beyerdynamic T1 2nd Gen Ninja Edition Audiophile Stereo Headphones (Black)

I really like Beyerdynamic’s audio presentations. I started with the DT990’s and got hooked on their sound which started a journey from the Amiron Home, DT 1990 and now the T1 2nd. I have also had or have multiple headphones from Grado, AKG, Hifiman, Sennheiser and a few others. Most I have sold off but was never able to pass off the Beyerdynamic’s. Any of the Amiron, DT1990 or T1 can easily be a end game headphone. I currently also have an HD800s. The T1 does not perform better than the HD800s. I consider it just as good but with a different audio reproduction. For most, this would come down to personal preference and the type of music you listen to. While the HD800s has a wider sound stage, it is a little diffuse at times. The T1 has a perfect balance of sound stage and imaging. The sound stage also seems to be deeper than the HD800s but not quite as wide. I find it easier to focus on separate details with the T1 than with the HD800s. I tend to gravitate to the HD800s for instrumental mixes. It is especially good for cinema soundtracks such as Jerry Goldsmith but not quite as enjoyable with studio mixes. The T1 on the other hand, works equally well with either type of music making it the more versatile of the two. The main downside to the T1 however is that for it to perform as intended to, you really need a good powerful amp. I have seen the T1 2nd compared to the Amiron and refereed to as the more affordable alternative. This is not far off from my impressions. If you are familiar with the Amiron Home, then you can form an idea of the T1 2nd. The T1 sounds similar but does improve on the clarity, sound stage and imaging by a noticeable margin but not vastly different with similar tone characteristics. While the Amiron at 250 ohm should have good amplification, the T1 at 600 ohm does really need good amplification to reach it’s pinnacle even more so than the HD800s. I currently have the Beyerdynamic A20 headphone amp which works very well as a match to the T1 power requirements and even that amp seems to be slightly less powering than what the T1 wants or is capable of. As most enthusiasts do not intend to foolishly buy many headphones such as myself, I can use my experience to say that you could purchase a T1 2nd and be rest assured that you have an end game headphone that will perform as good as money can buy regardless of price.

Gave them 200 hrs break in.Light and comfortable, nice hard travel case.The sound was very colored and vocals were recessed to the point i couldnt make out lyrics over the music.The overall sound is “music coming from down a hallway” is the best way i can describe it.Had my wife listen and compare them to her $200 sennheiser hd598cs without giving her any info on the Beyers or my opinion and she said “i like mine better”.I asked why?She replied “the music (beyers) sounds like its coming from down a hallway”.Exactly what i thought as well.

This is my first audiophile quality cans I have ever had and there was a learning curve I did not expect. First you have to sort of slide into the quality of sound. When I first put them on my immediate reaction was this is not the quality I expected, but I was wrong, way wrong. It took a few minutes for my ears to become acclimated(so to speak) with the quality. I was hearing things I never heard before and parts I know with detail I had never expected. Many songs, although the same song, were transformed into higher levels of artistry. Take your time and relearn your favorite music to fully enjoy these headphones. The other thing is they are actually louder than you think. The clarity of sound gives an illusion that you need to turn them up. Again after getting used to the clarity you find they are loud already.Discounting my initial reaction I give the sound quality 5 stars without hesitation. Build quality is apparent as well as soon as you pick them up and only gets better as you explore them. Every thing you touch is quality workmanship.Comfort is like the temperature. The less you think about it the more ideal it is. Once you put these on you forget they are there and appreciate the musical experience without being disturbed by the physical presence of the set.As a musician I have an intimate understanding of my own work. With this quality of sound I found I have not been as intimate as I thought I was. Nuances and subtleties stand out as in depth as artistic intent should be. Sometimes this comes with disappointment but that is the nature of art. One of my pieces, with these headphones and a little weed, has since become one of my proudest works. Without this quality I would never have heard what lie just below the surface of my own musical works.I am beyond satisfied with my purchase. Next step; tube amp to up the quality.

