beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO Open-Back Studio Headphones

Perfect for big head and ears Love it!

The Headphones have arrived today (took 14 business days total).

The Headphones are very comfortable the cable feels a bit weird with the coiled cord.

Doesn't scratch my ears (for pals with big ears I suggest)

Sound quality is amazing.

Even with the open back the sound feels amazing during gaming.

Adjustability with the headband is very nice I can remove the rubber or keep it and It fits big heads so that's a plus.

As far as Value for money I purchased a used one and even with fees the price came way below then the market price in Israel.

Beau Bidwell

April 6, 2026

Best Comfort

I’ve been using the DT 990 Pro headset for a while now, and overall it’s one of the best audio experiences I’ve had—especially for the price.

Sound Quality:

This is where it really shines. The audio is super clear with a wide soundstage, which makes a huge difference for gaming and music. You can hear footsteps and directional cues way better than with typical headsets. The bass is present but not overwhelming, and the highs are very crisp (sometimes a little too crisp depending on the track).

Comfort:

Extremely comfortable. The velour ear pads are soft and breathable, and I can wear them for hours without any discomfort. The clamping force is just right—not too tight, not too loose.

Build Quality:

Feels solid and durable. Definitely built to last. The cable is attached (not detachable), which might be a downside for some people, but it hasn’t been an issue for me.

Things to Consider:

• These are open-back, so sound leaks in and out. Not ideal if you’re in a noisy space or don’t want others hearing your audio.

• They don’t have a built-in mic, so you’ll need a separate one for gaming or calls.

• Depending on the version (like 250 ohm), you may need an amp to get the best performance.

Final Thoughts:

If you care about sound quality and comfort, these are absolutely worth it. Just make sure you understand the open-back design and setup requirements before buying.

Verdict: Amazing for gaming, music, and long sessions—just not for noisy environments or plug-and-play simplicity.

These headphones are so tuff I just wish they were louder

They have amazing sound and I love these headphones I just think on a PC or PS5 they sound quiet. With my record player, though the sound is beautiful and loud. Hopefully there’s something I can find to make them louder. but otherwise they fit well and feel really good. Also the cord is to long and my chair keeps on running over it lol

0:11

bassronin

January 12, 2026

Worthy for the price

I've owned these for about 8 years now. I've changed out the ear pads a few times. On the 3rd headband which is a real leather band I ordered online. The pleather ones they come with eventually disintegrate in the climate I'm in or maybe in general. These are really comfortable to wear for long periods. I think the main downside of these are the wiring to the monitors. It's basically thin insulated wiring running along metal and that metal will eventually cut into the insulation of the wires and expose the wires. The only other thing is, these are a little on the bright side. The bass is decent enough for my taste. There's also a metal pop you'll hear at times when putting these on. Think there's some sort of shift in the metal parts that create the noise. I'm looking to buy another pair of these. Mainly because this headband was nearly half the price of the monitors. Thing is, when I bought them originally they were $149.

Jonathan Smith

December 14, 2025

Sound quality: 4/5 | Material quality: 1/5

I want to start by saying, if you’re getting these for gaming… it is 100% a step up from overpriced headphones advertised as “gaming” headsets. The sound quality is top notch. If it sounds like I’m about to say but, it’s cause I am.

The sound may be better but the material quality is not. I, like most people (not even just gamers) don’t rock both sides over ears most of the time. I leave one ear uncovered 90% of the time. This has destroyed the adjustable section (picture attached). Most products focus on improved durability for high stress areas: they did not with these headphones. If they make that change, I think this headset would be a 4/5.

Love the sound, but durability isn’t it 😕

I really liked these headphones at first — super clean sound, comfy pads, and perfect for mixing. But it’s only been a few months and they already lost their shape. The right ear side doesn’t fit my ear anymore, it’s bent weird compared to the left one.

I keep them in my backpack sometimes, so they probably got a little squished, but for studio headphones at this price, I didn’t expect them to get messed up this easy. They still work fine sound-wise, just uncomfortable now.

