Now, this was a simple straight forward review with no fancy edits. I like the little text effects just to add to the video a bit. Your presence and thought process was well executed in a good time lenght. Good job man, keep making videos like this 👍
I put the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads on the DT 1990 Pro's and they added a little more bass and slightly smoothed out the treble giving them a sound signature I really love and make them a great all around headphone. Music, Movies, Gaming, Recording are all stellar. The pads are also more comfortable than the stock pads for longer listening sessions. Highly recommend the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads for the DT 1990 Pro's
I have opted for the 660s as I got them for 300 quid and spend an evening at a time listening. They are an upgrade on my old 770 pros and the DT 990s typically came in at £170 more. than the Sennheisers. Thanks for the review.
Would be interesting to have this comparison updated with the "successors" HD-660S2 (more bass... not cheaper) and the Amiron Home (according to beyerdynamic "compareable" - where the DT 1990 is tailored to be more analytical, for studio use, while the Amiron is aimed for home-listening to be more enjoyable - which I understand was also the aim for the 660S2)
Thanks for uploading this, it was really reassuring because I have the 1990 Pro. Got em on sale for $450 a year and a half ago during the holiday season.
I agree with most of the points apart from the imaging. Judging side by side, the 660s seems to have more precise localisation of things. Like when playing fps games, the crunch of the footstep is a tiny bit more pronounced on the DT1990, but the ability to tell exactly where the person is, has always been slightly easier on the 660s. (FOR ME)
Theres something i dont get from this reviewers like Joshua, Zeos or DMS3... they all conclude that the DT1990 is better in almost every category over the 660s..... but then.... they all stick with the 660s for personal use instead of the "BETTER" Dt 1990! WHATS UP WITH THAT!
I chose the HD 660s and I am extremely happy them. However I never tried the DT 1990. I. Am very surprised to hear that the HD 660s are brighter. The measurements suggest the opposite by far
@@o.f.ftrack3444 DT1990 would get a 3/10 especially for the price. But still overly bright, earpiercing highs if you dont't have any sort of hearing loss(due to age).They are not a good headphone, maybe for monitoring if you are looking for something in the highs. 660s for me is what everyone said the 650 would be. 650 themself sound like shit, especially because they sound really compressed like no soundstage at all. 660s sound natural, nothing is really over emphasized, softer sound then the 650 and just the right amount of soundstage. Really good pinponting of sounds in sames. 660s is the best headphone I have heard up on until today and in my opinion the best one Sennheiser has ever made. 660s -> 9/10 but -1 for the price so 8/10. If they were like 300 $ I would give even more recomendation. Closest Headphone to the 660s ist def. the 58X, with just a little more highs, and 1-2 step less seperation which equals more muddiness.
I just bought a DT 1990 Pro bundle. Been using them for music and gaming for about a week and half now. I have finally found my end game headphones. I'm not sure how much better you can get then these. The DT 1990's are absolutely superb. Build quality is top notch. I'm running them on a Schiit Audio Modi 2 Multibit DAC and Magni 3 amp. They definitely take a little more juice then some of my other headphones.
Ryan W. Are these good for gaming like overwatch and Fortnite where I don't care about explosions but want great footsteps and locations are most important and then for music edm hip hop. This is the top of my budget as I am going to sell my brand new campfire audio LYRA II for $499 to get a new headphone from my hd 650 and 599 for gaming
They're excellent for gaming. Almost every review out there for the DT 1990's all talk about the imaging and detail on these. It's superb. I play a lot of Black Ops 3 right now on PC. The detail and sound separation on these are awesome in game for enemy footsteps, etc. Regarding music genres, I listen to Rock/Metal and a lot of Synthwave. The 1990 Pro's sound incredible playing everything so far. Where my M1060's only excelled in certain genres, these Beyer's excel at everything. That's one of the reasons they're twice the cost.
I also have both. I agree almost with everything apart from comfort and highs. My wife and I totally agree that the DT1990 are way more comfortable, especially with the softer analytical pads. I can eq both headphone to sound almost identical - and both need some eq to sound right. The DT1990 needs some adjustments around the 8khz mark and the HD660s need a strong treble and bass (40hz) boost. After all the DT1990 still sound better, better soundstage, more air/sparkle in voices and bass sounds way more effortless, deeper and detailed. I can enjoy listen to both of them all day long. Without eq the 660s sound dark and the DT1990 can sound a bit sibilant, which only is a problem in certain music. Balanced cable and audio pipeline didn't made much difference and the one sided (left) cable on the DT1990 is also superior and more convenient. There is one other point in favour of the 660s: They are more open - so when you talk you voice doesn't sound so unnatural like with more closed headphones. Initially the DT1990 might look more expensive (currently ~10%), but look up what a ear pads and balanced replacement cable costs for the HD660s ... and considering the better build and travel case of the DT1990 - TL;DR DT1990 wins ....
@@ohnonate Generally the 1990, for sure if you EQ. BUT if you are treble sensitive, the 660s might be better. I will say that with time the comfort on the 660s is getting better than the 1990, especially with less clamping force. I upgraded for music and movies to the Arya Stealth and still use the 660s for podcasts, (video) calling, youtube. Meanwhile my wife is enjoying the 1990s. Also for some reason I don't hear the sibilant treble spike anymore on the 1990s, you mileage may vary ...
Great review. I'm a sound engineer and my 1990s make my Masterings way more tamed in the highs. End result is a much more enjoyable sound. These headphones are made for professionals. Audiophiles just happen to use them I suppose. But lets not forget their main purposes.
I own DT 1990 Pro and HD 660 S. To be honest, if DT 1990 Pro is undoubtedly more appropriate in the monitoring work. Just as it is positioned. But if the discussion is about home-music appreciation, the 1990 sound gives people a boring feeling. It sounds a bit "closed", very steady but doesnt a pleasant feeling. HD660S sounds really "open". Its sound field width worse than 1990 but very open, 1990's driver a bit far form your ears beacuse its harder and thicker ear pads. HD660S has a smaller sound field but its fully open so it sounds very nature and you will not have the "closed back headphones feeling". The most important point is, HD660S has a beauty, smooth mid which 1990 doesn't have.
