Is DT1990 Pro worth it in 2024? 

What would you rather spend $500 on?

I was swayed by Josh's original video to purchase the dt1990s. I wasn't very happy with how they sounded and it was only after my purchase that I found all the negative feedback about these cans. I came to enjoy them over the years, but I never used them consistently until I purchased my Wa7 gen 2 + Wa7tp. These really came alive with that amp and all of my issues of them being too bright or fatiguing went away. I feel like I'm on the tail end of my journey through equipment upgrades and improving my system, so if anyone just starting this hobby decides to read this comment, please take my advice: Don't focus too heavily on the opinions of others like I did. It was such a headache combing through review after review, forum after forum, trying to find information on how the dt1990s (and most of my other gear) sounded, to ultimately be disappointed because it wasn't what I was expecting. Videos/reviews/forum posts are a useful tool for insight, but by their nature, they are surface level information and can never truely show you what your experience with a product will be like. Take everything with a grain of salt and take every chance to try these items for yourself before you buy.

The reason why you would still buy a DT1990 is because it EQs like a champ. The drivers are seriously impressive and do whatever you want them to do. Dekoni elite velour pads largely fix the issues with the 8k peak. EQ puts it where ever your preference is.

I actually prefer the dt1990 over all the alternatives Josh named in the video. But to each their own

Let's be clear. The fact that there are now more alternatives doesn't make the DT1990 Pro suddenly a bad headphone. EQ is free and can tame the sometimes forward treble and make these really enjoyable.

I just bought these a few weeks ago and I am extremely happy. I decided to upgrade and the sound quality difference was night and day. Gaming is a much nicer experience compared to the gaming “headphones” and listening to music is a much more enjoyable experience.

Too bright?...hmm...Joshua, use Dekoni Elite Velour pads...problem solved. Ideal for classical music.

I don't agree either! It's an amazing headphone and extremely involving. I can't stand the dull Sennheiser signature and the lack of bass. The 1990 are fantastic for music listening, jazz and classical. I will never sell them

With EQ or Passive Filter to fix the treble, the DT 1990 is still pretty good in “recent times”. I hate that term as people swear by stuff like the HD 600 for the last 20 years so time as a measure is pointless in this case. They are still as good as they were when released it’s just that there are more options to consider now than back then and to be honest I don’t think the other offerings necessarily kill and outdate them automatically. Way back when you compared Sundaras, 660S and the DT 1990 you were still fond of them, even when comparing them to the Ananda Nano you felt DT 1990 is better. So as I said time is not a good measure for this case. I believe that headphones in that 300-500$ region are like flavors and I don’t think that there is a truly definitive answer for what’s best it will depend a lot on the person. Of course we all would like to see Beyerdynamic make a tuning without the treble peak and without compromising some other qualities that the DT 1990 bring to the table but I really doubt it will happen.

I’m one of those that bought these headphones because you recommended them. Some 4 years later, I still love them to bits and addressed your main concern by pairing them with the ADI-2 DAC FS which comes with a built in EQ so I could tame the brightness. 💪

I don't understand how this was very recommended by Joshua and DMS and now they both say it's not worthy while the contender hd600 series still is. I got a pair of 660s and 1990 and imo 1990 is far superior. I honestly like that treble peak, especially in hi-hats and snares.

I bought mine new for 400euros in Germany 3.5 years ago. Keeping them until they break, absolutely love them.

Minus 6-8 db on that treble peak and plus 6-9db on subbass and boom, one of my favorite headphones ever. Even kept them over the Clear OG's!

