DT990 Premium vs HD650 vs Fidelio x2

[UnknownUser]

Which is best for gaming? Which is most comfortable? Which has the best sound quality? Which would you get?

 

[dizmo]

I'd get the Philips but that's because I absolutely hate the ear cup fabric of the other two choices.

[UnknownUser]

Just now, dizmo said:

I'd get the Philips but that's because I absolutely hate the ear cup fabric of the other two choices.

What about sound quality for all of them?

[dizmo]

1 minute ago, UnknownUser said:

What about sound quality for all of them?

Not sure, I don't like open back headphones so I've never bothered looking into these.

[UnknownUser]

2 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Not sure, I don't like open back headphones so I've never bothered looking into these.

Then how do you know about the ear cups?

[dizmo]

Just now, UnknownUser said:

Then how do you know about the ear cups?

They're fabric. I hate fabric ear cups.

[UnknownUser]

Aren't open back headphones better for gaming?

[AdhocLaw]

i would go with the dt 990 if i had a dac that could power them the flatter frequency response curve for me is important as it will sound clearer which is better for games than some mush bass headphones that drown out the important sounds like foot steps grenades or things of that nature. actually the hd 650's arnt too bad but their frequency responce is on the warmer bass side and if thats what you are into then they would work great. as for the other ones i havent tried them so i dont know.

[Dackzy]

48 minutes ago, AdhocLaw said:

i would go with the dt 990 if i had a dac that could power them the flatter frequency response curve for me is important as it will sound clearer which is better for games than some mush bass headphones that drown out the important sounds like foot steps grenades or things of that nature. actually the hd 650's arnt too bad but their frequency responce is on the warmer bass side and if thats what you are into then they would work great. as for the other ones i havent tried them so i dont know.

14

there is so much wrong in the post it isn't even funny. 

1. A DAC cannot power headphones, you need an amp for that.

2. DT 990 are nowhere near flat, they have V shaped signature meaning they have a bass and treble boost.

3. HD 650's offer higher audio quality than X2's and DT990's

4. HD 650's actually have the flatter sound which you clearly can see on a frequency response graph 

[UnknownUser]

50 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

there is so much wrong in the post it isn't even funny. 

1. A DAC cannot power headphones, you need an amp for that.

2. DT 990 are nowhere near flat, they have V shaped signature meaning they have a bass and treble boost.

3. HD 650's offer higher audio quality than X2's and DT990's

4. HD 650's actually have the flatter sound which you clearly can see on a frequency response graph 

Have you tried the x2s? How do they compare to the 990 and 650? Which is the most comfortable? Which is your favorite?

[Dackzy]

7 minutes ago, UnknownUser said:

Have you tried the x2s? How do they compare to the 990 and 650? Which is the most comfortable? Which is your favorite?

yes, I have tried them. Well, the HD 650's are more refined in their sound which you can see on their FR, by looking at the smoothness of it. The X2's gives up a good bass extension to give you a the mid-bass boost, while the HD 650's have a bit better bass extension. In the highs, the X2's are a bit less controlled, which may or may not be a thing you would like.

The DT990s are just very much V-shaped headphones, nice bass/mid-bass bump and highs that can be harsh for quite a few people, compared to the X2's these are more aggressive in the highs.

 

Comfort for me is probably

1. HD 650

2. DT 990

3. X2

but this changes from head to head. 

 

If I were to pick between them, then it would be pretty easy for me, I would go HD 650 all day long. They are simply very well tuned and the audio quality you get from them is really good for this budget. While the DT 990's might be a bit more "fun" with their wild treble.

[spwath]

i would go hd650,  for superior comfort and sound. I own them.

[UnknownUser]

53 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

yes, I have tried them. Well, the HD 650's are more refined in their sound which you can see on their FR, by looking at the smoothness of it. The X2's gives up a good bass extension to give you a the mid-bass boost, while the HD 650's have a bit better bass extension. In the highs, the X2's are a bit less controlled, which may or may not be a thing you would like.

The DT990s are just very much V-shaped headphones, nice bass/mid-bass bump and highs that can be harsh for quite a few people, compared to the X2's these are more aggressive in the highs.

 

Comfort for me is probably

1. HD 650

2. DT 990

3. X2

but this changes from head to head. 

 

If I were to pick between them, then it would be pretty easy for me, I would go HD 650 all day long. They are simply very well tuned and the audio quality you get from them is really good for this budget. While the DT 990's might be a bit more "fun" with their wild treble.

Are the 650s hard to drive? I think I'll buy x2s and 990s and return the one I don't like as much. Is this a good idea?

[UnknownUser]

45 minutes ago, spwath said:

i would go hd650,  for superior comfort and sound. I own them.

Have you tried the other ones?

[Spuriae]

Welp, that's two SBAF'ers throwing in behind the HD650 and two randos recommending the others.

