[Review] Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphones

Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphones

Well, I did it; as Julius Caesar said of his last bit of hi-fi, I came, I heard, I purchased.

I took along my favourite test CDs, plus the Grado SR 125s for comparison. And I listened - and listened - and listened... and there wasn't a lot of difference, you know. Both had the sound I like, that is the sound that doesn't sound like Sennheisers (see review of Sennheiser 650). But they were pretty alike in so many ways. Admittedly the Beyerdynamics (semi-open types with ear-enclosing earpieces) were comfier and they did have the lead emerging from one earpiece only (an arrangement that I think should be made mandatory by law). But was this sufficient justification for spending 400 Swissies (about £176)?

The thing that convinced me that I just had to have them was my very favourite CD, Gardiner's fabulous version of Monteverdi's Vespers, live at San Marco, Venice. With the Beyers, the halo around the voices and the dying away of the reverberation in the vast spaces of San Marco were beautifully caught.

They come in a nice aluminium storage box, with fitted foam insert, and a 5M extension cord comes as part of the package. The gold-plated plug is a two-in-one - the headphone jack unscrews to reveal a mini-jack plug for use with portable devices. So, I shall spend the rest of the night deafening myself ("even more", as Big Tone would undoubtedly add).

P.S. Some hours later, he comes up for air... Now that I've heard lots of different things, I think I see why Paul Birkett didn't like them. These are definitely NOT rock lover's headphones. If you're looking for the sort of bass that can only properly be measured on the Richter Scale, these do not deliver it. I tried it on a few bits of rock I own (and also on the "Riverdance" music, for example), and while it is perfectly fine for the way I want to hear music, I suspect that it won't be perfectly fine for many of you. This is where the Sennheisers might win out, with "better" bass - but then, can headphone diaphragms ever move enough air to deliver "good" bass?

 

Interesting review tones, hope your enjoying them, and you are right they were not for me, but I did recognise their good points. Very detailed, smooth, excellent midrange sweetness, pretty neutral.

However, as tones pointed out, they do not deliver slamming bass, and are far too laid back for rock and dance music for my tastes. The Sennheisers do have more bass, but they also have a bottom heavy sound which lacks the ultimate clarity I have also found I needed as well.

This is where I feel the Sony's excel, but they are totally different to either - they offer slamming bass, excellent clarity, detailed highs, but some may find them fatiguing, and in the wrong system they can be extremely coloured, but on the plus side they are less fussy about amplification than either the Beyers or the Senn's, and have the kind of soundstage reserved only for the AKG K1000. But then they are MUCH more expensive than the Beyers.

Anyway, good review tones.

 

Tones:
Yes, the DT 880 are excellent.
I'm surprised though that you found that there wasn't a lot of difference when directly compared to the SR 125 (which I haven't heard) and you rather found them "pretty alike in so many ways".
Would be interesting to know what exactly made you buy the Beyers then, as I would rather chose something really different or at least something with a different approach towards the music as a second pair of headphones.

PBirkett:
Finally received my Alessando MS-Pros (the ones based on Grado's RS-1) and find myself absolutely amazed. Changed the stock bowl pads to flat pads (helps indeed to further tame the treble) and run it through Grado's little RA-1 (which maybe would be an idea for your Sony's as these seem to be also 32 ohms phones like all Grados) and the result is simply stunning. Bass is really deeeeep (down to 12 HZ) but still tight, loads of midrange details plus a clear but non fatiguing treble. Very involving without being too agressive and far from being laid back. Still not the most comfortable cans out there - but I hope to get used to it...
Really: you should give these a listen some day - it's quite a different story than the lower range Grados (up to the 325). Got it for £ 410 (Including post and customs) - which still is a lot but at least less than Swiss Grado rates (£430 for the RS-2 / £ 608 for the RS-1). So this will be a weekend of hot ears for me I guess...

 

Re: Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphones

Well, you'd think not but my Sony EX70s (earplug style) have a driver that's at most 5mm in diametre and they deliver quite astonishingly good bass - in many ways better than my Dynaudios at home

It's actually quite odd hearing the type of bass that you normally associate with intestinal rearrangment as a side effect but obviously not getting that effect.

Michael.

 

Hi MTL, the Grado RS-1 is probably the only other high end can that would appeal to me, and maybe I will try them one day if the Sonys die and I cant get them fixed or replaced (seems to be something of a challenge getting those things fixed if they die), although I am not really sure that the RA-1 would be a good match for the Sony's, as I feel it might be a bit strident and rough sounding, although its built for the RS-1 its also good at driving Sennheiser (seems to make them less laid back), but the Sonys dont have that problem. The RA-1 is also very expensive for what it is IMO. I hope you get used to the comfort, because when I had them they were appalling for their comfort (or lack of it). Given all that, if the Sonys were to depart my company, I really dont know what could step into their shoes, such is the high standards they set for the money. Give them a listen yourself one day if you get the chance

 

As well as better sound (admittedly slightly), I got them for some practical reasons (a) I really like the comfort - although I find the Grados comfortable enough, the Beyers are nicer to wear, and (b) I really like the cord being only on one side, as opposed to joining under your chin. As I said, all headphones should be required by law to have such an arrangement (personal foible). I'm also not keen on Grado's earpieces sliding on a rod - I can live with it, but I find it a bit irritating. So, in sum, the Beyers gave me the sound I like with the practical features I like.

Your new headphones sound great, but 'way out of my price bracket, I'm afraid. To me, the DT880s offer the best deal at my end of the market.