The short version of this review is that I am 100%, absolutely pleased with these headphones and would buy them again.
The long -
What do I like?
Sound - Pristine reproduction, almost completely uncolored. Pure, clean bass and excellent sound imaging. Instrument / performer location is nearly transparent with these, creating a wide soundstage. A great test album for these 'phones is the Bill Evans Trio album "Exporations". "Nardis", "Israel" and "Elsa" feature some very low acoustic bass from Scott LaFaro and very delicate brush work on the drums. These are the first headphones that I have heard that reproduce this so well. Classical music sounds excellent as well - John Eliot Gardiner's recording of Beethoven's Symphonies on period instruments is ridiculous on these. It sounds so good! Modern rock is also handled with ease - uncolored and clear. Perfect bass response, and when you want a boost in the bass, the DT990s handle the extra kick easily. I used the EQ on my headphone amp to boost the bass as a test, and found no problems or muddiness. IMHO, these phone do not need the bass boosted - they sound great with no EQ.
Comfort - The most comfortable headphones I have worn. I don't think there is any problem here for anyone.
Construction - Okay, these are only a few weeks old. I cannot attest to the long-term durability. I can say that they appear ot built very well. The cord is heavy and appears to be durable. The constuction is solid, yet lightweight. I think it'll do just fine over time.
Comparison - I do NOT own 43 different pairs of expensive headphones. (As it seems many reviewers claim to own!) I have one other pair of "real" headphones; Grado mid-priced (~$100) headphones that sound great as well. The DT 990 kills them, leaves them in the dust so to speak - as they should for the price difference! (But I still love the Grados!) What I was able to do a few months ago was visit this absurd electrincs shop in Tokyo (Akihabara) and audition a ton of 'phones with my own MP3 files. The DT 900s were among them. The only headphones that I thought were this good were the Sennheiser's with "wood-trim" and the DT 880. (Sorry, I forgot the model number of the Sennheiser) I cannot give you a run-down of this model compared to that model ad infinitum. The DT 990s sounded better (to me) than many 'phones costing quite a bit more - some AKGs (I think the Quincy Jones model) and Audio Technica were hundreds more expensive and IMHO were inferior to these. I can tell you that I love the sound of these and do not regret buying them.
I am not going to comment on noise isolation. These are open type 'phones, as anyone intelligent enough to read has already discovered in the product description. If you are reading this and don't know what that means, do an internet search on that term.
Plus that, they are GERMAN made and engineered! (If you don't know it by now, literally every product made in Germany is superior to similar products made elsewhere with one exception - dental floss.) This product again reinforces my admiration for German engineering. Simply awesome product!
I hope that this review helps you to decide what to buy. I had a very difficult time deciding, and had the good fortune of being able to visit Tokyo prior to buying. I was able to audition dozens of headphones in a store there, Akihabara. I don't think that you will find that here in the US. (If there was a store like that here, all of the audition headphones would either be broken or stolen, sadly.)
Update - December 30, 2012 -
Fantastic 'phones!!!! I am fully aware that nearly all headphones exhibit some type of "break-in" where the audio qualities may change slightly after some hours of use. I can only say that the Beyerdynamics sound better to me than they did a month ago. Hard to qualify that, really... I think that they sound more "open" and transparent. Excellent 'phones, no change in my opinion from earlier. Just a very fine audio product and the best headphones I have heard. Easily in the category of "Would buy again."
Update - January 2014 -
Better than ever - cannot knock these at all. Worth the money, sound great, look and feel as good as the day they were new. Sound better than new. Very happy with these after living with them a bit now...
I recently bought the much cheaper Bro' of these
Beyerdynamic DTX 910 Stereo Headphones for Portable and Home usage (Silver Black)
for use away from home, and am very pleased with those for $70.
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From the brand
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Audio technology with outstanding sound quality is our great passion at beyerdynamic - and it shows. Anyone who has ever put on a pair of beyerdynamic headphones and listened to music or played their favorite game with one of our headsets will confirm this. Our DT 770 PRO is now a legend and our MMX 300 is recognized as THE professional gaming headset. Made in Germany.
