Headphones for home are a special type of headphones that are characterized by several special parameters. Such as maximum convenience, the highest possible sound quality, the ability to use an open type acoustic design (and open headphones can rarely be used comfortably), as well as a long wire. Headphones for home should be like slippers in which you can comfortably spend a long time. The sound of such headphones should not be annoying, but should draw you into listening, and they should be detailed. Like most types of headphones on the market, there are a lot of headphones for home, for every color and taste, so to speak. Such headphones are presented by all manufacturers, in completely different price groups. Which headphones should you choose? This question is actually rhetorical, but today the author wants to draw your attention to some “special headphones”. Headphones that may appeal to many due to the fact that they perfectly combine all these properties. Meet the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm.
General characteristics of Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm headphones:
| Specifications | |
| Category | wired |
| Type | open |
| Operating principle | dynamic |
| frequency range | 5 - 35000 Hz |
| Resistance | 250 Ohm |
| Sensitivity | 96 dB |
| Sound Pressure Level(SPL) | 96 dB |
| Headphone weight | 250 grams |
| Color | Black |
| Plug | jack 3.5 + adapter 6.3 mm |
| Harmonic distortion | <0.1 % |
| Cable | twisted one-sided up to 3 m |
| Fit to ears | covering |
| Headphone pressure on head | 3.5N |
| Folding | No |
| Detachable cord | No |
| Manufacturer country | Made in Germany |
Packaging and delivery Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
The headphones are supplied in a white cardboard box; the box does not have plastic windows. Inside there is a frame with the headphones themselves. The packaging is minimalist, but at the same time it looks nice, although not very expensive.
The delivery set includes the headphones themselves, a 6.3 jack adapter and a warranty card.
Packaging and equipment
The new revisions of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO and Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO are supplied in large black cardboard boxes. The boxes have a strict minimalist design and are identical in design. Both boxes have the inscriptions: The studio legend and Your legend, You sound, Your Beyerdynamic. The inscription on the bottom of the box “made in Germany” indicates that the models continue to be produced in Germany. Each model is provided with a 2-year warranty.
Inside the box, on a cardboard and slightly sloping pedestal, are the headphones themselves. The pedestal, although made of cardboard, can replace a headphone stand if handled with care. The set includes a synthetic fabric headphone case with an attached card to indicate the owner's name, address, phone number and email. The kit also includes a screw-on gold-plated adapter from 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm, which allows you to connect headphones to jacks of audio equipment of different diameters without any problems. The set is not elegant or rich, it only includes everything you need.
Build quality Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
The earcups are made of thick black rough plastic, the plugs and headband are made of metal, painted black. The mounts on the forks are made of matte plastic; they also have markings that distinguish between the left (3 points) and the right (4 points) earbuds.
The forks have seals that limit the movement of the cups and prevent the microphone effect from the forks hitting the headphone body. The headband has a removable cushion with 4 buttons, it is made of leatherette, the lower part of the headband is stuffed with soft material.
The ear pads are made of very high quality gray velor. The ear pads are round, very large and thick, and according to the manufacturer, they can be washed in a washing machine. What is somewhat disappointing is that the ear pads do not have protective mesh sewn in, making it difficult to use them with other headphones.
The wire is connected to the left earphone. The headphone wire itself can be called centuries-old. A thick twisted cable made of oxygen-free copper, a powerful rubber casing and an equally powerful jack will not make you worry about the headphones breaking down. The 6.3 jack adapter is screwed onto the 3.5 jack, which will prevent it from jumping out when switching headphones or removing them.
Looking at these headphones, it is clear that the engineers did a great job, everything is done very simply, but at the same time reliably and efficiently, for example, the earcups and the platform where the speaker is connected are not fastened with bolts (as usual), but with a reliable plug. The headphones have no creaks or play. The only weak point that can be noted is the wire that connects the left and right headphones; it is routed under the headband, but its ends are not protected; if they are sharply touched by something, the wire may break. By the way, the headphones are made in Germany! The design of the headphones is very strict, but at the same time attractive. The design can be called German, nothing superfluous. I really liked how the acoustic design was played out. In the form of blinds, behind which there is a white fabric that pleasantly harmonizes with the appearance and color of the ear pads. The headphones look very expensive and solid, you can immediately see that you are not holding a toy in your hands.
