Aeon X vs DT 1990 |Headphone Comparison

[@benjaminpohl]

Picked up a pair of DT1990's on your recommendation and absolutely love them!

[@docjeffreyb]

Audio engineer here--I love my DT1990's. For mixing and mastering, I still use a pair of 600 Ω DT 880's--less clamping force, voiced very much like my Focal studio monitors, realistic bass. Imaging is precise. I find that after many hours in my studio, the DT1990's give me the analytical sound that I like with more punch in the lows and mids, perfect for listening to my favorite albums. Once your brain becomes accustomed to the Beyer sound, it's hard to listen to anything else. Don't be too quick to dismiss the 'B' pads. Once the foam and velour start to break down, they are very sweet with a bump in the 100Hz range that works for rock music. Not sure how the Aeon's are configured, but the mini XLR on the 1990's is a great bonus. AKG mini XLR replacement cables are easy to find and totally compatible.

[@brentt8940]

Is the dt 990 close or you reckon 1990 are much better ?

[@2ndAveScents]

Pretty surprising they didn’t build their flagship pro headphone with a balanced configuration. Frustrating actually because I absolutely love mine and I wish I could take advantage of the balanced outputs on my best amps

[@AIRFORCEFREAK1]

I got my 1990 at 470 and it was a happy day and makes them that much better.

[@tremot7143]

Great video! I love my DT 1990 Pro for critical listening and studio use, but my all-black DT 990 600 Ohm Special Edition that is 90 grams lighter, has less clamp force and a bit less in your face treble is amazing for less discerning and late night home listening.

[@mtnmankeith9069]

tremot you should checkout the Beyerdynamic tygr 300 r. They’re on the Beyerdynamic website if you want to read about them.

[@Sanjarih]

I thought you owned a pair of Dt 1990s

[@unclegrum7002]

He does he might not own one at the time

[@exact3]

Great stuff once again, keep em coming!

[@MetalsForBrunch]

Please review aeon 2 when you get the chance, the aeon x is old tech from dan clark. Better yet review and compare aeon x vs aeon 2.

[@TraceLight]

MetalsForBrunch it’s been tuned. Probably with dampening changes, but pretty significant changes from yet to be released reviews. FYI, the aeon x is better than the aeon flow 1 and aeon flow, but is not the aeon 2. Then again, the aeon x is cheaper than all 3 at its current price tag.

[@MetalsForBrunch]

@@TraceLight For value aeon x is a great choice but if there's a updated version not far from the price I would still save my money for the Aeon 2 until reviews come out. Aeon 2 might be the winner out of the 3 you mention.

[@TraceLight]

MetalsForBrunch almost guaranteed that the aeon2 is the winner because of the release time. New product, getting rid of old product. But I mean, for someone at the $500 budget looking to buy anything else, the aeon x is the best deal. I’m probably jumping on them. I already spent a ton on an Elex and a 789 with custom cables. (Couldn’t be happier with them) but I can’t really go any higher for the next purchase. I’m capped out.

[@giuseppeafellay4855]

I think a comparison between the LCD2C and the Aeon Flow would be fun to see.

[@simonadams6640]

If you’re in the EU you can regularly get the 1990 B stock direct from Beyer for under 400 euro.

[@c4monkey]

Have not heard the Aeon but currently own 1990. Strongly recommend dakoni elite valour pads (strike a good balance between the analytical and balanced pads) and some heavy eq to bring out the bass and vocals while taming the highs. That 8k range gets a nice 7-8db decrease for me if I want to keep my hearing

[@england2218]

pair of aeons just shipped ! Love your vids

[@tmc8921]

I love my dt 1990 pros.

[@mangodsky2809]

oh yeah me too. I did install a passive in line filter to tone down the treble peak a few db though. It wasn't super necessary, but it just made them unbeatable for me :)

[@zaleskar]

@@mangodsky2809 you got it from DIY Audio Heaven?

[@mangodsky2809]

@@zaleskar yeah I did

[@giogrig6574]

great HP bought them 2 yrs ago and they don't go anywhere.

[@jecans1033]

Aeon X vs Focal Elex?

