Recording - November 2016 - 42

The spec sheet has a few worthwhile numbers, nearly all of
which mirror those of the DT 1770 PRO. Frequency response
of 5 Hz to 40 kHz? Check. Nominal SPL of 102 dB (1
mW/500 Hz) and maximum SPL of 125 dB (200 mW/500
Hz)? Check and check. 250Ω impedance? Check. Weight?
370 grams (about 13 ounces), a hair lighter than its closed
sibling. Like the DT 1770 PRO, the DT 1990 PRO is no lightweight, but it's so finely balanced that you can wear it for
hours without head or neck fatigue.
Similarly to the DT 1770 PRO, the DT1990 PRO comes with
two interchangeable sets of earcups. Unlike the 1770, though,
these earcups are not intended to give a different feel and isolation level; they're actually meant to affect the tonal response of
the phones a little bit when swapped out. A pair of EDT 1990 A
(A for "Analytical") earcups come stored in the hard case, and
the headphones are shipped wearing a pair of EDT 1990 B (B
for "Balanced") earcups. Both velour-covered, the two types are
differentiated by the color and perforation pattern of their inner
rings, as shown in the photo (A on the left, B on the right).
The manual describes the A earcups as "neutral" and the B
earcups as having "a slight bass boost" but aren't more specific than that. I did some rather unscientific listening tests with
an A on one ear and a B on the other, either listening in mono
or turning the phones around so each ear got a turn, and
found that I preferred the A earcups ever so slightly. I felt that
the B's (indeed slight) bump in the lows seemed a trifle hyped,
and had an easier time believing the balance in the mids without it... but it was a tiny difference.
Note that it's effectively impossible to do a more precise
A/B test than this. Human memory for fine detail in sound only
lasts for a few seconds at most; even the act of taking off one
pair of phones and putting on another takes too long for the
comparison to be very useful. I would suspect that a listener
would quickly get used to "hearing through" either of the tonal

beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro

B Y M I K E M E T L AY

A next-generation open-back headphone for the discerning listener
In our March 2016 issue, I had a chance to discuss my sessions with the DT 1770 PRO, a new closed-back design from
beyerdynamic, the German firm famous for (among many
other audio products) its much-respected studio headphones.
The beyerdynamic line tends to be very stable over time;
where some companies introduce new headphones every few
years (and discontinue them just as quickly), the two stalwarts
of the beyerdynamic lineup, the closed DT 770 and the open
DT 990 (both reviewed in May 1999), are still going strong
after years and years in the field.
Where there's a 7, there's a 9, and even as the DT 990 represents an alternative to the DT 770 for those listeners that prefer an open-back headphone, the DT 1770 PRO has now
been joined by the DT 1990 PRO, a no-compromise open
design very much in the same mold as its sibling. I'd like to
apologize in advance to those readers who remember the DT
1770 PRO review, because before we get into the sound of
these phones, a lot of what I discuss is going to sound awfully
familiar.
Specs and features
Packaged in a zippered hard case with an accessory pocket that holds 3-meter straight and 5-meter straight/coiled
cables with a 3-pin locking mini-XLR at one end and a goldplated minijack with screw-on 1/4" adaptor at the other, the DT
1990 PRO exudes class. It's an open-back circumaural dynamic headphone that features beyerdynamic's proprietary 45 mm
Tesla neodymium drivers.
42

RECORDING NOVEMBER 2016

curves and being able to listen critically with whichever version suited his or her tastes.
One other difference worth noting: if you do want to switch
earcups more than once in a while, the DT 1990 PRO seems
a trifle easier to deal with than I remember the DT 1770 PRO
being. (But it's still a royal pain sometimes.)
Critical listening
Once I got settled in with the DT 1990 PRO and began using
it both for reference and recreational listening and for detailed
tracking, editing, and mixing, I was reminded of why my usual
studio duties involve closed headphones... and why I love to listen with open headphones when my work allows. The DT 1990
PRO has very little isolation; even if you're listening at very low
levels, audio will leak into any nearby mics, and if there's significant outside sound nearby, it will be audible behind the
music you're listening to. That means the DT 1990 PRO can't
be used effectively in tracking rooms, nor is it a good choice
for a vocal iso booth. It's best for use in a quiet environment-a
control room with the monitors turned all the way down.
If you're willing to work with this headphone under those
conditions, it will repay you in grand measure. Well-made
open headphones have an airy and natural sound with a very
realistic balance between the lows and the rest of the audio
spectrum; they don't have the bass buildup that can make
some closed headphones sound exciting and powerful at the
cost of accuracy. There's also the issue of comfort; because the
open earcups let your ears breathe, there's less wearing

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - November 2016