Headphones
Beyerdynamic DT 880 - 600 Ohm
The beyerdynamic DT 880 have one of the most detailed and engrossingly clear musical presentations of all reference headphones. This high-impedance 600 Ohm version provides listeners using quality headphone amps the kind of detail resolution, dynamic range extension and extra-quiet background noise floor that low-impedance cans just can't match. Truly amongst the best open-back headphones anywhere near the price -- but remember a killer amp like our HeadRoom Micro Amp or Desktop Amp! Also available in 32 Ohm and 250 Ohm models.
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Product Features:
- Ideal 600 Ohm impedance for audiophile headphone amps
- Full-size, open-back construction with plush velour earpads
- Tremendous midrange & upper highs detail resolution
- Excellent value in reference-grade open headphones
For demanding audiophiles or audio pros deploying headphone amps in their arsenal, Germany's Beyerdynamic has offered up a real contender for world's best headphone with their DT880 - 600 Ohm. Although these cans offer improved resolution potential, a quieter background noise floor and faster dynamics than their low-impedance counterparts, a top headphone amp remains a must to achieve their full acoustic performance. Once properly driven, the DT880 - 600 Ohm headphones serve up a wonderfully engaging audiophile listening experience with tons of clarity, deeply-separated instrumental textures and crisp musical nuance throughout all frequency ranges, along with a well-layered soundstage image. Not a harsh or strident note will be heard -- provided your amp proves up to their 600 Ohm load. The DT880 - 600 Ohm mids and upper bass hold together exceptionally neatly for a wonderfully seamless, authoritative musical presentation. A recommended choice for music lovers seeking clean bass and a 'high-definition', open-sounding tone, the DT 880 are capable of rendering the true sound of a fingernail stroke on gut, the stiction of rosin on a cello string or the airy spaciousness of sound waves bouncing off cathedral walls. In tandem with your headphone amp, the DT880 - 600 Ohm headphones will deliver that rarified type of recording detail and musical depth with extraordinary clarity.
Amazingly expressive dynamics, superbly controlled highs, plus a sweet mid-range snap make the DT880 - 600 Ohms a very lively well-balanced can, but perhaps not the most ideal headphone choice for the heavy bass hip-hop/electronica crowd since the DT880 - 600 Ohms doesn't quite muster the slamming bottom-end response required for modern bassheads. But we think you'll love these headphones if you seek clear, balanced sonics with plenty of quick dynamics, excellent upper treble range extension, and a fully open soundstage presentation. They are especially strong for classical, symphonic, chorale, chamber, and acoustic folk and jazz recordings.
The DT880 - 600 Ohm headphones are particularly good at voice intelligibility, female vocal textures and film soundtrack detail recovery for truly immersive movie/DVD watching and will deliver a superb high-end home theatre personal listening experience. In fact, the DT880 - 600 Ohm have become in-demand amongst audio professionals doing analytical recording work who demand timbral accuracy, instrumental detail, and precise musical clarity above all else. Please remember that about 200~300 listening hours are required for the DT880 - 600 Ohm headphones to fully 'burn-in' and sound its very best.
The excellent Beyerdynamic DT880 earpads are amongs the most comfy in the industry and are made of soft, plush grey velour material with a simple plastic/metal alloy headband. Both parts are easily replaced with Beyerdynamic after-market replacement parts if they ever wear out. The DT880 construction provides multiple fit adjustments for great comfort and the headphones feel really solidly well-built. They'll certainly take a fair beating around the home/office and keep right on trucking that killer Beyerdynamic sound for a long time to come. The 3-meter long (approx 9-ft) single-sided straight cord exits from the left earcup and terminates to a 1/8" (3.5mm) mini-plug. A 2-year manufacturer's product warranty remains standard with all Beyerdynamic headphones when proof-purchased through verified Beyerdynamic-authorized dealers (like HeadRoom!). 100% engineered, designed & manufactured in Germany.
Specifications:
- Ear Coupler Type: Full-Size
- Coupler Size: Large
- Cord Type: Straight Left-Side
- Cord Length: 9ft
- Detachable Cable: No
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 600
- Connector Type: 1/8
- Headphone Type: Full Size
- Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Years
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Acoustic Seal: Open
- Driver Type: Dynamic
Average Rating
Posted by Rob from Chicago, IL on 2011-02-09
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Comfort, great price/benefit
Cons: a tad bass shy (more on that)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by Zombie_X from Milwaukee, WI on 2010-12-24
Recommend Product: Yes
The Beyerdynamic DT880 sound can be classified as being treble oriented with slightly recessed mids (will get tot hat later) and having slow or muddy bass (will get to that as well).
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GEAR USED:
- Source: PC via Pop-Pulse SPDIF-II (to Optical), Marantz VC6001 CD Player
- Amp: Woo Audio WA3+, Audio-GD ROC
- DAC: Music Hall DAC25.2 (with NOS Mullard E88CC tube)
- IC's : ZXAC custom made RCA and XLR cables
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TREBLE:
I find the treble on the DT880/600Ohm to be slightly smoother than the 250Ohm and 32Ohm models out there. It's very extended and crystalline in it's presentation. I find it to be harsh on poorly mastered or recorded material but when used with reference grade material the treble is to die for. Very articulate and grain free.
