Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio/Pro review

Breaking into the world of audiophile-grade headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio can be incredibly daunting. Not only do price tags start to rapidly increase when you're looking into headphones that actually sound good, but you start needing to invest in outside equipment like DACs and amplifiers. 

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio kind of exist on the precipice between more approachable 'beginner audiophile' over-ear headphones and the type of studio equipment that becomes difficult to drive. And, the $199 (about £150 / AU$280) price tag mostly reflects that. 

However, when you consider that you can get exactly the same experience with the $159 (£109 / AU$249) DT 770 Pros, just without the "Studio" label – yes, that's the only difference – that price tag may be hard to justify. 

In essence, then, this is a review of two headphones at the same time, and for most people that don't need that extra word printed on the side of their headphones, the less expensive DT 770 Pros are the way to go. 

Price and availability

Right now the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio are only available at Guitar Center in the US for $199 (about £150 / AU$280). That unfortunately means that the DT 770 Studio are a US-exclusive, but you can get the less expensive Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro globally. 

And, you can't talk about the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio without talking about the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, which are, even according to the manufacturer itself, constructed identically. 

The only difference here is the branding, so the fact that you can get the exact same audio experience from a headset that is $159 (£109 / AU$249) is a little odd to say the least. 

However, because there is literally no difference either in the hardware or even included accessories – and given the fact that there's, like, nothing stopping an everyday user from just buying the Pro, we'd recommend most people just go for the cheaper option here. 

Design

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio and Pro definitely look like studio headphones. The headphones have this chunky, all-black design that basically looks like the dictionary definition of "headphones". 

The earcups themselves are made of a hard plastic, which is fine, as they feel pretty durable, but when you're paying an extra $40 (about £30 / AU$50) for this version of the headphones, it would have been nice to see an all-metal construction. The branding is on either of the earcups, reading simply "DT 770 Studio" along with the impedance rating of the headphones – the one we reviewed here was 80 Ohms.

What's super important here, however, is comfort. These are intended to earn a spot in your home listening space, which means that being able to wear the headphones for extended periods of time is incredibly important. 

Fortunately Beyerdynamic absolutely nails it here. 

Clamping force is just enough for the DT 770 Studios to feel secure, without it feeling like your brain is being squeezed out of your skull. This is likely in large part thanks to the incredibly thicc padding on each earpad. We're not totally sure what the filling on these earpads is made of, but the super soft velour covering is incredibly comfortable, if a little hot during this brutal New York City summer. 

There's soft leather padding along the top of the headphones, too, which is also among the best we've experienced. The best part? All of this padding is removable and replaceable, which means you won't have to buy a new pair of headphones once the DT 770 Studios get a little torn up or dirty. 

You're also getting an incredibly robust cable. This thing is 3 meters long (9.8 feet), which means you can move around reasonably well while still wearing the headphones. The cable is also very flexible, which means you likely won't run into issues of it dying on you after a few months. However, it's not removable, which means that if it does die, you're basically stuck. With this price point, especially with the version of the headphones that comes at a premium, that little added longevity would have gone a long way. 

Performance

Whether its the lack of a replaceable cable or the weird difference in pricing of the DT 770 Studio vs the DT 770 Pro, everything just kind of vanishes once you put these headphones on, crank up the volume and just disappear into your favorite music. 

Especially for the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, which again, are exactly the same as the Studio and is just $159 (£109  / AU$249), audio quality is way above where you would expect, especially if you have a DAC and/or amplifier to drive them.

Over the course of two weeks, we practically didn't take these headphones off, running them through the Audioengine D1 DAC with music, movies, shows, and even some PC gaming and work meetings. Everything sounds amazing. 

However, for anyone that's looking for huge, thumping bass, you're going to want to look elsewhere. Because these headphones are primarily designed for Studio (or 'Pro') work, the sound profile is incredibly balanced. Don't take this to mean that the bass is weak per se, but it's definitely not going to rattle your ears off or anything. 

Instead, every detail of the music is given equal weight and clarity, and even in the most chaotic tracks it's easy to make out all the details. 

This is most beneficial in dreamier tracks like Julia Holter's "Night Song", where in the nearly empty atmosphere, you can hear all the details echoing off of each other, giving a experience that you just can't get with lower quality cans. 

Even in more chaotic tracks, there is a lot to love. In 100 gecs' "Money Machine", these headphones will let you make out every single weird noise in this mosaic of chaos. It's definitely a... unique experience. And we recommend it to everyone. 

If you're a musician that's looking for a somewhat affordable pair of cans that sound incredible, you really can't go wrong here. Even if you're just a music fan like we are and just want a nice, even soundstage to hear songs the way they're intended, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio definitely get the job done. 

Should I buy the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio?

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