Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro 250-ohm Semi-open Reference Studio Headphones Reviews
The Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones are an outstanding choice for extended listening sessions, monitoring while recording drums or amplified instruments, or for general-purpose stereo listening! The DT 880 Pro headphones' semi-open design gives you the strengths of both open and closed headphones. You'll have just enough "air" when tracking instruments while still having the isolation you want when using open microphones. What's more, you'll find that the lushly padded headband makes the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones extra-comfortable for extended use.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Top notch cans
I was on the fence about a new set of headphones for mixing. So many choices and options. It was almost overwhelming. Open back or closed back wait, semi open is an option as well?
Beyerdynamic, Sony or Sennheiser?
Ultimately I chose these semi open from Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro 250 ohms.
In my opinion it really is the best of both worlds. The room doesn't play much into the overall sound. You still need a quiet room when mixing. Meaning my wife or kids can come in to the room ask a question and I can still hear them. Unlike closed back where you see lips moving but can't hear them so you have to stop your process to answer questions.
Bonus: super comfortable to wear for hours without ear fatigue and frequency build up. I mean seriously take your breaks as needed.
For live playing or tracking I would probably recommend the DT 770 closed back due to some bleed being semi open.
My Scarlett 2i2 interface has enough power to push this 250ohm headset no additional power amps needed.
Hope this reviews helps.
Excellent headphones for guitar and bass
I play through my GX-100 multi effects unit as these
Beyerdynamic cans really shine - they replaced a set of wel-worn AKG K240s that I've relegated to away-from-home playing with my Pocket-GT (still good 'phones mind you!). These DT 880s have richer bass and more detailed mid and high frequencies that I absolutely love - very three-dimensional. Wearing comfort is so much nicer than my AKG set, and they feel very high-quality. Kind of wished they came with a hard case but that's an easy and inexpensive addition. These will last me for years to come! Your mileage may vary, but my ears love these.
Beyerdynamic Phones
These are good for rough mixing and editing. Occasionally I am unable to use my Focals in the room. These headphones do a fine job giving me a reasonable representation of what I'm mixing. I believe they are a great value.
Perfection In Your Hands
Cant even rate the sound quality because its what you produce it's what you hear. The quality is untouched so good it's unbeleivable! My best Sweetwater purchase ever!
Just What Is Needed and Wanted
Pure Quality Sound. Your music will sound just as you make it. Best Buy Ever!
What Can I Say?
What can I say that hasn't already been said in rewiewing these headphones?
When they arrived and I put them on, the first thing was the comfort. I wore them all day with the exception of a few minutes when my wife was wearing them. She doesn't like headphones or earbuds. I had to take them away from her. It wasn't much of a battle but having that short experience told me how much she enjoyed both the comfort and quality of sound.
I wore them literally all day playing music through my Samsung A52 cell. I read they might not play very loud through a cell but the A52 allowed me to use less than half volume than I normally would use with other headphones. I had purchased a Samsung A73 Ultra and once it was set up I plugged the DT880 Pro's into it. This is where the advertising and YouTube reviews became correct. The 250 ohm DT880 Pro's needed a headphone amp as the volume was weak at best open full.
The A73 Ultra was sentback to Amazon immediately and I ordered a Samsung S21 Ultra after playing them through my wifes Samsung S20 cell.
I have never heard headphones with such clarity throughout the entire frequency tange like the DT880's produce and was blown away for the entire day.
Then my Whirlwind PW-1 Personal Wedge Headphone Amp showed up. The difference wasn't extreme when I played them through the PW-1 amp but was enough to bring more detailed sound throughout the frequency range as well as wider imaging. With and with out the amp the Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro's brought out a much better and clearer bass in my favorite Beatle tunes as well as some new sounds I had never heard before. This has also become true with most of the music I have in my phone.
For sure I am excited to get back to my studio in Peru after my visit with my family here in Las Vegas. They suggested I put them away and visit after beginning the second day of wearing them after they arrived.
They are awsome!!
I need to thank my guy at Sweetwater Rob Kramer, for his honest professionalism, guidance, and more. Thanks Rob, you da man!
Great Clarity in these Headphones
I have been using the lower impedance Sony MDR-7506 for years. No complaints. I was interested in a more open back design and higher impedance so I had something completely different. I really like the open space in the ears, much larger than the Sony cans. They also seem to stay cooler over longer periods of listening. Very detailed headphones. A great value for the price.
Perfect studio cans!