I found the HD 660S to have very similair sound to the DT990 250 ohm edition, but the HD 660S have less bass (not existant if you are listening to electronic music), not as comfortable (specially if you use glasses) and the sound didnt impress me, the resolution of the sound is very and I do mean very comparable to the DT 990 but with a bit less treble, also…… they cost 3 times the cost of the dt 990.... got them tested them for good 10h (music: rock, metal, electronic, games, movies, anime) and was NOT impressed one bit. Was using a fostex hp-a4bl amp.
I'm not sure if I just got a bad batch but I owned an HD 660s and this DT 1990 pro that I received today is terrible. It sounds like a cheap headphone. The sound is like distorted and the bass sounds cheap. There's like a hissing sound at higher volumes. I wish I hadn't replaced my HD 660s with this Dt 1990.
I have both, both are fabulous, especially running from the Jotunheim. I use the DT 1990 Pro almost exclusively for gaming through the GSX 1000 gaming amp due to its god tier sound staging.
Well to be honest both of them are "fun", but both of them seem to have quite neutral sound signature. I am into Rock, Metal and Classical, so I prefer the HD 660s for my music needs as I don't like heavy bass extension but the DT 1990 Pro is not that far behind. I feel the latter has better bass (with a hint of sub-bass) than the former which makes it more versatile in terms of the music you can enjoy but the former is far more neutral which I prefer. All in all, both are excellent, if you enjoy many different genres of music, I would suggest the DT 1990 Pros but keep in mind, if you are not abusing it's god tier sound stage, you are not getting your money's worth. If you are Mids to Treble head like me with no sharp spikes whatsoever, then go with the HD660s. Sorry for the long winded comment, even I can't pick between the two
And to see that someone else cant choose, im literally in limbo with these two as I game just as much as i listen to music. FFUUU... Im coming from a pair of Audio Technicas open back gaming "hi fi" headphone and hmm.... what to choose? Well, I have no clue.
If you are buying the Jot, then i suggest the HD 660s as you can run them true balanced with a XLR termination cable. That is what I use when listening to music. I use the DT 1990 Pro from my Sennheiser GSX 1000 Surround Gaming Amp, the surround sound feature works wonder with the headphones, a much bigger albeit a tad bit ridiculous step-up from the DT 990s which many competitive gamers use.
As of this posting on Amazon DT1990 pro is $600. The Sennheiser HD660s is $400. $200 price difference that clearly puts the Sennheisers way ahead I would think unless money isn't a consideration.
I was literally JUST reading comparisons of these two headphones last night. DMS psychic confirmed. Pulled the trigger on the DT1990. Can’t fucking wait!
In Romania these are 400usd (660) and 650 usd (1990), so there's no comparing them. It seems like it's kinda the same everywhere. Maybe compare the 1990's with the Elex? They're closer in price
Yeah I mean on USA amazon the 660s are 420ish now vs 1990's are 550 but before the 660s were 500 at msrp at the time of this video I assume. with the now like a 130 dollar price gap changes a bit.
Great review!!! I recently ordered Sennheiser HD660s with the Mayflower Desktop Objective2 ODAC Rev B. ....... Trying this setup out for gaming and music etc.... I've been doing a lot of research as there's a lot to learn when it comes to sound (which i'm surprisingly fascinated by). I'm wondering if the Cans / DAC/AMP i've gone with are a decent setup to get me started? I'm currently using the ASTRO a40 w/ Mixamp Pro TR...... And I found out from a friend who's a sound engineer that they suck LOL... Any input on my selection is appreciated!! I'd like to tell him what I went with confidently haha
In my opinion that i have both of them Is that HD660S image better, DT1990 has big out of your head soundstage , HD660s has in your head vocals and soundstage i would say Better for music. Also DT1990 sound brighter to me and colder.
I owned the DT-1990's and could not wait for some sucker to buy them on ebay from me. It seems all Beyerdynamics have the same problem....Screeching highs, and I could not take it anymore. It ruined classic rock and 70's music for me. After I got rid of them I bought the Sennheiser 660s and I have been happy ever since. Maybe you should touch on what types of music compliment each headphone, just a suggestion. It would help with the evaluation and my interest in buying said headphones.
no not all beyers have problems, people got problem to provide right source for DT880 600Ω, that is the best product beyer ever did at least for music listening (just listening Fleetwood Mac from the 70' sounds like perfection)
@@soulfulfool I posted this three years ago. I'm wearing the HD-660s right now and they are still a superior headphone to any Beyer product I have ever tried.
which headphone would you say has the best audio direction (kinda a daft question but I want to use my high end headphones for music and gaming. So would love to know which one has the best direction detection for audio, or direction seperation for different sounds at once and recognizing the direction/ accuracy)
I am lucky .... I have both and I love them both.... This is a very fair review apart from possibly (imo) the brighter highs on the 660S. Both are now being used with Cardas Cross Cables which improve both....
@@Submersed24 Hi, This a tricky one to answer but I would say the Sennheiser are likely to be the better all rounder but if the DT 1990 pro suits you then the detail is pretty amazing.... For me I would just about give it to the DT 1990 pro............ For the record I still own and love both these headphones. I hope this helps!
Yo dms, I’m looking for gaming headphones and I’ve came to these 2 headphones, which ones would you get for gaming? And also I’m getting a dac and amp for it, but I still don’t know which to get, dt 1990 or he 660s ??
Hi DMS! Could you please suggest a cheap microphone setup for testing headphones? I want to try modding my headphones but I would like to be able to analyse the effects in some way. Thanks! Cool top knot btw.
Ordered the HD660s before watching this video and while watching the video immediately checked the out the dt1990’s. Turns out its 200$ more than the 660s here in India so no regrets here.
Might be stupid question, but still gonna ask :D If i like the sound signature of Beyerdynamic custom one pro, which of these 2 (hd 660 s, dt 1990 pro) would sound closer to beyers cop? I know Beyerdynamic is known for their brighter approach, but the thing is, custom one pro is different, they are not bright (i think).
Hey mate, Just ordered the dt 1990 pro, i was wondering if i had a Go XLR Mini do i still need a mix amp? Or am i fine with just the XLR, this may be a stupid question.. Let me know!
Great vid. I wanna upgrade from my DT770 250ohm to DT1990 but i'm curious about the sound leakage. Is it audible from 2 meter distance ? How about DT1770 ?
hi I ask for advice to all of you: between dt1990 vs hd 660 vs beyerdynamic T 70. I listen a bit of everything I'm looking for a headset that sounds very well detailed but that does not sacrifice the pleasure of listening. thanks thank you
I realy like the comparrison. I was wondering of the dt1990 sound thin to you. Sins i have got the dt770 wich sound extreamly thin to me. Currendly im using the akg k712 and consider the dt1990. as an upgrade. My appology for my English.
