Initially, I was drawn to the 1990 because I wanted a headphone that was a stark contrast to the 6xx and I was weary about the 'murder treble' people described to be present on the 1990. But a lot of my experiences lined up with your thoughts. At first, I thought the highs were straight up horrible, but after a week, I could tell my ears had adjusted to that sound signature because the while I could still hear that 8kHz peak, it didn't sound as harsh as it originally did. Hell, I'd say I've developed a sort of love-hate relationship with that treble peak, often times I love it, and rarely do I dislike it (on tracks like 'Lose Yourself to Dance' by Daft Punk). Still, I get why people don't like it. The 'winning' quality of this headphone has to be the transparency and detail it throws at you and with incredible imaging. So in the end of day, it's all subjective! Nevertheless, I'd say your 'review' of the 1990s is one of the best out there.
Thanks so much, Mike! I definitely agree with your experiences of the love-hate relationship with them. I seriously considered buying these from Scott when he decided to sell them. I sort of regret that I didn't, but also don't... 🙂
This headphone is the essence of "YMMV". People are either going to love em or hate em. I had mine for less than a week before sending them back. Things I liked about them: Gorgeous looking, maybe my favorite looking headphones, and built very well. Using the balanced pads, the bass was phenomenal. Possibly the best I've heard in a headphone so far. Punchy, deep, textured, tight. The imaging was also among the best I've ever heard, just absolutely pinpoint precise. But the treble... VERY few genres were helped by the treble energy, and it had to be recorded and mastered VERY well. Most of the time it was way too much, and that really limited their range. Mids were clear, but nothing to write home about. With the treble EQ'd down, I didn't find them very engaging, but certainly more tolerable. Amp/DAC synergy is critical with these, I think.
If the mixing artist is using these to produce the mix then perhaps that's the correct balance. I found after a short period of ear "burn-in" these are now the perfect headphone for me in less noisy listening environments.
1990 on my Darkvoice with some nice tubes is the most relaxing combination I've found. Extremely complimentary as the tubes knock down some of the treble spikes and add warmth. Sitting down in an arm chair before bed with a nice drink, listening to some Muddy Waters and you're better off than taking Ambien.
Totally agree on the pad choice. Tried every Dekoni pad (fenestrated sheepskin, hybrid, velour) on my 1990s. Returned all of them. Nothing topped the original Balanced pads for me. Everything else warped the headphone negatively. I do like the Analytical pad EQ from Oratory1990 however because it has a much-needed bass boost of about 5db. Best pair this headphone with a Jotunheim 2 or Lyr 3 for warmth to counter the brightness.
The DT1990 are my main headphone which I use for hours everyday, I think this is a fair review you've made. I thought I'd also like just a touch more bass at first but whenever I modify them, with pads or EQ there's always some sacrifice of the stock sound, which is already really good. I've tried the stock Analytical and Balanced pads, the Dekoni Suede and Velours, and original Beyerdynamic DT770 and DT880/990 pads, all with and without Amiron Foam Discs or extra DT foam discs... If someone really wanted more bass via a pad swap the best option I feel is the DT1990 Balanced Pads + Amiron Foam Discs for a significant boost without being ridiculous. As a general alternative the Dekoni Velour + Amiron Foam sound nice, the different pads, foam and increased driver distance blend together well, they're also the closest sounding to the stock Balanced pads. After all of this whenever I go back to those stock Balanced pads I realise they're actually very close to perfectly tuned for the DT1990, as are the Analytical pads for their intended purpose.
Everyhting you said is true. I couldn't stand the treble and wanted to send them back but was to lazy. Bought the dekoni elite hybrid earpads to justify my purchase and wow... they changed everything i hated about the dt1990. With them they are my absolut favorite headphones ever. 10/10
I bought these the other day. They came with the balanced pads fitted. Absolutely hated the claustrophobic sound. Swapped for the analytical pads, and the 1990's came magically alive. Absolutely love it now.
I have those filters for my T1.2, 770 and 990 and It can really take the edge off until pad break in occurs (which reduces trebel) or if I'm just watching UA-cam it takes enough off the syllabus enough to not be fatiguing.
Another quality review - thanks for your thoughts, which on this occasion sound very similar to my experience (would also be thanking you even if they differed 🙂). The 1990s were too sharp for my taste with the THX 789 but had great synergy with the slightly rounder tonality of my Emotiva A-100 amp, and I preferred the A pads for the more present midrange. They bring out the detail and have top-tier dynamics but I ultimately found the treble brittle and the body a bit leaner than I prefer. They were ultimately supplanted in my stable by the Hifiman HE-500s, which have nearly the detail and dynamics but also deeper bass extension and fuller midrange. Keep up the great work!
Thanks B H. I used to own the HE-500s too. They are a wonderful headphone and I can definitely understand choosing those over the DT1990. Glad you found a great option for yourself and thanks for sharing your DT1990 experiences with the amp and pad combinations 🙂
You know, as an owner of these headphones and after watching many “audiophile” reviews, I found your review, Badseed Tech, and Resolve’s to be the most thoughtful and useful. Everyone either falls in one camp or the other without touching on various nuances and too many absolutely fail to understand that the DT 1990 is intended to be utilized as a tool, and not in an easy chair. Although I will say as a big fan of metal, these are great as they tend to de-clutter heavily distorted guitars and the double bass kicks. Pad rolling to me just defeats the tonality and purpose of the 1990s. To each their own though… The bottom line is that many people misunderstand these headphones and don’t give them a chance. That treble energy is there for a reason. As a mixing and mastering tool, the 1990s lay everything out for you which is what an engineer needs. I have the Ananda as well and found your review to be accurate there too. Beyers are not for everyone but when you know what you need/want, the DT 1990 are a very rewarding set of cans. Good job sir!
Thanks for sharing your experiences DDW. Glad you're enjoying your DT1990s (for your purposes) and thanks for the confirmation that I'm not hearing things completely differently from the rest of the world 🙂🙂
I've found that, after auditioning the original pads and other 3rd party pads, for me, listening to the 1990 with the Dekoni Elite Hybrid was the best combination. For me, the Elite Hybrid tamed the treble a bit and added substantially to the bass impact. Thoroughly happy with this setup and have had many hours of great listening.
Very fair description of the dt1990 pro. According to me dt1990 pro are underestimated by the hobby fans - they have huge qualities. The treble peak is fully Ok with dt1990 pro and with the 2 kind of pads you have 2 headphones. I cannot comment on dekoni pads, the 2 in the package are fine for me. I also got a special cable, made by customcans from uk. It is a low capacitance cable that gives even higher (extreme) clarity and my cable has a switch with an off and two 8k filter positions. But as you say - the 8k cut filter is bringing down the magic of dt1990 pro , I use these filters only when listen to Deep Purple songs with intense percussions. And, yes, dt1990 pro is better than Ananda. From dt1990 pro the upgrades are Arya and HD800s.
Oh yes, the DT1990 Pro is certainly near the top of the list. Having both the Beyer T5 & 1990 Pro is a good mix, 1 closed, 1 open. I also have the Dekoni pads (I've used the Dekoni on all my Beyer hp).
I would be really interested to see a comparison video between open back headphones specifically developed and marketed for pro audio studio usage/mixing/mastering. Headphones like this Beyerdynamic DT1990, the OLLO S4X, the Austrian Audio Hi-x65, Focal Clear MG pro etc...Pretty much every pro user knows some older work horse cans marketed for professionals like the Sennheiser HD650 or the Beyerdynamic DT880 pro. It would be interesting to hear your opinion about what extra qualities do they provide compared to those well known older models. Which is the most neutral sounding (most flat), which one presents the most details (including recording mistakes like piano bench squeaks, accidental microphone stand kicks, background noises etc), which one has got the most precise panning/stage presentation, on which one can you hear the smallest EQ, reverb...setting changes etc. So basically a comparison video focusing on studio mixing/mastering/editing headphones. A video like this would be great :) Anyway, thanks for this great review!
Hi JD, doing this requires me to have access to the headphones you mention so I can't exactly offer that, but I have two responses which might be useful. 1) these Pro cans are generally designed to be hard-wearing (and/or repairable) as well as having a somewhat neutral tuning (except the beyers) 2) I've got the DT 700 and 900 Pro X headphones from beyerdynamic and will be comparing those to the Ollo S4X (V1) and S4R (v1.1) when I do the review. I'll try to address some of your request in that video 🙂
@@PassionforSound Fantastic! I'm really curious how does the 900 Pro X compare to the S4X, so thanks a lot for this. (+ Might also be worth comparing the 900 Pro X to the DT1990 as even though they are priced to fit into different price brackets, they both marketed by Beyerdynamic as "studio headphones".)
Unfortunately I don't have the DT1990s here anymore, but for studio use it's a no brainer for me - 900 Pro X every time. It's not as transparent, but tonal accuracy is much better so it will suit mixing and mastering projects much better. The DT 1990ight hold a niche spot for analysis of noise, artefacts, etc. but otherwise it's not worth the extra for studio work IMO
@@PassionforSound Thanks a lot for your response, as far as the comparison between the DT1990 and the 900 Pro X that's exactly what I wanted to know. :)
I like these way more than Sundara. They work incredibly good with rock metal. Mick Gordon's Doom soundtrack and all the rock classics sound brilliant and transfer all the energy to you. Feels like it's resolving every congested bit in rock music and keeps up with the speed and energy of this type of music. Bass is superb with balanced pads. Fast, precise, impactful. I love how it can push the air, hit your skull and then can pull back immediately. It gives weird sensation because of this fast hard hitting bass you get the pressure to your eardrum but it disappears immediately. It doesn't stay and bloom/bloat things. Ananda can't do this for example. Ananda can't hit hard and can't disappear but Ananda have superb texture in sub bass which works magically in different genres it's like a cloud of nuanced sub bass which is addictive. 1990 was actually cheap in EU when i bought them. Ananda was around 900 euro, DT1990 was 340 euro. Huge price difference. Later i bought Ananda from US $699. 1990 feels more resolving but Ananda actually gives more textural information to the listener. So i'm not sure which one is more detailed. Ananda sounds more real and transparent to me. Ananda's detail is more effortless. 1990's detail is hardcore. 1990 feels faster and high res, resolves congested sound easily but Ananda somehow gives more information. Very different headphones really. Good in their own way.
The 1990 are quite unique and very fast as you say. Specific points of emphasis in the frequency response can make a big difference to what we hear in the music, can't it? I don't think either is specifically more resolving overall so much as each being more resolving at specific frequencies
i have the DT1990, with the inline filter you have there. the filter, for me, is essential when using the "A" pads. but not so much for the "B" pads. i am pretty sure this was Solderdude's intention. have just ordered the Dekoni elite hybrid pads as some say they increase the bass levels a bit and tame the high peak. great video though (as usual 👍)
Good review! Yes they are GREAT cans if you are open to using some slight eq tweaks. If you are a purist then good luck finding your happy place with ANY set. (especially across multiple genres and recordings). And yes they are actually semi-open but I prefer the width myself. Open but not too far, intimate but not too close. Happy medium imo. I agree the balanced pads sound best but are just not comfortable enough for longer listening. After a few Dakoni swaps I settled on the Elite Fenestrated with the screen cloth cut out. (I have one set with/one without. The "with" ended up on the DT880 Premium). Anyway, those pads are amazingly comfortable and kept the closest to stock sound with a slight treble cut. Very happy with them! That said, if I could morph the warmth of my Celestee and the vocals of my HD600 in to the DT 1990's....probably would be the perfect headphone for me. But for $599 I highly recommend them. (With use of an external dac/amp/eq that is. Same with anything else). All subjective of course.
@@PassionforSound Indeed! Especially on a mid grade budget. And at 51 yrs old that ship may have sailed anyway. Ha ha. (Hearing loss) Comfort is a must, I can tweak the tuning. :) Hence I built a custom headphone stand that keeps each of my main 4pr stored at a 5" cup spread, so clamp pressure is no longer an issue. Also arched the top (and padded and felt lined it) so it doesn't create any crush spots like a hanger could. I highly recommend it. Function and fashion in one because it displays nicely. Yep I'm a geek. Thank you for the reply. Love your channel. Cheers!