Kinda sucks because I actually love how they sound. Hoping Beyerdynamic or the seller can help me out with a replacement or something 🙏

Beyerdynamic specializes in sound engineering, not structural engineering

I want to start by saying that these are good headphones that I would recommend, but they have one inexcusable build quality flaw that Beyerdynamic knows about and has done nothing to address.

At each end of the headband is a slider cover which retains the left and right can and contains the adjustability slider and is basically how the cans are attached to the band itself (I've included pictures for reference). These slider covers are crappy, injection-molded hollow plastic pieces that will crack and break apart when repeatedly subjected to stresses such as putting the headphones on and taking them off. While the name suggests that they are only covers, on the contrary they are structurally integral to the headphones. This is likely the part of the headphones that experiences the most stress and it's made of crummy, brittle plastic. Mine broke after about 2 years of daily use and this renders them basically useless until the covers are replaced.

Beyerdynamic knows that this is a failure point on these headphones because they sell a repair kit which is occasionally out of stock. CAD files that allow you to 3D print these pieces from more durable materials have existed since 2015 and yet Beyerdynamic continues to make the covers in this inferior design from inferior materials. I cannot think of an acceptable explanation for why this clearly flawed design has not been changed especially on headphones that Beyerdynamic themselves market as "a sound, long-term investment."

My advice is buy these headphones, but also immediately buy the upgraded replacement covers from a retailer such as CentralSound or just print yourself some higher quality replacements rather than waiting for your OEM units to fail. I don't have a printer so I went with the former option and with shipping it was the same price as buying replacement units from Beyerdynamic (~$30).

HighPlains Drifter

August 19, 2024

Incredible sound for Gaming

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.

Amazing quality, killer headphones— but very fragile.

I will be upfront— this is the most amazing headset I have ever owned, and this pair alone has greatly improved my overall performance when it comes to mixing and mastering. However, since my purchase last year, I accidentally bent the 3.5mm headphone jack, and since then, I’ve had issues using on any other device except for my audio interface. That’s not too big of a deal for me since I don’t use them without an interface and the quarter inch adapter, but I used to take them with me and plug into my phone. I no longer have the ability to do that since the headphone jack is very minimally damaged, but it’s enough to cause issues. I am very stressed because of that, but otherwise, I have to say, incredible quality. Make sure you grab the warranty that’s extended and TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM! I would otherwise rate them a pristine 5/5 but for the simple reason that they pretty much broke so easily, I’ll give it a 4/5.

UPDATE:

Turns out, beyerdynamics offers a TWO YEAR warranty with these headphones. I ended up sending it to their only authorized repair company, and I only had to pay my own shipping. They repaired and sent my headphones with new wiring, new ear pads, and new leather wraps— for free.

I have no real reason to keep this at 4/5. 5 STARS! Just make sure you take GOOD care of these babies, buy a carrying case and KEEP THE POUCH it brings. This should last you a very long time if maintained properly.

Love mine. I modded them to make them "closer" to excellent

I love headphones. and always have. I started back in the day with cheap headphones, and the first time I got a pair of decent headphones it opened my eyes (more like ears) to how big of a difference headphones could make. It was all those years ago the journey began. I went through all the stages. Budget walmart Sony's, then budget headphones like Skullcandy's, JBL etc, then into Beats, then into Sony XM series, Bose, etc, then into some Sennheiser bluetooth, then I started to get into wired midrange (Meze 99/109 Classics, Sennheiser HD 600, and these. Now I'm moving into the balanced cable, DAC, Amp, Hi-Fi WAV format realm. And hope to buy my first planars in the next few months (Probably Audeze).

These headphones were so cheap, a classic amongst headphone collectors, and I got them on sale so I just had to pull the trigger and add a pair to my headphone fleet. They are pretty good. Be aware their treble is VERY harsh and if you are listening to poor bitrate tracks they can be SUPER shrill and fatiguing. Also in my case they were pretty rough to drive properly with their single ended 3.5mm. There wasn't a ton of volume and felt they were just difficult to get their full sonic range out of. So I decided to convert them to balanced 4-pin XLR. This REALLY brought them to life! A little driver weighting and re-dampening and these things bat in a whole new league for about $200-250 which is hard to beat! I listen to a lot of vinyl and these just really bring the character of vinyl to the forefront. Really enjoyable and since modding them they have been in near constant use. They are incredibly comfortable and easy to wear for 4-6hr and beyond length listening sessions.

