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We continue to publish articles about headphones and today we test & review the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO. The demand for these headphones is so high that the manufacturer simply can't keep up with production and timely delivery. We had to wait a bit for this model to arrive at the company's official distributors, but we got not one, but three modifications of the DT 770 PRO with different impedances: 32, 80, and 250 ohms. Fortunately, the manufacturer has managed to meet the demand and this model is now available in large quantities on all major online marketplaces. Considering the fact that we have DT 990 PRO and DT 880 PRO models for personal use and constant operation, we decided to give our readers the most complete picture of Beyerdynamic professional headphones. Moreover, you can also read our detailed reviews of the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and DT 880 PRO headphones in previous articles (more reviews of Beyerdynamic headphones are also available in the studio gear - studio headphones tab of our website).
But first some official information about Beyerdynamic's professional headphone models. The DT 770/880/990 series dates back to 1981, when the DT 880 was introduced. These were the first dynamic headphones that could match the performance of electrostatic headphones. In 1985, the DT 770 and 990 models were introduced, with the division into closed-back (DT 770), semi-open (DT 880), and open-back (DT 990) headphone types. The first version of these models used a plastic headband, which did not stand up to daily use. So around 1990, an improved professional model was released with a steel headband, aluminum brackets, and wear-resistant ABS plastic ear cups. After that, the entire PRO line became a real success. They were bought in huge quantities by all professionals in the audio industry, from recording studios to television, and even just for listening to music at home.
In honor of the 88th anniversary of the company, the DT 770 PRO Limited Edition was released in 2012 in a limited batch. According to the manufacturer, its success led to the decision to mass-produce this modification with a 32 ohms impedance. Thus, the 80 Ohm and 250 Ohm models remain for studios and everyday life, and a 32 Ohm model will be added for mobile and fieldwork in 2013.
Now Beyerdynamic professional headphones have a large variety of models. No less than a line of headsets and their various modifications. When choosing headphones, you need to clearly understand what tasks you need to solve. In the case of open/semi-open headphones, it is much easier to ensure natural sound and long-term comfort due to improved ventilation. Closed headphones have an even wider range of applications.
We have already mentioned that all these names - open-back, semi-closed, closed-back headphones - are mostly marketing terms and can be misleading. In fact, the acoustic circuitry is the same in all three Beyerdynamic models. The DT770 PRO is not fully closed in the literal sense of the word. It still uses a Hi-Fi circuit to reduce distortion and boost bass. There are also large soft ear cushions for more comfort. So the sound still penetrates both from the outside into the listener's ears and from the headphones into the environment. The DT770 PRO is a definite compromise between sound insulation and sound quality in favor of sound quality, not sound insulation! Only the special DT 770 M modification is fully acoustically isolated.
Okay, before we get to the main part of our Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO review, let's take a look at the device's specifications, as usual.
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Best Price on Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro is a fantastic pair of headphones that delivers detailed and balanced sound, comfort, and durability. |
Classic Package
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So Beyerdynamic has several versions of the 770 headphones and in order not to leave you confused, we will clarify the whole situation with them.
Let's start our Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO review with the headphone's box & packaging. The new revision of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO comes in large black cardboard boxes. The box has an austere, minimalist design with an inscription that immediately catches the eye - “The Studio Legend”. The “made in Germany” inscription on the bottom of the box indicates that the models are still made in Germany. Each model comes with a 2-year warranty. The packaging is rather modest, with just a 1/4" (6.35mm) adapter and a simple carrying pouch. It is humble enough, but such a package can be justified by the cost of the headphones. Good bundles with interchangeable ear pads, headband pads, carrying pouches, etc. are usually found on $200+ headphone models.
Well, we'll make do with what we have, but the bottom line is that the DT 770 Pro headphones are worth every penny you spend on them. There's a reason the box says "The Studio Legend," and it's worth it. The next time you watch a video of musicians, look for them: if they're wearing headphones, chances are they're wearing the hero of today's review.