 

As much as I love my HD650's, I wouldn't recommend them unconditionally.

 

For gaming, they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

The DT990's are probably the best for pure gaming; they're cheaper, have a V-shaped response which makes explosions more satisfying and slightly accentuates your most important spatial cue (bullets whizzing), and a nice large soundstage. They have an all-metal construction, which can be seen as a pro or a con depending on if you'd rather have your headphones or monitor break when you tear them off and throw them in a fit of rage, and they cosmetically pair well with an ushanka, which is always a solid choice for anyone wanting to channel their inner Häyhä.

 

That's not to say either of the others are bad for gaming. The X2 has a good soundstage as well, and the HD650's more focused stage makes imaging (especially picking out stuff within a narrow field in front of you) better as you can pretty easily triangulate the exact positioning of things with a few scans back and forth. Both have respectable low-end for open-backed headphones as well. I'd like to say the HD650 has the worst build quality since it's mostly plastic, but this also allows you to disassemble, repair, and mod them like virtually nothing else, with actually decent prices for replacement and upgrade parts.

 

Comfort always depends on the specific person. The HD650's are the least comfortable straight out of the box because of the tight clamp. With proper adjustment of the headband and some time for the pads to conform to your head, most people will find these the most comfortable over time. The DT990's are typical Beyer comfort, which means excellent. No special considerations here; these will be comfortable for virtually anyone. Beyer stock pads are close to perfection comfort-wise. Sure, they'll get dirty over time, but washing pads is effective. The X2's have that suspension headband that you'll either love or almost love; they're perfect for some heads but apply more pressure in different areas for heads that aren't quite normally proportioned. It works for everyone, but I'd call it extremely comfortable for some people, comfortable for most people, and almost comfortable for a minority. I'm unfortunately usually in the "almost comfortable" camp; I love the ability to finely adjust things, and leaving that up to an elastic strap doesn't always produce results quite as good.

 

For sound quality, HD650's easily. Especially if you get a good amp (get a good amp). As far as I'm aware, nothing quite matches the timbre of their mids even at much higher price points (if anything does, please let me know). X2's may be more satisfying right off the bat thanks to better bass extension and sharper treble, but like most headphones tuned that way you can get tired of that. The HD650's are a wonderful break for me from a market that keeps trying to push out more exciting-sounding headphones that are great on first listen but become wearing over time (I hate it when treble is bumped up to create an illusion of added detail); I fatigue quickly when listening to things that don't sound quite right, and the HD650's do nothing glaringly wrong. The DT990's have bass and treble and that's it; if you don't mind everything sounding thin and like bass but want open-backs they're one of your few options. Some people love them, some people can tolerate their flaws for what they excel at, and many people can't stand them.

 

For me, HD650's. For you, see if you can demo things before buying. If you plan on upgrading in the future or love dark, rich mids, HD650's. If you plan to never buy audio equipment again, consider X2's. If you're on a tighter budget, want both bass and positional audio, and feel that treble that bites like the winter of '39 will only make you stronger, try the DT990's. They're great for pure gaming but may or may not be the right fit for you musically.

 

14 hours ago, dizmo said:

They're fabric. I hate fabric ear cups.

They all have velour pads; if anything the X2's are the most fabric-like. Most people find velour more comfortable than leather anyhow, and velour is better for the majority of open backs sonically.

[Dackzy]

3 hours ago, UnknownUser said:

Are the 650s hard to drive? I think I'll buy x2s and 990s and return the one I don't like as much. Is this a good idea?

I would say medium in hardness to drive, they certainly benefit from a nice amp and they really like a tube amp.

35 minutes ago, Nimrodor said:

Welp, that's two SBAF'ers throwing in behind the HD650 and two randos recommending the others.

1

huh? Are you calling be a SBAF'er? I mostly just lurk there and I am not really that into the HD 650's signature, but I cannot deny that they offer very good audio quality for the price.

[Spuriae]

6 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

huh? Are you calling be a SBAF'er? I mostly just lurk there and I am not really that into the HD 650's signature, but I cannot deny that they offer very good audio quality for the price.

Was meant as a compliment, sorry. I swear I see you pretty often over there. Either that or I spend way too much time rereading the same threads.

[Dackzy]

6 minutes ago, Nimrodor said:

Was meant as a compliment, sorry. I swear I see you pretty often over there. Either that or I spend way too much time rereading the same threads.

oh I don't take it as a positive or negative thing, just wanted to make it clear that I don't have the usual HD 650 are super love, but thanks  

 

Maybe one of my mates have figured out my account password, I think it is close to a month ago that I was on SBAF posting  

[SSL]

8 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

Maybe one of my mates have figured out my account password,

 

Mwa ha ha

[Dackzy]

22 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Mwa ha ha

if it is you then I am not too afraid of what is being written, also if you see a guy named hififreak or something like that then please fuck around with them, he is one of my mates  

[UnknownUser]

2 hours ago, Nimrodor said:

Welp, that's two SBAF'ers throwing in behind the HD650 and two randos recommending the others.

