DT 990 PRO

This was, most certainly, not an impulse buy on my part but rather the result of a very long search for a good all-around open-back headphone, light and comfortable, with near reference sound quality (yet not overly analytical) and a reasonable price. Was that too much to ask for? Apparently not, since that search led me here: to the Beyerdynamic DT990-Pro-250. Now, for those who are curious (as I was) about that extra "AMS" label as seen here on this Amazon listing: the AMS stands for "American Music and Sound" - this is the US pro-audio distributor of Beyerdynamic. So the AMS is just an unnecessary marketing label - there is just one type of DT990-Pro, which is this one, regardless whether you buy it in North-America, Europe, Asia, etc. That aside, let me start off with the build quality: The DT990-Pro is made entirely of ABS plastic, save for the headband and the forks holding the cans, which are made of metal (aluminum, I'd say, from the weight of it). The head-band is covered with a soft black plastic material held in place by four small clasp-buttons. The DT990-Pro is surprisingly light and extremely comfortable (in this it rivals the other "most-comfortable" headphones I have here, the Sennheiser HD-598). Overall I'd rate the build quality as top-notch, save for the somewhat under-designed cable strain relief (located on the left can). The cable is about 3m log, it is coiled and it ends with a 1/8in jack. A screw-on 1/4in jack is also provided. The strain-relief of the cable at the can attachment point seems (to me) a little too small because the coiled cable is very heavy and with use (given sufficient time) I can see it failing and leading to cable/connectivity issues. Also (this is just a minor personal quibble) the silver velour pads may seem dirty depending on how the light hits them (but again, no big deal, especially since black-velour or leather pads for it are available on Amazon or elsewhere). On to sound quality: Computer/audio gear used during my listening tests: MacBook-Pro w/ Mac OS X 10.6.8 XMOS USB 2.0 Audio Reference Design Asynchronous DAC (44.1-192kHz/24bit), HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC (32-96kHz/24bit), Matrix M-Stage Headphone Amp, FiiO E12-Mont Blanc Headphone Amp Beyerdynamic DT990-Pro Open Headphones (250 ohm, 96dB/mW) Audio-Technica ATH-A900 closed-back headphones (40 ohm, 101dB/mW), Superlux HD-681 semi-open headphones (32 ohm, 98dB/mW), and Sennheiser HD-598 open headphones (50 ohm, 100dB/mW). Playback software: Audacity, iTunes, VLC Source quality: standard CD 44.1kHz/16bit, and native HD 88.2-96kHz/24bit Audio cables: 3.5mm to RCA (3ft), and RCA-to-RCA (3ft), AUVIO and Monoprice brands The Sound (overall conclusion both DACs/HP-Amps): Good dynamics, detail and clarity, well staged and with good imaging. In terms of frequency response these headphones are tuned such as to emphasize/boost the low and high ends. Perhaps the best way to summarize the DT990-Pro sound by comparison with the other three headphones I have here would be this: The DT990-Pro nearly matches the Superlux HD681 in bass impact without sacrificing dynamics, it easily matches the Sennheiser HD598 in mid-range sparkle, staging, and imaging, and gives the Audio-Technica ATH-A900 a good run for the money in terms of highs extension. The closest of my other headphones in terms of overall SQ would be the Sennheiser HD598. However, despite the slightly more neutral presentation of the Sennheiser's, I find the DT990-Pro sound far more preferable. The DT990-Pro has a much better low end, and has smoother, more extended highs without that slight veil characteristic to Sennheiser headphones (clearly the Sennheiser HD-598 are decent cans but somehow I could never get too excited about their sound, hence my search for a different pair of open-back headphones). Also, the DT990-Pro manages to present the high end with what I'd call more "precision" than the ATH-A900 without sounding as grainy, and with just as much aplomb as the Superlux without sounding as (excessively) bright. Note: The DT990-Pro are both high impedance (250ohm) and relatively less efficient than the other cans I mentioned here (they only manage 96dB/mW) and thus amping is a must for anyone wishing to get the most out of them. For instance, my iPod Shuffle 1-st Gen (max output: 0.57Vrms) cannot drive them to any reasonable listening level (without severe clipping) and only manages a lifeless, distorted, garbled presentation, while the MacBook-Pro sound card (1.4Vrms) drives them to sufficiently loud levels but with pretty obvious distortions (for an overall harsh, fatiguing presentation.) Based on my experience with such sources I would not recommend these cans for use with portable devices without a proper amp. Also to note: the DT990-Pro do require at least 8-10hr of initial break-in to start sounding right (before that the sound is overly bassy, and somewhat unfocused/cloudy). As of this writing I have 30-35hrs on it and for sound quality I'd break things out like this: Bass Extension: 6/10 Bass Impact: 7/10 Bass Texture: 7/10 (solid) Mids Quality: 7.5/10 Highs Extension: 