Beyer Dynamic DT770 pro’s. What am i missing?

[dave_bass5]

Ive just got a pair of the 80ohms version, and not sure what to think. 

Ive not heard a bad word said about them, but I’m not sure if I should send them back. Ive been using my old Sen HD25 for a few years, and a lot with my synth over the past couple of months. I think these can be a bit aggressive sometimes, but sound solid and punchy. Very happy with them, other than i am spending about 2-3 hours a day playing, and they are getting a bit uncomfortable.

I looked around the web, did loads of research over a couple of days, and the DT770s seem to tick all the right boxes, especially the slightly boosted low end this version is supposed to have. I got them today and they look and feel great, but I’m not sure about the sound. They seem to lack mid range, and i felt the bass is not as punchy or as full as my HD 25’s. They also seem have a harsh top end (for example, when playing brass patches). Soundstage is very wide, which i like, but might be too wide from instrument playing. I’m not really going to use these to listen to music in general, as i prefer to use my Bose QC35’s, but i will listen to songs when learning them. 

Sorry, long winded intro. My question is will these get better once played in? Has anyone found the same with these? 

I’m not looking for suggestions as such, I’m happy to send them back and just live with my HD25’s, but I’d like to give them a chance if i can. Just wondering what all the fuss is about.

Edited September 12, 2020 by dave_bass5

[Silvia Bluejay]

Last year I bought the DT240 Pro (slightly cheaper than yours), used them a couple of times, then chucked them in a drawer and bought a set of PJBs for more or less the same price IIRC.

I encountered exactly the same problems in the DT240 Pros that you describe on the DT770, so it's clearly a setup/specs choice by the manufacturer, not a dodgy item.

Avoid both models like the plague, I'd say...

[TwoTimesBass]

As balance (i've got DT770's on as i type this), i've found the Beyers a reliable and honest sounding headphone for a good few years now. I do a lot of editing/sound design work and have used them on everything from Audible books to mixing music. That said, i'm probably so used to how they sound and how a mix translates to other speakers that i'm immune to quirks in their overall sound. I've used HD25's quite a bit too, and i found the low end a bit too in-your-face compared to the 770's, and they didn't fit my ears well. It's largely personal preference as with a lot of audio kit, and what you are comfortable with and get used to using, it takes time for anything to bed in.

As with studio monitors, studio headphones should sound flat and often quite harsh, they aren't designed to be good at anything. If i was just buying headphones for my own bass work i expect the PJB's would be good contenders.

One of the biggest reasons i still have the Beyers is that they are still comfortable to wear 10-12 hours per day. That sells me a set of headphones...

[dave_bass5]

Thanks for the replies. 

I agree, its a preference thing rather than a fault, but i cant help think those that say it has extend bass are kidding themselves. They sound nice, but bland. I guess they are designed to be as flat as possible, but I’m just puzzled by the bass comments. 

I like the DT770’s, but I think I’m so used to the more ‘in you face’  low end and mid range that maybe I’m hearing my Synth properly for the first time and its a bit of a shock.

These are only for playing keyboard at home, and so i want a pleasant sound, not necessarily a flat tone. Maybe i should have gone for a more coloured set. I dont mind V headphones, I believe the HD 25’s are described  as this anyway, but the DT770 seems to be lacking punch compared to the HD 25’s.

I’m going to run them in over night with some loud music and see if they warm up. Ive been using them for the past hour and getting used to them, but they still feel lacking. I got them on a whim so i dont actually need them, but i could do with something a bit more polite, but fuller than the HD25’s.

 

[TwoTimesBass]

2 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

They sound nice, but bland. I guess they are designed to be as flat as possible, but I’m just puzzled by the bass comments.

I wouldn't disagree with that comment either. I feel comfortable wearing, and safe in what i'm hearing with years of using 770's, but I wouldn't say they offer anything special in their low end reproduction.

You could do a lot worse than the HD25's, they are the standard headphone for a lot of the TV/film audio industry, but again they are studio headphones so not designed to do anything special.

