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Head to head ยท for music listening
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO vs Sennheiser HD 800 S
More people recommend the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO overall (75 vs 71). None of the 10 comments that name both says outright which one to buy, so read the loves and complaints and decide by taste.
- Comments naming both
- 10
- Say they own both
- 0
- Choose the DT 990 PRO
- 0
- Choose the HD 800 S
- 0
Preference evidence:Limited0 explicit choices among 10 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 8 review videos, harvested Sep 2026. A comment counts as a choice only when it says so in plain words (prefer X over Y, upgraded from Y to X); questions never count. Quotes are whole sentences of 12 words or fewer, linked to where they were said. How we count.
![]() | ![]() | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $200cheaper | $2000 |
| Overall rank | #8higher | #10 |
| People who recommend it | 75more | 71 |
| Say they own it | 109more | 71 |
| Mentions | 775more | 675 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | Open-backBass and trebleBuilt to last | ClassicalHuge spaceNeeds amp |
| Best for | Recommended for big, spacious sound on a budget by people who like sparkle and do not mind an amp. | Recommended for classical, acoustic and anyone who wants the biggest sense of space from a headphone. |
| Buy | Amazon ยท $200Direct | Amazon ยท $2000 |
#8 overall
Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO (250 ohm)
1 of the 10 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Wide, open soundstage with sharp imaging; owners who came from gaming headsets call it a revelation
- Very comfortable velour pads; owners keep them for 5-7 years
- Built like the DT 770 and repairable: pads, headband and cable are replaceable
The complaints
- The treble: bright to sharp, the most repeated complaint of any Beyer; some EQ it down
- Bass is present but not deep
- 250 ohm version wants an amp; the Pro X or 80 ohm editions are easier to drive
- US service and repair experiences are poor
In their words
โI have had the dt990 for like 10 years and love themโ
A commenter under Watch this BEFORE buying DT990 Pro! (The Headphone Show) ยท Aug 2022
โI love my pair of beyerdynamic DT 990โ
A commenter under Best Headphones for Music Production, Mixing, Tracking (Sanjay C) ยท Oct 2023
โThe DT990 pro is my favorite headphone for acoustic music like bluegrassโ
A commenter under DT990 Pro vs DT770 Pro - Which one should you get? (Andrew Dandrew) ยท May 2021
#10 overall
Sennheiser HD 800 S
1 of the 10 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Huge soundstage and detail; the classic end-game dynamic headphone
- Several owners keep it as the serious-listening set beside a cheaper everyday pair
- Comfortable despite its size
The complaints
- Lean bass and bright treble; can be analytical rather than fun
- Needs a good amp and good recordings
- Price
In their words
โOk, i got encourage to get the HD800 after i saw thisโ
A commenter under Sennheiser HD 800 Unboxing, Review & Shootout w/ HiFiMAN HE-500 Headphones (Music + BF4) (Barnacules Nerdgasm) ยท Oct 2013
โI have all sennheiser hp and hd800 my daily driverโ
A commenter under Is Sennheiser's new headphone REALLY an upgrade? (The Headphone Show) ยท Feb 2023
โI use HD800s as my daily driverโ
A commenter under Open vs Closed Back Headphones for GAMING - Which Is Best? (Hardware Canucks) ยท Jul 2019
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO better than the Sennheiser HD 800 S?
- None of the 10 comments naming both says outright which one to buy. Overall, 75 people recommend the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and 71 the Sennheiser HD 800 S. Read what owners love and complain about below and decide by taste.
- Which is cheaper, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO or the Sennheiser HD 800 S?
- The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO is cheaper: $200 against $2000 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO or the Sennheiser HD 800 S?
- The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO: 75 people recommend it against 71. On the site-wide leaderboard the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO is #8 and the Sennheiser HD 800 S is #10.
- Do people own both the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Sennheiser HD 800 S?
- Not that we found. Of the 10 comments naming both, 1 come from owners of the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and 1 from owners of the Sennheiser HD 800 S, and none says they own both.
- What do owners complain about on the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the Sennheiser HD 800 S?
- The most repeated complaint about the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO: the treble: bright to sharp, the most repeated complaint of any Beyer; some EQ it down. About the Sennheiser HD 800 S: lean bass and bright treble; can be analytical rather than fun. The full lists are on each side below.
More comparisons
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