[@stevensmith2]

Have both and love both but the Aeon is my favorite. Both are excellent though with different but quite good flavors. Btw despite what Josh says in this video the Aeons are much harder to drive to get them to sound to their full potential. They need an amp with good current.

[@mewyattt]

Where would the Elex fit in the category of use in between these two headphones?

[@Catchin_Zees]

I love these videos, you're amazing. Thank you brother!

[@chepesk132004]

DT 990pro vs Dt1990pro ...nice video

[@ftlaud911]

Have both of these headphones. If you want smooth sound the Aeon wins. Put on some tracks and just enjoy. Very full sound. 1990 seems like you can hear everything separated with Treble pushed forward. Comfort Aeon wins. Bass is tighter on 1990. Mids - 1990 more forward - both are good. Trebile is 100% Aeon. 1990 Trebile is over done. Basically take the Treble setting and max it out + more. You are waiting hoping not to wince. Imaging is equal. Soundstage is slightly larger on 1990. Josh said it best at the end. Want warmer full sound to relax and listen to your music at home pick Aeon. Want absolute clarity with over done Treble with good bass pick 1990. On the 1990 I can hear things I have never heard before. I can hear people breathing, computer fans in the studio computers, people pushing peddles or plugging in jacks. Even heard people walking in the studio. Kinda cool actually. Get the wrong track and man you get piercing Treble. Get a great track and it sounds amazing. On the Aeon you just smile listening to a warmer/full sound of music on your ears.

[@disciple777]

Nice review, on the Aeons , does the bass have a punchy tight full sound?

[@angelnegron594]

So I have HD800S, M50X, DT 177X GO, HD 6XX, HE 4XX and Audeze LCD-X.... and one headphone I returned is the DT-1990 Pro. My experience was not the best; very harsh vocals and did not have much details as Josh says, I might have gotten a bad unit (maybe?). But when I played a song with some bass, the vocals would just disrupt and sound not good at all

[@ralphsescon2142]

Hey Josh, any chance you reviewing the Monoprice Monolith M1570?

[@TheMuscleCow]

I have the M1070 and it is really, really good. I absolutely love it, the only bad things about it is that it is really loose on the head. If you turn your head suddenly, it will most likely slip off. No headbanging allowed... even though you will want to.

[@xMadBull69x]

Good review/comparison, as usual. By the way, have you used balanced or analytical pads when you've reviewed the DT 1990's? I tried to watch the videos you've had reviewing/comparing them and i think i didn't notice (tried to find the info fast) you telling which ones you've used, just talked about stock pads, as they do measure differently and sound different as well. Best regards from Finland!

[@Xornal1]

looks like the a pads in the b-roll.

[@xMadBull69x]

@@Xornal1 With all due respect, i own DT 1990's and the pads, from the outside, are completely identical when new. Only differentiating factor are the holes on the inside (4 holes on analytical pads and 20 holes on the balanced pads). When used for a while, the condition of the used pads compared to the unused ones can be deceiving. Hence i'd like to hear it from Joshua himself, as it is not possible to determine it just from that b-roll. Thanks for the answer anyway!

[@Xornal1]

@@xMadBull69x Maybe you own a different version, but my a pads are noticable more grey than my b pads, which er almost completly black.

[@xMadBull69x]

@@Xornal1 That could be as well. I just got Dekoni Audio elite velours in back a few days and cleaned both of the A and B pads, before cleaning looked as if they were more of a different color, but after the cleaning the difference is very minimal. For comparison, i always used A pads and now that i got the dekoni's in, compared to A pads, they bring bass region up a bit, but about the treble i'm not completely sure. There might be a slight lowering of the treble frequencies, but can't say for sure, pretty much switched them and the comfort boost + the difference in sound isn't radical, so they've stayed on for now.

[@Xornal1]

@@xMadBull69x interesting to hear. I ordered Brainwavz Hybrid pads for them, since the Dekoni pads seemed to be sold out in Germany. To me less Treble would be fine and I definetly would like a comfort boost.