Solid build. Reliable sound. Extremely comfortable. It's no lie, I could wear these all afternoon and no headache or ear pain.
Listen in Comfort
I love these. I have had them for a little over a year. They are very comfortable and give me solid mixes.
My son also borrows them to game on his PC and i thought about getting another set for him or giving him these and upgrad to the next ones.
Biggest benefit to me is the comfort. Can't say enough good things about these headphones.
My Standard
Beyerdynamic cans are my idea of the best in the world. They are responsive clear and very comfortable. In my limited experience phones need not be costly to be excellent. I currently own 3 of these and have had no problems.
Excellent headphones
Comfortable, excellent sound reproduction, great support.
The only improvement I could suggest would be addition of a socket to store the 1/4" adapter when not in use.
PSA: M5 & M8 1/4" Adapter (Threaded & Non-threaded)
Just a heads up for anyone (like myself) who may have lost their original 1/4" adapter, Beyerdynamic has two versions of a 1/4" adapter, one called the M5 (a smaller threaded adapter that comes with the headphones) and the M8 adapter (Sweetwater stocks and sells these as replacements) that doesn't fit the thread. In case you would ever need to replace the adapter, you'll want to seek out the M5 adapter!
As far as the headphones, they're fantastic for listening and mixing!
Awesome detail!
I purchased the 880 Pro's as an upgrade for late night (non-vocal) tracking and mixing.
They are designed to be as flat as possible, so they sound a bit on the brighter side, and have a good amount of bass roll-off as well.
What is most impressive is the level of detail you can hear with these. They are amazing listening to classical.
I have the sonarworks headphone reference correction software.
When corrected and compared to my previous ATH-M30X and budget K52's (also corrected), there's an unreal difference!
Although the response and balance is arguably the same with soundid, the difference in detail and "size" (sounds a good bit more like I'm listening in a room) is remarkable.
Bass instruments don't blend together and are distinct on the 880's, the trebles are much crisper than the others, I honestly didn't expect it.
As these are 250 ohm, they take more voltage to drive, and are nowhere near as loud as the aforementioned sets for the given volume setting. (think in terms of a car amp putting out less power to higher impedance subs)
My 1st gen Scarlett 2i2 is normally running around 3 o'clock on the headphone outs, compared to 10-11'ish with the others. more than adequate for me, but if you want them cranked up, a dedicated headphone amp may be in order.
- On an iphone 7, they need to be almost fully cranked to drown out a tv in the same room (for a better idea).
Lastly, the pro version has a coiled cord thats about 3 and a half feet long before stretching.
Its nice working at the desk, but gets in the way just a little if I'm playing guitar or keys.
The "Premium Edition" 880's have a straight cord that is supposedly 10 feet long if the coiled cord is a no go.
Lastly, these are plenty comfortable enough for all night use.
Enjoy!
New tricks
Expanding my tinnitus from live sound to a formidable laptop, two actually I7, 16Gb RAM, 256/512Gb SDDs (faster than 7200rpm HDDs), so I know a little, but DAW is new and in a hurry I set the mic and guitar to -14db before acknowledging that was the output, not the input level... so -6db and the DT880 PROs helped me identify the 'sound in a jar' issue. Now I hear what's in the phones in balance with what's outside them. The monitors will sound better as well, no doubt. I thought I'd lost my hearing lol. It's easy to collect plugins, free and at cost, but latency counts if I want to incorporate DAW musical attributes with my live set (which of course I do). It's a stubborn road ahead, but I will get to record and play live, because I've decided to, so I will find my way through. Manuals brag features, but to use stuff you must do it, not read about it. Baby steps. Noise gate, compressor, equalizer to find home and travel through magic from there. Wish me luck. I wish you luck.
Can't Go Wrong.
With so many headphones to choose from, these are a sure bet for semi open style.
Great frequency response and very accurate sound stage.
Super comfortable and no fatigue when mixing long sessions.
Excellent
Highly recommend these! Hi-fi and for a reasonable enough price - they are crystal clear in the highs and the lows sound true and colorful. Very detailed sound~ try em.
Get low
Headphones are great and will allow you to get the lows you need to with destroying your speakers. Comfortable great sound. The price makes these a must have for all studios. Very well built.
Great cans that can
Great Sound. Balanced. Comfortable. German. Major value here. Have had my first pair for about seven or eight years. Just bought my second pair, from Sweetwater of course :-)
They work perfect for me
These cans are amazing! Mixes translate great when I mix on these. They are comfortable and I can wear them for as long as I need to. Excellent product!
