How do the DT 990s/600 compare to these? Iām looking to get on the Hype train but I want the bigger bassā¦
So the 600 ohm black edition were $90 cad cheaper then the premium. I did enjoy the 250 ohm version I had a few years ago so i pulled the trigger on a set.
Probably pull them apart and put a removable balanced cable after just checking if they work. Hahaha.
3 Likes
So to compare these to some headphone darlings: They are almost as dynamic as the Elex, and have about the same sound stage. I think the bass is slightly better on the Elex. They are almost as detailed as the Ananda, but no where near as wide. Iāll say this again, in my opinion you need an amp that can put out at least 200 mw at 600 ohm to make these sound good. The Atom in my experience is not good enough when I A/B test it with the SP200.
1 Like
DT 990s are a Sharp V signature while 880s are your Neutral Bright Signature. DT 990 is open back vs the 880s which are semi open. 990s will have your deeper raised bass alongside a very strong treble however the mids are definitely recessed meanwhile 880s are lighter bass to my ears the mids still sound recessed but its barily anything and the highs are raised. DT 990 can be found to be extremely sibilant without a setup that helps reign in that treble meanwhile the 880s donāt suffer as much in that area and are more forgiving. DT 990s are open back and give the that nice larger soundstage in comparison 880s fall just slightly short in this area. Both imaging and seperation are on point.
1 Like
Me likeyā¦ I know what to buy next. I just hope that the dt 990s make a worthy upgrade to my MMX300sā¦
1 Like
This would be a subjective opinion. MMX 300 are comparable to things like the argons as they are closed back and despite that sound really wide and warm. DT 990s and 880s both have that actual bright beyer house sound to them. A good recommendation from me to reign in the DT 990s would be the Liquid Spark Amp paired with a dac that can also help with the treble if possible, though I used a Topping D10. It worked for me to make it no longer sibilant. It will respond to Tube amps as well and other amps provided you just keep that treble in mind that its a bit picky. I think it compliments the mmx300 well enough but I wouldnāt call it particularly an upgrade. An upgrade to the mmx300 imo would be the T60rp Argons or the T5P less you wanted a bass cannon in which then your looking into Fostex
Thanks for the recommends. I donāt mind my ears bleeding so Iāll try out the 990s. If only I were made of moneyā¦ I would snap up those th909s real quick! Iāll just wait for the T60rp Argon Z review while I wait to become a millionaireā¦
1 Like
Just in case the DT990 are too bright for you, there is an easy mod that is reversible. 3mm wool felt, cut into a circle the same size as the damping circle on top of the driverā¦just place it under the damping circle. It reduces the treble peak by a modest 4db.
4 Likes
Would a Little Dot MKII have enough 
to drive them?
Depends who you ask 
ā¦ sorry, Iāll leave now
2 Likes
Thanks but Iāll probably just EQ it out if anything. Any recommendations for pad swapping or should I keep stock pads on?
Personally, I love the velour it comes with. Super soft but it needs some time to break in a bit as it was fairly stiff for me out of the box same with its pretty moderate clamp force, this is just my opinion though others may vary and ya knowā¦ head size lol. I did hear that the Dekoni Elite Velour was a pretty solid replacement though too. Not quite sure on sheepskin, perfs, suede, etc
The stock pads are best for the 880 and 990. I did prefer the Brainwavz Hybrid on the 770s though.
went with brainwavz xl perfs for mine. Sounds great upgraded to 177x go and still works and sounds great.
So I got the Black edition with the black pads and I just got the grey pads. The do fix the weird bass and you donāt need an EQ anymore if thatās not your thing. One thing though, there is an extra piece of black foam glued to the center of the driver thatās not on the grey versions. Or isnāt on the guides to removing the pads on the grey versions.
1 Like
The black edition has some funky sound stock? Iāll order some Bayer pads if thatās the fix. Will they sound identical with the pad swap or should I just cancel order?
I donāt have the grey version to directly compare but the Black one sounds better with the grey pads and if you EQ the black pads they sound close but the bass is a bit off. There does appear to be an extra foam disk glued to the driver but I donāt know how much that changes the sound.
I donāt know if itās āextraā but my all silver 880 has a foam disc glued to the driver.
It is my first post on this forum, so I want to start with saying:
Hello Everybody! 
I am thrilled to be here.
Please donāt be too harsh about my English, but also point if I am making some stupid mistakes.
To the subject though.
Considering the most recent āelectrifyingā review done by Z the mightiest, and leaving aside all the comments above (I have read them, but some of them are like over a year old).
I must admit, I am a bit hyped about them after Zās review, and I would love to try them myself; Although I cannot see myself doing that at the moment due to the current situation around the globe.
I have a question:
Would you rather: (considering you donāt have any equipment yet)
- Mod the dt880 600ohms into balanced, and use them with any decent amp (please add some examples of what would you see it paired with)
- Get yourself a small nuclear power plant-like amp to drive the dt880 600ohms? (also, please add some examples of what it may be, I know Z added a note that an old speaker amp should do, but I still donāt know many of those that would actually work + I would like the equipment I buy to be as versatile as it can be)
The reason for the question is. I am a newbie to the subject and despite me always wandering around the topic of high fidelity audio, I never actually had such equipment (just recently I bought a Koss portaPro, and despite them not being to comfortable after long listening I currently look at getting Yaxi Pads and getting some KPH30i). But the time changes and I want to buy something that wonāt be just expensive.
I want to buy something that plays well enough so that I can gain more experience on the subject, grow myself a good ear and grasp what is going on.
You should not need to run them balanced. I would encourage modding just for the sheer entertainment value.
You can run the 880 600 ohm off of any of the standard recommended beginner amps. No need for a nuclear powerplant. You can ignore the stuff about the Atom and the other competitor amps not powering it properly. They wonāt drive it to extremes, but they will function and not sound like shite.
If you really want to / are concerned about power, grab a Gilmore Lite Mk2 or an Asgard 3 and a dac of your choice. Should drive them just fine. If youāre reallllly concerned. Mod them to balanced and get a Monolith Liquid Platinum lol.
Get an intro amp first. Donāt go full bore until you know you need it. Some people on this thread are way overexaggerating about power requirements. Theyāll sound fine without a nuclear powerplant. Remember, you can always upgrade if you want. First purchase is not be all end all. More power will make them sound better, but unless you want to spend upwards of $500 it wonāt be night and day. If itās your first step, do <$200 on an Asgard or Archel.
Also, welcome! Your English is great.
5 Likes