[@Skylancer727]

I noticed you have the white foam in the Aeon X. Did that come by default with that pair or did you install it yourself. With other Mr Speaker headphones they come with 3 foam inserts (black which is default and a 1 and 2 notch white insert which thickness are defined by the notches) and they are put in to smooth the treble and raise the bass, basically just make them warmer and thicker sounding. Perhaps for this comparison it would have been better to use the headphones without any foam inserts (they just pull out of the pads, they aren't attached) as that would be more fair against the 1990 which is a brighter headphone.

[@Nightjar726]

I’m confused. Is this the Aeon 2 open? I have the Beyerdynamic DT1990pros and like them very much. Are the Aeon 2 open ‘ better’ than the beyerdynamic DT1990pro? Thank you very very much

[@longkick649]

I want a review-compare between Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro and Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro.

[@soundofmuzakk]

This please!

[@longkick649]

I listened myself and compared 770 to 1770. In a nutshell, the 770 is much better headphones.

[@omaralmitwally3475]

@@longkick649 Wait what, How?

[@longkick649]

​@@omaralmitwally3475 Listened to 1770 with my CEntrance DACportable SP. Perhaps these headphones need more current? Compared to the 770 32, the 1770 has a dead midrange, too much slow bass, and the most disgusting highs I've ever heard. For me, 770 32 sounds better in everything!

[@MrStewbee]

Josh I thought you owned these as your favorite and you put the Dekoni pads on them...Do you still prefer the Dekoni pads because I own the DT 1990 and I'm thinking of putting on the Dekoni pads.

[@mangodsky2809]

I don't see the Dekoni pads here anywhere??

[@twolazy6348]

I have the dekoni elite velour pads on it and it sounds amazing. No more harsh treble.

[@gautierbertin2726]

Thx for your video. I love Techno music, do you think this headphone do the job ?!? If not, how closed back do the better please ?!?

[@CosmicPotato]

@Joshua Valour Great video as always. I am floating between saving up for either DT 1990 Pro, or possibly giving the new Monolith M1070 since I have never listened to a planar before. Any plans on reviewing the M1070? For whatever reason, I don't really see anyone reviewing this headphone even though most big reviewers have done write ups or videos on the M1060, and I am a bit hesitant to get them without seeing/reading some reliable reviews. Otherwise, I might just save up a bit more for the DT 1990 Pro.

[@diegoreyes2212]

What is your opinion on chi-fi IEM's? I know you reviewed the Tin T- Series but was wondering about the BLON BL-03 or KZ series. Happy New Year!

[@Nightjar726]

Joshua. What are your 3 fave headphones ?

[@zodspeed]

I got my DT 1990 Pro a couple weeks ago on Amazon for $400... it was brand new but with a damaged box.

[@giogrig6574]

and how they sound ?

[@mrsnaa]

Yeah i've considered that one too. I have DT 990 250ohm, i really liked it and wanted some more. Now my DT 1990 pro is coming on the way, i'm so happy.

[@zodspeed]

Amur D you won’t be disappointed

[@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST]

@@mrsnaa I have the DT 990 250 ohm too and love their soundstage and holographic sound so much. I ordered an Amiron Home two days ago instead of the DT 1990. Hopefully they sound as impressive presentation-wise and fix what my T90 do wrong up top.

[@MegaFabioRocks]

Got them for 290 EUR, best audiophile buy in 10 years :D

[@niceguyeddie]

Which would you recommend for monitoring (music mixing and producing) massdrop ether cx or the dt1990, or are there better options? My budget is about $1000 or less.

[@mangodsky2809]

DT1990, HD600 are probably good choices

[@thisrocks]

Can’t add too much but a slight bit of advice, if it’s only mixing you don’t need to worry about closed back to much. If you plan to do any recording in front of a mic at all...close them up.

[@TraceLight]

eddie Chavesta the hd 600 are really bland. I mean boring bland. Once you’ve gone up to the 1990 or Elex tier of headphones the hd 600 sounds stuffy and soft on the treble. Not to mention the dead center soundstage of the he 600. Go with the 1990s for mixing. You won’t regret it.

