Best Headphones
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO (now sold as MKII)

#17 overall · open-back wired · counts updated Oct 2026

Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO (now sold as MKII)

Ranked #17 of 31: 38 people recommend it and 51 say they own it. Most repeated praise: Build quality owners describe as the best in its class; metal, made in Germany, everything replaceable. Most repeated complaint: Treble peaks: the reason most people who move on from it give.

Recommended to detail-first listeners and home producers who want a headphone that will outlast several amps.

DetailTwo pad setsNeeds ampMoney no object
People who recommend it
38
Say they own it
51
Mentions
470
Posts read
2,262

Price when checked (Sep 2026): $700. the US store no longer lists the original DT 1990 PRO; its page redirects to the MKII at $699.99 (read 2026-09-26). The original DT 1990 PRO listed at $599 and is now only sold through third parties

What owners love

3
  • 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

3
  • 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

Where owners disagree

Owners who compared it with the HD 660S say the Beyer wins on detail and build, the Sennheiser on smoothness and vocals.

The 12 sources

Every thread and video these notes come from.

Owner = the person says they use it. Recommendation = passed on without saying so. Dates are when the thread or video was posted.

Recommended for

Compared with

The headphones people weigh against this one most often, counted from comments that name both.

Back to the leaderboard