Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros
Summary
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros are an excellent pair of headphones for any user. While not as good as a high-end 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, they sound phenomenal when compared to other headphone offerings at similar prices.
I have been using my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohms now for a while now, and I just now realized I haven’t actually given it its own review yet! (Oops!) Yes, it is included in my list of the best headphones for streamers, and I briefly addressed some things about it that I love and don’t like, but it deserves its own chance in the limelight. It deserves its own article – It is that good.
Now, this review won’t be getting into the technical specifications of the headphones – I don’t have the necessary equipment or experience in testing required to verify these sorts of claims.
However, this review will be addressing my experience in using the DT 770 Pros as my daily driver. Arguably, I personally find reviews that take this sort of angle to be more trustworthy, so I figured I give this kind of review a shot for you guys.
For a bit of background on me – I am a blogger who loves playing video games, watching Netflix, Disney+, and other streaming services, and listening to music while writing. I use these headphones for all of these, utilizing my Behringer UMC 204HD audio interface to drive it all.
The Result?
“Easily the best listening experience I have ever had for headphones, bar none.” – Monodex
Table of Contents
What makes the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Headphones Great?
As to what makes the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Headphones great – there are four things about it that really stand out for me, which are:
Comfort
Ever since I bought these headphones on May 18th, 2020, they have maintained their amazing comfort. They still clamp firmly to my head and don’t slide off easily unless I’m vigorously headbanging to some music, and they don’t leave my ears a soggy mess like my old Logitech G933s did.
Additionally, the padding in the ear cups is still almost like new – there are some areas of wear and discoloration, but for something that receives daily use for 8 hours+ a day, this much wear and tear are to be expected. Besides, you can easily replace the ear cups if you need to.
Sound Quality
As stated in my earlier headphones roundup, these are easily the best sounding pair of headphones I have ever had the pleasure of owning.
Of course, audio is a very subjective topic, and what sounds good to me might not necessarily sound good to you, but I can say that out of every pair of headphones and headsets that I’ve owned (About 35 all totaled), this one tops them all with ease. Granted, I haven’t ever tried more expensive options, so I can’t say how this compares to them.
But, I can say with absolute certainty that I have no complaints about the sound quality when adequately powered. (See limited Device Compatibility for more info on this.)
Durability
The padding that makes contact with my head has held up exceptionally well and is easily removed for cleaning. There are no rips in the cloth, and the headband padding that rests on top of my head is in near-perfect condition, courtesy of the use of genuine leather. Cheaper headphones, especially gaming branded headsets, often opt for cheaper bonded leather that peels like bad dandruff. My G930s and G933s by Logitech both peeled after about a year.
Noise Cancellation
One of the reasons I opted for the DT 770 design, vs the DT 990 design is that this one excels in background noise rejection. This is due in part to their Closed Back design, which helps to isolate your ears from the outside world. The extra benefit of this design is that there isn’t much audio spilling out of the headphones which can be distracting to others near you.
Of course, the DT 990’s will sound more “natural” than the DT 770s, but the background noise rejection and minimal spillover let me use my sensitive Tonor BM-700 Studio Condenser microphone without fear of picking up what I hear on the microphone – and important feature for a content creator.
One of the Best Features – the Coiled Cable
If there is one thing I really enjoy, and can not recommend enough, it is the coiled cable for the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250-ohm version. While only available for the 250-ohm version, I have never had the wire for these headphones get tangled on me. Short of going completely wireless, this is the best experience I have ever had with wired headphones.
Anyone who has ever owned a pair of cheap earbuds knows the nightmare that is tangled wires. I wish the coiled wire design was more popular, as the traditional straight wire design is prone to kinks and tangles. For example, the cable for my Valve Index has tangled many times and been run over by my chair as well. Since Replacement cables cost an arm and a leg, it is nerve-wracking to potentially need to replace it if it becomes irreparably damaged.
Not So Great Things about the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pros
Noisy
One final point against the DT 770 Pros is that they make a lot of noise when you turn your head from side to side or up and down. It sounds a little bit like a boot walking through fluffy snow and can be quite distracting when you are working on an article and decide to stretch your neck. Or you know, working in general, I suppose.
I don’t know what causes this to happen, only that I find it annoying, even with how rare it is.
Limited Device Compatibility*
For the 250-ohm variant only!
One area of weakness comes from the 250-ohm version, which is the version I have. For the headphones to sound the best, you require an additional piece of hardware to provide adequate power for operation.