There is a small peak at 8K. I never had any problem with Beyer and the most common headphone I've ever seen used is the dt990. Only you know if that peak bothers you but with so many using 990s I find it hard to believe it bothers too many. With all headphones it comes down to what you like. If you are also wanting some headphones to do some FPS gaming the 1990s are simply a must have. These are spectacular for competitive shooters. And if you get them and the 8K peak does bother you, DIY-Audio-Heaven makes a passive filter for the 1990s that corrects that peak.
I'm looking for the best gaming headset and this seems to be a good contender. Budget is under 2K $ mostly looking for soundstage and imaging are these my best bet?
At the HeadFi show (really not the best environment) I found the Sundara boring and non-commutive. I also listened to the DT-1990 at length for that ah ha moment! Didn't happen. I did "get it" from Stax L-700s and the Focal Stellia and even their Listen Pros were surprisingly enjoyable! The Utopias weren't the be all many seem to be praising for me either? At a certain price point, like 4 figures, I should be "blown away"? I wasn't. The Stellia are beautiful. They ought to be! But, at $3k?? Price Vs performance was non existent. I will, once again give the 1990s another try 3X.. Not after I listen to the new Audeze LCD-1s, the game changer.
Hi does anyone knows a good amp/DAC for those two I have a Fiio K3 and I plan to upgrade for one of those; Would the k3 be enough for any of those? What amp/DAC is recommended for those, thanks.
To me the dt1990 is not really open , they are semi open because they have only some halls not a full open back like hd660s , this is the reason they have more bass imo
Good lord, I own both and they are very different. Amiron scales to infinetly insane levels, it has a super vivid yet extremly non fatiguing sound with the most pleasing treble response i have ever heard, they have a effortless presentation (dynamics on low volumes etc), and the bass have superb multilayering capabilities. Dt 1990 pro does not have any of these characteristics, people SERIOUSLY NEED TO STOP judging how a headphone sound based on measurements. They tell you 20% at the most.
Jorge Luis Fernandez Dt 1990 over 660s anyday. Beyer’s tesla 2.0 powered headphones (amiron and dt 1990) are just on a much higher lever than any of the hd 6xx headphones. I think sennheiser need to step up their game, the competition is toughter than ever. However if I were to pick a compliment to amiron under 1000$, audeze lcd 2c would be at the top of my list.
I dont get it why Big Soundstage is a pro and Not Normal or Small soundstage its not? It depends by the use so u cant say Big soundstage is a pro ... If it worked like that then why Dj's use Headphones with small soundstage ? And why people listening stereo musics prefer Normal soundstage like HD 660?
You can now get the 1990 for 429€ all over the place. Beyer Dynamic dropped the price for them. So amazon, Thomann and co. Alls selling them for 429 which ist fair in my opinion
For extra comfort. A DIY headband comfort strap mod is needed. You can ad some strap-on cushions from amazon. But IMO the comfort strap is the way to go.
650 and 660 has a fine soundstage. For horrorgames, mastering, music in general. Anything I have put it to, its mastered the art of listening and enjoying the audio. The 1990 is no where near.
Which do you find has better bass? I am in two minds between 650 and 660. I am mainly playing fps shooters and listening to rock and metal so I like some punch. I got Beyers but the trebble is way too high for my liking and too crisp for some vocals. Doesn't sound as natural as I'd like it to be but I need good bassyness as one of my ear drums in blown and I don't hear bass as well as others but trebble yes.
@@paulk6119 actually go with the 6xx. it takes some getting used to if you HAD the 650. the highs are more crisp, but its a very very tight lowend feel, and has the better bass out of the 3. The highs do have some spikes around 10,6k from memory, but not in a way where i wanna go back to the 650. if you want more warmt, 650 hands down, but more current sound profile that matches the modern music, i would defo say 6xx.
Recently I compared HD600, 650 and 660s in a local audio shop and also tried DT1990Pro for a bit. I would call HD650 and DT1990Pro a "neutral reference", HD660s a "fun reference" and HD600 a "vocal reference". You said that 660s is a small upgrade from 600/650 but I somewhat disagree - most notably it eliminated the infamous "sennheiser veil", plus the improvement to soundstage and imaging are very welcome. One thing that was a step backwards, however, is the mids. IMO 660s is a bit weird in mid tone/timbre, does not sound as natural as 600/650. Can't say much about DT1990Pro because I didn't spend enough time with them. (except that they are quite good)
I have both HD660s and DT 1990 Pro, the former feels far more neutral than the latter. However, I have only tried them from my Jotunheim so maybe a decent tube may prove your point. I use the DT 1990 purely for gaming due to it's god tier sound staging/imaging.
Sanjarih Jamshed Strange, I thought HD660s was very exciting, especially compared to HD650. I need to spend more time with DT1990Pro to judge tho. I used Fiio Q1mk2 for my tests.
I know what you mean, I have the HD6XX as well (Steal of the century, imo)..the HD660s's sound signature, I feel is right in the middle of the HD 650's fun to HD 600's neutrality, so that means the phones are brilliant for me, sort of like the best of both worlds. The DT 1990 Pro are less warmer than the HD660s but they have similar neutrality if not less, however, staging and imaging is a lot more, hence they make absolutely phenomenal gaming headphones. In terms of scaling, the DT 1990 Pros scale more than HD 660s which is a shame as latter's predecessors where known for their scaling.
tinleo333 Test - yes, you can. Properly review - definitely no. I've spent 2-3 hours comparing them though, so I'm pretty confident with my impressions.
Do you miss something in them? Otherwise no, you got a neutral vocal heavy and a fun bass heavy. Might rather save up for some higher end stuff or just let it rest if you're happy.
Exactly, I think a lot of people still missinterpret elevated highs(beyers peak) for more detail. I own both. I think the 660s is the better Headphone.
Oval, circular or rectangular or other shapes doesn't really matter as long as it's comfortable and weight distribution is even. I'd pick the DT1990 and even an HD600 ( actually own one ) over HD660S.
