Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium - Official Thread

[Resolve]

This is the place to discuss all things to do with the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium.

DT 990 Edition

We have all three versions at the lab and have put them through their paces. As it happens, there may be some unit variation with these so consider these measurements merely as individual samples, and an indication of how they may vary. Additionally, I did pad swap among the three, and the results remained consistent, so it’s not just pad variation that’s responsible for the difference.

Measurements taken on GRAS 43AG-7 with RA0402 coupler and KB5000 pinna.

They’re all generally quite bright (with fresh pads), but the 600 ohm version is pretty wild in the treble.

Keep in mind that over time the pads will wear in and the treble is bound to relax a bit. How much it relaxes, and how much you’ll have to wait for that is still unclear.

For those who are curious about the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro edition 250 ohm, here’s the result for that one:

This is probably the one I’d pick out of all of these as it’s got a more sturdy feeling build.

[generic]

@Resolve

the 600 ohm version is pretty wild in the treble.

Dekoni has pads for that:

Dekoni Elite Sheepskin replacement earpads for the Beyerdynamic DT Series

The treble suppression is extreme:

I run these pads with my DT-880 600 ohm and use EQ to bring the treble back up. This results in a very smooth mid range and dodges the treble problems. I suppose I could punch holes in the filtering screen to bring some of treble back and avoid EQ.

[hottyson]

@Resolve

For those who are curious about the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro edition 250 ohm,
…
This is probably the one I’d pick out of all of these as it’s got a more sturdy feeling build.

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro edition 250 ohm is the one I chose. I also love the coiled headphone cable.

My original love was for a pair of DT from the 1980s that fell apart due to the cheap plastic used in the era. I replaced them with the most beautiful in the history of the DT heritage, the Beyerdynamic DT880 (2003) which is rated 250 ohm. The infamous amp designer named “morsel” that co-designed the M³ suggested that since I love the DT880 (2003), that I should get a pair of her favorite headphone which was the DT990 Pro. She said that it would add the missing bass that the DT880 lacked. I finally picked up my pair a few years ago and do enjoy the DT990 pro, however my loyalty lies with my DT880 (2003) and tube rolling with my DT880 600 ohm. All of my Beyerdynamic Headphones are pretty much only used for tube rolling fun these days. However, before my venture into tubes I enjoyed many great solid state amplifiers to pair with these.

There are a great number of solid state amplifiers that excel when paired with any of the Beyerdynamic DT series. On the $100 price point the Monoprice Liquid Spark can sometimes create textural magic with violins and cellos. At the $300 price point in the used marked one can find the Beyerdynamic A20 which can create an additional five percent increased width in sound stage over $700 and $900 amplifiers. Which brings us to my next amplifiers that I paired with Beyerdynamic DT series headphones which are still made by Ray Samuels Audio, the Emmeline XP-7, and the Emmeline HR-2. Both of these excel at creating extreme textural magic with violins and cellos. My XP-7 was permanently paired with my DT880 (2003) for two straight decades (using the AD797 opamp). Paired with HeadAmp GS-X Mini, DT990 Pro brings clarity to the highs and perhaps to upper mids raising DT990 Pro to a level of enjoyment that I hear with the DT880. However, it probably does not make sense pairing the GS-X Mini with an entry level headphone from the Beyerdynamic DT series when there are so many higher level headphones that would pair well with such a great amplifier.

I can never part with any of my Beyerdynamic DT headphones because they hold a special place in my heart having played such an important role in the infancy of my headphone audio journey. They have become permanent fixtures of my forever collection.

[Resolve]

Is that the rebel amp next to them? what’s that on the left haha.

[Lothar_Wolf]

@hottyson

I can never part with any of my Beyerdynamic DT headphones because they hold a special place in my heart having played such an important role in the infancy of my headphone audio journey. They have become permanent fixtures of my forever collection.

When the DT 880 appeared in 1980, it was revolutionary.

A purity, imaging and detailed resolution that had never been seen before was only known from very expensive electrostatic devices these days.

Bayer advertised these headphones that way at the time;
Dynamic driver, with electrostatic capabilities.

The fact that 42 years later, these headphones are still competitive with a large part of the devices available on the market, is a testament to great innovative strength and expertise.

The fact that the DT 990 is still one of the leading headphones in the gaming sector (for music enjoyment, I don’t think it was ever intended ), and that the DT 770 is still used by many studio musicians speaks a lot for Bayerdynamic, at least in the professional sector, where it is also important that you can get spare parts for all components of these headphones at any time and almost anywhere in the world.

And no, I’m not Beyerdynamic’s spokesman;

I’m just old …, and as an absolute music lover from an early age, I’ve witnessed the “history” of the commercialization of the headphone industry, live and in colour.

=
The 414 was my first real “high end” headphone in the mid 1970’s

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=

1995-96 I got my first RS1 here in Germany through contacts with the US Army and learned to love it.
The dynamics of the drivers were then (and now) ALMOST on par with orthoplanar drivers of the time.
- Hey rock’n’roll -

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That’s why I really appreciate traditional brands like Bayer, Sennheiser and grado.

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The brands that “young people” @Resolve know and admire today were generally almost only founded and/or developed at the beginning of the 2000s.

That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s just that all of these companies have built on the technology of the pioneers and advanced - IF - they were good.

Enough ramblings from this “old man”.

Enjoy your music, I do this too, each as he prefers

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PS.:
By the way, as I think I have already mentioned elsewhere, you can easily dampen the high peaks of the DT 990’s with the insert pad offered by Bayer dynamics itself.

Without the “musical skills” being affected.

Just like Dan Clark does

[hottyson]

@Resolve

Is that the rebel amp next to them? what’s that on the left haha.

Yes, good eye. Rebel Audio RebelAmp and Questyle CMA Twelve.

[hottyson]

My Beyerdynamic DTs

[Bugworm]

Toilet/Towel paper mod is pretty good for taming treble. Can’t recommend what’s best since I use a relatively local brand of paper, but I think any paper will be better than none. SupOrSalad recommends Bounty paper, here’s his measurments: Reddit - Dive into anything
Here’s mine (DT 990@600Ohm):