 

As much as I love my HD650's, I wouldn't recommend them unconditionally.

 

For gaming, they all have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

The DT990's are probably the best for pure gaming; they're cheaper, have a V-shaped response which makes explosions more satisfying and slightly accentuates your most important spatial cue (bullets whizzing), and a nice large soundstage. They have an all-metal construction, which can be seen as a pro or a con depending on if you'd rather have your headphones or monitor break when you tear them off and throw them in a fit of rage, and they cosmetically pair well with an ushanka, which is always a solid choice for anyone wanting to channel their inner Häyhä.

 

That's not to say either of the others are bad for gaming. The X2 has a good soundstage as well, and the HD650's more focused stage makes imaging (especially picking out stuff within a narrow field in front of you) better as you can pretty easily triangulate the exact positioning of things with a few scans back and forth. Both have respectable low-end for open-backed headphones as well. I'd like to say the HD650 has the worst build quality since it's mostly plastic, but this also allows you to disassemble, repair, and mod them like virtually nothing else, with actually decent prices for replacement and upgrade parts.

 

Comfort always depends on the specific person. The HD650's are the least comfortable straight out of the box because of the tight clamp. With proper adjustment of the headband and some time for the pads to conform to your head, most people will find these the most comfortable over time. The DT990's are typical Beyer comfort, which means excellent. No special considerations here; these will be comfortable for virtually anyone. Beyer stock pads are close to perfection comfort-wise. Sure, they'll get dirty over time, but washing pads is effective. The X2's have that suspension headband that you'll either love or almost love; they're perfect for some heads but apply more pressure in different areas for heads that aren't quite normally proportioned. It works for everyone, but I'd call it extremely comfortable for some people, comfortable for most people, and almost comfortable for a minority. I'm unfortunately usually in the "almost comfortable" camp; I love the ability to finely adjust things, and leaving that up to an elastic strap doesn't always produce results quite as good.

 

For sound quality, HD650's easily. Especially if you get a good amp (get a good amp). As far as I'm aware, nothing quite matches the timbre of their mids even at much higher price points (if anything does, please let me know). X2's may be more satisfying right off the bat thanks to better bass extension and sharper treble, but like most headphones tuned that way you can get tired of that. The HD650's are a wonderful break for me from a market that keeps trying to push out more exciting-sounding headphones that are great on first listen but become wearing over time (I hate it when treble is bumped up to create an illusion of added detail); I fatigue quickly when listening to things that don't sound quite right, and the HD650's do nothing glaringly wrong. The DT990's have bass and treble and that's it; if you don't mind everything sounding thin and like bass but want open-backs they're one of your few options. Some people love them, some people can tolerate their flaws for what they excel at, and many people can't stand them.

 

For me, HD650's. For you, see if you can demo things before buying. If you plan on upgrading in the future or love dark, rich mids, HD650's. If you plan to never buy audio equipment again, consider X2's. If you're on a tighter budget, want both bass and positional audio, and feel that treble that bites like the winter of '39 will only make you stronger, try the DT990's. They're great for pure gaming but may or may not be the right fit for you musically.

Thanks for all of this info! This was the response I was looking for. The music I listen to is hip-hop/ rap and a little bit of pop. Gaming is still the number one priority though. I do plan on buying audio equipment again. Also I want a mix of immersion and tactical advantage. Which is best for me?

 

Edit: By the way I gave you "best answer"... you deserve it

[Spuriae]

27 minutes ago, UnknownUser said:

Thanks for all of this info! This was the response I was looking for. The music I listen to is hip-hop/ rap and a little bit of pop. Gaming is still the number one priority though. I do plan on buying audio equipment again. Also I want a mix of immersion and tactical advantage. Which is best for me?

It's tough because none of them are bad choices. If it's an option, I'd say get a good demo of the DT990 and buy one if you're one of those people it works well for. Failing that, if you're fine buying used stuff and you're in an area with an active used market, you can potentially just buy them all used when a good deal comes up and sell the ones you don't like. DT990's you can get fairly cheap used ($100 or less) since so many people try them once and dislike them. Used HD650's retain resale value well and are a safe option to hold on to even if you don't listen to them very often (or if you like them, also consider selling them anyways and buying the much cheaper used HD580's since they're very similar - especially if you're open to modding). X2 prices go all over the place depending on how strong the hype train around them is going. There are opportunities to make money buying and selling any of them on various used sites (avexchange, ebay, goodwill, craigslist); you can potentially try out lots of gear and make a profit doing it.