I agree that the balance pads are better with a calibration software like Sound ID to make them better sounding and fix some emphasize treble . Also your ohms in your amp or interface affects the way they sound . The Apollo twin x comes with 300 ohms jack . Great video 🔥
Interesting. I feel like the cables are pretty soft and luxurious. I also don't feel like there's much soundstage to them but they give SENSE of staging through their unmatched imaging and depth which is weird to say that they have depth but not staging. But I look for a lot of staging usually which is part of why I LOVE Portapros. Did you try them with tubes? I LOVE the 1990s. The detail, imaging, and timbre/tone/whatever is just spectacular. That shirt is hilarious.
Fantastic review! You have such a calming and easy to listen to voice. And you've included everything I wanted to know, probably the best review for these headphones on youtube. I am on the very edge of buying these together with the FiiO K7 (I've already watched your review on it too). I love listening to jazz music and do a little bit of transcribing of jazz piano music, do you think this combination would work well for that? Also these would be my everyday headphones, so I would also watch videos or play some games with it. So I want headphones which are good for critical listening but also do a decent job for the "everyday use" like watching videos, playing games etc. The thing is, I just love the way these headphones look, and I always wanted to try beyerdynamics headphones.
I really like the DT1990, but it's definitely a bit bright in the treble for some people so do take that into account. If you're ok with a brighter leaning headphone, I think these will fit the bill really well! Glad you like my reviews! 🙂🙂
@@PassionforSoundwhat do you think about the combination with the FiiO K7 BT? And the DT 1990s are single ended headphones, am I right? I should then only use the „PO“ output and not the balanced output? I’ve also read about how it can potentially damage the device if I use single ended headphones on a balanced output, how true is this?
That's correct. Only use them with single ended outputs (3.5mm or 6.3mm) as it can definitely damage the amp otherwise. As for the pairing, the K7 will be nice with the DT 1990s. They'll scale up with even better gear, but will do just fine with the FiiO.
Bringing these in from Amazon would cost me US$762 or ZAR11, 119.79 (that's South African Rands), not cheap headphone basically at just a little over Apple Airpods Max. Obviously if I was ready to by at that price I would add a little more and get the Hifiman Ananda (ZAR12, 640 or US$866). Thank you for the detailed review my man.
Not a big fan of most Beyerdynamic headphones and their house sound… but the DT 1990 PRO is the exception with the Dekoni Hybrid pads which adds some Bass and tones down the treble a bit. The TYGR 300R are also decent if you want a good gaming headphone. But tbh there are better HP options out there in their price ranges. I’ll take the Ananda all day over the 1990 Pro
Let me ask you both this: Between legal blindness and honestly hust never bothering to properly understand FR response early on when that wasn’t as much a limiting factor, I’ve really have an especially difficult time of visualizing FR tuning based off of graphs alone and I’m really curious where you both feel subjectively that the Ananda and also the non-stealth Arya would fall in line in bass presentation both in sub but more importantly to my taste, the mid-bass. I am seeking a headphone to add to enjoy and while I’ve got tons of entry and mid-fi cans, my furthest experience with any Hifiman I have is the HE-4XX and I’m just not sure how truly and accurately represented that would be of their current house sound. I’ve long been quite curious about both Hifiman sets, but want to know realistically what to loosely expect with them in punchiness etc. I’ve been very curious about how similar or dissimilar they sound in tuning as well as in the dynamics and spatial properties etc by way of comparison specifically to a pair of Focal Clears, Grado Hemps and of the newest revision of LCD-XC. Or any other common personal reference points. I find myself gravitating towards those three the most lately compared to other headphones/IEMs so they’re especially fresh to me. Obviously some pretty different tunings, especially the Audeze’s by comparison and while I truly love the extra refinement and added technicalities and detail offered by the LCD-XC that really bring things up a level when compared with the Clears in some ways, I don’t have much experience yet with EQ and find myself really missing the added liveliness and presence and impact found especially in the mid-bass and mid range of the Clears and Hemps. That said, I listen to and do appreciate many different flavors of tunings depending on which sound and genres I’m in the mood for, and imaging and layering and separation are definitely very important to me but i can get a reasonable idea of the differences there and I just don’t want to make another ‘mid-hi-fi’ purchase in this specific case especially without getting a better idea of how it compares with other tunings I’m more familiar with to make sure I make a choice I feel good about long term, espesh since I don’t yet have much experience with (or have any appropriate software to use currently) to EQ, as I primarily use Spotify and more recently, Apple Music in whatever they call their highest quality. Sorry to be so long-winded but I just wanted to provide as much context as possible before asking you guys to make the effort of responding. Cheers health and happy listening to you both!
It's really tough to answer that one because the perception of the sound of each headphone is really about the balance of all frequencies or the kind of overall angle of the frequency graph. I think the Ananda are probably quite similar to the Clears in some ways, but they have less mid-bass emphasis and better overall extension. I think the Clears are probably the more resolving headphone overall and probably "better" by some measures. The new Aryas are a better option based on your description of what you're looking for I think. They have good treble, but it's better balanced with the other frequencies and that allows the bass to come forward more without ever being overdone. They're a wonderfully balanced sound that's natural and enjoyable without being coloured or emphasised too much. Headphones like the Clears can sometimes be overdone in the treble which can work well on lots of tracks and then not on others. That throws off our perception of the bass so it's all inter-related. I'm yet to try the LCD-XC so I can't compare to those. Final points: the HE-4xx series don't really represent a house sound as each HiFiMan headphone is different. And despite not having heard the Hemps, I expect they'll have the similar Grado tuning with the mid-bass bump and treble lift which is fun, but the Aryas and Anandas offer a very different experience.
that “Beyer house sound” actually comes from Beyer’s stock cables. I can hear that weird timbre when I use Beyer cable with other headphones. Make sure to get rid of that.
I love these headphones. However my analytical pads wore out a bit So I ordered new analytical pads from Beyer. They are NOT the same, anymore. The plastic is even a different color on the inside. ( sorry for the caps) and they don’t sound good So I took the balanced pads which came with the headphones I bought 3 years ago and modded them. I covered the holes so two per side were open. So basically instead of the analytical pads have four open holes , I covered the holes so there were 8 in total. I tried covering the holes one by one to see which amount I liked most. The 8 were the best Just and FYI for others. I closed the holes with just some cut duct tape. That’s all. Cheers mate!
@@PassionforSound yeah I guess it’s well known that they change quality or just change pads every so often. Thanks. Would have been cool to measure after the simple mod. Thanks man
Hey Passion for sound, try this EQ profile with the analytical pads and see how it transforms to an almost Focal Clear Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 0.69 Filter: ON PK Fc 43 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 0.61 Filter: ON PK Fc 19961 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.1 Filter: ON PK Fc 911 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 1.52 Filter: ON PK Fc 7734 Hz Gain -8.5 dB Q 2.5 Filter: ON PK Fc 10000 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.01 Preamp: -4.5 dB
@@kyron42 I didnt made this EQ profile, but the person who created it had both a Focal Clear and the 1990 to compare, and he claims its like 90% of a Focal Clear. I also talked with a user who has a Focal Elex and a Sundara and he said he prefered the EQd 1990. Give it a try and tell me what you think
@@renamamiya9128 unfortunately I don't own a 1990. I have a 4XX and a DT880. After using some graphic equaliser I prefer the 4XX. Though I need to get a more powerful headphone amp to truly get the best out of them.
I am one of those who prefer the sound of the analytical pads (stock being the balanced pads). Besides sound, the balanced pads are less soft and a bit thicker, so I also find the analytical ones more comfortable. The difference is not night and day though, I can wear the analytical all day, and the balanced will make me uncomfortable after a few hours but not enough to have to remove the headphones.
Man I must have a huge head or something because no one but me seems to think the clamp force on these is waaaay too strong to be comfortable. Also the treble is pretty dang hot. They do give the impression of a lot of detail retrieval with having such forward treble, but it gets fatiguing for me even on the balanced pads. The analytical pads are more comfortable (much softer, surprised you didn't comment on this?) but I find them to be very fatiguing. Anyways, always good to see what a reviewer thinks / says about something you own!
I didn't find a significant difference in comfort between the pads, Sasha. That's not to say that there isn't one, just that we're all different. Things like bone structure and muscle tightness (I suffer from some neck and jaw tightness which might actually reduce my sensitivity to things like softness) could all play a part. I do think it's a shame that the treble pushes as hard as it does. They're amazing otherwise.
@@PassionforSound Agreed, I think I just inherited a rather large melon haha, and also agree they do a lot really well. Appreciate the reply as always!
God 1990 look so cool. Best looking headset hands down, I want to display it on my desk. That being said, I'm sticking with Edition XS as it is such a sweet all arounder for the same price tag. I'm beginning to love the "loose fit" it's like wearing a pair of sweatpants vs. skinny jeans. You rarely have to adjust them and they are easy to take on and off which is a benefit to someone who wears 12+ hours per day. Another thing with Beyer Dynamic pads is they will wear down to nothing in around 1 year if you use the headphones a lot like I do. $50 a year on fresh pads isn't crazy expensive but damn that's like an oil change on a car. I get the sense these Edition XS pads will never wear down.
Thanks for your nice review :) I also own the DT1990 and the Tygr 300r, I like both a lot! One Thing I can't recommend enough: Use the foam disc of the DT1990 (the foam located between ear pads and driver) on the Tygr 300r!!!! :D The Tygr uses the thicker foam disc which reduces the treble a bit, which for me is a bit like the inline high frequency filter you talked about for the DT1990. Yes, it does reduce the treble a bit, but to me not in a good way, as it also reduces its imaging capabilities and the phenomenal sense of what i would describe as "attack and decay". Its the treble above 9k KHz that gets filtered out the most, is how I would describe it, to me the thicker ring does mainly reduce the air frequencies, which is a shame because I would describe the Tygr as quite detailed in that regard. Using the thinner foam gives it a slightly larger, but in my eyes way more defined soundstage, the tones are allowed to breath and the overall tonal balance is still quite qood (in my eyes better), without sounding harsh or sibilant. Even with the thinner foam the Tygrs are not as harsh as the DT1990, at least to my ears. Of course this is already some sort of "user mod", but its quite easy to do and the foam disc of the DT1990 (or DT990, 880,... they're all the same) are quite cheap, 2€ per Pair here in the EU. I'm looking forward to your Tygr 300R review, I also cant wait to hear your thoughts on the new stealth magnet Arya :) Cheers from Germany!
Great tips on the DT1990 and Tygr! Thanks for sharing! There probably won't be a full Tygr review, but I do hope to include it in the upcoming DT 900 Pro X review as a comparison point
Hi, im also from germany btw! =) What do you think about the TYGR fleece disc in a DT 1990 Pro? I own the TYGR and will be able to test the DT 1990 Pro tomorrow. I will also try it the other way around as you recommended with the TYGR. The TYGR are truly phenomenal sounding headphones. The comparison between the two headphones will be exciting as both have the same frequency response sound profile.
Another very informative video which helped me A LOT. :) You see I used to own them DT 1990Pro and while I found their quality and build / ergonomics top notch I didn't particularly enjoyed their sound signature with either set of pads very much and ended up selling them. I had also purchased the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads (with which I enjoyed them the most). I also loved analytical for some particular genres and songs they were fantastic but quite dull at some other and I didn't particularly enjoyed the balanced set at all (found it mediocre across the whole frequency response like a jack of all trades but master of none). But at the end of the day they were quite sibilant and bright for my taste and had weird imaging and not big enough soundstage. They were also becoming really fatiguing with this sound signature after a while and couldn't hear them for long listening sessions. Ananda were the first to try next and I found your comparison really informative on this! I hope I made a better choice in the end. We will see I'm waiting for them as we speak and my HD600s keep me company till they arrive :)
@@PassionforSound I got them today. I like the overall signature they complement amazing my Sennheiser. They are so easy to listen to, effortless like they don't try to impress but so enjoyable. I think I'll go for a tube amp but I'm waiting for a significant amount of listening sessions first before I make up my mind to see where they will eventually settle after the burn in. I think I don't care that much about accurate tonality after all in cans and I'm leaning towards warmer side, thus I'll probably look for a tube amp. Any ideas?
