Maybe dumb question about Beyerdynamic DT770s

Plugging into your stereo gear in the mid 60's you might have had some low ohm cans like a pair of Pioneer SE-30's. Still have these and a pair of SE-20's also and both still function. Probably wouldn't plug them into anything relatively new, but they work and sound fine plugged into the old Sansui 800 receiver. Pioneer did make a junction box that selected either speakers or headphones for receivers/amps that may not have had headphone jacks.
 

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Back in the day, 1975-83, I'm fairly certain I had the Koss Pro 4/X (couple sets) for home stereo usage. They were nice but got a bit warm and wet after the first album.

From the specs listed at this linked page, they would probably work just fine in today's world.. except for the hot ear syndrome.
 
spantini said:
Back in the day, 1975-83, I'm fairly certain I had the Koss Pro 4/X (couple sets) for home stereo usage. They were nice but got a bit warm and wet after the first album.

From the specs listed at this linked page, they would probably work just fine in today's world.. except for the hot ear syndrome.
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I know I still have a pair those around somewhere, possibly two. The first set had brown plastic casing, the second was black. Not sure I remember having hot ears.
 
arcaxis said:
Plugging into your stereo gear in the mid 60's you might have had some low ohm cans like a pair of Pioneer SE-30's. Still have these and a pair of SE-20's also and both still function. Probably wouldn't plug them into anything relatively new, but they work and sound fine plugged into the old Sansui 800 receiver. Pioneer did make a junction box that selected either speakers or headphones for receivers/amps that may not have had headphone jacks.
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Maybe I can suggest some answers to all this? Hi fi amps did indeed use a resistive attenuator to drop speaker level to the phones, often just a series resistor and headphones were very often of EIGHT Ohms impedance, for NO good reason I can think of! Cheap amplifiers used a switched TRS jack to kill the speaker circuit, better designs used a separate switch but top firms like Quad maintained that switches and jack switches in particular, caused distortion in high power speaker circuits and would not use them. Guitar amp techs will tell you that a common problem with 'practice' amps is the failure of the headphone jack due to tarnished contacts and subsequent heating.

Why 600 Ohms? "back in the day" broadcast electronics was based on 'telephone' theory and signal lines were 'image matched'. Amplifiers had 600R inputs and a 600R output, therefor cans were also 600 Ohms. They would not be placed across an active line (except for emergency test) as they would drop the level noticeably but a dedicated headphone circuit would be in the system.

All bllx of course, we don't need image matching anymore in even the largest 'studio' but you did to get signals across hundreds of miles.

This is just my take on what I have read. I doubt there are any broadcast engineers left old enough to confirm or deny but if so I would love to hear from them!

Dave.
 
I had some of those Koss ones - I remember now. Brown colour with some kind of fluid in the ear pads. Great things! I remember the wetness too!

Line bridging with High Impedance headphones was a telecoms standard practice for years. No real load but the ability to hear phones was useful. Canford Audio - the traditional BBC supplier still have this page up Canford 600 Ohm History
 
ecc83 said:
Maybe I can suggest some answers to all this? Hi fi amps did indeed use a resistive attenuator to drop speaker level to the phones, often just a series resistor and headphones were very often of EIGHT Ohms impedance, for NO good reason I can think of! Cheap amplifiers used a switched TRS jack to kill the speaker circuit, better designs used a separate switch but top firms like Quad maintained that switches and jack switches in particular, caused distortion in high power speaker circuits and would not use them. Guitar amp techs will tell you that a common problem with 'practice' amps is the failure of the headphone jack due to tarnished contacts and subsequent heating.
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Some amps may have used resistors to attenuate, but not this old Sansui. When using headphones the speakers were set to off by way of a switch.
 

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Yes Mark, better than a jack contact but still a switch! It would have to be pretty monumental to have zero effect on the speaker signal. My Arcam Alpha + get round the issue by having one set of switched speaker circuits for the headphone output but another set direct, i.e. not through a switch.

Also, that amp is VERY old matey! Uses AC coupling!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Also, that amp is VERY old matey! Uses AC coupling!
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Yup, bought new in about 1969 in Germany. Used it up through the mid 80's. Had to replace the output transistors following a lightening hit to the house, but otherwise still works.
 
Update not that anyone cares lol: I returned the 80ohms too for ALG Pro Audio K240s instead. The DT 770s were not good for mixing voice over, they sounded really thin and lacking in bass so I was overcompensating in the mix. Hope the K240s work better for my purposes and are as comfy as the DT 770s ;_;
 
Listen....I'm not trying to bum you out.....but I have lots of experience with both the AKG K240 and the DT770s. By most standards....the K240s are not the equal or better of the two headphones. As for bass.......the K240s are known for having a bass drop off far before the DT770's. The K240's do have a decent low mid / upper bass response....which might be good for voice work.....but they are not as good for mixing overall. I think many here might agree that the DT770's are the more accurate and more mix worthy choice. The DT770's do have a VERY slight emphasis on some upper frequencies but they should not make your mix sound thin. Don't look for a headphone that makes your recording sound good.......look for one that reveals any flaws.

