Beyerdynamic - DT - 880 Edition - Headphones, 32 Ohm

BeyerDynamic DT 880 Pro (Black 250 ohm Edition11:42 AM 1/19/2021Well, this is embarrassing. The review of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 below needs to be revisited. I discovered two flaws. One with the 'phones and one with my perception. I can't do a full redo, but I need to point out the mechanacal flaw in the machining of the adapter. I was doing some comparisons of the Shure SRH 1840 and the DT 880 when I happened to slightly torque the adapter of the DT 880 while it was plugged in and audio was playing. Something dramatic happened. It took some time to determine the adapter was allowing both the right and left channel to connect together inside the adapter. This results in mono and a difficult load for the amp as the channels are now connected together. The ... MoreBeyerDynamic DT 880 Pro (Black 250 ohm Edition11:42 AM 1/19/2021Well, this is embarrassing. The review of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 below needs to be revisited. I discovered two flaws. One with the 'phones and one with my perception. I can't do a full redo, but I need to point out the mechanacal flaw in the machining of the adapter. I was doing some comparisons of the Shure SRH 1840 and the DT 880 when I happened to slightly torque the adapter of the DT 880 while it was plugged in and audio was playing. Something dramatic happened. It took some time to determine the adapter was allowing both the right and left channel to connect together inside the adapter. This results in mono and a difficult load for the amp as the channels are now connected together. The temporary fix is to slightly unscrew the adapter. This is poor quality of an apparently simple part, the 'phones are very different now. I am really embarrassed that I did not recognize the sound was mono. It is entirely possible the Cavelli Tube Hybrid was shutting down due to the short between channels. I'll redo the listening test when I can, but wanted to get this out here as soon as possible.Scott11:43 AM 1/20/2021Tested the DT 880's with the Cavelli Tube Hybrid last night with some dynamic classical music. There were no problems driving the 'phones by the amp with the short removed. So, the problem was not the high impedance at all. I am pleased that both Cavelli amps behaved well with a shorted output. This could have caused permanent damage.ScottOriginal comments:The friendly robot at Drop has asked me to write a review of my recent purchase of the Beyer Dynamic DT 880 Pro (Black 250 ohm Edition) headphones. Here is my opinion of them so far with about seven hours of listening.In summary I like them. They have good bass that makes it easy to follow bass lines in jazz and feel the power of electric bass in pop and rock. There was enough detail in vocals to hear the many layers of production added to a singer’s performance or to enjoy a singer’s performance without those layers. They are built really well and I enjoy knowing that they are made in Germany. I heard some great music with them including rock and jazz. A jazz piece had a cello solo in it (Wayne Shorter, alegria) that was truly magic. Chrissie Hynde's vocal on Hollywood Perfume was a marvel of production layers the DT 880's resolved with ease. A compilation of Eric Clapton with tracks from Cream and his later solo work was so good I kept listening long after auditioning one track on it. However, if I was to own only one pair of 'phones, I am not sure I would choose these for all around use.My history with headphones is very long, but frankly not critical. They were tools I used as an announcer and as a broadcast engineer. My audiophile pursuits date back to the dawn of stereo, but headphones did not rise to audiophile performance until recently and it is a great way to pursue the goal of high fidelity in a more compact and less expensive form.I use one of two Cavelli amps once available from Drop, either the Tube Hybrid or the all solid state LCX. They were driven with the same transport, DAC and preamp as my stereo. The stereo has large 12 " two way DIY speakers with large format horns on top. They measure nearly flat across the band covered by the horns, but are pretty ragged in the bass, which is due in part to room acoustics.I mention the stereo system as it provides some reference point. My usual headphones, Shure SRH 1840's are very close to the frequency response of the horns and somewhat better in the bass, except the woofers can shake floors, the 'phones don't. Smile. The DT 880's do not match the horns, but have much better bass response that allows following the bass lines up and down scale. The DT 880's seem a little darker with a sense of greater distance to the musicians than the SRH 1840's and neither 'phone comes close to the sound stage of the speakers.I preferred using the solid state Cavelli LCX for my listening as it benefits the Shure's in the bass. The beyers's needed no help. I should note the Beyers required far more gain from the Cavelli and I tried to match levels and remain aware that a louder headphone will sound "better".After I wrote this, I switched to the Tube Hybrid with the Beyers and it shut down several times until I gave up and went back to the Cavelli LCX. This is likely due to the 250 ohm impedance of the Beyer headphones. The Beyers also caused my computer audio interface to clip on strong bass, too.With seven decades on my ears, the highs I perceive are ... um ... weak. But the Shure were better with wire brushes on drums and with cymbals, too. With my hearing loss, I know when I hear really great highs that are way out in front on any system it means they are hyped if I can hear them that well. Neither the Shure or Byers were too forward in the treble range to my ears.A Telarc recording of Oscar Peterson and Milt Jackson pointed up one difference I had not noticed at first. The Shure could place instruments outside the headphones, the Beyre stayed just at the edge and not outside. The Shure has an open back, while the Beyers are "semi-open". Perhaps that accounts for the difference in sound stage.I could live with either of these models for music, but I think the DT 880's will be the ones for rock and the Shures for jazz and classical unless I get that craving for bass on something like the Telarc Appalachian Spring recording with a real thunderstorm. One last item to mention is the DT 880's heft. Slightly heavy with some clamping pressure, but not so uncomfortable as I fell asleep listening to music with them twice. Now that is real relaxation. The Shures are more comfortable. Note the Shures are three times the Drop price for the Beyers and the Beyers become a good choice. If you can hear them before purchase, by all means do so. Personal preference counts.

