Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 32 ohm Limited Edition headphone review

[dalethorn]

I have heard that the velour pads do fit and I think Beyer even lists them as accessories.

 

[quadpatch]

Part of the attraction with Beyers for me is actually the velour pads as I find them extremely comfortable. Not sure about the plastic pads at all - do the replacement velour ones fit the LE?

Your concern is mildly valid there, they are not quite as comfy, but it seems that the better sound of the LE is vastly related to the pads so I'm not sure there would be much point getting the LE only to change the pads. The only point doing this would be if you needed a bit more volume from a portable or just like having a limited edition .

 

[dalethorn]

Your concern is mildly valid there, they are not quite as comfy, but it seems that the better sound of the LE is vastly related to the pads so I'm not sure there would be much point getting the LE only to change the pads. The only point doing this would be if you needed a bit more volume from a portable or just like having a limited edition .

I don't know what the older DT770's are like, but the LE I got has a light clamp, and the fit is the most comfortable thing I've used except maybe the Shure 1840, and it's close to that. It's three times more comfortable than the Sennheiser Momentum. I can see a concern for warm weather, but unless a person's head gets unusually hot it shouldn't be much problem. BTW, I was listening to the ATH ESW11 all day, and switching to the DT770, it has bass! - Amazing difference.

 

[Paulq]

I have a long time affinity with the DT990 (250 ohm) which is probably one of my all time favourites. I have ben tempted by the DT770's but, given the plastic pads, am a little put off and will probably go for the more standard 80 ohm version.

Whilst portable listening with these would be occasional (main use would be through my Graham Slee Novo), I wonder if the 80 ohm could be driven adequately by an iPod/iPhone?

I use a Fiio E5 sometimes - anyone tried the 80 ohms portably?

Just before I hit 'Buy Now'....

 

[dalethorn]

NwAvGuy says the 80 ohm are very marginal with ipod etc.

Edit: The FiiO should help.

 

[Paulq]

NwAvGuy says the 80 ohm are very marginal with ipod etc.

Edit: The FiiO should help.

Is there a better, reasonably priced, portable headphone amp you'd recommend to do the 80 ohm's justice with iPod etc?

 

[dalethorn]

Is there a better, reasonably priced, portable headphone amp you'd recommend to do the 80 ohm's justice with iPod etc?

Since the DT770-80 is marginal with an iPod alone, any amp that has gain over iPod alone should be good I suppose, but the specs for the E5 look very iffy at impedances higher than 32 ohms. Recommending another amp means form factor as well as amount of gain. The form factor with the E17 is good since it's like a slim deck of playing cards. Not as great a form factor, since it's square and has a protruding volume knob is the PA2V2. But the PA2V2 runs 100 hours on a charge as compared to 10 hours for the E17. The PA2V2 also uses two AA-NiMH replaceable batteries, while the E17 is a proprietary lithium. And the volume knob is worlds better than digital volume controls. Come to think of it, some of the FiiOs have volume knobs.

 

[quadpatch]

I don't know what the older DT770's are like, but the LE I got has a light clamp, and the fit is the most comfortable thing I've used except maybe the Shure 1840, and it's close to that. It's three times more comfortable than the Sennheiser Momentum. I can see a concern for warm weather, but unless a person's head gets unusually hot it shouldn't be much problem. BTW, I was listening to the ATH ESW11 all day, and switching to the DT770, it has bass! - Amazing difference.

Which one has bass there? The DT770 LE?

It's interesting what you say about the clamp. I found the clamp of the DT770 LE to be somewhere between average and slightly annoying, but not as bad as I remember the original DT770, which was deffinitely annoying. It's weird because the DT880 clamp I have is definitely light. I wonder if there is random variations because they all look they're made from the same parts.

I think the comfort of the DT770 LE is good, but the DT880 much better with the soft pads and lighter clamp. So far my most comfortable headphoens are the Denon D7000 and the Mad Dog.

Paul: I now have the DT880 / 600 Ohm and the DT770 / 32 Ohm and I still really want to get the DT990! I'd love to know what you think of the DT770, whichever version you end up getting.

 

[Paulq]

Paul: I now have the DT880 / 600 Ohm and the DT770 / 32 Ohm and I still really want to get the DT990! I'd love to know what you think of the DT770, whichever version you end up getting.

Hi quadpatch - hope you are keeping well.

I think you know my view of the DT990 - in my view one of the most under rated open headphones ever made and probably the one I still have the greatest affinity for as (for my ears) it does everything well. The 250 ohm is quite reasonably priced though I'd love to get my hands on the 32 ohm version as well .

As I mentioned earlier in the thread the DT770 is a headphone that I have coveted for some time but didn't get round to buying. As ever I tend to ask 'what will this do that my existing cans won't'? I am just really torn between the 32 and 80 ohm as, very very occasionally, I use them in the house with my iPod/iPhone so they need to do that justice too. The obvious choice is to go for the 32 ohm Limited Edition but, as above, am not really enthused by the pleather pads. For me an integral part of my Beyer experience is comfort like the DT990's - velour pads all the way for me.

PS: As an aside - on a recent trip to Singapore I bought some Alessandro MS1's - jury still out.

 

[dalethorn]

Which one has bass there? The DT770 LE?

It's interesting what you say about the clamp. I found the clamp of the DT770 LE to be somewhere between average and slightly annoying, but not as bad as I remember the original DT770, which was deffinitely annoying. It's weird because the DT880 clamp I have is definitely light. I wonder if there is random variations because they all look they're made from the same parts.

The bass comment was for the 770LE. And I can't imagine more comfortable. The Momentum is much worse. The GMP 8.35D and ATH M50 and Philips L1 are absolutely horrible compared to the 770 LE.