Reviews by BitWolf
Beyerdynamic headphones are known for being heavily used in studio production. This time we’re presenting to you their newest iteration of an audio workhorse – DT 1990 Pro priced at $599!
Packaging
Typical for Beyerdynamic we’re getting plenty of accessories. First up, huge and thick case for travel with plenty of space for other gear like field recorders for example. 2 sets of cables, one coiled and one straight, both 3m long, ended with Mini-XLR and additional set of pads.
If I’m supposed to describe those cables. They are nothing special. Thick rubber, well made, typical design for studio-focused cans.
That additional set of pads isn’t just for replacement though. DT 1990 Pro comes with Analytical as well as Balanced pads. Analytical ones gives you much flatter frequency response where Balanced ones are for making 1990’s little more exciting with added low-end. Both sets are velour.
Build quality
I wouldn’t describe 1990’s as premium in terms of build quality. I’d rather use term – robust. They feel pretty solid in the hand, yet moving parts tend to make some cracking noises from time to time. Although don’t think that they’ll break anytime soon. I know at least 5 pairs that my friends have that went through literal hell. Sitting on them, dropping off of a staircase from level 4, trying to bend them backwards, throwing them with anger at the wall because of lost round in CS:GO. They survived all of that.
Comfort
1990’s are VERY comfortable. You can sit in them for long hours without any sort of pain or headache and that’s all because of huge amount of foam in headband as well as very big velour pads. Your ears will be wrapped up in them very comfortably. There’s only one issue with them. Heat. They can also get your ears pretty warm after an hour or two.
Sound
When I saw DT 1990 Pro for the first time I had only one thought in my head:
– I’ll buy them strictly for work. – and it actually turned out to be true.
If we’re talking about previous series, DT990 despite it being well known in a studio I also know a lot of people who daily drive it as their personal pair for musical experience. I don’t think there’s such case with 1990 Pro because to me it sounds like Beyerdynamic really cranked audio production aspect to 11.
You can describe 1990’s in 3 words: detail, detail and last but not least… DETAIL.
There’s so much detail that many of my tracks just sounded like recorded sessions of some people and instruments instead of a wholesome musical experience that combination of those specific parts can provide. You exactly hear where specific instrument is in the track, you hear if their microphone they recorded it with was properly set, you hear if mastering of the track simply sucks or not. Those headphones just approach every single tune just like your CPU in a computer does calculations. There’s just big list of ones and zeroes it has to compile. 1990 just have a big list of soundwaves to provide to our ears and that’s all it has to do. They are also my pair for Gaming and gotta say I was becoming paranoid for first few days because in military simulations where sound effects are just very well made everything was so distinctive that I thought someone is throwing a grenade under my character every single minute.
Speaking about driver and drive’ability – simple. It’s Tesla. It has 250 ohms of impedance yet they are very power efficient and pretty much can be powered even with budget DAPs. It’s just that they will really gain in overall sound quality if you plug them to something nicer.
Talking about other aspects, soundstage isn’t particularly large which is to be expected in studio cans. Mentioning frequency response, lows and mids are pretty much dead flat. Speaking about treble though well… it’s Beyerdynamic. There always has to be a treble peak, although I’ve never had a problem with that. Only sounds to me like it adds even more detail to whole package.
Summary
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro is a very specific pair for specific users. You’re supposed to use them for work and that’s exactly what they are made for. If you prefer a pair that helps music being more sensible and more emotional, go look somewhere else. These cans job is to show every single aspect of what you gonna throw at them and they are very good at it. $599 is pretty penny, not gonna lie, although I think about it more as an investment because I don’t think those will break anytime soon.
Gear used during this review as an accompanying equipment:
Packaging
Typical for Beyerdynamic we’re getting plenty of accessories. First up, huge and thick case for travel with plenty of space for other gear like field recorders for example. 2 sets of cables, one coiled and one straight, both 3m long, ended with Mini-XLR and additional set of pads.
If I’m supposed to describe those cables. They are nothing special. Thick rubber, well made, typical design for studio-focused cans.
That additional set of pads isn’t just for replacement though. DT 1990 Pro comes with Analytical as well as Balanced pads. Analytical ones gives you much flatter frequency response where Balanced ones are for making 1990’s little more exciting with added low-end. Both sets are velour.
Build quality
I wouldn’t describe 1990’s as premium in terms of build quality. I’d rather use term – robust. They feel pretty solid in the hand, yet moving parts tend to make some cracking noises from time to time. Although don’t think that they’ll break anytime soon. I know at least 5 pairs that my friends have that went through literal hell. Sitting on them, dropping off of a staircase from level 4, trying to bend them backwards, throwing them with anger at the wall because of lost round in CS:GO. They survived all of that.
Comfort
1990’s are VERY comfortable. You can sit in them for long hours without any sort of pain or headache and that’s all because of huge amount of foam in headband as well as very big velour pads. Your ears will be wrapped up in them very comfortably. There’s only one issue with them. Heat. They can also get your ears pretty warm after an hour or two.
Sound
When I saw DT 1990 Pro for the first time I had only one thought in my head:
– I’ll buy them strictly for work. – and it actually turned out to be true.
If we’re talking about previous series, DT990 despite it being well known in a studio I also know a lot of people who daily drive it as their personal pair for musical experience. I don’t think there’s such case with 1990 Pro because to me it sounds like Beyerdynamic really cranked audio production aspect to 11.
You can describe 1990’s in 3 words: detail, detail and last but not least… DETAIL.
There’s so much detail that many of my tracks just sounded like recorded sessions of some people and instruments instead of a wholesome musical experience that combination of those specific parts can provide. You exactly hear where specific instrument is in the track, you hear if their microphone they recorded it with was properly set, you hear if mastering of the track simply sucks or not. Those headphones just approach every single tune just like your CPU in a computer does calculations. There’s just big list of ones and zeroes it has to compile. 1990 just have a big list of soundwaves to provide to our ears and that’s all it has to do. They are also my pair for Gaming and gotta say I was becoming paranoid for first few days because in military simulations where sound effects are just very well made everything was so distinctive that I thought someone is throwing a grenade under my character every single minute.
Speaking about driver and drive’ability – simple. It’s Tesla. It has 250 ohms of impedance yet they are very power efficient and pretty much can be powered even with budget DAPs. It’s just that they will really gain in overall sound quality if you plug them to something nicer.
Talking about other aspects, soundstage isn’t particularly large which is to be expected in studio cans. Mentioning frequency response, lows and mids are pretty much dead flat. Speaking about treble though well… it’s Beyerdynamic. There always has to be a treble peak, although I’ve never had a problem with that. Only sounds to me like it adds even more detail to whole package.
Summary
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro is a very specific pair for specific users. You’re supposed to use them for work and that’s exactly what they are made for. If you prefer a pair that helps music being more sensible and more emotional, go look somewhere else. These cans job is to show every single aspect of what you gonna throw at them and they are very good at it. $599 is pretty penny, not gonna lie, although I think about it more as an investment because I don’t think those will break anytime soon.
Gear used during this review as an accompanying equipment:
- Audio sources – Cayin N3 Pro, Luxury & Precision L4, Audient iD4
- Headphones – Shure SRH840, Audio-Technica M60x, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro, Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO, Hifiman Sundara