8.5/10 Highs Quality: 8/10 (vivid) Highs Texture: 7.5/10 (soft) Detail/Transparency: 8/10 (clear) Dynamics: 8.5/10 (natural) Soundstage: 8/10 Imaging: 7/10 Other: Isolation: 2/10 (open design) Comfort: 9/10 Design/Aesthetics: 9/10 (classic Beyerdynamic design) Build quality: 9/10 Portability: 5/10 (fairly large size) Improvement w/ Amplification: 8.5/10 (Note: Amping is recommended!) Value at MSRP: (9/10) [I gave it a 9/10 here only because, by comparison, the $30 Superlux HD681 is still a better bang for the buck!] To conclude, the Beyerdynamic DT990-Pro are near reference headphones which sacrifice some neutrality for the sake of a more natural sounding, or rather, a more fleshed-out acoustic presentation. As far as I'm concerned, it suffices to say that the DT990-Pro is the only headphone I have here that I can listen to (with any kind of music) without EQ and not feel that I might be missing something (and that, I think, says a lot). All in all, a remarkable offering from Beyerdynamic, highly recommended!

I will post what I posted on Head-Fi. Before I get to the review I should add that this has not been burned in yet so this is an impression of the initial sound. I should also add I listen to mostly pop, but also bass heavy music as well as other genres. The term audiophile basshead would best fit me and my sound signature taste. Equipment: - FiiO E12 amplifier - Behringer UCA222 DAC - ViPER4Windows audio software Comfort: You'll have to try them on to really appreciate their comfort. The revviews say there is a heavy clamping force but I beg to differ...it's quite low and enough to the point where it stays on your head and is hardly noticeable. The earpads are very soft and have a ridonkulous amount of cushion to them, they're like pillows and they engulf my ears which is nice. 11/10, far more comfortable than my electrowaves with DT770EVB earpads. Sound: Bass - Not as strong as open cans, and not nearly as strong as all of the reviews claim...but still strong for open cans. These do have bass, don't get me wrong...but not basshead pleasing without EQing and adjusting other bass related settings. Once everything is adjusted properly, it can provide some nice bass, but it still lacks a bit in quantity. The quality is quite good though, although like one review I came across said, it does sacrifice quantity for quality. It was a bit difficult finding the right settings, but I will definitely post a picture of those below for insight. I also did find the right driver to rattle, it is probably a hair, but it has not gone away yet...will have to figure out how to fix that. 9/10 Mids - I am not too concerned about the mids, and haven't had cans that are good with mids...so I cannot say much here. I will say, and take this with a grain of salt considering my situation, that the vocals of songs were stunning. I haven't heard vocals like that from anything and am very impressed. Some said that the mids were a bit recessed...I would agree if the bass is set high enough, it can definitely overpower the mids if that is the case. I would disagree when it comes to the vocals though, they were right up front regardless of the bass. 9/10 Highs - The supposed killing factor for most...I say that's pure bollocks. I am treble sensitive, I don't like piercing notes as they give me a headache. When I first put these on, I did so with an amp and that's it. I can see why people say it can be a bit much, but it's nothing to be concerned about. I did get a little bit of fatigue from the treble, but people are over exaggerating. I found the treble to ever so slightly sibilant, but nothing major. 8.5/10 Leak - These are open cans, expect them to let in sound, and let out sound. I can hear my TV quite well, with these on as I type. While it is a tiny bit muffled, it's still very much audible and it's of acceptable volume. As for sound going out, these do leak more than you would expect, so be prepared for that. If you have your EQ/software settings set to a more dark sound it will not leak as much, but them mids and highs are going to be heard loud and clear. 6/10 Imaging - Not quite sure what this is, but following the definition I would say these do that quite well. Cannot say much else, but reproduction does seem to be good. I don't know if this fits here or not, but poorly recorded songs or songs with poor quality will definitely suffer in all sections. I won't rate this. Soundstage - This is what impressed me the most. I was frequently surprised at hearing an instrument or sound I never knew was there in quite a few songs. The soundstage is much wider than I expected, and throughly impressed me. 10/10 Build quality: I would tent to agree with the others on this. Everything is good...it's German made, so it not a surprise. I really don't need to add to this as others have already said what I'd say. 9/10 Design: I'll keep it short and sweet since this isn't really relevant. It's nice, but I definitely prefer the premium look. Plastic doesn't appeal to me, but it is designed well. I won't rate this. Overall I'd say this would earn an 8.5/10. It could do better in aspects, but it is quite well. If "audiophile basshead" fits you, then this will likely appeal to you, if you lean more towards a heavier basshead it likely won't. I for one am happy with it...can't wait to hear how it sounds at 100 hours. It could use a bit more bass though. I will update when the 100 hour burn in is complete. I have about 4-5 hours under the belt, but due to the rattling issue I am likely going to RMA so I will have to start over again.

