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Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro sounds much worse in my eyes as the HD 6XX

mispela

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I received the Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro yesterday and was immediately disappointed. A lot of the music I listen to just sounds terrible on these. Only the bass is better and the 3D localization of insturments. Does anyone have an EQ profile for these headphones that I should test before sending them back?
 
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mispela

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Dunring

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I've had those, the velour pads are best by far, the B pads sound lame and shouldn't have been included on those. If you use APO equalizer with Peace, hit the Autoeq button and load one of the presets for it. They really are good headphones, but really bad with the B pads on them.
 
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mispela

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I've had those, the velour pads are best by far, the B pads sound lame and shouldn't have been included on those. If you use APO equalizer with Peace, hit the Autoeq button and load one of the presets for it. They really are good headphones, but really bad with the B pads on them.
What do you mean by B pads? I tried the auto EQ Button, but I don't like the sound
 

staticV3

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@mispela
Which EQ do you use? I tried it with Equalizer APO 1.3. Have I forgotten something? With the Analytic Earpads
That's not really the way you use these presets.

If you'd like, then I can convert them to .txt files that you can import into EQApo with the "Include configuration file" block.
 
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mispela

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@mispela

That's not really the way you use these presets.

If you'd like, then I can convert them to .txt files that you can import into EQApo with the "Include configuration file" block.
Yes, please could you do that for me. I'm using it now with filters and the Q Factor and it sounds much better, but it uses a lot of CPU usage.
 

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robertom

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You should look at diyaudioheaven work on the DT1990 :

Frans did a lot of measurements and proposed some solutions for the hideous 8K peak. I already tried the amiron fleece pads, and they work well, even above my expectations, but the peak is just too pronounced to be solved with a foam swap. You can add 2-3mm felt to furtherly reduce highs, but they start impacting the overall level of high frequencies too much, and the 8k peak is not thoroughly tamed either.

I've ordered the filter from frans: it should arrive today, I can give my opinion later on this.
 
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mispela

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You should look at diyaudioheaven work on the DT1990 :

Frans did a lot of measurements and proposed some solutions for the hideous 8K peak. I already tried the amiron fleece pads, and they work well, even above my expectations, but the peak is just too pronounced to be solved with a foam swap. You can add 2-3mm felt to furtherly reduce highs, but they start impacting the overall level of high frequencies too much, and the 8k peak is not thoroughly tamed either.

I've ordered the filter from frans: it should arrive today, I can give my opinion later on this.
I'm going to send them back instruments and vocals just don't sound very good with them, so I'm not going to buy alternative pads. The EQ config about made it a bit better but still not as good as I want it.
 

robertom

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I'm going to send them back instruments and vocals just don't sound very good with them, so I'm not going to buy alternative pads. The EQ config about made it a bit better but still not as good as I want it.

I understand. Many will not agree, but I find the DT1990 unlistenable in its stock form, and the guilty is (for me) everything above about 4K, and above all that huge 8K peak. It's a shame, because the rest of the range, with the analytical pads, is excellent, and the driver is good quality.
I have decided to not give up and try everything I could before reselling them (I buyed them second hand). If the filter by frans does not satisfy me I will end up selling them too. However, the amiron fleece pads are a replacement of the internal foam, not of the pads (I use the stock 'analytical' ones).
However, I have good hopes on this filter, I'll see..
 

staticV3

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Yes, please could you do that for me. I'm using it now with filters and the Q Factor and it sounds much better, but it uses a lot of CPU usage.
Attached below are the two presets. Please put them in this folder: C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config

Afterwards you can load them into EQApo with the Control->Include (Include configuration file) block. Here's how that should look:
Screenshot 2023-11-22 161053.jpg

Please set your Preamp to what it says in the file, like you see above. That way, you can toggle the EQ on and off without the volume changing.
 

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mispela

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Attached below are the two presets. Please put them in this folder: C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\config

Afterwards you can load them into EQApo with the Control->Include (Include configuration file) block. Here's how that should look:
View attachment 328514

Please set your Preamp to what it says in the file, like you see above. That way, you can toggle the EQ on and off without the volume changing.
Thank you a lot.
 

Nkam

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You should test these presets:

Depending on which ear pads you use.

those EQ settings are pretty bad.

the low end that is.

The last three bands are all that’s needed and the 1990 sounds great.
only use bands 7,8, & 9.
if you want less air replace band 9 with a low pass of 6db at around 12000hz.
and for the low end put a low shelf at 500hz -1db Q 1

a touch bigger mids peak/dip at 1000hz 1db Q 1.5

use these with the balanced pads and you are golden.
 
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CJG

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The DT 1990's need quite a bit of break in period. Give them some time. I love mine (wish they were balanced though)
 

DeDovla

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I have an EQ for DT 1990 Pro Analytical pads something like this:

Preamp: -3.8 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 7700 Hz Gain -7.0 dB Q 3.000
Filter 2: ON LSC Fc 60 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 1.000
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 4700 Hz Gain 4.0 dB Q 2.000

The 2nd filter (low shelf at 60Hz) can be adjusted to taste or disabled completely, the first filter handles 8kHz peak (some say it's pretty close to Frans' passive filter), the third one I found was a nice improvement to bring back a bit of good treble that was taken away by the first filter. I think the third one is also optional but for me it improved imaging of hi-hats for example - a lot of attempts to EQ try a narrow peak filter (Q 5.0) at 4.5kHz but when I did a sine sweep for my ears it didn't seem that narrow so I opted for the wider one and found a good improvement when matched with the bass boost and 8kHz removal.

I really think people go too overboard with close to 10 filters on these headphones, for me these 3 worked really well.

EDIT: Another optional filter can be 3000Hz Gain 3dB (or 2dB) Q 3.000, but I think this also leans on the preference of the listener and unit variation. The only one that is really needed is the 7700Hz reduction other ones I mentioned are mostly optional but I like the sound.

EDIT2: Here is a comparison of the DT 1990 Pro (Analytical pads) with this EQ to something like DCA Stealth:

1714762882561.png


I personally don't like +5dB that Harman puts so that's the reason for the deviation there. All the way to 3.5kHz the deviations are within 1-2dB as Amir said way back it's a preference curve, you don't have to chase every kink and deviation. If someone is sensitive to 10kHz and above, it can be reduced with high-shelf filter of 1-3dB, however, I personally don't like Harman levels in that range as well. When I tried oratory's EQ I found that the adjustment of those frequencies degrades the sound subjectively.
 
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DeDovla

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Nope, it doesn't.

And even if break-in was a thing regarding headphones, it certainly wouldn't translate into night and day difference regarding FR.

On the analytical pads it maybe helps a bit with the 8kHz range but not enough to not need EQ. Also, they lose a bit of clarity with worn out pads (but that happens with most heapdhones when pads degrade).
 
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IXOYE

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I use the Balanced Earpads with Oratory profile for my RME and I think they sound great, actually one of my favorit headphones.
 
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