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#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.
- 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.
- Sundara v 660S v 1990 (Under $500 Headphone Comparison) (Joshua Valour)YouTube · Feb 2020 · owner
- Z Review - Beyer-Dynamic DT1990 [Like a German Porno...] (Z Reviews)YouTube · Mar 2017 · owner
- Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Review (Joshua Valour)YouTube · Jun 2018 · owner
- Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Review: Big, Built, but TOO Bright?? (BadSeed Tech)YouTube · Oct 2019 · owner
- 5 of the Best Headphones Under $500 (Joshua Valour)YouTube · Feb 2020 · owner
- 🟥Sennheiser HD660s (The Best Sennheiser Can.... .) (Z Reviews)YouTube · Feb 2018 · owner
- the GIANT headphone tier list (end of 2023) (The Headphone Show)YouTube · Dec 2023 · owner
- HEADPHONE TIER LIST (Joshua Valour)YouTube · Nov 2020 · recommendation
- DT 700 / 900 PRO X: Everything You Need to Know (BadSeed Tech)YouTube · Oct 2021 · owner
- Why Do All Streamers Use These Headphones? (Dagwummy)YouTube · Jul 2023 · recommendation
- Almost all headphones are inaccurate. Only these are good. (AP Mastering)YouTube · Dec 2024 · owner
- Best Headphones Under $500 Compared! (The Headphone Show)YouTube · Sep 2022 · recommendation
Recommended for
Compared with
The headphones people weigh against this one most often, counted from comments that name both.
- HIFIMAN Sundara vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 69
- Sennheiser HD 660S2 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 59
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 33
- Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO vs DT 1990 PRO · 29
- HIFIMAN Arya vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 19
- Sennheiser HD 800 S vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 19
- Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO vs DT 1990 PRO · 16
- Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO vs Focal Clear MG · 15
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO · 12
- Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO vs HIFIMAN Ananda · 11