Okay so its December 2019 and for Christmas I've been torn between the 660s and the DT 1990 pros. I will be using the schiit magni and modi 3 amp/dac, and be using my phone laptop or tablet. (Spotify premium, TIDAL in the future and anything high quality from computer.) Now I read the DT1990 are way better for gaming which is great and all as a gamer but for me it's all about the music. I listen to a lot of EDM Dance house trance electronic techno etc (so bass heavy stuff too I guess I'm a basshead?) BUT.. BUT BUT BUT I also love Classic rock, pop, classical and just amazing vocal and even more so instrumentals. Whether its instrumental from a famous artist or from a movie or video game like Star Wars, kingdom hearts tracks, Super smash bros themes, or any good instrumental music. Yes I heard the sen's are best for the fun vocals but I'm more concerned with bass and quality for EDM as well as beautiful instrumentals while also still having amazing vocals like the Sens.
Snag some DT1990 and don’t look back. Even with my crazy collection I miss DT1990 more than any other headphone and am about to get another pair. They’re both truly excellent headphones though. There isn’t a wrong answer but I think you’ll prefer the 1990.
@@DMS3TV Wow thanks so much for replying and I'm 99.9% sure im getting the DT 1990 pros after watching so many vids and reading so much the last several hours! I was thinking of getting them and the 6xx's so I can still have that Senheiser sound and feel without breaking the bank. What do u think? Do u think the 650's (6xx's) would suit me better over 660s for that goal? I'm hoping to get the closest possible to 660s without buying them and Massdrops 6xx's seem to be perfect. I'd buy them in a few months after the DT 1990's.
@@DMS3TV That's awesome man, you're such a great headphone reviewer and it's so great you commented!! I will be running the schiit stack of Magni/Modi 3 what higher end amp should I buy in the long future? Also will be using my cellphone galaxy s8 a lot what cord would be best for the whole headphone and magni amp stuff? EDIT** What do u think of the planar headphones sendy aivas? I know nothing of those 2 other types of headphones and a friend was recommending them over Sens or DT'S. Just curious of what u thought and I'm so sorry to bother you with questions and comments! Have a great day and thanks so much for commenting! (:
@@soraflame66 honestly I dont think the cable will matter that much. As far as amp goes the JDS labs Element II is a great DAC/AMP combo unit that I think would really compliment the 1990 without breaking the bank.
Now, this was a simple straight forward review with no fancy edits. I like the little text effects just to add to the video a bit. Your presence and thought process was well executed in a good time lenght. Good job man, keep making videos like this 👍
Received my 1990s today. Absolutely blown away. So much detail, it's so much fun.
I put the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads on the DT 1990 Pro's and they added a little more bass and slightly smoothed out the treble giving them a sound signature I really love and make them a great all around headphone. Music, Movies, Gaming, Recording are all stellar. The pads are also more comfortable than the stock pads for longer listening sessions. Highly recommend the Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads for the DT 1990 Pro's
I have the 1990 and love them.
I have opted for the 660s as I got them for 300 quid and spend an evening at a time listening. They are an upgrade on my old 770 pros and the DT 990s typically came in at £170 more. than the Sennheisers. Thanks for the review.
You like them over the 990pros or 770 ?
Would be interesting to have this comparison updated with the "successors" HD-660S2 (more bass... not cheaper) and the Amiron Home (according to beyerdynamic "compareable" - where the DT 1990 is tailored to be more analytical, for studio use, while the Amiron is aimed for home-listening to be more enjoyable - which I understand was also the aim for the 660S2)
Thanks for uploading this, it was really reassuring because I have the 1990 Pro. Got em on sale for $450 a year and a half ago during the holiday season.
Where did you find them for $400-450? I want to see if they have the same deals this holiday season
I'm pretty sure I bought them from worldwidestereo.com
I agree with most of the points apart from the imaging. Judging side by side, the 660s seems to have more precise localisation of things. Like when playing fps games, the crunch of the footstep is a tiny bit more pronounced on the DT1990, but the ability to tell exactly where the person is, has always been slightly easier on the 660s. (FOR ME)
This is true, but reversed
@@DCer0 not for me. I have them both with me.
I have them both and personally I prefer the 660s. The beyer is absolutely amazing though and has much better base and crisper highs.
What does the 669 do better? Cheers
@@ohnonate69
Theres something i dont get from this reviewers like Joshua, Zeos or DMS3... they all conclude that the DT1990 is better in almost every category over the 660s..... but then.... they all stick with the 660s for personal use instead of the "BETTER" Dt 1990!
WHATS UP WITH THAT!
It's more enjoyable and pleasant to listen to.
Comfortable, less intense and fatiguing after prolonged use.
I just bought both of them and i prefer the hd660 by far .. im not an expert obs im using the element dac/amp
Easily one of the better reasoned and eloquent comparisons of these two headphones available online. Thanks !
I chose the HD 660s and I am extremely happy them. However I never tried the DT 1990. I. Am very surprised to hear that the HD 660s are brighter. The measurements suggest the opposite by far
I own both. The 660s is defenitley not brighter then the 1990.
The 660s is definitely not brighter than the dt1990.
@@JGPliskin0502 which do you prefer and how would you rate the two headphones?
@@o.f.ftrack3444 DT1990 would get a 3/10 especially for the price. But still overly bright, earpiercing highs if you dont't have any sort of hearing loss(due to age).They are not a good headphone, maybe for monitoring if you are looking for something in the highs. 660s for me is what everyone said the 650 would be. 650 themself sound like shit, especially because they sound really compressed like no soundstage at all. 660s sound natural, nothing is really over emphasized, softer sound then the 650 and just the right amount of soundstage. Really good pinponting of sounds in sames. 660s is the best headphone I have heard up on until today and in my opinion the best one Sennheiser has ever made.
660s -> 9/10 but -1 for the price so 8/10. If they were like 300 $ I would give even more recomendation. Closest Headphone to the 660s ist def. the 58X, with just a little more highs, and 1-2 step less seperation which equals more muddiness.
I just bought a DT 1990 Pro bundle. Been using them for music and gaming for about a week and half now. I have finally found my end game headphones. I'm not sure how much better you can get then these. The DT 1990's are absolutely superb. Build quality is top notch. I'm running them on a Schiit Audio Modi 2 Multibit DAC and Magni 3 amp. They definitely take a little more juice then some of my other headphones.