 

Then again, I'm super cheap. I guess my overall advice would be to try things out before buying, or to commit in such a way that you can get out if you're unsatisfied. Try the DT990's first since I think they're potentially your best fit, but don't be afraid to back out if you're one of many people who don't like them. There's no doubt the other two are better overall (or that the HD650 is exceptional), but if your main purpose is gaming, the price difference may not be worth it.

[UnknownUser]

1 hour ago, Nimrodor said:

It's tough because none of them are bad choices. If it's an option, I'd say get a good demo of the DT990 and buy one if you're one of those people it works well for. Failing that, if you're fine buying used stuff and you're in an area with an active used market, you can potentially just buy them all used when a good deal comes up and sell the ones you don't like. DT990's you can get fairly cheap used ($100 or less) since so many people try them once and dislike them. Used HD650's retain resale value well and are a safe option to hold on to even if you don't listen to them very often (or if you like them, also consider selling them anyways and buying the much cheaper used HD580's since they're very similar - especially if you're open to modding). X2 prices go all over the place depending on how strong the hype train around them is going. There are opportunities to make money buying and selling any of them on various used sites (avexchange, ebay, goodwill, craigslist); you can potentially try out lots of gear and make a profit doing it.

 

Then again, I'm super cheap. I guess my overall advice would be to try things out before buying, or to commit in such a way that you can get out if you're unsatisfied. Try the DT990's first since I think they're potentially your best fit, but don't be afraid to back out if you're one of many people who don't like them. There's no doubt the other two are better overall (or that the HD650 is exceptional), but if your main purpose is gaming, the price difference may not be worth it.

And how about the music I listen to because music is also one of the purposes. Also you didn't answer this: Also I want a mix of immersion and tactical advantage.

[UnknownUser]

Also does anyone know how the bass is on these headphones? Which is best for hip-hop/rap and gaming. Are the 990s lacking bass? How's the bass on them compared to beats?

[Spuriae]

1 hour ago, UnknownUser said:

And how about the music I listen to because music is also one of the purposes. Also you didn't answer this: Also I want a mix of immersion and tactical advantage.

Not sure how to answer that. If it's bass you're looking for, the DT990's and X2's will extend to lower frequencies than the HD650. The 650's have sort of an upper bass/lower mid boost that makes the mids sound super rich; the DT990's sound thin here, the X2's sort of go between the two. Treble-wise the DT990's can get very harsh, the X2's have peaks that some find annoying, and the 650's are completely inoffensive. It's difficult to convey in words how the bass sounds on open-backed headphones if you've only used closed-backs before; they sound nothing alike. It's the difference between a beat feeling like a thud inside your head or a kickdrum twenty feet away; one may be louder than the other, but you may like the way the lighter one sounds more.

 

Even knowing the specific genres of music you listen to it's difficult to say anything outright (and the fact that I don't listen to it very much makes it harder). My roommate likes the genres you do and preferred the bass on my HD650's to my Takstar Pro 80's or my cheap sub, even though there was less of it. Lots of songs, though, they definitely feel like they're missing impact. Then for treble, something like M.P.A. is intolerable for me on M50's but listenable on HD650's; DT990's would be outright painful. Most of the stuff on Recovery I like on HD650's because of the vocal work (I like the HD650's). Realistically, it depends a lot on what song you're listening to and what parts of the music you value the most; my preferences are unlikely to be your own.

 

For immersion, none of these headphones will be lacking. They're not like the standard AKG and Audio Technica gaming recommendations which rely on the accentuated accuracy of their highs. They all have their own pros and cons, but the DT990's probably have an advantage with their better low-end impact. Their mid thinness may be more realistic in wide open scenes but feel lacking in more populated or intimate ones. HD650's have the most realistic voices; X2's are somewhere in the middle. Again, lots of personal preference going on here. For something like Titanfall or PU:BG I'd want DT990's; the Witcher probably HD650's - then again, that's just me, and none of them are bad choices.

 

As for tactical advantage, it depends on the specific cues. For the standard FPS stuff I'd probably go DT990>X2>HD650. Shouldn't have a big impact in practice since none of them have poor imaging, but the HD650 has a smaller stage and less treble than the others.

 

So in the end, I'm sticking to recommending that you try the DT990 first, then trying the other two if you're unhappy with it. The DT990 seems like the best fit for what you're looking for, but it does have some flaws that may make them unworkable.

 

3 minutes ago, UnknownUser said:

Also does anyone know how the bass is on these headphones? Which is best for hip-hop/rap and gaming. Are the 990s lacking bass? How's the bass on them compared to beats?

Which Beats? Unfortunately all open headphones are going to have less bass than Beats, but depending on which model it likely won't be hard for any of the ones you're considering to have better quality bass. 990's have the most bass of the things on the list. Unfortunately open-backed headphones have less bass than closed backs but are better for gaming because of their significantly better positional audio, so there's going to have to be a tradeoff.