DT880 (2005,2006), Sen 650, K701, DT 990

[wenjia 0]

I only used to listen from speakers but have no experience for Headphone, so i cannot say much about the headphone. but i am quite confident my ear have been trained very well in the past 8 years. since SG is so hot, and maybe the headphone i buy is not so comfortable for wearing few hours, so i never eyes on the headphone, but due to the past 1 year i always need to travel overseas, then i do need a better headphone inside the hotel since some countries tv program i cannot understand.

 

 

yesterday come to collect my DT880 2005 version from anything audio. and I got the chance to listen the DT880 (2005, 2006 version), K701, and DT990, Sen HD650 from the test source provide by AA. this is my 1st date with them and i share some of my impression here.

the 1st headphone i tested is my DT880 (2006), it is clear, nothing special, i cannot find any bad comments for the 1st 1-2 minutes. i feel it have been burned for few hours, but still need to burn with a lounder sound for at least 20 hours.

the 2nd headphone i tried is the DT990 (2006). if sound is a moving object, a good speaker should bring the sound as closed as to you heart, and as far as your eyes can reach. the DT990 i tried also has not been burned enough (i feel it have been burned more than the DT880 2006), but I feel it has the potential to bring the sound as closed as to my chest, as far as my eyes with sun glasses can reach. DT880 2005/2006 has no such potential.

then i tried the Sen 650, it has been fully burned. but i the 1st impression for me about this headphone, of course people already heard many many legends, reputation about this model, but to me, i feel it is just a piece of excellent headphones assembly with a cheap amp to make out this headphone, personally i do not like this kind of pre-modified sound. it will be very difficult to modified the sound later to fulfill different sound requirements. some people said this is a multipurpose headphone, but how a headphone can suitable for male/female/and so many different musical instruments? maybe someone is right to say the difference is only for the taste, yes i agree, but i dislike this kind of predefined taste.

DT 880/990 provide me more wider space to change the sound.

then i tried the K701, the 1st impression even without turn on the music (until now i also do not know whether before changing the headphone i should turn of the power like changing speakers or just plug in/out and play, hope someone can tell me) is the comfort. it feel lighter in your hand compare with the Sen 650, almost the same in your hand with DT880/990, but you can feel lighter on your head if compare with 880/990, much lighter than HD650. the comfort is already worth 50-100 bucks without hearing it.

maybe Sen 650 is quite old design, the material engineer need do more homework avoid the good but heavy materials.

then i start to turn on the music, the sound is one word - dry. i know it is because of the phones have been burned enough. but it let me feel this piece is very arrogant to the source. if you have no much money to spend on the source, then K701 is just a snobling to you. if you are rich enough, then they will treat you like a king. the sound of it is quite raw, it can also modified with your AMP with different proper settings to adapt different sound, but i do not think people buy this kind of headphones will listen lot of different music sylte. the comfort (of course, cannot be more comfortable than wearing nothing) and the raw sound are the big advantages. if we go back to review the 990, its wider soundstage is not original from the music, it is not raw enough, if the nature of the sound have been modified by HD650 is 100% from the source, K701 is modified by 5%, then 990 has been modified by 15%.

clearness between of the K701 and DT990 is the same level but slightly different because of the 5% and 15%. and it is unfair to compare well-burned headphones and a brand new headphone just take out from the box without listening for many hours. my impression on K701 may not be so accurate because of this.

 

imagine i know nothing about the headphones including the brand, price. if let me close my eyes and select one only based on my ear. i will choose the DT990 --> K701 --> DT880, not the sen 650 (i won't buy it because of the taste again, and the comforlessness for my head but not ear, 650 do have bigger earpad than others)

if I know sth. about the headphones including the brnad, price. i will select K701-->DT990-->Sen650-->DT880, since i heard from Albert (the boss of AA), now the DT headphone price raised another 100 bucks. which make the DT990 almost the same price as K701 and Sen650. but since Sen 650 is my dream headphone because of so many stories on the web, this model this brand have a good reputation in my mind, maybe you are also the same, that's why if i open my eyes, i will still select it.

if you open your eyes, DT990 with a new price maybe not worth, but to me it worth for your ear but not eyes. hehe.

 

K701 is a good piece but the only bad thing is the design is suitable for DJ style people, office dressing style is quite funny if you wearing a DJ style, white color headphones, but it is really the most comfortable ones among all of others, let me emphasize again, this worth 100 bucks to me. and although the phones have not been even burned, but according to my ear experience, it has higher potential than the DT990, but i cannot give more accurate review about this raw piece. maybe someone can lend it to me for 1 year? hahahaha

 

 

anyway, it is all depending on your taste

the HD650 i feel maybe can touch your heart (not suitable if you have heart disease ), but cannot bring you to the sky.

the K701 my ear experience feel maybe it will like you feel walking in the sky, but won't reach your heart at most chest

990 is no. 2 for most of the aspects. among HD650, K701, DT 990/880

 

i am happy i can still got the chance to get the DT880 2005 version since it is more value for money, my source is just portable CD player, so no need to be quite high end and even i am looking for high end, it won't be much difference.

 

for your info, the DT880 2005 is not available in AA, i reserved from the shop last month. and the DT880/990 has been increase 100 bucks based on its original retail price.

Edited May 10, 2006 by wenjia

[cmk 0]

Hi Wenjia

Interesting viewpoint. I would agree broadly with your comments as I don't like the stock 650 either. One thing I think you should consider though, is that the source equipment and amp at AA isn't a high-end setup. Probably the amp was also not suitable to drive the 701 to its full potential. [sidenote : I hope AA doesn't take this comment personally, just a frank opinion and I hope he can find an amp to do justice to those great cans.]

 

I would also suggest that you use a portable amp to drive the 880 if you don't already have something. The sound will open up quite a bit.

 

Jaben has kindly loaned me his showroom 701 to give some feedback. Honestly he's too kind, and I'm a sucker for things that look and sound good. So I'll be putting the 701 through some rigourous testing - don't worry Wilson, you'll get it back in one piece .

[Mackie 0]

Wenjia: Interesting opionions which I largely share. The DT990 (2006 edition) is certainly a killer at S$499 and even so albeit price was hiked by $100. The forte lies in its ability to sound different from cans and a step closer to speakers.

 

cmk: Perhaps you were in a rush as many have tested the cans with the pro equipment and then adourn to inner shop and test the cans via a Sony SACD player with a pretty decent headphone out. However, I do agree a good headphone amp like the 708A/B will yield better "audiophile" sound quality from the cans. FWIW, the pro headamp is a Symetrix, a higher end brand in pro audio. It costs over $800.

Edited May 11, 2006 by Mackie

[variablefeedback 0]

Thanks for the review ... very informative ...

[cmk 0]

Taping on this interesting thread started by Wenjia, I think someone should do a proper comparison of their sonics in a controlled environment, in particular, I'm interested to know how the following phones compare :

 

a) AKG K701

Beyer DT880/990 (2006 models)

c) Senn HD600/650 (stock/w cable mods)

 

Anyone want to provide samples for a shoot out?

[Tetsusaiga 0]

you were talking about high end amps for the K701?? exsactly how high end are you talking about??

 

will a cheaper SR71 or a Aria do instead of one of those super ex black cube or something??

[Mackie 0]

yesterday come to collect my DT880 2005 version

 

There's no such thing as a 2005 version. It's either the new (2006) or old version (since 1980). The same applies to DT990. Just to avoid confusion.