We test a pair of Beyerdynamics DT 990 Pro open-back headphones to see if they match the claims from the manufacturer that these studio-grade headphones sound transparent, spacious, bassy and powerful and whether the DT 990 Pro headphones hit the mark as reference headphones for mission-critical mixing and mastering workflows.
Open-back headphones can be overlooked in favour of closed-backs when choosing new studio headphones, and it’s easy to see why. By the very nature of their design, open-back headphones don’t isolate well, which limits their appeal when tracking with microphones, or monitoring on location in noisy environments. For example, the last thing any engineer wants to deal with is excessive click track bleed down a vocal mic from the singer’s open-backed headphones.
Having identified a weakness with open-back headphones, what are they good for? Open-back headphones generally produce a larger more immersive sound with a more natural response. They are also easier to wear for long periods, but if good isolation is a priority for you they aren’t an option.
Beyerdynamic headphones are a popular choice in audio production circles generally with positive reviews based on both good sonic performance and value for money.
In this article, we’re going to break this test down into several key areas, which we feel are important factors to take into consideration when choosing a new set of studio-grade cans.
Design
Smart design is apparent throughout the DT 990s, but there are a couple of things we feel you may need to watch out for. The coiled cable is integrated which could prove to be a pain to replace if damaged. On the plus side, the cable is long. We managed to get a lengthy 4 meters when stretched across the studio which could prove very helpful if you accidentally walk away from your interface with these around your neck.
The cables to the drivers also cause of concern as they are free between headband and ear cups, and vulnerable to getting caught and damaged.
The ear cups extend out further than any other set of headphones I’ve tried before. There’s also an excellent addition to be found on either side of these headphones that blind users will greatly appreciate. Normally sighted people can quickly check L or R symbols on the sides of their headphones to make sure they are wearing them the right way round on their heads. This quick check doesn’t always work for those with a visual impairment. Beyerdynamic clearly thought of this by including braille next to both L and R symbols, which we commend them for.
Comfort
In a world of headphones in which many models feel as tight on the head as a set of ear defenders, the DT 990s are the opposite. This is another inherent benefit of open-back headphones, they don’t need to clamp to your head to make sure the isolation is as good as possible. To get a sense of how comfortable these feel after many hours of use, imagine wearing a set of fluffy ear muffs on a cold winter morning. You are almost unaware of the headband, on the top of the head, and the soft velvet ear cushions are beautifully plump and luxurious, which is great news for anyone who is likely to be wearing these for long periods of time.
Build Quality
The headband is formed of plastic and the adjustable arms are metal finished in satin black wrapped around the top with a removable padded faux leather cushion. The earpads, as stated earlier, are incredibly comfortable and are also replaceable if at some point they wear out in the future. Overall, build quality is very good indeed for the price.
Sonic Performance Out Of The Box
The DT990 headphones certainly provide that open-backed sound. The soundstage is broad and present, sounding wide while retaining a good sense of depth and focus in the centre. The tonal balance is also nicely presented, albeit slightly hyped in the top end. The lows come across very well indeed, sounding almost sub like on some material but without that artificial sound that some other headphones in this price bracket suffer from.
The DT 990 Pros are high impedance 250 ohm headphones, which means on consumer playback systems and budget audio interfaces you may find that these won’t be the loudest headphone you can buy. If you are considering these and want to get the most out of them we recommend you research an appropriate headphone amp to use them with.
In summary, the performance of the DT-990 Pro 250 ohm headphones are well balanced, if a bit bright and slightly scooped in the mid-range. The detail is certainly there in spades, and the design makes for an extremely comfortable ride, what’s not to like? For the money, we feel these represent excellent value for money but what would the listening experience be like if the frequency response of the DT 990 Pro headphones were calibrated?
