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Just a heads up, the HD6XX went up in price right as DMS was putting this vid together. It's now $279. Still an easy headphone to recommend at that price but not as crazy good value as before.
I just noticed that also. Makes the Sundaras even more appealing at $299!
To get the best out of the 6XX you need a good tube amp. Even then you have to put up with substandard bass. So it's different headphones for different genres.
goddamn, why does this happen always
DMS influence makes headphone expensive Noice i need DMS powaah
I thought I was missing something myself as I recorded a video just yesterday and checked the price for reference and I was like "was this always $279? 🤷♂But to be honest, I think the $280 bracket is still more suited for the 6xx. I would still Recommend It even at $300 tbh. I still prefer them to my sundaras and I LOVE the sundaras. But there's lots of complexities and subjectivity to consider when making statements like that. ✌ - Obsidian
Curious as to where you got your perspective of the DT990 Pro as being "notoriously bad in the audio community". I could not find anyone sharing that same negative sentiment. Those in the audio community definitely recommend more expensive headphones, but in the sub $175 range, I couldn't find anyone knocking them but most saying they are possibly the value king for that price range. Just genuinely curious as how you came to that conclusion.
I agree. I was actually told that its the best headset you can buy for 200$ or less, and that was said to me by a AAA Game Studio Sound Engineer
It's very evident you don't know what you're talking about. Even though you couldn't find any specific examples, it's just very very well known that these are objective shitty headphones based on ideal frequency responses.
@@dingdongtingtong source: you made it the fuck up lol
@@TzeLegend he literally shows charts in the video proving me right. 0:49
@@dingdongtingtong there's no such thing as ideal freq responses. There's different targets for mixing, enjoyment, gaming, all sorts of stuff. No one claims this headphone is flat or Harmon. What they do claim is that it's enjoyable to listen or mix to. And like the original commenter said, most agree, in this price range.
The 990's are open back 770's. These things have been staples in pro audio for almost 40 years. They have an excellent reputation.
Maybe for mixing but not for music enjoyment .
@@NoHairMan this guys claim is that they have a bad reputation in the pro audio world. My comment is in response to that. Who likes them or doesnt like them for enjoying they're favorite song is none of my business.
@@Rockoslab no he said "audio community" not "pro audio community". That clain is true.
@@NoHairMan i think you're splitting hairs... who in the world is "the audio community" if not the pro audio community? Or at least ameture audio engineers and producers. People concerned with audio. Otherwise he's talking about music listeners who certainly are not "the audio community". There are a group of people concerned with "high fi audio". The grado crowd. But he didnt say "HIGH FI" either. So seeing that these cans are explicitly made for and marketed to the pro audio community, it's a safe assumtion.
@@NoHairMan so is it the 770's that are best for listening to music only?
The DT990's "flaws" are useful for identifying problematic sounds when mixing, such as boominess/boxiness or mouth sounds. They are mixing headphones, not designed for listening pleasure.
exactly why i mix with them
Exactly....makes anyone laugh after seeing this video!!!
Absolutely! Especially for gaming the 990s are absolutely awesome! Great Sound , stereo imaging, Detail and also the possibility to hear your surroundings , given the Open Back Design
Not designed for listening pleasure? I think Beyer might be surprised to hear that.
This also makes them great for gaming to hear footsteps.
I’m so glad I’m not a kid that needs my opinions validated by KZheadrs online anymore. Couldn’t disagree more with this vid, the 990s are incredible, and I prefer their sound to much more expensive pairs (1990, HD600/650/660S, too many others to list.) I find them crystal clear and very resolving, with a nice bass boost and wide soundstage. Zero complaints about the frequency response or the tuning. I’ve never been happier, and have stopped window shopping and demo’ing other pairs in person because of them.
Dt990 ate considered pretty poor, its just popular because of streamer marketeting.
@@magicthings5485 They were originally introduced in 1987, what gamers were around from 1987 to 2011 (when twitch started) to promote them? Before that it was primarily professionals buying and using them.
You're absolutely right.
@@magicthings5485 bullshits. DT 990 pro are for semi-professional mixing usage.
@@Stampede_G2 people are so hilarious LOL. Yo I’m looking at buying these soon here. Would you recommend the 80 or 250 ohm? I have the Astro mixamp to plug it into if needed. I will be using them primarily for editing/gaming. Long periods of time too. I wear glasses. These kinda checked off every box.
Revisiting this video, the graph presented for the DT990 pro seems significantly harsher than other graphs I've seen for the same headphone; crinacle's, for example (also the 250 ohm version), measures very similar to the TYGR 300 R, which is recommended in this very video. Is it possible that Beyerdynamic have changed the DT990 pro's treble response since you got your pair back in 2017?
iv used a lot of gaming headsets and headphones over the years including the DT 770 and 880 and honestly id have to say the DT990 pro is one of my favourite's but i can see why some people don't like them, yes out of the box the sound can be kinda harsh on the high's but they respond really well to an equalizer and iv found that by boosting the low ends a bit on the EQ they can be somewhat warm sounding and have nice open bass, and they are really comfortable to use for a long time.