[@suhaib1249]

Thanks for another wonderful review. Would love to see Aeon X vs Ananda or Sundaras. I have Ananda which I could have sent over but I am across the pond in the U.K.

[@segercliffhanger]

Thanks. This is just really giving me the absolute precise information on a couple of things I'm wanting to know. I'm closing in further towards a definite choice by the hour, listening to your reviews. Which have impeccable sound by the way, arguably the first thing to look out for when picking the guy who's going to provide the right advice. Right now, I'm in between the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 and the DT 1770. I'm an animator. Most of the soundtrack I'm building for a new film I'm making is made of (acquired) sound effects and foley, together with voice-over, intimate background music and some BG atmosphere and with the addition of very loud and up your guts F1 engine hum, roar and scream. Would you get an open or closed system to edit and mix animation -or film in general..

[@davidmason8212]

How do you compare the aeon with the LCD2C ???

[@rhodey2952]

I wish I would have liked the 1990. It was a little harsh for my liking. The highs annoyed me.

[@Meqanich]

harsh, like too high/sharp?

[@Meqanich]

we have EQ for that, lol!

[@rhodey2952]

MeqanichHD yeah, and I did eq them but I still wasn't a fan. I wanted to like them, I really did but I had to return them. The highs seemed artificial to me?? If that makes sense? Wasnt comfortable to listen to. I like my hd650s still. I EQ my hd800S for music and leave them stock for gaming. I wanted to keep the Dt1990 and sell the hd800S but I couldn't do it. I know DMS and others claim theyre close but I didn't hear it.

[@rednose9055]

@@rhodey2952 you have to pair them with another source dac/amp ..they sound amazing but for eg. saber dac is to sibilat and to harsh for them dac source must be just little warm and they sound perfect

[@WhiskeyWelk]

Dekoni elite velour pads are supposed to fix that I hear

[@billfrigo7602]

@10:07 - what are the two albums Josh recommends here? Especially the first one I can't tell what he's saying (edit: found the second one).

[@thecoffeegod]

Spaces - Yosi Horikawa

[@mamagalebi]

which pair have better dynamics (i.e. energy, slam and intensity?)

[@KeenAesthetic1]

1990 VS LCD2C ? Yes we know the LCD2C is not aimed at being ruler flat monitor. But which does its thing better?

[@TraceLight]

KeenAesthetic1 for enjoyment at home? Lcd2c. Hands down bassy and warm. If they weren’t so heavy you could probably fall asleep to them. For mixing it’s 1990. I couldn’t stand them for at home “I want to relax” Listening.

[@Foxrock321]

I have a bevy of Beyerdynamics, mostly the 770 pros.. and the higher end T5 hand built..the T5 has a better overall sound than my Aeon RTs.. but the T5 sells for $900 bucks ..the RTs $500 bucks

[@Hoserzzz]

My DT1990 are amazing for my use case. The durability is impeccable and they're a great all-rounder for those who listen to music as much as they game

[@LukasBlau]

Are they better for gaming than others ? How’s the soundstage?

[@Hoserzzz]

@@LukasBlau I would suggest not caring about Soundstage if you're anything like me and play almost exclusively competitive FPS. Soundstage in games just comes down to whatever spaghetti code the developers hacked together as an afterthought. In music listening, soundstage is wide enough, its not something Ive ever cared about. I'm a metalhead so detail retrieval and instrument separation are my priorities. Back to games, though: Imaging is excellent. Tuning is great for music and gaming, there is of course that 8k peak that everyone talks about but in Valorant, for example, it makes footsteps crystal clear, but unfortunately also makes the troglodyte 16 year old clipping his razer headset mic pretty harsh. For music listening, my amp has a built-in shelf EQ that I use just to knock that peak down a bit if I need. I've tried the HD660S and the Sundara as well, and the ones I kept were the 1990. The sundara I found to be a little dark for gaming, and I lost some of the imaging, and I found the 660s just generally boring for music

[@LukasBlau]

@@Hoserzzz thanks for your detailed and fast response ! So your own preference pushed to the side - the soundstage is on you very good level I guess , did you have some other reference points? I just like my music to sound ary independent of the usecase

