beyerdynamic DT-770 M

Looking for affordable monitoring headphones ("cans") for studio tracking, I compared Superlux HD660, Superlux HD665, t.bone HD 990D, Vic Firth SiH2 and Beyerdynamic DT-770M to each other and to my DT-770 pro 80. I know, not a really fair reference, but my idea was to seek for a series of cans that would not cost more, indeed preferably less than my DT-770 and still would have proper, useful sound quality. From the models selected, you can guess that acoustic isolation was also a desirable feature, to prevent the sound from the cans bleeding into e.g. a singer's mic and thus saving me time cleaning up tracks from this bleed. That is why I also searched among headphones dedicated to drummers. I will review all of the models mentioned, each in their own product page. Here we go for the DT-770M

Although a little more expensive than the DT-770 pro, I felt I had to incorporate the "M" into my comparison, as it is recommended as headphones for drummers with high acoustic isolation - remember my desire for bleeding prevention. From Beyerdynamic I expect quality construction and high comfort of wearing - and that is both what you get from the "M", too. From an earlier comparison I did a few years ago in store at Thomann's in Treppendorf (great experience by the way!), I already knew that the "M" sounds dull compared to its "pro" counterpart (see their specs also), so that was no surprise for me, but also compared to the HD665 that I tested this time together with the "M" and other models mentioned. Although its claimed isolation of 35dBA was the highest I could find in the specs of the models tested (or actually any model), in real life I found the "M" to be it just a little bit quieter than the DT-770 and other models tested, and by far not as quiet as the HD665. Add to that its higher price and you can guess that I consider the "M" not suitable for my purpose.

I used to play the acoustic drums so I know the value of a great isolating pair of headphones. These certainly do isolate very well for the most part, but sadly they're lacking in low end isolation, which is a real disappointment. I think if I was using these in a practice or live scenario with a loud bass amp I would have to use earplugs as well to dampen down those lower frequencies. As far as taking these out day to day to listen to music, they certainly do a good job on that front. Being 80 ohms, they're just about loud enough to listen to music on my phone at full volume and block out all the sounds, except again the bass frequencies. I was on a turboprop flight behind a 2-year-old and while it mercifully blocked out any trace of toddler sound, there was no protection against the drone of the propellers, and no option to add earplugs because of the lack of volume. As far as the sound goes, these have a nice balance. Being closed back, they're always going to put pressure on your eardrums, but that's the price you have to pay for the isolation. But again there is a lack of the low end frequencies, which does exacerbate that lack of bass isolation. These are great quality headphones that feel really well put together, and they're very comfortable to wear for hours at a time. It's just a shame that they don't give that full-spectrum isolation I was looking for.

Very good understated [non-hype] audio rendition. Dynamic punch and wide soundstage. Lacks very low end sub, but still accurate for kicks and basslines. Underwhelming at first, but so revealing and truthful to your mix. Great audio experience. Comfort is only 4* because the earcups do not rotate [so forget it for dj's], and are a little tight after a few hours on, but not uncomfortable. overall a very good, solid pair of cans. Shame the cable isn't detachable, it could be the first thing to break !... Great for musicians tracking and overdubbing because there is no headphone bleed back into the mics. The isolation works well both ways. Recommended. No nonsense quality.

I have had these for over two years now, and I'm very pleased with them. They sound good and balanced, and I don't need to worry about damaging my hearing when I play drums with them. Sometimes I only have a metronome on, sometimes I play with a demo track, and sometimes it's just fun to play along with my favorite albums. The Beyerdynamic DT-770 M headphones are very good for all of those situations. I have found them especially useful in studio sessions. I have tried many different headphones, and these have been hands down the best ones for recording drums. There's no need for additional earplugs and the Beyerdynamics feel comfortable even in long sessions.

The only negative thing about these headphones is the fact that the low frequencies feel sometimes a bit too "boomy" for my taste. But it's a very small issue, and it's a matter of taste anyway. All and all, the headphones sound great, and I would definitely recommend them to all my drummer-friends!

These are THE headphones for drum recording. I use rather loud click tracks and I always used to have problems with click bleeding into the mics. With these headphones I get 98% less bleed which is the best result I've had with any headphones. So these are really great for monitoring when tracking down drums. They also feel ok although I would prefer a little bigger cushions.

The sound isn't as great as in my DT250's so I won't be using these for mixing or listening to music. I would say they sound decent, but not good. But hey, they weren't designed for producers and when tracking drums they sound just fine. If you want the better sounding version just go with the regular DT-770's.

The overall quality is really good as you would expect from Beyerdynamic.