beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm Headphone

After spending quite a lot of time listening to these phones (I've tried both the 600 ohm and the 250 ohm versions) I now feel qualified to write a fair appraisal of my listening experience with them...Firstly: The amplifier I used to drive these phones was more than capable of delivering sonically pure sound to its headphone output socket (I am using my Sugden A48 hi-fi amp) without discolouring the source audio input (cd's).Secondly: I really did want to 'like' these phones after doing a lot of research about their 'neutral' sound and the many positive reports about these being up there amongst the cream of the crop when it comes to 'audiophile' headphones.Thirdly: I am writing this review connected with the 600 ohm version - but the majority of what I am writing is equally applicable to the 250 ohm version. BTW, I measured the 600 ohm's status of these phones and found that there was a slight impedance difference between each earpiece - one side measured 550 ohms and the other measured 520 ohms! Although this slight difference may well be within Beyer's accepted tolerance range, it may be an important bit of information if you are, like myself, expecting more exacting standards when shelling out this amount of money for higher priced headphones.I'll start with the positives: They are solidly built and very lightweight and comfortable to wear - even for prolonged periods. I found the 'grip' on my head just about right and wouldn't want it any firmer and this was an important factor for me in choosing between the 'edition' and 'pro' version (the 'pro' version is stated as having a much tighter grip). I also prefer to have the 'flat' cable rather than the 'curled' cable which is supplied with the 'pro' version.The second - and most important positive consideration - is yes, they are very 'neutral' indeed. They do seem to accurately reproduce the audio signal which is being used to drive them. This surely is the most important point to any listener who wants to hear their music 'without' the artificial addition of 'extra' bass etc, and from that particular positive, also comes the negative as I think that these headphones are closer to being true 'monitor' headphones than most headphone users are used to listening to and, on that basis, I can well imagine that this is why there are so many reviewers who 'complain' that there isn't sufficient bass when using these phones. Rest assured - when its comes to the bass reproduction of these phones, when the bass IS there in the sound source (the bass in the new 2019 'remix' of the Beatles 'Abbey Road' sounds particularly impressive in this regard) it most definitely IS there, AND IN ABUNDANCE!!! I was also impressed with the spacial feel to the soundstage that these phones offer - nicely wide and airy whilst retaining focused stereo positioning. In this regard these phones are even better than my 'go-to' open-back Sennheiser's.The last 'positive': I have noted that many reviewers (on Amazon and elsewhere) have noted a 'rattle' around the 6khz frequency - I did not hear anything which would fit this description - and I certainly put these phones through their paces with the many different genres of music which I enjoy listening to!And now the negatives (and the things which led to me returning these headphones for a refund - and I can honestly say that, if it wasn't for the second negative listed below, I would have happily spent my hundred and fifty quid to keep them as I really did enjoy the 'neutral' factor of the un-coloured sound they offer)...1. Not really a negative - these phones are described as 'semi-closed'. Do not let that fool you - these phones leak sound just as much as my fully 'open-backed' Sennheisers. Not a problem for me but it might be a problem for you if you expect to be seated in the same room as someone else who isn't interested in listening to what you're listening to!2. The BIG negative: These phones sound far too 'bright' for want of a way of a better description of why I could not be able to live with them long-term. My 15 year old Sennheiser's are capable of producing the top-end frequency range of these Beyer's but the Sennheiser's do not 'sound' as bright (and another term I might use would be 'brash') in those upper ranges. From what I have read online it seems that these 880's are known as having a certain 'sound' (often characterised as 'the Beyer sound') which many do indeed describe as 'bright' and even 'harsh' - and if this is the thing that is 'offending' my ears, then I can't help but agree with those fellow critics. This in turn led me to find that, no matter how comfortable they are to wear physically, they do in fact become quite 'wearisome' to listen to for long periods because of this overly 'bright' sound. It's an odd phenomenon because (as noted above) they do indeed offer a superb 'neutral' sound - and yet there is something which is too uncomfortably 'unnatural' about that top-end sound.That big negative leads me to conclude that its such a shame that 'the Beyer sound' detracted so much from the big positives of these phones because there really IS something very nice and worthwhile about their capabilities when driven from a good hi-fi amplifier - but, thinking about the use of these for prolonged periods of listening, I just can't see myself wanting to 'live' with them 'long-term'! Sorry Beyer, but my Sennheiser's still have the edge.