What is "open bass"?
I always used the DT-770 Pro or DT-1770 Pro, and honestly these are tuned better to me than the LCD-5. Right now my main phones are Susvara, LCD-XC and Empyrean, but I'd never knock the classic Beyers (except the T1) for stuff like gaming, audio production, or on the go listening. Maybe 990 is different, but then honestly I'd probably go towards another Beyer than a Sennheiser, which are more thin.
yeah kind of 'pro' preferences, its great bcs its universal iem
Oh boy here we go once again
I guess it's Dunk on the DT990 week lol
The Sennheiser HD560S is fantastic for gaming. I also recently got a HiFIMAN Arya SE which technically has better detail and imaging but when I want to tryhard at gaming I switch to the 560S because the Arya is TOO detailed and I hear absolutely everything equally whereas the 560S has more focus on those frequencies where gunshots and footsteps happen.
Try the 560S with SteelSeries Sonar "Spatial Imaging". Best processing I've heard to date. The demo inside the app and subsequent playtime will sell you in minutes. I use the speaker setting closest to my head for max detail in competitive FPS.
The 560s was my first audiophile headphone. It wasn't until I tried a bunch of others (including the hd800s) and came back to it that I realized how damn good it is overall. It's nuts what you get for less than 200 usd.
It's such a hard headphone to "upgrade" from. Every time I'd spend serious cash on fancier headphones, the 560s would still do certain things better. It's like a character in an RPG with every stat at 9/10. It spoils you
@@blank-jo1xp exactly! That's a really accurate way of describing it.
@@blank-jo1xp I am loving my 560s , I was going to drop upwards of $300 but got these for $150. I kinda wish they had a 560s but with the build quality / design look for the 6x0 series. in that $200-300 price range. I feel like you go from the 560s to the 800s (or $150-1,500) for the next step up in gaming head phones. That is a steep price jump
@@josephdesantis7494 Completely agree. If the 560s had the chassis + detail retrieval of a 6 series, I would gladly drop $300 or more
Yup 560s makes me feel like I'm actually transported back to the concert hall when listening to recordings of Mahler's symphonies
I love the quality of your videos! 😀
Lovely video! Do you mind putting up the other headphone's FR as well? If you're gonna go through the trouble of putting up the 990's FR, it would be really nice to see all the other FRs as well! :D
I do have high freq hearing loss. Use a dt990 pro off an otl amp for over 10 years. It's a fun listen for me to this day. But it's not the only headphone that i have. Variety is a good thing ...
DT990 and tubes go well together. I love OTL
I have a dt990 Pro 250ohm as my desk pc headphones, and that's by choice. I have 400i, sundara, aria, hd650 and a couple more headphones, but I really like the sound of the 990 for gaming. Donno why.
Can we get a comparison video of the pc38x vs tygr 300r? I feel like these 2 are the top notch picks for gaming headphones
The K-702 and K-612 are exactly the same price as the DT-990 and a entirely different league.
I second this, don’t know why it wasn’t in the video
K702 is a phenomenal headphone. An almost perfectly tuned frequency response save for a tastefully done 2k bump. Stunning with classical music. Needs some juice to get going though
damn right you are sir!!
@@DIBSonManyRose k702 can be shouty compared to dt990 but not as Sibilant. I use both and are equally good tbh
AKGs are too colored... Not any other headphone especially in it's price point can touch DT990 Pro, period.
It is funny that despite being far from perfect, these are the best sounding out of 20+ pairs of headphones I tried. But then I grew up on Audio Technicas so I might have a skewed treble expectations. EDM, jazz, whatever, they are just great and clear with great bass. But I noticed that the ear pads make a world of difference, and worn pads are better than new ones.
Lots of people love Beyer infamous trebles?
What headphones would you recommend for Aune X1S GT? I was using DT 990 Edition 250 Ohm and don't want to downgrade the details, but want to have a move music focused ones. A bit of less treble would be a welcome.
I have the 990 pro's and they are by far the best headphones that I have ever used. Although mine are the 80 ohm version, which some people say doesnt have as much of the treble issue as the 250's. The Philips x2 would probably be a "safer" choice for anyone on the fence.
Is that the all black edition 80 ohm ?
they suck for mixing. Frequency curve is way out of line and it won't translate to other systems.
yeah I used my 990's for 4 years and loved em, but this week I noticed when I turn my head at my desk the wire is cutting out sound a bit. Now looking for new options
I have the 250 and same. And I had quite a few headphones and IEMs, and expensive speakers, so far. DT990 are the best (although they do hurt top of my head).
Having just got my DT 990's im dissapointed. Multiple IEM's and Other headsets which are objectively better at almost anything im needing from them.. all same price, or cheaper...
My DT990s arrived only about 30 minutes ago and they are excellent! Can't wait to finally edit and mix to these. Just my two cents of course.
