[updated after M50X comparison time] DT770 treble too bright, Need alternate suggestions

[Askew]

As per the title I just bought the Beyerdynamic DT770 250ohm headphone and the overall sound is pleasing to me, however the treble is too bright and piercing, and does not take long to fatigue my ears when listening to music with much high up.

 

Can someone recommend a headphone that has plenty of bass like the DT770 but perhaps doesn't bump up the treble quite so much? 

 

I cannot keep these like they are, I tried taking the treble down a notch or 2 on my receiver but that has muddied the overall sound.

 

Budget £150GBP/$250USD

[Fred Castellum]

Hmmm got a price range? 

[Askew]

Hmmm got a price range? 

 

Sorry, added to OP.

[helping]

software EQ?

[Askew]

software EQ?

 

How does one do that for youtube/soundcloud?

 

I have one for VLC but that obv doesn't help for other things, I want to avoid having to have lots of EQ presets for different music.

[helping]

How does one do that for youtube/soundbutt?

 

I have one for VLC but that obv doesn't help for other things, I want to avoid having to have lots of EQ presets for different music.

I don't know of too many global EQs (because I don't use any)

 

perhaps this may work? http://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/

 

you will have to figure out where the offending band is though.

[Askew]

I don't know of too many global EQs (because I don't use any)

 

perhaps this may work? http://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/

 

you will have to figure out where the offending band is though.

 

I will give it a spin thanks, I do think ultimately though I will find myself buying a more flat headphone, I choses these because of the bass boost but the other end was too much.

[ShearMe]

I don't say this often, but M50X?

 

[Fred Castellum]

How about the AKG K550

[Askew]

I don't say this often, but M50X?

 

 

 

So if I am enterpreting this correctly, the M50X has more bass and less treble than the M50? My assumption of them having the same sound was incorrect then which is a shame seeing as the M50 is 20% cheaper on Amazon.

 

The M50X does have a removable cable going for it.

 

This DT770 is epically comfortable I have to applaud that.

[ShearMe]

 

So if I am enterpreting this correctly, the M50X has more bass and less treble than the M50? My assumption of them having the same sound was incorrect then which is a shame seeing as the M50 is 20% cheaper on Amazon.

 

 

Eh, it's close enough to have the same overall sound signature to call it "the same"

[Valhallatier]

I don't say this often, but M50X?

 

lol....

NO

To OP pls don't go ATH-M50, from my experience, M50 has super harsh treble. Your beyers is infinitely better, its grainless, more transparent, better soundstage than the M50. You're actually downgrading! and also did i mention its not a comfortable headphone?

My suggestion is getting a tube amp, to make the sound 'warm'.

[Askew]

lol....

NO

To OP pls don't go ATH-M50, from my experience, M50 has super harsh treble. Your beyers is infinitely better, its grainless, more transparent, better soundstage than the M50. You're actually downgrading! and also did i mention its not a comfortable headphone?

My suggestion is getting a tube amp, to make the sound 'warm'.

 

I have not made a decision on what to do yet, thank you for your comment I will wait to see what if any counter arguments it gets.

[SSL]

I have not made a decision on what to do yet, thank you for your comment I will wait to see what if any counter arguments it gets.

 

Here's one:

 

Ignore head-fi bs.

[ShadowCaptain]

Custom one pros?

 

AD700s?

 

HD 595s?

 

They are all around the £150 mark

[Askew]

Here's one:

 

Ignore head-fi bs.

 

I know that head-fi is a marketing forum for some of the 'audiophile' brands, I read NwAvGuy's blog post on that issue and if the points discussed there are true then head-fi is certainly a place to avoid, however when something gets posted here I can't immediately tell what is erroneous because my audio knowledge is still limited.

 

Are you disagreeing with the comment about the M50 treble, or the fact that he recommended a tube amp, or you disagree with both parts?

[Lays]

I know that head-fi is a marketing forum for some of the 'audiophile' brands, I read NwAvGuy's blog post on that issue and if the points discussed there are true then head-fi is certainly a place to avoid, however when something gets posted here I can't immediately tell what is erroneous because my audio knowledge is still limited.

 

Are you disagreeing with the comment about the M50 treble, or the fact that he recommended a tube amp, or you disagree with both parts?

 

Most likely disagreeing with the comments about "transparent grainless better soundstage"

 

 

While some of these "descriptions" can be put into actual wording, others are hard to explain and don't really mean much.

 

 

 

My 2 cents would be see if you can find a used pair of HD650 for around ~250-300 (see if you can spend the extra few dollars), the bass is good while having a rolled off treble.

If you can't do that, see if you can find a place to try the M50's before you buy them (if you do).

 

You can also scroll through these and click them to see frequency responses, then check on amazon what their prices are in your location:

 

http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads

[SSL]

I know that head-fi is a marketing forum for some of the 'audiophile' brands, I read NwAvGuy's blog post on that issue and if the points discussed there are true then head-fi is certainly a place to avoid, however when something gets posted here I can't immediately tell what is erroneous because my audio knowledge is still limited.