I went a bit crazy buying headphones recently. I'm just a fan though, don't mistake me for someone who knows anything.My at the office pair is now the Beyerdynamic DT770 (closed back, 80 ohm). For me the DT880 Premiums (250 ohm) are a noticeable improvement, from the better headband (❤), softer pads, and a generally more relaxing sound. These wouldn't be as good for the office though, due to their open backs and higher resistance (not great on a Schiit Fulla). At home I have a Schiit Magni AMP paired with an SMSL M100 DAC, and it's an extremely pleasant listening experience.I'm going to need many more hours with these, but they definitely deserve to play ball with the other great value Massdrop headphones.Compared to other cans:My previous work pair was an ... MoreI went a bit crazy buying headphones recently. I'm just a fan though, don't mistake me for someone who knows anything.My at the office pair is now the Beyerdynamic DT770 (closed back, 80 ohm). For me the DT880 Premiums (250 ohm) are a noticeable improvement, from the better headband (❤), softer pads, and a generally more relaxing sound. These wouldn't be as good for the office though, due to their open backs and higher resistance (not great on a Schiit Fulla). At home I have a Schiit Magni AMP paired with an SMSL M100 DAC, and it's an extremely pleasant listening experience.I'm going to need many more hours with these, but they definitely deserve to play ball with the other great value Massdrop headphones.Compared to other cans:My previous work pair was an original AudioTechnica ATH-M50 with new pads. These I found to be too warm, and I'm liking not sweating to death in the office thanks to the DT770's. A good pair, but I'm feeling myself preferring my new cans.Today got the Sennheiser 6XX's. I'm going to need more time with both to pick a preference. Both have excellent sound. Between the two, I feel like I might be able to work longer in the DT880's, due to the looser head clamping pressure, but so far I've only really noticed the clamping once I remove them. Hearing them side by side, I could go either way (it might be song dependent). Today I think I'd give a slight edge to the DT880's, but that's probably because I'm used to them, and it might not be fair once I can go balanced with the 6XX's. I like both!Hifiman 4XX's were my first new pair, and are also my first planar magnetic headphone. By recommendation I swapped the pads for a Hybrid pad sold here on Massdrop, and dang, it really upped the comfort. Stock I would say the DT880's are more comfortable, but with new pads the Hifiman takes the comfort lead. There's a precision to the DT880's I think I like better, but the Hifiman are really great. I'm curious what sort of improvement balanced will make.I wanted some good mixing/mastering headphones, and I'm honestly torn between the DT880's and the 6XX's, which is exactly where I wanted to be. I could survive just fine with only one of them.What I've learned: Good headphones are good, and PC's/phones ship with terrible DAC+AMP's.