I think the fact that Andrew also did a video with a bunch of of samples and all of them had drastically different amounts of treble shows a severe issue in unit variance. These are definitely trebly headphones. When I first got my DT 770 (250 ohm) I EQ’d out the treble peaks, then I had to format my PC about 2 months later and after a few days I realized that I forgot to reinstall equalizer APO. The only reason that I can think of that I never noticed is that as the pads began to wear down, the treble become much more tame. EDIT: the hilarious part about the TYGR is that it just slightly retuned DT 990 drivers.
Tygr uses 880 drivers iirc. They also god a thicker dapening behind the driver and a different and thicker material infront of the driver. The front foam part has a good impact on the trebble part. You could buy this part at BD and use it in your 990 to tune down the trebble.
770, 880 and 990 drivers are identical. Only the cups and tuning differ.
@@mvv1408 Tho you cannot say a 32ohm driver, is the same as the 250ohm version. There is a noticable difference even within one model IMO, when I compare 990 32 and 250 on the same dac + amp (schiit magni stack). But it is interesting to know, that BD uses the same driver base on many different model. I mean if it works, it works. As you said, there are so many way to tune headphone driver. Differen Cups, dampening behind and infront of it and even the size and material of the ear padding is a huge factor.
@@saschawittig328 True, I mean they are identical, given the same impedance. Personally, I like the higher impedance models a bit more (with a good amp). And it's indeed interesting how much tuning can change the sound.
Using 560s with an ifi Zen dac v2, just plugged into the back of my gaming PC. Seriously happy with the sound across the board, and at the price, even more so. 👍
Ditto.
Just purchased that exact combo! Did you tweak any equaliser settings etc?
welcome to entry level HiFi... it's great, isn't it !!
Thank you for this! Actually watched this before pressing the button on a pair of DT990 and got me some 560s instead. Don't regret it a bit!
What do you choose, i just bought dt 900 pro x, and i feel it's more bommy for the bass, and less high. And i heard some review that sennheiser hd560 is good for listing pleasure and mixing too. I confiused so bad :( , so what do you things should i change my dt 900 pro x to hd 560 or stay? thaknyou and please answer mee if you guys have the answer
been thinking about getting hd 600 sennheiser for gaming and maybe often music listening would it be good for more competitive gaming for like footsteps and hearing where specific sounds are coming from?
Nice vid! I would love to see more talk about singleplayer games and not just these shooter multiplayer games. 🙂 I'm always torn between that full, bassy intimate sound of closed back or the not as deep but clear, open sound of open back when I game singleplayer. I use sennheiser 599, Hyper xcloud alpha and the in ear Supra Nitro (a Swedish brand). I like them all. 😁
He's seething in his basement lmao, he'll come out soon
@@dannybos7024 Oh, I changed my comment. 😁 Hope he's doing good though.
Skyrim+ binaural audio mod + IEMs is glorious
@@tommihommi1 What's binaurial audio?
@@memorycard1000 because of the shape of the ears and head, the frequency response of a noise coming from different directions and distances is different. Applying these corrections to in game audio makes everything feel more real, it works OK with headphones, but really works with IEMs. You can also use something like a HATS for recording audio like this, or use microphones that are worn like IEMs. Search for "19bozzy92 binaural" on KZhead for a nice example. The sense of presence is amazing.
What dac/ amp would you recommend for a h560s for gaming ? Lower budget the better
Great video 😍
Having a set of 560S' floating around somewhere, I can say they still need some parametric EQ since there is ripple in the treble response, and they are a bit closed-in compared to larger planars and Sennheisers. Still, hard to beat it for the cost.
Really? I've heard they're more open than the 600 lineup. Haven't listened to anything in the 600 series yet though.
What about the bass? Coming from a closed-back senn hd 400s, would the bass sound lacking in the boom?
i need a headset for gaming, with mine sometimes i can't hear enemies very well or at all and i can't tell where the sound is coming from sometimes too. are the pc38x good? do you have better suggestions? link? thanks in advance
Not bad, just different. I have Sundaras and 990s. Even though the Sundaras are lower impedance, they are nearly as power hungry as the 990s, at least through my Schiit Stack 3+. I had the Sennheiser gaming headset as well and positional audio is better on the 990 and the HD598 imo. The 598 is actually the best positional audio i have heard, The mic on that gaming headset is very nice, though. I had the 6xx before any of the aforementioned cans and they ended up just seeming boring after I bought other things . Safe is a nicer term. The Sundaras are amazing for the price and have really grown on me in this price range. I want to try the 1990s, because if they truly improve on the 990 sound, they might be perfect for me.
which headphones do you think is the best for gaming? i’m stuck between 990 pros 250 or the 6XX people keep saying different things
@@itshammy62856XX Is the one to steal the spotlight!
This is an awesome video, very calm talking
I have the 6XX and find the clamp too tight and the earpads too restrictive. Would I have the same issues with the HD 560S?
