Beyerdynamic Dt880 Pro Semi-Open Studio Headphones (Limited Edition Black)

This is my second Beyerdynamic headphone ever, after trying out a second-hand Custom One Pro earlier this year made me curious about the Beyerdynamic house sound. The DT880 Pro was a little bit surprising to me in ways (both good and bad) that I did not expect. For this reason, I’m going to write this review in bullet point style (apologies for the lack of coherent structure and the whingy tone - I really do like these headphones):[image]For a start, this headphone is a lot lighter than it looks in pictures, and is easily among the lightest full-size headphones I own - approximately the same weight as a Sennheiser HD600 / 6XX / 58X Jubilee, but more evenly distributed.The clamping force was a bit tight in the beginning, but again less so than the Sennheiser ... MoreThis is my second Beyerdynamic headphone ever, after trying out a second-hand Custom One Pro earlier this year made me curious about the Beyerdynamic house sound. The DT880 Pro was a little bit surprising to me in ways (both good and bad) that I did not expect. For this reason, I’m going to write this review in bullet point style (apologies for the lack of coherent structure and the whingy tone - I really do like these headphones):[image]For a start, this headphone is a lot lighter than it looks in pictures, and is easily among the lightest full-size headphones I own - approximately the same weight as a Sennheiser HD600 / 6XX / 58X Jubilee, but more evenly distributed.The clamping force was a bit tight in the beginning, but again less so than the Sennheiser headphones I mentioned above.One of the things that really annoyed me in the beginning was that the pads are nowhere near as comfortable as they look - both stock and velour (EDT 770 V) pads on the Custom One Pro were *much* more comfortable than the DT 880 Pro Black ones. Even after wearing the black ones in for a couple of weeks, I had to wash and sun dry them once to get them to comfortable levels - after a month of use, now they’re finally properly comfortable (my COPs settled down into their velour pads much faster).When it arrived, the earcups were a bit skewed - one side was lower than the other. I think this is because of the way they are packaged in the box (angled cardboard stand), and then I think another heavy package must have sat on top of this (it took ages to reach me even after arriving in my country, due to COVID-19) to deform the headband. Even after stretching it out regularly, there is still a touch of imbalance between the earcups that drives me crazy.This thing is power hungry - even on my CTH+SDAC (which outputs 1W I think), I’m constantly past 12 noon on the volume dial for loud sources (e.g.: TIDAL) and past 3 pm on normal sources (e.g.: YouTube). This is the 250 Ohm version, but I find it more power hungry than the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD600 as well as the planar magnetic HE4XX. For the first time in years, it feels like I don’t have a powerful enough ampComing to the sound, however - this thing is incredibly clear and accurate from practically any source powerful enough to drive it to a decent volume. Male vocals in particular shine on these. However, being accurate and neutral means that they are utterly unforgiving of badly recorded sound and are one of the few headphones I have where I immediately know if the TIDAL track is a HiFi or Master version when I’m running music on shuffle mode and reading emails or browsing the web with TIDAL running in the background. Bass is surprisingly impactful for an open back (or “semi-open” as Beyerdynamic calls it) headphone and I don’t find the treble sharp at all (despite being a bit sensitive to this, and hating my HE4XX when it’s having a sibilant day).This is a gorgeous pair of headphones to look at, whether I’m wearing them or they’re sitting on my desk or hanging off a headphone hanger (see picture)

