Sound becoming casual

[Kasenumi]

Hi everyone
So about a year ago I purchased DT 1990 Pro headphones. Firstly I enjoyed every little detail, listened to all music, everything sounded perfectly, no matter what exactly was I listening. With time I lost the satisfaction from it, songs sound a bit more casual than before, think I just got used to my headphones.
I suppose not only I end up like this and more people have the same problem. How do you solve this? Stop listening to music for some time? Listen to something new? Switch to another headphones?
I want to enjoy music again

 

[trl]

Buy more headphones, like we all do.

Or you could check Amir's review and see which pair of headphones follows better Harman's curve and has lowest THD+N too, then buy that.

 

[charleski]

It happens, sometimes you just want something that sounds different. The easiest (and cheapest) way to get this is to alter the EQ that you're using (you are using EQ with the 1990, right?) - a couple of dB change to the bass shelf or to a wide (low-Q) filter around 1kHz will make a fair difference.

 

[PierreV]

Enjoy the music for what it is, not for its reproduction maybe?

I switch from a relatively high-end lovingly fine tuned home system with big expensive speakers to cheap Sony earbuds when I ride a bike or exercise (which is quite often). A huge difference in SQ, yet the spirit of the music lives.

And I am also habituated to the sound of the good systems. When they arrived I would listen to them for hours, reveling at their exquisiteness. Not it is just the normal standard I expect. A bit boring at times, yes. I won't mislead myself into upgrading though.

I'd suggest you focus on the music and explore new musical horizons. It will reset your habituation a bit.

 

[Jim Matthews]

A few observations, and an unsolicited admonition follow:

If you have music set aside as the focus of your attention, listening to it is an end in itself. If it accompanies your every waking moment, it's relegated to supporting your activities.

If you listen while commuting, you may well be in a state of cautious awareness that music competes with - as a source of irritation rather than satisfaction.

Most of us have some decline in our hearing acuity as we age, and you may be more perceptive in noticing some missing "sparkle" to high frequency sounds.

****

Hearing loss is permanent. Exposure to continuous sound pressure levels above 90 dB - which doesn't seem like much - can cause irreversible damage, particularly at higher frequencies.

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/PermissibleExposureTime.htm

 

[Zensō]

As stated by others, I’d suggest a shift away from focusing on gear toward focusing more on music. Take a deep dive into exploring new genres you’ve never listened to before, read about the musicians and their creative processes, learn about the construction of instruments or the concept of the studio as an instrument, and so on. In the long run I think you’ll find this far more satisfying than gear acquisition.

 

[escksu]

Hi everyone
So about a year ago I purchased DT 1990 Pro headphones. Firstly I enjoyed every little detail, listened to all music, everything sounded perfectly, no matter what exactly was I listening. With time I lost the satisfaction from it, songs sound a bit more casual than before, think I just got used to my headphones.
I suppose not only I end up like this and more people have the same problem. How do you solve this? Stop listening to music for some time? Listen to something new? Switch to another headphones?
I want to enjoy music again

Since this is ASR, i would need to ask you what do you meant by "casual".

 

[DVDdoug]

think I just got used to my headphones.

The problem is... If you have good headphones (I don't know how the DT 1990's rate) it gets difficult to make an improvement, especially difficult to make a big improvement.

Many years ago I was getting bored with my headphones and went to the audio/video store to try some "better" ones. I wasn't that impressed with anything at the store so I decided to keep what I had. (Eventually they died and I had to replace them, and that model wasn't made anymore.)

 

[digitalfrost]

So, as someone who has pretty much reached perfection in both speakers and headphones, this is just what happens. I use DRC in both applications, and I change it sometimes, so like the bass level, or the overall tilt of the spectrum. I generally hover around my preffered target, but sometimes you feel it could have more bass or more treble right.

The DT1990s, while very expensive are not the best headphones in the world, I'm sure they have the typical Beyerdynamic treble peak. So I would suggest you start with EQ. That said, you can't exactly spend your way out of this problem, similarly expensive headphones or even more expensive ones won't fix it. It doesn't get much better than this.

If you listen to something different, you will learn to appreciate what you have. Whenever I'm in a car or at some friends and I have to listen to their stereo, I realize how good the stuff I have at home is.

Just switch it up man. EQ/DRC is the cheapest option for this.

 

[Chrispy]

I rarely say to myself "it's the gear" when it comes to being interested by music. I just go find new music sometimes or dig way back into stuff I haven't for a while....whatever floats your boat. Then again I hate wearing headphones so that wouldn't be even a start for me.....

 

[sanjivnayak]

Hi everyone
So about a year ago I purchased DT 1990 Pro headphones. Firstly I enjoyed every little detail, listened to all music, everything sounded perfectly, no matter what exactly was I listening. With time I lost the satisfaction from it, songs sound a bit more casual than before, think I just got used to my headphones.
I suppose not only I end up like this and more people have the same problem. How do you solve this? Stop listening to music for some time? Listen to something new? Switch to another headphones?
I want to enjoy music again

BD headphones are excellent and I have Custom One Pro which is pretty good an value for money product. DT1990 I suppose should be still better. Pls upgrade the source and amp you are using. Well the output from a device will not degrade in one year time. Since you are continuously listening to a particular sound signature you may loosing interest.

 

[spacevector]

How do you solve this? Stop listening to music for some time? Listen to something new? Switch to another headphones?
I want to enjoy music again

You have been listening to headphones, try some speakers now.

 

[RayDunzl]

So about a year ago I purchased DT 1990 Pro headphones. Firstly I enjoyed every little detail, listened to all music, everything sounded perfectly, no matter what exactly was I listening. With time I lost the satisfaction from it, songs sound a bit more casual than before, think I just got used to my headphones.

I'd venture you just "got used to it". I'm "used to" my stuff, have been for a long time.

Depending on the level of reproduction you are "used to", it may be difficult to improve upon.

I went to the new Audio Show here both years it has occurred, and will return next year if it does - the virus from the place that cannot be named cancelled this year's activities.

I came away lustful of very very little, which, if to be acquired, would cost very very much, at the quoted MSRP.

Diminishing returns, ya know.

As others have mentioned, the real magic is in the music.

 

[spacevector]

the place that cannot be named

You can do it raydunzl!!

 

[gvl]

May I suggest pairing with fine spirits? I find it highly effective.

 

[RayDunzl]

You can do it raydunzl!!

You first.

 

[spacevector]

I'll have ex POTUS do my bidding =)