I have been enjoying audio nirvana for almost 10 days now since I received these headphones, so I guessed as well I would write a review, if it can help other people join the club.Let me summarize my recent portable audio set-up, to give you an idea of where I come from:Fiio X3 and later X5 with Grado GR10iPhone 7 Plus (VOX app) + DragonFly Black + Shure SE-215 and more recently Noble Audio X (yes, also from Massdrop)I think I am getting a glimpse via this set-up of what hi-fi (some might call it mid-fi instead) should sound like, so I guessed: why not take a chance and try to get a similar hi-fi sound at home, too?To that purpose, I have been actively reading online reviews recently, and I made my mind to try the following combination: Beyer DT 880 + Schiit ... MoreI have been enjoying audio nirvana for almost 10 days now since I received these headphones, so I guessed as well I would write a review, if it can help other people join the club.Let me summarize my recent portable audio set-up, to give you an idea of where I come from:Fiio X3 and later X5 with Grado GR10iPhone 7 Plus (VOX app) + DragonFly Black + Shure SE-215 and more recently Noble Audio X (yes, also from Massdrop)I think I am getting a glimpse via this set-up of what hi-fi (some might call it mid-fi instead) should sound like, so I guessed: why not take a chance and try to get a similar hi-fi sound at home, too?To that purpose, I have been actively reading online reviews recently, and I made my mind to try the following combination: Beyer DT 880 + Schiit Modi + Magni. So I was very happy to see the drop on the DT 880 here.Last week I received the DAC & amp + the headphones (all in the same shipment from myUS), and I could not wait to check whether the performance of the headphones and the amp lived up to the hype.So what’s the verdict? In one (composite) word: mind-blowing!I am in all honesty struggling to believe that by investing barely USD 400 I can enjoy such audio quality. And, while I am sure TOTL Beyer T1 and any fancy amp would improve the fidelity, I am honestly starting to wonder whether the price difference would be (remotely) worth it.Let’s summarize my in-house set-up: the same iPhone 7 with my entire FLAC library plugged (via the clunky Apple camera adapter) into the USB entry of the DAC (never remember which one of the Modi and Magni is the DAC / amp, sorry), which is powered separately via the other USB entry. The DAC output is plugged to the amp via a typical and not particularly fancy red / white analog cable, and the DT 880 plugged straight into the amp. Since I plumped for the 600 ohm version, I am using the high gain setting (lever up), and I am enjoying blissfully clear and loud sound without even approaching the 25% gauge on the volume wheel.While no expert at all at the split between sound frequencies and these kinds of technical details, let me try and provide some clarification from a layman pespective:You may have heard that the 880s are ‘clinical’, ´neutral’ sounding. Not sure what this should mean as sound signature, but let me assure you: the sound I am getting is by no means artificial or robotic sounding. It is quite warm, and in one word, simply crystal-clear and amazing.I am maybe most impressed with the bass. I do not think I had heard precise bass before, and it is very satisfying: not boomy at all, but full of impact (and, when requested for, well accompanied by sub-bass). I can only wonder what the 990 will sound like, if they are roughly the same but boosted on the bass. For me, no need for boosting whatsoever...I can understand that these cans are considered to be ‘on the bright side’, a little more treble-oriented than mid-centric. Indeed, when I compare with the Noble Xs, vocals tend to sound sexier and slightly more present in the mix than with the Beyers, but at the price of increased detail in the latter. The pairing with the Schiit might also not be ideal in that sense, and in the future I may be tempted to try some tube amps for their (purported) warmer signature: never tried them yet! (fledgling and aspiring audiophile that I am...).Finally, a note on the open back (also a first for me): it is not really that isolation is non-existent, or that the whole house will be listening to your music in tandem with you. While of course a reasonably quiet environment is required to take advantage of the sound quality, while music is playing you will not be able to hear most noises around you, and the volume of music ‘bleeding’ outside is relatively low (at least at the volume levels I have been using). And yes, the soundstage (or head-stage) is increased, but you can still very much realize that the sound is coming from headphones.In a nutshell: very strongly recommended. It is highly likely that you will, as I do, wonder how a pair of headphones costing barely USD 150 can sound so amazingly good.