I'm personally a huge fan of the AKG K371. It is just unusually revealing in the bass and midbass regions so poor quality track encoding or poor quality mixing/mastering/recordings will sound very odd on the K371. It's been on sale for a bit now at around $110 and it's a great value at that price. Stage is very wide but not spectacularly deep. Imaging is also good and sound sources are placed accurately. Detail retrieval is also good throughout its FR and it has some nicely managed treble gain with an anti-fatigue notch that keeps it from being overly harsh or shouty. It's also only 32ohm and high sensitivity, making it trivially easy to drive. The extra bass gain that they got from the large driver in a sealed design also doesn't go amiss for gaming applications where you want to feel the punchy bass of gunfire or the rumble of an aggressively bassy background track. If you don't own this set then you should consider at least finding a shop near you to demo it at. It's pretty special and the price is very competitive. They even make a bluetooth version.
One of my favorites :)
I used to love my friends AKGs but I’ve been scared off buying any recently. Most reviews on Amazon say the build quality has absolutely tanked when their manufacturing location changed. I’ve been curious if these are counterfeits since the prices are always cheaper than other places, even though it says “AKG Store”
@@mrnelsonius5631 idk. The ones I got my friend came from Guitar Center. Quality seemed a bit on the low side for a "premium" product, but easily in line for the actual cost of the headphones. Seemed reasonably well made and very comfortable despite the lack of foam in the headband pad. The air cushion seems to work just fine and the ear pads are comfy and have pretty minimal clamping force, so they're not ideal for activities, but they are comfortable enough to wear for hours.
@@mrnelsonius5631 The K361 are definitely a cheaper variant, so maybe they are reviews on that one? Not sure. The K361 are still good headphones, just with a much lighter and more plastic-forward build. They are also more bass-heavy and have a muddier, less resolving sound signature. Not bad, but not as good as the K371, in my opinion. All else fails, I'd just buy them from a trusted seller and wait the extra shipping time to get them. Unfortunately, it looks like their pricing (as of October 22, 2022) has returned to around $175, which is considerably more expensive than I paid a few months ago. I still think they're a competitive offering even at that price, but then you're no longer at the "buy it just to see" kind of throwaway price point.
@@mndlessdrwer I own 560S but I've EQ'd them pretty heavily for daily use. They are technically excellent and everything people say about the sound stage and imaging is true. The treble doesn't need much help but the bass is quite pathetic for hip hop and the mids sound shoutty to me. A V shape EQ makes them considerably better. I'm interested in the K371 since they start out more naturally this way. I may keep both.
Dekoni Elite Velour pads make the DT990 Pro sound much better. I also recommend getting the 80 ohm version as it has different driver - heavier moving mass which produces more low end. Second step is to mod them with kit from Customcans. It contains mass loading mod - you basically stick lead strips to the back of the driver to give more mass for the driver to push against which in conclusion makes the driver move more and produce more low end. Second part of that mod is taking out the stock damping material and replacing it with specifically chosen laser cut foam which tames the 8-10kHz peaks. After doing all of these mods the Beyerdynamic DT990 sound much better - top end is smooth and low end is richer.
Thanks so much, I found the video guide you're talking about! I ordered these headphones the other day, but unfortunately found this video a few minutes ago. :) They have a return though, so I'll try listening to them first and decide whether or not it's salvageable with this mod. I'm very picky with comfort though and I expect to go through a few headphones before I find the right one, so I am glad I found this channel.
Why not just buy headphones that you enjoy and return them if you don’t? Modding them seems like way more effort than necessary for something you don’t enjoy.
@@KageBlink did u keep the 990 or went for something else im new to this space would appreciate any advice
@@lexlee5836 I actually got them, the sound was pretty good I have a denon receiver to drive them. Long story short I broke the cable by dropping the stereo when moving my desk. I tried to do a balanced cable mod and ended up ruining the drivers. I ended up buying a pair of sennheiser 6xx, I like them, but I’m thinking of buying another pair of dt990s 250ohm because I really liked the way they sound. They had a much more open feel to them, immediately comfortable as soon as I put them on. The sennheisers has a long way to go in terms of comfort, because of the clamping force, so it’ll take a long time for me to wear them out due to the shape of my head. They’re fine, I would go with those if you don’t have an amp or a receiver.
Can a get a link to your "left shoe"? I cant find it anywhere online. You should really put it in the description seeing as you recommended it. I hope its not a Drop exclusive.
How does the Sennheiser Game One stack up this list? Would it match up to the Drop PC38x?
I've been using the Sennheiser HD518 for... a decade now. And I still love them, they sound great to me. Are the HD560s worth the upgrade?
Yeah definitely, but if music is your #1 use, I'd go with 58X (or 6XX if you got/want to get a headphone amp.) Beyer DT770 Pro for movies. If it's gaming/movies/music, then 560s. If it's music/gaming/movies, 58X.
i love these headphones and i didn't even realise ninja had them.