Highly recommended.
DT 880 Pro 250 headphones
Perfect. This is the perfect word for these fantastic headphones! Two years ago I embarked on learning home recording using computers and a DAW. Making all the usual rookie mistakes, learning, reading, mixing, remixing ad nauseum, etc. As my understanding and skill set grew i realized that even though I've gotten past some major hurdles (one big one- relying on lousy overrated plugins instead of my own gear going directly into the DAW) and I'd installed some excellent studio mix monitors, the mix still needed a clarity and transparency that the monitors approached by haven't quite achieved, I decided to replace the phones I had with these. And all of a sudden, once my ears adjusted to the precision of the Beyerdynamics, everything fell into place.
Whether mixing at a whisper, loudly or anywhere in the middle, the flat response and purity of these phones is limited only by your other gear (output signal from your DAW, mixer, sound card coloring etc.)
Now my mixes are clean and balanced with great signal placement.
Get these. They're a great price for the incredible comfort and excellent flat response these deliver.
Sound balanced and are very comfortable
I use them for mixing/mastering.
All the frequencies are there, from the very lows to very highs, in perfect balance.
The most important frequencies in mixing/mastering are in the sub bass area (below 100Hz). When those are not perfectly balanced it will destroy your entire mix. These headphones reveal them accurately. The same goes for the high mids and those above 8kH.
The interesting part is, that they sound never agley and harsh, even when driven hard. This is great but can mislead inexperienced engineers into believing there mix sounds brilliant, when in fact it has too much mid-high frequency content.
I recommend these headphone passionately for professional mixing and mastering, as long as you also have a pair of great monitor speakers you can compare your mix with occasionally. This is true no matter what headphones you will be using. Real speakers project very differently from head phones, there is just no way around that fact. But mixing/mastering with these headphones is simply a pleasure.
Highly recommend them, especially when considering the price range. Best headphones I have ever used.
Incredible depth and detail
These will let you know if you did a good job or a bad job mixing/mastering. And will change how you approach songs for your own good. Needed an amplifier for best results!!! I'm really satisfied with them. These cans will be part of my 'forever' group of equipment.
Love em
Very comfortable. Sounds wonderful.
Quality
Great product! Quality earphones do make a big difference!
Great headphones
Love these headphones. The acoustic range is great!
Great cans
I've been using the 770s for about 10 years and they're still going strong. The 880s are definitely flatter and more detailed. Being semi open back, they let a fair amount of sound in and out, so great for quiet studio use.
Fantastic for Recording, Mixing and Mastering
I am a Smooth Jazz and World Music Producer and the DT880 Pros have exceptional clarity and comfort. I have been using these for the past 12 months and they help me identify flaws in the mix. Excellent product. For the price point these are an excellent choice. Thanks to my sales engineer Nick Crawcock for recommending them. Love these headphones.
Beautiful design, clear sound, and lightweight
I love these headphones. Very good quality and will be looking for more products from this brand
Wow
Absolutely phenomenal sound especially in comparison to my old cans. I can hear many flaws I didn't seem to be able to prior. I am very grateful for this purchase.
Outstanding
I haven't owned a pair of higher-end headphones but I know what they sound like and have always wanted something close to the caliber I have experienced in the past. I had never experienced Beyerdynamic headphones but after a lot of research and reading all of the 5 star reviews here on Sweetwater I went for it and ordered them. Have put about 30-40 hours on them and it is a revealing experience. The mixes I made with some of my songs before I received these headphones had to be completely redone after hearing them on these. What I heard was honest feedback as to what I had done and where the major flaws were. Right out of the gate it improved the quality of my mix by giving me the kind of feedback you want from headphones or monitors. The comfortability of these headphones is out of this world. They're an all day type of comfort. I could go on and on about how amazing these headphones are but should really just stop and say to anyone who is considering to buy these - buy them. You won't regret it. Sweetwater delivered these the next day. I couldn't believe it. Paul Allen has been the best rep I've had in any business and is always on it with any kind of info I need.
Fantastic for Mixing
I love these headphones! Very durable, incredibly comfortable, extremely flat & detailed sound. I put them through the paces on several tracks and these headphones have cut down my mix time dramatically. I run an initial mix with these, then make minor adjustments while monitoring with various other sources (studio monitors, cheapo monitors, mono BT speaker, earbuds & phone... ETC), then do a final check with these headphones again. These phones allow me to identify mixing issues quicker than I have ever been able to with using my studio monitors or other studio headphones.
