Hey guys,

Thanks for the measurement. I'm considering these or the Hifiman HE-400. I'm leaning towards the HE-400 more but would this DT880 be considered more detailed and clean sounding than the HE-400? Additionally, I'm quite worried that the midrange of DT880 is too sucked out or boring than I'd like.

I feel the midrange on the HE400 is kind messy.

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It depends upon what you are looking for. I like Greed's use of the word "messy" since I haven't found a good way to describe it yet. However, some people tend to hear this messy midrange more than others. A direct comparison makes it obvious in any case.

If the DT880 is too hot in the mid-treble, just put some tissue paper or felt pads over the driver, or use EQ. The HE-400 are bassy, recessed in the upper mids (guitars and trumpets can sometimes lack bite) with a lot of mid and high treble. The Jerg pads do help make the HE-400 more cohesive sounding, fixing the overly laid back upper mids somewhat.

The classic DT800 (250 or 600 ohm) versions are very very good headphones, but don't have bass quality (extension and speed) which is as good the HE-400. Do not get the 80 ohm version of the DT880.

Quote from: melvin on March 23, 2014, 09:26:43 AM

Hey guys,

Thanks for the measurement. I'm considering these or the Hifiman HE-400. I'm leaning towards the HE-400 more but would this DT880 be considered more detailed and clean sounding than the HE-400? Additionally, I'm quite worried that the midrange of DT880 is too sucked out or boring than I'd like.

The DT880 midrange is not sucked out to my ears.  I don't know where that impression came from, but I've heard it a lot.  It seems like one person said it and then it spread rampantly like wildfire from there.  I have the 250 ohms...

Wish I'd heard the 400s to offer a comparison. 

What headphones are you coming from?

I'm of a consistent mindset. Perhaps the slightly colder tilt of the DT 880 may have distracted a particularly sensationalistic individual from a rather decent midrange presentation.

the DT880-600 had a real midrange suckout for me. vocals sounded so distant... using my Gamma2->CKKIII setup. I have not heard the 250 Ohm version but I doubt they are all that different?
it wasn't just 'a little' so I'm a bit unsure what may have happened here quite alright headphone but just lacking any sort of intimate vocal presentation that I like.

The overall presentation isn't the most intimate, but it's all relative.

Compared to the HE-500 I auditioned recently, the 880s feel tinny and small and distant.  However, when I switched back and forth between the two, I felt the vocals were pretty similar.  It was the rest of the sound signature that set them apart.

Compared to the SRH940 I used to own, the 880s feel like the deepest, warmest, most intimate headphone you'll ever own