Depending on your budget, the xDuoo MT-60x series are great, Schiit's tube amps are well regarded (but I haven't tried them) and the Bottlehead S.E.X. and Mainline kits are also both excellent. The Bottlehead Crackight also work, but I'm not certain due to its high output impedance. No doubt there are lots of other options too that I haven't yet tried.
In the song Iris by Goo Goo Dolls, around 3.30 right before the final chorus and right after the acoustic section, there is a chord strum that rings out. Between that final strum and the words "and I don't want the world..." you can hear a metronome that leaked through the acoustic guitar mic. It is very faint, but the 1990s can actually present this detail, just keep in mind you need a trained ear.
They reveal too many problems with music sometimes, and only the most over mastered/mixed music didn't have distracting bits like this. There was an album from the 60s I was listening to where I swear I could hear when the engineer pressed a button and manually panned something left then right, and now I can't unhear it. 🙃Indie albums made in people's apartment "studios" have other interesting bits like this too.
I love your reviews and watch them all. On the strength of your review ( and many others ) I purchased the 1990.Oh dear lasted one day before they were on Ebay . I really hated the sound , the weight, the clamping action but they were beautifully built . Can't win them all🙈🙈🙉🙉🙉
Oh no! So sorry to hear that - they're a very specific sound so I totally understand. The pair I had were also well used which might change the comfort. Are you in need of an alternative?
@@PassionforSound hi you will hold your head up in horror, i have gone back to my well-used Grado RS 2E which are lovely, I cannot hear anything of the RS1 in them. Yes they are bright but the base is there well-controlled not overemphasized and the sound stage is broad with well defined front to back imaging. I tried a passive 2hz filter but that just made the whole sound muddy, I am not sure how focused that filter was. Grado may well be a cult sound but I would like to think that after 50 years of audiophile listening I was above the subjective bias.
Using a notch filter in line with the headphones is a pretty hacky way to reduce the treble. You could probably get much better results with a parametric equaliser. At 8 k even a standard graphic equaliser is likely to do a good job.
there's not so many transparent desktop eq with true bypass available. and there's none portable with 3.5 jack audio (no usb dac). so inline filter it is for now until i find one. - i will never use bluetooth for audio. - there is no systemwide eq available for ios in the app store. none.
@@testek3053 Qudelix-5K Bluetooth USB DAC AMP has a parametric equaliser. Lots of other portable DAC amps have graphic equalisers. Phones have graphic equalisers. So many EQ options exist.
The grills on the side of the DT-1990 are a facade if you open the headphone you can see that there is a black practice dome under that grill with a few holes punched out if anything the grills kinda block some of the wholes
My understanding of those covers is that they are deliberately creating layers to help diffuse internal reflections (at least this is why they're doing it on the new Pro X models). Not saying you shouldn't experiment if you want to - just pointing out that it's not fake or deliberately misleading, it will be a deliberate design decision.
@@PassionforSound the fake metal mesh is actually on the outside of the cup. it prevents dust from coming inside the cup and creates a cool shiny looks but that's it. a layer to help diffuse internal reflection should be on the inside of the cup, but there's not such thing on this dt1990. the fake metal cup covers block part of the holes, so if anything by removing it you increase the openness of it.
My understanding is that this is a deliberate design approach - it's not about anything being fake. Having holes not leading directly to the metal grilles is part of how semi-open headphones are made. Whether it's the best approach or not is debatable, but think about it - if they were trying to be cheap, they'd put less parts into the headphone, not more.
@@PassionforSound if the headband was real leather with real stitches and the cups made of real metal that would be true. it's not, despite the fact that some headphones reviewers claimed it (some were big ones, misleading a lot of consumers). i agree with you it is a deliberate design approach. but beyer designers didn't try to be cheap, nor did they try to make it sturdy high quality material... they tried to make it look like it's not cheap so you think from the looks that it's well build. very different approach. form over function. and considering all the good comments about how great it looks (which is true) leading to good comments about the build quality (which isn't), they succeeded. the weight increase, the price increase and the design flaw of the plastic threads of the yoke locks cracking under the strain of the headband are still here though.
It depends on what you are looking for. XS has better bass extension and less extreme treble, but the DT1990 creates a larger stage and better sense of separation and detail I think
Would I notice a significant improvement over the hd560s? I'd like to upgrade them for something better to use as my every day headphones, something I can put on and off without worrying that they might fall apart like the Aryas. But only if the difference with the 560s would be mind-blowing.
It would be a fairly significant step from the HD560S I think. Obviously hard to measure how much is 'enough' and it will depend on how much more quality is available from your source chain, but the DT1990 is a great headphone
@@PassionforSound Thanks, "a significant step" sounds good enough to me. I use an RME ADI-2, so it would be great if they could be run through the iem's output so I don't have to plug them on and off every time I want to switch headphones.
It would be interesting if you could get a hold of the T1 2nd generation and compare. I found one in a shop to demo but my dap wasn't up to the 600ohm task and they had nothing to drive it.
Balanced cable is always the way to go if you use an external and more so tube amp, otherwise you will hear in your headphones all the interesting little noises produced by the motherboard, which you could never guess were there. With a balanced four pin connector ( not necessarily) it's dead quiet
Balanced cables on headphones/headphone amps do not cancel out noise. They are just creating a push-pull drive for the headphones to create extra voltage swing, but do nothing to cancel noise.
The Ananda's contact my upper jaw in a very unpleasant way. The ear pad has a more stiff leather-like edge and a more comfortable memory foam-like inner cup. I found the edge between to be irritating against my skin. I find I am adjusting them every 10 minutes to shift their contact points. In the process of returning them and trying out the DT 1990's right now.
Can you try Hans Dimmer’s mountains from the interstellar movie soundtrack on the THX-AAA-789 on gain 3 past 12 0’ clock and see if you get chuffing? On the DT-1990. Sounds like the driver isn’t getting enough air flow.
Thanks for the great review👍 i was Just wondering what would be better paired with a RME ADI 2 the HD600 or the DT1990 i can get either pair for $380 second hand. Cheers
Nope. Running a headphone balanced will only be better if the amplifier you're using happens to perform better that way. There's no inherent benefit in using balanced connections for headphones.
I have the tygr and compared to the sennheiser hd 598 and dt 770 and dt 990 it's by far my favorite headphone since they've tamed the murderous treble that beyers are kinda known for :P I was thinking about getting the dt 1990 but the treble peaks was a deal breaker for me. I'm curious how the new dt 700 pro x and dt 900 pro x are compared to the tygr. Might get the dt 700 pro x since I don't have a good closed headphones yet
The ZMF Aeolus pads worked well for me with the 300r, sort of balanced the Beyer murder-treble, made the mid bass a bit punchier, let the mids breathe a bit. For something like the 1990, I'd look at a microsuede vs. leather or velour. But the "sheen" of the Beyer treble ain't for me. It's not just the amount, it's how it comes across. Like the driver is made of aluminum foil. Love the build of the Beyers but the treble has been my least favorite experienced.
Thanks for the pad tip. I agree about the treble. They come so close to being amazing, but just miss the mark due to that emphasis. The newer models seem to be moving away from the beyerdynamic house sound which is great
I don't know - sorry! I've seen him on audio forums, but don't recall which ones so maybe check places like Head-Fi, Super Best Audio Friends and Audio Science Review.
Hi Jim, I'm in metro Melbourne and I normally need a headphone for about 2-3 weeks as a minimum so I can live with it for a while, try a bunch of music, amps, comparisons, etc.
It would be amazing to get a chance to review them, but do feel free to enjoy them for a while first of you're thinking of lending then to me for review 🙂
The first thing to go is often the pads and/or the headband so if they're replaceable, the driver's themselves can last for decades. I've had pads wear out in about 4-5 years, but it depends on the material, storage conditions, usage, etc. So glad you love the channel!
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your reviews, they are all wonderful, enjoyable to watch and listen👍‼️ Just out of my curiosity, what are your music sources? I am mainly listening to Amazon unlimited ultra HD music. I don't have headphones yet,
As a novice 'audiophile' (if that's not an oxymoron), I'd be grateful if anyone could explain why 'phones like these have a frequency response dip in the upper-mid range. Is the dip in the mid--frequency range the eponymous 'BBC' or 'Gundry' Dip, engineered to overcome a subjective brightness experienced in this range, or is it another phenomenon? Conversely, is the significant peak in the upper frequency range a means of enhancing our relative insensitivity to these frequencies, especially as we grow older? If these are not the explanations, are there any 'phones with an essentially flat response? Many thanks!
Hi William, they're both great questions. Let's start with the second part... The raised high frequencies (depending on the graphs you are using) are sometimes due to the Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) which occurs in the real world and alters our perceptions of sound in space. Headphones can't produce this naturally because they pipe sound straight into the ear so they need to alter the frequencies affected by HRTF to make the sound natural. In other cases, high frequencies are boosted to create an artificial sense of detail and clarity. For your second question, the dip in the upper mids tends to be a tuning choice which can be good or bad. It can create a greater sense of space in the soundstage, but can also rob a headphone of its sense of clarity. Having too much energy in the upper mids (even if it's almost flat in some cases depending on the design of the headphone) can result in a forced or nasal sound to the midrange and vocals. The final thing to remember is that not all graphs are comparable. My graphs are completely different to those on The Headphone Show (for example) so it's important to either understand how the graphs are being compensated (or how to read them if they are raw data), or sometimes it's better to ignore the graphs and focus on a range of people's listening impressions. As for a truly flat measuring headphone, based on my compensated measurements (which are imperfect due to my consumer grade measurement setup), something like the Ollo S4R v1.1 is a great option.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for such a detailed and, indeed, very interesting, reply to my questions. As you'll probably have realised, I based my questions on speaker design and, quite naively, failed to appreciate the specific issues faced by designers of headphones. Your explanations make complete sense to me and I now understand the different considerations in both situations. With best wishes from Oxford, UK.
I've tried the current revision of the DT770pro 250ohm and I can't stand you treble of those. So I'm curious if the 1990pro has the same lack nuance in the treble where every recording sound exactly the same? In my country the Ananda cost almost twice as much but the Sundara cost about the same
I haven't tried the 770, but I own an 880 variant and the DT1990 is a definite step above those. You might want to check out the new DT 900 Pro X though - they're quite impressive at the price
@@PassionforSound Unfortunately we don't have any physical store that sells Beyerdynamic. I hope you will be making a comparison between the DT900 Pro X and the 1990 pro at some point
I've got the 900 and 700 Pro X coming soon. I won't be able to compare directly to the DT1990, but the 900 is excellent and a better headphone for longer sessions because it doesn't have that nasty treble spike.
@@PassionforSound Well that is sad but I would like to hear the sub bass in songs and amiron home extends deeper in the sub bass I think and dt1990 pro might be even more sibiliant than amiron home which i dont like and it cant be used on balanced amplifiers so I guess I would go with amiron home, from other reviews I hear amiron home scaled well with amps.
@@PassionforSound I want a high impedance headphone to pair with my chord mojo --> aune X7S chain that has good dynamics, deep sub bass quantity and soundstage under $800 and from my research the beyer's tesla driver technology fits all these criteria. I would love if you can suggest other headphones under $800 with those qualities though.
If your goal is specifically a high impedance design, the Beyers and Sennheisers are almost the only choice. The Sivga SV023 is the only other I think (and an excellent headphone!) Sorry to keep throwing you questions, but why are you focussed on high impedance only?