Try as many sets as you can, the ones that work for you will be the right ones regardless of price or anyone's opinion. That said, I did have a word with a member of staff about Beats headphones worn behind the mixing desk 😀

[dave_bass5]

Yes, they are nice and comfy, although my ears were a bit sweaty this evening after wearing them for about an hour. I can imagine they will be less fatiguing than the HD25’s have been. 

My other choices were going to be Sen HD280, and Tascam TH-02. In fact i have those in an Amazon locker but I’m not going to pick them up. The discomfort comment comes up too often. 

Ill spend a few days getting used to them and then decide. 

Beats lol, always good for a laugh. 

[dave_bass5]

Ok, just read about the Audio-Technica ATH M50x and i think these sound more promising. Thicker low end but still controlled, and not quite so fizzy high end, which is my main complaint. 

Same price as the DT770’s so nothing lost. 

[TwoTimesBass]

Haven't had a chance to hear any Audio-Technica headphones for a long time now, personally i didn't get on with the swivel mountings that have always been a feature of their products. Didn't feel secure or durable, but then again i'm always dragging my headphones in and out of my bag rather than treating them with due care!

As you say, nothing to lose though, so will be interested to hear what you think.

[dave_bass5]

Ive never used any AT headphones. To be honest i like the description some of the reviews are saying, about them being warmer, but the DT770’s still keep winning out. I’m going to give them a few days and see how it goes.

For live use ill use my HD25s. I’m going this route over using a stage monitor as ill get a proper stereo signal (we don’t use IEM’s), plus i can still hear the band. I know the HD25’s are better suited as they punch through better, and i do treat them roughly when i use them out of the house and they can withstand most things. This means robustness and compactness  isnt a concern for the home headphones at all. 

[atsampson]

I've got both the sets of headphones mentioned above - 80 ohm DT770 Pro (bought 2017), and ATH-M50X (bought 2014). I have trouble finding headphones that are comfortable for me when I'm wearing them several hours a day, and both of these fit my head well, so if you're in the same boat and you like one then you'll probably like the other.

I prefer the sound of the ATs for music - I'd agree with your comment about the Beyers sounding a bit bass-light in comparison. The folding/swivel mechanism on the ATs has survived 6 years of heavy use for me without problems, and being able to switch between long/short/curly cables (or no cable, just using them to cut down ambient sound a bit) is really handy.

On the other hand, after 6 years the plastic leather on the earpads and headband of the ATs is flaking off messily, and they don't seal as well as they used to. I'd expect the Beyer design to be a bit longer-lived in this regard - but both manufacturers sell replacement bits too.

[Chienmortbb]

Slightly off piste but I needed new cans but could not afford two sets. My phone only has bluetooth unless I use an adaptor (I lost  is ages ago) so I needed bluetooth but I needed wired for practice. I chose the Panasonic RP-HTX90N and am very pleased. The sound is neutral but there is a bass boost when using bluetooth that helps when learning a song without soundding like you traped two 8x10s to your ears. Of course thery are a bit dearer than the Beyers  but they are capable of being driven well by portable devices, something that the Beyers at 80 ohms impedance might not.To go wired you just plug in a standard 3.5mm  cable and you are good to go.

The question is how long could you wear them? For health and safety reasons, all day really is not an option. Ignoring the possible hearing issues, the ear canal is designed to be open so ferquent breaks should be the order of the day.

 

 

 

[dave_bass5]

Cheers guys. Its got more confusing now as I remembered my Bose QC35’s can work with a wire. Ive been going back and forth between the two and really dont know what to think. 

I’m now actually happier with  (maybe more used to) the DT770’s today, i think im over the shock of them sounding so different. I can now hear the thicker low end, and i like it.

 For keys i prefer them slightly more to the harsher, more synthetic Bose, mainly in the top end, but for music the Bose is better. I still feel the DT770’s lack mids a bit too much for me. They maybe flatter than the Bose, but for music the Bose wins. The sound stage is also narrower, which helps my keyboard blend in more with the music I’m playing along to. Also, as comfy as the DY700’s are, my ears are sweating a lot, with only 10-15mins of playing. 

