Now the GOOD ones! Beyerdynamic DT 770 headphone review 

Thanks for the update

glare is just a question of EQ indeed grain comes from a lot of tiny dips and peaks together, from what I understand, so EQ is like trying to patch up a thousand animal bites with only one band-aid - K702, for instance, never stops being grainy no matter how you EQ it (I'm not the type to care much about grain, though, but it is nice to not have it, like with the discontinued T90's midrange)

With the EQ that you show in one of your links?

My $200 DAC/AMP doesn't have an EQ. And I plan on mostly listening to music and the occasional movie? Should I look elsewhere? I'm concerned about sibilant sound when turned up.

@@mickael486 You can use free EQ apps for Windows

I thought so too for 15 years. The 770s were unbeatable until i couldn't get the bass and kick right in a mix i was doing. Then i bought the 880s, then the 990s, now on Sundara`s. I have to say every step was a step forward. Only use them for tracking these days.

wow 10+years thank you for info 👍

15 yrs here. all great until i tried a pair of audeze LCD2 and focal clears. they are now in the cubboard for tracking and recordings duties

@@MrNexangelus I had one pair died after around 10 years; on my second pair going also into 10 years and still strong since I took better care of it. A few pieces are failing over time but beyer sells every piece in this headphones that could break separateley (the plastic pieces that hold the cans; the pads; the headband pad; the cable...)

@@daveg.9720 which means basically you got to multiply the price but 8 or 10 to find something you liked better. I know focal make great monitor speakers so I'm curious to test their headphones.

what Ohm did you choose? 32 or 80? I want to use it for everyday usage (Laptop/Smartphone) with dongle dac (2 and 4 vrms).

@@marhensa I went with the 80 ohm version, but I also run dedicated amplification. I started with the 250 Ohm version, but they didn’t have enough bass for my tastes. If I were just running a dongle dac, I might spring for the 32 Ohm version, but that’s just a guess. I haven’t heard what they sound like.

@@RdandTrk1 I want to choose the 32 ohm.. but the pad is somekind of plastic leather, not velour pad like 80 ohm and 250 ohm. I have M50X, the pads are deteriorated like a hobo right now, I think I don't want that. so if I choose 80 ohm, I need proper DAC/AMP (desktop class) to runs it? not just dongle DAC (even it's 4 vrms)?

@@marhensa I know what you mean about the M50X. I’m on my second set of pads with it, so I can see why the pads of the 32 Ohm DT 770 would be a turn off for you. My guess is that you’ll be just fine with the 80 Ohm version. If you have Amazon available, or something like it with a simple return policy, I’d say try it and see. If your setup gives you satisfactory volume levels then great! If not, return it and get the 32 Ohm version.

@@RdandTrk1 I live in a country where return policy because of unsatisfactory is not exist, only broken thing could be returned. okay thank you for the information and recommendation. I guess I'll get the 80 ohm then.. also I think eventualy I will buy desktop grade DAC/AMP at some point in the future, so 80 ohm it is.

Do they need amp??

Yes the gryphon is a DAC/AMP with both 4.4 and 3.5 output

DT770 is an upgrade over the Shure SRH1540 and Focal Listen Pro as well (if only because those two are overpriced), so you can argue that they "punch above their weight" depending on what you compare to DT770. Hang on to it.

you can buy different pads if you want

I agree with you on isolation, a lot of people are giving them credit as a great isolated headphones but it is not so true. They are the headphones I’ve used the most and my main pair and I love a lot of things about them. But playing e-drums I can definitely hear the rubber pads at significant volume, I can use them for foh live mixing purposes but closer to the stage as a monitor mixer I get a lot of bleed and a low mid resonance inside the headphones, etc. Sometimes this “ lack “of isolation is useful letting you feel and hear a bit of what’s happening around you ( hearing an amp , drums etc) in a not so coloured sound. One day for example recording a drummer and having my interface etc in the same room, we exchanged headphones with him, I gave him my dt and he gave me his vic firth. I could hear the microphone positioning with his but also he liked the dt more for him cause he could hear the drums naturally and have less volume in his ears and more of the rest of the instruments

bull tish!!!

We don't have those at the moment so they're not on the radar, but I'll keep an eye out.

I should try that on ours!

@@ResolveReviews I'd offer to ship mine on over to compare but considering the Atlantic Ocean (and likely you guys' production schedule), maybe some pictures will have to do - are your Twitter DMs open?

@@JennyDarukat They should be!

@@JennyDarukat I'd also like to see how you modded them!