[@Hoserzzz]

@@LukasBlau I think airy sounds have more to do with tuning than with soundstage but I could be wrong. Those are the only headphones that I have a good amount of time with, and the 1990 sound widest to me, then the sundara, then the 660s. No surprise, they're drastically wider than my moondrop arya. They also have the most upper mid presence to me, so probably the closest of the 3 headphones I've spent time with to "airy", though I should note that's a term I hear a lot but never really experience myself, I just don't experience that quality the way some do

[@jtjr6364]

Would love to see a comparison betweeen your top 2 .. arya vs lcd x . Im curious if they compliment each other or not.

[@thisrocks]

As a new Arya owner c/o Josh, I too would like this comparison!

[@jtjr6364]

@@thisrocks so how you like the arya? also, how are you powering them? I been having them on my radar for some time now.

[@thisrocks]

JT Jr they are my first hifi cans I bought them concurrently with HD 6XX (for bedroom). I’ve come from HD 555 > B&W P5 > B&O H8 > B&O H9 > Bose 700. but also have B&W Bookshelf speakers through a Rotel A14 amp (all as context). They are brilliant! As everyone describes but probably undersells, what I “miss” when listening to them is thump from smaller toms and the snare, but they definitely do sub bass with lots of feeling there’s just a gap in the range for “boom” after sub bass and into the mids. That said, you can hear every note, comparing them to my other headphones it’s like I remove a mud filter every step up, and getting to the Arya’s the clarity of the entire mix is unreal! To power them I have the new Monoprice Monolith 887 standalone, but also got a LCX for my HD 6XXs and did a comparison. Main difference between the two is reproduction of make out the higher end of cymbals. LCX is like putting a thin veil over the music.

[@thisrocks]

JT Jr basically the only other headphones I would get would be something that complimented or improved on the one area the Arya’s lack listed above. Some good example songs: One where I get a brilliant bass boom all the way through and feel appropriately like I’m listening to loudspeakers is “Tirzah - Make it Up”. A song where I am missing ‘kick’ would be from about the 2:35 minute mark in “Mount Kimbie - Break Well” or a lot of rock songs. Again, all the notes are reproduced perfectly but if you want to get some boom/kick out of what’s happening you need to turn it up to deafening. Overall they’re an incredible headphone to listen to music on, and enjoy it with. I love everything I put them through, even if there are times I wish I could “rock out” a little more or however you want to put it.

[@jtjr6364]

@@thisrocks thanks for the reply. Lets hope Joshua makes a comparison of his top 2.

[@HeliBenj]

How can the 1990 have good treble when it has a narrow 10 dB peak at 7 kHz?

[@qazifaisal5]

I have the aeon X closed I absolutely love them for exactly the reason he said.

[@gabrielpeak6933]

How would you describe soundstage/imaging in very busy tracks/in general.

[@youmongrel]

BD 770 80ohm or Meze Classic 99?

[@tugbars4690]

both are bad. get DT880

[@youmongrel]

I need a closed back, I already have a good open back planar.

[@m4nc1n1]

There are 2 Aeon's correct? Open and Closed. I am guessing these are open?

[@michaelpujda8407]

Would you be able to give us your top 5 most comfortable/breathable headphones (under $500)? I know, thats pretty subjective, but my sony mdr7506 can get way too hot and uncomfortable.

[@Hunterssoldier]

HD598 is one of the most comfortable pairs I have worn at any price point. The only others I would put up there in that category are the HD800 series & Beyer T1. You barely even feel them on your head. Most of the Beyer line is also very good, just be aware that the 'pro' models can be a bit tight with the clamp at first.

[@framo_official]

ive got the 1990 since yesterday, use them with my fiio ek10. are there better amps/dacs under 200$? (live in the EU btw)

[@ron2291]

With drop bringing down the price of the 789 I'd say pay the little extra for that

[@DaKerim58]

@@ron2291 yea would cost 500 dollar in the eu after tax and customs

[@danrdey]

Hi , could Aeon X be an upgrade to 58X soundwise ?