I like how he still wears the 1990s in his profile pic though, lol

few thoughts on this: 1- the price dropped...kind of. While they are still officially shown for 600€ on the Beyer page the de-facto price is at 390-430€, since you will never have an issue getting them either as an open box deal or on a regular sale for around that, which makes them a pretty good deal on that level (also makes me think about how giganticthe profit margin on headphones is -.- ) 2 - the myth of the tanky build of the 1990s. This is something literally ONLY claimed by reviewers, who use them for a few weeks and then bugger of to the next one , because if you run them as a a daily driver for at least a year or two, there is specially ONE flaw in the design, which are the plastic cramps, that hold the entire headband together left and right. If one of those breaks-and they break easy due to being made from really cheap plastic hold together by metal screws - you better get a new one asap, because otherwise you will shredd the cheap, thin cable, that connects the cups, which will cause shorts and ultimately no sound and the need to repcase the cable. And ofc the replacements for these little cramps are rather expensive for what they are (25€ for original beyer branded ones, if memory serves correctly). I solved that by following a mod guide, that shows how to make them ballanced with a connector for each cup - also something people offer to do for money online, if you are afraid of soldering. And there are also no-name 3D printed ones available on ETSY and Ebay. 3- replacement Ear pads are hard overpriced at over 50€ for one lousy pair. (to be fair: hillariously expensive replacement ear pads seem to be the "buisness modell" of most bigger brands-my fav example a is the DROP HD58x, where new pads cost a third of the headphone. i mean the f***?) 4 - Beyer doesnt offer all the spareparts anymore based on what you could get 3 years ago and what you can get today on their page. And available spareparts is always one of my main reasons to buy from an established brand over - for example - some chi-fi manufacturer. 5 - the sound is still oustanding compared to other headphones between 300-600€. Saying something like "for todays "standard" they are too bright" is ...uhm...an odd thing to do, because A. its personal prefernce and B. it's easy to fix either by EQ or some extra damping in the cups (there are plenty of pads available for all kind of headphones and a scissor does wonders, if need be). I will never understand why some reviewers will praise one headphone brand for being SO good -when EQed (we all know which one i talk about^^) - while others seemingly have to be amazing right out the box, because...reasons. What i whish for is a headphone build like the Sennheiser HD600 line (these are REALLY hard to damage in a significant way by normal daily usage) with the sound signature of the DT1990 pros for 300-500 bucks - that would pretty much be my perfect pair of headphones for daily usage. OR Beyer would bring a revision of the 1990 pro, with the option for two connectors and/or ballanced, plus the same easy plug-connectors inside the cups the new pro line comes with (no soldering involved if a driver dies, which is really nice). Overall i understand neither the intention nor the need for this "review" other than giving the impression to "shill" the named alternatives - specially the new Sennis. Kind of a low point in your history to be honest *shruggs*

So its like 4-5 years since you praised this headphone to the skies and now its gone with the times and not good anymore? How tf does that even work?

I got my pair a few months ago. In my eyes they are virtually perfect.

I own both hifiman edition xs and the 1990 pro, both are very good but also very different, I can't imagine myself selling the 1990 pro just because I own the edition xs...The DT1990 pro are imoa still one of the best headphones in the market, they are beautiful and have solid design, unless you genuinely intend to break them they will last forever! They are also my "by default" headphones for gaming. I got them new for 329 euros and at this price I don't think there's a headphone who can compete.

But can you find a better construction quality and while not looking silly for 500 bucks?

I'm 65 and these cans are going to the grave with me

I bought these around four years ago, and have worn them almost every day for listening, gaming and music producing. They are showing no signs of wear whatsoever and I'm super impressed. The solid beyer build quality is really showing here. They are bright for sure, but my ears have grown used to it.

These are still amazing headphones, especially for those without perfect treble hearing ability, and can often be found on sale. They are about $100 overpriced for today. I preferred the DT-1770Pro, although they have a little too much in the 500Hz region, but I use them on a computer and use EQ which easily sorts them out. The spaciousness, the feeling, detail and bass are by far the best on any headphone I tried at the price. The 1770s have slightly less treble than the 1990s, which I think is perfect for my 50 year old ears, and the bass hits harder than the 1990s which makes the 1770s the best gaming headphones for a reasonable price. I do not subscribe to this idea that you HAVE to spend at least a 1000 on a headphone, this is a sad RU-vidr culture thing where these people mostly (not all) lie about their impressions which is what’s wrong with headphone marketing today. It’s the number one reason why it’s impossible not to spend a fortune these days, and the manufacturers have followed the trend and made their lower end headphones awful.

I own beside a Sennheiser HD800 and a T+A Solitaire P an Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro. It is a decent headphone, which I like very much. It is still worth it in 2024

My daily driver for the last 3 years

Hey Josh, do you prefer the analytical or the balanced pads for Gaming?

Will you ever review the focal stellia ?? You had all focals but this one is missing even tho its one of there best headsets.

Very glad that you've made this video, because I've been wondering the same question for a while now. Thanks for the clarification on the matter. I was wondering if the edition xs have similar or as good soundstage as the 1990.

Been excited for this video since you brought up making it a couple videos ago since i bought the 1990s early this year! In your old video, you recommended the Dekoni after market pads to tame the high ends with out losing much detail. Would love to hear your thoughts on whether the after market pads would push this headphone back into the worth it category for you. I use them as an all arounder headphone and i think the after market pads eliminated any listening fatigue i was getting.