The headphones are manufactured in Germany. It should be noted that the design is distinguished by its orientation to the heads and ears of normal and large European sizes - this is a very important point, to which Japanese headphone manufacturers do not always pay due attention. All supporting elements of the design are made of steel and inspire confidence. The ear cushions are removable for cleaning. According to some reports, it is even possible to wash them neatly. The headband pad is detachable, but it is held firmly in place by four buttons. Both the ear cushions and the headband pad can be replaced in the future - the manufacturer's catalog has the article and the possibility of ordering. However, all parts look reliable and durable.
Beyerdynamic has undoubtedly succeeded in its modular design, and to break it "you'll have to vandalize it with all your might!". If necessary, the headphones can be completely disassembled and any broken parts can be replaced. The materials used can be characterized as very good - there is no economy in anything. If the wiring - then thick and reliable, if steel - then excellent, if plastic - then high-quality.
Traditionally, Beyerdynamic's cable comes out of the left earcup. This is much more comfortable than dangling cords. Unlike other models, the cable here is not removable or replaceable, but it is of very high quality. We don't know what to do to break it, none of our friends who use the DT 770 Pro have managed to break the cable. Note that the coiled cable is only on the 250 Ohm model! The length reaches 3 meters only when the coil is fully extended. Under normal conditions, the cable is about 1.5 meters long. In the 32-ohm model, the cable is specially shortened for connection to mobile devices.
What has broken over the years? The story here is short and uninteresting because there were no failures during the years of fairly intensive use. Yes, we had to replace the dead ear cushions - luckily they are easy enough to find on almost all major online marketplaces. Other than that, nothing broke - we are convinced that these headphones are impossible to kill and will be with our team for life.
Now we come to the most important part/section of our Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO review. Of course, everyone wants to know what the headphones sound like. We had the unique opportunity to listen to all 6 models of Beyerdynamic headphones at the same time. So, we found the highest-quality audio path that met all the requirements for the expertise of high-quality equipment. Each headphone model was alternately connected to the same DAC (audio interface) and headphone amplifier on the base, specially optimized for 600 ohms load and a huge margin of undistorted power (typical volume knob value is 30-40%). No compressed formats have been used. No music with synthesized timbres or heavily processed music was used. In accordance with all international techniques, only classical music and jazz performed by small ensembles were used.
The sound of all Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO/ DT 880 PRO and DT 990 PRO headphones can be characterized as high quality. The DT 770 PRO sounds quite similar to the DT 990 PRO. There is a slight difference in detail and stereo panorama in favor of the DT 990 PRO, but the character of the sound is the same - it is a recognizable signature of the Beyerdynamic PRO series. The sound quality is impressive - you wouldn't expect such good sound from a closed-back pair of headphones, which the DT770 PROs are, given their low price. It's easy to see why the 770s are so popular. Despite all the criticism, there is no doubt that this is a 100% professional model suitable for almost any application.
The open DT 990 PRO requires absolute silence in the room, the semi-open DT 880 PRO allows for some leeway, but the closed DT 770 PRO is a true all-rounder, and it's also the cheapest. Don't forget that there is a separate version of the DT 770 without the PRO prefix, but with the letter M, which offers even more passive noise reduction. The DT 770 M is designed for drummers and FOH engineers. However, if you don't need any attenuation at all, the closed model is still inferior to the open model in terms of comfort and sound. This is predictable, but we repeat it. There is no particular difference in sound between 80 ohms and 250 ohms. If you have quality equipment, the 250 Ohm model is preferable. At the same time, 80 ohms are more universal, they can be connected to a smartphone or to a regular audio interface & sound card.
If you are bothered by the characteristic "chinking" of the Beyerdynamic PRO series, and for long-term listening, we can safely recommend equalizing the HF range around 6-10 kHz and lowering the bass at 100 Hz and below. Lowering any frequency is not accompanied by a loss of quality (which is not the case when trying to raise non-existent frequencies).