 

Are you disagreeing with the comment about the M50 treble, or the fact that he recommended a tube amp, or you disagree with both parts?

 

Both. While a tube amp will technically do what he says, it's because it is distorting and coloring the sound. If that's what you want then ok, but I don't go near that kind of stuff.

[Askew]

Both. While a tube amp will technically do what he says, it's because it is distorting and coloring the sound. If that's what you want then ok, but I don't go near that kind of stuff.

 

No that isn't what I want at all, I don't want to colour the sound before it gets to the headphone, I'd rather keep it flat and find the headphone to suit my preference.

 

I have ordered the M50X to satisfy my own curiosity, I'll compare the two headphones myself tomorrow and I'm going to get enjoyment out of spending my day doing that,  then I will know for sure whether either of them is right for me or not.

 

I've had the 770s on all day and I seem to be suffering less from that treble towards the end of this session, but I have kept the volume moderate and we'll see how it is when I put them on again tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks for the input.

[BoredErica]

No that isn't what I want at all, I don't want to colour the sound before it gets to the headphone, I'd rather keep it flat and find the headphone to suit my preference.

 

I have ordered the M50X to satisfy my own curiosity, I'll compare the two headphones myself tomorrow and I'm going to get enjoyment out of spending my day doing that,  then I will know for sure whether either of them is right for me or not.

 

I've had the 770s on all day and I seem to be suffering less from that treble towards the end of this session, but I have kept the volume moderate and we'll see how it is when I put them on again tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks for the input.

Tell us what you think of them after you get them.

[Askew]

Tell us what you think of them after you get them.

 

I will post my thoughts in this thread tomorrow.

[Theo]

I had the same problem but i fixed it with a software EQ, maybe my ears arent as sensitive as yours but do give it a try before spending money, except if money isnt an issue in which case buy all the headphones!

[Askew]

I had the same problem but i fixed it with a software EQ, maybe my ears arent as sensitive as yours but do give it a try before spending money, except if money isnt an issue in which case buy all the headphones!

 

I have played with software EQ earlier on today, the amount of potential for variation drove me insane so I got rid of it, my EQ will stay forever flat (off) for the benefit of my own sanity.

[Askew]

So I spent a 16hr day and another 10hr day sitting in a chair comparing the DT770's with the M50X.

 

My biggest note was that the M50X really made the DT770's sound lacking in mid range, after swapping from the M50X to the 770 it was like someone came and took a bite out of the track and the crumbs all fell onto the highs and lows.

 

The bass of the 770 is lovely, I think I agree with some of the people who say it can sound monotonal sometimes, if I swapped between the headphones on certain tracks the bass notes on the m50x were more distinctly different.

 

The treble of the 770 is IMHO pumped up a bit too much, it sounded harsh and caused me discomfort, but on tracks without much to keep stabbing me in the eardrum with treble the overall sound was nice.

 

The M50X sound infinitely better to me when it comes to vocals, the bass is a little less wide sounding and perhaps a tiny bit muddier but it's definitely prominent enough to please me, I don't feel like I'm lacking for bass, the mid range of these made voices sound really nice, the 770 couldn't compare really in this regard especially with smooth female vocals.

The treble of the m50x is what I wished the 770 had, and why I created this thread, @ShearMe nailed it with the recommendation in that regard, (thank you very much for that) it's just tipping over enough and miles away from too much, a pleasant sound that I can comfortably listen to on any track without feeling fatigued.

 

I really apologize if all of the above sounded like complete drivel, I don't have the mentality of a descriptive audiophile who can pull words from the air to express how he hears a sound, I did my best to convey it but alas I can do no more without also pulling words from the air.

 

 

So here is what I concluded, the M50X won me in terms of sound, I returned the beyers and no more shall that sparkly treble be upon my ears, I will miss the 'wider?' sounding bass, but the mids and the treble of the M50X please me much more.

 

I am in a quandry now, there is something I have not yet mentioned and that is comfort, the DT770s were absolutely perfect in this regard, wearing them was luxurious I think I could have even forgotten they were there given a while without taking them off.

 

The M50X........... mother of god it is sinfully uncomfortable, I have stretched the headband to release the clamp but it still grips too much, I don't want to snap it, it is hot and sweaty inside of the pads, my ears constantly feel hot and pressured, I cannot live with this headphone forever so here is my question.

 

What has a similar sound to the M50X, perhaps a little clearer bass (I'd settle for the same), similar treble, very similar mid range and is actually a comfortable headphone?

I looked at things like the 518 and 558, they look like they will be so fucking comfortable I will just shit myself with joy every time I put them on but their being open, and the graph confirming, they have a big bass drop off compared to the M50X, halp?

 

 

such post, very length, many typing, wow.

TLDR I'm wanting DT770 comfort with M50X sound, I just don't know how big of an ask that is.

[P e r s e p h o n e]

*snip 

such post, very length, many typing, wow.

Give the M50X a little break in time they'll eventually contort to a shape that fits you best. So after reading your giant post, I can surmise that you want something with the comfort of your open headphones with the sound signature of the M50X. Is that right?