Hi Joshua,can tell about your hd 490 for gaming experience? Why do you prefer dt 1990 over hd 490 for gaming?

Bro your timing is on point, I literally just came back from the audio store to try it lol

I miss my DT1990s, they were so comfortable with the velour elite pads from dekoni. They were built like tanks, were comfortable to wear all day, looked cool as hell. I wish there was something similar.

Hey question for you... Ever heard of the Atoll HD120 headphone amplifier? Was wondering if you had any quick thoughts to share on it

Do you think the DT1990 would run well off if a laptop headphone port. I have the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 2024.

I really appreciate you giving the conclusion to start with. The detail around headphones that NO longer need to be bright to give the same level of detail was really good 😊

I still love mine very much but I switched the pads for dekoni ones to tame the harsh treble response 😅

Josh you brought up gaming. I have heard the 490 Pro and even the BD DT 770 Pro X LE are pretty good options. Do you think the 770 Pro X LE has similar gaming performance at a lower price point?

nah, the bravura in the background is such a flex

Holy cow is that a Warwick Bravura back there? 🤯

Among all of these headphone. Where do yhe aune ar5000 lane? I do hope you do a tier list i wanna see where you rank them.

@JoshuaValour Could you comment on using these with EQ? I feel like they offer great value at the price for non-FR stuff like imaging, bass delivery and dynamics, while their main deficiency is their FR. With EQ, which is free and everyone can use it, do they outshine the competition? Especially as sundara and sennheiser are quite lacking in the punch and slam category and these aren’t.

I purchased a Fiio K9 AKM and a pair of Sundara headphones. With any low bass notes, the headphones crackle as if they're being overdriven. So, I bought some Focal Clear OG headphones, and they crackle in the same way on low bass. It doesn't even sound like the headphones are very loud. Are expensive headphones really this weak?

How does the Audio Technica ATH-R70X compare to these for gaming? (Sound stage and imaging)

I love my DT1990, they are still worth it to me but only because I have multiple use cases, setups and preferences. They are not the most easy listen, nor the last word in wearing comfort. With the right amplification like the Quad PA-One+, they smooth out a bit in the treble and their imaging/soundstage is even more impressive. You can stretch the headband a bit and in time they do loosen up. I have a Quad ERA-1 which in a few ways is a bests the 1990 like timbre, texture and spaciousness. It hits hard in the bass too, yet it doesn't have the excitement or level of micro detail. The DT1990 holds its place between lower Hifiman and Meze offerings but should really go to $400 instead of $500 to sit in between to the Edition XS, Sundara, Verum 2 and Maxwell to stay in the conversation. Yes, they are better built, repairable and come with more accesories but that's not a make or break thing for a lot of people.

For studio use, how do they compare to the DT 900 Pro X?

Hi Joshua, I bought the dt1990 following your advice long time ago. While I'm enjoying the exceptional detailed gaming experience, I agree many times the headphones sound too bright. Like in Billie Jean to give the most obvious example (or other bright tracks like Party, Girls Generation). Can't buy a new headphone this year, so I must accomodate for now. Have you ever EQed the DT1990? Any good EQ profile or personal experience to share in order to "mitigate" the problem? I already bought the Dekoni Velour pads and that helped a tiny bit. There are many resources with prebuilt parametric EQ to try (Oratory,Crinacle, Autoeq) but I don't like any of them. Every one seems based on measurments that show a peak around 8k, while listening to my pair I ear a HUGE peak at 7k, while 8k seems very recessed instead. So I find all of those settings pretty useless to me, they really kill the soundstage and headphones sound pretty "souless". Thank you for your always interesting videos

I bought the passive filter for my DT1990Pro and there's a big difference.

Hey Josh, hoping to see reviews of Drop x Grell OAE1 Signature and Sennheiser HD620s coming up soon/upon release! Your channel originally got me into higher quality audio and I’m looking to finally upgrade from my Sennheisers here

Thanks for the vid- As a gamer I've been looking at the DT1990 to replace my Sundaras and I'm still thinking it's the right play for me based on what you said. I'll be looking at your alternatives though

Hi Joshua, thanks for the update of this review of the DT 1990 PRO. Could you review the new Sennheiser HD 620 close back? I am curious where it stands compare to others similar headphones...like the Sennheiser HD 560S I own and use...or the Audeze MM 100 as I have some interest for that one too...One day I will upgrade from my Sennheiser HD 560S and I am interested to know what is better but not too expensive...My amp is the IFI ZEN AIR CAN. Thanks in advance! Best, Olivier Mannie, Belgium

I upgraded from the DT1990 to the 109 Pro, it's a beautiful all rounder and they have a repair focused ethos which is very important to me.