In conclusion my review may not be of much help to many who want to buy something and just use it. I did that for a while but I'm all about improving the products I buy and making the most of them, if that is you as well these are a GREAT buy (Just be aware your warrant goes out the window of course! I have enjoyed days of listening to them, got a ton of joy out of them, but just be ready for some limitations (Un-removable cable) out of box. But for the price I can't think of a better option.

Big Chungus

April 15, 2022

I truly love these headphones but they have ONE flaw

I’ve now owned 3 pairs of these headphones over the span of 3 years and each ones has fallen victim to the same fault as the previous pairs. Sound quality and comfortably wise, it’s served it’s purpose and has been the soul reason even after my second pair broke, I still bought a third pair, knowing that it would probably suffer the same fault again. The problem lies with the material used for the housing of the extension. Held in place by 2 nuts and housed in plastic, this area alone receives large amounts of force/pressure on a day to day basis when you put the headphones off or on. The plastic being used is just simply not durable enough for continuous heavy use over a given year.

If the manufacturers would like to make this a truly amazing pair of headphones a simple fix would be to use the same material of alloy/metal used already in the part that is used (to extend to conform to someone’s head size) if that alloy/metal was used for the housing instead of the plastic in place now it would fix this problem and many people would be grateful for it.

As much as I love these headphones, having to spend money every year on purchasing a new pair is quite annoying and shouldn’t have to happen, headphones of this caliber should be able to last 3-5 years before needing replacement and that I would totally be fine with but yearly is out of the question. It would be a different story if they’re was a manufacturers warranty that came inately upon purchase of these headphones but I haven’t found or seen anything of that nature which is unfortunate.

Thanks for listening hope this helps.

Unbelivable.

These headphones are literally unbelievable. BRUH. You're telling me I spent $130 on headphones that sound like you're literally on a cloud with a massive studio setup? No wonder why so many artists recommend these. They sound like an out of body experience. The bass is punchy yet defined. You get the right amount of aggression and bump. Then the mid range gets out of the way, allowing you to enjoy the more pleasing sounding frequencies. Finally the top end. To keep it real if your song isn't properly mixed this headphone will make music sound terrible. It's like putting regular unleaded gas in a Lamborghini, the car won't run and you're done for. These headphones with low quality audio just don't work, they sound terrible. However, give a Lambo proper gas and an experienced driver, you're good to go. Get these headphones and you're set for life. I have an SSL2 and it's still somewhat quiet, gotta find a good amp for 'em. Here's my full monitoring setup in my studio for some perspective. Built like a tank, performs like an Abrams in the heat of war, super comfortable (doesn't even feel like you're wearing headphones), and with an interface that provides proper power or a headphone amp, you're all set. They also are epic for gaming, I even perform better with them on first person shooters, I just need a headphone amp cause its super quiet on my Xbox. Welcome to audio luxury.

Versatilidad

me agrado la versatilidad de su sonido, cumplió mis. expectativas.

Mejor de lo que esperaba, el detalle en cada pieza hace sentir que en realidad es lo que dicen; un producto de muy alta calidad, la nitidez. en los. brillos, bajos y medios y la. sensación de especialidad son geniales, ademas llego antes de los esperado. gracias a Focus camera y Beyerdynamic por este gran producto. ya comencé a mezclar y es perfecto.

0:24

They are very comfortable and they sound good

0:21

Great sound , super comfortable, bargain under $200

This is my second pair of Beyerdynamics DT series headphones , other pair is DT770PRO both in 250ohm version .

I absolutely love how comfortable these are for long hours.

I do use an external dac plus headphone amp , and these are my favorite open back headphones due to their comfort and sound quality .