I guess I’m somewhat of an audiophile and I say “somewhat” because there’s a limit to how much I will spend on high-end audio gear. There’s a law of diminishing returns on very expensive gear and one has to consider that very carefully when purchasing nice headphones such as this Beyerdynamic T1 2nd Generation and the Sennheiser HD800S, both of which I’ve purchased recently along with a Chord Electronics Hugo DAC/headphone amp. Sure there are even more expensive headphones and DACs but, after extensive research, I decided that these products will provide a lifetime of excellent quality sound.I had already purchased the Sennheiser HD800S and the Hugo which I’m extremely happy with. But I wanted a second headphone to use with the Hugo’s multiple headphone jacks to enjoy music together with my wife. I did not want to get another HD800S – not because of budgetary reasons (although that certainly had to be considered) but because I wanted something different. I did not want to spend more than what I did on the HD800S like on an Audeze LCD-3 or Stax SR-009. If possible, I wanted something that was as of a high quality as the HD800S but different and if it cost lower so much the better.So after looking at various offerings from reputable headphone vendors, I decided the T1 2g would fit the bill. My expectations weren’t as high for this set of headphones as I had for the HD800S. Based on the reviews I read, I expected it to be mellower, warmer and smoother than the HD800S, which has a reputation for being bright and brilliant. I personally prefer to hear more emphasis on the high-mids and treble so the HD800S was right up my alley and I wrote a detailed review of it as well. I absolutely love the HD800S but wanted something different that would be complementary.It’s quite interesting to hear the differences of high-end gear from different manufacturers and how they “voice” their products. I’ve noticed that all Sennheiser headphones and ear pieces have a certain voicing as do the headphones and IEMs from the likes of AKG, Sony, Klipsch, Shure and Jerry Harvey Audio. I also own the JH Audio Layla custom IEMs and the Shure SE846 for mobile usage. They all sound vastly different although they all sound good in their own ways. So the T1 2g definitely piqued my interest. After several weeks of “should I get this?” I finally ordered it.Without a doubt, it’s a completely different beast from the HD800S. Compared to the HD800S, the T1 2g is smoother in the high-mids, have a more accentuated low-mids, and a slightly “wider” yet diffused bass while retaining a very clear and silky high-end. As I had expected, it’s mellower and doesn’t have as great of a soundstage or the “3D” depth of the HD800S. If the soundstage can be drawn like the face of a clock, the T1 v2 certainly has the “width” from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock but not quite the depth of noon setting to 6 o’clock.Going back and forth from the HD800S to the T1 v2 through the Hugo playing DSD and high-res FLAC files, the T1 v2 almost sounds muffled initially but the warmth and the smoothness quickly sound endearing because the highs are still very clear and I can still hear all the details I hear on the HD800S. Everything sounds a little different because the EQ curves of each respective headphone is different but it is about what I expected. I didn’t want another HD800S.I’d say the T1 2g is more comparable to the AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition headphones that I’ve owned for some years and which I’ve now passed onto my son. The edges of the notes on a piano’s lower register are smoother while the HD800S exhibits a more “cutting” or defined quality. Some people pan the HD800S for this and say it’s too trebly and bright and that it causes ear fatigue. I can understand that but that has never bothered me. At the same time, the T1 2g’s smoothness is quite pleasant as well. The separation between the instruments is superb and I can still hear all the details.If I had to choose between the HD800S and the T1 2g I’ll go with the HD800S due to its greater clarity and soundstage depth but, fortunately, I don’t have to do that and I can take turns alternating between the two depending on my mood. For classical symphonic or concerto music with large orchestras (think Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner, Mahler, Dvorak, etc.), I’m inclined to go with the HD800S. For jazz and small ensemble kind of music I’m more than happy with the T1 2g. For rock, pop, metal and intimate folk kinds of music, either would be fine but I may very well choose the T1 2g for something like ‘Come Away With Me’ by Norah Jones. From an ambience viewpoint, the HD800S is more like hall reverb while the T1 2g is more like a warm room or chamber reverb.All in all, it’s a great set of headphones and I love it. It now has well over 200 hours of break-in time (as does the HD800S) and sounds exceptionally clear as well as having a very smooth character and warmth in the mids. For me, it’s a great complement to the HD800S and I’m more than happy to use it while my wife uses the HD800S through the Hugo DAC. If you’re in the market for only one, I do think you need to consider if you prefer “bright/brilliant” or “warm/mellow” before making a choice.

I’m not sure if my Jotunheim is just too weak to properly drive these or if they just sound as “colored” as they do by default, but considering their expense I don’t think they should sound this oddly recessed in certain tracks and tonally incorrect across the board. Increasing the volume beyond safe listening levels does improve them, and buying Beyer’s extra $145 balanced cable (yikes!) would theoretically allow me to shove more raw power from my amplifier into these things, but I can’t shake the feeling that these cans just don’t sound any better blowing my ears out than my old HD 598 SE headphones do at half the volume level. Not to mention that they cost nowhere near this kind of money. Frankly, I expect better from a premium product like this.After a month of unsatisfied fiddling with these things, I really just can’t see myself keeping them. Maybe the perfect amp in the right place, at the right time can work some special magic here, but none of my equipment is making them sound passable anytime soon. I doubt anyone else would have much more luck, either.