I’m by no means an audiophile, but I do care about all forms of digital consumption enough to make an investment in a good pair of headphones. I usually categorize my headphones based on needs and wants. For example, I use Sony Hear Ons as “lifestyle” headphones because of the Bluetooth capabilities and its portability. I also have the AKG K553’s as my “reference” headphones for editing. My goals for my next pair is something I could use with my desk setup for studio use as my daily headphone. After reading a plethora of head-fi posts and watching multiple YouTube reviews, my search led to the Beyerdynamic DT990 pros and to this day I can’t get enough of them. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect it to be a premium headphone due to the fact that it’s made almost entirely out of plastic except for the headband and the arms connecting it to the ear cups. The headband is wrapped with a soft layer of fake leather, which can attach and detach with a few clasp buttons. Don’t let the nearly plastic design fool you because it’s pretty high-quality polymer plastic and the build itself is solid. In most cases, it’s actually a good thing because it makes for a lighter headphone, perfect for long uses. The adjustments aren’t as smooth as an all-metal design, but it works fine and can extend to fit almost any head. The cable is coiled and runs around 3 meters ending in a gold-plated 3.5 mm jack. It also comes with a screw on 1/4 inch adapter, which is also gold-plated. Beyerdynamic is known for their velour ear pads and they’re probably the best part aside from the sound. It has a plush and smooth feeling unlike any other. The clamping force is somewhat tight, but I got used to it pretty fast. Some people might be concerned about the whole velour vs pleather thing and based on the performance and comfort I wouldn’t worry about that. Just to clarify, velour is known to be more open with less isolation compared to pleather. It’s also known to be harder to keep clean (can get dusty) simply due to the nature of the material itself. In terms of sound, I actually prefer the more open soundstage, which makes sense since it’s already an open-backed design. If you’re worried about cleanliness just make sure you wipe it often and try not to use it if you’re super sweaty from the gym or anything like that. Judgement on looks is subjective, but the comfort is out of the question. Given the light-weight form factor and velour pads, I found the DT 990 pros to be cloud-like even after hours of usage. Now for the good part, the sound quality. As previously stated, I’m no audiophile, but I have to say that these headphones are no joke. I’m pretty basic so I listen to most mainstream music (EDM, Hip-Hop, Chillstep, etc.) on Spotify, I watch plenty of YouTube, and I also watch a bunch of TV shows and movies on Netflix on my MacBook Pro. I also use these when I game on my PS4 Pro. With these factors for reference, I found these headphones to be my best audio investment yet. The bass is definitely prominent especially for an open back design without being too overpowering. It’s actually the biggest factor as to why I decided on buying these because I was looking for an open back headphone with good bass, which led me to the DT 990’s in the first place because they’re known to be great with both features. Between the Pros and the Premiums, a bit of research led me to conclude that the Pros had slightly more bass, which I prefer. The mids have a lot of detail but don’t shine as much. The highs are incredibly clear but can get a bit too bright for my taste. Sometimes it’ll result in a slight ear piercing sensation depending on what I’m listening too, but your mileage may vary. The soundstage is wide and gives a great representation of spatial cues resulting in an accurate listening experience. The 250 Ohm model is the sweet spot out of the three, but make sure you have a good amp to power them. Personally, I use the Behringer AMP800 Four Channel Headphone Amp and it works great. I tried connecting it to my iPhone for comparison and it’s still listenable, but you’ll have to max out the volume. I’ve had my DT 990’s for over two years now and it definitely stands the test of time. Unless you have a bunch of money to spend on something like a pair of Sennheiser HD800’s, there’s really no need to look any further when presented with great value. The price is just right even for the average consumer and offers professional grade quality. Having crystal clear audio isn’t hard to get, but when making an investment it’s important to read the fine print and research all the opinions. With the DT 990’s I can truly enjoy all digital content and I’m confident that you will too.