I have AKG K701s, AKG 7XXs, Senn 6XXs, Beyer 770s, Beyer 880sThe 880s are bright of course as most say, but not in a bad way, they don't feel piercing and bass lacking as my AKG K701s were when new (before 100's of hours of use as of today and the known bass mod)The 7XXs similar to the K701s, if somewhat less trebly.The 6XXs are a little too dark and soft for my taste,The 770s pair, what can I say, the best for young people... edm and rock oriented material and really silent to use for monitoring while recording acoustic instruments... obviously they're different purpose headphones and different design (closed vs open) and this accounts for some of the differences but the 770s are terribly bass heavy, not the case with 880s.The beyers 880s feel really good, ... MoreI have AKG K701s, AKG 7XXs, Senn 6XXs, Beyer 770s, Beyer 880sThe 880s are bright of course as most say, but not in a bad way, they don't feel piercing and bass lacking as my AKG K701s were when new (before 100's of hours of use as of today and the known bass mod)The 7XXs similar to the K701s, if somewhat less trebly.The 6XXs are a little too dark and soft for my taste,The 770s pair, what can I say, the best for young people... edm and rock oriented material and really silent to use for monitoring while recording acoustic instruments... obviously they're different purpose headphones and different design (closed vs open) and this accounts for some of the differences but the 770s are terribly bass heavy, not the case with 880s.The beyers 880s feel really good, proper bass, sparkling highs and balanced mids.If I had to chose which one to keep, I'd currently go for them, they're incredibly comfortable and seem durable too.I'll use them mainly for mixing projects.

I love these headphones, let me be clear. They sound amazing, fit very well, and are extremely comfortable. I wear them essentially all day since permanent WFH started over the summer, and it's a common thing for me to get absorbed in what I'm working on and realize that the music stopped 10 (or was it 15?) minutes ago, and I'm still wearing the headphones. The sound is detailed and full, with nice clean bass, solid mids and clear, unharsh highs. The high-impedance design is great; I primarily drive them from a Soundcraft Signature 12MTK mixer's headphone jack (spec'ed at 300mW @ 150Ω) and there's plenty of clean, clear headroom.Two things keep them from five stars for me: first, the coiled cable is too short for desktop listening, annoyingly gets in the way, and ... MoreI love these headphones, let me be clear. They sound amazing, fit very well, and are extremely comfortable. I wear them essentially all day since permanent WFH started over the summer, and it's a common thing for me to get absorbed in what I'm working on and realize that the music stopped 10 (or was it 15?) minutes ago, and I'm still wearing the headphones. The sound is detailed and full, with nice clean bass, solid mids and clear, unharsh highs. The high-impedance design is great; I primarily drive them from a Soundcraft Signature 12MTK mixer's headphone jack (spec'ed at 300mW @ 150Ω) and there's plenty of clean, clear headroom.Two things keep them from five stars for me: first, the coiled cable is too short for desktop listening, annoyingly gets in the way, and the plug is constructed such that removing the screw-on 1/4" adapter caused the internal barrel of the connector to twist completely around, severing the connection. I first resoldered the end to a natural 1/4" jack and ultimately bought the BD 3meter straight cable and resoldered it in the 'can. Now I rest easy and do not hate the cabling.Second, the designation of them as "semi-open" led me to believe they would have _some_ isolation properties. They do not. They are effectively open-back headphones, meaning people can have a full, normal voice conversation with you while you're wearing them, but unfortunately you can hear others' conversations whether you want to or not.With those caveats in mind though, I'm strongly positive on these headphones. They look and sound great, and the long-term comfort of them is unmatched in my collection.

I use these across a gamut of scenarios from simple media through audio production with overall great results. The highs are pleasant while the lows are certainly present without being overly hyped. The set I received takes well to the model's generic profile included within Sonarworks when I want a more neutral stage for mixing and compares quite well to the custom profiled 770's I ordered straight from Sonarworks. Comfort is great. I have a rather large head and find no strain or discomfort with these; however, they also fit my 10 and under children quite well. I have no problem wearing these for extended periods; however, you do have to possess reasonable expectations for ear fatigue if using these for production over long periods. This is certainly to be ... MoreI use these across a gamut of scenarios from simple media through audio production with overall great results. The highs are pleasant while the lows are certainly present without being overly hyped. The set I received takes well to the model's generic profile included within Sonarworks when I want a more neutral stage for mixing and compares quite well to the custom profiled 770's I ordered straight from Sonarworks. Comfort is great. I have a rather large head and find no strain or discomfort with these; however, they also fit my 10 and under children quite well. I have no problem wearing these for extended periods; however, you do have to possess reasonable expectations for ear fatigue if using these for production over long periods. This is certainly to be expected and nothing out of the ordinary from my experience. The price is great for the quality, and the all black aesthetic is quite a bit more appealing than the stock option, imo.

