The DT 990 headphones are a set of over-ears from Beyerdynamic that feature an open-backed design. Open-backed headphones have, true to their name, openings on the back of their ear cups that allow air to flow in and out. The benefits of this design are largely subjective, such as a larger soundstage, or a different quality of sound.
The main factor that separates the DT 990s from competing headphones is Beyerdynamic's MANUFAKTUR service, which allows users to customize their headphones before ordering. You can choose different colors for different parts, opt for a curly or straight cord, and choose your impedance. Although there are a lot of available color combinations, the pool of total colors is a bit limited. This being said, the feature is still an incredible innovation and we look forward to seeing how Beyerdynamic expands its functionality.
The DT 990s are currently available for $350.
Performance (read the full lab performance results at HeadphoneInfo.com)
The DT 990s scored well on our audio quality tests. They had an even frequency response that gradually trailed of slightly towards the high end. The headphones showed barely any distortion at all, which is a great result for picky listeners. The headphones had an even tracking, which means the right headphones weren't playing louder than the left or vice versa. The tracking did get slightly erratic towards the high end, but not any more so than the average set of headphones.
The DT 990s didn't perform well on our isolation tests because of their open-backed design. Allowing air to flow freely in and out of the ear cups allows a great deal of sound to permeate, so you'll end up hearing a lot of your surroundings and people around you will hear a lot of your playback. These results mean the DT 990s are best used in a private listening environment.
Comparisons (read more in-depth comparisons at HeadphoneInfo.com)
The DT 990s are solid headphones with some great customization options inherent in Beyerdynamic's MANUFAKTUR program. If you're looking for a less expensive set of open-backed headphones, the Sennheiser HD 555s are a good pick but don't offer the same caliber of audio quality. If you're looking for isolation, try the Denon AH-NC732s have optional active noise cancellation and offer distortion-free playback when the feature is turned off.
For a more in-depth review, visit the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Review at our partner HeadphoneInfo.com
