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Head to head · for music listening
Sennheiser HD 650 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO
More people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 overall (152 vs 38). Only 1 of the 33 comments naming both explicitly choose one (0 for the Sennheiser HD 650, 1 for the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO), too few to call a winner.
- Comments naming both
- 33
- Say they own both
- 4
- Choose the HD 650
- 0
- Choose the DT 1990 PRO
- 1
Preference evidence:Limited1 explicit choice among 33 comments naming both.What the levels mean
Counted across 17 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 | $345cheaper | $700 |
| Overall rank | #1higher | #17 |
| People who recommend it | 152more | 38 |
| Say they own it | 213more | 51 |
| Mentions | 1,403more | 470 |
| Type | open-back wired | open-back wired |
| Known for | VocalsJazzRelaxed | DetailTwo pad setsNeeds amp |
| Best for | The one headphone almost everyone in the hobby has owned; recommended as the safe buy for long, relaxed music sessions. | Recommended to detail-first listeners and home producers who want a headphone that will outlast several amps. |
| Buy | Amazon · $345 | Amazon · $700Direct |
People who mention both, in their own words
“I too replaced the 6XX with the DT1990”
Picks the DT 1990 PROA commenter under Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Review: Big, Built, but TOO Bright?? (BadSeed Tech) · Oct 2019
#1 overall
Sennheiser HD 650 (also sold as Drop HD 6XX)
7 of the 33 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- The single most-recommended headphone across every forum read: warm, smooth and easy to listen to for hours
- Scales with better amps; several owners run it on expensive tube amps and say it keeps up
- Female vocals and mids that owners describe as amazing
- The Drop HD 6XX version sold for $199-220 for years, which made it the default first audiophile headphone
The complaints
- Needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat
- No real sub-bass
- Clamp is tight on big heads
- Some find the slight bass tilt less balanced than the HD 600; soundstage is small
In their words
“Been using HD6XX for years and I love them for gaming”
A commenter under What GAMING Headphones AUDIOPHILES Use: 2024 Update! (BadSeed Tech) · Jun 2024
“I have both 600 and 6xx and i love them both”
A commenter under The NEW HD600!! (Joshua Valour) · Feb 2020
“I have the HD-6XX and love them”
A commenter under Why You SHOULDN'T Buy HD 600... & What To Get Instead (The Headphone Show) · Sep 2025
#17 overall
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO (now sold as MKII)
5 of the 33 comments naming both come from people who say they own this one.
What owners love
- Build quality owners describe as the best in its class; metal, made in Germany, everything replaceable
- Detail and technical precision that producers and mixers pick it for
- Comes with two pad sets (analytical and balanced) that genuinely change the sound
The complaints
- Treble peaks: the reason most people who move on from it give
- Heavy and warm on the head after long sessions; pads flatten over time
- 250 ohm, needs an amp
In their words
“I got the DT-1990 mkiis and I love them”
A commenter under Almost all headphones are inaccurate. Only these are good. (AP Mastering) · Dec 2024
“These DT 1990 are worth every penny”
A commenter under Z Review - Beyer-Dynamic DT1990 [Like a German Porno...] (Z Reviews) · Mar 2017
“I love my DT 1990 Pros :)”
A commenter under Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Review: Big, Built, but TOO Bright?? (BadSeed Tech) · Oct 2019
Questions people ask about this pair
Every answer is built from the counts on this page, not from our own listening.
- Is the Sennheiser HD 650 better than the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO?
- Only 1 of the 33 comments naming both choose one (0 for the Sennheiser HD 650, 1 for the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO), too few to call a winner. Overall, 152 people recommend the Sennheiser HD 650 and 38 the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO.
- Which is cheaper, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO?
- The Sennheiser HD 650 is cheaper: $345 against $700 when we last checked. Prices move, so the buy buttons show the live price.
- Which do more people recommend, the Sennheiser HD 650 or the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO?
- The Sennheiser HD 650: 152 people recommend it against 38. On the site-wide leaderboard the Sennheiser HD 650 is #1 and the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO is #17.
- Do people own both the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO?
- Yes. 4 of the 33 comments that name both come from people who say they own both pairs. 7 say they own the Sennheiser HD 650 and 5 the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO.
- What do owners complain about on the Sennheiser HD 650 and the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO?
- The most repeated complaint about the Sennheiser HD 650: needs an amp; from a phone it sounds flat. About the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO: treble peaks: the reason most people who move on from it give. The full lists are on each side below.