I broke my Sennheiser hd 595's after 14 years of use and was pretty bummed. They were 32 ohm and had the softest easiest sound that I had grown very accustomed to after several years working from home full time. Those cans got thousands of hours of play time. They were gentle and did not fatigue easily at all. At first the pressure of the headband gave me a headache but after a month that goes away. When I bought the 595's it was a toss up with the 990's and this time I went with the 990 pros in 250 ohm. I thought my desktop bang olufsen realtek drivers would cover the impedance and it kind of worked but there was alot more to be extracted. I tried an old audio interface rated at 80ohms on the hf out and that was better but I really started thinking I was going to need a dedicated DAC with amp or just an amp designed to run these 250's at their full potential. finally I remembered I had an old Onkyo reciever in my basement which had a headphone jack. This thing must have a 10lb transformer inside of it, its an ht-r510. When I run the bang output of the pc into the cd in on the onkyo I get a decent line level and can drive these 990 pros the way they were designed to be run. These cans compared to the HD595's are on a whole different level. The sound stage first of all is massive and very detailed. when you listen to a mix like Yussef Kamal's black focus or LTJ Bukem The Rebirth, you are given a pretty good example of what these cans can do with their drivers. The high hats, bass, snare, vocals, keys, lead, melodies, they all sit in their own distinctive area and are very easy to interpret. The old 595's sort of wiped all of these together in a soft but comfortable listening fabric. The 990's are very different, it almost gives me anxiety on some tracks and this is where I will say that having a 8 to 10 band eq is very helpful. It seems to me that around 8k things are a bit bright and I found myself attenuating 1 through 20khz to my own taste. I gave a subtle 2db boost to the 60hz and 32hz on the low end and cut the 500hz by 2db because the mid vocals were a bit too prominent. This allowed me to achieve the balanced sound of my old 595's but with a very massive sound stage. I dont know what causes this sound stage to be so much larger than my old cans, maybe the drivers are bigger in the 990's but it is incredible. I really enjoy the 990's so far and have a few hours of listening on them as of this review. If you are scratching your head over a good headphone amp and already have a decent desktop DAC, maybe look at a vintage receiver like mine. I have an Onkyo HT-R510 which can be had used for under $50 and runs the heck out of these 250 ohm 990 pros like nothing, I cannot bear to listen to them even past half volume because the receiver can push them so hard. I am realizing that now I can add phono to my office, I have a ton of vinyl albums, and now I have an excuse to add some decent floor standing speakers to jam on as well. On a side note, I tried the 990's for playing pubg. I dont really play alot of games in fact I only play pubg. These are very nice for determining where footsteps are. It is a bit odd when someone is below or above you, I have trouble telling if someone is a building over or if they are in mine. either way you know someone's coming and its time to get real. I had alot of fun using these to play pubg. I look forwards to doing further testing on some flac audio and maybe getting a tidal subscription. On a side note, I really like the mod I keep seeing which allows you to use a balanced removable cable. I could do this easily.