The midrange is clean without it sound shouty like some Sennheiser headphones are known for , highs can be on the sibilant side but it really depends on the record/material . Bass is nice and composed , even for open back headphones these have surprisingly good bass response . Bass is Not as strong as DT770PRO, but it’s really nicely balanced . Soundstage is wide, it doesn’t sound like everything is playing inside your head .

Really nice headphones if you have a good amp to power them with, and okay with not detachable cable.

I WAS happy with ONEODIO pro50

Picture I uploaded were accumulated in the last month, except for the oneodio. I included it to show where I came from. I bought the ATH m50xbt as a good all around and my first ever reference level headphones AND IT ESCALATED FROM THERE. The tube amp in the pic arrived two days ago (i was only using a motu m4 to power these) it’s enough with a lot of headroom but wanted to find out what an amp can do… it’s different. ANYWAY GUESS WHAT I LOVE LISTENING ON? The DT990pro. I get why a lot say it’s too high and V shape and is tiring… but to me it makes it sound energetic and in your face *insert expletive hear* YEAH!! Tickles my ear and makes me moist, and as a result, tiring… for reference I’m a heavy muisic fan; tool, deftones and classical music (tchaikovsky is my fave) Sennheiser HD650 are my next fave, then AKG K712 pro… can’t place the ATH m50 last coz it isn’t it’s my all around and use it the most for everything. Typical scenario… intently listening on the HD650… I hear something interesting… I quickly pull out the DT990s just to see how it sounds and BAM!! LOVE!

And in case you didn’t know the Sennheiser and the AKG are worth more than twice this DT990.

But ask me if this should be your first and only… I’d say NO… if I didn’t have the other cans I don’t think i would appreciate it that much but I’ve two friends who visited and check out my new hobby… (musicians with one pair of acceptable cans) picked out the DT990 as the best even though I was pressing for the HD650 coz i thought they would not like the BEYER but everyone reached for these.

Great open sound experience

These headphones are great. If you’re coming from a headset or beats, you will have your mind blown. If you’ve had a higher end set of cans before what I can say is at least for the 250ohm’s the bass was not heavy at all. It was a pretty even sound stage with a little more mid emphasis. That’s not to say the bass is missing, it’s actually very pleasant. But it’s not your typical Bose overwhelming bass. I was able to drive these just fine with my pc but you may want to get external power to drive these as they more likely than not will need it. Currently I have mine just plugged into my line out in my Scarlett solo and they get plenty loud, but about 80% on my dial is the max it can push and they don’t get louder past that. They are extremely comfortable although they were a bit tight at first for me. They have since gotten softer and the open back definitely makes them nicer to wear for extended periods. You can hear everything around you and not feel the need to constantly take headphones on and off. Overall great headphones. Although I got them on sale for about $220. I wouldn’t pay more than $270 for these.

Absolutely blown away

First off, I have to say WOW. These headsets are absolutely amazing. They take a few uses to break in as they can feel kind of tight on the head (That could be due to head size as well though). These headphones are like I've never used before. I've always used closed back "gaming" headsets. I used the Astro A40's, Hyper X Cloud, and the Logitech G Pro X wireless. I figured it to be a myth about the sound stage expanding with open back headsets, but boy was I wrong. I honestly cannot go back to closed-back headphones they are just too quiet now even on 100% volume. I have this headset paired with the SoundBlasterX G6 and the sound stage is INSANE. They are so loud, that I can most times not go above 40% volume without the sound becoming almost overbearing. I play mainly FPS games like Warzone and Cold War so specific ques like footsteps matter. And with these, the directional audio and fidelity of these sounds are unmatched compared to the previous headsets I named above. Everything is very clear as to where the footsteps are coming from and that was the most important factor in buying these. By no means am I an audiophile but I do not find them to be very sharp in the higher tones but I do not feel that. Maybe because I enjoy those sounds but that is something to consider if your ears are rather sensitive. From a comfort level, they are superb once you break them in. The Ear cups are very comfy and sometimes I do not even realize I have them on. They are pretty light on the head and I can now go hours on end before having to take a quick break.

