Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm

[Adnro]

Simple Question

Do i need an amplifier if i use this headphone with my desktop? Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm.

Motherboard Z97 Gaming 5
https/www.msi.com/Motherboard/Z97-GAMING-5.html#hero-overview

DUAL HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS
Prepare for an eargasm. The built-in dual headphone amplifier rewards your high quality headphone with the most amazing studio level sound quality up to 600Ω delivered from your gaming PC.

Tired of having to connect your headset in difficult to reach places? MSI GAMING motherboards are designed to be easy to use, featuring front & rear audio outputs fueled by Audio Boost 2.

GOLDEN AUDIO CONNECTORS
With golden audio connectors you get the best possible signal output with less chance of distortion.

Up to 600Ω crystal clear sound with exceptional acoustics
Dedicated amplified output (red) optimized for studio-grade headgear
Superb signal conductivity and will not wear over time

 

[Gabriel_61]

I've had these headphones for many years, I love them, they are the best ones I own hands down.

They do need an amp. Get a Fiio e10, which is an Amp/DAC (processes audio via USB for a pure, distortion-free signal):
https/www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479174082&sr=8-2&keywords=fiio+e10

Also, my only "flaw" if I was truly nitpicking is that sometimes they can be a tiny bit "harsh"on the treble (sometimes, not always), so later on you could purchase this affordable yet quality tube amp from Schiit Audio - this will make the headphones sound warmer and the quality should be further boosted, plus it looks great!:
http/schiit.com/products/vali-2

 

[Adnro]

I've had these headphones for many years, I love them, they are the best ones I own hands down.

They do need an amp. Get a Fiio e10, which is an Amp/DAC (processes audio via USB for a pure, distortion-free signal):
https/www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479174082&sr=8-2&keywords=fiio+e10

Also, my only "flaw" if I was truly nitpicking is that sometimes they can be a tiny bit "harsh"on the treble (sometimes, not always), so later on you could purchase this affordable yet quality tube amp from Schiit Audio - this will make the headphones sound warmer and the quality should be further boosted, plus it looks great!:
http/schiit.com/products/vali-2

Are you sure they need a amp? My motherboard soundcard support 600 Ohm Studio headphones. I want to avoid buying an amp. Since it adds a pretty big cost.

 

[Gabriel_61]

I've had these headphones for many years, I love them, they are the best ones I own hands down.

They do need an amp. Get a Fiio e10, which is an Amp/DAC (processes audio via USB for a pure, distortion-free signal):
https/www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479174082&sr=8-2&keywords=fiio+e10

Also, my only "flaw" if I was truly nitpicking is that sometimes they can be a tiny bit "harsh"on the treble (sometimes, not always), so later on you could purchase this affordable yet quality tube amp from Schiit Audio - this will make the headphones sound warmer and the quality should be further boosted, plus it looks great!:
http/schiit.com/products/vali-2

Are you sure they need a amp? My motherboard soundcard support 600 Ohm Studio headphones. I want to avoid buying an amp. Since it adds a pretty big cost.

Don't buy it then, since it seems to have the "power" for it, but I cannot guarantee the quality. You can also just get the Fiio e10 for the Amp/DAC solution. Just try it out with the MB Amplifier first, if satisfied, then enjoy!

 

[ssddx]

manufacturers will always use such terms in order to make it seem like their product is the best thing since sliced bread. much of it is overzealous and in many cases not accurate.

quality up to 600ohm? that means absolutely nothing to me as it says nothing about how the amplifier actually performs. while headphone impedance is measured in ohms (resistance) that alone does not equate to how hard they are to power. sensitivity also comes in to play as well as how the power requirements change at different frequencies. better information would be how many mw of power at what distortion the amplifier provides as well as its output impedance.

dual amplifiers? doubleamping is in fact often seen as a bad thing given the distortion it can induce. i doubt they do something this silly though and likely it just refers to separate headphone amps for the front and rear jack which while still silly might possibly have some use.

gold plated connectors? all this is good for would be corrosion resistance. nickel plating is just as good and really there is no sound difference between the two.

i'm guessing they meant the amp can handle up to 600ohm headphones but that in itself is a broad category as some are easy while others are difficult to power. the dt990 is a sensitive headphone so its really not as bad as some others.