MIDRANGE:
Many say the DT880 is leaner in the midrange but I have to say they are not. The treble shines over the mids and makes them seem recessed or muted. The mids are very transparent with lots of detail and also have great resolving capabilities. Vocals sound very nice and realistic and guitars have an edge to them which is very nice.
BASS:
Yet again I hear this talk of the slow and muddy DT880 bass. The 250Ohm has this as well as the 32Ohm, but not the 600Ohm model. The bass is very punchy when needed and is very extended with great texturing and layering. It's is also not sluggish in anyway as long as the recordings bass is not that way. The bass is very tight and well controlled without being to dominant of the sound. Many on Head-Fi.org have said that the DT880 also has bloated bass which is simply not true.
SOUNDSTAGE:
The soundstage is very well layered and offers a lot of detail and separation of the various instruments. I find it to be quite accurate and spacious with good air. In comparison to the HD600 it is a bit bigger in terms of width and depth of the presentation. It's not the biggest out there but it is better than others.
These 600Ohm headphones need strong amping. I would recommend a nice OTL tube amp for them like my Woo Audio WA3+. They need a significant voltage swing to function properly.
13 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Did you?
Posted by GN3RAL KARL from Colorado Springs on 2010-04-27
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: King-size comfort, Masterpiece sound.
Cons: Needs an amp with some serious torque.
Highs 5/5 - They are crafted so beautifully, you would think they were hand-made. Smooth like Dove soap and detailed are words to describe here. No grainy textures or harsh notes period. Zilch trace of excessive brightness either. Highs blend in with the rest of the ranges and yet you can still easily focus on it if you wanted to. Without a doubt, this model easily bests the 250 ohm version and only slightly surpasses the 32 ohm. It is literally the best highs I've ever heard.
Mids 5/5 - The mids here are just as forward the 32 ohm version. This range is so buttery, even Orville Redenbacher will be jealous. Not a single detail is missed. In other headphones, the mid-range is treated like a step-child; forced to sit down, and shut up (no offense to any step-children). Not here. Every last voice and note make a direct connection to your eardrum. The transmission goes straight to the head, and your brain tells your body to dance. Trance, Hip-Hop, Rock, Paper, Scissors, whatever, sounds delightful and engaging. The midrange is very full, and very much alive.
Lows 5/5 - Incredible. The bass goes so deep, I might have just struck some oil in there. Awesome slam and impact gives your tunes the necessary low-end grunt it needs. Even for Hip-Hop fans, there's plenty of fish in this boat. The bass is excruciatingly tight and has so much texture to it, you can almost feel it. In addition, it never bleeds into the other ranges, always giving attention into the entire spectrum. Can you imitate the grin on a 12 year-old kid who just received a new toy? If you can't, you're only kidding yourself. Put one of these on, and these will do it for you.
Soundstage 5/5 - It's as wide as Aunt Betty, and about as deep as Microsoft's pockets. Fantastic imaging will bring that holographic effect to your tunes. Notes and their relative positions are easy to locate like a good GPS system. Well, you might as well get lost in here, because the music just surrounds you with utter precision and crystal-clear timbre. There is also a great sense of "air" between the notes that is naturally pleasing.
Detail Retrieval 5/5 - The ultra-low noise floor of this model squeezes out even more sounds/nuances than the lower impedance counterparts. Such as the human hand gliding over a piano. The crystal clear pluck of a guitar string. Or hearing a couple of fleas playing poker backstage. This headphone will surprise you, wondering if your ears are playing tricks on you. Nope. You DID just hear that. Fanstastic.
Value 5/5 - I have mine connected to a Sony NWZ-A729 (16gb) mp3 player with a "Bioscience Geek (BSG)" DIY Cmoy amp (eBay) in between. I have to give credit to "Bioscience Geek" for making such an incredible amp. It, as well as the Beyers, is the best amp I've heard to date. The amp has an extremely low distortion rating, huge soundstage and superb separation of instruments in addition to a very non-fatiguing, crisp sound signature. All for a mere fifty bucks and impedance matched for the 600 ohm load to boot. This combination has me in constant break-yur-neck mode because the sound just cannot be faulted. This leads me to give this phone my highest remarks ever for value and sound.
If you don't have a brute amp that can drive this titan, get the 32 ohm version instead. Skip the 250 ohm version. That one sounds great, but honestly does not offer (as much) the same extremely well-rounded ranges as the 32 or 600 ohm version.
Beyerdynamic DT880 600 ohm = The Omega of audio.
Max Sound Level before distorting - 108db
*Burn in just increases (by a small amount) the already extraordinary clarity of this headphone. This is mainly because this model has such a refined sound, that right out of the box it sounds virtually perfect.
33 out of 34 people found this review helpful. Did you?