Look.........you could say I'm wrong and I'd say that's ok.....as we all have different approaches to our results.

Just my 2 cents worth of aggravating input.......

Mick
 
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Orson said:
DT770 32/80's are supposed to be 'the' voice over headphones...........according to those on Youtube who 'are' voiceover people.

Example:
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Hmm thanks for your feedback. I do still have the DT770 80 ohm AND the 250 ohm in my possession so I'll tinker around with all three of them when the K240s come in. I can't really put my finger on it, other than the sounding "thin" and quiet, but I'm just not really liking the DT770s. Maybe I'll get the K240s and realize its just my voice and editing 🥺

I recently switched from a Shure SM58 to an EV RE20 so I'm thinking maybe my editing isn't compensating for the shift to the more mid-focused mic and thats why its sounding thin to me.
 
Orson said:
What are your voiceovers for? Intro's/adverts, gaming, audiobooks?
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All of the above. I do commercials, video narration, audiobooks, characters for small cartoons/gaming, etc. I also do a lot of adult audio, so a lot softer sounding that the commercial work. Right now its just all non-union freelance stuff on Fiverr and other gig sites, and I'm working on launching a site/patreon for adult content.
 
How about a sample of your recording...with your voice and maybe some other content? Tell us what you don't like. Let us hear it. I'm beginning to think that your dislike of what you're hearing is possibly due to the likelihood that you have heard your results....for some time.....through poor headphones and maybe equally poor speakers. It's not uncommon for people to be thrown off by how they sound (or how things they listen to sound) through good professional equipment if they've not been exposed to such equipment. You used one set of headphones for a long time....and then switched. Even if you switched between pro headphones you likely would hear a difference.....let alone switching from poor headphones to pro headphones.

You certainly wouldn't be alone in the above scenario. I too went through such an "awakening"..............as did a number of us here I would guess.

The bottom line is.......use your pro equipment until you've gotten used to how commercial recordings you're trying to emulate sound. Don't go back to your old set for some time. Later....after you're accustomed to your pro headphones.......put your old ones back on. I think you might be surprised.

My 2 cents worth of......been there......heard that.......

Mick
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback, I'll post some samples when I get a chance. I'm listening to some music in them right now and tbh is still sounds thin to me, not enough bass.
 
Guys don't be mad at me but I like the K240s a lot better. Edit: ok a lot better is a stretch. I like them slightly better. tbh I don't like either of them.
 
I like the K240s as well, especially for overall balance. I've currently got three sets of phones, Sony 7506s, AKG K240s, and Senn HD280s. The Sonys are bright, the Senns pretty dark. The AKGs seem fairly balanced to me. The 7506s are great for hearing details, but my mixes come out boomy if I try to mix on them.

I've thought about getting some DT770s, but I would like to listen to them first.

The problem is having a good reference. Listen to some good monitor speakers and then compare the headphones to that. Plus I've heard that women quite often hear higher frequencies better than men, so that might affect your perception. Maybe use someone else's voice as a source. It's impossible to use your own voice, since what you hear is a combination of sound from the air and bone conduction. Then when you get your friend's voice sounding natural. listen to your own voice.
 
I think the OP has been affected by "bass head" phones for a very long time. So many "commercial" headphones....earbuds.....etc...etc....are designed to emphasize bass. Even many commercial (not professional or audiophile) speaker systems do that. In fact....it seems that an entire generation of younger listeners almost consider added bass as the norm.....and would...of course....react to more accurate phones as being thin or not accurate. I'm not surprised that any newer producers such as the OP are not happy with pro equipment. The 2nd part of the test would be for the OP to use some good monitors or at the very least...some good speakers....set to a flat EQ.

Now....having said all that......and considering that the OP seems to be (possibly) oriented toward hearing music with more bass and may be fond of that sound.....there's no crime in that at all. So....just guessing here....but maybe the OP would be happier trying the Audio-Technica ATH M50x's or M40X's. Those are both known for their bass response without terrible affect to the other frequencies. I myself would not use them to mix......but the OP might actually benefit from them especially considering that the work is voice overs.

Just my 2 cents......and could never get mad at anyone who's trying....as this OP is.

Mick
 
I like my DT770s for tracking and listening, but I don’t mix with them. For that, there’s the HS5 monitors or a pair of (lower priced 5xx) Sennheiser open back cans. While I like what I hear in the 770s, I don’t hear the kind of midrange openness and clarity that gets me to something that always translates well. I’d almost say it rarely translated well when I used those.

Somewhere down the GAS list is a set of spendy open backs...
 
Reading the reviews on Amazon, I see a fair amount of people saying the same thing I am about them being a bit thin (and of course many reviews saying they love them and are perfect).

Different strokes for different folks. I’m going to keep the AKGs. :)
 
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