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Compare with similar items
This Item  beyerdynamic DT 990 Premium Edition 250 Ohm Over-Ear-Stereo Headphones. Open design, wired, high-end, for the stereo system |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $159.00 | -27% $109.00 List: $149.00 | -13% $199.95 List: $229.25 | $179.00 | -13% $234.00 List: $269.00 | $199.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 | Get it as soon as Friday, May 3 | Get it Apr 30 - May 2 | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 2 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Comfort | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| For gaming | ||||||
| Quality of material | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Sold By | Focus Camera LLC | HIFIMAN | Amazon.com | GearNuts | Loyal Firm | Kaviso |
| connectivity tech | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | — | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | 3.5mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack | 1/4-inch, 3.5mm Jack | 3 5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack, 6.35mm Jack | 6.35mm Jack, 3.5mm Jack |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Retractable | Detachable | Detachable | Retractable | Detachable | Retractable |
| control type | Media Control | Media Control | control | — | — | — |
From the manufacturer
DT 990 Edition
The DT 990 Edition headphones have been winning the hearts of countless HiFi and music enthusiasts since the 1980s. Boasting vibrant and natural sound, these headphones have been a popular choice for many years and are suitable for many music styles.
The DT 990 Edition has been part of the beyerdynamic portfolio for more than 20 years and still enjoys exceptional popularity. All components are available as replacement parts, making the DT 990 Edition a reliable companion for many years to come.
Features
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Music You Can Feel Right Down To Your FingertipsThe DT 990 Edition is an open headphone. This means that noise outside of the headphones can still be heard, even when listening to music with high volume. Open headphones lend the music a broader stage, giving you the impression as if listening to music with loudspeakers. The sound is spectacular: clear highs and intense bass come together in perfect richness of sound. This is especially relevant forfans of rock and pop. |
Excellent Wearing ComfortThe flexible headband and silky-smooth ear pads ensure wearing comfort 'par excellence'. The ear pads are known for their breathable and skin-friendly velour, enabling the listener to enjoy music for hours without any excessive build-up of heat. The combination of comfortable headband and ear pads as well as yokes made from aluminium lend the headphones a stable exterior and a pleasant fit for long listening sessions. |
Difference Compared to DT 990 PRO versionThe DT 990 Edition headset for use at home and the DT 990 PRO studio headset: both are identical when it comes to sound. Identically designed acoustic transducers are used. However, the Edition models have a somewhat softer headband for enjoying music at home while the Pro headset has a slightly tighter fit on the head so that it doesn't move even in case of faster movements in everyday studio use. Moreover, the PRO version is supplied with a coiled cable and the Edition version with a straight cable. |
Three Types For Different Playback DevicesThe DT 990 Edition with 250 ohm is developed for usage at home at a stereo system. The version with 600 ohm is perfect for hifi systems with either a strong headphones output or with extra headphone amplifiers. For flexible usage, e.g. with mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones, the version with 32 ohm is ideal. |
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| DT 990 Edition | DT 880 Edition | |
| Customer Reviews |
2,009
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2,318
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| Price | $179.00 | $169.00 |
| Design | Open (ambient noise penetrates freely in and out) | Semi-open (low attenuation of ambient noise) |
| Application | Music enjoyment at home | Music enjoyment at home |
| Sound quality | Strong bass and trebles, analytical , very spacious, voluminous bass, transparent | Neutral, relaxed, relatively spacious, deep but lean bass, transparent |
| Impedance | 32/250/600 ohms | 32/250/600 ohms |
Reviews with images
Absolutely wonderful pair of headphones. Would recommend for anyone looking for a great sound experience, for gaming and music.