Despite the closed design, the DT 250, another professional model, has nothing in common with the DT 770 PRO. It has a completely different membrane, driver and acoustic design. The DT 250 sounds more mellow, with no emphasis on the highs, even with a slight muffling. The sound is quite comfortable, and suitable for long-term use with headphones. The DT 250's flat, compact ear cups are the only thing to keep in mind, so make sure the shape is comfortable enough for the listener before choosing. The DT 770 has larger cups and a more stable construction.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (ex Limited Edition) 32 Ohm is a bit different from the 80 Ohm and 250 Ohm models. The sound is more balanced, although it lacks some of the charm of the regular models. In our opinion, this is a step away from the classic DT 770 PRO, so the 32 Ohm version should not be chased.
Do the 770 PRO / 880 PRO / 990 PRO models require a separate headphone amplifier? Absolutely. You should not chase the holy elite devices in an individual case, with lamps and gold plating, because you are paying mainly for external attributes. Today, even a high-quality headphone amplifier does not require a lot of money from the manufacturer. Is the headphone output of a professional audio interface sufficient? In most cases, yes. If the headphones are not purchased for work, but for home use, then a good headphone amplifier will also be useful, especially for 250 ohm headphone models. The efficiency of the bass response and attack will be improved, and it is guaranteed that there will be no current or voltage drop.
Although the good attack and timbre fidelity in the mid-range justify the use of headphones for professional purposes, we do not recommend relying on the sound of headphones when mixing or working on timbres. Even the most expensive and sophisticated headphones are not a minimum replacement for wideband monitors.
Here is what the manufacturer writes about diffuse-field-equalized headphones:
Have you ever wondered why manufacturers don't include frequency response graphs with their headphones? It's simple: they look awful! A badly chopped-up graph will discourage anyone from buying them. After all, the buyer wants something linear, uncolored, and unbroken. So why does this answer look so intimidating? And why don't we hear it in reality? Because in reality, we never hear a direct sound with an undistorted frequency response. Live sound reaches our ears distorted, but we perceive it as normal. When we listen to a speaker with the most linear FR, what we actually hear is a complex spectrum of frequencies distorted by the shape of our head and the room. We think of such sound as linear. Headphones don't even try to create the same effect in the outer ear, because the sound goes straight in. However, the sound is still distorted by the structure of the ear and head. The sound that reaches the eardrum seems correct, but a listener used to the sound of speakers may find the sound colored.
In other words, the headphones should produce a signal as if it were coming from far away. To match headphones to our listening habits, we need to measure imperfections in the sound caused by the shape of the head. For example, an artificial head with microphones in the ears is used. In addition, the headphones should sound not as if the sound is coming from one point, but as if it is coming from all directions at the same time. Numerous laboratory measurements result in an average characteristic called "diffuse field equalization". The equalization is then applied to the headphones so that they deliver a sound pattern to the ears that is similar to that in the room. Since the mechanical and electrical options for changing the frequency response of headphones are limited, it is impossible to achieve perfect equalization. Nor can you make universal equalization for different people and their preferences, head & ear structure and shape. However, headphone equalization avoids the unpleasant localization of sources "inside the head". It is important to remember that this is only an imitation. Headphones are still not a full-fledged replacement for a studio with monitors.
Pay special attention to good midrange evenness and accents at the edges of the bass and treble ranges. The frequency response does not tell you anything about the sound quality. FR is only reference information, a rather rough way to estimate the limits of the frequency range and the main resonances.
How to objectively evaluate sound quality is a question that's been on everyone's mind for over 100 years. This is a separate, extensive topic for research and discussion, and separate materials on our SoundGale project will be devoted to it.
