It’s almost impossible to be an audiophile and not be familiar with the classic Beyerdynamic DT880. This headphone which is part of a triumvirate along Sennheiser HD600 and AKG K701 is a very popular headphone among enthusiasts and while they’re not the most popular these days, they still have their names stamped in the industry.
While this is the first I owned a DT880 headphone, I am already familiar with how it sounds as I have friends who have owned it and were usually very generous in letting me hear it for quite a significant amount of time. However when I saw an offer for a used pair that is fairly reasonable, I decided it’s time for me to have a pair.
Quick Impressions
This article is not the full review but rather my quick impressions on the Beyerdynamic DT880. The one that I have is the 250 ohm version which isn’t really different physically from the 32 and 600 ohm versions.
Physically the headphone looks great and classy with its light-colored earcups that contrast well with the dark leather headband. It’s a true circumaural which means the earcups are circular. Overall build seems very good even for a used pair. The earpads are the comfortable velour however mine has the color deteriorated already (which is known for this type) and I’m planning on replacing it.
Sound is pretty good. As I said, I’m not new to the signature but it’s nice to hear the sound again. Generally the DT880 has a linear sound that is almost neutral except for the elevated treble and slightly strong but tight bass. It also has a wide soundstage and a good amount of air in it.
Like many headphones it has its own faults. The midrange, while fundamentally neutral, is slightly lacking when compared to the treble. I wouldn’t say heavily that they’re V-shaped in frequency response but I can understand those who think it is. For me the mids are just about right and complements the whole spectrum while contributing to the overall presentation.
It’s worth-mentioning that I used this headphone either with an Objective 2 amp or a Fiio E11. The 250 ohm version has a low sensitivity which makes it still playable via my Nexus 5 or my desktop out. On my Nexus 5, I have to crank up the volume high just to have reasonable listening. Just keep that in mind if you’re planning to use it unamped. Both the O2 and E11 have enough juice to power the headphone.
Stay tuned for the full review of the Beyerdynamic DT880!