[Edit - One month after purchase: Buy these. You won't regret it.]I purchased the 32 ohm version of these headphones for $170 as I bought them Open Box (Perfect Condition) from a different seller on Amazon. I attached images for this review because it is very truly in perfect condition and I'm very happy with my purchase. The box was very clearly used and beat up, but the headphones themselves were very nice and the only signs of previous use were fingerprints on the metal parts of them which were easily removed.Sound Quality:I'm no expert on audio but I do prefer to have the best audio I can for a decent price, and these just about fit the bill. They are open-back headphones and the soundstage is amazing. These are my first ever pair of open-back headphones and I am blown away by how awesome they sound. The bass is perfect but not overpowering. The mids are fine, they aren't nearly as recessed as some people claim. The highs can be a bit tinny and painful but I think that's just from being so used to bassy headphones before these. After a day or two of use I've gotten adjusted to the sound of the highs and the clarity is really nice. If it bothers you too much you can always download an EQ program to soften them a bit.[Edit - One month after purchase: The highs have softened by a ton and are really pleasant. I'm not sure if it's due to break-in or just me getting used to them, but they are astounding sounding headphones. Best purchase I made this year, without a doubt. Great for gaming, watching movies/shows, and listening to music. Fantastic!]Build:Absolutely phenomenal! These are extremely light at 290 grams and the metal parts are sturdy. My only complaint with the build is that the adjustable parts of the headband are a bit wobbly and tend to "snap" into place randomly if you didn't adjust it perfectly. It's a minor issue that really doesn't take away from the experience, it's just a bit of a scare every once in a while if you forget they do that sometimes. Definitely not worried about them breaking at all, I think it's just a compromise from having more adjustability in the ear cups. The grills are metal and tend to attract fingerprints, as well as the tabs on the headband. The supports connecting it to the headband are also metal but have a more matte finish that doesn't seem to attract prints at all. The other parts are plastic with the headband being covered in an interesting layer of leather/foam material.[Edit - One month after purchase: No problems with build at all, still. The cable seems to coil up on its own which is a bit of a pain, but really the least of my concerns.]Comfort:Pretty darn good. I'm used to having gaming headsets that are designed for hours and hours of use, and at this rate, I don't think any earcups will be as comfortable as the ones on Razer headphones. I don't know how they make those so insanely soft and plush, but they will forever be my favorite. The DT990 ear pads have an extremely soft velour covering over an angled plush material that contours your head better than typical earcups. They aren't as plush as my old Razer headsets, but they don't really need to be because these headphones are so light. The ear cups are absolutely massive and I can't imagine anyone having trouble fitting their ears in these, even people with bigger heads. I have a medium/small head and small ears and these adjust to even smaller sizes than I need, but I'm not sure that people with absolutely massive heads will get quite the size they need. I added a photo of them fully extended, if that may help. The headband is soft but still firm, but they are so light that doesn't really matter. The clamping force is okay, they don't feel like they'll fall off my head easily but I do wish it was just a *tiny* bit looser. It's not unbearable at all though, and it seems like I just need to get used to it. The open back nature also adds to comfort, somehow. It doesn't feel like the sound is coming from anywhere, it's just there near your ears, instead of traditional closed-back headphones which feel like the sound is actually being projected from a source into your ears. For these, the sound just... happens. It's really lovely. Very easy to forget you're even wearing headphones.[Edit - One month after purchase: The clamping is no longer an issue. I can wear these all day with no headaches. Either got used to them or they loosened up a bit with use. Either way, they're wonderful. I tried replacing the ear cups with leather ones, but they made the sound signature less unique and the openness of the headphones was compromised more than I'd like. After going back to the originals, I'd have them no other way. Brainwavz XL Large Sheepskin Leather Replacement Memory Foam Earpads - Suitable For Many Other Large Over The Ear Headphones - Sennheiser, AKG, HifiMan, ATH, Philips, Fostex, Sony (Sheepskin Leather)]Accessories:These came with a carrying case/bag that is leather and zips closed that is packed with nice foam. Not much extra room in there and I feel like it could have been downsized and contoured more, instead of being a huge rectangular shape. Also came with a screw-on adapter for amps, but I don't use it because I don't have an amp (or need it for the 32 ohm version). The cable is attached, which I would prefer it be detachable. It is very long and should have no issues reaching any of your systems, but it is definitely no good for mobile use unless you have a way to store a ton of cables wherever.Additional Notes:I bought these primarily for gaming and exclusive desktop use (so mostly gaming, music, watching videos, shows, etc. Basically everything you'd use headphones for) and so far they have been excellent for everything I have used them for. I may need to find a way to amp up the volume a bit, because currently everything is maxed on my computer to get the desired loudness, but for most situations it has more than enough volume. Just a few games lack in the super loud end, but it's really not a big deal. I think it's because I have an older motherboard, so newer computers or people with amps absolutely shouldn't have any issues with volume. Also, the open-back sound leakage is NOT BAD! I was so worried these would leak too much sound for other people, but I can barely even hear it leaking out at max volume. It definitely does leak but if you're in a room by yourself blasting music, I doubt anyone walking past your room with an open door would even hear a thing. You could probably listen in the same room as someone else and not have an issue either, just keep the volume lower.Sound quality: 9.5/10Build quality: 8.5/10Comfort: 9/10Accessories: 6/10Overall, I'm very happy with these headphones. Definitely would recommend for anyone looking for an audio upgrade in the mid-high tier.[Edit - One month after purchase: Buy these. You won't regret it. Seriously. If you're looking for a more flat response, the DT880s may be a better choice, but these are extremely good at what they do and frankly I would choose these again, recommend them to everyone I know, and give them as gifts. Even for $200, these are great. Total bargain.]
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