Ryan W. Are these good for gaming like overwatch and Fortnite where I don't care about explosions but want great footsteps and locations are most important and then for music edm hip hop. This is the top of my budget as I am going to sell my brand new campfire audio LYRA II for $499 to get a new headphone from my hd 650 and 599 for gaming
They're excellent for gaming. Almost every review out there for the DT 1990's all talk about the imaging and detail on these. It's superb. I play a lot of Black Ops 3 right now on PC. The detail and sound separation on these are awesome in game for enemy footsteps, etc. Regarding music genres, I listen to Rock/Metal and a lot of Synthwave. The 1990 Pro's sound incredible playing everything so far. Where my M1060's only excelled in certain genres, these Beyer's excel at everything. That's one of the reasons they're twice the cost.
I have some 17's, heard the 19's, there are better, I prefer my Audeze LCD-X, the 990's are special though, one of the best.
any headphones with amp can easily overkill for games like OW and fortnite imo...
x3LightNinG to get the most out of the dt1990 a dac is needed
here in 2022 and this review is all i needed to make a decision. thanks for the detailed yet brief review.
Fantastic review! You've pushed me over the edge. 1990s, here I come.
haha same here! especially in 2020, where you cannot just test them in a store, reviews is everything we got
@Lagunakid24 They can indeed be harsh, depending on what you are listening to. I'm adjusting to my liking with a parametric eq.
I went for the 660S in my opinion a better all rounder and fitting comfort is better it is very balanced handphone
great review!!!!! i thought about buying the dt-1990 but I do not like bright headphones so ill stick to my HD600 and
HD650
I also have both. I agree almost with everything apart from comfort and highs. My wife and I totally agree that the DT1990 are way more comfortable, especially with the softer analytical pads. I can eq both headphone to sound almost identical - and both need some eq to sound right. The DT1990 needs some adjustments around the 8khz mark and the HD660s need a strong treble and bass (40hz) boost. After all the DT1990 still sound better, better soundstage, more air/sparkle in voices and bass sounds way more effortless, deeper and detailed. I can enjoy listen to both of them all day long. Without eq the 660s sound dark and the DT1990 can sound a bit sibilant, which only is a problem in certain music. Balanced cable and audio pipeline didn't made much difference and the one sided (left) cable on the DT1990 is also superior and more convenient. There is one other point in favour of the 660s: They are more open - so when you talk you voice doesn't sound so unnatural like with more closed headphones. Initially the DT1990 might look more expensive (currently ~10%), but look up what a ear pads and balanced replacement cable costs for the HD660s ... and considering the better build and travel case of the DT1990 - TL;DR DT1990 wins ....
Hi Stephan, just wondering what you would suggest for Jazz and classical orchestral music? DT1990 or the HD660? Cheers
@@ohnonate Generally the 1990, for sure if you EQ. BUT if you are treble sensitive, the 660s might be better. I will say that with time the comfort on the 660s is getting better than the 1990, especially with less clamping force. I upgraded for music and movies to the Arya Stealth and still use the 660s for podcasts, (video) calling, youtube. Meanwhile my wife is enjoying the 1990s. Also for some reason I don't hear the sibilant treble spike anymore on the 1990s, you mileage may vary ...
@@stephanrudolph great feedback
Great review. I'm a sound engineer and my 1990s make my Masterings way more tamed in the highs. End result is a much more enjoyable sound. These headphones are made for professionals. Audiophiles just happen to use them I suppose. But lets not forget their main purposes.
Its crazy good with Orchestra music, with the A pad.
I've gone down a 1990 rabbit hole lol and probably going to upgrade from my 770's to the 1990's. Great review
I own DT 1990 Pro and HD 660 S. To be honest, if DT 1990 Pro is undoubtedly more appropriate in the monitoring work. Just as it is positioned. But if the discussion is about home-music appreciation, the 1990 sound gives people a boring feeling. It sounds a bit "closed", very steady but doesnt a pleasant feeling. HD660S sounds really "open". Its sound field width worse than 1990 but very open, 1990's driver a bit far form your ears beacuse its harder and thicker ear pads. HD660S has a smaller sound field but its fully open so it sounds very nature and you will not have the "closed back headphones feeling".
The most important point is, HD660S has a beauty, smooth mid which 1990 doesn't have.
I found the HD 660S to have very similair sound to the DT990 250 ohm edition, but the HD 660S have less bass (not existant if you are listening to electronic music), not as comfortable (specially if you use glasses) and the sound didnt impress me, the resolution of the sound is very and I do mean very comparable to the DT 990 but with a bit less treble, also…… they cost 3 times the cost of the dt 990.... got them tested them for good 10h (music: rock, metal, electronic, games, movies, anime) and was NOT impressed one bit. Was using a fostex hp-a4bl amp.
I'm not sure if I just got a bad batch but I owned an HD 660s and this DT 1990 pro that I received today is terrible. It sounds like a cheap headphone. The sound is like distorted and the bass sounds cheap. There's like a hissing sound at higher volumes. I wish I hadn't replaced my HD 660s with this Dt 1990.
Definitely should ask beyerdynamic or whatever store to replace it because that definitely isn’t right.
great comparison. And what about 660s through balanced vs the dt1990?
I have both, both are fabulous, especially running from the Jotunheim. I use the DT 1990 Pro almost exclusively for gaming through the GSX 1000 gaming amp due to its god tier sound staging.
Sanjarih Jamshed which one do you think is more "fun" not like crazy v shape but for hip hop edm as well as classic rock
Well to be honest both of them are "fun", but both of them seem to have quite neutral sound signature. I am into Rock, Metal and Classical, so I prefer the HD 660s for my music needs as I don't like heavy bass extension but the DT 1990 Pro is not that far behind. I feel the latter has better bass (with a hint of sub-bass) than the former which makes it more versatile in terms of the music you can enjoy but the former is far more neutral which I prefer. All in all, both are excellent, if you enjoy many different genres of music, I would suggest the DT 1990 Pros but keep in mind, if you are not abusing it's god tier sound stage, you are not getting your money's worth. If you are Mids to Treble head like me with no sharp spikes whatsoever, then go with the HD660s. Sorry for the long winded comment, even I can't pick between the two
And to see that someone else cant choose, im literally in limbo with these two as I game just as much as i listen to music. FFUUU... Im coming from a pair of Audio Technicas open back gaming "hi fi" headphone and hmm.... what to choose? Well, I have no clue.