Replacement Pair
I had previously owned a pair of the DT 880 Pros, this was to replace a pair that had broken, and for some reason Beyerdynamic wouldn't get back to me about getting replacement parts. Sweetwater helped me out quickly and I had a new pair a day before I even expected to.
These are great headphones for mixing, editing, and mastering - as well as for extending listening of media. I have even fallen asleep wearing these headphones, they are that comfortable. They can be worn essentially most of the day.
I listen to music/videos on these through most of the day, and I never feel discomfort from them.
These are awesome
I ultimately bought these to go with my Kemper. I couldn't be more thrilled with the purchase. Very clear and very comfortable. Glad I went with the semi-open. I can hear backing tracks and YouTube while playing through the Kemper. A+
Super Comfortable
Super Comfortable headphones, man I"m so glad I upped my game from $100 phones. Sony are good but no comparison. Super happy with this purchase, for sizing my head is 7 1/2 fit perfect.
Erin mansfield
DT880 Pro 250 Ohm
After having run approximately 200 hours of relaxing/classical music through them, they are absolutely wonderful. The most delicate nuances and textures are crystal clear and bring the music to life. This is exactly what I was looking for in a headphone.
DT880 Pro
No surprises...I expected top quality and performance and got it. No complaints. Will Crisp, as always, was very helpful with this selection. Shipping was outstanding. Ordered Wednesday p.m., received Friday at 10 a.m. This is my second pair of Beyerdynamic headphones, and I'll continue to purchase the Beyer brand.
Great value for the money
as you've probably read in other reviews just about everything imaginable in these headphones. Excellent for mixing down, mastering, and easy on the ears. Once again I'd like to thank Chris goldbach my sales rep for an outstanding recommendation that fit my pocketbook. One more thing Sweetwater customer service is excellent. Also their technicians know their stuff. Good luck with your Ventures and I know you will enjoy these headphones.
Loud Clouds
I'm an amateur producer (wait, don't go away). Before getting these headphones, I didn't think I could hear the loss of a 192kbps mp3, or hear the processing artifacts from my digital synth, or cast judgment on the quality of a professional voice recording. It is one thing to take engineers and audiophiles at their word when they go on about the finer details of an audio signal, but it is quite another thing to actually experience these details yourself. I believe I have found a tool that, for the first time, can actually help me hear what more knowledgeable people keep saying I'm supposed to.
As a novice, my opinion on the above matter may not be worth much, but it doesn't take a pro to know the DT 880 pros are also extremely comfortable, with no fatigue after long sessions. They are also very well-constructed, with replaceable parts, and lots of metal where cheaper models would use plastic. The only downside? Now I have to upgrade all my other gear!
If you have to mix on headphones...
I tried these on several mixes and I was quite pleased at how close the mix was to mixes that were done on real studio monitors. So, I am reviewing these as if you intend to mix on headphones. For the record, I use these to double check my low and mids along with my monitors and sub.
These do a great job for reproducing the midrange very well and checking the low end. I would say, that is where these really shine...the mids and lows. To me, those are the most important ranges in mixes because not everyone has a pair of mixcubes to mix the midrange properly where most of your mix lives in. Being that the mid is so flat, I actually mix on these first, then I go on to my mixcubes and monitors/sub and switch between all three.
The low end is uber clear and not exaggerated at all. If you're looking at getting these, then you intend to mix on them or push them with an amp, not listen to them on your phone or other mobile device because the internal amp cannot deliver the power necessary to run these headphones. You need an amp or studio console, seriously.
With that said, the construction feels solid, the pads go over the ear completely, and the sound...is awesome. It's like you're listening to studio monitors in front of you. You have to try it to understand. If these are your first open-back (these are actually semi-open-back) headphones, you will have to acclimate to the sound stage these produce if you've been listening to closed back mostly (which you probably have been for most of your life).
For those that say these are bright right out of the box...well, maybe but I didn't really think so. Like another user suggested, I just played pink noise through them for about 50hrs and it appears...as though the brightness has tamed slightly. I can't really say for sure but after the break-in, they do appear to have a more settled sound than when I first put them on.
