrus Cd and Cyrus 8 DAC amplifier). I’m delighted with the 990s. They are neither shriekingly sibilant nor either lacking or over-endowed with bass. Compared to the other headphones that I own I would say that the 990s are nearest in sound to the 880s. Indeed, I think that they are very near sound-wise. The 880s are marginally more polished, but the difference (to my ears at least) is subtle rather than dramatic. I would suggest that the 990s are very good, cheaper alternatives to the 880s. The 880s clamp the head noticeably more lightly than the 990s, but the 990s are more secure on the head. Sound leakage is similar in both, so neither are good for listening to next to your sleeping partner (who hates going off to music and especially hates jazz) in bed unless you want a poke in the ribs. For this I have the 770s, which have a somewhat “fuller” or “fatter” sound than the other two. Leakage on the 770s is minimal at low to modest volumes. The Amirons (Homes) are, to my mind, decidedly more “musical” or “liquid” sounding headphones, very enjoyable for extended listening and very revealing, in comparison with those I would describe the 990s and 880s as rather “analytical” sounding and the 770s are somewhat “dryer” (I hope describing their sound as both “dryer” and “fatter” doesn’t sound like a contradiction in terms but I can’t immediately think of a better words to describe the sound). However, they’re all good and all have what you might call a “house sound” (i.e. a Beyerdynamic sound), although the Amirons depart furthest from this sound (which isn’t really very far at all) while the others might all be considered even more typical. The Amirons have a fuller, certainly pleasant and, I would say, slightly coloured bass by comparison, the bass on the 880s and 990s is leaner and, as far as I am qualified to judge, seemingly more accurate. Some people say that they both lack bass, but I don’t think this it true, it is most certainly there when it’s there! It may be that those who think they lack bass are listening to these headphones without suitable amplification. As goes the 770s, I’d say that their bass - in terms of weight - lies in the middle here, it is perfectly good but it is neither as accurate as on the 880s and 990s nor as pleasurable as on the Amirons. Sound stage is best, and very similar, on the 990s, 880s and Amirons. I wouldn’t say that there is any vastly significant difference here between these three headphones. The 770s, being closed-back, are noticeably more “closed-in” in terms of soundstage but, in terms of closed-back headphones per se they’re actually really rather good in this area; I’ve certainly not encountered a closed-back pair that are better (or indeed any other closed-back pair that I can actually bear - I personally much prefer open-back designs, for me the 770s are exceptions in this department). The 1770s may well be better, but I’m not about to fork out several hundred pounds more for those when I use closed-back headphones mostly for listening in bed via the headphone output of a Roberts radio. As regards comparison with the Grado SR 80s, the 990s and 880s are decidedly superior sounding, with the Grados sounding rather rough and uncouth by comparison (though this isn’t helped by the Grados comfort levels which are simply not in the same league - half an hour with Grado SR80 ear pads is sheer torture; consequently I’ve replaced them with Sennheiser HD414 ear pads which improbably (as, apart from being yellow, they don’t seem materially that different from the Grado pads) improve matters a fair bit and don’t noticeably change the SR80s sound). The Grados do sound more bassy, but this is definitely a matter of quantity rather than quality. Build quality on the Grado SR80s is also markedly inferior to that of the Beyerdynamics. I would retire the Grados at this point, but their 32 Ohm impedance makes them useful. They’re good fun, but they’re not good for extended listening sessions. The 990s and 880s with their 250 Ohm impedance definitely need amplification. I use a couple of Little Dot Mk 2s. The Amirons have the same impedance but are significantly more sensitive. For unamplified use I find the 770s a better match with their 80 Ohm impedance (they certainly work well with most Roberts radios of recent years, Roberts seem to have pretty good headphone circuits on their radios). Summing up, I think that the 990s are fantastic value for money (the Amiron Homes, which I love, are perhaps a clear case of diminishing returns by comparison). If you’re thinking of buying a pair of Beyerdynamics, want open-backed headphones, fancy the 880s from all you’ve read, but feel that the 880s are a stretch for you financially, then I think you’d be missing very little with the 990s in terms of sound). Originally, I had thought of purchasing Beyerdynamic’s new DT900 X headphones, but - reading the reviews, and knowing how much I already liked the sound of the 880s and 770s - I thought I’d save myself some money and get something that might not sound so hugely different for half the price and, beyond that, I actually prefer the look of the 990s. I don’t rule out considering the new series in future, but for now I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything that would be game-changing, although I admit I’m curious. As I have found repeatedly, however wild the superlatives I encounter in the reviews the actual differences between the last and the latest model of a particular piece of hifi is more often than not a matter of nuance. Whatever way you cut it, comparing the 990s with the highly regarded and (to me) very similar sounding 880s and the more refined, more relaxed, but four or five times more expensive Amiron Homes, they are still very good sounding headphones and first class value for money - assuming, like me, you like the Beyerdynamic sound. If you’re a Sennheiser fan you’d probably be barking up the wrong tree (but you know that already) and, if you’re a Beats fan, then presumably you’re already stone deaf. And then again, as goes highly regarded budget headphones, I reckon they knock the Grado SR80s into a cocked hat. But not everyone would agree with me. Anyway, I hope all that helps. Update, 28/1/22. I’ve now spent some more time listening to the 990s on a Little Dot Mk 2 with a combination of Novosibirsk and Radio Technique valves (sourcing from a Naim CD5 via a Rega Elex R). The Radio Technique valves are very similar to the Mullard 8100s I used at the top of this piece. Continued close listening has only confirmed my sense of how good these headphones are. On further consideration, with this set up, I’d say their sound signature lies between that of the 880s and the Amirons. I’d say they sound slightly “weightier” than the 880s and that the Amirons are a bit more so, but the differences here are more subtle than seismic. On careful comparison, after a few hours of listening, my overwhelming sense at this point is that, if you like open-backed headphones, like the Beyerdynamic sound and have a hankering for a pair of Amirons but either can’t afford them or can’t justify the expense, then you really wouldn’t be missing very much at all by just settling for a pair of 990s. By comparison they are a real bargain and, I think, in absolute terms they are quite simply one of the best bargains there is on the headphone market. One further point, on comfort, although the 990s have more clamping force on the head, I actually find them more comfortable than the Amirons as they fit my head better. Finally, as anyone who has read this far has already probably figured out, it has cost me quite a lot to reach my conclusions here. I think I have a reasonable sense of humour, but if you’re an audiophile sceptic then I guess I can understand why you may feel you’re getting the last laugh! I’m glad I own the Amirons, they are very nice headphones, but if I could only have one pair I must admit that I’d very happily settle for the 990s. Postscript, 31/1/22. On further reflection, it’s very good having several headphones all sharing a general character that I like, but each a little different from the others. Different music works best on certain headphones (for instance, listening to Beatrice Rana’s performance of the Goldberg Variations this morning I much prefer the rendition of her piano’s sound through the Amirons to that of the 770s (the piano sounding decidedly more lifelike through the Amirons), whereas with Thelonious Monk’s It’s Monk’s Time the difference is less obvious and, if anything, I’d say I actually prefer the 770s with their greater attack. But, different music is not all: different recordings, different source equipment, different mood of the listener ... however, it’s very quick and easy to change between modestly priced headphones during a listening session in order to optimise your listening experience (something you can’t readily do with expensive speakers, amplifiers, cartridges and so on).