Listening to you reviewers I would have to buy a different headphone for every different type of music and maybe even different songs. Not to mention different cables and pads for each. Might be a little bit expensive.
At the end he literally said if you were to buy just one, the Ananda could be the better choice. But reviewers are also correct. There is no one single headphone that is best in class in every category. It’s up to you to understand what you enjoy when listening, and then shop for headphones with those strengths - that’s where most reviewers (and forums) can help you.
Well said, Mark. I wish there was one perfect headphone, but I'm yet to find it. I do have some favourite all-rounders for sure, but none are perfect in all situations.
If you refuse to EQ then yes. And in todays world of predominantly online shopping because Beats or Bose are the only thing most of us can demo beforw buying then....also yes. It's an expensive rabbit hole. Especially when you want closed-back AND open-back. I worked my way up to a $1,000 pair. Still not end game :( I'm done unless I can demo first. (A MUCH NEEDED BUSINESS! 10 day rental for "try before you buy" would be great)
I found the analytical pads to have more bass less treble. Analytical pads, are better for gaming. I find the balanced pads to be more natural and open and more musical. I would say with the analytical pads it makes the 1990 sound similar to the 900 pro x
That's interesting. I can't remember what the graphs showed, but sometimes specific peaks/cuts can influence how we perceive the different tonalities so maybe that's what's happening
@@PassionforSound I think the main difference is on balance pads you get way more ambient sound and more intense highs. When I say intense the highs stand out way more. That is why instruments sound more natural and very accurate. With the analytical pads you get way better imaging and slightly larger sound stage. I wish Beyer made it easier to swap pads. I need to try the sheep skin
@@PassionforSound it’s amazing I just listened through my hd 560s, 900 pro x and dt 1990 on Amazon. I know Amazon does a little extra magic but that sound stage is very workable I can hear two different guitarist playing and I could tell the difference in the two different tones. I find a lot easier time to distinguish between the sound stage from the three headphones. I have to say dt 900 pro x combined with the dt 1990 is a powerful editing tool
@@PassionforSound as long as the recording is good. Before owning the dt 1990 I never really realized how many famous songs are edited so badly. I really don’t know why so much music is made with unnecessary amount of highs lol
Rolling has become a thing it seems - pad rolling, tube rolling, op-amp rolling. Not sure why it got started that way - maybe because tubes roll around on a desk?
2:49 "they're made largely of metal" unfortunately no, they're not. most parts like cups and yoke guides are plastic, just like the old cheaper models. and there is a design flaw with the 1xx0 series as the yoke locks now have to maintain both the yokes and the larger fake leather headband in place at the same time, while using metal screws in plastic threads! leading to either the screws getting loose (check my video for proof) or the yoke lock to crack (link in the video description for this one). i get this is not yours and the owner might not be very happy about it, but at least please don't make claims about build quality and materials before you dismantle one.
My approach to reviews is from the perspective of an average consumer. For people who use these normally and don't pull them apart, they are very nicely made. Scott has had his for some time and they're still in excellent condition after regular use with no signs of looseness or undue wear. It's great that you're looking at these products from the perspective of people who might want to tinker, modify, etc. but that's not my angle.
@@PassionforSound the average consumer might be interested in long lasting sturdy gear, especially when there's such a price increase, and not being fooled by shiny fake metal cup covers and fake leather with fake stitches from marketing strategy... but maybe i'm wrong and the marketing guys are right: they'd rather spend more because of cosmetics and cool shiny looks no matter how heavy yet fragile it might be in the long run compared to the previous models? i don't especially like to tinker, it's more that i had to modify my dt770 because the cable died (so i went for a 3pin mini xlr removable cable instead). and i had to modify my dt1990 because the yoke lock got loose (increased strain on plastic threads with the new design). i didn't pull them apart because i like to, but because i had to. the first one after 20 years, the last one after 1 year. that says something about reliability between the old and new series. one guy might have no problem with it, that doesn't mean the design flaw is not there, it only means he got lucky until now. the other guy i mentionned is a gamer, he's more an average consumer than a mod maker. he did a review after 1 year of use and confirms: "that crack is quite common". ua-cam.com/video/1-XpM1gS8EY/v-deo.html i respect your average consumer approach, but i also dare to think reviewers have a responsability to warn consumers of such things, or at least not mislead consumers by praising fake build quality like almost all of them on youtube did about the dt1xx0 series... it's fine if some reviewers don't know if it's metal or plastic, if it's real or fake leather, if the new design for the yoke locks is less sturdy and don't want to dismantle one to check. but it's not cool when reviewers make claims about build quality or materials without checking first if it's true or not. the average consumer trust them for his purchase decision, he deserves the truth.
@@testek3053 ive had my stax made out of plasic for 40 years still looks like new why ? Because i treat them like a headphone not a soccer ball . Gamer headphones get covered in chip crumbs and coke .
@@chefsteve8381 dankpods showed in a recent video that he has 2 old stax on their stand, they're doing great and he loves them. i've owned a dt770 for 20 years and bought it used so it's even older, and still going strong (i only had to change the cable and pads). i'm not talking damaged gear from bad treatment here, i'm talking design flaw (as explained in the video i posted from gaming audio guide). i don't eat chips and i don't drink coke, still had the same part failing on mine.
@@WorldView22 Interesting, because ehen I was looking for something like my HD600s but the next step up the T1 2nd generation was sometimes mentioned. The T1 3rd gen was very V shaped, which I think annoyed a lot of people, which didn't help with the reputation I guess.
hello i stuck between sundara and dt1990 pro , their price for me the almost same. what i m looking for sound separation and quality. i mostly watch movies and play games thanks
Both are excellent choices. The Sundara is more tonally balanced compared to the DT1990 with its large treble spike, but that treble spike helps to create a greater sense of detail so it's very hard to decide between them. I think maybe the DT1990 will give you more of what you're asking for
Is the 1990 a clear update from my dt 880 or i have to climb the over 1000 euros territory?( I try to find e mastering headphone without sell my kidneys..)
I think it's a really nice upgrade over the DT880 if you're ok with the treble spike. Personally though, I think for mastering purposes, the new DT 900 Pro X might be better. I'm reviewing it soon...
It's very different. No more huge treble spike and therefore a much more balanced tonality for mixing. It's not as resolving (or doesn't seem as resolving due to the tuning) but I think it will create better mixes.
@@PassionforSound I ordered a pair. Thanks. I already have a collection of hifiman ananda nano which are my fav, R70x which are my main use, DT 880 pro, M50X
If you don't like the boomyness and exaggeration of the B pads, place some electrical tape across/over every second hole. This makes them the perfect and balanced headphone.
I've got the Tygrs here, also from Scott who lent me the 1990s, and they're nice, but I think the new DT 900 Pro X might be even better based on my early listening
Yeah, the peak is real! The good news is that I think beyerdynamic are changing their ways. The 3rd gen T1 and T5 ditched the peak (to a degree) and the new DT 900 Pro X are a much more balanced tuning.
That's true to a degree. I think the DT1990 (and other Beyers like early T1s) took it a bit far though - there's a balance point somewhere and I think the DT1990 overshoots a little even though I absolutely love almost everything else they do and very nearly bought these from Scott.
Initially, I was drawn to the 1990 because I wanted a headphone that was a stark contrast to the 6xx and I was weary about the 'murder treble' people described to be present on the 1990. But a lot of my experiences lined up with your thoughts. At first, I thought the highs were straight up horrible, but after a week, I could tell my ears had adjusted to that sound signature because the while I could still hear that 8kHz peak, it didn't sound as harsh as it originally did. Hell, I'd say I've developed a sort of love-hate relationship with that treble peak, often times I love it, and rarely do I dislike it (on tracks like 'Lose Yourself to Dance' by Daft Punk). Still, I get why people don't like it. The 'winning' quality of this headphone has to be the transparency and detail it throws at you and with incredible imaging.
So in the end of day, it's all subjective! Nevertheless, I'd say your 'review' of the 1990s is one of the best out there.
Thanks so much, Mike! I definitely agree with your experiences of the love-hate relationship with them. I seriously considered buying these from Scott when he decided to sell them. I sort of regret that I didn't, but also don't... 🙂
This headphone is the essence of "YMMV". People are either going to love em or hate em. I had mine for less than a week before sending them back.
Things I liked about them: Gorgeous looking, maybe my favorite looking headphones, and built very well. Using the balanced pads, the bass was phenomenal. Possibly the best I've heard in a headphone so far. Punchy, deep, textured, tight. The imaging was also among the best I've ever heard, just absolutely pinpoint precise. But the treble... VERY few genres were helped by the treble energy, and it had to be recorded and mastered VERY well. Most of the time it was way too much, and that really limited their range. Mids were clear, but nothing to write home about. With the treble EQ'd down, I didn't find them very engaging, but certainly more tolerable. Amp/DAC synergy is critical with these, I think.
Great points all around, PP!
If the mixing artist is using these to produce the mix then perhaps that's the correct balance. I found after a short period of ear "burn-in" these are now the perfect headphone for me in less noisy listening environments.
They're definitely a great choice for quieter listening which quiet locations will allow.
The passive filter really makes them damn near perfect for me
That's great. They're definitely an excellent headphone for the right people and the right situations
1990 on my Darkvoice with some nice tubes is the most relaxing combination I've found. Extremely complimentary as the tubes knock down some of the treble spikes and add warmth. Sitting down in an arm chair before bed with a nice drink, listening to some Muddy Waters and you're better off than taking Ambien.
Sounds like a perfect setup!
@@PassionforSound no, a perfect setup is a Bottlehead Crack, DT 1990 and HD600.
Haha. That's all subjective, but it does sound like a great option
Totally agree on the pad choice. Tried every Dekoni pad (fenestrated sheepskin, hybrid, velour) on my 1990s. Returned all of them. Nothing topped the original Balanced pads for me. Everything else warped the headphone negatively. I do like the Analytical pad EQ from Oratory1990 however because it has a much-needed bass boost of about 5db. Best pair this headphone with a Jotunheim 2 or Lyr 3 for warmth to counter the brightness.
Thanks for the pad tip! And great suggestion on the amp pairings
The DT1990 are my main headphone which I use for hours everyday, I think this is a fair review you've made. I thought I'd also like just a touch more bass at first but whenever I modify them, with pads or EQ there's always some sacrifice of the stock sound, which is already really good. I've tried the stock Analytical and Balanced pads, the Dekoni Suede and Velours, and original Beyerdynamic DT770 and DT880/990 pads, all with and without Amiron Foam Discs or extra DT foam discs... If someone really wanted more bass via a pad swap the best option I feel is the DT1990 Balanced Pads + Amiron Foam Discs for a significant boost without being ridiculous. As a general alternative the Dekoni Velour + Amiron Foam sound nice, the different pads, foam and increased driver distance blend together well, they're also the closest sounding to the stock Balanced pads. After all of this whenever I go back to those stock Balanced pads I realise they're actually very close to perfectly tuned for the DT1990, as are the Analytical pads for their intended purpose.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with them, AR!
Everyhting you said is true. I couldn't stand the treble and wanted to send them back but was to lazy. Bought the dekoni elite hybrid earpads to justify my purchase and wow... they changed everything i hated about the dt1990. With them they are my absolut favorite headphones ever. 10/10
That's great news! Glad you found your perfect cans
I bought these the other day. They came with the balanced pads fitted. Absolutely hated the claustrophobic sound. Swapped for the analytical pads, and the 1990's came magically alive. Absolutely love it now.
Another good example of personal preferences. Glad you found a sound you're happy with 🙂
Analytical pads definetely open up sound of those phones :)
I have those filters for my T1.2, 770 and 990 and It can really take the edge off until pad break in occurs (which reduces trebel) or if I'm just watching UA-cam it takes enough off the syllabus enough to not be fatiguing.
