 "Combines all the strong points of other headphones I've used." | 2009-09-06 |
| - Reviewed By wrightanswer |
At last I've found the headphone that brings together the best qualities of other phones I've used, but with none of their weaknesses.
I used the Sony MDR 7506 for years and it has been wonderful for editing purposes, with exceptional detail. However, for listening/auditioning, it is too brittle. Enter the Audio Technica ATH-M50. This was the one I was told would be everything the Sony wasn't. Instead, I found a veil of bloated bass running across everything, swamping fine detail and merging instruments together. I preferred the Sony.
I went to Guitar Center, with a CD of music I know exceptionally well, to audition the Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. They didn't have it in stock. So rather than make a totally wasted trip, I asked to hear the Beyer DT770-Pro (80 ohms) that I saw on the shelf.
I was taken aback. Plenty of bass, seemingly without over-emphasis at any frequency when listening to bowed string instruments like the bass viole, and crisp but sweet detail with fast-attack plucked string instruments, plus the suggestion of a natural, untiring sound.
With a promise from the store that I could return them if they did not sound so fine when used over time with my Apogee Duet interface, I bought them.
I had no need to worry. After some extended use, these are indeed untiring to listen to - both sound and comfort are top notch. They do EVERYTHING I could wish for, providing the sensitivity, detail and separation I need for my music editing, but with with a beautifully-balanced sound for pure listening pleasure. They also complement my Focal M65 monitors very very well, whereas the other models mentioned contrasted too greatly.
Yes, they are a step up price-wise from the MDR7506 and M50, but this is no minor improvement. To my ears, the quality of the DT770-Pro is ahead of the others by a much greater margin than the price difference would suggest is possible. I promise you, I could not be happier or more impressed with the amount of improvement the extra outlay has provided.
I urge people looking to step up from the MDR7506 or M50 to go directly to this Beyer Dynamic model. Cleanly and classically styled, the build is strong and the headband cover is replaceable as well as the earpads, so these phones can be kept looking pristine for years to come. The straight cord is a big improvement over the MDR7506 coiled annoyance.
Ten out of ten, when used with a unit like the Apogee Duet or even straight out of a good quality CD player headphone socket. Powerful and refined, this is one of the best audio purchases I've ever made.
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| "So good that mine were stolen from me..." | 2009-06-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1SERTL7P12OOC |
| ...But I'll be buying a new pair. Nothing sounds as good as these, is as comfortable as these or makes you want to listen to music as much as these. What a phenomenal product. |
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| "Don't hesitate if you can find it under $200!" | 2009-03-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2QCJI9QAH6WJI |
For me headphones are a very personal sort of thing, so it's hard to rate or recommend it to other people. For me I wanted something with a decent sound stage, good bass, and a comfortable fit. These headphones have that.
These cans have completely changed they way I listen to music, I find myself listening to more and more classical music because it just sounds flat out amazing with these headphones. Rock, metal, and jazz sound equally impressive but be prepared to delete songs as these phones will bring light to shed upon your puny bitrates.
All in all I have to say these phones earn the following (1-5 scale):
Sound Quality (4.8) There's probably better out there but only if your willing to spend $6000 for a speaker setup or $400 for headphones.
Sound Leakage (5) These headphones leak very little sound and also help block outside sounds (like plane engines) very well.
Comfort (5) With their valor earcups (just like the soft bosom of Zap Brannigan's uniform) these headphones are comfortable enough to wear indefinitely! I also found the headband to be less invasive as on other headphones.
Portability (3) These headphones are a bit bulky and I'm not sure how they sound without an amp, I believe a ipod could give these enough juice to run, but I haven't tried it yet.
Value (5) If you can find these for under $200 used or new, the purchase is a no brainer, these are a must buy if you can afford them!
Overall score: 4.5
These are amazing headphones, if you can find them for under $200 buy them immediately if you can't then save up the extra cash and buy them anyway! Overall I am very impressed with them!