IF i didnt have the options already I’d keep the DT770’s. I know i could live with them, but the Bose are more comfortable, and more useful at all other times. 

THe DT770’s will go back. The question then is do i just stick with the HD25’s or try again with the AT’s. 

[Chienmortbb]

I think you have hit the nail on th head with Bose. Everything they do is heavily processed.

[dave_bass5]

Ok, we have a winner. I got the m50x today (in blue for faster delivery)and it’s pretty close to what i was looking for. The low end is a bit more pronounced than i would have hoped for, but overall the tone is more ‘there’. The mids especially are in the right place. The DT770’s might be flatter, but not quite as enjoyable for daily playing. My brass patches have now lost the harshness, and the pianos have a bit more body to them.

They definitely sound bright with music, but in a good way, unlike the DT770’s. My brass patches sound more real and less synthetic. This is the sound im hoping to get live. 

I did try the DT770’s again last night, I wanted to try again and i did get used to the tone, but after 40mins my right temple was in pain. For the next 2 hours i used my Bose and they worked (and sounded ) fine. I think because i have quite small ears the DT770’s were a bit too wide and sitting on the wrong part of my head. The m50x’ seem to be a lot snugger, and very similar to the feel of my HD25’s, although obviously these are over ear. 

Actually i must have a small head, as the m50x are perfect without pulling the camps out at all. 

Only issue i have is a high pitched whine, only slightly audible when nothing is playing, when plugged in to my JBL 1 speaker’s headphone out. I guess these being very low ohms and quite bright its just picking up mains interference that i cant hear normally. Plugged in to my ipad or MODX they are dead silent, so i wont worry about this, its not a faulty pair hopefully. 

So, I’m happy i tried the m50x, they do have the best tone out of all my head/earphones at the moment. Hoping they might benefit from a bit of burn in over time, maybe be some a tiny bit more even, but if not I’m still keeping them. 

[fretmeister]

I know nothing about this subject but.... would the 32ohm version of the DT770 have sounded different?

 

I'm in the market for a good set of isolating cans for tracking vocals and the more I read, the more I'm confused!

[dave_bass5]

49 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I know nothing about this subject but.... would the 32ohm version of the DT770 have sounded different?

 

I'm in the market for a good set of isolating cans for tracking vocals and the more I read, the more I'm confused!

Yes, the 32’s do sound different apparently, but most don’t seem to recommend them. 

It is very confusing, and very personal. So many people love the DT770’s, but i just didnt get on with them. For me the m50x had a great sound, lovely low end. Also felt better on the head. 

I just couldnt decide what i wanted. I was primarily getting them to use for playing my keyboards at home, but also wanted to be able to use them for general music as i liek to play along with YT/Spotify etc. Obviously monitor headphones arent ideal for playing general music, they sound a bit flat. 

I ended up sending the m50x back as well. Definitely the best i tried, but ended up feeling i was wasting money as i have the HD25’s. 

Then over the weekend i re ordered the m50x, as i was missing them, then cancelled it, then ordered a pair of Sen280 pros for £75 from GAK, then cancelled those lol. 

Sticking with the 25’s for now. Its a shame i didnt get to try the 280’s, maybe i will at some point. It seems you cant go wrong with those for tracking, and at that price much cheaper than the other two i had. 

If i didnt have the 25’s I’d definitely get the m50x again. 

[fretmeister]

Definitely confusing.

I'm not interested in mixing on headphones as I have proper monitors for that, but I do want something good for vocal recording. I'm not sure if flat is the way to go or whether something with a mid hump might actually help when concentrating on the vocal.

I need to read more!

[dave_bass5]

4 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Definitely confusing.

I'm not interested in mixing on headphones as I have proper monitors for that, but I do want something good for vocal recording. I'm not sure if flat is the way to go or whether something with a mid hump might actually help when concentrating on the vocal.

I need to read more!