Let me preface this; I am a total newb when it comes to the audiophile arena. I am waiting on an amp/sdac from Drop to arrive before I delve more into being an audiophile.Ok, I purchased the dt990. AWESOME cans. Usually, I would spend about 30-45 USD on IEM's. Rated power, frequency response, etc etc.These are a SIGNIFICANT improvement over most of the IEM's I have. None of the IEM's I have approach the clarity, crispness, or comfort to these cans. I have only had them for less than 24 hours and they are awesome.I do have a pair of Sennheiser 4.50 btnc's, but like the IEM's, it would not be really fair to compare them to the dt990's. IEM's are usually lower impedance and are powered easier, and BlueTooth headphones, well, it is a different connectivity. When I ... MoreLet me preface this; I am a total newb when it comes to the audiophile arena. I am waiting on an amp/sdac from Drop to arrive before I delve more into being an audiophile.Ok, I purchased the dt990. AWESOME cans. Usually, I would spend about 30-45 USD on IEM's. Rated power, frequency response, etc etc.These are a SIGNIFICANT improvement over most of the IEM's I have. None of the IEM's I have approach the clarity, crispness, or comfort to these cans. I have only had them for less than 24 hours and they are awesome.I do have a pair of Sennheiser 4.50 btnc's, but like the IEM's, it would not be really fair to compare them to the dt990's. IEM's are usually lower impedance and are powered easier, and BlueTooth headphones, well, it is a different connectivity. When I do plug the Senn's in, they do not match the dt990's.Within the first hour of listening to the dt990's, I was hearing things in songs I never heard before. certain signals, errr frequencies, were more noticeable. Either that, or I just don't recall the detail correctly.One of the cons I have noticed, which could be the recording, is there is a clicking at either a certain frequency or point in the song. Could be a defective left can, or it could be the recording I have. Need to experiment more, especially when I get more goodies.Another con, I don't like the light clamping force to my head. It feels too light to me. I like knowing the cans are there. I mean, I don't want a vise, but these are too light by far. Which could be considered a plus for long sessions.As these are my first introductory priced/designed cans into being an audiophile, I hesitate to recommend purchase. But, if you are also new and have just been using OEM/stock/default headphones/IEMs, I would highly recommend them.I think I should shoot myself in the foot, as I have now entered ANOTHER completely expensive hobby/passion. I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. As for recommending them, only if the person/friend is wanting to get a step up in their listening experience and also this would be at the correct price/value range.Back to testing/enjoying these cans.Edit:Ooooh, forgot to add: I am currently powering them by my Denon AVR-1312 A/V receiver. I will also test them with my phone and PC when I have the time.Edit the second: Ok, After initial stages of "puppy love", I have another con to add. I suppose I have a larger than normal head, or my ear lobes dangle farther than most people. The cans do not extend enough to be fully comfortable over my ears. They tend to press my lobes up quite a bit(about an eight of an inch). I was hoping to be completely happy with these cans without modding them. These cans have a significant (read:noticeable) drain on my phones battery. There is less drain when using my Drop EDC IEM's. They also don't sound quite as "good" when using my phone vs. using my Denon receiver(as expected).

Beyer DT 880 Premium Special Edition 250 ohm

Excellent product. I already had used these in the studio many times so I already expected them to be perfect. If you listen to the phones as flat EQ you'll really enjoy classical, acoustic guitar, violin, etc. Personally I enjoy adult metal rock, electric or acoustic blues, or old and new country music most of the time. I found that it is necessary to use a small preamp mixer (Behringer $100) to boost the low frequency control for my pleasure experience - not a lot - just a little. If you want to try DT880 phones for rap music and shake your inner ear canals (that's not a criticism, it's actually true) - forget it. Try the enclosed DT770 phones instead. Or try the impressive cupped Dr. Beats if you want awesome bass. I also do some digital mixing and editing ... MoreExcellent product. I already had used these in the studio many times so I already expected them to be perfect. If you listen to the phones as flat EQ you'll really enjoy classical, acoustic guitar, violin, etc. Personally I enjoy adult metal rock, electric or acoustic blues, or old and new country music most of the time. I found that it is necessary to use a small preamp mixer (Behringer $100) to boost the low frequency control for my pleasure experience - not a lot - just a little. If you want to try DT880 phones for rap music and shake your inner ear canals (that's not a criticism, it's actually true) - forget it. Try the enclosed DT770 phones instead. Or try the impressive cupped Dr. Beats if you want awesome bass. I also do some digital mixing and editing recorded speaking for audio books, so the DT880 phones are perfect for me. About the 250K impedance: they're just fine for most people - especially if you use a preamp/mixer like I said before. So don't grab a pair of DT880 cans and run to Best Buy then plug them into a lot of different receivers, CDs, or DVDs because the line impedances are different between various manufacturers. The products are from Germany. What else can I say? I read somewhere that some models are made in America or Canada. I can't verify if that's true or not. Even if they are, I suspect the diaphragm cones are the same German parts anyway. I like the straight cord. I don't like a coil cord so I'm happy about the Special Edition. My one only complaint that I wish the cable could be removed from the phones so it could be replaced easily. I'm careful with mine so it's not a problem for me but I can envision kids or Neanderthals pulling and stepping on shoes. In conclusion: go for it! The same phones are $200+ at some sellers so be careful. I got mine from an authorized dealership.

DT 880 Edition very good, good value!

Just as good as my T 90 headphones, yet at 600 ohms just a bit quieter. Truly at the price these headphones are an exceptional buy for the performance that is received. Jazz, blues, and classical all sound so nice. I'm listening on a Concept 11.0, Scott 390R and Marantz 2270; Concept regularly.