One thing is for sure...these sound so good. I mean, really good. There are very few headphones that can make you feel 20Hz.I have compared them to most of the mainstream, and highly suggested headphones out there, including the popular Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Audio Technica, and AKG headphones (you know which ones I'm talking about) and these, sonically, have the flattest response by far. Don't take my word for it...they're all great headphones and anyone with experience can mix on any of them but these 880s have a more natural sound as if you were standing behind actual monitor speakers. To be fair, all the mainstream and popular headphones are great for their own respective reasons and it's all up to adapting. As long as you're familiar with your own gear, you can get the sound you want out of your mixes with any headphones.
These are so reasonably priced as well. The only thing I wish these headphones had was a removable cord but as long as you're not swinging them around like bolas, they should last a long time.
The 880s are very comfortable and I can mix on these for hours. I can't say that about most of the other headphones. Usually, I can only handle about 1 to 2 hours, at most, with other headphones but I don't have a problem mixing the whole day on these, with breaks in between of course.
Overall, these are a great set of cans and I would have no problem buying a second pair once these wear out. If you're looking for a pair of really accurate reference headphones that do not color sound, these are a superior choice for the price. If you already own a set of monitors, these would be a great addition to your studio for checking your mixes or mixing completely on headphones.
Get these headphones!
Seriously good headphones for the price point. Do yourself a favor and get these headphones.
Get these or you're stupid!
As a musician always in search of truth and answers, I can assure you that these headphones will deliver a sonic euphoria and level of accurate detail that will shatter your model of the world around you. They are so good in fact that I can mix with them on for hours and forget they are there. My ears never got fatigued from phasing issues and frequency spikes like other headphones and they reveal everything. They are also lightweight and very, very comfortable. I think the sound could be described as natural and honest, They are fast and responsive with a very wide soundstage and very deep lows and clear but not harsh high end. I needed headphones for critical listening and mixing as I am working on an indy film soundtrack and these headphones kept me from buying high end speakers. I use my jbl monitors that I'm used to, but put these on for the most accurate representation of what I'm doing. I like the 250ohm, feels a little more alive than my lower ohm headphones. It's Either these Headphones or the $1,500 HD800 sennheisers which is obnoxious to me since the Beyers DT880's are 6 times less. Buy these first and end your quest. Truly a professional grade product on the highest level. I don't have any complaints AT ALL.
Great Phones for not too much money!
I really was blown away by the bass on the DT 770s to the point that I took them off my head to be sure my subwoofer was turned off, its that impressive. However being reference headphones they are great in the studio, but rather unforgiving of fuzzy old mixes, over equalized stereos, and the like. The cleaner the sound the better. The DT 880s give you a bigger sound stage. The bass is still there but you may have to turn it up a bit more. The 880s are slightly more forgiving of overly compressed recordings, but not much. But if your sound is clean they are out of this world for $200. And comfortable too. Hardly any ear fatigue due to ducting even on closed back 770s. Basically at this price you cant go wrong. If you just listen to MP3s on your picnic player get a pair of AKGs or Shure"s as you will probably like the sound better. WARNING The DTs will not sound good on a lot of your favorite recordings, you will hear every distortion.But when the sound is clean its fantastic!
DT 880 Pro 250 ohm Semi-open headphones
On a whim, I thought, i've never had open back headphones, so, I bought these .... Man, what a difference !!! You can't go wrong with Beyerdynamic headphones, what quality, in many ways !!! It's strange, at first using, because you can actually hear yourself talk and the doorbell ringing... hahaha... But, they are really fantastic listening to music with... I love them.... Thank's Bill Newbill of Sweetwater, great service !!! Mikey
Awesome!
These headphones look, feel, and most importantly sound incredible. They are big but not bulky or ridiculous looking, and so comfortable you can leave them on for extended periods of time. They are so clean you hear all the subtleties of the mix and shut down the noise around you. It makes you want to focus on every detail of your mix. Great buy and great customer service as ALWAYS by the folks at Sweetwater and my service rep, Delvin.
Comfortable. Awesome. Made in Germany.
These phones are comfortable. They are awesome. They are made in Germany. Had them for a couple years now; used all the time. Get em - they're worth it.
Awesome clarity
I owned a pair of DT770s which had excellent sound reproduction, but these 880s are another level entirely. I now hear even the most subtle nuances with crystal clarity, which is the purpose of monitor headphones. They hide nothing and forgive nothing, so woe be any barely adequate mix--including more than a few commercial releases. Although extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods, they are not designed for "easy listening" any more than a surgeon's scalpel is designed for carving a Thanksgiving turkey. Between my mono Avantone and stereo nearfield monitors, I feel like I have all the tools I need to hear precisely what I'm doing when mixing. Well worth the price.