Hey I have been weighing the dt 990 vs hd599. Is the hd599 a great option for the 150 price tag?
what is the difference between the 560s and the 660s? i am looking for a Headphone which helps me locate enemies in games better since i use a really old and cheap headset pretty much anything would be an upgrade
I apply the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 ohm for tracking audio in the DAW which are plugged into the Samson S-Amp...I apply the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro 600 ohm switching back and forth with the Sennheiser HD 560S for mixing in the DAW, both headphones are plugged into the Beyerdyanmic A20 Headphone Amplifier ...as for gaming, because I am not a gamer - though I do play Starcraft as casual use - I trust your opinion on this matter...thank you for your share
I own DT-770 Pro and while the bass- and mid-tuning is perfect on these, even these got treble that's too spicy for long listening. I found that rear damping mod works really well for these. I can only imagine how wild the treble is on DT-990s.
More of a neutral bright headphone the 100-200hz is only like 3db above the target it doesn't make it muddy. Although it does lack sub bass below 75hz. Only major issues are the bumps around 7-9khz as those are the sibilance frequencies.
I really enjoy my pair from custom cans (mass loading mod, dampening and fully open back), it really helps with that bottom end and a 2db drop on that treble peak has stopped it from being sibilant while still being characteristic of a 990
I use the Audeze Mobius how does that stack up to the rest of the headsets?
What mic and amp would you run with the Sennheiser's then?
I use dt990 Pros since some months. I like those for gaming yes there are better options. But i was able to get them for only 107$ and for that price im pretty happy. I needed to do some EQ Tuning cause the highs are realy harsh. But now with the right EQ i love them also cause they are verry comfortable. I used to game with vmoda Crossfade 2 but those arnt good for long sessions cause they are to small. In a Year or so i will probably look into another pair of headphones and im considering Hifiman Sundaras.
How did you manage to adjust the EQ for them may I ask ? Some paid PC software perhaps ? I am considering purchasing but am concerned they may need mild tweaking EQ for me but unsure exactly how to achieve atm
@@paolocoletti3424 i got a creative g6 usb dac. It has realy good software features. In the meantime i got a pair of Hifiman sundaras as a present so only using those and i like them even more. I always had creative soundcards cause of the software amd EQ settings. The dt990s and the hifiman are great but i need the eq to get them to sound how i like it.
@@paolocoletti3424 late reply but we use peace gui software for eq
What do u think about 900/700 PRO X ? I dont want to use amp bec it will be used with my phone mostly
Driven in combination with a PC, where you can perfectly work with an EQ, The 990 really are Great. Without EQ they CAN get sharp with higher volume, but only when the music played is the „right“ Type. And Even without a good EQ, just turn down the Treble 2-3dB on your Amp, this will also do the Trick. The also can Play PRETTY loud without sounding bad. I Like them very much.
Thanks for the video! Decided to get the HD 6xx instead of the DT900 Pro after watching this. I game, but I mostly want to listen to music with this headphone.
3:52 The KCS75 costs less than the shoelace in your left shoe and are hilariously competent for gaming (in a good way). With a headband they're lightweight and comfy, too.
yup however being smaller they don't provide same experience as if listening to speakers like HD5 series of sennhieser do, and they're staging is very limited as well as lack of proper timbre
The X4 which is very similar to the 400se sounds quite ok but much better with EQ. I boost the sub bass take out a bit of the mid bass and give it a bit of a 2K boost. The treble as always needs a bit of adjustment.
Perhaps you should have mentioned that the DT990 600 ohms are also an alternative. Because these do not have too stark treble and are just perfect for guitar-heavy music. I love them for string instruments.
The very previous video on this channel, linked in video description, tests 3 versions of the 990 Premium and finds that the 600ohm one is by far the most trebly of the three.
@@Unbrutal_Rawr It depends on the amp.
@@thomaskohler5181 If your amp has EQ built in...
No, I use the Xduoo Ta26 and it works just fine - without any harsh treble ;-)@@launchpadmcquack98
what u r saying is true but I am happy with my DT 990 Pro 250 ohm sounds...been using it for 1 year now daily...other headphones may be very good but DT 990 Pro is not bad...I use it continuously for 15 hours straight daily without issues...
Thanks! You gave me a lot of great choices to choose from and saved me from buying the dt 990pro. Thanks again!
AKG K702 with oratory EQ is an absolute beast for gaming.
Yes the 990 has elevetad treble but thats why some people like it. Doesn't mean its a bad headphone. I found the Fidelio X2 to be far more fatiguing than the 990. I couldn't stand that headphone. Most sibilant bloaty low res garbage ive ever heard.
Everyone says fatiguing or sibilant like it’s something to avoid. I have a 990 and yes I can’t listen for hours but sometimes you just want to listen to music for 30 minutes or hour max and put it down and the extra treble can bring out interesting dynamics in music other phones can’t. Now if you’re looking for an all-rounder and have a strict budget no it’s a bad choice. If you collect headphones like I do it should be in everyone’s collection.
@@mikeg2491 Well said. I have 600 ohm DT990 and about 20 other pairs of headphones so you could say im a collector too. I enjoy the extended treble of the 990 and they are also exceptional for gaming.
Yup. I too have a pair in my collection and i can listen to it for hours on end. Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes.