The note
The specifications state that the headphones are open, but the inside of the cups is almost completely lined with synthetic material with a hole in the middle. The headphones are more like partially noise-isolating headphones.
Convenience Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
The cups have a small degree of freedom vertically and horizontally, which facilitates precise adjustment to any head. The headband can be extended to a wide range using latches very quickly and conveniently.
The fit on the head is quite tight, the headphones are well felt on the head (the weight of the headphones affects). But due to the very deep depth of the ear pads, there is no discomfort during long-term wearing. The ear pads, as already mentioned, are very large, and, more importantly, they are round... Sometimes this shape is not very successful. The thing is that the edges of the ear pads may not fit against your head, so the sound can change greatly (which is why sometimes you have to move the headphones on your head). I am very pleased with the removable roller, it is very pleasant and soft. But the headband itself could be a little wider (although it is metal, it can be bent).
If we compare the headphones in terms of comfort with the Sennheiser HD558, it is worth noting that the HD558 is much lighter and somewhat more comfortable. The Sennheiser roller is larger and also more comfortable. The headphones themselves are practically not noticeable on your head. In general, the fit is quite comfortable, very reliable (a tick for people who like to shake their heads to the beat of music, your headphones will never fly off your head =)).
Sound of Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
An external sound card was used to evaluate the sound quality
- Audiotrak Dr.Dac2 Dx Muses
- Audiotrak Prodigy Cube
The sound of the headphones can be called smooth, stable, without obvious kinks. There is a slight brightness in the HF region (barely noticeable). The sound is very solid.
LF
Detailed, very fast, solid. It's hard to find fault with them; they are presented very, very well. There are always enough of them for both heavy music and classical music, but there are never too many of them.
midrange
They are very good, smooth, without dips or tightness. Any instruments are reproduced with the finest details.
HF
There is a slight surge in the HF range, it feels like a sting. Perhaps the source is to blame, and a good amplifier will solve this problem.
Scene
The headphones play very volumetrically and provide an excellent stereo image. Each instrument has its place, space. This may be a result of the interior finishing of the cups.
Audiotrak ProdigyCube
The sound card has a built-in amplifier. But its power is clearly not enough to unlock the potential of the headphones. The headphones are very “tight” due to the high impedance. With this sound card, the pain became more noticeable, and a lack of low-frequency range appeared. In general, it was concluded that the source had changed.
Audiotrak Dr.Dac2 Dx Muses
But with this sound card, I was very, very pleased with the headphones. Pleasant and very good low frequencies, excellent midrange frequencies, barely noticeable pain in the high frequency range. The sound card controls these headphones very well, and there is a huge volume reserve (a second, more powerful headphone output was used). But after this sound card, an irresistible desire begins to appear to try a good amplifier paired with headphones and see what maximum can be extracted from these headphones.
Sennhesier HD558 VS Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
The HD558 are darker sounding headphones and less detailed. The sound of the DT990 is more spacious, the development of the DT990's low frequencies is at a different level. Middle: I still like the presentation of the DT990 more due to the fact that it is more structured and detailed. But the HD558’s HF will seem better to many. Because they are absolutely soft and not harsh. But you should not forget that the HD558 is much more convenient (although their assembly is very poor) and cheaper. At the same time, it’s difficult to say that the DT990 is incomparably better than the HD558. HD558 simply play a little simpler, veiling some of the details.
Movies and DT990
Not only listening to music, but also watching movies in the DT990 is a great pleasure. The special effects are perfectly conveyed, there is an immersive effect in the film. But when compared with the Sennheiser HD558, it is worth noting that due to the fact that the HD558 is much lighter and more convenient, watching movies in them is more comfortable.
In general, the sound can be described as very good, it can even be called monitor-like with a small reservation on the HF. At the same time, the headphones provide an excellent scene and detail. In addition, they know how to involve the listener in the process of listening to music, bringing a lot of pleasure. But we must remember that these headphones need a good source.
Sound quality
Beyerdinamic's design is open, so they don't completely isolate you from your surroundings. But there are also advantages to this. The sound is very natural, “transparent”. All frequencies are perfectly transmitted, although sometimes there may be a slight predominance of the bass line. Overall the sound is very warm and rich, regardless of the genre of the composition.
