beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO Open Studio Reference Headphones

Product Information

The two velor upholstery has a different sound. You have the choice between a balanced, pleasantly bassy sound and an analytically neutral sound tuning The weight of the headphones is 370 grams, which is quite substantial, and likely due to the rugged design. Thankfully, the headband, which has ample-but-firm padding, helps to distribute the weight of the headphones evenly across my head, preventing me from developing any hot spots. If you want a headphone that clamps less over the head, and has a softer headband, then try the Amiron Home instead. Overall, with some modifications to the ear pads, the DT 1990 Pro remains a secure and comfortable headphone on the head.

It’s hard to fault these Beyerdynamic headphones. The earcups can be a little tight for long listening but everything else is sonically wonderful. The most interesting result was perhaps in the clarity department, where applying EQ pretty much reduced the clarity across the board. Because the DT 1990 stands out so far from the other two headphones in the clarity department, it’s a relatively minor shift. It’s possible that the effect was due less to EQ itself than simply due to introducing MenuBus/DSP into the chain at all. I suspect it’s a little of both. There’s definitely an across-the-board hit to clarity, but in the case of the DT 1990 the biggest hit happens around the frequency where we’re applying the notch filter. Either way, it’s interesting to see that messing with the signal chain can have an impact on clarity. That said, *on balance* this is THE best headphone out there. You do need an amp or audio-interface to drive it though.DT1990 are simply great for its price, but have some downsides too. As many here I own also DT990 so will compare. I wouldn't waste money on any different cables. Accessory cables are a big money-maker for people selling them, but don't give any better sound than what's already included. You're much better off saving your money to buy more music or making your studio better rather than wasting it on snake oil or cables. Connect with other readers in the article on Pro Tools vs Logic: Review, Comparison + Rating as well. The DT 1990 PRO are superbly-made and marvelously comfortable headphones with clean, clear, open and detailed sound with accurate, taut bass.

The DT1990 Pro is a high transparency headphone. Its spectral balance with its bass boosting ear cushions minimizes the need for tone controls. Its bass sound is articulate and non-boomy. Its coloration component is tone lowering which means that it's not pleasant to listen to. However, it is at worst faint for some listeners and not noticeable for most. I found its overall sound personality ideal for listening to EDM (electronic dance music) and other genres where beautiful sound is not a virtue. I have owned the DT 1990 pro for the past two years and just love them. I use them with the A pads and slight EQ to tame the highs. Tried the B pads and hated them, and to a certain degree did not like the Dekoni elite velour pads either - on paper they should be better A pads but I felt like some details and sparkle were lost compared to the A pads.La custodia rigida, è grandicella ma costruita bene con la tasca apposita per gli accessori e l'intaglio per i pads This is a measurement that I just noticed in REW. It’s actually intended to measure the acoustic performance of rooms and I’ve never seen it used for headphones per-se, but I found it striking how well it lined up with my observations. Specifically that in the bass, LCD2C is clearest and DT 1990 is better than HD 600, and that overall the DT 1990’s clarity exceeds that of the HD 600 and LCD2C. I will start off by saying that based on FR measurements on the 8kHz peak, these *would* be considered sibilant - regardless if it annoys you or not. This peak doesn't trigger my treble sensitivities. It might for you, and this is something you'll have to discover when trying multiple headphones. Personally, I find the Focal Clear's 6kHz and 9kHz peaks more annoying and triggering my treble sensitivities. The worst offender for me by far is the TH-X00 Mahogany. Although I will say that it only happens for certain modern recordings, not for all. The mid range is a little bit forward, but that's exactly where the Tesla driver shines: they provide astounding clarity and speed, making mix work very accurate. Stereo width. . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . 3

The long mini-XLR connector on the left earpiece can poke your left shoulder depending on your shape and how you are sitting or relaxing. They have natural, accurate sound ideal for mixing and mastering, but this means they don't add anything to the lower bass and upper treble to sweeten the sound as consumer headphones do. These DT1990 PRO headphones lead you to make your music sound great; they don't add anything to make music sound better than it actually is for enjoyment's sake.

Sound

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. I thought I’d start with some general comments before breaking the review down further. We’ve reviewed the DT 770 Pro and the DT 1350 before but these were a massive step up.