Incredible
These earphones are AWESOMEt
Realistic lowend = better mixes
It's a game changer for me. You have no idea how weak your lowend sounds till you hear your mixes on these headphones. They will help you make a lot better tone shaping decisions in the tracking process too.
Great Headphones for Mixing
I bought these strictly for mixing as my current setup makes it necessary to mix primarily through headphones. Past headphone mixing yielded mixed result. Some good, some bad. I learned to compensate by cross referencing through other sets of speakers and headphones, but it was always a real challenge to get the mix to work.
Keep in mind that these headphones are not really intended for listening pleasure as much as they are for reference. Listening to professional mixes, you won't hear sizzling highs, pounding lows, etc. like you will through most consumer headphones. The spectrum is relatively flat. But what you will hear, for better or worse, is a LOT of detail. Before you start mixing with these, please do yourself a favor and get used to what the best mixes should sound like through these headphones. This is what you are shooting for when you start mixing.
My first mix in these was too bright as I was used to listening through hyped headphones. But after listening through these for a while and using reference mixes, the difference was astounding. Now, when I cross reference through other speakers and headphones, everything is almost always dead on and extremely well balanced.
I have heard these described as surgical and I think this is an accurate description. They enable you to clearly hear what parts of your mix need attention. Great investment for anyone that needs to mix through headphones.
Great Headphones!
I found a pair of these sitting on the front desk at work (this actually happens at a miltary band) and I'm currently jamming to some Daft Punk on my iPad. These are good enough that I immediately looked up how much they cost, so that should tell you something!
The fuzzy earpieces are super comfy and the sound quality is steller - just as clear as the $100 Sennheisers I have at home and somehow a little richer as well. I can't speak for mixing, but so far they're great for listening!
Satisfied
The closest I've come to being able to mix on headphones. Great for reference. They are flat and open, and unlike most headphones, things like EQ and reverb adjustments usually translate very well. They are pretty clinical sounding, not my favorite for pure listening enjoyment usually, unless I want to hear every little detail, but that's why they work so well. Good mixes sound good on them, terrible mixes sound terrible. My Sony 7506's don't come close to being this accurate, and now they are really only used for tracking. I highly recommend these.
dt 880 pro much better than my beats studio and solo
Got these for checking when mixing and im very happy.Very natural sound. Much better than my beats by dre head phones (studios and solo) Using straight off the mbox 2 without amp and still sounds pretty loud.
What a joy.
I find myself choosing to mix and track and work with these on rather than my nearfields. Enough said. They are SO comfortable and sound AMAZING. If there is one negative thing to say, and it's small, it's this: don't expect others to be unable to hear what you're doing--sound leaks out a little bit. That is by design, and par for the course with semi-open cans.
In a word: KILLER.
The sound is amazing
As The owner of sennheisers, fostex t20 and t40s, AKGs and KRK KNS 8400 I can confidently say that the Beyerdynamics DT 880 Pro I got recently are great!! When you look at the frequency response and hear it for yourself you will ask why didn't I have these headphones before. The comfort is great. Very comfortable and I use it in conjunction with a focusrite VRM Box to mix. The clarity is mindblowing! What got me was a Take 6 song I listened to on the KRKs always had the lead vocalist sounding overly compressed. With these cans the sound is so natural and I heard no over compression. Just nice open sound. NOthing can hide in these cans. Everything is revealed! Spend the money and get a pair. You'll soon realise like me that you want a backup pair in case of anything. I can't mix without them.
No Joke, so good!
I spent some time researching options for headphones to listen to all day at work (architect) in the office, to replace my Sony MDR-V600s that I've had three pairs of over the last 16 years. These 880s are absolutely incredible--I think the semi-open design is perfect for me--the bass is super tight, but not overpowering like the closed Sonys, and the result is a very clear and balanced spectrum. The most impressive thing is the clarity, and how low they go--I'm listening to some super subby dubstep and hearing all sorts of things I've never heard before--the Sony's either couldn't reproduce it, or the other bass frequencies were drowning it out. These things are flat from bottom to top--loving it!