There are other measurements of these models in various sources on the Internet that do not differ significantly from ours. The discrepancies are explained by differences in the frequency response of the measuring microphones, in the method of measurement, in the force of pressure on the ear cushions, as well as in the headphones of different batches and years of production. Recently, the use of standardized simulators of the acoustic impedance of the human ear in the frequencies 2kHz-8kHz has been criticized in the professional environment. There are new studies that prove the discrepancy of such measurements with the expertise. We hasten to inform you that we have not used and do not plan to use frequency response preamplifiers and impedance simulators because of the excessive complication of the methodology and the probability of new methodological errors.
This is a question that has always bothered home musicians and sound producers who can't or don't want to turn their living rooms into real studios. The acoustic design of the room is expensive, a couple of good monitors are also expensive, there is no relevant knowledge for quality acoustic processing, and the room turned into a studio is not very comfortable to live in afterward. It seems much easier to eliminate the room from the equation by buying headphones and mixing in them.
Of course, no one has the right to forbid others to record with headphones, because, with the skills you already have, you can do it with almost anything. You can get used to the sound of your crooked bedroom acoustics and, as a result, get a relatively predictable and even broadcastable result under these conditions, which are wrong from a sound engineering point of view. You can buy a frequency correction plug-in like Sonarworks SoundID Reference and get an even AFC on any headphones for which there is an average sound profile. The main thing is the result that satisfies everyone, not what and how it is achieved.
If you have no skills, then everything is a bit more complicated. The thing is that it is easier to get them (i.e. to learn them) on good monitors and in a good room. But what if this is not possible? Our observations may not agree with yours, but here goes anyway. In the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, you can do a rough equalization, but you can't hear the exact equalization very well. Try blind tests, turning the parametric EQ on and off with half a decibel or even a one dB change, and see for yourself. We rarely succeeded in dynamic processing when using headphones - it's easy to miss a beat. Then, panorama mixing when switching to monitors will most likely have to be redone at all.
Describing sound is, of course, a questionable and subjective exercise, but let's try anyway. In this respect, the DT 770 Pro represents a noticeable step forward compared to consumer headphones. When listening to familiar songs (with a sound card connection, of course), there's a good chance you'll discover new pads and instruments you didn't know you had. It's hard to judge detail, but after the 1770 Pro, it seems average. The mids are fairly even, the lows are slightly overpumped, and you can clearly hear the characteristic tapping of the highs.
Maybe it's a matter of habit, but we liked the sound better after the frequency correction in Sonarworks SoundID Reference. The sound is a bit more unpleasant but more predictable, and the instruments seem to fall into place and not stand out. Of course, that's a matter of taste.
Let's summarize this section of our Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO review. Are they suitable for mixing and primitive mastering? - Yes, if you have experience mixing with headphones. But still, the manufacturer states on the official website: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are the reference headphones for control and monitoring purposes. And we completely agree with it!
Finally, we've reached the end of our Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO review, it's time to summarize the results. We confirm the general opinion of professionals that the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO is a successful headphone and can proudly bear the title - The Studio Legend. It is a reliable and unpretentious instrument for everyday work. Nevertheless, the headphones have a rather low sensitivity and sound best with a powerful amplifier designed for high-impedance loads. If you don't need to equalize the vocalist's sibilants and you're not looking for phonographic artifacts, the DT 880 PRO might be a better choice, as it tends towards hi-fi and has the most comfortable sound of all the PRO models. However, it is also the most expensive. The DT 770 PRO is a "workhorse" closed version of the open DT 990 PRO. These two models were released at the same time, so it is not surprising that they sound very similar. Which one you prefer depends entirely on your listening conditions. If you can listen and work in silence - DT 990 PRO. If you need a universal option - DT 770 PRO. If the conditions are even more specific, look for special models with increased noise isolation.
We hope you enjoyed our review of the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions, and suggestions in the section below. We will be happy to answer them all as soon as possible. If you already own a DT 770 PRO or DT 990 PRO and have used it for a while, don't forget to share your impressions and tell us what you liked or disliked about these studio headphones.
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