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you could likely power the dt990 on many lower end amplifiers or motherboards however you will not get the best sound out of them by doing this. if you buy the dt990 it would be highly suggested to use an amplifier to best enjoy them.

what is a typical scenario of a too weak amp?
-if you push the amp too hard (towards max volume) you can get high distortion or hissing
-if the amp is too weak you could have lower max volume (in extreme cases almost no volume)
-you could have poor bass output and overall less vibrant feel to the sound
if you notice these scenarios then i'd suggest an amp.

of course this is a generalized statement. there may be onboard which you feel is acceptable for use with them. i'm just saying to not rely on those terms to make a decision as they are mere words without any real data behind them.

the schiit magni would be ideal. the vali is also a good choice as mentioned earlier. the e10k is not as strong of an amp as the magni but i'd consider it acceptable if budget is a problem.

as mentioned before you could try them out with your onboard, but do budget for an amp if you feel you need one.

if you do not want to use an amp, then you will need to pick something known to be easier to drive such as the hd598.

----------------

the dt990 is known to be a bit harsh on treble gabe so your thoughts are about in line with what other people think of them. some people really like the bright detailed treble energy of them while some find it a bit fatiguing. a good warm amp or proper eq settings can tone this down a bit.

 

[Gabriel_61]

manufacturers will always use such terms in order to make it seem like their product is the best thing since sliced bread. much of it is overzealous and in many cases not accurate.

quality up to 600ohm? that means absolutely nothing to me as it says nothing about how the amplifier actually performs. while headphone impedance is measured in ohms (resistance) that alone does not equate to how hard they are to power. sensitivity also comes in to play as well as how the power requirements change at different frequencies. better information would be how many mw of power at what distortion the amplifier provides as well as its output impedance.

dual amplifiers? doubleamping is in fact often seen as a bad thing given the distortion it can induce. i doubt they do something this silly though and likely it just refers to separate headphone amps for the front and rear jack which while still silly might possibly have some use.

gold plated connectors? all this is good for would be corrosion resistance. nickel plating is just as good and really there is no sound difference between the two.

i'm guessing they meant the amp can handle up to 600ohm headphones but that in itself is a broad category as some are easy while others are difficult to power. the dt990 is a sensitive headphone so its really not as bad as some others.

----------------

you could likely power the dt990 on many lower end amplifiers or motherboards however you will not get the best sound out of them by doing this. if you buy the dt990 it would be highly suggested to use an amplifier to best enjoy them.

what is a typical scenario of a too weak amp?
-if you push the amp too hard (towards max volume) you can get high distortion or hissing
-if the amp is too weak you could have lower max volume (in extreme cases almost no volume)
-you could have poor bass output and overall less vibrant feel to the sound
if you notice these scenarios then i'd suggest an amp.

of course this is a generalized statement. there may be onboard which you feel is acceptable for use with them. i'm just saying to not rely on those terms to make a decision as they are mere words without any real data behind them.

the schiit magni would be ideal. the vali is also a good choice as mentioned earlier. the e10k is not as strong of an amp as the magni but i'd consider it acceptable if budget is a problem.

as mentioned before you could try them out with your onboard, but do budget for an amp if you feel you need one.

if you do not want to use an amp, then you will need to pick something known to be easier to drive such as the hd598.

----------------

the dt990 is known to be a bit harsh on treble gabe so your thoughts are about in line with what other people think of them. some people really like the bright detailed treble energy of them while some find it a bit fatiguing. a good warm amp or proper eq settings can tone this down a bit.

I absolutely LOVE the soundstage and clarity of the DT990 Pros 250ohm, but like I said, its not always the it is overly harsh, just sometimes with singers using the "S" a lot and such.