FOR SERIOUS MIXING
THESE CANS ARE COMFORTABLE AND NEVER CAUSE AND TYPE OF EAR FATIGUE. I OWN KRK ROCKIT MONITORS AND THE KRK SUB, AND I CAN HONESTLY MIX AN ENTIRE SONG WITH JUST THESE. THEY GIVE A REALLY OPEN SOUND LIKE MONITORS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CLOSED HEADPHONES. I RECOMMEND THESE FOR SERIOUS MIXING AND MASTERING. VERY FLAT SIGNAL, THEY PUT OUT WHATS GOING IN. THEY'RE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE LOWEST BASS NOTES WITH EASE. I MIX WITH THE KRK MONITORS, BUT I PUT THESE ON WHEN I NEED TO GET DETAILED, INTIMATE, AND VERY DISCERNING WITH THE MIX. I WILL ALWAYS KEEP A PAIR.
On my desk
They are one of two headphones I use to check all my mixes. They work great with the Apollo MKII headphone amps.
A Great Buy
I replaced an old blown out pair of cans for these. Wow! Disclaimer: I am not an engineer although I have spent countless hours in the recording studio as a singer and guitarist. Having said that, these monitors are super neutral, natural highs and lows, definitely not a sub monster. They have already proved their worth especially in laying down guitar tracks, both electric and acoustic. I primarily mix with monitors in my home studio but these are excellent for the "second listen." Great bang for buck, SUPER COMFORTABLE, even for long hours. If I had one criticism it would be, I dont care for coiled cords....but that is a non issue.
Years of amazing great sound
I've had these cans for more years that I can remember (7+ I think) and I can honestly say for the low/mid range sound, these things deliver like no other. I specify that as the high end IS crisp and tight, but there is something about the lower mid-range/bass end of these head phones that gives me a chubby every time I listen through them.
IF YOU ARE USING THESE FOR STUDIO MIX CALIBRATION OR CRITICAL LISTEN/MIXING SKILLS these headphones focus on the mid/lower range to bass The high end is there, but just not as magical...I don't know how else to describe it.
What I use these for: Pure playing and as another reference to my amazing studio monitors. When the wife and baby are asleep, these take me to the place where I want to be.
Biggest Bang For The Buck
After having spent countless hours in tracking and post-production facilities, having listened to the best and the worst, the DT 880 Pro is KILLER! Granted, there are better can out there BUT, for the home studio these have an extremely realistic soundscape and frequency response. Just got mine, my sales engineer Mike Godlove is great by the way, and I have listened to everything from symphony orchestra to AC/DC and these cans do not lie to you. If you cannot find and correct issues with your mix using these, no amount of money spent on headphones is going to help you!
Can't go wrong with 'em!
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro
Great headphones! I use the DT 880 Pro headset primarily for monitoring.
Fine addition to my studio
The Beyerdynamic DT 880s are the finest headphones I've owned and I've had several (Focal, AT-M50 others). These are my 1st using a semi-open back design and I'm loving them.
I use them as an additional review source to my monitors, which unfortunately don't have much response below 60Hz. I don't do bass-heavy music, but I like a solid foundation down there. I get a very clear view of the low-end (and above) with the DT 880s. They have much clearer bass than the Focals which are strong there but a bit muddy. They are very comfortable and I've used them for several hours without any issues. I like that they cover the whole ear.
The stereo imaging is excellent for headphones - I'm thinking the semi-open back design is helping here.
I highly recommend these headphones for accurate editing (where I prefer headphones) and mixing (in addition to monitors). My only regret is that I didn't take my Sweetwater sales engineer's advice earlier and get these long ago.
Amazing Comfort, Smooth Response, Great Design
After owning the DT 880 Pros for a few months now I feel comfortable enough to give a review.
First, these are the most comfortable cans I have worn bar none. They are amazingly comfortable and devoid of the usual pressure points you feel on most cans. As someone who wears glasses I always feel it at my temples, has never happened with these, padded and plush.
Though comfy they are very sturdy they actually use (gasp) METAL for the supports. No snapping plastic after years of use here. I take good care of mine but I'm sure they would survive the studio well.
The sound is amazingly clear and smooth. The response is great across the entire spectrum with all the intricate detail you would expect spending this kind of money. The bass is present but doesn't overwhelm the rest of the spectrum and they adapt to any form of music from what I perform and record to what is in my maniacal music collection.
They are pushed rather easily without a headphone amp. Keep in mind these aren't closed and these aren't DJ headphones so you may want to look to a headphone amp if you need to push more volume. My Apogee Duet pushes them just fine and I tried them on my iPhone just to see and they did well there as well.
The semi-open design is perfect for what I do - streaming live performance. I don't like closed headphones as a vocalist I think it gives me pitch problems. The AKG K240s have been mainstays in vocal booths for years and they are semi-open, the DT 880s perform the same way and I have had no instances of mic bleed.