Noise cancellation can be an issue but while I game it is no problem as the explosions, gunshots and other sounds from the game typically drown out any outside noise.

Paired with a great AMP(this headset pushes 250 ohms), You will be blown away with the results and the sound stage on them. The hype on headphones vs gaming headsets is real and I have been turned a believer.

Hope this review helped and just know, these headsets will not disappoint.

heavy rubber cord... why???

Owning and using it daily for about 3 months.

Every aspect of this headphones is good, except...

The only problem is heavy old style rubberish cord that weighs on one side and drags against any piece of cloth due to rubberish, high friction isolation. And if you place it on a table - it gets in a way of your arm, since this wire rolled in a spiral tube (like stationary phone cords) which is about 3/4 inch thick.

Weight of headphones around 300 grams (10.5 ounce)

Weight of cord alone around 90 grams (3.2 ounce)

Don't get me wrong - I would still recommend those headphone.

It is just a shame that such a good headphones comes with this type of cord.

Like building Lamborghini with cheap plastic steering wheel.

Terrible stock, but amazing when you equalize them

Synopsis- Stock from the factory they are very sharp on the high end to the point that it will physically hurt your ears. Not even joking, my ears were ringing after listening to certain songs just from the sharpness, BUT if you get some free eq software like peace or something like that. (I use peace and you can see my settings in photos)

Pros:

Comfort-

Comfort is very subjective. I find these headphones amazingly comfortable and this is why. The clamping force is light enough so that I don't hear my heartbeat through them, but not so light that I feel like they are going to fall off my head. They fit very snuggly. Id put the clamping force on a scale (1 being falling off your head when you move ((aka shp 9500)) and 10 being painfully tight and able to hear your heartbeat through the headphones) as a 4.5. Shaking my head very fast from side to side they stay on, but come a bit undone to the point where I have to adjust them again. The velour earpads are amazing, soft but firm and supportive. The headband is perfect also with a leather material that has the perfect thickness of padding. I can wear these for hours and hours and not have any ear fatigue or discomfort (with the eq adjustments).

Looks- also very subjective but these look super sleek and stylish.

Sound Quality- perfect when eq'ed (equalized)

Open Back- provides a very open sound stage meaning that you can directly pinpoint where instruments and footsteps in games are. It is more true to life sound and can be best described as open and a bit airy. Open-back headphones also are amazing because the open back nature provides ventilation so that you have airflow in and out of the headphones and don't have to vent them like closed back.

Cons:

Sound Quality: Out of the box, absolutely terrible. But once eq'ed, absolutely perfect.

Reason for the rating: These get a 4 star and not a 5 star because you have to eq them for them to be good, but if your willing to learn to eq and fine-tune them to your liking, their amazing headphones. Definitely would recommend.

(I have just started trying to become a very active reviewer to help you make a good purchasing decision, constructive criticism in the comments is very helpful and I would love to have some feedback. Thank you!)

Great value broadcast style headphones.

I purchased these initially because I was looking for a cheaper Sennheiser alternatives. I really love every Sennheiser headset/headphones that I've owned, but they are a little pricey for me currently. I was looking for something sturdy, but light, and something that was good for a broadcaster who plays games, but doesn't need a full headset with a built in microphone.

I got exactly what I was looking for. I was very much concentrating on comfort and build quality first, I'm not looking to find an audiophile experience, so keep that in mind. The DT 990's were an incredible choice. They are super light, coming away from using Blue Lola's vice grip fit on my skull, like a really expensive torture device. The 990's are like wearing clouds. They fit fully and comfortably over my ears, I have a huge head and these are plenty large enough without putting any strain on my head. They have soft cloth ear-pads, a comfortable cushion across the top, and a sturdy fit.

Additionally I have no real complains about build quality. Though I haven't really put it through a rigorous test, admitedly. There are metal components, particularly the brackets, that attach to the ear phones, but I'm not sure if its metal all the way through the headstrap.