I have all those headphones/headset you mentioned, but I like the Dt990 too. But I really want to get the Tygr's 300 after watching your review video about them. Between you, Brian, Zeos, Joshua, Andrew and Crinacle are provoking too many arguments between me and my wife 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Tygr is too similar to DT990... same driver. You'd be better off getting 560s and having more options in the kit. But if you don't have external DAC/AMP, that's what you truly need first for biggest jump forward.
The DT 990 is pretty good once you put on different pads. I mean the build quality is amazing for its price, it's made in Germany, and even pads like the ones from the Tygr 300R are enough to change the sound and make the headphone actually pretty neutral. The inner padding of the Tygr completely takes the bite out of the 990 while still maintaining enough detail to make it enjoyable. It reduces sub bass though, so bass heads be aware lol.
Where do i get better foam pads for the 990s ? I am replacing the official ones faster than i replace my underpants .
Or just EQ it..
DT990 Pro are sharp, like yeah, they can hurt your eardrums sharp. The key to daily drive them, specially for long gaming sessions, is to mix them with a tube amp. Tubes will bring those sharp trebles down just enough to be super comfy. Plus you get the added bonus to hear footsteps so clearly that you can pinpoint with your eyes closed, and the amplitude, its just wow!
Or you can just EQ them for free...
@@launchpadmcquack98Analogue eq is always better than digital eq
I completely second the 560s recommendation. It's like a more detailed, analytically-oriented version of the pc38x. Comparable imaging, but with no boomy bass drowning out sound cues. The flat response also makes it a bit of a swiss-army-knife. It does it all; movies, games, conference calls-- everything sounds correct. It's probably the best value in audio for entry level consumers looking for a jack-of-all-trades headphone that requires minimal amplification investment. The 6xx has a particular niche (music), and it doesn't come to life until you give it specialized gear. Also worth checking out is the Beyer 900 pro x. Unlike the Tygr, it has a flat response and detachable cable. It's currently only $159 for a B-stock unit when purchased through the Beyer outlet sale, and runs at 45 ohms. When you consider the cost of a dac/amp setup, this makes it a strong value contender. Worth noting though, is that a flat response is more desirable for competitive gamers. Casual gamers will prefer the immersion created by the bassy tunings of the pc38x and TYGR
560s is not the best for movies without an EQ; the upper mids are shouty so voices sound nasally and honky, and most film bass is geared towards the mid bass which is "too accurate" on the 560.
@@warmlycalculated390 Sure, it’s not the absolute best, but the angled drivers and relatively wide staging give it more of an airy ‘speaker room’ presentation when compared to the intimate, “3 blob” effect produced by 6 series senns. An EQ tweak is easier to pull off than changing the way a headphone presents sound. I personally didn’t notice any honk issues or nasal qualities, but I’ve heard that perception of the 560’s sound will vary depending on how it’s seated on the user’s head. This might factor in to why we both perceive it differently, but we may just have different preferences.
@@blank-jo1xp I mean, the 560s might be the single best headphone in its price bracket... and possibly the best price-to-performance ratio in headphone history. IMHO the 6XX is about 1% better for nearly 200% the cost. I just prefer recessed mids for movies, sounds more natural to me. Try the HD 599, the cheap SHP9600 or if you're made of money, the Ananda sometime. To be clear, I think recessed mids sound terrible for music
Yes BUT it's much clever to save some coin and just get HD599 for like 50$ less basically same thing. They have muddy upper bass, though easily fixable I wouldn't listen to them without EQ, but similarly 560s requires EQing as well. Additional short cable that comes with HD599 adds more to it's value.
@@HOTSPEEDMike What EQ would you recommend for the 560S?
HD 560S or HIFIMAN HE400SE ? Still confused. Thanks
Isn't volume = power? I'm pretty sure even Crinacle stated this at one point. If it's loud enough, no additional power needed. Only thing an amp would add at this point is another point of failure + potential alteration of frequency response. That's how I see it.
The pads wear in and the treble is supposed to smooth out. But I could be wrong. Just wondering if that is true or not
True the dt990 pro is bright but something I noticed is that the newer ones aren't as bad as the old logo 990 pros. At least the ones I had circa 2010 which would literally make my ears ring within 5 minutes of listening to them. I just owned one of the newer iterations recently by the way.
Might be a stupid question but Should I go for a HD58x or a 560s?
Is the HD 560S "as good as" directional imaging as the TYGR 300R??
I am stuck at 2 options The beyerdynamic dt770 pro Or the senheiser 560s Wich one would your recommend I want to have a headphone that i can use for gaming and music al "all purpose" headphone can you please help me Kind regards Eric
i have both pairs next to me right now, (80ohm ver) the beyer has a better frequency response especially on lower frequencies and it sounds clearer to me, Sound stage is slightly better despite it being closed back. The senheiser is a bit more comfortable though and feels a little more 'crisp'. But i'll probably be returning the senheiser i might keep both though honestly. Senheiser maybe a bit better for like TV shows. Beyer better for monitor and serious listening.
the PC38X has meh vertical imaging, though. I have the DT 900 Pro X and they have fantastic vertical imaging. I can now tell if someone is above, below, or on my level.
