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While plenty of companies put out several new models of headphones every year, sometimes a brand will create a model so good it just sticks around. That is the case with the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, but you could easily say that about a few headphones that the company makes.

These are relatively neutral-sounding headphones with a barebones approach to how they work. That means these are wired headphones meant for one thing: listening to music, whether you're in the middle of recording a song or you're just spinning your favorite record again.

Sure, that's all well and good if you're an audiophile or a professional musician. Are the DT 770 PROs still a good set of headphones if you're just beginning to step into the world of higher-end audio?

Build and Design: Studio Headphones With a Job to Do

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones on a stand
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Weight (with cable): 8.78oz (249g)

Perhaps it's because Beyerdynamic is already such a studio staple brand, but looking at these, you're instantly struck with a thought similar to "Wow, they sure do look like headphones." The telltale gray velour ear pads give them away as a Beyerdynamic product, but they look and mostly feel like classic studio-style headphones.

I say mostly because, likely due to the price point here, there is a lot of plastic involved in the construction. It feels like heavy-duty plastic, and parts of the design, like the wishbone-style ear cup arms, are made of metal. Still, the plastic elements are the only parts that make these feel like more affordably priced headphones.

Unlike many modern headphones, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO don't fold or collapse down in any way. The ear cups don't even swivel flat to easily pack them into a hardshell case. You get a soft bag to carry the headphones in, but that's all.

If it wasn't already clear from the studio focus, these aren't the most portable headphones. You might be fine carrying them from studio session to studio session with your other gear, but you're not going to toss these into a backpack without worrying about them.

All-Day Comfort and Replaceable Parts

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones on a stand
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy

While the ear cups don't fully swivel, they aren't fully rigid either. This means that they can and do move within their limited range to conform to the shape of your head. The ear cups are large enough that even those with larger ears shouldn't have a problem finding a fit.

My head is on the larger side (I typically wear a size large hat, for example), but I never noticed too much clamping force from the headband, even right out of the box. It's possible there was some small amount of force, but the soft ear cushions kept me from feeling it. If you've got a smaller head, this may be an issue, but I haven't heard of many people having an issue with finding a fit with the DT 770 PROs.

Related: Headphone Impedance and Sensitivity Explained

If you're wearing headphones hours a day, every day, certain parts wear out, especially the padding. This is why it's so useful that the ear cup cushions and even the headband padding are completely replaceable, adding considerable longevity to the headphones.

Unfortunately, there's a minor snag. While the cable is nearly 10 feet long, it's attached to the headphones and isn't replaceable. This is probably due to cost concerns, but after getting used to replaceable cables on other headphones, seeing an attached cable when everything else is replaceable feels like a missed shot.

Connecting and Powering the DT 770 PRO

The gold plated jack plug on the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Cable: 9.8 feet (3 meter) cable
  • Connections: 3.5mm (1/4-inch adapter)
  • Impedance: 80 Ohms (32 and 250 also available)

Connecting the DT 770 PRO is simple. Out of the box, they have a 3.5mm jack on the end that plugs into standard devices like laptops or MP3 players. Beyerdynamic includes a screw-on 1/4-inch adapter that lets you plug into pro audio gear like mixers, audio interfaces, and other devices.

The DT 770 come in three different versions with different impedances, depending on how you plan to use them: a 250 Ohm version, an 80 Ohm version, and a 32 Ohm version. The 250 Ohm version is designed for environments like a studio where the headphones will always be plugged into a high-quality headphone amp, while the 32 Ohm version is meant for computers and mobile devices.

Related: What Is a Headphone Amplifier, and Do You Need One?

We're looking at the 80 Ohm version, which is the middle-of-the-road version, perfect for use in a home studio. This is the most "all around" version of the headphones, but you'll find they still don't work well with phones or laptops. If you're only listening via phone or laptop, go for the 32 Ohm version.

