[Nokia]

Hello, I hope you all have a great and healthy day.

(If you don't want to read my life story, skip to the ** symbols)

So I was working hard and in the end, I collected some money and decided to reward myself, I've been struggling around the internet, between posts, threads, articles, and YouTube videos and in the end I boughtFocusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) and Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm.

My gear was only a cheap 30$ headphones from Aliexpress called Bluedio T5S, they sound amazing for the price, but I wanted to buy something a bit better for music and long sitting time on the computer.

MY DT990 with Scarlett 2i2 reached, finally the moment became, and.......
Yes there is a difference, big one, but it's not what I was waiting for, I expected from 250$ difference to get some clean music, but I am still hearing some very light noise, I don't know how to describe that well, I am not native English speaker, but it's like you're touching soft silk but each some seconds your hand feels something barbed.

That's spoiling my experience, and I've heard from many users that the DT770 = 990 has a special sound that is not suitable for everybody.


**So for those who tried DT990 and didn't like it, what would you recommend me instead? I have the Scarlett 2i2, it looks nice, and I am not willing to pay for an extra amp, so is there anything suitable for me? I don't care open or closed back, I just want to enjoy clean music, I mostly use it for Pop and vocals


Edit: after reading, I found many people facing same problem and derived well with words like "harsh, sibilance, and something with treble"
Sounds like my ear are too sensitive for these, and headphones recommendations which wouldn't hurt my ear with that "harsh"?

 

[kid vic]

Try the AKG/Drop K7XX or Sennheiser/Drop HD6XX. Both have lesser treble peaks that you may find preferable.

 

[Nokia]

Try the AKG/Drop K7XX or Sennheiser/Drop HD6XX. Both have lesser treble peaks that you may find preferable.

Sadly sir, I am living in Russia, and we don't have any of that Xs, but we got AKG K701/702
Sennheiser hd550/80/90 same for 600
I still can order the Xs from drop, but it will cost +50$ and weeks to reach
Could you recommend me an open and closed back headphones in that range, so I can try both of them and take one, I just got depressed because of that dt990

 

[ADUHF]

What other options do you have available to you there, Nokia?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Sadly sir, I am living in Russia, and we don't have any of that Xs, but we got AKG K701/702
Sennheiser HD550/80/90 same for 600 I still can order the Xs from drop, but it will cost +50$ and weeks to reach
Could you recommend me an open and closed back headphones in that range, so I can try both of them and take one, I just got depressed because of that dt990

Could be the 2i2 does not feed the DT990 the type of power it needs (guessing)
Massdrop/Sennheiser HD58X are easier to drive.
Do you max out the volume on the PC and use the 2i2 for volume control.
Try the free program Foobar2000, with WASAPI installed, see if audio improves.

 

[vmiguel]

I had the DT990 Pro 250. The treble was really too much, but changing the driver filter for some toilete paper (really) or a 2 or 3mm thick felt greatly reduced that. You can read more about it here.

A tube amp (Little Dot mk II) also helped a lot.

What the DT990 does well, it does VERY well. Pitty the hot treble, I ended up selling it.

 

[Nokia]

What other options do you have available to you there, Nokia?

AKG K701/702
Sennheiser and most of versions of hd550/80/90 and 600, I would buy HD 650 but it's a bit expensive

 

[Nokia]

Could be the 2i2 does not feed the DT990 the type of power it needs (guessing)
Massdrop/Sennheiser HD58X are easier to drive.
Do you max out the volume on the PC and use the 2i2 for volume control.
Try the free program Foobar2000, with WASAPI installed, see if audio improves.

Maybe the 2i2 is not powering it enough. I will try that programs which you told about. And maybe buy that Hd58x because many people recommending it

 

[Nokia]

I had the DT990 Pro 250. The treble was really too much, but changing the driver filter for some toilete paper (really) or a 2 or 3mm thick felt greatly reduced that. You can read more about it here.

A tube amp (Little Dot mk II) also helped a lot.

What the DT990 does well, it does VERY well. Pitty the hot treble, I ended up selling it.

Yeah I already tried the toilet paper trick, it fix a bit, the sound became better. But I feel sad that I worked really hard to get an expensive headphones and an audio interface for it, and in the end I have to put toilet papers inside it

I also tried many different equalizer settings, but still feel not satisfied

 

[AudioThief]

I was impressed with the AKG K712. I also recommend the Sennheiser HD600. Both these are clear, flat and great sounding headphones.

 

[Nokia]

I was impressed with the AKG K712. I also recommend the Sennheiser HD600. Both these are clear, flat, and great sounding headphones.

They are a bit over my budget, I can get AKG 702 or maybe Sennheiser HD600.
would you recommend me any closed-back headphones to try it in that price range too?

 

[AudioThief]

They are a bit over my budget, I can get AKG 702 or maybe Sennheiser HD600.
would you recommend me any closed-back headphones to try it in that price range too?

For sound quality, no. I think being patient and looking for a HD600 would be a good bet, provided you have an amp that can drive them. I've personally recently bought a Sony MDR Z7 for 200$, they are closed - however I'm not sure they are as strong allrounders as the HD600 is.

 

[Nokia]

For sound quality, no. I think being patient and looking for a HD600 would be a good bet, provided you have an amp that can drive them. I've personally recently bought a Sony MDR Z7 for 200$, they are closed - however I'm not sure they are as strong allrounders as the HD600 is.

Do you think my Scarlett 2i2 will drive the HD600 well enough?
Because I am not willing honestly to buy a new amp, my pocket is already hurting xD

 

[AudioThief]

Do you think my Scarlett 2i2 will drive the HD600 well enough?
Because I am not willing honestly to buy a new amp, my pocket is already hurting xD

Based on a quick google search, the 2i2 probably won't be enough. Are any of the Fostex or old Denon series available used? They are very sensitive and easily driven and sound great.

 

[Nokia]

Based on a quick google search, the 2i2 probably won't be enough. Are any of the Fostex or old Denon series available used? They are very sensitive and easily driven and sound great.

Yes they are some of them
What you think about sennheiser 500 series, any recommendations?
Scarlett 2i2 suppose to be able to drive max 200 Ohm