Usage: PC Gaming mainly, Light Music. Set up: Running dt-990s straight to a SoundBlaster AE-5 internal soundcard's headphone jack. The soundcard is set to the 150-600 ohm output, 32-bit 384Khz/192Khz. Some games will not output at 384Khz so i drop it to 192Khz when necessary. First the Bad...Or why 4 stars instead of 5... You need an AMP, or a Soundcard that outputs 250ohm. Otherwise you won't hear anything. Simple as that. These things are loud to. If i'm playing a FPS like Squad44(post scriptum) or warhammer darktide i set the volumn around 38. If i'm playing something like Baldurs Gate 3 i set to 48 maybe 50. But I never go over 50%. It hurts. Like 'maybe this is permanent damage' kinda loud... The highs are blindingly bright... To everyone else reading, these can be piercing in thier high end frequencies. I set my soundcard to a fast roll off and that helped alot. In short they really benefit from some EQ work on your end. The Good... OMG the sound.... Worth every penny. I cannot stress how good the sound quality is. The open back Drivers have an amazing sound stage. It is absolutely night and day compared to closed back sets. The tones and depths are vibrant and clear. The highs are bright, but the mids and the lows are perfect and clear. Bass is deep and clear. Cello suite number 1 in G, by Bach; It's like you're sitting in between them live. It's beautiful. I typically turn off in game music. Most of it isn't that great and i usually care more about the ambient sounds in my games. The DT-990s changed that... They just sound so good it seems like a shame to not have it playing. Unless the soundtrack is completly annoying i leave the game music on now. Game performance is top notch. The excellent soundstage is superrior to the fake emmulated surround sound of almost any gaming headset. They don't distort either. For example i'm playing Post-Scriptum or Squad44 on the Utah Beach map. The artillery blasts make my sennheisers cry, my LG pro- xs shudder etc... But the 990s do it right. If you have a seperate mic or can get one i highly recommend these for gaming. Comfort. I'll keep it short. They feel fantastic. They're light but not cheaply made. they seal nice without being tight and the padding doesn't get hot. They even feel good when i wear glasses. I need glasses for things outside of about 6 foot, so i don't wear them alot with headsets. But i wore them to watch TV and got through a movie without any discomfort from them or the glasses. I absolutely would suggest these for gaming and music.

First of all, here's my wannabe audiophile setup: Fiio E17K DAC, Apple Iphone 4S or Lenovo E530 laptop. I use primarily Flac high quality audio files on the laptop and convert them to .M4A files for the iPhone. Personally, I can tell a huge difference between these types versus MP3's. Anyway, I just returned a new pair of $300 PSB M4U after being totally unimpressed. I have $60 Yamaha RH5MA and $160 Audio Technica ATH M-50's to compare with these DT-990's. These are the 250 Ohm version and they will need a good amplifier to push them if you like to listen to your music loudly. I do and even my E-17K DAC did not give me as much volume as I would like when I really rock out. Other than that, I absolutely adore these BeyerDynamics. From what I can tell, these are identical in sound and quality to the much more expensive "Premium" model, these are the AMS DT-990 Pro series. They are robust and extremely comfortable, much more comfortable than the PSB's and M-50's and even better than the RH5MA's. The PSB M4U's have serious quality control issues, both metal covers on the headband broke and fell off within three days. Additionally, one of the audio cables did not have a left channel. These DT-990's will make you feel like the Lobot character on the original Star Wars (Cloud City, Lando's assistant) but they are like holding a tiny kitten lightly to your ears as far as comfort. The adjustment stays adjusted, it does not slide up and down like most earphones. Sound is the most important aspect of earphones, right? These have superb sound right out of the box. While I found the PSB M4U's to have no better soundstage than the M-50's or even the $60 Yamahas, the DT-990's have a clarity that surpasses the others by a long way. I really like my other headphones, those RH5MA's are awesome for their price and the M-50's were worth the additional price but these cans have more clarity, a wider stage, a generally warmer feel than the others. I have about 200 hours on the RH5MA and M-50's and had about 40 on the PSB M4U's, the DT-990's had better sound than any without any burn-in period. Unless the sound actually gets worse as I continue to use these, I have very high expectations. So far, I have around 20 hours using them and they are fantastic. What the DT-990's do not have is a huge amount of bass; plenty for me when I listen to Van Halen, Led Zep, Fleetwood Mac but if you're into dance music, you may want more. The highs and mids are terrific to me, every instrument is clear and realistic, the vocals are precise and I haven't had the painful highs that I had in the others. Of course, I need to get some more amplifier under these to really know how they will sound at high volume. I have never had the opportunity to listen to super premium headphones like the BeyerDynamic Tesla, Sennheiser HD 800 or Grado PS-1000 so understand that my experience is with headphones $300 and under. If anybody wants to send me a free pair of Tesla or HD-800, just let me know. As I save up for my next step up to over $500, I am confident that I will be a very happy camper during the wait.