This is constantly compared to the Neuman's NDH-30. I'd love to see your review of the Neuman NDH - 30

I like neutral/neutral bright and these are excellent. EQ them to diffuse field target and they sound lovely. Beyer being available in our third world country and being build extremely well, means they beat pretty much everything else.

Here's why the 1990s are worth it even in 2024: (1) They are very well EQ-able without any distortion in the bass even when pushing it in the bass and overall volume. (2) Thus, you can easily EQ them to the Harman target. (3) Everything outside of frequency response is great: Sound stage, imaging, dynamics, and "immersion" (although that arguably is a result of the former). I did direct comparisons with 660S, Sundara, Focal Clear Mg -- all EQ'd roughly to Harman target via oratory's presets. The 1990s came out clearly ahead compared to the first two, and while the Clear Mg is clearly superior in the low end and dynamics/punch, their narrower sound stage made me feel a little too claustrophobic for comfort. I don't think the 1990 is the best headphone out there (e.g., I'd give the win to the LCD-X, and headphones like the Arya Organics are straight on a different level), but for those who EQ their headphone anyway, it's still an exceptionally good headphone, even for its price, and even in 2024.

I bought this headphone based on your recommendation back in the day. I still enjoy listening to music with them though I would like to know which alternatives you could recommend today if you want to upgrade and your budget is double to the price of these ones (i.e., up to 1000 dollar). Anyway, very much enjoy this video. Many thanks.

which brand is this white keyboard?

What is better and sounds better I use the current Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro and considering either the Audeze Maxwell or Beyerdynamic DT 1990. I really like wireless but I rather have what sounds better and is better overall and I these would be for gaming and music listening.

I really want a pair of these to round out my monitoring line up. I have a lot of excellent headphones but usually return to hd6xx and hd25s. Would be nice to have something to steer away from HF in mixdown

Hello guys, Could I get recommendation for headphones that have vocal timbre of HD650 or HD598 or Momentum 3 that is suited for female vocal. With bass of Philips X2HR or tuned down Sennheiser Momentum 3. That would also have nice sound staging and imaging for games. I love the Momentum 3, but their bass is little bit too heavy, they also lack resolution and sound staging + imaging. I did not mind the Hd650, but they lack bass for me and sound staging leaves a lot to be desired. The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X already are little bit too bright for me, their vocal is ok, their bass still not good enough. Philip’s X2HR peak was aggravating, vocal timbre was ok, but they are too wide for gaming and have mediocre imaging. HD 560S were just lackluster neutral for me, with bad imaging for games for me and no sight of Sennheiser vocal timbre. HD 58X the worst vocal timbre out of sennheisers. So for now for music I usually use Momentum 3 (tuned down bass like in DMS review), Philips X2HR (with eq down peak), HD650 (if I had too much brightness) and AirPods Pro 2. For gaming usually it’s Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X with EQ down peak. Next headphones I am planning to try are Hifiman Edition XS, DT 1990 Pro and Sennheiser HD660S. But any other recommendations?

I bought these a few years back after watching your review and comments versus other cans. Yes they are bright, but they easily EQ and sound fantastic still. My favorite pair that I use most of the time. I only occasionally break out my LCD-X or HD 6XX.

As others have mentioned the Dekoni pads tame the top end, but I always end up going back to the stock pads. The Dekoni pads seem to rob me of what I love about these headphones, which is the punch, slam and thwack factor. I have DT880 600ohm, Tygr 300r, HD6xx and HD58x...all which mostly sit up on the shelf, because there is no point listening to them since the DT1990 crush them by a wide margin.

I still find it difficult to find a new headphone, that's a genuine upgrade from my HD650. I've owned this thing for more than 20 years now, and it still holds up so well

I see bravura in the background. Can't wait for the review. My absolute favourite of all time. Bought dt1990pro almost 6years ago. I agree there are definitely better options in that price point, now. Still use it for music, but now mostly for gaming. Lcd-X for music.dt1990 Relibility wise no issues at all. Still love that headphone.

What do you think the 1990 should sell for at this point? What price would make it worth it?

I have been using these headphone for gaming for the past 4 years and LOVE them, I keep looking for a better option but I don't see anything. I do enjoy my Kiwi Orch2 for IEM gaming, but NOTHING beats the comfort of these headphones, that said I have been eying the Maxwell, but lack of replaceable batter makes me very hesitant, I hate EOL a product because the battery is dead. I guess I will keep using them!