Yes, I’m a very confused guy lol. I like to maximise my purchases, so prefer something like headphones to cover more than just music making, but with the emphasis on this. I wanted ‘true’, but not so flat that its boring and i need to enjoy the sound. As it will be music along with my keyboard i wanted something that wasn’t flat, but i did want flat for mastering our rehearsal and gig recordings. 

The top 3 that kept coming up for studio use were all those ive mentioned above. Out of the 2 idid try my HD25’s sounded the most full and balanced, without sounding like general music headphones. Very nice mid range, and tight, but not deep bass. Only downside to the HD25’s is they are on ear, so not the best for tracking etc, although sitting in our living room with these, and also the others i had, the noise of the TV seemed to be about the same, so not bad for on ears. 

[dave_bass5]

Crazy I know, but i got another set of m50x’s 😂

I had an issue at the first rehearsal where everything from my synth sounded very bright. They sound fine through my HD25’s so its hard to adjust the EQ if i cant hear the issue in the first place. I remembered how i thought the m50x’s sounded a bit bright when i had them the first time round. Seems like the ideal headset to help me get the EQ in the right ball park, and i did like them anyway. 

Now very happy with them. 

[Dood]

I just ran through the post, but I was looking to find out what you were driving your DT770's with? Mine sounded pants with an old Audio interface, simply because the headphone driver was woefully underpowered. (Literally anything USB2 powered is likely to suffer) My latest interface is way more capable and the DT's sound SO much better. 

[dave_bass5]

I got these mainly to run directly off my Yamaha MODX via the headphone out. With the DT’s i had the headphone knob on about 3 o’clock and it was just getting a bit too loud, so wasn't maxed out. For general music ill use my AirPod Pro’s or Bose QC35, so the m50x’s wont be used for this, although i wanted a bit of character as I’m playing along to Spotify tracks. I just felt the DT’s were a bit flat, and wasn’t ideal for the music part.

I think the main negative for me was the ear cups. As soft and comfortable as they are, after an hour or so playing i had pain in my right temple where the cup was applying pressure. I was prepared to keep them up until that happened. No other headphone ive ever used has done this. 

[Dood]

1 minute ago, dave_bass5 said:

I got these mainly to run directly off my Yamaha MODX via the headphone out. With the DT’s i had the headphone knob on about 3 o’clock and it was just getting a bit too loud, so wasn't maxed out. For general music ill use my AirPod Pro’s or Bose QC35, so the m50x’s wont be used for this, although i wanted a bit of character as I’m playing along to Spotify tracks. I just felt the DT’s were a bit flat, and wasn’t ideal for the music part.

I think the main negative for me was the ear cups. As soft and comfortable as they are, after an hour or so playing i had pain in my right temple where the cup was applying pressure. I was prepared to keep them up until that happened. No other headphone ive ever used has done this. 

Cool thank you chap! I'm glad you've found a solution though, I've heard good things about the m50x's!

[dave_bass5]

9 minutes ago, Dood said:

Cool thank you chap! I'm glad you've found a solution though, I've heard good things about the m50x's!

Cheers. Its been a difficult journey. All my ear/headphones are better for music than these, but I wanted something flatter but still not monitor flat. I think these are going to work out well. The head clamp pressure is quite strong, but the ear cups are smaller so not going to give me any pain. 

Let’s face it, it was more GAS than a need lol 

Edited October 6, 2020 by dave_bass5

[BigRedX]

Since this appears to be the most up-to-date headphone thread I thought I'd post here rather than starting a new one. My Edifier H850s have just failed at the joint between the phone and the headband, which appears to have also damage the cable inside, so they are going back to Amazon for a refund.

So what to replace them with? I liked the sound of the Edifiers, and since they are to be used for listening to music for enjoyment and when watching TV/films on my laptop I don't want anything with a massively increased bass response, as I find these tend to render the dialogue incomprehensible to me. I also want something with a decent (read better than Edifier) build quality.

[dave_bass5]

Cant help with any of that. No experience with those headphones and there are so many options out there ill leave it to someone more qualified. 

I can say the m50x’s are great for TV/films (ive been watching the Boys through them) although if i was going to use them like that a lot I’d get the wireless verison.