Oh, and im also buying a Jotenheim Balanced AMP DAC
If you are buying the Jot, then i suggest the HD 660s as you can run them true balanced with a XLR termination cable. That is what I use when listening to music. I use the DT 1990 Pro from my Sennheiser GSX 1000 Surround Gaming Amp, the surround sound feature works wonder with the headphones, a much bigger albeit a tad bit ridiculous step-up from the DT 990s which many competitive gamers use.
Praise be to Newshead you made this. I have been needing to know more about HD660s before I take the leap.
That said, the 1990s win. I need all the things on that side of the list.
Great info and assisted me in my decision. Thank you.
AWESOME REVIEW. One of the best and most clear reviews on these models. Have you compared dt1990pro vs T1 gen2???
As of this posting on Amazon DT1990 pro is $600. The Sennheiser HD660s is $400. $200 price difference that clearly puts the Sennheisers way ahead I would think unless money isn't a consideration.
Just copped some hd660s for 309 on amazon. Not amazing but still good price. Waiting for delivery today. Will try to update with first impressions.
I was literally JUST reading comparisons of these two headphones last night. DMS psychic confirmed. Pulled the trigger on the DT1990. Can’t fucking wait!
In Romania these are 400usd (660) and 650 usd (1990), so there's no comparing them. It seems like it's kinda the same everywhere. Maybe compare the 1990's with the Elex? They're closer in price
Yeah I mean on USA amazon the 660s are 420ish now vs 1990's are 550 but before the 660s were 500 at msrp at the time of this video I assume. with the now like a 130 dollar price gap changes a bit.
Awesome comparison!! Can you please review the Amiron Home?
Great review!!! I recently ordered Sennheiser HD660s with the Mayflower Desktop Objective2 ODAC Rev B. ....... Trying this setup out for gaming and music etc.... I've been doing a lot of research as there's a lot to learn when it comes to sound (which i'm surprisingly fascinated by). I'm wondering if the Cans / DAC/AMP i've gone with are a decent setup to get me started? I'm currently using the ASTRO a40 w/ Mixamp Pro TR...... And I found out from a friend who's a sound engineer that they suck LOL... Any input on my selection is appreciated!! I'd like to tell him what I went with confidently haha
Thank you for a very detailed review have liked the sound of the 1990 for so long just can’t afford them yet
Hi there DMS!! What about the NDH 20 against these two, sir?? All the best!!
DMS, what are them headphones called? The gaming ones you told me about
In my opinion that i have both of them Is that HD660S image better, DT1990 has big out of your head soundstage , HD660s has in your head vocals and soundstage i would say Better for music. Also DT1990 sound brighter to me and colder.
I owned the DT-1990's and could not wait for some sucker to buy them on ebay from me. It seems all Beyerdynamics have the same problem....Screeching highs, and I could not take it anymore. It ruined classic rock and 70's music for me. After I got rid of them I bought the Sennheiser 660s and I have been happy ever since. Maybe you should touch on what types of music compliment each headphone, just a suggestion. It would help with the evaluation and my interest in buying said headphones.
no not all beyers have problems, people got problem to provide right source for DT880 600Ω, that is the best product beyer ever did at least for music listening (just listening Fleetwood Mac from the 70' sounds like perfection)
@@soulfulfool I posted this three years ago. I'm wearing the HD-660s right now and they are still a superior headphone to any Beyer product I have ever tried.
I ordered the Dt-1990. Wider bandwidth than the senn. More engaging, and vivid.
Yes, they are very fun to listen to.
Great comparison! :)
What source/s did you use for the comparison?
which headphone would you say has the best audio direction (kinda a daft question but I want to use my high end headphones for music and gaming. So would love to know which one has the best direction detection for audio, or direction seperation for different sounds at once and recognizing the direction/ accuracy)
dt 900 pro x has been the best in my testing
DMS. For imaging, stage and separation - gaming.. are the 1990s still on top for 600 bucks worth?
hey i own the dt1990 and love them
but im wondering if the 660s would be a good addition to my 1990s? i really like the look of both
I am lucky .... I have both and I love them both.... This is a very fair review apart from possibly (imo) the brighter highs on the 660S. Both are now being used with Cardas Cross Cables which improve both....
@@philipnunn1816 which one is more fun to listen to? I'm looking for something I can make music with and enjoy listening to
@@Submersed24 Hi, This a tricky one to answer but I would say the Sennheiser are likely to be the better all rounder but if the DT 1990 pro suits you then the detail is pretty amazing.... For me I would just about give it to the DT 1990 pro............ For the record I still own and love both these headphones. I hope this helps!
@@philipnunn1816 ahh thanks! I actually ended up getting the sundura because I heard it has really great soundstaging
@@Submersed24 Not heard the Sundara personally but I hear they are supposed to be good... I hope you enjoy them!
great review. can you tell me if the earpads are better for big ears on the 660 or the 1990? thanks a lot =)
DMS, how do you rate the ER4SR/XR sound signature? Is the 1990 similar? Is anything?
Great video! Can you give insight if you think the LCD 2c is worth the $200 more from the 1990
Steve K I owned both at the same time and sold the 2Cs, so I'd say no.
Steve K it depends on what sound you are looking for
correct. The LCD2 will be vastly different from the 1990. one is for chilling and the other, well isnt.
I really like your review, what do you think of the Denon A HD5200 ?
Yo dms, I’m looking for gaming headphones and I’ve came to these 2 headphones, which ones would you get for gaming? And also I’m getting a dac and amp for it, but I still don’t know which to get, dt 1990 or he 660s ??
Wait till the end of next month. Something new is coming out that is amazing for gaming. I’ll have a video on it.
Oh ok cheers mate
Hi DMS! Could you please suggest a cheap microphone setup for testing headphones? I want to try modding my headphones but I would like to be able to analyse the effects in some way. Thanks! Cool top knot btw.
Dayton EMM6 is pretty cheap
Very good. Really helpful 👍🏻
Ordered the HD660s before watching this video and while watching the video immediately checked the out the dt1990’s. Turns out its 200$ more than the 660s here in India so no regrets here.
So would you say ZMF Auteur is like a slightly warmer and more musical DT1990?