The Test Setup

Since we're testing the 80 Ohm version of these headphones, I made sure to test them in a few different ways. Most of my listening was done with a Schiit Modi 3 DAC feeding the signal to a Schiit Asgard headphone amp, which powered the DT 770.

To actually supply the music, I used my own collection of hi-res FLAC and ALAC files. I played these using the Audirvana app, which lets you select the exact digital audio output you're playing over, which let me select the Modi 3.

To test how the headphones would do with a less powerful headphone amp, I also played the same files from my aging Sony NW-A35 Walkman.

Related: What Is Hi-Res Audio, and Where Can You Listen to It?

Sound Quality Exceeds the Price Tag

Person editing music using the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek Jason Montoya / Review Geek Jason Montoya / LifeSavvy
  • Frequency range: 5 - 35.000 Hz
  • Nominal sound pressure level: 96 dB

Beyerdynamic recommends different headphones for different applications. For example, while the company recommends its open-back headphone models like the DT 990 Pro for mixing and mastering music, it recommends closed-back models for listening in louder environments.

The closed-back design helps you hear what's coming through the headphones, but it also prevents sound leaking from the headphones and into any microphones if you're recording. This is part of why the DT 770 PROs are so popular in studios and with musicians.

Closed-back headphones typically have a slight raise in the bass frequencies, which these do. This type of headphone often suffers from a narrow soundstage as well, something the DT 770s don't struggle with at all. I'm not certain that I've encountered closed-back headphones with a better soundstage, but if I did, it definitely wasn't in this price range.

These are mostly neutral headphones, but they aren't flat---there's a slight v-shape here. I already mentioned the slightly boosted bass from the design, but there is also a bite to the treble that can get out of hand on certain tracks. Keep in mind, if you're producing music for others, hearing these annoying frequencies is the desired outcome because now you know to cut them from the mix.

Related: What's the Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back Headphones, and Which Should I Get?

Listening to The Beach Boys' "Long Promised Road," the bass notes on the electric piano that carry the beginning of the song sit perfectly where they should, without overly blooming into the midrange. While the DT 770 PROs and Beyerdynamic headphones, in general, have a reputation for being slightly sibilant, here, the boosted treble breathes new life into this older recording.

Turning to the Nas classic "Halftime," you're not missing out on any of the bass here, but it isn't as boosted as you might want if you really like to feel the frequencies rumble your ears. At the same time, the song sounds perfectly balanced, with Nas front and center and the jingling bells in the background adding the perfect aural seasoning.

Finally, cranking the Doomriders' song "Bear Witness," there is more than enough bass to feel the heft of the guitars, bass, and drums. When the double kick drum comes in at the end of the song, the headphones deliver the sonic pummeling as it was likely intended.

That said, listening on my Sony Walkman NW-A35, I had to crank the volume nearly to max to hear the song, and they certainly don't deliver the same audible weight that the song deserves.

Should You Buy the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO?

If you're interested in listening to music as it's mostly intended to sound, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO deliver a much more accurate sonic picture than most other headphones in this price range. Whether you're a musician or you simply love music, there's a lot to like about how these headphones sound, and that's before you factor in the price.

Of course, these aren't for everyone. They're wired, and they don't even offer what some people would call basic features like a built-in microphone or cable-mounted remote. They're also not the best headphones for anyone looking for a hyped, over-the-top presentation of whatever music they're listening to at the moment.

Perhaps the best praise I can heap on the DT 770 PROs is that midway through the review, I started to think about buying a set for myself, when I had never considered them before. I can think of maybe three other times that's happened to me while reviewing any sort of product, and that alone may serve as a recommendation on its own.

beyerdynamic-dt-770-pro-1
Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO

Pros
  • Excellent sound for the price
  • Impressive soundstage for closed-back headphones
  • Available in multiple impedance options
  • Replaceable ear pads and headband
Cons
  • Not very portable
  • Cable isn't removable / replaceable