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beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Headphone Review

Rate this headphone:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 45 19.6%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 118 51.3%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 43 18.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 24 10.4%

  • Total voters
    230
For years I listened to audio on my DT1990 and DT770, but recently went for the Truthear Zero (Red) as my daily drivers because they just sound "right" to me in a way that the other two don't. Occasionally, I try to go back to the DT1990 but always immediately notice that it sounds... "hollow" is how I would describe it. Amir's and oratory1990's EQ presets do not change this impression. Anyone know what I mean and what to do about it?

I remember always having to adjust Beyerdynamic's sound signature, it never sounded right at first, but I never thought about it. When I put on the first generation T1 for the first time, the sound was so weird (I remember thinking "green tinge all over the sound") that I was utterly disappointed.
 
I use them with wavelet on andorid to flatten them, and my god they are so piercingly precise and sharp at high end and low-end, sounding god tier. But my ears ring for few days after ( I don't listen at high volumes lol)
 
I use them with wavelet on andorid to flatten them, and my god they are so piercingly precise and sharp at high end and low-end, sounding god tier. But my ears ring for few days after ( I don't listen at high volumes lol)
I've used them with eq for a few years, which does cut the highs right down, but still there's that ringing afterwards. I guess there are some peaks that still cut through. I've recently slapped a -10.5dB high shelf on at 10kHz to kill it off. Can barely hear anything up there anyway so I'd prefer it just be silent. It helps a bit with the ringing, but I think my ears are better off simply using literally any other device I have to listen to music. It's a shame because they sound really good from 20hz to ~8kHz.
 
The question is what EQ as the problem area for the ringing is exactly at and above the frequency range where fixtures are not reporting correctly (substantial errors) so any EQ based on such measurements is incorrect.

I am very sensitive to HF issues and have no problems with DT1990 treble response because of the way I correct for that rather huge peaking.
 
Yeah, it's worth mentioning the specific eq config.
I've used these:
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/Au...r-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/Au...r-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)

I prefer the latter. Like you say, the fixtures don't report the high frequency response correctly, so these both just use a 10kHz shelf for the highest band. I expect it's a compromise that lets you hear some air but doesn't completely get rid of the peaks. I find taking that shelf down further helps me. I lowered the 8kHz and the bass a bit too for my taste.

How are you equalising the treble to deal with the peaks?
 
Yeah, it's worth mentioning the specific eq config.
I've used these:
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results/oratory1990/over-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results/crinacle/GRAS 43AG-7 over-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)

I prefer the latter. Like you say, the fixtures don't report the high frequency response correctly, so these both just use a 10kHz shelf for the highest band. I expect it's a compromise that lets you hear some air but doesn't completely get rid of the peaks. I find taking that shelf down further helps me. I lowered the 8kHz and the bass a bit too for my taste.

How are you equalising the treble to deal with the peaks?
You can try to find each peak using a tone generator, like this one:

Move the frequency slider until you find a sudden increase in volume.
Then, try a filter with Q=5 or 6 and gain = -6 dB or so with the frequency being more or less the center of the elevated frequency range.
Do this until moving the frequency slider over the offending range results in less volume variation.

After that, you can fine tune your filter with pink noise or music (adjust gain and Q until it sounds best).

Another way to find areas worth equalizing is playing music and taking notice of offending sounds.
Add a filter with Q=1.4 or even 2, with gain of 6 dB or so and change its frequency. At some point, whatever was wrong in the sound for you would become much louder and then you'll now this is the frequency range that needs to be adjusted.
 
Yeah, it's worth mentioning the specific eq config.
I've used these:
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results/oratory1990/over-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/master/results/crinacle/GRAS 43AG-7 over-ear/Beyerdynamic DT 1990 (balanced earpads)

I prefer the latter. Like you say, the fixtures don't report the high frequency response correctly, so these both just use a 10kHz shelf for the highest band. I expect it's a compromise that lets you hear some air but doesn't completely get rid of the peaks. I find taking that shelf down further helps me. I lowered the 8kHz and the bass a bit too for my taste.

How are you equalising the treble to deal with the peaks?
-5dB is not enough at 8kHz and a shelve is incorrect as it removes 'air'.

I use a passive filter to address the issues above 6kHz.
 
You can try to find each peak using a tone generator, like this one:

Move the frequency slider until you find a sudden increase in volume.
Then, try a filter with Q=5 or 6 and gain = -6 dB or so with the frequency being more or less the center of the elevated frequency range.
Do this until moving the frequency slider over the offending range results in less volume variation.

After that, you can fine tune your filter with pink noise or music (adjust gain and Q until it sounds best).

Another way to find areas worth equalizing is playing music and taking notice of offending sounds.
Add a filter with Q=1.4 or even 2, with gain of 6 dB or so and change its frequency. At some point, whatever was wrong in the sound for you would become much louder and then you'll now this is the frequency range that needs to be adjusted.
Ah ok, by listening. As indicated before I can't really hear that high anyway, all it gives me pain and ringing :(. But I have used the same technique before for lower frequency eq. Good advice for LunaRay though, and in general.
 
Ah ok, by listening. As indicated before I can't really hear that high anyway, all it gives me pain and ringing :(. But I have used the same technique before for lower frequency eq. Good advice for LunaRay though, and in general.
i have never once heard 'ringing' or 'pain' because of a device. if i did, i'd attribute it solely to bad SPL choices.
 
i have never once heard 'ringing' or 'pain' because of a device. if i did, i'd attribute it solely to bad SPL choices.
Partly, yes, but SPL from long ago rather than at the time of using the headphones. I'll warn anyone who'll listen that hearing protection at gigs is a must. I think there must be more to it than that though, since at any given SPL the ringing is worst with these, vs a fair bit with noise cancelling headphones I've used, and barely at all otherwise. Anyway, on headphones I listen very quietly in general and always have.

Edit: In the post you quoted I was only talking about the eq-by-ear method, saying high frequencies are inaudible to me, so turning up a tone generator trying to hear them to construct eq just brings me pain and no sound - regardless of device, audibility threshold is above pain threshold.
 
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