Another quality review - thanks for your thoughts, which on this occasion sound very similar to my experience (would also be thanking you even if they differed 🙂). The 1990s were too sharp for my taste with the THX 789 but had great synergy with the slightly rounder tonality of my Emotiva A-100 amp, and I preferred the A pads for the more present midrange. They bring out the detail and have top-tier dynamics but I ultimately found the treble brittle and the body a bit leaner than I prefer. They were ultimately supplanted in my stable by the Hifiman HE-500s, which have nearly the detail and dynamics but also deeper bass extension and fuller midrange.
Keep up the great work!
Thanks B H. I used to own the HE-500s too. They are a wonderful headphone and I can definitely understand choosing those over the DT1990. Glad you found a great option for yourself and thanks for sharing your DT1990 experiences with the amp and pad combinations 🙂
You know, as an owner of these headphones and after watching many “audiophile” reviews, I found your review, Badseed Tech, and Resolve’s to be the most thoughtful and useful.
Everyone either falls in one camp or the other without touching on various nuances and too many absolutely fail to understand that the DT 1990 is intended to be utilized as a tool, and not in an easy chair.
Although I will say as a big fan of metal, these are great as they tend to de-clutter heavily distorted guitars and the double bass kicks. Pad rolling to me just defeats the tonality and purpose of the 1990s. To each their own though…
The bottom line is that many people misunderstand these headphones and don’t give them a chance.
That treble energy is there for a reason. As a mixing and mastering tool, the 1990s lay everything out for you which is what an engineer needs.
I have the Ananda as well and found your review to be accurate there too.
Beyers are not for everyone but when you know what you need/want, the DT 1990 are a very rewarding set of cans.
Good job sir!
Thanks for sharing your experiences DDW. Glad you're enjoying your DT1990s (for your purposes) and thanks for the confirmation that I'm not hearing things completely differently from the rest of the world 🙂🙂
I've found that, after auditioning the original pads and other 3rd party pads, for me, listening to the 1990 with the Dekoni Elite Hybrid was the best combination. For me, the Elite Hybrid tamed the treble a bit and added substantially to the bass impact. Thoroughly happy with this setup and have had many hours of great listening.
Same here with the Hybrid Elite. What amp setup do you have?
That's great to hear that you've found such an agreeable combo!
Very fair description of the dt1990 pro. According to me dt1990 pro are underestimated by the hobby fans - they have huge qualities. The treble peak is fully Ok with dt1990 pro and with the 2 kind of pads you have 2 headphones. I cannot comment on dekoni pads, the 2 in the package are fine for me.
I also got a special cable, made by customcans from uk. It is a low capacitance cable that gives even higher (extreme) clarity and my cable has a switch with an off and two 8k filter positions. But as you say - the 8k cut filter is bringing down the magic of dt1990 pro , I use these filters only when listen to Deep Purple songs with intense percussions. And, yes, dt1990 pro is better than Ananda. From dt1990 pro the upgrades are Arya and HD800s.
Glad you agreed (always nice to get some confirmation 🙂) and that you're enjoying your 1990s!
I would like to thank you for your review video.
I was on the fence, and you gave me the final "push" to make my decision to purchase the DT1990.
So glad I could help. I hope you love them!
Oh yes, the DT1990 Pro is certainly near the top of the list. Having both the Beyer T5 & 1990 Pro is a good mix, 1 closed, 1 open.
I also have the Dekoni pads (I've used the Dekoni on all my Beyer hp).
Paired mine with the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads. The best headphone I've owned so far.
So glad you're enjoying them!
I would be really interested to see a comparison video between open back headphones specifically developed and marketed for pro audio studio usage/mixing/mastering. Headphones like this Beyerdynamic DT1990, the OLLO S4X, the Austrian Audio Hi-x65, Focal Clear MG pro etc...Pretty much every pro user knows some older work horse cans marketed for professionals like the Sennheiser HD650 or the Beyerdynamic DT880 pro. It would be interesting to hear your opinion about what extra qualities do they provide compared to those well known older models. Which is the most neutral sounding (most flat), which one presents the most details (including recording mistakes like piano bench squeaks, accidental microphone stand kicks, background noises etc), which one has got the most precise panning/stage presentation, on which one can you hear the smallest EQ, reverb...setting changes etc. So basically a comparison video focusing on studio mixing/mastering/editing headphones. A video like this would be great :)
Anyway, thanks for this great review!
Hi JD, doing this requires me to have access to the headphones you mention so I can't exactly offer that, but I have two responses which might be useful.
1) these Pro cans are generally designed to be hard-wearing (and/or repairable) as well as having a somewhat neutral tuning (except the beyers)
2) I've got the DT 700 and 900 Pro X headphones from beyerdynamic and will be comparing those to the Ollo S4X (V1) and S4R (v1.1) when I do the review. I'll try to address some of your request in that video 🙂
@@PassionforSound Fantastic! I'm really curious how does the 900 Pro X compare to the S4X, so thanks a lot for this. (+ Might also be worth comparing the 900 Pro X to the DT1990 as even though they are priced to fit into different price brackets, they both marketed by Beyerdynamic as "studio headphones".)
Unfortunately I don't have the DT1990s here anymore, but for studio use it's a no brainer for me - 900 Pro X every time. It's not as transparent, but tonal accuracy is much better so it will suit mixing and mastering projects much better. The DT 1990ight hold a niche spot for analysis of noise, artefacts, etc. but otherwise it's not worth the extra for studio work IMO
@@PassionforSound Thanks a lot for your response, as far as the comparison between the DT1990 and the 900 Pro X that's exactly what I wanted to know. :)
Proud owner here! Thanks Lachlan!
No problems! Glad you're enjoying them 🙂
DT - are my favourite 😊
I like these way more than Sundara. They work incredibly good with rock metal. Mick Gordon's Doom soundtrack and all the rock classics sound brilliant and transfer all the energy to you. Feels like it's resolving every congested bit in rock music and keeps up with the speed and energy of this type of music. Bass is superb with balanced pads. Fast, precise, impactful. I love how it can push the air, hit your skull and then can pull back immediately. It gives weird sensation because of this fast hard hitting bass you get the pressure to your eardrum but it disappears immediately. It doesn't stay and bloom/bloat things. Ananda can't do this for example. Ananda can't hit hard and can't disappear but Ananda have superb texture in sub bass which works magically in different genres it's like a cloud of nuanced sub bass which is addictive.
1990 was actually cheap in EU when i bought them. Ananda was around 900 euro, DT1990 was 340 euro. Huge price difference. Later i bought Ananda from US $699. 1990 feels more resolving but Ananda actually gives more textural information to the listener. So i'm not sure which one is more detailed. Ananda sounds more real and transparent to me. Ananda's detail is more effortless. 1990's detail is hardcore. 1990 feels faster and high res, resolves congested sound easily but Ananda somehow gives more information. Very different headphones really. Good in their own way.
The 1990 are quite unique and very fast as you say. Specific points of emphasis in the frequency response can make a big difference to what we hear in the music, can't it? I don't think either is specifically more resolving overall so much as each being more resolving at specific frequencies
i have the DT1990, with the inline filter you have there.
the filter, for me, is essential when using the "A" pads. but not so much for the "B" pads.
i am pretty sure this was Solderdude's intention.
have just ordered the Dekoni elite hybrid pads as some say they increase the bass levels a bit and tame the high peak.
great video though (as usual 👍)
Good review! Yes they are GREAT cans if you are open to using some slight eq tweaks. If you are a purist then good luck finding your happy place with ANY set. (especially across multiple genres and recordings). And yes they are actually semi-open but I prefer the width myself. Open but not too far, intimate but not too close. Happy medium imo.
I agree the balanced pads sound best but are just not comfortable enough for longer listening. After a few Dakoni swaps I settled on the Elite Fenestrated with the screen cloth cut out. (I have one set with/one without. The "with" ended up on the DT880 Premium). Anyway, those pads are amazingly comfortable and kept the closest to stock sound with a slight treble cut. Very happy with them!
That said, if I could morph the warmth of my Celestee and the vocals of my HD600 in to the DT 1990's....probably would be the perfect headphone for me. But for $599 I highly recommend them. (With use of an external dac/amp/eq that is. Same with anything else).
All subjective of course.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Eric! The perfect headphone is illusive, isn't it? 🙂
@@PassionforSound Indeed! Especially on a mid grade budget. And at 51 yrs old that ship may have sailed anyway. Ha ha. (Hearing loss) Comfort is a must, I can tweak the tuning. :)
Hence I built a custom headphone stand that keeps each of my main 4pr stored at a 5" cup spread, so clamp pressure is no longer an issue. Also arched the top (and padded and felt lined it) so it doesn't create any crush spots like a hanger could. I highly recommend it. Function and fashion in one because it displays nicely. Yep I'm a geek.
Thank you for the reply. Love your channel. Cheers!
Sounds like a great hanging setup! So glad you're enjoying the channel!
That treble spike is something else!
Yeah, it's pretty intense
I was surfing about... Watched your recent tier list... Looked for my cans... That brought me here... Then I saw the shirt and it floored me. Bonzer!
It's a great t-shirt, isn't it? 😁
Really great headphone, got it for $450 and don't regret a single penny. Also the dekoni elite velour are great with the 1990.
So glad you're enjoying them! Great price too!
agree on the elite velours.... i have them on my T1 gen 2, gen 3 and DT 1990 pros.... great earpads.
The way you said “tharah” made me eargasm
😂
I agree that the balance pads are better with a calibration software like Sound ID to make them better sounding and fix some emphasize treble . Also your ohms in your amp or interface affects the way they sound . The Apollo twin x comes with 300 ohms jack . Great video 🔥
Glad you liked the video!
Interesting. I feel like the cables are pretty soft and luxurious. I also don't feel like there's much soundstage to them but they give SENSE of staging through their unmatched imaging and depth which is weird to say that they have depth but not staging. But I look for a lot of staging usually which is part of why I LOVE Portapros. Did you try them with tubes?
I LOVE the 1990s. The detail, imaging, and timbre/tone/whatever is just spectacular.
That shirt is hilarious.
Haha. Glad you like the shirt!
I don't remember if I tried the 1990s with tubes, but imagine that would be a nice combo.
Fantastic review! You have such a calming and easy to listen to voice. And you've included everything I wanted to know, probably the best review for these headphones on youtube. I am on the very edge of buying these together with the FiiO K7 (I've already watched your review on it too). I love listening to jazz music and do a little bit of transcribing of jazz piano music, do you think this combination would work well for that? Also these would be my everyday headphones, so I would also watch videos or play some games with it. So I want headphones which are good for critical listening but also do a decent job for the "everyday use" like watching videos, playing games etc. The thing is, I just love the way these headphones look, and I always wanted to try beyerdynamics headphones.
I really like the DT1990, but it's definitely a bit bright in the treble for some people so do take that into account. If you're ok with a brighter leaning headphone, I think these will fit the bill really well!
Glad you like my reviews! 🙂🙂
@@PassionforSoundwhat do you think about the combination with the FiiO K7 BT?
And the DT 1990s are single ended headphones, am I right? I should then only use the „PO“ output and not the balanced output? I’ve also read about how it can potentially damage the device if I use single ended headphones on a balanced output, how true is this?
That's correct. Only use them with single ended outputs (3.5mm or 6.3mm) as it can definitely damage the amp otherwise.
As for the pairing, the K7 will be nice with the DT 1990s. They'll scale up with even better gear, but will do just fine with the FiiO.
I agree with you according to pads, Beyer's engineers know what they are doing, the original pads sounds best to me also.
It's amazing how divided opinions are on those pads. Lucky the choice is available in the box!
Bringing these in from Amazon would cost me US$762 or ZAR11, 119.79 (that's South African Rands), not cheap headphone basically at just a little over Apple Airpods Max. Obviously if I was ready to by at that price I would add a little more and get the Hifiman Ananda (ZAR12, 640 or US$866). Thank you for the detailed review my man.
My pleasure, Tai Dee. It's definitely worth the step to the Ananda IMO.
