Industry Brands, Warehouse Prices!

Beyerdynamic DT770 Headphones

Go into any top recording studio and the chances are that you'll find not one, but numerous pairs of Beyerdynamic DT100 headphones. DT100s are tough, they're loud and you can replace almost all the parts in the field, but to be honest, they aren't the best sounding headphone on the market. They're fine for musicians monitoring while recording, but less good for making value judgements on a mix. In recent years, Beyerdynamic has extended the DT series considerably, each time bringing about an improvement in sound, and the latest in that illustrious line is the DT770 reviewed here.

Like the DT100, the DT770 is a closed headphone, but there the similarity ends. This headphone is designed for optimum listening quality in situations where open headphones would be inappropriate, and a new lightweight diaphragm, which is around one-fifth the mass of that used in other current designs, is claimed to give a high-end transparency that challenges that of electrostatic headphones. That's equivalent to building a dynamic mic with the high-end performance of a capacitor model.

The DT770 features circular, fully sealed acoustic chambers with foam-filled velour ear cushions that fit over, rather than resting upon, the ears. Inside is a ported bass reflex system and the frequency response is quoted as 5Hz to 35kHz, though the roll-off limits are not specified. A 3m coiled cord is fitted to the phones and terminates in what appears to be a gold-plated quarter-inch jack plug -- but unscrew the barrel and there's a 3.5mm stereo jack inside. However, unlike that of the DT100, the cord doesn't unplug so replacement will involve some disassembly. Each phone is supported in an anodised aluminium yoke and these are in turn supported by a well padded, adjustable headband.

In use, these phones are a comfortable, snug fit and offer a useful amount of isolation from outside sound. The headband grips the yokes tightly, so there's no tendency for the size adjustment to slip once the phones are in place. The overall weight is 270g, which though not featherweight, is reasonably low for a quality closed phone.

Soundwise, the DT770s don't display any of the boxy characteristics of earlier closed models and they present the mid and high frequencies extremely clearly, responding well to dynamic transients. Similarly, the low end doesn't disappoint, with more than adequate low-frequency extension and a good balance between the bass and the mid/high part of the spectrum. The nominal SPL is around 96dB, with 100mW of power equating to 116dB. A typical safe monitoring level for moderate periods is around 90dB.

Design Features

The DT 770 PRO is a closed dynamic headphone and was designed for critical music and sound monitoring in an open environment. It has a bass-reflex system to give low-frequency response down to 5 Hz and is equalised to the diffuse sound field. The weight of the diaphragm and moving coil of this headphone is approx. 20% compared to other current models. As a result, the DT 770 PRO offers similar pulse characteristics as electrostatic headphones. The cushion systems and light weight allow the DT 770 PRO to be used in complete comfort for long periods.

The transducers are fitted to adjustable yokes which should be positioned to fully enclose the ear. This will provide the optimum ear/speaker position for accurate sound monitoring. The cord is terminated with a high-quality gold plated mini-jack and a 1/4" stereo jack adapter. Professional users should note that it is recommended practise that headphones are issued on an individual user basis to preclude any possible health risks.

• Closed diffuse field studio headphone
• Innovative bass reflex system
• Rugged spring steel headband
• Single sided cable
• Soft ear cushions
• Gold plated jack plug 3.5 mm and 6.35 mm adapter

Maintenance As with any equipment which will be used in close proximity to sensitive areas of the body, it is essential that the ear-pads and head-band are kept clean. Use a damp cloth for cleaning using warm water only taking care not to allow any water drops into the transducers. Should it become necessary to replace the ear-pads or the head-band cushion, refer to “Spares and Accessories”. Safety When plugging your headphones into an amplifier, please make sure that the volume control is set at minimum and is adjusted after they have been put on. It is common phenomenon to listen to music through headphones at high levels. The very low levels of distortion present within the DT 770 PRO can make the listening levels higher than is preceived and we would like to warn you of this so that you are able to enjoy these headphones for many years without damage to your ears.

Technical Specifications

Transducer type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dynamic

Operating principle . . . . . . . . . . . Closed

Frequency response . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 35,000 Hz

Nominal impedance . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Ω / 250 Ω

Nominal SPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 dB

T.H.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0.2%

Power handling capacity . . . . . . . 100 mW

Sound coupling to the ear . . . . . . Circumaural

Ambient noise attenuation . . . . . approx. 18 dBA