@@JennyDarukat I don’t have twitter but am curious to what you did as well. Love the dt770 but don’t use it for music. A tad too bright.

In this price range for closed back neutral, the AKG 553 or 371 aren't bad alternatives. But no one can beat the comfortable pads of Beyer. You got any recommendations on some tube amps?

@@nhk403 I need to try out those AKGs. My budget tube amp choice would have to be the Darkvoice. There's also the Bottlehead Crack tube amp that's pretty affordable (it's a DIY build). I'm currently rocking some vintage General Electric (6AS7) and RCA (6SN7) tubes with my Darkvoice. You've definitely got to tube roll, it makes a huge difference. You can find tubes that sound the best for you and match them to each pair of headphones. My tubes bring up the midrange of the DT770, open up the soundstage, and give it a really nice lively sound (my HD650 also sounds much better with those tubes compared to the stock tubes). I may eventually purchase a higher priced tube amp, but I see no reason to at this time, since I'd rather just buy more tubes to try!

@@ItsNeverTooHot4Leather Thanks for the Darkvoice recommendation. I've had my eye on it for a while, but now that you've told me which tubes to get and that they work on your 770s and your Sennheiser I'm gonna pull the trigger. I've been looking for a tube for my 600s for a while now. Cheers bro!

@@nhk403 Happy tube hunting!

Agreed on the better amp part. I went from a Fulla E to an Element 3 and the difference in the quality of power for my DT 770 (250) was night and day.

Mine never cracked or took any damage in close to 8 years before selling it off in favor of a Pioneer HRM7. I think the issue, in your case, might have been how you handle your headphone or your plastic slider bits were defective from the start, which is something to watch out for.

mine cracked too.. after couple of years.. and quite heavy duty use including djing.. yeah that part could be designed / manufactured better, but they are so good im buying them again

it is to be noted that they're sold separatately for cheap and easy to replace; as every part of this headphones that could break (the cable is a bit trickier but it's doable as well)

Which ohm version are you using? I'm also thinking about getting Dt770 pro. I have read some reviews that sibilance is audible and I'm confused. Have you had any issues yet?

@@kristis3755 I guess it depends on individuals ears. I have no issues but the treble is clearly elevated. I personally like it. 80 and 250 ohm both similar. 80 is easier to drive. I own 250 ohm version. Owned 80 ohm version before.

@@musicxxa6678 is the treble harsh? It's bad? I'm thinking about 80ohms for myself.

If you want a DT770 that is a bit better, I think the Custom Cans tuning kit improves them. Comparing my stock 250 ohm pair to my 80 ohm Custom Cans modified DT770s, I find that there is a lot less of the 'plasticy' timbre that gives away the DT770 as a cheap(ish) headphone to my ears, also the 250 ohm model should have a tighter faster response than 80 ohm, I don't hear that with the tweaked 80 ohm, if anything it's the other way around.

​@@kristis3755 I find them analytical yet great to listen to for fun. The bump in the higher treble is what sound engineers call "revealing"; it's the frequency domain where a lot of problems appear that are hard to figure out and this curve makes it easier to do so. bad recordings will be immediatly noticeable.

And if you want a more portable length of cable you can easily make a 3 strand loose braid with the cable.

It is exactly opposite in my case.

I like it more than DT 1990. 1990 definitely more resolving and detail but quite different sound presentation.

@@spaceshipearth356 I feel like Jones does, maybe partly because I'm a DT990 hater outright. I did not keep DT990 for more than a couple of weeks while DT770pro 250Ω served me for casual listening and as a music production tool for over 7 years. I use an HRM7 in the studio instead of DT770 these days. I am more of a fan of the Tesla Beyers these days as well. I particularly love T90 and T50p so far. I may go for a DT1770 later, and for sure I want a DT1990 in the future.

@@Jason75913 I just don't enjoy the close/boxy sound of DT770. But DT990 sound just right to me and it's a steal for 100-120€. Yeah, we have different ears, that's why I laugh at all these overly serious headphone debates when I read them these days. :) I am considering DT1990 as an upgrade for sure. Wanted Tesla, but tests say they aren't that good, so I am not sure, need to listen to them sometime and make my own opinion. Enjoy what you like, cheers! :)

Have you compared the DT770's to the Aeon 2 Noire by any chance. I plan on upgrading to the DCA E3's myself. :D

i feel like the hd650 sounds much better, but dt770 is close second when you want isolation or dont want others to hear your sound. But the dt770 dont have the details of the hd650

@@residentzero HD650's are an open back though. Try out the DCA 'E3''s if you want an amazing closed back.

and......? do you want a medal? better still, just buy another pair and wear them like a bra!!