Sonic Performance Calibrated
Several years ago we reviewed and tested Sonarworks Headphone Calibration Software using a set of KRK 8400, which came from Sonarworks with an individual calibration profile. The Headphone Calibration component in Reference and Systemwide software works in a similar way to the main Speaker Calibration section. Both aim to provide flat frequency response in monitoring, but unlike speakers, the user doesn’t have the means to measure the response of headphones. However, the good news is that Sonarworks offer several solutions to this:
Average Headphone Calibration: Sonarworks provides a good list of average headphone calibration profiles that represent a general response curve characteristic for many popular headphone models. These are easy to use and do give n improved listing experience, but as these average profiles are only a broad representation, they do fall short of providing Reference with the best possible starting point compared to using individual calibrations.
Individual Headphone Calibration: To get a better performing headphone profile it's well worth considering getting a set of headphones direct from Sonarworks, which include an individual calibration profile. This profile is unique to the exact headphones you buy from the Sonarworks store. The individual headphone calibration provided by Sonarworks is very much like the calibration profile you measure for Sonarworks Speaker Calibration, the profile is unique to that pair of headphones.
The experience of listening and mixing with the unique individual headphone calibration of these DT-990s really takes the performance up a couple of levels. Below you can compare average and individual curves to give you a sense of the difference in calibrations.
What’s noticeable when listening through the unique calibration is that the DT-990s natural response is in fact extremely bright at the top end. This was particularly noticeable when listening to several tracks on Muse’s 2006 Black Holes And Revelations album, which I feel was mastered on the absolute limit of top-end sparkle. Pink’s “Just Give Me A Reason” is quite a dark sounding mix, but sounded overly shrill when not monitoring through the DT 900 Pro’s individual calibration.
The individual calibration by Sonarworks of the DT990s does a great job of reining in the top end brightness, providing a much flatter response that I found instantly trustworthy and clear.
This isn’t the first time I’ve found the effects of individual headphone calibration to be equally as impressive as Sonarworks Speaker Calibration. My original review of Sonarworks calibration worked the same wonders on the budget-friendly KRKs.
Average profiles are a definite improvement but are unable to compensate for slight differences between left and right drivers. It’s also worth mentioning that individual calibration is not exclusive to new headphones purchased from the Sonarworks store. For a fee, you can send over your headphones to Sonarworks for them to measure and provide you with an individual calibration profile. Whether you own a pair of DT990s or another brand and model of headphones, if you are using them on mission-critical work it is worth considering sending them to Sonarworks and getting their unique calibration curve to use with the software from Sonarworks. It’s a quick and effective way of upgrading the sound and performance of these already solid headphones.
How To Setup Sonarworks Headphone Calibration
Below is a step-by-step guide for setting up Sonarworks calibrated headphones to help you on your way If you are considering a set of individually calibrated headphones from Sonarworks.
When you receive the delivery of your new headphones you will also get a helpful how-to leaflet inside the box.
Launch Sonarworks Software and click on the headphone symbol at the top right, next to the speaker icon.
Here you can select the average calibration if you don’t have an individual calibration curve. If you want to load your individual calibration click the Calibration Profile drop-down menu, select Add Headphones, Add Individually Calibrated Headphones. Next, the software prompts you for a short unique ID.
This is found printed on a label stuck to the cable of your headphones. Once entered, your headphones and calibration are ready to rock.
Price
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro €289
Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro with Sonarworks Software and Individual Calibration €388
Save 35% On These Headphones - Offer Ends Soon
Sonarworks are currently offering 35% off a number of Beyerdynamic headphones with or without software and calibration. Until 25th February 2020, these particular headphones are available to buy direct from Sonarworks for €189 for the headphones only or €268 for the individual calibration bundle., which means you can get a calibrated pair for less than a normal pair.
Visit Sonarworks for more information.
Final Verdict - Good On Their Own, Great With Sonarworks
The Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro headphones are a very well made product that sounds big and comes in at a fair enough price. For those considering a set, I strongly recommend using them in conjunction with Sonarworks individual calibration as this combination really does provide an excellent listening experience that I’m sure you’ll learn to trust quickly in demanding studio work.