What would you recommend for mastering engineers?

Hey boss man! Do you mind taking a look at the ZMF Atrium? I know a few youtubers that use it as a daily, but I don't know the characteristics they have for headphones like I do for you relative to me. I'm sure you'll enjoy them! Thanks for taking the time to read this!

I've got these and meze 109 pro. The sound is very similar but 109pro is just better: more volume and depth. Ergonomics is better with 1990. Basically dt1990 is great workhorce and 190pro is for great comfort and pleasure of listening.

I think part of my influence to buy the DT1990s was your video from like 5 years ago. Mah hart, mah sole. :P

Please help...Sundara vs HD 600???

So summarized : if you like details and crispiness it’s still a no brainer 😂 I agree as i compared it to a few other headphones and none of them offered this sparkle

I thought the HD 800 S was supposed to be the best for gaming on an unlimited budget… how do these compare for gaming in your opinion?

I love mine. Paired them with a set of Dekoni velour eapads and a passive filter from DIY AUDIO HEAVEN. Comfortable, sound great, and are well built.

Can you do similar video on HD800s?

I bought the Beyerdynamic DT1990 pro for music production. Trance music, to be specific. You have to calibrate them through Sonarworks SoundID, and after that, they sound balanced enough. The harsh top end around 10k will be reduced and the lows/mids will be boosted in a great way. Sonarworks has a separate soundprofile for the analytical pads and the balanced pads. Before calibration, I was actually a little disappointed by the thin sound. After calibration, they are just fine and will reveal everything in the soundspectrum.

if you're an edm listener you want the bass to hit this hard. Highly recommend these.

if you put on wicked cushion on the dt 1990 the sharpness is history and you still have the imaging and clarity. I own both dt 1990 and hifiman xs and I love them both on my Geshelli with sparkos and aune s17 pro. really orgasmic

Well, I went for cheapest planar and modified it. With bass boosted EQ it sounds perfect. Planars just got that extra resolution I don't get with classic headphones.(cant remember now what's that tech called 😂) dynamic?

I think you should review the Focal Stellia and compare it the the Sony MDR-Z1R and the other flagship closed backs!

If you can get Beyer T1 second gen that’s a better gaming set than the 1990 pro tbh.

i completely agree on what u said in this video I personally use for production mix and mastering and I love it, especially cause are really sharp, but I use them with sonarwork for calm the highs and I have a +3 db correction below 100 hx for more sub 😹 I do techno so this is why , but also for movies those sub is awesome and imaging too, thank u Joshua as allay for your videos 🙏

Absolutely. They’re my go-to headphones in any year. Love them.

I love these cans on the secondary markets. Buying these at around %50-%70 from the original price is perfect. These are bright but doesn't everyone know to EQ by now?

They're built like a tank with all parts serviceable. Once you F up a hifiman product, good luck getting them fixed. Cheaper price tag comes with cost cutting. To tame the treble, you can but foam attenuation kit from dekoni, even slap on the velours. Pair with dark source like tubes. They're going to serve you for life.

A lot of people prefer these with dekoni velours which fix the problems most people have with these. But personally I prefer Jonne Haven's eq. I'm still going to be trying higher tier headphones sometime in the future, but when adjusted these headphones are such a sweet spot right now for me that they could be my endgame.

About 6 months ago I had the 1990s and the 660s2s and returned the 1990s. Way to sibilant for me, the 660s2 with an EQ, boosted bass, slightly boosted treble made these headphones sound amazing. I’m currently running the hd800s and I think the duo between the hd800s and the hd660s2 compliment eachother nicely, hd800s for soundstage and imaging (great for gaming and comfort) with tons of detail, where the 660s2s fulfill the bass while still being extremely detailed. They’re both great but both need EQs for me, both bass boosted, hd800s I have the treble rolled back a tad just to take the edge off as theyre pretty bright, but no where as near bright as the 1990s. The 1990s did NOT scale well with volume, I like listening to music semi loudly, and the 1990s treble KILLED my ears.

You should review the VZR Model 1.

Man. I've been crushing on this headphone for years. I have DT 770s I use when I need sound isolation, and I just really wanted to experience that open-back, ultra-detailed version. I also just think they're some of the best-looking headphones I've ever seen. Still over a thousand dollars in Canada though, and I've never seen them on sale. I'm also pretty interested in that Meze 109 pro. Currently $1100 which is....basically the absolute, absolute maximum I could ever imagine myself paying for a headphone, lol. Hard to justify but maybe I should just go for it before that one ages out as well.