@@h-dawg6462 you have a problem ?

Chrono addressed much of that in the comment pinned to this video.

I like my dt990pro better. I don't know why people prefer dt770pro. The sound is boxy.

@@spaceshipearth356 sound isnt boxy lol its just closed back

@@loucipher7782 Yes, I know, that's why they suck.

@@spaceshipearth356 nah they dont suck, its you that need an open back lol

Which headphone would you prefer DT770 80ohm or AKG k371? I asked because I been going to Guitar Center over the span of two months exchanging 6 different headphones. I finally settled on the AKG k371 because they're the best sounding in my budget that they carry. Ive been wanting the DT770 80 ohm for a long time because of all the great things I've heard. I want to use them for mixing and strictly for music production. Is there a big difference between the two?

Does the 361 image well?

I own both the 770 Pro 80 ohm and the K371. The K371 has a pretty good harman tuning which in theory should be less fatiguing to listen to but in practice this isn't the case. The K371 is unfortunately held back by its TINY soundstage so everything feels like it's in the center most of the time. Mid-bass is sorely lacking so the headphone has no punch whatsoever, treble is also lacking (particularly the air) which doesn't help with the boxed-in feeling. Sub frequencies below 50hz are way too accentuated and go way over the harman target which can be painful for sub-heavy music like Psy-Trance. All of this makes for a very fatiguing and unnatural sounding headphone, even though sound resolution is good. The 770 Pro has as big a soundstage as some of the best open-back headphones out there (definitely the biggest soundstage on the market for a closed-back) which gives it plenty of room for the music to breathe and sound natural. It packs a nice punch thanks to its mid-bass presence (maybe that's why you think it sounds muddy compared to K361?) and has satisfying and airy treble (although the small 8K treble spike can be a bit annoying on certain tracks). Sound resolution is also good. As a music producer, I can easily trust the 770 Pro for mixing. I unfortunately can't say the same for the K371. Not even close. The 770 Pro truly is THE reference headphone, even with its flaws.

@@tradehut2782 I own the K371 and the soundstage is very small. In my experience, unless an instrument is hard-panned to the right or left, everything is gonna sound squished together in the middle so not great for imaging.

@@Nayah9 K371 needs to have polyfill added inside. You unscrew each baffle, which is what has the driver element glued to it, and add polyfill, and even amount into each cup. Almost no one is going to do this besides me, and K371 is much less muddy afterward. Then you need bigger earpads and you can kiss the small and muddy soundstage goodbye forever. I use Brainwavz HM5 v1 oval pads to this end. I'm likely the only person that does so. So K371, after all that, is a more revealing and resolving headphone than DT770pro. Both the DT and AKG need EQ as they both have wonky frequency responses, in my experience. I don't quite get the whole "Harman target" thing with K371 (not that I care in the slightest), but it has an odd FR no matter the volume level, to my ears. Still, it is somewhat of a reference closed headphone (and again, only because I modified it) for me.

​@@Jason75913 Props to you for making the modifications you deemed necessary to make the K371 sound better to you. That's great! But I don't buy it. I seriously doubt that polyfill is going to make the headphone sound clearer. Anything you place between your ear and the driver is going to make it sound muddier. The K371 isn't muddy anyway. As I said, resolution is pretty good. It's the soundstage that's the main problem. I also doubt that changing the earpads makes any substantial difference to the soundstage (maybe a tiny bit). Cup size and driver size are what determine the width of the soundstage, and those can't be changed. Do an actual A/B comparison between your modded version and OG version and I doubt you'll hear much positive change. Either way, nothing can fix the awkward tuning of the K371 (lack of punch and air). Even EQ struggles with this I find. Don't get me wrong, this CAN be an enjoyable headphone and in some cases it has its place, but for most applications the 770 Pro is just better.

Yeah man there is nowt worse than people over using compression in their tracks it really is so horrible to listen to especially on revealing systems.

can you provide evidence for your claim?

Bought mine after seeing Katie Melua record in BBC studios wearing a pair. Against advice from a headphone guru who warned me they are too bright. Very happy with the DT770; these would have to be the most comfortable headphones I’ve owned. And I did not find them bright at all.

