Customer Ratings: 
List Price: Price Unavailable
Sale Price: $154.95
Today's Bonus:
Before buying these headphones I compared them to offerings from Grado (the Sr325i) and Sennheiser (HD595). As soon as I heard music through the Beyerdynamic Dt990's the other headphones suddenly seemed like a distant afterthought.
There are two versions of this headphone. The "Pro" model which is obviously marketed toward studio use and the "premium" model which is a slightly different design marketed for consumer use. Assuming you compare similar impedence models (i.e the 250 ohm model in both cases) then they are exactly the same headphone except for the pro having a coiled cable and slightly higher clamping force (and cosmetic differences).
For over $100 less, I went with the "Pro" model and I am truly impressed. Let me break it down:
Build Quality: 9.5/10
Before I knew these were made in Germany I suspected it. Even though the cups are plastic, it's a VERY rigid plastic that's carefully cut and molded in shape. You could probably stomp on these and they'd survive. There's a very substantial aluminum "fork" that connects the cups to a steel headband structure that allows for quite a bit of articulation so that you can obtain a precise fit. My only complaint is that the coiled cable is... a little annoying sometimes. It can catch on basically any angled surface with ease. In studio use I can imagine a coiled cable would be invaluable in preventing accidentally ripping a piece of equipment off the shelf so I won't penalize it too much.
Comfort: 9.5/10
These headphones are like having stuffed animals cuddling with your ears. They feature these really nice velour earpads that make you feel like you're wearing earmuffs. The reason that I took .5 off is because the "Pro" version has a really high clamping force. That is, initially you feel like they squeeze your head too much. Thankfully, this is very easily remedied by stretching them slightly with some books. Since the headband is high quality spring steel you can adapt the headphones perfectly to your head using this method. Oh... I should mention that if you live in a tropical climate or anywhere warm those velour earpads will make you sweat a ton. For most people I envision this isn't really a problem.
Sound Quality: 10/10
Let me start by saying that these are not really suited for "monitor" headphones. They do not have a perfectly flat response curve and do colour the sound a little bit. That said, for mastering headphones in a studio or for listening to music this "colour" lends music a wonderful vibrance that other headphones just don't do. They do have quite a bit of EXTREMELY detailed trebble and deliver a wonderful detailed but voluminous bass. With these every cymbal sounds crystalline, I can hear the rosin of a violin bow when it's playing, and every electronic synth is delivered with detail that not even the recording engineer thought was there.
This headphone NEEDS an amp to perform properly. They sell portable battery powered amps that drive them well, but in all honesty you want to listen to these in a quiet room for them to truly shine. Paired with a good amp you will be very pleasantly surprised.
Another note: Since these are open air headphones sound DOES leak out (and in). If you work in a cubicle/library or plan to use them outdoors you should instead look at closed-back headphones. If not, the open-air design allows for a very spacious soundstage that you'll grow to appreciate.
Click Here to Read More Reviews >>
This is my video review on the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (250 ohm) headphones. Although it is not conclusive in itself, it should help you to understand a little bit more about this model of headset. Personally I do not believe there is a better headphone on the market anywhere near this price range. I have worked in broadcasting for 30 years and have been using and have owned many pairs over the years so I would say I have a fairly good background for giving an honest opinion. I did not mention any other manufacturer's models because there are a lot of very good headphones on the market and comparing them is personal to how you like to listen to music and what sounds best to you. I chose not to downgrade another manufacturer just because I like these more.
To the best of my knowledge the DT990 Premium is the same headset except for the all aluminum body, straight cable and contoured foam case. There are some audio engineers that claim they have a different sound but without the electronic equipment to test them I do not think you will know the difference. If the extra money is not an issue with your budget I also recommend those. The brushed aluminum looks very sharp and a padded case would be a nice to have, especially if you travel with them.
If you have any questions please post them and I will reply. Comments are welcomed too. There is a slight chance I misspoke or said something wrong so if I did please let me know. I will add corrections in this space.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
DT990 Pro
Transducer type: dynamic
Operating principle: open
Nominal frequency response: 5 35,000 Hz
Nominal impedance: 250 ohms
Nominal SPL: 96 db SPL
Nominal THD: < 0.2%
Weight without cable" 250g
Cable: 5ft 10ft / coiled cable
Connections: gold plated stereo mini jack 1/8" & 1/4" adapter
Replaceable cable (with soldering iron)
Replaceable ear pads
Replaceable headband
2 Year Limited Warranty
Buy Beyerdynamic AMS-DT-990-Pro-250 Professional Acoustically Open Headphones for Monitoring and Studio Now
Hi all, Zombie_X from Head-Fi here with another review! This won't be as in depth as the T1's review but I will give you all the needed info.