Hmmm...I think videos like these would be more useful if the tone were more about if its time for current owners to upgrade to something new. Not talking about Josh specifically but seeing new tier list etc that trash older headphones that we spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on at various youtuber recommendations is insulting. Its like in pc gaming when a new gfx card comes out its nice to have the new hotness, but your old one still gives you the same amount of performance as the day you bought. So if I replace my DT1990 pro and drop another $500+ how much more performance am I getting for my money????

Every time I go back to the DT1990 I'm always surprised at how bad it is and can't believe I used it for some time. I don't think it's that detailed (perhaps it is for its price but not sure)... It's also really hardly an open back and that becomes obvious when you try other open backs in comparison to this. Perhaps pad rolling might help, they have Dekoni Elite Sheepskins on them currently iirc.

Top Headphones age like fine wine and is the opposite of Phones for example. A great pair of headphone from a reputable brand (Beyer) can last you decades, even an entire lifetime, just to be passed on to your kids. They simply do not "gone with the times". The video makes no sense if this headphone was excellent 4-5 years ago, it should remain excellent for the following decade. I think it's just a way to incentivize purchase of other/newer headphones for monetization sakes. Unless of course, that I misunderstood, and the DT 1990 Pro is still very much worth it in 2024 and beyond.

I bought the Amiron Home a year or so ago, largely because of Joshua's review, and liked it. But something about the sound seemed off to me. Then, just about 4 months ago I bought the DT1990. It took a long time for me to burn in the DT1990's, and in fact I was ready to return it several times. So I was still open to acquire a higher level product and, yes, Josh kind of sold me on the Arya Organic, and I got a pair. Love the Arya's But, interestingly to me, my 1990's also started sounding really good, and now I often go back and forth between the Organics and DT1990 during a listening session. Both headphones have great detail and soundstage, although the 1990's have greater detail while the Organics win at soundstaging. But the 1990's are also more dynamic, so different types of music sound better on one or the other. But you got to EQ the 1990's.

I still enjoy my DT1990 pro, which I've purchased roughly 3 years ago. The build quality is really really nice and I like that it has only one cable instead of the 2 cables present in most higher end headphones. The sound signature is really good for the genres I listen to the most (metal/metalcore and some electronic stuff). Especially the bass is really enjoyable and punchy (as you said in your video) It has some drawbacks though which are fixable by some modding: - I really hated the cable, since it's very microfonic and the plug is too long (touched my shoulder all the time) -> fixed by custom cable - the treble is a tad too intense sometimes (as you mentioned) even for me, who used a DT880 for 9 years before this -> fixed by Amiron Wireless Foam Disks + Dekoni Elite Velours Pads (even more wearing comfort with thoss even). You should really try them with those mods.

Reluctantly picked up a 490 after the lukewarm reviews and have found it to be sorely underrated by reviewers. If you use EQ, the HD490 is amazing. It can handle much more (and cleaner) bass boost than the other Sennheiser headphones it's so often compared to, like the 650. The comfort is also unmatched. I've owned the 1990, XS, and others on the list and I think the 490 beats them all pretty handily. Especially if like to EQ.

Hoping the new 620S will step up to compete with things like the 1990!

How would you compare this against the Tygr 300R solely for gaming, given the price difference & imaging being great on both

I EQ'ed mine and put some fenestrated sheep skin pads on them. When looking for a new pair of headphones in a higher segment. I was shocked to find that all I got for that money was a headphone that pretty much could do the same without EQ. Some where marginally better but to me that minuscule margin isn't worth 1500 - 2500 euros.

would love to see the same vid for dt770

Beyerdynamics like the DT770 and 990 are EXTREMELY harsh. I use a Neumann NDH30 for editing my voice overs and the DT770s make me de-ess too much. They're exceedingly bright and that makes details too far forward and makes imperfections stick out so much that it makes one feel the need to work even harder to fix things no one will actually hear.

I agree entirely with this. I loved my Beyers but they have now been bettered. My personal recommendation would be to save up a little extra and go for the Meze 109 Pro. Absolutely phenominally good at that price point and may well be the best available under 1K.

Jumping on the DMS train its too bright, try amping it properly. All that DMS ever goes on about is the 6XX which sounds like two amazon echo dots held up to your ears .Try amping the DT1990 and the HE1000SE another headphone that DMS took a dump on and stuck in D TIER on a Audio GD Master19 and then tell me its too bright.