[@clickbaitpro]

Absolutely

[@Andyusa11]

Can I use My marantz head phone jack to drive this speaker?

[@pvtcmyers87]

So would the aeon x be a good upgrade path for someone who loves the hd650 sound?

[@erin7995]

Which ones better for gaming?

[@David-ym2vk]

Been wondering the same thing. Badseed tech reviewed the aeons and said they're his new daily driver even over the highly lauded hd58x jubilees, but I'm having a hard time dropping $500 on them.

[@DoingEvil01]

Aeon X vs DT 177x?

[@InvisibleIink]

Another great track for imaging is Chris Rea's "Auberge" - www.amazon.com/Auberge-Chris-Rea/dp/B000002JNW

[@MyouKyuubi]

Btw, apparently the ÆON's were specifically designed with the burn-in period in mind... They're supposed to get sharper and more accurate the more you use them... if they're warm to you, you haven't used them enough, because other are apparently saying they become a little harsh after a while.

[@XemnasTM]

So the Aeon now 1 year or so later are being sold on Drop for 399, and it seems Beyer has upper the price of the Dt1990s to a base price of 599

[@rednose9055]

Josh, have you ever try dt1990 pro with Canare Starquad l-4e5c cable repleacement? just try ...with this "mod"? this headphones just blow away much more expensive competition in my opinion , you will get much more airnes and soundstage . DT 1990 are amazing out of the box but for me soundstage and airnes was lacking ..so i was trying not to change dac/amp but cables and i was searching in many types (also silver) i found dt1990 pro with canere is perfect end game for me right now :) ..not only music by movies with canare gives you so much more pleasure ..try :)

[@rednose9055]

..just repleace cable and check this track to test soundstage kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5LVpIx7nciheaM

[@SHsari]

1990 = the best resolution/ too powerful highs aeon x = I want this

[@malek8736]

Are you going to review the iFi Pro iDSD?

[@Sams911]

One is made in Germany, one in San Diego... can't go wrong with either.. because they're not Chinese junk!

[@therazmatazz732]

The 1990's are studio phones, so the comparison is mute from the get-go.

[@indrayanisawargaonka]

Please do a review on dt 770 pro

[@riseuplight]

what are the white speakers

[@MrAhuraMazda]

Letters from the 17th Ward is the best recording of bad music ive ever heard. Fantastic for testing headphones and nothing else. Absolutely garbage music: boring stale, repetitive and lifeless. THE quintessential "audiophile" record for people with great equipment and ZERO taste

[@billfrigo7602]

lol.... just booting it up now for the first time

[@gauranggppatkar2968]

DT 1990 vs ESP 95X please.

[@baan7782]

Still waiting for T2, T2 pro and T3 comparision...

[@wagstaff6135]

Josh, seriously... listen to this yourself. After you recover from the whiplash you get from the expression of your preferences, let us know what you really think.

[@tophat27]

Not everyone knows what the 2c is

[@ramonvives1674]

Audeze lcd2c. He always does that: "the 800's.. ", "the 702's.. ", "the 17's...". Only geeks can understand.

[@musicxxa6678]

dt770 vs x2hr vs dt1990 please

[@stephanrudolph]

I have the DT770pro 80ohm and the dt1990 and the 770 are lighter. The 1990 are immensely more comfortable, due to better pads and headband (but I think the 770 pad can be upgraded to more comfy ones). The sound is in a completely different league. Bass (50-100hz) is so full, detailed and present on the 1990 (compared to 770), fantastic soundstage, yessssss the ssss on the 1990 without eq can be harsh on certain tracks. But you can eq them ... so. After all the 770 sound cheap, without much presence and lacking compared to the 1990. Also if I compare the sound leakage: You still can hear the sound from the close back 770 sitting next to them and the 1990 are only marginal louder. Open back all the way ....

[@Druezy]

Aeon X vs He4xx?

[@staskozak8118]

i had he-4xx, than Sundara (like 10-15% better but i want this upgrade) and finally (for now) Aeon flow. Aeon is miles ahead overall and this surprized me because i love sundaras but dont use them at all after first Aeon listening.