Might be stupid question, but still gonna ask :D If i like the sound signature of Beyerdynamic custom one pro, which of these 2 (hd 660 s, dt 1990 pro) would sound closer to beyers cop? I know Beyerdynamic is known for their brighter approach, but the thing is, custom one pro is different, they are not bright (i think).
HD560s vs dt990 ?
Awesome video + awesome shirt = me subscribing!
How about Hifiman Sundara vs DT 1990 at this price range ?
Hey mate, Just ordered the dt 1990 pro, i was wondering if i had a Go XLR Mini do i still need a mix amp? Or am i fine with just the XLR, this may be a stupid question.. Let me know!
Thank you
Dms which headphone do u prefere for gaming
Great vid. I wanna upgrade from my DT770 250ohm to DT1990 but i'm curious about the sound leakage. Is it audible from 2 meter distance ? How about DT1770 ?
i have diarrhea
What if i buy both 🤔
Then you have 2 headphones....
That is my educated guess..
hi I ask for advice to all of you: between dt1990 vs hd 660 vs beyerdynamic T 70. I listen a bit of everything I'm looking for a headset that sounds very well detailed but that does not sacrifice the pleasure of listening. thanks thank you
I realy like the comparrison.
I was wondering of the dt1990 sound thin to you. Sins i have got the dt770 wich sound extreamly thin to me. Currendly im using the akg k712 and consider the dt1990. as an upgrade. My appology for my English.
Are the highs on the DT-1990 not harsh? The DT-770 has pretty harsh highs.
There is a small peak at 8K. I never had any problem with Beyer and the most common headphone I've ever seen used is the dt990. Only you know if that peak bothers you but with so many using 990s I find it hard to believe it bothers too many.
With all headphones it comes down to what you like.
If you are also wanting some headphones to do some FPS gaming the 1990s are simply a must have. These are spectacular for competitive shooters.
And if you get them and the 8K peak does bother you, DIY-Audio-Heaven makes a passive filter for the 1990s that corrects that peak.
I'm looking for the best gaming headset and this seems to be a good contender. Budget is under 2K $ mostly looking for soundstage and imaging are these my best bet?
behemothinferno get the Sennheiser HD700 with a VVS dac
For 500 bucks I'd take the Hifiman Sundara any day over these two. They're all awesome yeah, but the Sundara just blew me away.
At the HeadFi show (really not the best environment) I found the Sundara boring and non-commutive.
I also listened to the DT-1990 at length for that ah ha moment! Didn't happen. I did "get it" from Stax L-700s and the Focal Stellia and even their Listen Pros were surprisingly enjoyable!
The Utopias weren't the be all many seem to be praising for me either?
At a certain price point, like 4 figures, I should be "blown away"? I wasn't. The Stellia are beautiful. They ought to be! But, at $3k?? Price Vs performance was non existent.
I will, once again give the 1990s another try 3X.. Not after I listen to the new Audeze LCD-1s, the game changer.
what are the best closed-back at this price?
Hi does anyone knows a good amp/DAC for those two I have a Fiio K3 and I plan to upgrade for one of those; Would the k3 be enough for any of those? What amp/DAC is recommended for those, thanks.
News Head got you a new patron. That was commitment to the bit right there! Hope you’re doing well :)
To me the dt1990 is not really open , they are semi open because they have only some halls not a full open back like hd660s , this is the reason they have more bass imo
Yeah no
Dt1990 best headphones 🎧
Can i get the full potential of dt1990 using K5 pro?
Try out Elac Speakers. Like your channel!
Would an Aune X7S do they Beyers justice or NFB11.28-R2R.11 and up?
Where the Amiron Home stands in this comparison
Good lord, I own both and they are very different. Amiron scales to infinetly insane levels, it has a super vivid yet extremly non fatiguing sound with the most pleasing treble response i have ever heard, they have a effortless presentation (dynamics on low volumes etc), and the bass have superb multilayering capabilities. Dt 1990 pro does not have any of these characteristics, people SERIOUSLY NEED TO STOP judging how a headphone sound based on measurements. They tell you 20% at the most.
The amirons were the worst headphones I've ever heard
AnjunaLife Man i have the amiron home but i want another can, which can recommend me? 660s or 1990 pro? Thanks a lot!
Jorge Luis Fernandez Dt 1990 over 660s anyday. Beyer’s tesla 2.0 powered headphones (amiron and dt 1990) are just on a much higher lever than any of the hd 6xx headphones. I think sennheiser need to step up their game, the competition is toughter than ever. However if I were to pick a compliment to amiron under 1000$, audeze lcd 2c would be at the top of my list.
AnjunaLife yes i also was looking for audeze LCD 2 classic but the are a little more expenssive , maybe i'll wait and go for audeze
I dont get it why Big Soundstage is a pro and Not Normal or Small soundstage its not? It depends by the use so u cant say Big soundstage is a pro ... If it worked like that then why Dj's use Headphones with small soundstage ? And why people listening stereo musics prefer Normal soundstage like HD 660?
You can now get the 1990 for 429€ all over the place. Beyer Dynamic dropped the price for them. So amazon, Thomann and co. Alls selling them for 429 which ist fair in my opinion
Sold me on the 1990s
woah, sponsors nice growth man
Which one keeps your ears cooler?
Both do the job good but go with hd 660 for better earpads
I need to listen for 6-14 hours a day so I’m going with the 660s
For extra comfort. A DIY headband comfort strap mod is needed. You can ad some strap-on cushions from amazon. But IMO the comfort strap is the way to go.
can you add Audeze EL8 to the comparison?
650 and 660 has a fine soundstage. For horrorgames, mastering, music in general. Anything I have put it to, its mastered the art of listening and enjoying the audio. The 1990 is no where near.
Which do you find has better bass? I am in two minds between 650 and 660. I am mainly playing fps shooters and listening to rock and metal so I like some punch. I got Beyers but the trebble is way too high for my liking and too crisp for some vocals. Doesn't sound as natural as I'd like it to be but I need good bassyness as one of my ear drums in blown and I don't hear bass as well as others but trebble yes.
@@paulk6119 actually go with the 6xx. it takes some getting used to if you HAD the 650. the highs are more crisp, but its a very very tight lowend feel, and has the better bass out of the 3. The highs do have some spikes around 10,6k from memory, but not in a way where i wanna go back to the 650. if you want more warmt, 650 hands down, but more current sound profile that matches the modern music, i would defo say 6xx.
also, the roll-off on the lowend on Beyers is just too slobby. These are just mint. wearing the 6xx right now.