Sweetwater recently marked these down, they are a STEAL at their current price. Yes, you are spending a lot more than the K240s but I believe the quality and sound and comfort make up for the price difference. The only half-star missing is for the price, there are some very good cans for less out there, these are more but have clear benefits.
Best of both worlds!
I've owned both the 770 closed back and 990 open back headphones from beyerdynamic. I love them both for what they do. The 880 pro's are a bit more expensive and honestly I didn't understand why at first. It really gives you the best of both worlds you can both record and mix with them. Sold mine to a bass player and he loves them. If you're mixing with them I would recommend pairing it with sonarworks almost a perfect headphone!
Sounds great, annoying chord.
Great headphones except for the short spiral chord. I did some re-arranging but I still feel like its constantly tugging at me or in the way. Yeah, I could get an extender but what a drag when everything else is good. I like the fit and feel alot though. Just the **** chord.
Nice mix clarity and detail
Good headphones. Brought my level of mixing way up, as you can hear much more detail than through a $100 set of headphones. They're my go to for mixing now. Only concern is the headpiece pulls down tight on my head after a while and it gets uncomfortable. Even when properly adjusted to sit earpieces over my ears, and not adjusted too tight. It looks well-padded but I can't wear them as long as my cheaper headphones without getting uncomfortable. Small price to pay for a better mix.
Very nice
I use these as well as the closed back DT 770 (for tracking). Both are about as comfy as headphones get. They seem well made and they sound great.
Headphones
Very comfortable headphones....great for extended listening. Used for tracking and didn't feel like I was trapped in a box. A little pricey but, you get what you pay for.
Great Headphones, though I've had a reoccurring problem...
These sound awesome, just as advertised. Great dynamics and frequency response. The problem is I noticed a buzzing, first when the monitoring low frequencies, in the left ear of the headphone. I tried everything, swapping left/right, trying different computers but it turned out to be defective headphones. I got the replacement but those turned out to have the same issue. I researched further and it seemed to go one of two ways. Either you bought a pair of these and they lasted forever, or you got a defective pair that buzzed.
The sales rep from sweetwater has been very patient and helpful. They offered me another replacement or a different, similarly priced headphone, which ended up being Shure's SRH 940 model. I decided to give the shures a go and I received them a few days ago. Right off the bat I can say that for serious mixing, the Shures are a better option. They're brighter, and much clearer at lower volumes than the DT 880s, and their closed design means they block outside noise very well.
The problem however, is in the build quality. The Beyerdynamics are comfy, but also have a rugged build quality to them and are definitely capable to stand the rigors of daily use.
The SRHs however, are not. They are comfortable, but I kind of get the feeling that they put the majority of the money towards the actual cans, and not the headband holding it together, which is a good thing, but the plastic really is crap. Its been three days, and the plastic snapped on me already, making them unusable.
I'm going to contact sweetwater tomorrow and most likely pay the extra 100 bucks to move up the the Shure 1440s. I'm liking the Shure sound too much I'm willing to upgrade for more durability!
great!
These are good cans for mixing music.
DT 880... Great for easy monitor and playback
I purchased these for listening back to raw tracks recorded of a military band. After using them for various recording styles (Big Band with 2 mics, Big Band with 14 mics, Concert Band with 6 mics, and 5.1 surround), I've discovered they have a much wider dynamic range than an average pair of cans. The open back also allows for great low end support, and prevents ear fatigue from occurring as quickly. Definitely worth the purchase if you plan on mixing to send up to a mastering facility.
Great sound, terrible headband
Haven't had headphones this good before but everyone on here is saying they are super comfortable. They are on the ears, really nice there in fact but the head cushion is trash, really really thin or maybe the wrong type of material, idk. Either way I can't wear them all day like people say you can on here. Always get a dull pain on top so I have to adjust it every so often. Wouldn't say I have a big head but I am 6'2" so its bigger than most people out there.
I've sent a message to Beyerdynamics about it hoping they have another option they can send me but if they don't I'm probably gonna return these.
Just to reiterate how uncomfortable the headband is, I've had them off for 10 minutes now and I can still feel it on my head.
WHY NO COIL CABLE
Good headsets, but the cord is a royal pain in the butt. How much more would it cost to put a coiled cord? The cord twists up, gets caught on everything in my studio and my chair whenever I move. I have used these for over a year, and bottom line,
Very annoying. I would definitely not recommend these headphones, for that reason alone, unless they change to a coiled cord.