Everything sounds better with the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro.  Okay, maybe not everything, but it definitely makes some music more listenable.  For the first time in, well, ever, I actually downloaded a Demi Lovato song.  So you know, God help me.

The DT 1770 Pro comes with a large case.  Not large to the point of being imposing in any way, but large enough to give me the impression that the headphone inside is quite substantial in quality.  Bust that sucker open and what do I see?  A decent-sized leatherette zippered pouch sewn into the lining on the inside front cover of the case.  Inside the pouch are two cables – a long coiled cable and a slightly-less-long straight cable, both with their own gold-plated 1/4” stereo plug adapter.  Opposite of the zippered pocket sits the DT 1770 Pro, sans cables.  Underneath the headphone is a small recess that holds two leatherette ear pads intended to replace the velour ones that are already on the DT 1770

“The leatherette pads offer better bass via a tighter seal around the ear,” the Beyerdynamic Rep tells me.  “They also sound better after you burn them in for 32-34 hours.”

Fastforward two days later, with these cans significantly burned in, and cue the music.

The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro can definitely be described as forward-leaning, with the low end of the frequency range possibly coming off as downright underplayed.  It’s there, but there’s no real oomph to it, no real pizzazz.

During the first listening session, I paired this headphone with the FiiO E12 Mont Blanc amplifier.  Initially, I wanted to use the bass to overcome the 1770’s relatively high nominal impedance of 250 ohms.  However, after a short while I found myself using the E12 to inject a little bit of bass into the mix – a decision I didn’t regret until the E12’s battery died on me a few hours later.

Just for giggles, I decided to slap the DT 1770 into my phone and see just how shitty MP3s could sound going from an iPhone 4s to a pair of $599 250 ohm headphones.  However, I was surprised to find that even without an amp, these headphones sound mind-blowingly fantastic.  Honestly, I’m still surprised.  So surprised, in fact, that I had to put the headphones back on and plug them into my iPhone and run the setup one more time while I wrote these words:  this is the clearest Beyerdynamic I’ve heard in a long time, right up there with the new T1 Secvond .  Pair it with the amp and you get more definition and space, more majesty, more of that 5-40000 hertz frequency range.  But if you want to wing it with your phone, and still enjoy that sound – without the usual muddy, diluted notes that come with the territory – then turn on, tune in, and drop out.

Build and design are much the same as their are in other mid- and top-tier Beyerdynamic models.  For a professional headphone, this is the first to incorporate Beyerdynamic’s own Tesla technology for lower distortion.  Perhaps this has something to do with how clear it sounds on a mobile device without a decent amp, or maybe that was just faerie dust pumped into the headphones at the last minute.  I don’t know.

What I do know is that thanks to slightly lighter materials and some badass leatherette padding on the headband, these headphones are extremely comfortable and sit well on the ears for long listening sessions.  The interchangeable headphone cables just add one more reason to purchase:  if that 2 year Beyerdynamic warranty isn’t enough assurance, buy some extra cables. bucko!

Is there a reason not to buy the Beyerdynamic?  Sure – if you can’t afford it.  Or if you prefer massive amounts of bass but don’t want to deal with an DAC.  

If you don’t mind spending a little bit more on a DAC, and dealing with an extra gizmo to adjust before listening, you will not be displeased with the improvement in bass.

Curious?

https://audio46.com/products/beyerdynamic-dt-1770-pro-closed-back-headphones

Explore the Beyerdynamic Store at Audio46.com!