Recently I compared HD600, 650 and 660s in a local audio shop and also tried DT1990Pro for a bit.
I would call HD650 and DT1990Pro a "neutral reference", HD660s a "fun reference" and HD600 a "vocal reference".
You said that 660s is a small upgrade from 600/650 but I somewhat disagree - most notably it eliminated the infamous "sennheiser veil", plus the improvement to soundstage and imaging are very welcome. One thing that was a step backwards, however, is the mids. IMO 660s is a bit weird in mid tone/timbre, does not sound as natural as 600/650.
Can't say much about DT1990Pro because I didn't spend enough time with them. (except that they are quite good)
I have both HD660s and DT 1990 Pro, the former feels far more neutral than the latter. However, I have only tried them from my Jotunheim so maybe a decent tube may prove your point. I use the DT 1990 purely for gaming due to it's god tier sound staging/imaging.
Sanjarih Jamshed Strange, I thought HD660s was very exciting, especially compared to HD650. I need to spend more time with DT1990Pro to judge tho.
I used Fiio Q1mk2 for my tests.
I know what you mean, I have the HD6XX as well (Steal of the century, imo)..the HD660s's sound signature, I feel is right in the middle of the HD 650's fun to HD 600's neutrality, so that means the phones are brilliant for me, sort of like the best of both worlds. The DT 1990 Pro are less warmer than the HD660s but they have similar neutrality if not less, however, staging and imaging is a lot more, hence they make absolutely phenomenal gaming headphones. In terms of scaling, the DT 1990 Pros scale more than HD 660s which is a shame as latter's predecessors where known for their scaling.
You cant test headphones in 30 min
tinleo333 Test - yes, you can. Properly review - definitely no.
I've spent 2-3 hours comparing them though, so I'm pretty confident with my impressions.
in this video dms praise 1990 and now he shitting them... how this happened?
There was so much I didn't know back then.
do a review on the new Focal Listen Professionals
Use the 1990 to make music. Use the 660s to listen to that music.
Best advice ever. Thank you
But don't the 660s lack bass? I thought the 1990 sounds better to listen
This is quite possibly the best comment i've come across on any headphone review.
My question is, is it worth it to upgrade to a 500$ from a 300$ like a Fidelio X2 or a Hd600?
Or saving up to something better would be smarter?
i think dt1990 is a massive upgrade from both of those.
Do you miss something in them? Otherwise no, you got a neutral vocal heavy and a fun bass heavy.
Might rather save up for some higher end stuff or just let it rest if you're happy.
I wouldn't recommend HD800S to anyone.
daLiraX why don't you sell your current cans to save on the cost of an upgrade?
Interesting the HIFI guide classifies the 1990's as neutral while I believe Reddits guide has them as V shaped.
For me 1990 sound so artificial so bright, 660s sound more real polite . Luckily 1990 sold easily.
Exactly, I think a lot of people still missinterpret elevated highs(beyers peak) for more detail. I own both. I think the 660s is the better Headphone.
@@JGPliskin0502 Its all about taste but yeah 660s are better for me also.
Background and intro song?
And how do they compare to monoprice's m1060 ?
M1060 is a different kind of sound since its a large planar. However when I think "high fidelity" I would lean more towards these beasts.
Oval, circular or rectangular or other shapes doesn't really matter as long as it's comfortable and weight distribution is even.
I'd pick the DT1990 and even an HD600 ( actually own one ) over HD660S.
Okay so its December 2019 and for Christmas I've been torn between the 660s and the DT 1990 pros. I will be using the schiit magni and modi 3 amp/dac, and be using my phone laptop or tablet. (Spotify premium, TIDAL in the future and anything high quality from computer.) Now I read the DT1990 are way better for gaming which is great and all as a gamer but for me it's all about the music. I listen to a lot of EDM Dance house trance electronic techno etc (so bass heavy stuff too I guess I'm a basshead?) BUT.. BUT BUT BUT I also love Classic rock, pop, classical and just amazing vocal and even more so instrumentals. Whether its instrumental from a famous artist or from a movie or video game like Star Wars, kingdom hearts tracks, Super smash bros themes, or any good instrumental music. Yes I heard the sen's are best for the fun vocals but I'm more concerned with bass and quality for EDM as well as beautiful instrumentals while also still having amazing vocals like the Sens.
Snag some DT1990 and don’t look back. Even with my crazy collection I miss DT1990 more than any other headphone and am about to get another pair.
They’re both truly excellent headphones though. There isn’t a wrong answer but I think you’ll prefer the 1990.
@@DMS3TV Wow thanks so much for replying and I'm 99.9% sure im getting the DT 1990 pros after watching so many vids and reading so much the last several hours! I was thinking of getting them and the 6xx's so I can still have that Senheiser sound and feel without breaking the bank. What do u think? Do u think the 650's (6xx's) would suit me better over 660s for that goal? I'm hoping to get the closest possible to 660s without buying them and Massdrops 6xx's seem to be perfect. I'd buy them in a few months after the DT 1990's.
Sora Flame DT1990 and 6XX sounds like an excellent combo to get the best of both worlds! I personally prefer the 6XX over the 660s these days.
@@DMS3TV That's awesome man, you're such a great headphone reviewer and it's so great you commented!! I will be running the schiit stack of Magni/Modi 3 what higher end amp should I buy in the long future? Also will be using my cellphone galaxy s8 a lot what cord would be best for the whole headphone and magni amp stuff?
EDIT** What do u think of the planar headphones sendy aivas? I know nothing of those 2 other types of headphones and a friend was recommending them over Sens or DT'S. Just curious of what u thought and I'm so sorry to bother you with questions and comments! Have a great day and thanks so much for commenting! (:
@@soraflame66 honestly I dont think the cable will matter that much. As far as amp goes the JDS labs Element II is a great DAC/AMP combo unit that I think would really compliment the 1990 without breaking the bank.
Excellant I own hd 600 and DT 1770 pro
Hi Selva, what would you say sounds better listening to classical music?
Can you link Hifi Guides? I don't see it in the description for some reason.
oops.fixed.
You should try the 770 pro 250 ohms
Too much clampening force + they are close back.
Buy the HD660s its Night and day difference.
DT-1990 pro+ mayflower arc god gaming combo?
If you want everything go for k712