I am what you might call a "budget audiophile." I care deeply about sound quality, but I simply can't afford the kind of system I would want. Instead, I own a few pairs of high quality headphones, store my music in the Apple Lossless (ALAC) format, and play everything through a quality external DAC and headphone amp, the (unfortunately discontinued) Nuforce Icon HD . I was hoping that the DT-990-Pro would combine the best features of the Sennheiser HD 598 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50 , and that's more or less exactly what it does. Let me explain. About 50-60% of my music library is hard rock and heavy metal (everything from Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Guns N' Roses to Metallica and Pantera to extreme death and black metal like Suffocation, Nile, Immortal, etc.). Before I bought the DT-990-Pro, I owned two pairs of headphones, the HD 598 and the ATH-M50. The HD 598 dominates the M50 in almost every respect that audiophiles care about: significantly more clarity and detail, a wider and deeper soundstage, much better instrument separation, etc. Moreover, the 598 is known for its "laid back" presentation: the lower frequencies are recessed relative to the M50, and the higher frequencies sound "rounded out," so you don't get any booming bass or sharp (and possibly fatiguing) sibilance. Because of this, the HD 598 is ideal for recreational listening of jazz, classical, and lighter music that emphasizes clean vocals (I'm a big Fiona Apple fan, for example, and the HD 598 remains my go-to for that kind of music). However, with such a laid back presentation, it is suboptimal for hard rock and metal. With the 598, you don't get heavy and pronounced bass tones, the sharp "THWAP!" of the kick drum, and guitar solos that really soar above the music; in general it's just too smooth and wimpy for that kind of music. For this reason, I found myself reaching for the M50 whenever I wanted to listen to rock and metal, but I hated making the sacrifice in sound quality. Enter the DT-990-Pro. Some reviewers have complained about its relatively pronounced lows and highs, but in my opinion, that is precisely what makes it excellent for harder rock (as well as hip hop and electronic music). With the DT-990-Pro, you get a clarity and soundstage comparable to the HD 598--the DT-990-Pro is arguably slightly more accurate than the HD 598, especially at higher frequencies, but the HD 598 has more soundstage--combined with the "kick" of the M50. I no longer have to make any kind of tradeoff when I listen to Slayer and Testament. Now, these headphones are at the same time very versatile, and suit a wide variety of music. I am impressed by how good they sound no matter what I throw at them: Brahms, Dvorak, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Aimee Mann, Radiohead, the Wu-Tang Clan. So do not get the impression that these are "specialty" headphones suitable only for rock and metal. Far from it. As other reviewers have already noted, the DT-990-Pro is very, very comfortable--indeed the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. A word of advice: at 250 Ohms of impedance, it does require a headphone amp to be driven properly and produce sufficient volume. If you plan on listening directly through a laptop or portable music device, I recommend the 32 Ohm "Premium" model . Given its excellent sound and versatility, the DT-990-Pro may be the best headphone in its price range.