Not a big fan of most Beyerdynamic headphones and their house sound… but the DT 1990 PRO is the exception with the Dekoni Hybrid pads which adds some Bass and tones down the treble a bit. The TYGR 300R are also decent if you want a good gaming headphone. But tbh there are better HP options out there in their price ranges. I’ll take the Ananda all day over the 1990 Pro
I agree about the Anandas and in general I think the treble spike is just too severe which is a shame
Let me ask you both this:
Between legal blindness and honestly hust never bothering to properly understand FR response early on when that wasn’t as much a limiting factor, I’ve really have an especially difficult time of visualizing FR tuning based off of graphs alone and I’m really curious where you both feel subjectively that the Ananda and also the non-stealth Arya would fall in line in bass presentation both in sub but more importantly to my taste, the mid-bass. I am seeking a headphone to add to enjoy and while I’ve got tons of entry and mid-fi cans, my furthest experience with any Hifiman I have is the HE-4XX and I’m just not sure how truly and accurately represented that would be of their current house sound. I’ve long been quite curious about both Hifiman sets, but want to know realistically what to loosely expect with them in punchiness etc.
I’ve been very curious about how similar or dissimilar they sound in tuning as well as in the dynamics and spatial properties etc by way of comparison specifically to a pair of Focal Clears, Grado Hemps and of the newest revision of LCD-XC. Or any other common personal reference points. I find myself gravitating towards those three the most lately compared to other headphones/IEMs so they’re especially fresh to me. Obviously some pretty different tunings, especially the Audeze’s by comparison and while I truly love the extra refinement and added technicalities and detail offered by the LCD-XC that really bring things up a level when compared with the Clears in some ways, I don’t have much experience yet with EQ and find myself really missing the added liveliness and presence and impact found especially in the mid-bass and mid range of the Clears and Hemps. That said, I listen to and do appreciate many different flavors of tunings depending on which sound and genres I’m in the mood for, and imaging and layering and separation are definitely very important to me but i can get a reasonable idea of the differences there and I just don’t want to make another ‘mid-hi-fi’ purchase in this specific case especially without getting a better idea of how it compares with other tunings I’m more familiar with to make sure I make a choice I feel good about long term, espesh since I don’t yet have much experience with (or have any appropriate software to use currently) to EQ, as I primarily use Spotify and more recently, Apple Music in whatever they call their highest quality.
Sorry to be so long-winded but I just wanted to provide as much context as possible before asking you guys to make the effort of responding. Cheers health and happy listening to you both!
It's really tough to answer that one because the perception of the sound of each headphone is really about the balance of all frequencies or the kind of overall angle of the frequency graph.
I think the Ananda are probably quite similar to the Clears in some ways, but they have less mid-bass emphasis and better overall extension. I think the Clears are probably the more resolving headphone overall and probably "better" by some measures.
The new Aryas are a better option based on your description of what you're looking for I think. They have good treble, but it's better balanced with the other frequencies and that allows the bass to come forward more without ever being overdone. They're a wonderfully balanced sound that's natural and enjoyable without being coloured or emphasised too much. Headphones like the Clears can sometimes be overdone in the treble which can work well on lots of tracks and then not on others. That throws off our perception of the bass so it's all inter-related.
I'm yet to try the LCD-XC so I can't compare to those.
Final points: the HE-4xx series don't really represent a house sound as each HiFiMan headphone is different. And despite not having heard the Hemps, I expect they'll have the similar Grado tuning with the mid-bass bump and treble lift which is fun, but the Aryas and Anandas offer a very different experience.
that “Beyer house sound” actually comes from Beyer’s stock cables. I can hear that weird timbre when I use Beyer cable with other headphones. Make sure to get rid of that.
@@allansh828 Good tip
Very thorough, thank you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2023 is just around the corner...
Glad it was helpful. Thank you and you too!
I love these headphones. However my analytical pads wore out a bit
So I ordered new analytical pads from Beyer. They are NOT the same, anymore. The plastic is even a different color on the inside. ( sorry for the caps) and they don’t sound good
So I took the balanced pads which came with the headphones I bought 3 years ago and modded them. I covered the holes so two per side were open. So basically instead of the analytical pads have four open holes , I covered the holes so there were 8 in total. I tried covering the holes one by one to see which amount I liked most.
The 8 were the best
Just and FYI for others.
I closed the holes with just some cut duct tape. That’s all.
Cheers mate!
That's cool about your experiment (not so much about the new pads being different)! Thanks for sharing
@@PassionforSound yeah I guess it’s well known that they change quality or just change pads every so often.
Thanks. Would have been cool to measure after the simple mod.
Thanks man
Hey Passion for sound, try this EQ profile with the analytical pads and see how it transforms to an almost Focal Clear
Filter: ON PK Fc 17 Hz Gain 3.5 dB Q 0.69
Filter: ON PK Fc 43 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 0.61
Filter: ON PK Fc 19961 Hz Gain -2.5 dB Q 0.1
Filter: ON PK Fc 911 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 1.52
Filter: ON PK Fc 7734 Hz Gain -8.5 dB Q 2.5
Filter: ON PK Fc 10000 Hz Gain 1.5 dB Q 2.01
Preamp: -4.5 dB
Thanks for sharing, but the headphones were on loan so I don't have them anymore. I'm sure others will find this useful though 🙂
Interesting. Do you have a procedure for working out EQ settings?
@@kyron42 I didnt made this EQ profile, but the person who created it had both a Focal Clear and the 1990 to compare, and he claims its like 90% of a Focal Clear.
I also talked with a user who has a Focal Elex and a Sundara and he said he prefered the EQd 1990.
Give it a try and tell me what you think
@@renamamiya9128 unfortunately I don't own a 1990. I have a 4XX and a DT880. After using some graphic equaliser I prefer the 4XX. Though I need to get a more powerful headphone amp to truly get the best out of them.
@@renamamiya9128 What should I use to EQ it on a PC?
Was any of the pads more comfortable? I find the stock pads fatiguing to wear
I am one of those who prefer the sound of the analytical pads (stock being the balanced pads).
Besides sound, the balanced pads are less soft and a bit thicker, so I also find the analytical ones more comfortable. The difference is not night and day though, I can wear the analytical all day, and the balanced will make me uncomfortable after a few hours but not enough to have to remove the headphones.
There are definitely more comfortable pads around, but notlne that I had here to try would be worth the sonic trade-off ☹️
@@PassionforSound Thanks!
@@Tidwillshare yeah that was my experience as well, but I still get some pinching on my ears from the sides somehow
I like how you talk about the pads because it's crazy how the make a great difference. I also I love mine
Glad you love yours! They're an excellent headphone and yes, pads can have a huge influence, can't they?
Man I must have a huge head or something because no one but me seems to think the clamp force on these is waaaay too strong to be comfortable. Also the treble is pretty dang hot. They do give the impression of a lot of detail retrieval with having such forward treble, but it gets fatiguing for me even on the balanced pads. The analytical pads are more comfortable (much softer, surprised you didn't comment on this?) but I find them to be very fatiguing. Anyways, always good to see what a reviewer thinks / says about something you own!
I didn't find a significant difference in comfort between the pads, Sasha. That's not to say that there isn't one, just that we're all different. Things like bone structure and muscle tightness (I suffer from some neck and jaw tightness which might actually reduce my sensitivity to things like softness) could all play a part.
I do think it's a shame that the treble pushes as hard as it does. They're amazing otherwise.
@@PassionforSound Agreed, I think I just inherited a rather large melon haha, and also agree they do a lot really well. Appreciate the reply as always!
God 1990 look so cool. Best looking headset hands down, I want to display it on my desk. That being said, I'm sticking with Edition XS as it is such a sweet all arounder for the same price tag. I'm beginning to love the "loose fit" it's like wearing a pair of sweatpants vs. skinny jeans. You rarely have to adjust them and they are easy to take on and off which is a benefit to someone who wears 12+ hours per day. Another thing with Beyer Dynamic pads is they will wear down to nothing in around 1 year if you use the headphones a lot like I do. $50 a year on fresh pads isn't crazy expensive but damn that's like an oil change on a car. I get the sense these Edition XS pads will never wear down.
The 1990s definitely look (and feel) fantastic. Glad you're loving your XS!
Thanks for your nice review :) I also own the DT1990 and the Tygr 300r, I like both a lot!
One Thing I can't recommend enough: Use the foam disc of the DT1990 (the foam located between ear pads and driver) on the Tygr 300r!!!! :D
The Tygr uses the thicker foam disc which reduces the treble a bit, which for me is a bit like the inline high frequency filter you talked about for the DT1990. Yes, it does reduce the treble a bit, but to me not in a good way, as it also reduces its imaging capabilities and the phenomenal sense of what i would describe as "attack and decay". Its the treble above 9k KHz that gets filtered out the most, is how I would describe it, to me the thicker ring does mainly reduce the air frequencies, which is a shame because I would describe the Tygr as quite detailed in that regard. Using the thinner foam gives it a slightly larger, but in my eyes way more defined soundstage, the tones are allowed to breath and the overall tonal balance is still quite qood (in my eyes better), without sounding harsh or sibilant. Even with the thinner foam the Tygrs are not as harsh as the DT1990, at least to my ears.
Of course this is already some sort of "user mod", but its quite easy to do and the foam disc of the DT1990 (or DT990, 880,... they're all the same) are quite cheap, 2€ per Pair here in the EU.
I'm looking forward to your Tygr 300R review, I also cant wait to hear your thoughts on the new stealth magnet Arya :)
Cheers from Germany!
Great tips on the DT1990 and Tygr! Thanks for sharing!
There probably won't be a full Tygr review, but I do hope to include it in the upcoming DT 900 Pro X review as a comparison point
@@PassionforSound the new 700 and 900 pro x are also very interesting, I will watch that for sure :)
Hi, im also from germany btw! =)
What do you think about the TYGR fleece disc in a DT 1990 Pro?
I own the TYGR and will be able to test the DT 1990 Pro tomorrow.
I will also try it the other way around as you recommended with the TYGR.
The TYGR are truly phenomenal sounding headphones.
The comparison between the two headphones will be exciting as both have the same frequency response sound profile.
for those having issues with the treble peak a warm hybrid amp such as the Watson elemental will fix all the problems.
got any tips for comfort?
@@chungang7037 pads are comfy to me, for the hotspot of the headband ? No ! but i guess some nuggets could help....
Another very informative video which helped me A LOT. :)
You see I used to own them DT 1990Pro and while I found their quality and build / ergonomics top notch I didn't particularly enjoyed their sound signature with either set of pads very much and ended up selling them. I had also purchased the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads (with which I enjoyed them the most). I also loved analytical for some particular genres and songs they were fantastic but quite dull at some other and I didn't particularly enjoyed the balanced set at all (found it mediocre across the whole frequency response like a jack of all trades but master of none). But at the end of the day they were quite sibilant and bright for my taste and had weird imaging and not big enough soundstage. They were also becoming really fatiguing with this sound signature after a while and couldn't hear them for long listening sessions. Ananda were the first to try next and I found your comparison really informative on this! I hope I made a better choice in the end. We will see I'm waiting for them as we speak and my HD600s keep me company till they arrive :)
Glad you found the review helpful. I hope you're super happy with your choice of the Anandas.
@@PassionforSound I got them today. I like the overall signature they complement amazing my Sennheiser. They are so easy to listen to, effortless like they don't try to impress but so enjoyable. I think I'll go for a tube amp but I'm waiting for a significant amount of listening sessions first before I make up my mind to see where they will eventually settle after the burn in. I think I don't care that much about accurate tonality after all in cans and I'm leaning towards warmer side, thus I'll probably look for a tube amp. Any ideas?
Depending on your budget, the xDuoo MT-60x series are great, Schiit's tube amps are well regarded (but I haven't tried them) and the Bottlehead S.E.X. and Mainline kits are also both excellent. The Bottlehead Crackight also work, but I'm not certain due to its high output impedance.
No doubt there are lots of other options too that I haven't yet tried.
Best review I've seen on the 1990's. Thank you.
