Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions$450
$45091% would recommend to a friend 
Massdrop x Beyerdynamic DT 177X GO Headphones
$379
01 / 18
Massdrop x Beyerdynamic DT 177X GO Headphones
bookmark_border
$379
Ready to Ship
·
Free Returns in USA
●
Members who purchase earn
1,137
Drop Rewards
Frequently bought together:
Customer Reviews
4.5
(411 reviews)
5star(278)
4star(85)
3star(21)
2star(13)
1star(14)
By Feature
Build Quality
4.3
(12)
Sound
4.2
(12)
Comfort
3.8
(12)
Music GenresPopular among reviewers
ActivitiesPopular among reviewers
search
close
Images
keyboard_arrow_downSort by: Top Reviews
keyboard_arrow_downZeosPantera
1246
Apr 22, 2019
Atom is almost a perfect amp. Will run these fine. They are relatively low Ω.
BadSeedTech
271
Apr 16, 2019
The DT 177X GO is everything I love about the Beyerdynamic sound in a flexible package that makes it my new go-to closed back set for mobile, gaming, and studio use. Check out my review below:
https://youtu.be/PzWyjN0pDR8
Disclaimer: Massdrop provided the 177X GO as an advanced sample for the purposes of this review. They did not influence the review in any way and they have not seen the final video prior to it going live.
Rating 5/5
(Edited)
AznMikeD
37
May 6, 2020
You probably already know this but If you go with the DT 770 Pro for gaming, go with the 80 ohm. The bass is punchier/better compared to the 32ohm and 250ohm (can find this info on a ton of forums since a lot of people complain about the DT 770 Pro 32 or 250 ohm not being punchy/great). Best purchase I have ever made for gaming. I ended up going with these after doing hours on end of research comparing headphones for gaming and I saw more people on forums referring the DT 770 Pro 80 ohm for gaming at the end of the day.
I too am curious about how these 32ohm headphones sound for gaming but for the price difference, the 770 Pro 80 ohm are probably hands down better overall. I guess you would need to take in account how music sounds on it if these will be your only pair. I never thought I would fall down this rabbit hole of needing different cans, amps and dacs for different purposes. Whole life changed after getting my first entry level audiophile set-up.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Apr 16, 2019
Disclaimer: The Beyerdynamic 177X GO were sent to me as a sample for the purpose of this review. Hat tip to Massdrop for the opportunity to check these out.
The Good - Gentle, U-shaped headphones. Smooth, detailed, and well balanced overall. Solid, punchy bass. Laid back midrange. Highs are clean and detailed. Great comfort (with sheepskin pads) and build quality. Sound is very clean without weird peaks/dips or unwanted resonance. Very easy to drive even from a portable device. Scales slightly with nicer gear. Sheepskin pads are very plush and cushioning. Low distortion. Prefered at lower listening volumes. Good isolation. The Meh - Only one cable. No storage box or travel case. Sheepskin pads don't fit in driver housing ring. Average soundstage. Can sound a bit congested and flat on busy, dense tracks. Midrange is sometimes bit too laid-back and could use a boost in the lower and upper mids. Could use more sub bass impact/rumble. More transportable than portable. The Ugly - Velour pads are quite stiff. Dome of driver rubs ears with velour pads. No mic cable. Cups prone to scratches and fingerprints. Not easy to source a balanced 4-pin mini XLR (TA4F) cable. No travel case. Sibilance on 'S' and 'T' sounds for some tracks. Cymbals can sometimes be "sizzly" and too forward in the mix. Upper midrange lacking a bit in presence. Wide peaks in upper highs can sometimes add too much sharpness and edge to vocals and certain instruments. Unforgiving of poorly recorded/mastered tracks. Build, Fit, & Finish Nice color and finish. Looks appealing with how the silver lettering pops off the brushed cups. They feel premium and have a nice weight to them. They're also quite sturdy and don't feel like a toy in your hands. Sliders click into place with good resistance. Cups pivot but have slight rotation at the hinge. The headband is rather flexible overall and contours nicely over your head. The few pieces of plastic present look to be of high quality as well, but is kept to a