I finally decided to take the plunge into a really nice set of headphones - my nicest set previously was a set of $60 Sennheiser HD 429's . While those were decent, they didn't come anywhere close to some of the high end cans that I had tried and I got tired of being disappointed every time I listened to music or watched a movie with them. After months of shopping around online and reading reviews I decided to visit a music store to try some out. After all my due diligence I had settled on the Audio-Technica ATH-M50S but I didn't buy them at the store since I knew I could get them online for cheaper. Well, when I went to buy them here on Amazon I read through a few reviews and saw Beyerdynamics mentioned over and over again, and after reading a lot about them I decided that I wanted to spend a few more bucks and try out the DT-990 Pro 250 Ohm. It was a bit of a risk since I hadn't tried them in person but knew I could return them if not happy with them. Well, they showed up today - in fact I'm listening to them right now - and let me just say that as soon as I finish this review I'm going to buy another pair for my wife. Bottom line: WOW! The sound that these headphones produce is the most open, deep, detailed, crystal clear sound that I have ever heard. I was a bit concerned about the 250ohm rating at first because I didn't know if my gear would be able to drive them without an amp, but both my PC and Oknyo receiver can power them with no problem. I do have to crank it to about 80% of max volume on my PC to get the sound level that I want, so I'll still probably invest in an amp to be able to drive them at a lower level for cleaner sound. I also want to be able to use them with my wife in the theater room after the kids have gone to bed and I'll need a multi-channel amp to do that. But holy cow these things have low hitting bass, the midrange is tight and crystal clear, and the highs are powerful but not overpowering. They are very well balanced. So far I've listened to some rap/hip-hop, metal, emo, classical, and even opera, and these things shine with any genre! I am so excited to watch a movie them. I really like the open back and I think that'll be nice when watching a movie with the wife so we can still talk to each other without having to completely remove the headphones. These are worth every penny if you're in the market for a nice high-end set of headphones. The only drawback is that you can clearly hear everything that you're listening to on the outside due to the open back, and I imagine they won't block outside noise very well, but I just plan to use them at home in a quiet environment like my office or theater room where it won't matter if they leak a little sound and there won't be any ambient noise to worry about. P.S. Forgot to talk about comfort, which is OFF THE CHARTS! They a have nice furry covers which are extremely comfortable, the clamping pressure isn't too tight, and I FINALLY found a set of cans that has openings big enough to fit my huge ears! With the M50S that I was going to buy my ears hurt after demoing them for about 20 minutes, and the clamping pressure was pretty tight but I read you can stretch them out to improve that. But I've been wearing these straight out of the box for nearly 2 hours now and just took them off and I don't even feel like I've been wearing anything. That is so much better than the normal 5-10 minutes of aching ears after taking off pretty much any other set of headphones that I have ever used. So if you have large ears or a big head these are perfect for you!

Amazing product. Meets all my needs. And is mega comfortable.

Uso queste Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm insieme alla mia Audient iD4 MK2 e al microfono Rode PodMic XLR, e si sono rivelate un’ottima scelta. Il suono è molto aperto e dettagliato: bassi equilibrati, medi chiari e alti brillanti (a volte un po’ spinti, ma facilmente gestibili con una leggera equalizzazione). La scena sonora è ampia e precisa, perfetta per ascolto critico, editing audio e musica. Il comfort è eccellente: i pad in velluto sono morbidi e non scaldano, e la costruzione è solida come ci si aspetta da Beyerdynamic. Con la iD4 MK2 vengono pilotate senza problemi: la scheda ha abbastanza potenza per farle rendere molto bene.