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 "DT770's vs. Grado SR80s..I know, not a fair fight, but..." | 2009-02-17 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1VTE3FEEMH2II |
First saw these in a recording booth when doing a voiceover. They sounded great with the human voice, but wanted to see how they sounded with music. I'd just bought a pair of Grado SR80s and thought I was happy with them. Lacked a little bass, but loved the brightness of sound. Put these Beyers on in a Guitar Center, and fell hard for them. The bass is there to support the music I listen to, from Ludacris to Dexter Gordon to Peter Garbriel's Passion. The brightness cannot compare to Grado's sound. The open backs of the Grados make everything sound very live and close. But the Beyers sound very warm--not overly bright--but warm. And the low end is very supported, without getting mushy, if that makes sense. If you tend solely towards accoustic and classical, and with older pre 50's jazz, the Grado's may be more for you. But if you listen to all of that, as well as more contemporary dance, rap, ambient--anything where the bass needs to be a part of the experience without being too boomy, the DT770s are, IMHO , a better all around headphone, able to handle more diverse sounds with ease. I've listened to Grados, Sennheisers, and Beyers. I know there are other brands that are highly regarded, but those are my three favorites, and really these Beyers are the best for the price point at which they sit. The Grado 325s are probably my favorites of all of them, but cost a bit much for me. The Grados also leak so much sound (a huge part of what makes them so wonderfully bright) that I can't really listen to them in a public place. That made the decision easier for me. DT770's are worth the cash, and you will love them. I only dropped the last star because I so want the high end to be more Grado-like, but that's the tradeoff for a closed back phone.
Almost forgot. Tested the Grados and the Beyers using a Headroom Total Bithead amp, running from my MacBook. Both do well without the amp, but I think the Beyers perform just a little better when helped with an amp. |
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| "Really great overall sounding headphones" | 2009-01-14 |
| - Reviewed By User: A7HUAW8U94418 |
I bought these a year ago(80ohm) while looking for headphones I could use at home and take with me when I traveled. I demoed a few others before settling on this particular can.
I listened to the Grado SR225 since my taste in music is eclectic but I valued detail and a natural and wide soundstage. The grados were good with the detail but did lack some bass when I played some of my R&B or rap music but the highend detail was phenomenal. I also remember trying a pair of ultrasones but I can't remember which model. They are the ones that are all shinny silver...they were not good at all. Very bright, harsh and muddy in the mids. I even ventured to the bose QC1s since I would be using these headphones for travel too. The QC1s were good for detail but their was enough noticeable distortion in the mids and the overall sound while listening to Led Zeppelin's 'stairway to heaven' was muddy. In addition, that noticeable pressure in your ear from the noise-cancellation was annoying.
Overall, these came out the bast just plugging straight into my ipod. The sound is very natural and articulate enough that you can distinguish depth with the music. The bass is great and full. I will echo the other reviewers that this headphone does an impeccable job recreating the recordings accurately. I often have used these headphones while helping me fall asleep with the volume turned low and noticed that the depth and clarity is still prevalent, similliar to good home theater, which I also enjoy. For you home theater people, these headphones sound like mini-versions of my B&W 603s with a rotel amp. Probably not as clear and rich but pretty close. Nonetheless, the sound is similar in approach. |
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| "My search ended here. " | 2008-11-17 |
| - Reviewed By golden108 |
I wanted something that would be sweet, tight, detailed, and accurate across the frequency range, something I could use in the studio, but also with an iPod/laptop without extra amplification, and I wanted at least a respectable level of sound isolation (keep outside sound out, my sound in). Some would say that list of demands is impossible, I say those people haven't checked these out.
After testing dozens of nice so called "pro" headphones with my iPod Nano I was starting to think I was just going to have to make some compromises. Then I plugged these in, the clouds parted, a beam of sunlight shone down from above, and angels began singing.
A conga player can hear his drum plus the sound of his fingers on it sometimes when he plays, why shouldn't you when you play it back? If a singer stomps their foot on the stage, they heard it, shouldn't you get to? The answer is hell yes. Just exquisite texture....strings, vocals (oh my god), horns....the puff of a kick drum...plucked deep base notes...
I could go on but but let me just summarize and say that -unamplified- these headphones will make you wet your pants. I'm not kidding. Hard to get better. At this level any arguable upward increment in sound quality is going to cost you considerably and tie you to a chair in front of a shelf mounted amplifier.
I recommend these with no reservation. If you want the very best sound you can possibly get out of an iPod or similar source your search is over. The coolest thing is that these are truly great for everything.
Tip: For those who may not know, I'm talking about the 80ohm version, the 250ohm version of the same model must be plugged into an amp. |
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