Good start

Needs some EQ (directly running from a macbook pro 2017) to get working properly I think. I use eqMac and take the oratory1990's presets as starting point. Also eqMac itself directs to certain presets you can use. With those, bass becomes more for my taste. Although you shouldn't really listen metal with these, hard rock and similar things are okay, but I think this shines more when you have high mids. I really enjoy listening Yes, Rush, etc with these.And reviews you see where it says "feels like nothing", they are right. Listened for hours on end, never felt any discomfort. May be hot in the summer but sitting in a home at around 76 degrees, didn't feel hot.And noise bleed is not too much, of course not suitable for an office setting, but you do not need to ... MoreNeeds some EQ (directly running from a macbook pro 2017) to get working properly I think. I use eqMac and take the oratory1990's presets as starting point. Also eqMac itself directs to certain presets you can use. With those, bass becomes more for my taste. Although you shouldn't really listen metal with these, hard rock and similar things are okay, but I think this shines more when you have high mids. I really enjoy listening Yes, Rush, etc with these.And reviews you see where it says "feels like nothing", they are right. Listened for hours on end, never felt any discomfort. May be hot in the summer but sitting in a home at around 76 degrees, didn't feel hot.And noise bleed is not too much, of course not suitable for an office setting, but you do not need to shield yourself from your family in your home as to not disturb them. Still, you can hear a lot with the headphones on, so you may want to shield yourself from noise anyways. Outside noise interferes a lot.

Incredible sounds with great comfort

If you are here looking at the Beyerdynamic DT 880, you already know what you are getting yourself into. I'm going to cut straight to the chase and talk about the outstanding characteristics of this headphone. Comfort level is 9 - the soft pads are very comfortable, clamp pressure is OK, not too tight and definitely not too light so it stays on your head (depends how big your head is). Sound quality is 9+ in a heart beat. Here is where I have to lay out the different parts of the sound spectrum. Highs (treble) is on the bright side for sure, but even that is relative to the source you are feeding to these headphones. Everything you read about the high frequencies is true, they are not "dark" sounding headphones. I would say the highs are clear, pristine, lots of ... MoreIf you are here looking at the Beyerdynamic DT 880, you already know what you are getting yourself into. I'm going to cut straight to the chase and talk about the outstanding characteristics of this headphone. Comfort level is 9 - the soft pads are very comfortable, clamp pressure is OK, not too tight and definitely not too light so it stays on your head (depends how big your head is). Sound quality is 9+ in a heart beat. Here is where I have to lay out the different parts of the sound spectrum. Highs (treble) is on the bright side for sure, but even that is relative to the source you are feeding to these headphones. Everything you read about the high frequencies is true, they are not "dark" sounding headphones. I would say the highs are clear, pristine, lots of detail especially in cymbal hits, trumpet stabs, female voices, high pitch wind or string instruments, kissing of guitar strings, distortion guitars in high registers, etc., so it has a snappy fast feel to the sound. Some people interpret this snappy feel as "exciting". That is pretty accurate. The caveat to this is that if you have music that is mostly high frequencies, then these headphones would probably sound harsh, ringing, or what people say "sibilant". There is a peak at about 7k so female voices or those S's jumpout a little. The mid range is liquid smooth and pretty spot on, as flat as you should naturally get which translates to perhaps a kind of sonic politeness. Compare this to say a Sennhesier HD650, where the mids are more pronounced, you might feel the DT 880 mids sound little flat but that's exactly what it is. The sound is not colored. This is not a V shape graph, there is no dip in the middle or a "hole" in the mid frequencies nor is there an artificial bump to make the mid range sound "forward". You can hear voices and mid frequencies played at exactly where they are intended to be placed. Now let's focus on the Bass - this is where lots of people get it wrong because the consensus is that the DT 880 is lean on the bass. Not true at all! I find the bass to be full, detailed with lots of control. Not boomy. Definitely not like Skullcandy or Beats where the bass frequencies are totally exaggerated, completely washing out all other useful frequencies. If all you want to hear is bass, well, you need to go see a specialist. The natural world doesn't only generate bass frequencies, thanks very much. With that said, the low end is powerful and plentiful. The intro to Coldplay's Adventure of a Lifetime just blew me away! Talking about the bass. The sound stage is pretty good. Not widelike you're in outta space but definitely not claustrophobic like a pair of Grado's. There is enough room or "air" between instruments and you will experience a natural way of listening to music. You can further modify the sound via amplifiers or EQs to your liking, but either way you will get addicted to these headphones straight out of the box.