My pleasure! Thanks for letting me know 🙂🙂
In the song Iris by Goo Goo Dolls, around 3.30 right before the final chorus and right after the acoustic section, there is a chord strum that rings out. Between that final strum and the words "and I don't want the world..." you can hear a metronome that leaked through the acoustic guitar mic. It is very faint, but the 1990s can actually present this detail, just keep in mind you need a trained ear.
Interesting detail!
They reveal too many problems with music sometimes, and only the most over mastered/mixed music didn't have distracting bits like this. There was an album from the 60s I was listening to where I swear I could hear when the engineer pressed a button and manually panned something left then right, and now I can't unhear it. 🙃Indie albums made in people's apartment "studios" have other interesting bits like this too.
Very helpful. Thank you. Great t-shirt mate.
My pleasure! 🙂🙂
You've got a sub from me mate. Fantastic work. Would love to see a LCD-GX review one day.
Thanks Skeza! Getting Audeze gear is very tricky for me unfortunately, but I'll take any opportunities that do arise
I love your reviews and watch them all. On the strength of your review ( and many others ) I purchased the 1990.Oh dear lasted one day before they were on Ebay . I really hated the sound , the weight, the clamping action but they were beautifully built . Can't win them all🙈🙈🙉🙉🙉
Oh no! So sorry to hear that - they're a very specific sound so I totally understand. The pair I had were also well used which might change the comfort.
Are you in need of an alternative?
@@PassionforSound hi you will hold your head up in horror, i have gone back to my well-used Grado RS 2E which are lovely, I cannot hear anything of the RS1 in them. Yes they are bright but the base is there well-controlled not overemphasized and the sound stage is broad with well defined front to back imaging. I tried a passive 2hz filter but that just made the whole sound muddy, I am not sure how focused that filter was. Grado may well be a cult sound but I would like to think that after 50 years of audiophile listening I was above the subjective bias.
I generally enjoy the Grado sound and there's a reason they have a following. What matters most is that you're enjoying the music!
Using a notch filter in line with the headphones is a pretty hacky way to reduce the treble. You could probably get much better results with a parametric equaliser. At 8 k even a standard graphic equaliser is likely to do a good job.
there's not so many transparent desktop eq with true bypass available. and there's none portable with 3.5 jack audio (no usb dac). so inline filter it is for now until i find one.
- i will never use bluetooth for audio.
- there is no systemwide eq available for ios in the app store. none.
@@testek3053 Qudelix-5K Bluetooth USB DAC AMP has a parametric equaliser. Lots of other portable DAC amps have graphic equalisers. Phones have graphic equalisers. So many EQ options exist.
@@kyron42 what is the best way to EQ them, on a pc?
Any plans to review the new dt 900 pro x?
Sure are! I have the 900s and 700s here now 😁
I never succeeded putting on the balanced pads on my 1990...........way to small , not so with the analytical that were mounted when bought .
Excellent review, especially considering with Ananda that's in a similar price range, it's easier to understand the pros and cons. 👍
Glad it was helpful!
The grills on the side of the DT-1990 are a facade if you open the headphone you can see that there is a black practice dome under that grill with a few holes punched out if anything the grills kinda block some of the wholes
true, i removed the fake cup covers on mine.
My understanding of those covers is that they are deliberately creating layers to help diffuse internal reflections (at least this is why they're doing it on the new Pro X models).
Not saying you shouldn't experiment if you want to - just pointing out that it's not fake or deliberately misleading, it will be a deliberate design decision.
@@PassionforSound the fake metal mesh is actually on the outside of the cup. it prevents dust from coming inside the cup and creates a cool shiny looks but that's it. a layer to help diffuse internal reflection should be on the inside of the cup, but there's not such thing on this dt1990. the fake metal cup covers block part of the holes, so if anything by removing it you increase the openness of it.
My understanding is that this is a deliberate design approach - it's not about anything being fake. Having holes not leading directly to the metal grilles is part of how semi-open headphones are made. Whether it's the best approach or not is debatable, but think about it - if they were trying to be cheap, they'd put less parts into the headphone, not more.
@@PassionforSound if the headband was real leather with real stitches and the cups made of real metal that would be true. it's not, despite the fact that some headphones reviewers claimed it (some were big ones, misleading a lot of consumers).
i agree with you it is a deliberate design approach. but beyer designers didn't try to be cheap, nor did they try to make it sturdy high quality material... they tried to make it look like it's not cheap so you think from the looks that it's well build. very different approach. form over function. and considering all the good comments about how great it looks (which is true) leading to good comments about the build quality (which isn't), they succeeded.
the weight increase, the price increase and the design flaw of the plastic threads of the yoke locks cracking under the strain of the headband are still here though.
I wonder which would be better if HIFIMAN Edition XS is compared to Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro. 🥰
It depends on what you are looking for. XS has better bass extension and less extreme treble, but the DT1990 creates a larger stage and better sense of separation and detail I think
Would I notice a significant improvement over the hd560s? I'd like to upgrade them for something better to use as my every day headphones, something I can put on and off without worrying that they might fall apart like the Aryas. But only if the difference with the 560s would be mind-blowing.
It would be a fairly significant step from the HD560S I think. Obviously hard to measure how much is 'enough' and it will depend on how much more quality is available from your source chain, but the DT1990 is a great headphone
@@PassionforSound Thanks, "a significant step" sounds good enough to me. I use an RME ADI-2, so it would be great if they could be run through the iem's output so I don't have to plug them on and off every time I want to switch headphones.
I can't remember how the IEM output is setup from the ADI-2, but the DT1990s aren't hard to drive
Review the Pro X version
Please and thankyou ?
Thanks Steve! Adam, I have the 700 and 900 Pro X here now. Stay tuned... 🙂
It would be interesting if you could get a hold of the T1 2nd generation and compare. I found one in a shop to demo but my dap wasn't up to the 600ohm task and they had nothing to drive it.
I don't have the DT1990s here anymore - they were on loan
Balanced cable is always the way to go if you use an external and more so tube amp, otherwise you will hear in your headphones all the interesting little noises produced by the motherboard, which you could never guess were there. With a balanced four pin connector ( not necessarily) it's dead quiet
Balanced cables on headphones/headphone amps do not cancel out noise. They are just creating a push-pull drive for the headphones to create extra voltage swing, but do nothing to cancel noise.
The Ananda's contact my upper jaw in a very unpleasant way. The ear pad has a more stiff leather-like edge and a more comfortable memory foam-like inner cup. I found the edge between to be irritating against my skin. I find I am adjusting them every 10 minutes to shift their contact points. In the process of returning them and trying out the DT 1990's right now.
Sorry to hear that about the Anandas. Hopefully the DT1990 work well for you
Can you try Hans Dimmer’s mountains from the interstellar movie soundtrack on the THX-AAA-789 on gain 3 past 12 0’ clock and see if you get chuffing? On the DT-1990. Sounds like the driver isn’t getting enough air flow.
I'm really sorry, but I have neither the amp or headphones here anymore. ☹️
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO - I have re-discovered music! Thank you
Thanks for the great review👍 i was Just wondering what would be better paired with a RME ADI 2 the HD600 or the DT1990 i can get either pair for $380 second hand. Cheers
I'd go for the HD600. I think the DT1990 would be a little too bright for the ADI-2
@@PassionforSound once again. Thank you for your reviews and time and advice 🙏
My pleasure
Is balanced cable really a big difference? Doubtful
Nope. Running a headphone balanced will only be better if the amplifier you're using happens to perform better that way. There's no inherent benefit in using balanced connections for headphones.
I have the tygr and compared to the sennheiser hd 598 and dt 770 and dt 990 it's by far my favorite headphone since they've tamed the murderous treble that beyers are kinda known for :P I was thinking about getting the dt 1990 but the treble peaks was a deal breaker for me.
I'm curious how the new dt 700 pro x and dt 900 pro x are compared to the tygr. Might get the dt 700 pro x since I don't have a good closed headphones yet
I have exactly that comparison (Tygr vs Pro X) coming down the line 🙂
I haven't opened the 700s yet, but the 900s are great!
@@PassionforSound Great, looking forward to it! :D
Great review!
Glad you liked it!
The ZMF Aeolus pads worked well for me with the 300r, sort of balanced the Beyer murder-treble, made the mid bass a bit punchier, let the mids breathe a bit. For something like the 1990, I'd look at a microsuede vs. leather or velour. But the "sheen" of the Beyer treble ain't for me. It's not just the amount, it's how it comes across. Like the driver is made of aluminum foil. Love the build of the Beyers but the treble has been my least favorite experienced.
Thanks for the pad tip. I agree about the treble. They come so close to being amazing, but just miss the mark due to that emphasis. The newer models seem to be moving away from the beyerdynamic house sound which is great
Hi Lachlan - where would one be able to purchase the solderdude?
I don't know - sorry! I've seen him on audio forums, but don't recall which ones so maybe check places like Head-Fi, Super Best Audio Friends and Audio Science Review.
Great video, in my opinion one word, yes.
Thank you 🙂🙂
Odd question but there's a reason.
How long do you normally have a headphone to produce a review? Also are you based in metro Melbourne?
Hi Jim, I'm in metro Melbourne and I normally need a headphone for about 2-3 weeks as a minimum so I can live with it for a while, try a bunch of music, amps, comparisons, etc.
@@PassionforSound hmmmmmm ok. Lemme sleep on it and I'll get back to you. Just finished burning in the DCA Stealth and since your so close.......🤔
It would be amazing to get a chance to review them, but do feel free to enjoy them for a while first of you're thinking of lending then to me for review 🙂
Love your channel!!! I have a question: how long does a headphone last?
The first thing to go is often the pads and/or the headband so if they're replaceable, the driver's themselves can last for decades. I've had pads wear out in about 4-5 years, but it depends on the material, storage conditions, usage, etc.
So glad you love the channel!
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your reviews, they are all wonderful, enjoyable to watch and listen👍‼️ Just out of my curiosity, what are your music sources? I am mainly listening to Amazon unlimited ultra HD music. I don't have headphones yet,
Glad you like the reviews. I use my local library of mostly ripped CDs and a few hi-res downloads plus Qobuz. 🙂
As a novice 'audiophile' (if that's not an oxymoron), I'd be grateful if anyone could explain why 'phones like these have a frequency response dip in the upper-mid range. Is the dip in the mid--frequency range the eponymous 'BBC' or 'Gundry' Dip, engineered to overcome a subjective brightness experienced in this range, or is it another phenomenon? Conversely, is the significant peak in the upper frequency range a means of enhancing our relative insensitivity to these frequencies, especially as we grow older? If these are not the explanations, are there any 'phones with an essentially flat response? Many thanks!
Hi William, they're both great questions. Let's start with the second part... The raised high frequencies (depending on the graphs you are using) are sometimes due to the Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) which occurs in the real world and alters our perceptions of sound in space. Headphones can't produce this naturally because they pipe sound straight into the ear so they need to alter the frequencies affected by HRTF to make the sound natural. In other cases, high frequencies are boosted to create an artificial sense of detail and clarity.
For your second question, the dip in the upper mids tends to be a tuning choice which can be good or bad. It can create a greater sense of space in the soundstage, but can also rob a headphone of its sense of clarity. Having too much energy in the upper mids (even if it's almost flat in some cases depending on the design of the headphone) can result in a forced or nasal sound to the midrange and vocals.
The final thing to remember is that not all graphs are comparable. My graphs are completely different to those on The Headphone Show (for example) so it's important to either understand how the graphs are being compensated (or how to read them if they are raw data), or sometimes it's better to ignore the graphs and focus on a range of people's listening impressions.
As for a truly flat measuring headphone, based on my compensated measurements (which are imperfect due to my consumer grade measurement setup), something like the Ollo S4R v1.1 is a great option.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for such a detailed and, indeed, very interesting, reply to my questions. As you'll probably have realised, I based my questions on speaker design and, quite naively, failed to appreciate the specific issues faced by designers of headphones. Your explanations make complete sense to me and I now understand the different considerations in both situations. With best wishes from Oxford, UK.