I think that the only reason why studios use them is because you a can buy spare parts for them

hello im prlly late but ive heard 80 and 250 ohms both 770s and 990s (it was 3 months ago) and i sincerely think 80 ohm versions are just fuckn better cuz they have more detail .idk how but with 80 ohm ones i just could hear more. 80vs250 ohm 770 bass wise im not sure, 770 80 just had right good amount of it i found 250 ohm 770 (&990) to just be BORING. the sound was less "focused" (the best word to describe) and in complicated music the quiet sounds in the background were mercilessly overshadowed by the loud ones (like lead melody and drums) , whereas 80 ohm versions are just not like that. i personally own 990s 250 ohm version and i think i made a huge mistake buying the 250 ohm. i eqed them desperately trying to make it sound like 80 ohm (in which i could hear quiet "pads" in my music easily) but it didn't work. like the 80 ohm drivers are just more capable of producing many sounds at once🤷🏽 and one last important note, there IS a friggin big unit variance between same beyerdynamics. i tried 2 990s 250 and the first one was very bassy, warm and not bright while the second one was bright and had noticeably less bass. and they both imo (along with 250 770 too) had comparatively poorly detailed sound compared to 80 ohm 990 and 80 ohm 770. after all i highly recommend you to listen to them by yourself in a store if you have this opportunity P.S. yes i was using an amp and dac COMBO while testing them (ifi hip dac/ibasso dc03 for dac + ifi zen can/schiit mangi 3 for amp)

Would you mind sharing your EQ preset? Most of them are Harman or alike, which I hate.

They are nothing alike. 770 is significantly superior.

80 ohms works fine on pc and phone

Hi, im doing the same change right now, just that i got the 80ohms version, but how did you manage to get a good bass? i feel thet the xbox headsets had good bass, it was kinda boosted and stuff, but i dont feel that bass with the 80ohms 770s

Chord Electronics hugo tt2 is endgame DAC/headphone amp. It is insane honestly dude.

It's just the new logo of the brand.

class

Which do you prefer? What do you find the differenence to be? Thanks

@@b3asle551 The 80 is *slightly* softer all around, which is better for that treble plateau, but less good for the bass. It can be powered by a phone, but not to the kind of spl some might prefer. The 250 will work with an OTL amp if that's your thing, and the coiled cable is great for desk use. It is the snappier sounding of the two imo. Otherwise they're identical.

Yeah it might be a driver variation but i heard couple of 80 and 250 ohms the difference is that 80 ohm version sounds a bit bloated/loose. 250 ohm version sound a bit tighter and little brighter. 80 ohm one bounce more.

Yeah, i'm having trouble choosing between those 2 as well

Any of you lads decided on a pair yet?

@@tether23 i actually decided to go for the 700 pro x

I would recommend the Schiit Magni + Modi stack or Monoprice Liquid Spark stack for best sound from DT770.

I only had a dac using the DT770 pro 80ohms and they sounded like the volume was so low then when I got me an amp I was blown away with the sound these produce

Isolation plus V shape makes it perfect to listen at low volume

if you have to fix headphones with corrective eq how are they "cool" exactly?!?

With only a 100mW of power and 96dB sensitivity, that has to be expected. I think a 250-ohm version would be more logical for that kind of output without distortion, or any risk of damaging the headphone.

....and the reason is they are now all deaf! it's comical how over-hyped these train wreck of a treble-boosted mess these hp's are! seriously, the 1770's will sound bad if you like 770's.....because they are tonally correct!!!

Some say it's to V shape. Maybe because I'm old and listen at moderate level I love their sound. And as said by others they sound wide, spacious what is very important to me. If you can Eq it to your taste they give lot of pleasure

I had a 250ohm 880 and it was fantastic with EQ for the money. Then I got a 600ohm to try and it was notably better still, but apparently that's due to unit variation, not impedance. Probably my favourite headphone at that price when EQ'd.

990pro 250 > 770pro 250 for me

@@spaceshipearth356 Agreed, if you don't require closed back and EQ the highs a bit at least or are no longer sensitive to them.

@@hartyewh1 unit variation exists, yes, but DT880 600Ω IS higher res, in my experience, though I would not know why, some speculate because of the 600Ω's lighter voice coil

@@Jason75913 I know there's a measurable difference between the 32ohm and the two others, but for the difference to be so massive it must be unit variation as well. It was really night and day.

They’re different sound profiles. The dt770 is more lean and fast and clean with good punch in the bass. The k371 is more mush and laid back sounding with more bloated sounding bass but not in a bad way. It’s definitely a bit mushy in the bass compared to the dt770 though and doesn’t have the sound stage or imaging. That being said the k371 are good for casual listening and for me aren’t fatiguing at all where depending on your taste you may need to eq the dt770 a little in the treble area.