Sound quality is fine, but nothing special, you may even have some EQ problems with it being too basey or too quiet, but again, I'm running this through a Focusrite USB pre-amp and that is probably more of the problem. These are not a 3.5mm system, it is a 6.3mm set, so you will need some way to interface with whatever system you are plugging them into.

The biggest concern I have with the set is, like many broadcast-centric headphones, they are using a coiled wire, which is good for being able to move around in a small space, but could be really awkward and generally bad for a more casual experience. If you are using them with a system that is regularly further away from you, this is just not the pair for you. You will have a cord stretching all the way across your room, perfect for clothes-lining children, but not great for anything else.

Ears like a bat!

I loved them, they are very comfortable. The bass sounds incredible, with depth and clarity. The tall ones are crystal clear and clear. The mids are deeper but still distinguished. I recommend them to mix and master, to make a critical listening. I use them on my MacBook Pro and do not require additional amplification. I also use them in an M-AUDIO Firewire 410 and a Roland Octacapture, nor do they require an extra headphone amplifier. I am very happy with these headphones, I produce music and having no acoustic treatment in my room I found it difficult to mix because of the modes; frequencies that I did not listen to now I hear them very clearly with these headphones. I also recommend a complement to use them, Reference 4, to obtain a flat response, since by default these headphones bring a boost in low and high, but this does not bother me, since I can distinguish all the details of the music. Music lovers may also love these headphones, they really produce great pleasure when listening to your favorite music.

PATRICK S.

June 29, 2019

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO 250 Ohm

Amazing headset, I never thought much of open back headphones compared to closed back because I loved my bass. Open back though have just this insane sound to them though. Once you wear them for an hour you just can't go back to closed back. I actually struggle at times using my 770s over my 990s because of it. The way sound just feels natural? Like how I can tell if someone is in a studio, if it's got deadening materials in it or not, if someone is outside, to my left and so on. It just has an amazing clarity, even bass surprisingly though is nice, nothing compared to closed back though. But with my mixer... Yeah it competes. Does annoy me though at times when I can hear my pets in the background or in another room. But the sound stage and quality I get over the noise cancellation is amazing.

Very Disappointed. Super power hungry, poor fidelity, uncomfortable, and the FiiO E10K is NOT ENOUGH

So I bought these headphones and a JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC Combo Rev B, to replace a FiiO E10K and Shure SE-535s. I love my SE 535s, but I wanted some nice open back over the ear cans for listening at my desk. I wasn't sure if the E10K would be enough amp, especially since these were 250ohm. So I bought the JDS Labs dac\amp to go with it. The JDS Labs amp showed up a few days early, and they make my Shures sound great, but the FiiO E10K was already enough for them (SE 535s are 32ohm). When these DT 990s showed up today, I plugged them into the JDS Labs amp, and was completely disappointed. I mean the DT 990s on the JDS Labs amp don't hold a candle to the SE 535s plugged into the E10K. And it takes a TON of power to produce the bland sound on the DT 990s. They are also WAY too tight too. I mean they are just squishing my melon. I doubt I could wear these for more than 30 minutes at a time. The mid range and low frequencies are very poorly represented, while the highs are very bright, so if you turn the volume up enough to get the mids and lows that you want, the highs get harsh. I am also already starting to get some artifacting in the right ear, and I've only had them on for about an hour. I plugged them into the FiiO E10K just to see if it would have worked, and the FiiO simply does not have enough power to power these power hungry headphones. Anyone trying to power these with a FiiO E10K is going to be really disappointed. Forget trying to play them without an external amp. I really wanted to like these because they were a good deal and had awesome reviews on here.

So I started off by sampling the music I usually demo. Instrumentals, female vocals, etc. It took about 3 songs before I was thoroughly unsatisfied, so I switched to the music that everyone recommends for these headphones; synthesized and electronic. They were still underwhelming. If you have a discerning ear, these are not the right headphones for you. Move along.

