Oh I see, here is the audiophile nonsense thread… I can stop shitting up the music technology thread now.
I’m going to post a bit about my experiences and then ask whether I should return my new DT 770 Pro’s for something better. So stick with me, or skip to the end and let me know.
Listening Setup
My headphone amp is through my audio interface - PreSonus Audiobox USB (max output rated at 60 mW/Ch @ 60Ω Load). I’ll also occasionally drive my cans using my MSI laptop or iPhone 6.
I use Sonarworks Reference 4 Headphone Edition with my headphones to EQ/calibrate them. I’m a believer in EQ in general and SW is well worth it to have confidence in your gear. SW puts out a Headphone Buyers Guide that’s worth checking out, I trust these folks with audio. see conversation in the other thread.
I’m also trying out a couple of crossfeed algorithms to improve the feel - I have Goodhertz CanOpener Studio on my DAW monitoring chain, and I’m trying to figure out what’s the best equivalent to use with my media player (foobar2k).
I use headphones for (in order of commonality) 1) Critical listening; 2) General ‘fun’ music / background listening; 3) Music production (arrangement); 4) Mixing. I always try to play my music with low volume - when I’ve measured SPL with speakers in the past, I start to get a little nervous around 60-ish DB (C-weighted). So anyways, good tonality and clarity at low volume is important to me.
The Gear
Philips UpBeat SHE2305 earbuds (bought 2020 for $15)
They’re earbuds. In-ears were never comfy for me but these are. This model was recommended by some website? IDR. I use these for general listening and sometimes when I’m walking around in the street. moving on.
Superlux HD 681 EVO (2014, ~$40)
After some WESC on-ears that I bought as a teen, these were my first “real” headphone. Not much to look at, eh? But the internet was abuzz about them back in 2014. Semi-open cans with a relatively neutral response for under $50, what! Here’s a review. A relatively V-shaped headphone with recessed mids, an even bass boost, and some peaky treble.
(and here is the sonically similar HD 681:)
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My Thoughts: These are my walking-around-outside-bopping-my-head cans. The build quality is jank, but the 681 EVO’s are fun headphones for under $50. Yes they’re plastick-y and squeaky, but the comfort is great with the velour pads. Yes when you compare the EQ on/off you realize that the default sound is much tinnier and bass+treble-ier than you thought. But when you’re just listening to them for extended periods, you don’t really think about it, you just bop your head to the warm and fat sound. Just be careful they don’t fall off, the clamp pressure is really low (comfort!).
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They don’t do super super well with Sonarworks EQ compared to flatter headphones, in that you can feel the heavy hand of correction being applied across the spectrum, but you do get a much fuller midrange. But what else can you get in this price range?
Suggestion: If you buy them, use the velour pads and do the foam mod (expose the driver for clearer bass response). Or buy their siblings - the normal HD 681, the HD 668B, the Samson SR 850 etc. The other Superluxes have a reputation for being less “fun” and more “clinical” whatever that means. You can also go up to $70 where you have a bunch more options.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm (2020, ~$160)
I juuust got these in so I don’t have good thoughts on them yet. I know these are seen as studio staples, but my initial impressions are that they feel like an upgraded Superlux. You have a similar sound signature: bass boost and peaky treble with lighter mids. The difference is improved overall flatness, much more isolation due to the closed back nature, and WAY better build quality (these things feel rock solid). Review.
(A note on impedance: The 770s 80 Ohm drive fine with plenty of headroom on my PC and interface. We start to get up to 60% volume with my iPhone, but even then doable.)
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My Thoughts: I was hoping these would wow me, and they haven’t.
Part of it is the similarity to the Superluxes I own. But I think another part of it is … maybe I just don’t like closed back headphones? It may b e my imagination, but I feel like I get ear fatigue after really short bursts of playing music on these. I was trying to figure out what it was - is it the sub-bass? is it the peaks in the treble? But my Superluxes should be worse on both accounts. Is it bad harmonics created by the EQ? Is it the clamp pressure? (These headphones are WAY clampier than my 681 EVO’s, so this might actually have a lot to do with it.) -
I’m gonna try and break them in and keep listening. But I have a pet theory… I have big ears (pinnae) that provide a lot of angles for high frequencies to bounce around. I wonder if closed-back headphones just end up creating bad resonances for my head/ear shape that makes my ears fatigue easier?
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I’m also affected by the Sonarworks review of these vs the (semi open back) DT 880 Pro’s, which basically state that the latter are leaps and bounds ahead with EQ.
I’m really trying to decide what to do here. My goal with these was a do-it-all mixing and critical listening headphone suitable for home studio, going on walks listening to music (this one is actually more important than I thought), and anything else I get up to. But obviously I can’t do that if it’s not comfortable to listen on them for extended periods. I appreciate the ‘intimacy’ some have described about the soundstage, but I think my ideal soundstage is more airy and open. I want to be able to pick out the positioning of each instrument clearly and cleanly.
Question: At the 150-200 price range there’s several strong open-back competitors to the 770 Pro, most notably the Drop/Sennheiser HD 58X (150 Ohm) and Beyer’s own DT 880 Pro (250 Ohm), and if you jump up to $220 the HD 6XX (300 Ohm woof).
For closed-back versatility, maybe something less V-shaped would be a better contrast to the Superlux - say an ATH-M50X, or dropping a price bracket and going with one of the many studio staples (DT 240 Pro, M40X, etc etc).
Should I return the DT 770 Pros, and if so, for what? And why?