Beyerdynamic DT-48 - Reviews and Impressions

[dalethorn]

Great review, how much are these beautiful things?

I got the 48E from B&H in New York for $379 U.S., which is an amazing price for what they do to make these.  I'm scratching my head now wondering what it takes to charge $1500 like Sennheiser does for the 800, or Beyer for their T1.  Maybe we should buy some stock in those two companies right now before their stock value skyrockets.

[dalethorn]

quite a beauty up close kinda like a rockstar in black tux.

A few years ago I passed Chuck Norris on the street walking to a movie.  He looked like a walking tree trunk.  Not the kind you could tip over easily.  It feels like that when I put these 'phones on, like Chuck Norris on my head.  Not quite that heavy, of course.

[Ishcabible]

I'm starting to dislike all the press these are getting. It's harder to get a pair for cheap haha. I used to be able to easily get one for around $50 used, and really regretting not getting one then. Not that I'm bitter or anything. I love when something previously unknown is brought out. 

[JoLo]

it would be an understatement if I said it looked "nice"




because they are awesome looking

[Ishcabible]

Scratch what I said before:




$50! Now there are two DT48 owners here! 

[donunus]

those are not the dt48e. those are the dt48a

[dalethorn]

I sure remember the DT-48 series from the 1970's, since I bought 3 sets including the 48S with the round audiometric cushions.  I don't specifically remember a DT-48 'A' version, but then again, there were no letters following the black versions either, like the 25 and 200 ohm versions.  And in all of the literature and photos I saw back then, there were no red earcups either.  But since we didn't have the Internet, I could have missed something.

[Ishcabible]

those are not the dt48e. those are the dt48a

They aren't either right? They weren't used for audiometric purposes in 1960 right? Either way, the earliest ones like mine are said to have the most detail which my main purpose for it.

[dalethorn]

I don't remember exactly when Gordon Holt of Stereophile first listed the 48's in his Recommended Components.  Probably before 1970, since he was monitoring tape recordings since circa 1950.  I didn't get the magazine until 1971 or 72, and by then the listing said "DT-48S with round cushions".  And I ordered those in 1974, and they were all silver color except a black headband and the off-white hard rubber cushions.

[donunus]

the audiometric is the "a", S is a different one. The S is oval in shape. heres the link from beyer http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets/audiometry/dt-48-a-00.html

[Ishcabible]

the audiometric is the "a", S is a different one. The S is oval in shape. heres the link from beyer http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets/audiometry/dt-48-a-00.html

Yeah, I know the A version has the rubber pads and the red and blue cups, but these seem to be black and red. But KBI said they sound similar, so I might as well group them together. I was waiting for an A one anyways. They seem to be the most ruthless sounding.

[donunus]

oh ok. KBI has a wiki by the way on the dt48

[dalethorn]

the audiometric is the "a", S is a different one. The S is oval in shape. heres the link from beyer http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets/audiometry/dt-48-a-00.html

Since everything but the cushions are the same, you can order whichever cushions you like and put them on yourself to get whatever version you like.  So if you change the DT-48E's oval cushions to the round on-ear cushions, you would have a DT-48A except for the cable (assuming that's different), and the guaranteed matching to 1 db tolerance.  From my experience the 1 db matching doesn't matter since all of them are very precision made and close-tolerance already.  What might matter when changing cushions is when the cushions are no longer sealed like the new DT-48E models.  So far I haven't seen anyone else claim to have sealed cushions with a new DT-48E, so I'll to wait and see what they say.  I'm afraid to unseal mine since I love the bass the way it is now.

[donunus]

The Nagra version of these cans are also supposedly the best version according to KBI's taste. For those who don't know, Kool Bubba Ice(KBI) is the biggest dt48 addict there is hehehe

[Ishcabible]

The Nagra version of these cans are also supposedly the best version according to KBI's taste. For those who don't know, Kool Bubba Ice(KBI) is the biggest dt48 addict there is hehehe

Shame he got banned...