Music sampled so far:

Dire Straits - Money for Nothing

Norah Jones - Don't Know Why

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Post Malone - Rockstar

The Weeknd - I Feel It Coming

White Town - Your Woman

DJ Snake - You Know You Like It

Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks

Deorro - Five Hours

Mr. Probz - Waves (Robin Shulz Radio Edit)

Disclosure - Latch

Robin Shulz - Sugar

9/10. Would recommend. 10/10 if the cord wasn't coiled and the bag was better quality for price.

So I have some issues but mostly positives about these.

Pros: Awesome sound quality. Now, I am no professional. But for $150, these are amazing. I've owned a few high quality headphones, and these are my favorite.

Most comfortable headphones I have ever owned.

Cons: Shipping. Now, these came in quick with the 2 days shipping. My issue is the boxes weren't dent badly. I don't know who to blame, nor am I going to blindly blame the retailer, but to let people know, my box and the packaging inside was dented bad. Thankfully, however, my headphones took no damage.

The bag is a nice touch, however, for paying this much I think a nice felt one should be included.

The coiled cord is annoying to me, I wish it was just longer, maybe braided. This is probably my biggest issue.

Overall, amazing. Would highly recommend to friends. The only thing that really bothers me I'd the coiled cord and the cheap bag.

HandsON

December 12, 2017

Professional grade quality at a competitive price

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.

but I am slowly falling in love with these headphones

It took a while to get used to.. but I am slowly falling in love with these headphones. At first, I printed a return label.. but I let myself hold on to them for a couple of weeks to get used to their sound profile. And boy.. it got better with time as my brain starting getting used to it. Very loud, crisp, all around headphone. Bass is not as crazy as many people claim it to be. They say the DT990 has the bass out of the bunch of Beyers. Comapred to Sennheiser 598s, the bass is better.. but nothing close to BEATS bass if that's what you are looking for. HOWEVER, if you want these, and great bass, it's simple.. I spent $24.50 buying Brainwavz ear pad replacements for them, and the comfort is through the roof now. Be warned though, buying a replacement ear pad like the Brainwavz change the profile big time. The bass is more present and hard hitting than the stock ear pads.

Why did I give it only 4 stars? Well, the stock ear pads just aren't comfortable. They are soft to the touch, but not much cushion at all. I expect more of a premium feeling cushion paying for headphones like these.

Best build quality I know of in headphones

I thought I'd add my two cents about my primary concern when it comes to products: Build quality.

I have previously owned a pair of m40x's, and their build quality was pretty bad: Cheap plastic and construction. Therefore they ended up breaking and they are the reason I wanted a good quality build in my next headphones.

TL;DR: these are built very well.

The cups are solid unflexing but not brittle plastic, connected well to a solid stamped steel (or maybe aluminium) fork. These forks then connect to a flexible spring steel headband using a plastic clamp. This plastic clamp isn't as good quality as the cups plastic, and the forks can move quite a bit, but it isn't a concern, as the best part about Beyer's is all these sort of parts can be replaced easily. The headband cushion is a decent quality pleather which can also be unbuttoned and replaced.

The cable is very thick and has sturdy connections where it passes into the headphones.

I doubt the 990s will ever wear or break, but if they do, then the part will be replaced

The comfort is a 9/10, with the one point loss being they get a bit hot (all headphones do with me) ,the clamp is a little tight, and the pads are a bit hard, but these might change over time.

The sound is a 9/10 too. Only reason it's not 10 is the highs are a little sibilant, but I've never had to stop listening because of it.

Fantastic headphones for pleasure listening and gaming

I've owned these headphones for about a year and a half now. I've also used the Audio Technica AD700, ATH-M50x, and Philips SHP9500.

BUILD QUALITY: It's built just alright. After about a year, the piece holding the sliding part that attaches to the ear cup cracked completely in half. It stays together even being cracked, but it's definitely wonky and has lost some of its structural integrity. I suspect that it cracked in such a way because of the structural design of the headphones; they're rigid in a way where moving the ear cups around, let's say taking one of the ear cups off one ear to hear someone talking to you, makes the headband twist in a way which seems like it wasn't meant to move that way. Overall, the build quality's solid but the design could use work. The same cracked piece's opposite piece on the other side is beginning to crack. I've attached a photo of the completely cracked one. It's worth mentioning that I contacted Beyerdynamic about it and they offered for me to send the headphones in for a repair or they could send me the piece and I could replace it for myself. I opted for the latter.