I had to put a review out for these after listening to the first project I've used them for (these being DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm).The music I make is 'in the box - all on pc' house music. Before now I've used HD25's I had for DJ'ing. Every tune I made failed the car listen test each time. Forcing me to alter most elements of the track, backwards and forwards between car and computer til I got it close as possible. Very tiresome.Little did I realise just how responsible the HD25's were for this....I've now made my first track with the Beyer's for reference mixing and it's the first time a tune has passed the car test first time.Let me say this clearly for anyone wondering whether to get them for producing - what you hear in these headphones WILL translate to other systems.I'm absolutely blown away with the end result. Wish I'd bought them years ago and for the money I can't see how you can get better. Oh, and how they are made is just awesome; sooooooooo sturdy (but not heavy on the head).100% rate them

...das ist eine Frage, die sich in Anbetracht des aktuellen Preisgefüges sicher so einige stellen werden. Auch ich musste mich entscheiden, und habe sie daher aktuell beide hier zum Probehören.Zunächst mal zum Äußeren: Der DT 880 Edition (~160€) tritt hier gegen den DT 990 Pro (~120€) an. Optisch ist der DT 880 der klare Sieger. Abgerundete Kanten, silber, mit Lochblech macht er einen sehr hochwertigen Eindruck. Dagegen der DT 990 Pro mit seinem etwas kantigeren, recht altbacken wirkenden Kunststoffgrill. Einzig das Kopfbügel-Polster des DT 990 Pro gewinnt eindeutig: Es ist weicher und hat schöne Druckknöpfe. Dagegen steht eine art „Zip-Lock“ beim DT 880 Edition und ein insgesamt etwas festeres Material. Möglicherweise ist letzteres ja haltbarer, das wird sich zeigen. Ansonsten ist es ja problemlos möglich, das Polster der Pro-Reihe als Ersatzteil zu kaufen und an den Edition zu knüpfen. Das Spiralkabel der Pro-Reihe ist mir ehrlich gesagt zu schwer und sperrig, ich bevorzuge das gestreckte Anschlusskabel der Edition. Beide sind übrigens mit einem hochwertigen Silikonmantel geschützt, der sich schön anfasst. Insgesamt ist das Kabel aber ein bisschen zu steif für meinen Geschmack. Robust ist es allemal. Im Studio-Einsatz ist ein Spiralkabel aber sicher die bessere Wahl. Ich will den Kopfhörer aber hauptsächlich für Home Recording einsetzen und zum Musik hören.Viel relevanter dürfte aber der Klang sein. Was nützt die schönste Optik, wenn der Sound nicht stimmt. Ich habe so einiges im Vorfeld gelesen: Der 880 sei der ausgewogenste und klangtreuste der Reihe, der 990 habe dagegen gefällig-dezent angehobene Bässe. Manche sagen, beide haben dein „Beyer-Peak“, manche sagen, beim 880 sei er nicht vorhanden oder weniger stark ausgeprägt. Auch über das Thema offen oder halboffen gehen die Meinungen auseinander. Fangen wir hinten an: Gegen Kopfhörer anderer Hersteller würde ich die „Geräuschbelästigung“ der Umwelt sowohl beim 880 als auch beim 990 eher im Bereich „offen“ ansetzen. Halboffene Modelle anderer Hersteller dämpfen das Umgebungsgeräusch meiner Meinung nach stärker. Ob der 880 den Beyer-Peak nun hat oder nicht, vermag ich mangels Vergleichsmöglichkeit oder Messtechnik aktuell nicht genau zu sagen. Klanglich trifft er jedoch genau meinen Geschmack, einen eventuell vorhandener Peak bei 7-10kHz vermag ich nicht wahrzunehmen. Der 990 hingegen klingt unangenehm schrill und harsch in den Höhen, was mir erst richtig bewusst geworden ist, als ich ein bisschen Elektronisches konsumiert habe. Ich komme eher aus der Metal- und Rock-Ecke, und in diesen Genres fallen diese Höhen nicht so extrem auf. Die „dezent“ angehobenen Bässe des 990 sind in meinen Ohren alles andere als dezent. Zunächst mal sei für die weniger versierten Hörer kurz gesagt: von beiden Kopfhörern kann man prinzipbedingt keine Basswiedergabe wie bei In-Ears oder einem Subwoofer erwarten. Klingt der 880 auch „untenrum“ angenehm neutral und ausgewogen, empfinde ich den 990 einfach nur als störend. Ja, es ist deutlich mehr „Punch“ zu hören, aber der „Wow“-Faktor wie bei In-Ears bleibt trotzdem aus. Die Überbetonung liegt eher im Bereich der Tiefmitten statt im Bass und ist schon nach kurzer Zeit extrem Ohrermüdend. Ich habe ein unangenehm drückendes Gefühl im Kopf, wenn ich den 990 höre, während ich den 880 auch nach langer Zeit mit gutem Pegel als sehr angenehm und stressfrei empfinde. Zum Mischen taugt der 990 auf keinen Fall, denn man wird den entsprechenden Bereich unbewusst kräftig beschneiden, um die Hörermüdung zu vermeiden. Auch die harschen Höhen werden den Anhängern der elektronischen Musik matte Mixe bescheren, wenn sie ihr Werk dann auf anderer Abhöre belauschen. Somit ist das „Experiment 990“ für mich gescheitert. Ich war neugierig auf bessere Basswiedergabe und wurde auch noch in den Höhen enttäuscht. Der 880 klingt insgesamt in meinen Ohren sehr ausgewogen und abgerundet und erfüllt alle Erwartungen, die ich hatte. Meine Lieblingsstücke klingen genau so, wie ich es von anderen guten Abhören gewohnt bin. Die Wiedergabe ist nuanciert und detailgetreu im gesamten Spektrum.Beide Kopfhörer habe ich im Übrigen in der 250 Ohm-Version verglichen. Die Treiber sollten zwischen Pro und Edition übrigens identisch sein, sodass die klanglichen Unterschiede für alle 880 und 990 gelten dürften. Kurz noch zur Impedanz: Sogar mein MacBook Air (Anfang 2015) liefert genug Pegel für recht anständige Lautstärke. Ich denke, ein Kopfhörerverstärker ist hier unterwegs gerade so entbehrlich. Klanglich habe ich keinen wirklichen Unterschied zu meinem M-Audio Fast Track bei gleichem Pegel wahrgenommen. Da das Fast Track auf keinen Fall den tollsten DAC hat, werde ich mich beizeiten noch mal auf die Suche nach einem schönen DAC und/oder Kopfhörerverstärker machen und das Ergebnis hier nachtragen, falls sich etwas mit gutem Preis/Leistungs-Verhältnis finden lässt.Kurz noch zum Tragekomfort: Anderswo liest man, dass die Pro-Versionen einen höheren Anpressdruck besäßen als die Edition. Das kann ich zumindest beim DT 990 Pro im Vergleich zum 880 Edition nicht bestätigen. Beide sitzen angenehm leicht auf dem Kopf, aber fest genug, als dass ich nicht das Gefühl habe, dass ich sie in Bewegung verlieren könnte.