I LOVED my DT 990 Pro 250 ohm paired with the Schiit Asgard 1 and 2. The eardrum drill tizziness just disappeared and they sounded so holographic, and also warm and full. I gifted them away to a friend, and I miss them. They were so different from my DT 880 Edition 600 ohm, which I still have and also love.
Eardrum drill disappeard you say, let me tell you this; I have DT900 Pro's 250 ohm too. I use it mostly with my pc config and last few months I was away from my PC. Few days ago I came back, started again to use them and god damn ear piercing high's are back. It's all matter of your ears and brain getting used to it, trust me. It's no bad headphones but I have very sensitive hearing and using it with rolled off highs is still it's ear piercing.
I have an Asgard 3 and they do take the sharp edge off of the DT 990. The 600 ohm sounds a little more refined than the 250 ohm Pro version though, but the difference is small.
Good job!
Talking SOUND STAGE for gaming and music which is better or is there other recommendations maybe in the range of 300$
I really love DMS, his videos are great. I got the JDS Labs element 3 after his videos
His positive recommendations are a good data point once you realize what his preference angle is (clean, flat, sciencey, purist, sterile, sound stage > lushness, FR measurements > timbre). Once you can put where he's coming from in your calculator, more info is better. To be fair, he doesn't get stuff wrong very often. But he got Beyers way wrong by talking with arrogant objectivist authority on subjective content he didn't give a proper 3 weeks listening and tweaking and chatting with the Beyer-fanboi community about. If he had done burn-in, chat, amp recommendations, mod recommendations, 3 weeks, etc., he'd have a different take on it. But as content creator sometimes you just get a quick impression and say "hey, I need more clicks, and so let me share my immediate impression on why these suck, without wondering or trying to figure out why these have such a good reputation for decades."
I bought my HD560s on DMS and Badseed's recommendation way back over a year ago, absolutely love them to death. I have since upgraded to the Blessing 2's, but nothing matches the hd560s in terms of imaging, stage, and accuracy. People WILL accuse you of hacking, solely because you can hear them, and they can't hear you. P.S. much love from 585
I agree, the dt990 pro was very harsh in both the high and low tones when i got it at first. But i have had them for 3 years now and they sound ridiculously good. they are also very comfortable, i have large ears and a big head too, there fore i do not agree with what is stated hear about the comfort.
Unfortunately i have hormone problems of some kind i dont fully understand as i get spots all over my back and shoulders and a little on my forehead and face along with oily skin and greasy hair whenever i stop using shampoo. I tried doing it for a full two monthes and my scalp scoriasis/dandruff almost entirely whent away but i can't find a way to deal with the grease without at least sulphate free shampoo and luke warm water
Sir, this is a headphone review
@@Kernias I will not be silenced.
I know this video is old, and I might not get an answer. Even though, I actually own a SHP 9600, which I like a lot for both gaming (because I can hear everything, and most of the time, things that my friends won't) and for music. As a Queen lover, I can really appreciate almost every detail in their songs. The question is, is it worth it to get a new pair of HD 560 S over my SHP 9600? Will there be a real improvement? Thanks.
I haven't heard the shp's but the HD 560s is pretty damn good, especially for the price. But it needs an amp to really sing.
what do you think about the Fidelio X2HR?
So pc38x or Sennheiser HD560S if I'm gaming mostly?
What do you think about HD 600? I know they're a bit old but honestly I love them for music and gaming
The HD600 is on par with the 6xx. The HD600 is neutral while the 6xx is warmer but they both have the same detail retrieval capabilities. The thing is, the 6xx used to be an insane deal at 200$ while the HD600 was in the 300-400$ range for the same performance. So the 6xx was a better value, not a better headphone.
@@orthosympa6993 I got my 600 for 200$ used in perfect conditions. I'm ok with that. I also have the 58X. I find them a bit more colorful then the 600, but a bit less detailed maybe
I was literally planning to buy it. I know that the treble is bad but I also heard that treble can be mostly solved via eq
nah. you cant fix something like that with eq sry - just buy a good headphone :)
TnX I was looking for a good headphone around $200 range and I wanted a headphone that performs well in both games and music. I think it's my lucky day. Thank you DMS
Recently bought the 990, started playing some EDM and absolutely loved the sound for about 30 seconds and then the (female) vocals kicked in and it sounded like they were lisping all over the place, and loudly. Then some kind of beat started that always sounded nice / tolerable on other headphones but it felt like it was drilling a hole into my ears on the 990s. Sure enough, as soon as I toned down the EQ around the ~6k and ~10k ranges, it sounded tolerable but toning it down completely killed the flavor of the headphone. Keep in mind that I'm someone who likes boosted treble. I boost the treble in my car stereo and I boost the treble using EQ on my other headphones. I boost the 5.5k+ range on my go-to headphone, the HD 600. The 990s are simply on another level of sibilance. The very painful kind. Even playing songs at 1/2 the volume of my HD 600 the treble would sound utterly piercing. I've heard that many people simply aren't sensitive to it, and if you're not, great. I couldn't recommend this headphone more if it doesn't bother you. Clear sound, great price, fantastic soundstage and imaging. Extremely comfortable. But I had no idea that one single flaw could make me hate a headphone so much that I returned it the next day.