@@jeremywilliam79 the akg371 is only mushy sounding in direct comparison to the dt770. The AkG371s strong suit is that it is dead neutral (if your looking for that) and more detailed. It sounds mushy because it doesnt have the dips to seperate different regions. Ie bass-mids-treble, but technically this is more "correct". The dt 770s strong suit are imaging, soundstage, with a more "fun" (bass and treble accentuated) frequency response

Before EQ, we're all divided on that opinion, but after EQ, DT770 is more practical due to having acoustic treatment inside of its cups, unlike K371. Helps make it more resolving. I can actually appreciate the reverbs I use on my tracks I make through DT770, which is impossible in the muddier, unmodified K371. Now I'm not the type to settle for excess cup resonances in closed headphones, most manufacturers couldn't care less about optimizing their closed designs, so all of my closed headphones have been modified. After tweaking K371 with polyfill (much like you'd find inside typical studio speaker monitors), plus replacing the original earpads with Brainwavz HM5 v1 oval pads, K371 becomes more resolving before or after EQ. The original AKG earpads are what give the headphone its "listening through a keyhole" character. A little weird.

@@Jason75913 this is awesome feedback maybe I’ll try that!

how hard are you pushing them? in my experience, they definitely have a bit more of a power limit compared to other headphones. the bass is great at moderate to high volume, but once you start pushing them to extremes, they start tapping out very quickly.

It might be defective. My unit was like that too and i replaced it. No problems. Or maybe hair stuck

@@musicxxa6678 oh yeah, i've had issues with hairs as well. but even still, i've had clipping when "cranking it" regardless of hairs or not. i feel it may be the combination of the low sensitivity and low(ish) impedance. need power bc of the sensitivity but not enough resistance to go with that power.

For years I've been looking and reading about these headphones and the great bass. Finally bought the 80 ohm and on the first song I listened to I had this problem. Put my schiit magni 3+ at just past 12 o'clock and what was once clean vocals with bass became a fluttered vocals and gross distortion. I can push my shp 9500 harder with an eq bass boost before it even comes close to distorted. Seriously disappointed. They sound good at low levels but nothing that blows me away. Gonna listen a little more cause this was right out of the box but I don't have my hopes up. After listening to shp 9500's, oppo pm3, sundara, he 4xx some , Dan clark aeon opens, and various sub 100 iems, the dt 770s we're just kind of more of the underwhelming same. I feel like people who rant and rave about them should try the he4xx. Great sound stage, bass extension, balanced mids and a treble to my ear that is just below what the sundara gives you.

With only a 100mW of power and setting the headphone amp to high gain while listening to bassy music, well i'm not surprised if the drivers will be damaged with high volume.

the 32 ohm is a consumer version with the high end boosted a bit, i would buy the 80hms dt770s, its closer to perfect flat, i used to own 32 ohm. 80ohm is an upgrade fosure

250Ω version has the better bass, if paired with any good desktop amplifier. Then, due to Beyerdynamic's loose manufacturing tolerances, the bass can be even tighter if you get a "golden sample" DT770, so some folks get to enjoy rock-solid bass that nothing else beats at under $300.

Bad reputation of beyer? Why would they have a bad rep?

@@abeedhal6519 they don't, he's probably going by a few negative opinions he read on the web, unrepresentative of Beyerdynamic's reputation

@@Jason75913 yeah that got me a bit confused, besides the lack of detachable cables the lower priced beyers might be the best on the market

32 ohm = muddy with boomy bass 80 ohm = less muddy and more resolving 250ohm = higher fidelity, tighter sound The extra boom in the 80ohm and 32ohm makes them seem like they have more bass, but as far as I know, they should measure the same amount of bass. 80ohm and 250ohm sound best with desktop gear, like the Monoprice Liquid Spark stack or Schiit stack. All versions may annoy you with their 10kHz treble peaks and 5kHz upper midrange boosts.

With this ampsandsound Forge chilling on my desk, I’m starting to wonder why I ever did such a thing 😂

@@chrono-headphonereviews242 I know how to wear out a joke. The ball busting is in good fun. I actually have had the Camphor Burl Verite Closed since Jan 2022 and almost had a moment of weakness and put them up for sale to help pay for something else I had on my wish list. But I resisted and thankfully kept them. I don't think there is a better closed back on the market imo after trying many other HP's. For the Rock and Hard Rock genre's I listen to anyway. Great All rounder actually. When you throw in the fact each Camphor Burl and every ZMF is a one of a kind HP and also that ZMF lifetime warranty on the drivers... you realize the VC really is an end game headphone in so many ways. I'm sure that cheered you up Chrono. How Dare You!!! 😁

I'll be making a comparison review on r/headphones in a day or two. Going through EQ, gaming use etc as well.