I'm a recording engineer and music producer and a big fan of open or semi-open headphones as I have found that they often give me a good environment to check a mix and make soundstage adjustments. I generally use Sennheiser HD 650's along with Focal Spirit Pro (closed and no longer made) when I'm working, along with three pairs of near field monitors.I also love Beyer mics, especially their ribbon mics, so when I saw these 880's listed for sale, I made an impulse-decision to buy them. After they arrived, my initial listening tests were disappointing as the midrange was not very detailed, and the upper bass was blurry. I ran music through them for a week or so before trying them again and I think they sound a little better but still not useful for mixing. They are ... MoreI'm a recording engineer and music producer and a big fan of open or semi-open headphones as I have found that they often give me a good environment to check a mix and make soundstage adjustments. I generally use Sennheiser HD 650's along with Focal Spirit Pro (closed and no longer made) when I'm working, along with three pairs of near field monitors.I also love Beyer mics, especially their ribbon mics, so when I saw these 880's listed for sale, I made an impulse-decision to buy them. After they arrived, my initial listening tests were disappointing as the midrange was not very detailed, and the upper bass was blurry. I ran music through them for a week or so before trying them again and I think they sound a little better but still not useful for mixing. They are comfortable and seem to be well-built so I've been using them for video conferencing and other non-critical uses.I get that they're not in the same ball park as other HP's that I own, but I thought they would be at least on par with AT ATH-M50's but they're not even close (I know that the AT's are closed and won't sound the same, but I'm referring to the quality of audio reproduction). I'm hopeful that these will sound better after they've been properly burned in, but I'm not holding my breath.

After intensely researching many headphones for my first real pair, I determined that the DT880 was the way to go. From what I read they were the perfect balance of what I needed. They are semi-open-backed, and they have a flat reference curve with a bit of emphasis on the high end. I have used these headphones for a few months now, and I am happy with my purchase.A few things to note:Although they haven't given any evidence of breaking, the part to adjust earcup length feels very loose. I believe the cups wobble a bit to conform to the shape of your head but the clasp mechanism holding them in place is plastic and seems like a weak point in its structure.The sound is well balanced with an emphasis on the high ends. The sound is sparkly with some decent bass. ... MoreAfter intensely researching many headphones for my first real pair, I determined that the DT880 was the way to go. From what I read they were the perfect balance of what I needed. They are semi-open-backed, and they have a flat reference curve with a bit of emphasis on the high end. I have used these headphones for a few months now, and I am happy with my purchase.A few things to note:Although they haven't given any evidence of breaking, the part to adjust earcup length feels very loose. I believe the cups wobble a bit to conform to the shape of your head but the clasp mechanism holding them in place is plastic and seems like a weak point in its structure.The sound is well balanced with an emphasis on the high ends. The sound is sparkly with some decent bass. This could make listening to music like punk or rock a hit or miss as I seem to experience fatigue from the constant bombardment of high hats and snares.Overall I enjoy listening to media and music using these headphones. They are comfortable and sound great.

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: a Classic Audiophile Headphone

Excellent entry-level audiophile headphones. Along with the Sennheiser HD600/650/6XX and AKG K701/702, the DT880 is considered part of the classic audiophile headphone trio. Those three were the best of the best for a long time. And they're all still worth owning. Once headphones reach this high quality of sound, the law of diminishing returns kicks in as more money is spent. So feel free to try out more expensive cans, but don't be shocked when you find out that twice as much spent gets you only marginal improvements over the DT880 or either of the other two of the classic trio.

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.