COMFORT: These headphones out of the box are very, very comfortable. I use them for long gaming sessions sometimes lasting up to 10+ hours and I have zero comfort problems. After a year of using them, the stock ear pads that came on them were flat. Even so, they were still comfortable. They did alter the sound a bit and bring down the treble and make the lows a bit wider, bleeding into the mids a bit. The clamp of the headphones onto the ears is tight, especially with the HM5 pads which are much thicker than the stock pads. If you don't like a tight clamp, you'll need to get used to the clamp on these.

SOUND: Warm and full of body. I've heard/seen people say that the sound in these headphones can result in fatigue because of the harsh highs, but I haven't experienced that. I'm someone who doesn't like too much treble and I think these sound great. There's definitely an emphasis on the bass/sub bass in these. For open headphones, these pull off an impressive amount of lows. It makes them great for electronic music like house, drum and bass, dubstep, etc as well as genres like rock and metal as the music feels full. Compared to Philips SHP9500's, which I believe have a pretty neutral and balanced sound, the DT990's sacrifice accuracy and detail for warmth and voluminous bass/sub bass. These headphones, as a result, are absolutely fantastic for gaming and pleasure listening, but I wouldn't recommend them for monitoring or audio editing because you want to be as accurate and detailed as you can with the sound in those applications. Monitoring/editing with these headphones might result in whatever you're working on being bass-light. The soundstage is not as wide as the SHP9500's or the ATH-AD700's, but it is still decent. Without an amp, these headphones actually worked alright for me using them on my computer as well as my phone, but I usually don't listen to things very loudly. With the SMSL SD793-II, these headphones absolutely sing.

FEATURES/MISC: The ear pads were very easy to replace. Just pull the ear pads off and pull the new ones around the cups, no modifications needed. The cable is permanently attached. As I said earlier, I was able to contact Beyerdynamic about my cracked piece and they sent me a new piece which I'll be replacing myself, so that's definitely a plus as I won't be forced to get entirely new headphones or just use different ones.

OVERALL: I give these headphones 4/5 stars. I took one star off mainly because the design seems to almost guarantee that the little pieces holding the sliding bars attached to the ear cups will crack over time with normal use of the headphones. Also, the headphones would benefit from a detachable/replaceable cable.

I've loved these headphones. Extremely comfortable, great sound with booming lows but still present mids/highs. My only caveat is the build quality/design.

Found great sound for my budget

I'm not an audiophile, but I do know good sound from bad, and I enjoy listening for different instruments used in songs. My first "researched" headphones were the Senn HD 280 Pro bought primarly for gaming. I wanted an upgrade for gaming and music listening at home. What I thought would take a week to research took months, so many variables, open or closed, on the ear or over, weight, sound, amped or not, etc.

The DT 990 Pro paired with a Fiio E11 portable amp seemed a hard combination to beat, so I took the plunge. Games sound great, I can pick out details not heard before, with vast improvements to openness and directional detail. Same thing with music, nothihg but clean, beautiful sound in all ranges, nothing over or underpowered. Build quality is very good, they're sturdy but light. The earpads are soft and plush. Overall I'm impressed with sound and build quality. If I had to find a negative, they could have included some kind of storage. Yes they're intended for fixed studio use, but even a cheap storage bag would have been nice. And while the headband padding is adequate, the wrap is kinda cheap feeling. Genuine leather would be nice.

Please see my pic of these hooked to the Fiio E11 amp and my iPad. The E11 amp powers these very nicely. I can hear the difference switching from low to hi gain, or switching between the three EQ options which produce progressively heavier bass. Hi gain and EQ 2 for me. Very clean sound with good balance. Yes there are better amps out there, perhaps down the road. For the budding audiophile though, this combination is very tough to beat. Glad I took my time.