رائعة جدا بس تمنيت يجي معه حقيبة قوية جدا السماعة بطلة يعطيك الصوت الحقيقي وغير كذا خفيفة جدا على الأذان نصيحة إذا تبي سماعة بطلة خذ هذي السماعة وانت متطمن جودة صوت خفة على الأذان من جدا سماعة رائع جدا

Ho scelto le DT 990 Pro perché cercavo cuffie cablate di alta qualità per mixaggio, mastering e lavoro di editing audio, con un suono dettagliato e un comfort adatto a lunghe sessioni. Prima impressione Appena tolte dalla scatola, le cuffie trasmettono subito solidità e qualità costruttiva. Il design over-ear è comodo e avvolgente, con padiglioni morbidi e fascia regolabile che permette di trovare facilmente la giusta calzata. Il cavo singolo e la connettività cablata danno una sensazione di affidabilità professionale. Uso nella vita quotidiana Le utilizzo principalmente per mixaggio e ascolto critico in studio. Il suono aperto e dettagliato aiuta a percepire sfumature, bilanciamenti e frequenze basse, medie e alte in modo chiaro. Anche dopo ore di lavoro, i padiglioni rimangono comodi e non affaticano le orecchie. La resistenza di 250 Ohm richiede una buona scheda audio o amplificatore, ma in cambio si ottiene un suono molto preciso e neutro. Cosa funziona bene Suono dettagliato e preciso, ottimo per studio, mix e mastering. Comfort elevato grazie ai padiglioni morbidi e fascia regolabile. Design cablato robusto e affidabile. Costruzione di qualità “Made in Germany”. Adatte a lunghe sessioni senza affaticamento. Cosa convince meno Impedenza di 250 Ohm richiede un amplificatore adeguato per ottenere volume ottimale. Suono aperto: non isolano molto dai rumori esterni. Cavo singolo lungo, ingombrante se non gestito bene sulla scrivania. Conclusione Le beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro sono cuffie professionali perfette per chi lavora in studio e cerca precisione sonora e comfort. Ideali per mixaggio, mastering e editing, offrono un suono neutro e dettagliato, pur richiedendo attrezzatura adeguata per sfruttarne al meglio le potenzialità.

Okay so I started researching headphones a while ago and being new to the whole "how much for those cans??!!" market, I was sceptical of how much of a difference they would make and nervous about which ones to get. Short review line is, these are excellent. Job done, you can go now. Not satisfied? Well I've tested them out against my 5.1 Logitech z906 speakers which are running on an optical connection (worth noting that the DT990s are running from a Creative Labs G5 dac). In games the bass on the headphones is incredible. Cannon fire in World of Warships woke me up and not because it was loud but just because I'd never heard such a boom before. I've also been testing this on music (not an audiophile so bear with me here) and having just ran Masterchef Synesthesiaby by Swede Mason through both, one after the other, the sound was distinctive. I get why people say these cans aren't for bass heads after this test, not that it's from a lack of bass on the cans but because it's airy. The speakers delivered a wall of sound which I felt as much as heard and the result was the bass was powerful but messy. I couldn't tell one bass line from another. With the DT990s I can tell which bass line is doing what without any effort whatsoever but it doesn't assault my head with a rumble designed to make soup of my brain (that's both an advantage and a disadvantage in my book). I can say however that the bass isn't lacking. Spread Your Love doesn't have quite the dirty bass I'm used to. Keine Lust comes through nice and punchy (as I've just found out, ensure you have that dac set to direct audio or you're wasting the potential of these cans) but unlike most headphones, iems and speakers I've tried this track on, I can separate the guitars perfectly, even in the busy chorus. Now, for build quality, these feel excellent. I've broken many headsets in my time and the only ones to last have been a pair of Sennheiser PC323Ds which these DT990s are replacing. I've got confidence that these cans will last a good long while. They're solid and feel like they're going to be heavy but really aren't when they're on your head. As for fit, I have an inordinately large cranium (stop giggling!) and they fit fine. Firm clamping force fresh out of the box. Nothing uncomfortable. Does feel a little warm around my head but I'm more of a cold weather guy and it's been up to 26c in front of my pc the last couple of nights so I'm putting it down to that. Accessories wise, you get the necessary and no more. The jack adaptor seems robust and well made (the threads on the screw joint into the 3.5mm work fine, which is usually the test of a decent engineer), the bag is nothing special and there's nothing else in the box. If you like rock music from System of a Down to AC/DC and Queen Adreena, I'd say you can buy with confidence. As a parting note, I'm listening to Midlife Crysis by Faith no More as I write this and not only am I finding new pieces of the music that I can enjoy, the bass is there like I've never heard before. It's no longer a background of continual growl without much rhythm but specific notes! I am very impressed with these cans (as you can probably tell). Now all I'm left wondering at is what you'd get for the £2k cans and above? If this is the lower end of the range then call me a philistine and leave me happy here.