When I get some extra cash, I will definitely be getting that Vali 2, since I already have the E10 as a DAC.

 

[ssddx]

it sounds like what you are trying to describe is sibilance. this is an overly bright noise caused by certain sounds which can be heard on certain equipment capable of producing such tones. nasal noise, lisping, s-sounds, etc all can cause sibilance.

generally you will only hear sibilance if the source material is sibilant to begin with. a good recording studio will tone this down before it ever goes out the door. the headphones arent sibilant on their own - they are just capable of reproducing such tones faithfully (which really says how detailed and bright the dt990 is capable of being).

you should be able to tone it down with good eq settings, a warm amp or pass filter.

 

[Adnro]

it sounds like what you are trying to describe is sibilance. this is an overly bright noise caused by certain sounds which can be heard on certain equipment capable of producing such tones. nasal noise, lisping, s-sounds, etc all can cause sibilance.

generally you will only hear sibilance if the source material is sibilant to begin with. a good recording studio will tone this down before it ever goes out the door. the headphones arent sibilant on their own - they are just capable of reproducing such tones faithfully (which really says how detailed and bright the dt990 is capable of being).

you should be able to tone it down with good eq settings, a warm amp or pass filter.

https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtdnWYqbMwc When i listen this video from 4:40 to 5:10 do you hear some crackling kinda sound? I have always soo much trouble deciding if it's the drivers or the song. Don't think Sennheiser drivers would be the problem? Note: I also hear them in my philips earbuds but they are nihil.

 

[ssddx]

i certainly couldnt hear any crackle on my klipsch speakers. if both of your devices had audible crackle it could be your onboard audio

 

[Adnro]

i certainly couldnt hear any crackle on my klipsch speakers. if both of your devices had audible crackle it could be your onboard audio

I guess soo, I did both ports front and back. Both do it with my Philips earbuds and HD 558.

 

[ssddx]

listen on another device.. with those same headphones with the same song. that will verify it.

 

[Adnro]

Okay got my phone did both Philips and HD 558 and hear it on there aswell.

 

[ssddx]

hmm, that was not expected.

generally the chance of two headphones having problems is low so such a test would normally pick out whether the source device is fine or not. i doubt both headphones have issues. perhaps have someone else do the listening as well. it could be that you have much better hearing than i do and can hear static in the song that i can not>

if it was the headphones being damaged you would hear it on all songs, or at least all songs with heavy bass.

make sure any eq settings are flat and volume is moderate not ultra loud as well so you rule out distortion caused by amps or eq.

 

[Adnro]

hmm, that was not expected.

generally the chance of two headphones having problems is low so such a test would normally pick out whether the source device is fine or not. i doubt both headphones have issues. perhaps have someone else do the listening as well. it could be that you have much better hearing than i do and can hear static in the song that i can not>

if it was the headphones being damaged you would hear it on all songs, or at least all songs with heavy bass.

make sure any eq settings are flat and volume is moderate not ultra loud as well so you rule out distortion caused by amps or eq.

I don't use EQ and disabled all my windows effects on sound. My volume is around 30 on windows. And for another testing purpose i picked up my JBL Bass Heavy In-Ear. I hear them on there aswell. The weird thing is that it's almost always the R side of the sound device even when i switch them from L ear to R ear. But i hear them on the HD 558 way better since those are cleaner in sound.

 

[ssddx]

you said its on
A) multiple devices with the same song
B) multiple headphones with the same song

by process of elimination, i would say its the song and perhaps you just have good ears?
have your friend or family member listen as well to get their opinion.

 

[Adnro]

you said its on
A) multiple devices with the same song
B) multiple headphones with the same song

by process of elimination, i would say its the song and perhaps you just have good ears?
have your friend or family member listen as well to get their opinion.

I feel my right ear is way more sensetive to this.

Also i did test them multiple times on here: http/www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php and they seem fine.