To fully experience the quality of Beyerdinamic, it is worth purchasing an external sound card. It is better to listen to music in lossless format. In this case, you will be able to hear and feel every part of the composition, every small but significant detail. If the sound source is not powerful enough, the headphones may seem too quiet. Comfort to use
The wire length is 3 meters. In most cases, this is enough to listen to music or watch movies from anywhere in the room. The wire is twisted, so its length does not cause discomfort. It takes up little space, especially when folded.
These headphones are comfortable to sit in and quite light. The headband can be adjusted to your size. Thanks to the soft velor ear pads, your head will not sweat even after long periods of listening. The open design allows you to hear sounds from the outside world when needed. The only downside is that people around you can also hear the music in your headphones. And not everyone will like it.
Technical characteristics of Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm
| General overview of the technical parameters of Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 250 ohm headphones | |||
| channel | general* | left | right |
| Sensitivity average in the range 100 Hz 10 kHz, dB/V | 101,9 | 102,4 | 101,3 |
| Average resistance in the range 40 Hz 15 kHz, Ohm | 296,5 | 296,5 | 296,5 |
| For 94.0 dB SPL required, V | 0,402 | 0,378 | 0,431 |
| For 94.0 dB SPL required, mW | 0,545 | 0,483 | 0,628 |
| Detailed description of the values in the table | |||
| You can calculate the SPL level of headphones with a specific amplifier using an online calculator | |||
*the common headphone channel was obtained by averaging the frequency response between the right and left channels
RAA Report:
Detailed technical report of measurements of Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm headphones
Comparison with other models
The manufacturer Beyerdinamic has other good devices. The closest sounding model to the DT 990 PRO is the DT 880 PRO. This model is more expensive, but it has a semi-open design, which means the sound field will be narrower. In addition, the DT 880 headphones have a cooler, more neutral sound. They convey low frequencies better, although they are not very suitable for classical and jazz compositions. But this model comes with a very high-quality and convenient case.
Many users compare the Beyerdinamic with the acclaimed Sennheiser HD 600. Indeed, the sound quality is largely similar, despite the difference in price. But the German device wins in terms of ergonomics. Sennheiser does not have such a long cord; due to the large amount of plastic in the composition, they are not suitable for long-term use. These headphones are not recommended for use with portable audio sources.
Conclusion
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm can be characterized in one phrase: “Everything good, sooner or later, becomes a classic, and you can listen to the classics forever”
And this is so. Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO / 250 ohm have earned enormous recognition among professionals around the world, and it is only natural that they will become popular among ordinary listeners. These headphones are reliable and comfortable. They simply have excellent clean sound without excesses, and at the same time they are relatively inexpensive. These headphones perfectly played any sound material that was given to them. Any genre, any song was played simply excellent. And listening to them, the author believes that perhaps the search for the ideal sound for his home is over.
Author:
26.01.2013
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Design and ergonomics
In terms of design, the Beyerdynamic DT 880 PRO and Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO have both common features and clearly visible differences. The latter includes the design of the bowls. The DT 880 PRO bowls have silver-colored rings with a decorative metal mesh with the inscriptions “DT 880 PRO” painted in dark gray paint. In the DT 990 PRO, the bowls are covered with a so-called black grill grate made of thick plastic. On top of this grille there is a tactile white inscription “DT 990 PRO 250 OHM”. The headphones also differ noticeably in their weight - the DT 880 PRO model is as much as 45 g heavier than the DT 990 PRO and weighs 295 g. This difference in weight is felt in the hands, but due to the comfortable fit of the headphones on the head, it is practically leveled out when listening.
Now about the similarities. Both models have replaceable soft ear pads covered in silver velor. The steel headband of the headphones is covered with black eco-leather on the buttons and has a soft pad. The headband extends and locks. The symmetry of its adjustment can be determined by the marked points. The bowl holders of the DT 880 PRO and 990 PRO are made of ferrous metal.
The cable in both models is black, thick, rubber and twisted. It is single-sided, attached to the left cup and is non-removable. All this gives the impression that the cable is reliable over long periods of use, but can sometimes be very convenient for certain scenarios. For example, if you listen to music at a distance of more than 2 m from the source, the cable begins to stretch, sag and can pull your head a little under its weight. Also, if the sound source has a small own weight and is not fixed to the surface, then the connected headphone cable can pull such a source along with it. This feature must be taken into account so as not to accidentally throw off some portable audio interface, for example, from a table.
In general, both models are made with high quality, sound quality and look very reliable - all of these are distinctive features of the entire Beyerdynamic PRO line.
