You wonāt get soundstage with these, but you will get detail, neutral/flat (with a slight bump in mid bass) in my opinion. They also really open up with a tube amp.
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Hey @ZeosPantera!
Thank you very much for your reviews! I am struggling now between buying NDH20 or used Fostex X00 or DT1770 for studio work especially for monitoring low frequencies and sub bass for my techno and house productions. Unfortunately in my city only DT1770 available to listen.
So what could you tell about these 3 in terms of overall sound quality, sound stage, instrument separation and low freq response (especially quality)
Thanks a lot in advance,
Max
For studio work & techno/house - NDH20 or TH-X00.
As far as I recall, Neumann is the more āprofessionalā sounding compared to the TH-X00.
However - I do think the TH-X00 has a flatter frequency response compared to the NDH20.
I consistently read not so good reviews about the tonality of the DT1770.
Most reviewers cited here like DMS, Joshua, Zeos also had a dislike for the 1770.
Please correct me if Iām wrong.
If you want to monitor subbass & low to midbass, TH-X00 seems to be much more constistent
and linear compared to the other headphones. With the DT 1770 pro having the most ājanky tonalityā
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NDH20 are almost always my ideal work can. If you could do open the 1990 would also work.
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Thanks for the reply! I listened to 1990 but the high frequencies are so sharp and itās too much of them that hurt my ears. So it was unreal to listen like half of the reference tracks without freq. correction and for me that wouldnāt work in terms of additional reference monitoring. I tried to use Sonarworks with DT1990 in the shop and Sonarworks made some nice freq. correction but it also made the sound more narrow and less detailed.
I even liked HD650/660 more than DT1990 overall just because they are more honest and flatter. The only thing I liked in DT1990 is their sound quality (you really can hear many nuances in the track, some quite sounds and every instrument is separated) and soundstage that is wider than Sennheisersā.
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I feel kida bad for despising this headset so much. I had to return the ones I purchased within a few hours of owning them. I found them heavy and hot, like to a level where it became painful to wear. Sound wise they are okay but having owned other cheaper headsets like the HD6xx and HE4xx, these sound meh. Zero bass and an almost shouty presentation, which can be attributed to my ears adjusting to the set. Sadly the weight and pure displeasure of wearing these made any attempt to enjoy the sound a moot point. For $600 CAD I would reccomend getting something like the Argon Mk3 or even saving more and going with something like a set of Elex or even put the cash toward the soon to be released HD8xx. Its just too highly priced to impulse buy, unlike something like an HD58x or HE4xx. Bummer drummer guys.
I know these are supposed to be work/production headphones but with how uncomfortable they are I doubt I could get anything done without getting a headache.
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Seems like a lot of personal preference in this post. Thatās totally fine though, everyone has their opinions, nothing wrong with that.
Of all the sets I have currently, Iāve had the ndh20 the longest and have no intention of getting rid of them. I personally donāt consider them to be particularly shouty. The comfort issues I can see being an issue for some.
I do feel it should be noted that the other sets you recommend have quite a different signature to the NDH20 and each other.
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I agree with that assessment. I admit that with what little time I had with them, wasnāt spent criticizing the sound. They sounded alright.
The main thing I took away was that they hurt. Unlike the ATH-M60x that sounded great but became painful after hour 2; The Neumann were painful within 10 minutes and sound wise I wasnāt blown away.
With the other HP suggestions I wasnāt really considering those as alternatives sound wise, just strictly dollars to dollars. I donāt mix audio or use headphones in a professional setting, so I couldnāt give a recommendation there.
The only other headphone I had to compare these to were my dumpy pair of ATH-M50. As bad as it sounds I actually preferred the M50s.
These just werenāt for me I think.
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I am looking to sell mine. I am in Australia. Please pm me if interested.
Guys Iām looking for a substitution for my oppo pm3. About 500-600ā¬ max. I travel often so I need a closed back. I would upgrade in term of sound quality from the oppo but Iām quite lost. Do you think the nhd420 is a good option ? Or any other suggestion ?
You need more than a FiiO Q5s power wise. It needs a lot to fully accelerate. It blocks sound well. It is heavy and youll need to order a custom cable.
Thinking of saving up for the MEST so Iām considering selling my pair of Neumanns (and the Tin P1 btw) and just wanted to see if anyone from the EU is interested?
Maybe put a post here?..
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Cool, thanks! 
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Hi guys, just wanted to say that the Sennheiser HD 280 replacement headband cushions fit the Neumann perfectly.
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Will do a bit of raise from your grave in this post, but guess itās still better than creating a new one
Bang for buck, NDH20 at 649 CAD or DT 177X GO at 597 CAD for general purpose music?
I generally like Beyer signature, got a DT880 that I use on the piano but in terms of closed my only reference would be the M50X.
Or maybe something else at this price range? Needs to be closed, but I would love to try some planars 
Thanks,
EDIT/UPDATE: Is anywhere else here really pleased with the synergy between the NDH20s and the ZX507. I have had the hardest time finding a solid HP that pairs nicely with the ZX507. Even Sonyās own Z7M2 has left a lot to be desired with the ZX507. Iām thinking the warmer signature of the ZX507 + the lack of power creates a warmer, musical sounding NDH20 which is excellent.
Just got the Neumann NDH20s!
I havenāt found them nearly as uncomfortable as others have said - in fact, I actually really enjoy wearing them for hours on end. I could see the headband being uncomfortable if you lack a full head of hair to provide a little extra comfort. Earpads just sort of rest on the sides of my head without much pressure - which is odd cuz Iāve got a large head (XL hats).
Sound signature-wise, Iām a fan. They do perfectly fine on portable amps (GO Blu, KA3, Q3, etc.) but I could definitely see how theyād really shine with more power. Hoping to pull the trigger on an iFi micro iDSD soon, then Iāll really be able to push them.
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Havenāt used the 177X GO, but I am familiar with the Beyerdynamic signature and personally I liked the NDH20 better. I do think, however, that the 177X would be 1) Even easier to drive, 2) more comfortable, and 3) and has the potential to be a more smoothed out version of the 1770 which would lend itself to being a better fit across more genres.
That said, and I could be wrong on this, the NDH20 sound signature shares more similarities to the M50x than to the Beyerdynamic signature.
Anyone have any thoughts on the Focal Elegia?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Honestly, comfort also worries me - this is going to be my bread and butted headphones for using the whole day while working at home. This is one of the reasons why I am leaning towards the 177x more.
@ZeosPantera mentioned in one of his comments that at that price range, the NDH would be a better option, but I am under the impression that it may be also a bit boring?
Anyway - I thought about the elegia, especially since it costs 400 bucks now from Adorama. BUT, Iāve heard horrible stories about it snapping easily and I am worried about customer service here in Canada.
Yeah, I havenāt found the NDH20 to be boring at all. Itās not dramatically emphasized in any area, but its also not dry and sterile like a great many studio headphones.
Zeos hated the Z7M2, but that has potential to be a really fun headphone; plus, its incredibly comfortable and well built (in my opinion).
What sort of music do you listen to?
Iād say the 177X are going to be the safer option for you. Based on reviews and knowledge of the Beyerdynamic brand, theyāre well built and comfortable. I canāt imagine them disappointing.