That's ok! Welcome to the hobby and keep asking questions 🙂
I've tried the current revision of the DT770pro 250ohm and I can't stand you treble of those. So I'm curious if the 1990pro has the same lack nuance in the treble where every recording sound exactly the same? In my country the Ananda cost almost twice as much but the Sundara cost about the same
I haven't tried the 770, but I own an 880 variant and the DT1990 is a definite step above those.
You might want to check out the new DT 900 Pro X though - they're quite impressive at the price
@@PassionforSound Unfortunately we don't have any physical store that sells Beyerdynamic. I hope you will be making a comparison between the DT900 Pro X and the 1990 pro at some point
I won't be able to compare them directly, but the review of the 900 Pro X should paint a good picture I hope
I would love to see you review the new Dt900 pro x and compare them to the 1990s
I've got the 900 and 700 Pro X coming soon. I won't be able to compare directly to the DT1990, but the 900 is excellent and a better headphone for longer sessions because it doesn't have that nasty treble spike.
@@PassionforSound I can't wait 😁
I know there is a huge price difference, but how does the sound compare to the HD800s?
They are better in soundstage and imaging than Sundara?
I think by a small margin, yes. They're a very different headphone
Do you think they are technically superior to the beyer amiron home wired ? I have an aune X7S amp and am looking for a beyer to pair then with.
Yes, I think they probably are, but they're also quite a different tuning - less warm/full down low so preference will come into it too.
@@PassionforSound Well that is sad but I would like to hear the sub bass in songs and amiron home extends deeper in the sub bass I think and dt1990 pro might be even more sibiliant than amiron home which i dont like and it cant be used on balanced amplifiers so I guess I would go with amiron home, from other reviews I hear amiron home scaled well with amps.
Amiron home is nice for sure. Is there a reason you're limiting yourself to beyerydynamic?
@@PassionforSound I want a high impedance headphone to pair with my chord mojo --> aune X7S chain that has good dynamics, deep sub bass quantity and soundstage under $800 and from my research the beyer's tesla driver technology fits all these criteria. I would love if you can suggest other headphones under $800 with those qualities though.
If your goal is specifically a high impedance design, the Beyers and Sennheisers are almost the only choice. The Sivga SV023 is the only other I think (and an excellent headphone!)
Sorry to keep throwing you questions, but why are you focussed on high impedance only?
At that price the biggest competition is likely to be the Elex. It's a pity you don't own a pair for comparison.
Yeah, Focal are a bit tricky for me to get without buying them
Listening to you reviewers I would have to buy a different headphone for every different type of music and maybe even different songs. Not to mention different cables and pads for each. Might be a little bit expensive.
At the end he literally said if you were to buy just one, the Ananda could be the better choice. But reviewers are also correct. There is no one single headphone that is best in class in every category. It’s up to you to understand what you enjoy when listening, and then shop for headphones with those strengths - that’s where most reviewers (and forums) can help you.
Well said, Mark. I wish there was one perfect headphone, but I'm yet to find it. I do have some favourite all-rounders for sure, but none are perfect in all situations.
If you refuse to EQ then yes. And in todays world of predominantly online shopping because Beats or Bose are the only thing most of us can demo beforw buying then....also yes. It's an expensive rabbit hole. Especially when you want closed-back AND open-back. I worked my way up to a $1,000 pair. Still not end game :(
I'm done unless I can demo first. (A MUCH NEEDED BUSINESS! 10 day rental for "try before you buy" would be great)
Yeah, it's tough isn't it!?
How do the dt1990's compare to the focal elex?
I haven't heard the Elex. Sorry
I found the analytical pads to have more bass less treble. Analytical pads, are better for gaming. I find the balanced pads to be more natural and open and more musical. I would say with the analytical pads it makes the 1990 sound similar to the 900 pro x
That's interesting. I can't remember what the graphs showed, but sometimes specific peaks/cuts can influence how we perceive the different tonalities so maybe that's what's happening
@@PassionforSound I think the main difference is on balance pads you get way more ambient sound and more intense highs. When I say intense the highs stand out way more. That is why instruments sound more natural and very accurate. With the analytical pads you get way better imaging and slightly larger sound stage. I wish Beyer made it easier to swap pads. I need to try the sheep skin
@@PassionforSound it’s amazing I just listened through my hd 560s, 900 pro x and dt 1990 on Amazon. I know Amazon does a little extra magic but that sound stage is very workable I can hear two different guitarist playing and I could tell the difference in the two different tones. I find a lot easier time to distinguish between the sound stage from the three headphones. I have to say dt 900 pro x combined with the dt 1990 is a powerful editing tool
So glad you're enjoying them
@@PassionforSound as long as the recording is good. Before owning the dt 1990 I never really realized how many famous songs are edited so badly. I really don’t know why so much music is made with unnecessary amount of highs lol
Pad rolling is an interesting term. I prefer pad swapping.
Rolling has become a thing it seems - pad rolling, tube rolling, op-amp rolling. Not sure why it got started that way - maybe because tubes roll around on a desk?
2:49 "they're made largely of metal"
unfortunately no, they're not. most parts like cups and yoke guides are plastic, just like the old cheaper models.
and there is a design flaw with the 1xx0 series as the yoke locks now have to maintain both the yokes and the larger fake leather headband in place at the same time, while using metal screws in plastic threads! leading to either the screws getting loose (check my video for proof) or the yoke lock to crack (link in the video description for this one).
i get this is not yours and the owner might not be very happy about it, but at least please don't make claims about build quality and materials before you dismantle one.
My approach to reviews is from the perspective of an average consumer. For people who use these normally and don't pull them apart, they are very nicely made. Scott has had his for some time and they're still in excellent condition after regular use with no signs of looseness or undue wear.
It's great that you're looking at these products from the perspective of people who might want to tinker, modify, etc. but that's not my angle.
@@PassionforSound the average consumer might be interested in long lasting sturdy gear, especially when there's such a price increase, and not being fooled by shiny fake metal cup covers and fake leather with fake stitches from marketing strategy... but maybe i'm wrong and the marketing guys are right: they'd rather spend more because of cosmetics and cool shiny looks no matter how heavy yet fragile it might be in the long run compared to the previous models?
i don't especially like to tinker, it's more that i had to modify my dt770 because the cable died (so i went for a 3pin mini xlr removable cable instead). and i had to modify my dt1990 because the yoke lock got loose (increased strain on plastic threads with the new design). i didn't pull them apart because i like to, but because i had to. the first one after 20 years, the last one after 1 year. that says something about reliability between the old and new series. one guy might have no problem with it, that doesn't mean the design flaw is not there, it only means he got lucky until now.
the other guy i mentionned is a gamer, he's more an average consumer than a mod maker. he did a review after 1 year of use and confirms: "that crack is quite common".
ua-cam.com/video/1-XpM1gS8EY/v-deo.html
i respect your average consumer approach, but i also dare to think reviewers have a responsability to warn consumers of such things, or at least not mislead consumers by praising fake build quality like almost all of them on youtube did about the dt1xx0 series... it's fine if some reviewers don't know if it's metal or plastic, if it's real or fake leather, if the new design for the yoke locks is less sturdy and don't want to dismantle one to check. but it's not cool when reviewers make claims about build quality or materials without checking first if it's true or not.
the average consumer trust them for his purchase decision, he deserves the truth.
@@testek3053 ive had my stax made out of plasic for 40 years still looks like new why ? Because i treat them like a headphone not a soccer ball . Gamer headphones get covered in chip crumbs and coke .
@@chefsteve8381 dankpods showed in a recent video that he has 2 old stax on their stand, they're doing great and he loves them. i've owned a dt770 for 20 years and bought it used so it's even older, and still going strong (i only had to change the cable and pads).
i'm not talking damaged gear from bad treatment here, i'm talking design flaw (as explained in the video i posted from gaming audio guide). i don't eat chips and i don't drink coke, still had the same part failing on mine.
You are wrong.
It would be very interesting to make a comparison comment for T1.2 vs DT1990.
haha I just made the exact same comment...
Unfortunately I don't own the T1.2 ☹️
@@PassionforSound Pity. I think T1.2 got a bad rap, being the successor to T1.1 and erroneously assumed that inherited its sonic issues.
@@PassionforSound They exist mostly in the used market now.
@@WorldView22 Interesting, because ehen I was looking for something like my HD600s but the next step up the T1 2nd generation was sometimes mentioned. The T1 3rd gen was very V shaped, which I think annoyed a lot of people, which didn't help with the reputation I guess.
hello i stuck between sundara and dt1990 pro , their price for me the almost same. what i m looking for sound separation and quality. i mostly watch movies and play games thanks
Both are excellent choices. The Sundara is more tonally balanced compared to the DT1990 with its large treble spike, but that treble spike helps to create a greater sense of detail so it's very hard to decide between them. I think maybe the DT1990 will give you more of what you're asking for
In A/B testing, treble apart, I feel dt1990 with better imaging, separation and more fun
Is this better than sundara?
It's very different. Probably more resolving, but also often harder to listen to because of the treble peak
Is the 1990 a clear update from my dt 880 or i have to climb the over 1000 euros territory?( I try to find e mastering headphone without sell my kidneys..)
I think it's a really nice upgrade over the DT880 if you're ok with the treble spike. Personally though, I think for mastering purposes, the new DT 900 Pro X might be better. I'm reviewing it soon...
@@PassionforSound you mean the new 900x is better than 1990?
It's very different. No more huge treble spike and therefore a much more balanced tonality for mixing. It's not as resolving (or doesn't seem as resolving due to the tuning) but I think it will create better mixes.
hows the imaging and soundstage for like gaming?
I think they're excellent in that regard
@@PassionforSound I ordered a pair. Thanks. I already have a collection of hifiman ananda nano which are my fav, R70x which are my main use, DT 880 pro, M50X
@a2raya772 nice choice. These are very different to each of those so they should suit your collection well
@@PassionforSound thats true
If you don't like the boomyness and exaggeration of the B pads, place some electrical tape across/over every second hole. This makes them the perfect and balanced headphone.
Thanks for sharing the tip!
The DT 1990 is the sherman tank of headphones with a bayonet attached ! Thanks for the review .
the bayonet part is true, the tank part is not.
I like the analogy. They're a wonderfully made headphone. Perhaps not quite as durable as a tank, but they feel great in the hand and on the head
The bayonet being the treble? 😀
Increíble vídeo saludos desde 🇪🇸
Thank you! So glad you liked it!
flagship ? its a damn headphone, but cant compare it to the T1 gen 2 or gen 3. the T1 is on another level, with the right amp/source.
Wow. You really resemble Jony Ive
I do hear that occasionally 😁
beyer treble💀💀
Indeed. The TYGR 300R however are veery nice! DT770 gave me headache very quickly but the TYGRs are amazing
I've got the Tygrs here, also from Scott who lent me the 1990s, and they're nice, but I think the new DT 900 Pro X might be even better based on my early listening
First boiii
Had to drop listening to the review when you mentioned the "peak". All Beyer's (save the 770's) have a nasty peak that I can't stand.
Yeah, the peak is real! The good news is that I think beyerdynamic are changing their ways. The 3rd gen T1 and T5 ditched the peak (to a degree) and the new DT 900 Pro X are a much more balanced tuning.
That's true to a degree. I think the DT1990 (and other Beyers like early T1s) took it a bit far though - there's a balance point somewhere and I think the DT1990 overshoots a little even though I absolutely love almost everything else they do and very nearly bought these from Scott.
Dooverlackie i didn't think you smoked ? LOL.
Is that a smoker's term?
@@PassionforSound yes its a half smoked cigarette, a term used by Australian army from the 1930s
How funny! It's become a term to mean "a thing" or a gadget these days in Australia
@@PassionforSound I would have called it a thingamajig or a whatchamacallit but then again I'm not from Victoria.
Thingamajig is a good stand-in too. This one just felt like a dooverlackie 😉