Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Review (headphone)

[stalepie2]

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/d1qae7

 

[bluefuzz]

i would go as far as to say t hat dt990 are the only headphones that change so dramatically

I have a pair of DT990 Editions that have been used pretty much every day for the last six months. They both sound and measure identically (at least within the error margin of the measurement rig) to the day I bought them. I like them. They are the most comfortable cans I own and when EQ'ed to the Harman target sound excellent. If the bass distortion is a thing then I can't hear it - although I'm sure I don't listen at the levels Amir inflicts on himself. But they have definitely not changed response at all in any measureable or audible way. And unEQ'ed they still sound terrible ...

 

[boselover61]

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/d1qae7
View attachment 110025

We get it you dont like the harman curve now please stop spamming i want to see some real science

 

[Robbo99999]

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/d1qae7
View attachment 110025

Ha, I like it, genuinely made me laugh the combination of the pic & comment by UglyPotato!

 

[Wombat]

It might be the right time to get out of headphone reviews.

All this fit, head shape, pad wear-in, burn-in, filter paper stuff makes day-one selection plug-and-play moot. All so very individual-based.

Then there is the headphone amp output impedance/power thing.

Threads become long and tedious and more like 'those other forums'.

I have dt880pro 250ohm. They do the job well IMSO.

How about try a pair of headphones on, test for fit, comfort, and stay-in-placeability. Then audition for sound. Buy or move on.
You can always buy replacement pads if wear is a problem.

So much over-complication.

 

[killdozzer]

I'm baffled as to how "broken in" pads can cause a change in treble measurements.

After a few months, they start absorbing energy in a very specific treble region?

I know I'm reaching, but as you surely know there's a lot of masking going on in sound reproduction. If pads don't sit right, they can leak, this affects bass more than other regions, but less bass may simply unmask a certain portion of shrillness.

This is, of course, just a possibility.

 

[killdozzer]

Burn-in occurs over the first few hours of use of a new transducer. Everything beyond that is happening in the listeners head.

But it doesn't, though. Right? Because it would show over the few hours these were tested...

Here's a question I think is fair; if it only takes few hours, wouldn't manufacturers do it beforehand so that you get the sound as sweet as it's gonna get, rather than hearing something that's off? Do you honestly think, in today's market, the manufacturer would risk a bad first impression if all it takes is just let'em play for few hours?

Another thing, if you have the process of burn-in described, measured and presented, if you have it explained... Like what in fact burns-in, how come it stops after a few hours, how come some other people like yourself claim it's a process that needs few hundred hours?

Given the amount of informed people among the audio gear consumers, don't you think there need's to be close to 80% of returns from people who were put off by the sound before burn-in?

 

[Grotti]

Here is an article on the topic of "burn in" I stumbled upon (sorry if someone posted it elsewhere).

It comes to the conclusion, that only a first initial and short burn in has measurable effects on the driver respectively on it's mechanical parameters. All further break in does NOT have a measurable effect (or at least an negligible effect) at all.

I did some measurements with REW on my own speakers since I was under the illusion, that a slight brightness (which is cured now thanks to RME) had vanished after a few month. Since I had measured them after the purchase and had saved the results I was able to compare the results under the same circumstances. Result: the FR of my speakers had not changed except for some minor ripples which may be variations due to temperature, humidity or whatever.

Conclusion: it was the DSP between my ears which has adapted to the speakers.

And I guess it's the same way, owners of a DT Headphone get used to the "Mount Beyer"

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

Here's a question I think is fair; if it only takes few hours, wouldn't manufacturers do it beforehand so that you get the sound as sweet as it's gonna get, rather than hearing something that's off?

If I recall correctly, Focal proposes around 20hrs of burn in for new speakers.

Found it: Woo for memory!
https://www.focal.com/en/focal-teach/what-is-the-running-in-period

That seems a realistic amount of time for mechanical devices to settle and acclimate.

Why Manufacturers don't do it? Large production volume + long time (relatively speaking) + necessary storage area = $$$.

I never observed any burn in effect, neither on my DT-880 (pad wear induced changes takes a lot longer to kick in) nor on my Focal Clear or Aria speakers. Then again, I am not a golden eared Amir.

 

[ZööZ]

Then again, I am not a golden eared Amir.

Sounds like a cute furry little fox-like mammal
Or a golden eared Amir could be some kind of a ferocious feline beast preying on oblivious audiophools.

 

[Vini darko]

I love these headphone reviews. Never stop poking the hornets nest amirm
I've got fostex T50rp showing up today wich are headless panther level out the box. Looking foward to thier review at some point in the future.

 

[killdozzer]

That seems a realistic amount of time for mechanical devices to settle and acclimate

Settling and acclimating... It's just buzzwords. They don't mean anything.

Also it can't come from a brand. It can't come from Focal or any other. Companies that produce gear know that the buyer needs to get used to the gear, so they use burn-in story to stop people returning gear. Most of them know no burn-in ever takes place. That falls under marketing.

Headphones burning-in don't occupy more space than the ones just sitting assembled in the warehouse.

Until now I've seen the word Goldenear used for audiophiles that DON'T need or use measurements. That's what it was supposed to mean; you can hear so why measure it.

LATER EDIT:
That link you provided doesn't bring much to the table. It looks closer to what I described as marketing and making people stick to their gear while they get used to it. That's not a process of break-in describer nor measured.

 

[markanini]

And yet, it is still a preference target. So there will be people out there who do not like the sound of it.
While it is a sensible place to start and use as a reference to make educated guesses, please do not think of it as gospel that applies to every person 1:1.

That's like asking Sennheiser not to make the HD600 because everyone might not like how it sounds.

 

[Spocko]

It might be the right time to get out of headphone reviews.
All this fit, head shape, pad wear-in, burn-in, filter paper stuff makes day-one selection plug-and-play moot. All so very individual-based.
Then there is the headphone amp output impedance/power thing.
Threads become long and tedious and more like 'those other forums'.

View attachment 110063

I have dt880pro 250ohm. They do the job well IMSO.
How about try a pair of headphones on, test for fit, comfort, and stay-in-placeability. Then audition for sound. Buy or move on.
You can always buy replacement pads if wear is a problem.
So much over-complication.

Headphone reviews end up exactly like typical speaker reviews on any other forum that ultimately lead to arguing over: burn-in, speaker placement and toe-in, room acoustics, cross-over upgrades, internal damping, speaker grills, cable selection, etc.

 

[ZööZ]

Headphone reviews end up exactly like typical speaker reviews on any other forum that ultimately lead to arguing over: burn-in, speaker placement and toe-in, room acoustics, cross-over upgrades, internal damping, speaker grills, cable selection, etc.

What kind of arguments does toe-in invoke?

 

[Zensō]

And in the off chance you actually care to learn something about this very interesting topic, here's some more.

Thanks for the link to this very interesting video. My takeaway is that for headphones, neither frequency response (measured) nor preference (listening test) can be correlated with price. I eventually found this to be true myself, but not after wasting lots of money on overpriced “flagship” headphones that were no better (and sometimes much worse) than far less expensive models.

 

[BenF]

im curious if dt990 do cause hearing loss and thats why they sound good now.

oh c'mon!

 

[modes]

The saga continues.
"

"
Who needs asr when you can have broscience?

 

[Sombreuil]

He's uploading 10 videos a day talking about his headphones and bashing reviews that don't follow his thoughts, there's no way he's being sarcastic, right?

 

[infinitesymphony]

The saga continues.
Who needs asr when you can have broscience?

*shrug*