Design & Features
The Beyerdynamic DT990 32 Ohm is an extraordinary headphone. The sound quality achieved directly out of an iPod when using these headphones is rare at the price point. Phrases that came to mind when listening were “warm but articulate” & “balanced.” I’m always looking for the headphone that synergizes well with an un-amped iPod. The iPod, while certainly worthy of its notoriety, is not by any means, the ideal source for the most critical of listening. However, for the past 5 years, I’ve never left the house without my iPod/iPhone and it quite honestly is the way I do the majority of my music listening.
The DT990 have plush velour cups that contour around the ear. These pads are amongst the most comfortable pads in all of Headphonedom. The headphone is cabled on the left side. Being that these headphones are suited for portable use, I would have preferred a coiled cable. The headphones are open back in design which means you won’t want to use them in situations where others around you may be disturbed by the sound emanating from your headphones. The headphones also do not isolate the listener from outside noise. Despite the extremely comfortable design, these are not headphones you’d want to use on an airplane. The headphones ship with very well insulated vinyl-coated carrying case. Your headphones will be well-protected when traveling! However these headphones do not fold up are pretty large by iPod-compatible standards. If you are looking for a headphone that is easy to store in a briefcase or backpack then these will not be the ideal choice. However if sound is what matters most, these are worth making extra room for!
Sound- The Important Stuff!
The DT990 32Ohm sounds warm and beautiful and possesses an impressive soundstage right out of a portable player. The instrument separation is wonderful. When listening to The Doors “LA Woman” there is a piano in the right channel which I usually find very difficult to articulate directly out of an iPod. When the vocal is present during the chorus, the piano track often gets lost. Using the DT990 32Ohm I can hear every nuance of this piano track even while the vocal is present. Live acoustic music feels LIVE! Yes, out of an iPod! I really enjoy ECM’s live recordings and I use them as reference - Listening to Keith Jarrett Trio on their Tokyo ’96 album perform “I’ll Remember April” I was struck by how much the sound reminded me of a well-amped headphone. The soundstage is large and spacious. The transients of the cymbals are not harsh or edgy. The music just sounds as real as I’ve heard from iPod with a fair amount of warmth, but still a fair amount of air.
The tonality of the DT990 32 Ohm I would describe as slightly U-shaped (recessed midrange) in the Frequency response curve. To my ears there appears to be an increase in the mid-bass (mid-bass hump). The treble extends extremely well and allows for plenty of detail and overtones to make its way to my ears. Again, the midrange presentation is recessed here and it is the one reservation I have when proclaiming it as superior for all genres to the DT880 32Ohm. While for rock and pop I would generally prefer the DT990s, for classical music I prefer the DT880 32Ohm. This is because I prefer emphasis in the bass for rock music, but a more forward midrange for classical music.
Last Word
If you are looking for unparalleled performance directly out your portable player and the size of the headphone is not a consideration, then the DT990s 32Ohm are amongst the very best choices available.
| Full-Size iPod-able Headphones Rating at price-point |
| Sound Quality |
– 9.5 |
| Comfort |
– 10 |
| Features & Design |
– 8 |
| Value |
– 10 |