Beyerdynamic DT-48 - Reviews and Impressions

[Maniacal71]

Just received my 2 sets of E pads, fitted a pair on the Nagras and, I'm still having them on, music never sounded so good. Much better than the DT48A.

[Maniacal71]

Got to listen to this today as well, The DT48 E new version.



Comparing with Vintage E version, the SQ is not as mid centric and mids is not as involving, the bass is fuzzy or grainy and highs were not as clean, seemed to have a slight harshness and especially on complex tracks, they seem congested. By adding the 120Ω adapter did it open a fair bit in terms of transparency, but this only worked on some amps.

Compared to the 5Ω they don't seem close although at first listen, it might seem similar,  they seemed to be slightly rounded and not as crisp.

This set has only seen under 12 hours of usage.

[Maniacal71]

The Audeze LCD3 test, Heed, WA6SE, Burson HA160D amps. The LCD2 and 3 were present, differences were although subtle in SQ, the bass is stronger as with comfort issues, the ear pads were very soft and clamp force reduced.

Tested the DT48A with all 3 amps and they sounded good and well driven, the amp that I didn't try on was the Red Wine Audio, Isabellina, which had an issue with the signal on one channel. Even on the Burson the DT48A sounded good, I really wonder why Ishcabible didn't like it with his DT48A, The best match of the day with the DT48A was on the WA6SE, which added some warmth to the SQ, as compared with the Heed and Burson.

Headphones tested were the LCD2. LCD3, DT48A and the Nagra DT48S on each working amp.

Woo Audio 6 SE and LCD2

The LCD3 and DT48A side by side

Heed Amp

The Audeze LCD3

Mr David of the group that brings in the Audeze brand in the Asia region, trying out the DT48A on the Woo Audio 6 SE and liking it


Side notes; Bro Alamakazam and GoofyVic tried the J-Sta and liked it, GoofyVic was very impressed with the DT48A. Had only 1 J-Sta so Bro Alamakazam bought that.

Finally got the chance to listen to the RWA Isabellina HPA thanks to Bro Alamakazam.

SQ had never sounded so smooth and naturally rounded, tried them with all my headphones with positive results, since this thread is about the DT48, I would say that it is a match made in heaven for the DT48, very lush, it gave me the shivers ever so often, unravelled congested music, gave a more lifelike mids, most obvious were the singers voices, even more obvious with spoken word, where the voices rise and drop off was unmistakeable. Maybe Bro Alamakazam will sell this to me...

[Maniacal71]

See the flatliner 

[marcusd]

See the flatliner 

err Jeff the dt's are the ones in purple and red and they sure as heck go a bit wobbly to me at 3k with the er's staying flatter until 6k

[Maniacal71]

err Jeff the dt's are the ones in purple and red and they sure as heck go a bit wobbly to me at 3k with the er's staying flatter until 6k

Lol, It's just one of those unexplainable things about the DT48, sure don't feel the dip especially around there, used the Tone Gen and slight dips around there of about 2db and not much of a landslide, someone did write about the DT1350 having suckouts, went on to draw an ideal line across the peaks. Don't really understand that part yet. But fitting the Oval new E style ear pads, the change in the FR will be different as after changing them, highs and lows were more pronounced and extended farther, the highs could be heard at 15khz on the A and around 16khz on the S, 25hz on both were picked up as well. The ear pads now place the drivers off the ears, there is an extra cave recess within the cushion and the driver space.

[Dyaems]

what about if the 48's were to be compared by the "mighty" k1000? I think this graph is the correct one...

[Maniacal71]

what about if the 48's were to be compared by the "mighty" k1000? I think this graph is the correct one...

Yes, I've been wanting to try this for the longest time, Bro Alamakazam had one but sold it off. Dyeams, how did you find the FR, did it follow the flatline?

[Maniacal71]

In response to Marcus' question about the dip, it seems that the Etymotic has a boost at about 2.7khz to factor in the dip that is naturally perceived to give a flat liner. So taking that into consideration, the dip is correct on the DT48 and on all neutral phones. So the straight line is actually perceived, the FR for the ER4 are the ones above with the hump. The DT48 FR is therefore the result of perceived probably, so in actual fact it did not have the hump as with the ER4 and is neutrally flat. The ER4 needs this to replicate the human ear pinnae by boosting that particular frequency range, whereas the DT48 doesn't as it surrounds the outer ear.

This was quoted from their site.

"Accurate Earphone Reproduction
For earphones to have 100% accuracy, a recording of a live performance must produce exactly the same sound at the eardrum as the original performance. To achieve this, the acoustic properties of the ear must be factored in. The acoustic resonance and horn effects of the ear change a flat audio signal entering the open ear into sound with a (2700 Hz) high-frequency boost, which is the same response heard at the eardrum in a typical ear."

[donunus]

Lets add some fun to the thread. Heres the dt48 face...



Looking a little crazy there  Thats what the dt48 does to all of us.

[Maniacal71]

Lets add some fun to the thread. Heres the dt48 face...



Looking a little crazy there  Thats what the dt48 does to all of us.

OH Thats a nice frown or stare !! I have already tried the new version, there are subtle differences, best tried from the Meier with the 120Ω, very clean, somehow similar to the 940 but quicker.

[Dyaems]

Yes, I've been wanting to try this for the longest time, Bro Alamakazam had one but sold it off. Dyeams, how did you find the FR, did it follow the flatline?

its in my torn-out manual, haha..

it sounds flat enough for me though. nothing overpowers anything, but maybe it is still leaning on the bright side. im using the "bass-heavy" version though and while the graph shows that the k1000 doesnt have any decent bass, i would say the low frequency is really audible in all songs. I can say that its bass is "fuller" than the bass of hd650 although it really doesnt extend really deep.

heres a graph of an ex1000 with ex1000 cables too, since were talking about flat-ish FR..

[Maniacal71]

its in my torn-out manual, haha..

it sounds flat enough for me though. nothing overpowers anything, but maybe it is still leaning on the bright side. im using the "bass-heavy" version though and while the graph shows that the k1000 doesnt have any decent bass, i would say the low frequency is really audible in all songs. I can say that its bass is "fuller" than the bass of hd650 although it really doesnt extend really deep.

OT
Hmm, I've noticed that highs are shrilly on most AKGs, I think it could be similar to K340 bass and the shrill of the highs is too hot. Somehow similar with the K330 IEMS. Today had a run with the Shure 940/840/440 also tried out the Koss Racetrack, nice isolation and thats about it. Will be getting my dose of satisfaction in awhile with my DT48S, not a day goes by without that pure stripped naked sound.

[Dyaems]

i dont think its shrill and k1000 bass is really different from all of the akg models that i've tried. the k1000 bass kinda "tickles" my ears when it starts to produce low notes.

[Maniacal71]

i dont think its shrill and k1000 bass is really different from all of the akg models that i've tried. the k1000 bass kinda "tickles" my ears when it starts to produce low notes.

OT
Then that really goes low with enough air flow. Oh and we should tag this conversation as OT.