It seems that this is the year in which the big headphone companies reiterate their classic products with notable improvements. Beyerdynamic follows suit and returns to the DT770 Pro for its centenary celebration. The new DT770 Pro Let's find out if the DT770 Pro X LE is worth the price increase or if you should stick with the regular DT770 Pro.
Design – DT770 PRO X Review
The most obvious changes made to the DT770 Pro X LE have been in its design. Adding a detachable mini-XLR cable addresses one of the regular DT770's biggest weaknesses. This means that users will be able to replace broken cables without worrying about soldering. Not only this, but users on a budget will have the option to upgrade the cables in the future. Smaller details like the beveled edges on the driver chassis and the memory foam on the headband make them super comfortable. I've always felt that Beyerdynamic is at the forefront when it comes to offering comfortable headphones. While shooting a video for the YouTube page, I wore them for hours of filming and editing, and not once did I feel uncomfortable with them. At just 305g, they're incredibly lightweight and easy to carry around for recording sessions, commuting to work, or just listening while you're out and about.
The Stellar.45 driver borrowed from DT700 ProX makes an appearance in these headphones. My main criticism of the limited edition is the fact that you won't be able to choose the resistance of your headphones. With options between 32 ohms, 80 ohms, and 250 ohms on the DT770 Pro, you can choose a sensitivity that works for both listening devices and powerful external headphone amplifiers. Due to the DT770 Pro X LE's 48 ohm resistance, they are most useful with personal listening devices. People with external or desktop amplifiers can still reduce the voltage on their equipment. However, this is a professional reference headset. I was hoping they would be a little more sensitive to work well with studio equipment.
sound stage
If Beyerdynamic excels at anything in particular for me, it's creating a great soundstage with closed-back headphones. The DT770 Pro Like any good reference headphones, these accurately display the stereo image. Sound does not leak through the drivers when it needs to be localized. Wet-sounding vocals still have enough width and tracking to hold my attention. I would characterize them as a mid-amplitude soundstage that is wide compared to other closed ones. There is some verticality present in the sound, but the DT770 Pro X LE won't compete with the holographic qualities of $1000+ open-back headphones. For what they are, you won't lack soundstage width when recording or monitoring. This is one of the best features of the DT770 Pro X LE.
Listening Impressions – DT770 PRO X Review
Minima
The bass of the DT770 Pro X Limited Edition is balanced, flat and absolutely clean. I have a preference for neutral headphones and these did not disappoint. The bass does not stand out as it does in headphones with greater bass power. I wouldn't recommend a pair of DT770 Pro Bass is accurately presented with very little distortion (THD @ 500 Hz
Songs like SWV's “Weak” were balanced and warm in their low frequencies, adding just enough presence to make the lower-voiced instruments stand out. Bass mixes like Violet Shaped's “Black Wisdom, White Witch” didn't have much loud sub-bass until I turned up the voltage. Even at uncomfortable listening volumes, the bass did not distort. The bass is there for those who want more, but it doesn't stick out enough to be offensive. Those who use headphones to mix want sounds to be represented accurately so they know which parts to EQ or fade up and down.
If you like the DT770 Pro, you will be comfortable with the amount of bass present in the DT770 Pro X Limited Edition. Unlike the voice of the DT700 Pro X, these favor highs and lows in their sound signature. With that in mind, I found that the 250 ohm version of the DT770 was louder when listening back to back on the Astell&Kern SP3000T. At the same time, I think many users may want more bass in the mix when listening to music. These are not 'basshead' headphones and users who like bass will want to attenuate their devices to boost the bass. Personally, I loved the bass signature because of how flat it was. That said, I don't think a little more bass in the tuning will hurt these headphones.
media
Listening to the DT770 Pro X LE, my conclusion was that the mids have more character and tunability. There is a drop in the lower mids between 500 Hz and 1 kHz that keeps the sound clean. My ears heard a slight drop in the low male voices compared to the higher register voices. I liked this for EDM and rock music which can be crowded in this range. However, Johnny Cash's “You Are My Sunshine” had a haunting emptiness that seemed a little lacking compared to Elizabeth Mitchell's version of the same popular song. At the same time, this dip lends itself very well to overdriven sounds. Distortion adds harmonics throughout the frequency range that easily overwhelm a mix. At the same time, folk and bluegrass fans may want more of the lower mids, and it depends on your preferences whether you like this quality or not.
Additionally, there is a boost in the higher mid frequencies, giving it a brighter than neutral quality. I'm not a big fan of bright sound signatures and I wouldn't say this is a bright sound. There's enough upper mids and highs to shape sounds, without adding too much air to the mix. Songs like CharlieXCX's “360” had a bubblegum sweetness to the vocals that were bright and hearty. When juxtaposed against the lower pitched synths, his voice was clear. Overall, I enjoyed the midrange settings that are present on the Limited Edition. I think they would do a fantastic job in a mixing application. On the other hand, listening to music is a very subjective process. Although I thought the midrange sounded great to my ears in the music I like to listen to, listeners of folk, vocal jazz, and bluegrass music may want to expand their list to other options.
Triple
You will be able to hear a natural rise from the mid-high range to the presence range of these headphones. Its gradual rise means there is a little more added shimmer than the neutral. A frequency spectrum of 5 Hz to 40 kHz gives listeners the discerning brightness they may be looking for in an inoffensively neutral package. Songs don't sound airy or sibilant, while music elements like feedback or crash cymbals accurately bathe the mix in manageable amounts. The Stellar.45 driver allows for plenty of definition of sounds typically found in the upper-midranges and lower treble without sacrificing transparency. The treble is clear on these headphones and, simply put, was my favorite area of the frequency response. There's enough punch to satisfy most listeners while giving this range a non-fatiguing quality. Although I am sensitive to treble, the slight hit sounded fantastic to my ears even after hours of use.
Summary
For just $199, these headphones offer studio-quality sound without breaking the bank. Notable improvements like a memory foam headband and detachable cable make them much more versatile than their previous versions. Some criticisms, such as the flat bass response and lack of resistance options, mean that users with specific bass preferences or equipment may not like these headphones. At the same time, I'm hard-pressed to think of better sound quality in this price range. Their low distortion and clean highs make them an excellent studio tool. If you like the DT770 and are looking for another pair, act fast before the limited edition sells out.
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