It's rare on Amazon for any product listing to last this long, but it's nice when it does. I purchased my Beyerdynamics DT880 headphones on Amazon in November 2010, so my headphones are now almost 8 years old. They've been my secondary pair since November last year however; I just fancied a different set.Up until 2010 I'd never spent more than £50 on a set of headphones, so i picked these as my first 'proper decent' pair and I wasn't disappointed. The price was a bit steep but I had cash to burn I paid £250 for them, yes they cost £250 in 2010. I remember them being fairly solid nice quality comfortable (they better be at that price) and the sound quality was super nice, if I could compare them to my current set they're similar except the bass on my current set is slightly better. Bassheads beware, these phones are all about good quality sound all round, they don't do boom. They offer a detailed frequency response including bass, but it's never an uncontrolled distorted mess.The downside to owning these only applies to people who use these at night when people sleep, they give off a lot of noise being open at the back, another reason I chose to replace them after 7 years. I kept waking people up. ;)Long term ownership: They're solid as a rock, I even stood on them and totally bent the frame on one side one night when I was drunk, I just bent it back into shape good as new. The ear pads wore out about the fifth year, I stitched them up, just a bit later the head padding deteriorated into a sticky mess so I got my Gran to stitch me a velour one.I did eventually retire them as my spares, but they're still good, they sound the same as day one and they've had a lot of use, like 4 hours at a minimum nearly every day for 7 years.

I bought these headphones as an upgrade to my closed back ixos 32 ohms headphones. After reading reviews I decided to go for the in between 250ohm version of the dt880’s, reviews also suggested these are more linear in their response than the dt770 and dt990 models which I believe have more pronounced bass and treble. Delighted with the quality of the headphones from a well respected manufacturer. It is difficult to recommend headphones as there are so many variables involved but I am happy with them - they give me enough balance and detail and more importantly they don’t sound fatiguing during long listening sessions. Comfort wise this version has less clamping force than the pro’s and are reasonably comfortable, I’m not a big fan of the velour material used in the pads and find it can become irritating and sweaty after a while but not too bad. The 250ohms are a good compromise between easier driving and better dynamics - they will work with iPhones but sound better through a good, reasonably powerful headphone amp. They work fine with the Zen Can and also the Ifi BL nano. The nano isn’t as loud with these headphone but still nice. These headphones have been around in some shape or form for ages, so are well proven so reliability shouldn’t be a problem. Probably not one for bass heads but bass is there at just the right level for me, it doesn’t dominate but still gets the feet tapping.