I bought the DT990 pros for zoom calls. Can confirm the sound signature and imaging is fine for zoom calls lol
is foot steps that much clearer and directional on the pc38x? can anyone confirm?
I wonder if dt990 + correction eq is better?
What did 990’s do to you
DT990 is fun to listen to. Though it’s a v shape FR. I paired it with tube amp to tame its HF.
I’m curious what amp you got. I haven’t gotten one yet but in the past I had a pair 770’s and 2 different Xduoo’s that I rolled tubes in, had quite a bit of fun with that Also i have a pair of 990’s now, and I like them more than the 770’s, was a good upgrade
@@beezlebub3955 770s are best closed-back under $200. For open-back in this price range, there are lot of other choices. So I would've kept the 770 for isolation listening and got something else for open-back.
I have DT 990 Pro and Sennheiser HD 560s and love them both.
Which one do you prefer for fps games? I mainly play tarkov
Not much a gamer😀,but they are great for music,movies @@TableSideMilk
i was actually looking to upgrade/sidegrade my dt990 pro. the upper range isn't nearly as bad as you say it is. but i do notice a somewhat prominent boost at the frequency range where "s", "ts" and other harsh consonants are pronounced. so i went to my local audio store. i first tried akg k612. very boring headphone with almost dead on harmon tuning. meh. then i tried the hifiman he400se v2. holy shit that thing is bad. it sounds like a normal 300ohm dynamic driver headphone driven by an ipod nano. i'll try others when i can afford higher price bracket products but for now, i'll happily keep using the dt990.
When you say a headphone that is known to need a certain kind of amp is bad, but then you don't mention what you used to amp it.... you're reminding everyone here to throw away your opinion as useless. Now if you let everyone know what kind of amp/power makes the 400se sound terrible, that's a useful comment.
Someone please suggest a good portable DAC or desktop DAC with BT to be used with the DT990 Pro 250ohms
DT 990 PRO (250ohm or 80ohm) + Zen Dac V2 + Zen Can + Xbass is just pure happiness to my ears. The Burr Brown chip in the Zen Dac V2 will tame the high treble spikes from the 990’s and make em warm and delicious to listen to. My favorite is the 80ohms it’s like angels are pissing you in your mouth while gaming or anything else.
What about HarmonicDyne Seus ? It's very good for gaming and for music (if you love warmer sound) No need Amplifier.
I tried a T90 a few years back and couldn’t believe how bad it was, and that is considered good by comparison.
What’s people thoughts on the Sennheiser HD 660 S? I plan to primarily use them for gaming but I will be listening to music too.
Anything that starts with "HD 6 - " is famously good for music. And enjoying the music in games too. For casual gaming it's just fine. But for competitive shooter games, it's an expensive option that gives below-average performance at 3D locational hearing. I think quality of music is more important, so I wouldn't fault someone for putting music first. Even so, for the price of HD660S, you can get an HD6XX ~and~ a good DAC/AMP, or if you have a DAC/AMP already, an HD6XX ~and~ a headphone dedicated for gaming performance. I'd take HD6XX and a good DAC/AMP any day over a HD660S plugged into the headphone jack, and I believe 99.9999% of audiophiles will agree with me on that.
@@PartyMusic775 cheers for the reply, I plan to get an external DAC at some point
I've got 250Ohms DT990Pro for 3 years and absolutely love them. Maybe people like me are losing some of high-frequency hearing, so a little boost in this frequency area is actually do good.
Are they good for gaming?
@@Leonardo-bx6rl yes, for me for sure. I use them for everything, music and gaming.
ALWAYS remind people, when recommending this headphone, that it needs an amp. Otherwise they'll join the mixed bag of people who wonder why others think these are good headphones. NO AMP, NO BEYERS.
Curious to see how good they are so bought a pair 😂, always wanted gaming headphones as good as my dt770s, maybe ill use these and keep the 770s in the recording studii or visa virsa
It's weird to see you making this review again and not taking anything with you from the last time. I never had issues with the 250Ohm version of the 990 Pro sounding muddy, only the 80ohm version (and it's noticeable). The Tygr 300 R is ok, but not my cup of tea at all, very sterile and no musicality like the DT880 Pro but even more "mellow". My 990 Pro was a bit sibilant initially but after the pads wore in it sounds very balanced which is what a lot of others also say. I replaced the pads once, but that brought back the harsh highs so I just kept the old pads on, problem solved. Wanna have a good and cheap pair of headphones that have great imaging, are light and open and non-intrusive? Get some Apple earpods for $15. They've been my go to for gaming and I've tried a lot of headphones/in-ears.