The Beyerdynamic DT990 sound can be classified as being very treble oriented with slightly recessed mids (will get to that later) and having throbbing bass.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
GEAR USED:
Source: PC via Pop-Pulse SPDIF-II (to Optical), Marantz VC6001 CD Player
Amp: Woo Audio WA3+, Audio-GD ROC
DAC: Music Hall DAC25.2 (with NOS Mullard E88CC tube)
IC's : ZXAC custom made RCA and XLR cables
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
TREBLE:
I find the treble on the DT990/600Ohm to be slightly smoother than the 250Ohm model. In comparison the 250Ohm models treble is quite prominent with more of an edge to it. It's very extended and crystalline in it's presentation while also being for in your face than the DT880. Because of the enhanced treble response, songs may have a harsher sounding treble with emphasis on the S and T sounds. It is still quite extended like the previous model.
MIDRANGE:
The DT990 has a more shallow sounding midrange in comparison to the DT880, but in fact the elevated treble/bass makes it sound thinner. It's still the great midrange that the DT880 had though it's a bit more detailed and perhaps a tiny bit more resolving. Because of the added treble it does indeed make the mids seem pulled back. In my eyes the DT880's sound more forward and more lifelike.
BASS:
The bass is almost like that of the DT880 but it looses it's texture and gains more impact and weight. The added impact is not great but it's enough to give a satisfying thump. I also found it's bass to extend deeper than that of the previous model and it's more controlled. The bass is a tiny tiny bit slower, but barely noticeable.
SOUNDSTAGE:
The soundstage is is wider than the DT880's and offers more layering and separation. It's still a very precise sounding soundstage that is still airy and open. It's a definite improvement in my opinion.
Read Best Reviews of Beyerdynamic AMS-DT-990-Pro-250 Professional Acoustically Open Headphones for Monitoring and Studio Here
Sound:
I bought these headphones when looking for an excellent headphones for hearing music. I first tried the DT 880 which provided very poor basses, and really disappointed me. I then gave the DT 990 a try and was shocked by their sound. The DT 990 provides a rich and engaging experience like I never had with any headphones. To be fair, I never owned a professional grade headphones like the DT 990, but I'm listening to music at least 5 hours a day. The DT 990 makes all my familiar tracks sound amazing. It gives me the goose bumps every time! The DT 990 throws you right into the track you're listening and lets you hear all the nuances you never noticed before. If you like strong basses and feeling "inside" your music, these are the headphones for you.
Comfort:
The DT 990 are super comfortable. I can wear them for hours without feeling them.
Isolation:
As expected from their open design, the DT 990 doesn't isolate you from the environment that much. At high volume people around you can hear what you're listening to. At low-medium volume you can usually hear people talking around you. On the other hand, this design gives the music a very nice effect.
Volume:
For those of you worried about amplifiers and such, I'm using my DT 990 with my MacBook Pro, iPhone and iPad without any issues. The max volume is usually high enough for hurting my ears. If you already got an amplifier, and you'll be using only it to listen, you may be better off with the 250 OHM or 600 OHM versions.
Summery:
Again, if you love to feel surrounded by your music and love strong basses these are the earphones for you. They are super comfort and have an amazing sound.
Want Beyerdynamic AMS-DT-990-Pro-250 Professional Acoustically Open Headphones for Monitoring and Studio Discount?
First off, these aren't nearly as hard to drive as you'd assume from their impedance. I was able to get decent volume out of everything I connected it to form a proper desktop amp, to straight out of the onboard sound from my netbook. They are of course, not being driven properly from something without an adequate voltage swing, but neither are they useless without a beefy amp.
On to the meat of the review. "How do they sound," I hear you asking. In one word, bright, or in two, very bright. Their metaphorical albedo is off the charts. The highs are quite pronounced, but in a very smooth and simultaneously crisp manner. Hardly peaky at all, without transient spikes leaving you constantly fiddling with the volume. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the bass is simply amazing for an open headphone. Its deep, plentiful, and tightly controlled, with the kind of snap you'd expect from a small sealed subwoofer. It doesn't have the same quantity, but the quality is similar. I'd still characterize them as bright because the treble substantially exceeds the bass. The mids are recessed in the sense that they are softer than the ends of the spectrum, but they are very clear and not muddied by the bass at all. At least at moderate volumes. At higher volumes however they seem to become even more recessed, and at extreme volumes it begins to sound like someone left the midrange driver out of a 3-way speaker. However, if you value your hearing this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
I think their biggest plus is their soundstaging. Especially when combined with positional audio. An HTRF fooled me into believing my pet parrot, who was behind me, had chirped when it was actually just the soundtrack to the show I was watching. I don't play FPSs very often anymore, but they'd be great for the task. If you turned down the BGM a little, the deep bass and crisp highs will provide satisfying blasts, booms, and gunshots. If you're not a treble head though, it may be to bright for the BGM in most movies.
I'm not a treble head however, so I decided to return mine after a week of evaluation and more than 100 hours of burn in. I couldn't listen to them for more than an hour without the treble grating on me, and I can't justify keeping a separate can just for gaming, since I don't do as much of it as I used to.If you are looking for a can just for gaming then this probably deserves to be on your short list. For music or movies? I'd say only if you are a serious treble head. The DT990s aren't for me, but they may be just right for you.