This is provided by an audio interface or headphone pre-amp like the Schitt Magni Heresy. Failure to do so will result in:
- The headphones sound very quiet
- The sound quality drops off significantly.
- I noticed this by plugging them into my phone and PC 3.5mm Realtek Audio Output port. Both sounded noticeably quieter even at 100% volume, and lower quality.
These facts mean that the DT 770 Pro 250-ohm variant has some compatibility issues with a huge range of devices.
With that said, if you buy a lower ohms variant, this problem goes away. However, you are trading one problem for another. Only the 250-ohm variant comes with a coiled cable. See below.
Hardwired Cable
This particular headphones model also features a hardwired cable. I deduct some points here because not being able to replace the cable with longer or shorter cables to fit your need (Or replace a damaged cable) can be cumbersome. With that said, the length is sufficiently long, so it does redeem itself a little bit in that regard.
The newer version, the DT 700 Pro X fixes this particular problem by having a detachable Mini-XLR cable, though I have never used those so I can’t really speak about those headphones.
Needs Regular Cleaning
There is a small drawback with these headphones – the earpads collect grime easily and since they are a light color, it becomes very noticeable. Additionally, the texture of the pads changes with this grime, leading to a slightly less comfortable experience. Not only that, but this grime can cause a skin reaction if you have sensitive skin, leading to the formation of pimples and rashes in some cases. (Not fun!)
You need to be especially careful if you happen to have a new piercing, as the bacteria that the pads collect without regular cleaning can cause infection of the piercing.
To remedy this, I recommend that you regularly clean the ear pads. If you keep these earpads in good order, they will last longer, won’t cause your ears to get itchy, and will generally be more comfortable to use.
Extending the life of your earpads is important because these headphones will last you a long time if you take care of them. Plus, the replacement earpads are a touch expensive – anything that you can do to head off this cost will be worth it in the long run.
How to Clean the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Earpads
I recommend cleaning once a month to ensure the earpads remain in good condition.
Cleaning the Beyerdynmanic DT 770 Pros is easy, but may cause padding discoloration depending on the soap you use. Since mine discolored on the first wash, I don’t have a recommendation for soap that won’t cause this issue that I have personally tested (I’m still using the original earcups), but I can inform you what did cause discoloration for me – Dawn Dish soap.
- Take off the ear pads
- Fill your sink with warm water, and mix in hand soap
- Submerge the earpads into the soapy water
- Gently rub the padding between your fingers for 1-2 minutes per earpad
- (Optional) Use a new soft bristle toothbrush to gently scrub the fabric clean of stubborn debris. You don’t want mouth bacteria going anywhere near your ears if you can avoid it.
- Drain the soapy water
- Squeeze out the soapy water from the earpads gently (do not twist squeeze!)
- Rinse them under warm tap water and squeeze out again 5-10 times
- Perform a final squeeze out until there is no more water dripping out, and let air dry for 24-48 hours
Verdict – Excellent Headphones, Worth Every Penny
Before these headphones, I would go through cheap ones roughly every 2-3 months. Some would break, and others would be incredibly uncomfortable. None had good sound quality, and all of them were just unsatisfactory.
The Logitech G930 and G933 pairs were the first two headphones (more headsets) that I owned that stepped up the game in terms of comfort and sound quality, but they were riddled with issues involving the wireless system. From battery charging issues to random intermittent disconnects, I was just getting tired of it.
I was fed up with how often I was going through these devices, so I decided to look into wired alternatives. Incidentally, I had already bought an audio interface for the purpose of using an XLR microphone to live stream (and to connect my guitar to my PC), so I could use the headphones that required a little extra help to function properly.
Ultimately, my research led me to the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Headphones, as they fit the price bracket I was looking for and weren’t too demanding of the headphone amp built into the Behringer UMC 204HD. I don’t think headphones that feature a 600-ohm resistor (Or higher) would be adequately powered by the audio interface.
Several review videos later, I made the best purchase decision I could have made. Almost two years (as of this article’s post date) of use, and still super comfortable and sounds great.
Convinced? Get a pair!
Note: You will need an Audio Interface (The Behringer UMC22 is my recommendation for a solid, low-cost solution) or a dedicated headphones amp (The Schitt Magni Heresy is my recommended headphones amp) to make use of the full audio quality of the 250 ohms version. This version is not suitable for smartphone use either (Use 32 or 80 Ohms if you intend to use it on phones or directly with your PC’s green audio output jack.)