DT 880 Edition

Beyerdynamic is great! I've been using various models of DT 880 since about 2004. What's great is that replacement parts are readily available for the pads and sliders, and anything else that might break. I still have a pair of the 250ohm version that's been running great since 2007, and I just had to replace the sliders once and headband+earpads um... dunno how many times. These days I use a DT 880 Edition 600 ohm with a modded cable for balanced drive and they're just the best for me.

Beyerdynamic is great! I've been using various models of DT 880 since about 2004. What's great is that replacement parts are readily available for the pads and sliders, and anything else that might break. I still have a pair of the 250ohm version that's been running great since 2007, and I just had to replace the sliders once and headband+earpads um... dunno how many times. These days I use a DT 880 Edition 600 ohm with a modded cable for balanced drive and they're just the best for me.

“I did plenty of research before the purchase, and I did not expect how hot the treble is on these things.” What reviews did you read that they didn’t reference the infamous Mt. Beyer treble peaks?!? From my understanding, Beyer based their house sound off of pure Free-Field response curves… how a “flat” monitor speaker is perceived by a microphone in an anechoic chamber, or in other words all influence of walls and a performance space is removed. I don’t know how close they positioned the mic to the speaker in their measurements, but it seems there was NO treble energy lost over distance. It’s an “off” unnatural sound to me, because I always listen to speakers in a room, or a concert in an orchestra hall or performance amphitheater. I guess Beyer’s target sounds close to PA speakers of a rock & roll concert performed in a grassy meadow, but those kinds of performances always left my ears ringing… and guess what Beyers do to me? I did read numerous complaints about the upper mids and treble about Beyerdynamic’s DT880 and DT990, but I also read a few fans who praised them for their clarity, transparency, and comfort. As a gamer, I thought they would give me analytical fidelity, extra “detail” that would help me play more competitively, and maybe the detractors were over exaggerating. I’ve always been the type to weigh positive reviews more than negative ones. From my research, I also picked up a Premium model because they have a lower clamping force and more comfort than the Pro models, a less snag-some straight cable than the heavy coiled cable of the Pro, and I also got a higher 600 Ω model because I thought it had the best potential and I had a nice tube hybrid amp that should be powerful enough for it. When it arrived from Amazon, I was shocked how much it sounded like listening to music through a tin-can. It’s repeated over and over that too much bass can overwhelm and muddy the mids and other frequencies, well I’m here to tell you that too much treble can also mask other frequencies in the same way. There’s something else about the “classic” Beyer highs too… they’re not just relatively louder, I also felt like there was a glare that made me wince more than, say, a Stax played with the highs at the same decibels or louder. Also, I read almost universal praise for Beyerdynamic’s plus velour earpads… but I can’t understand why nobody mentioned that the headband had a hard, prominent stitching along the entire underside length, and why no tester didn’t tell Beyerdynamic that this was a terrible idea that would cause sore spots for anyone who doesn’t have really thick, lofty head of hair or a hat to do all the cushioning and pressure diffusion for Beyerdynamic’s work for them. Despite the ringing ears and fatigue, I gave the DT 880 as much of a chance to grow on me as I could, and used the entire Amazon return period to see if I could eventually get used to them. Nope. Refund. I will say, I have since learned that my ear canals are narrower than the average, and they create a resonance that seems to amplify highs more for me than other people whose resonant frequencies would be different. And I will add, if you felt like the DT990’s balance of frequencies was ok but you too wish it had less glare, I felt like the DT1990 was exactly the change Beyer needed to make. However, I think my favorite Beyer was their smaller on-ear ones… I forget their model number, but here’s a picture 😂 Also, I preferred the AKG K612 Pro and Sennheiser HD 660S2 over all of Beyer’s headphones, at least with my ears and subjective tastes. https://preview.redd.it/aglkjy37lblg1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c489c980ad363fc114ad1eb64453ba052f0303f9

Similar collection, I have a dt880 600ohm, focal Stellia, hd800 non s. No good planar at the moment just an old Audeze sine. Hd800 is my favorite but a lot of things to turn on to make it sound good so I don't reach for it lol.

My 2nd hand beyer dt880 600ohm.

I find all beyerdynamic headphones to be quite comfortable, but especially the DT880 edition (600ohm version with the different headband than what they normally use). Best headphones I have for long listening sessions by a long shot, but they definitely need some power. They have a slightly lighter clamping force than most other beyerdynamics, and more padding at the bottom of the headband to alleviate the hot spot on top of your head and spread out the pressure. They're also quite light for how large the ear pads are. I have the same issue with some of my other headphones, and it's instant relief when switching to the DT880 editions. You may also want to check out some of the open back Audio Technica headphones that rest more on the side or your head instead of directly on top, or some lightweight Grados if you're willing to try on-ears with a less conventional sound signature.