minimum. Headband has plenty of cushioning on the bottom from end-to-end. Hand-stitched on the top with ‘Beyerdynamic’ stamped in the leather. While the headphones are hefty, the weight is well distributed across your head. The clamp is average, maybe a bit more. They are rather snug fitting but never feel like your head is under a vice. Both pads are flat. The sheepskin pads are thick, plush, and soft. They are very comfortable and my preferred choice. My ears never felt suffocated or hot with them as they have tons of room. The velour pads are thinner and rolled, have a firmer foam, don’t isolate as well, and bring the drivers closer to your ears. For me and the velour pads, my ears rub on the dome that is at the center of the driver. This just distracted and annoyed me any time I tried to use them. The cups have a notched “fitting ring” for getting the pads on. The velour pads can fit in this ring but not the sheepskin. The material is thicker and longer so unless you can wedge the material in there, they will stretch and fit over the cups themselves. They are secure but it doesn’t look as clean. Sheepskin pads also work very well for those that wear glasses as they’re very supple and have some give due to the memory foam. The cable is nice and just thick enough. The mini xlr plugs into the headphone cup with a hefty click when it locks. Cable is a good length and comes with a 6.35mm TRS adapter. Did not detect any microphonics or cable noise. Cable is pliable enough and doesn’t really kink or get coiled up. Portability & Isolation These are rather large headphones. But, they are rather snug fitting so they don’t feel loose on your head when moving about. They pretty much stay firmly in place. This also helps with their isolation as with the sheepskin pads, they don’t let much sound in or out. This was nice as I got to enjoy a lower listening volume where I thought everything sounded more balanced overall. The velour pads do feel nice. However, they don’t isolate as well as the other pads and also let more sound in. It’s enough difference to be noticeable but even with the velour pads, I would say their isolation is still above average. Easy to drive from a mobile device due to the 32-ohm drivers. I can get them rather loud with some headroom left, even on my cellphone. Cable could be a foot shorter for mobile use but is a good length for home setups. Equipment Used At work, an iFi xDSD was used via USB into my laptop running Spotify. At home, a THX AAA 789 paired to an SMSL SU-8 (balanced interconnects) connected to my phone or laptop via USB running Spotify and ripped FLAC files. Listening Preferences My taste is pretty eclectic and all over the place, but this is a rough idea of what I listened to with the 177X: https://open.spotify.com/user/jaydunndiddit/playlist/6dhI64BEeqQIdFlcodklma? . Sound
Lows - Bass extends well. A nice boost over neutral to give the lows some good punch. Bass is tight, fast, and overall very clean. These are not bassy headphones. Some may find them lacking in impact and slam. More mid bass punchiness over sub-bass rumble. Lows don’t really bleed into the mids. No cup resonance or ringing. Kick drums and guitars have good body. Mids - Mids are good. Even and flat throughout for the most part so everything sounds clear and well balanced. For some tracks, upper midrange can lack a little presence. Highs - Treble sounds clear and balanced overall. Tuned north of neutral, but not overbearingly so. There is a slight sharpness to certain sounds, and vocals can sometimes sound a little edgy. Some sibilance is present on ‘S’ and ‘T’ sounds as well as cymbals, but I really only experienced this at slightly higher listening volumes. At lower volumes, highs have enough presence to be present without being overpowering. Soundstage & Imaging The soundstage size feels average. I don’t sense a lot of depth or height. The presentation is very intimate. Instruments and voices are clear and do have some relative sense of space. Tends to sound very inside your head. Imaging and placement of instruments is good within this smallish space. Some vocals and instruments can become lost on busier, dense tracks. Quick Comparisons All observations were done single ended with the THX 789/SU-8 on a gain of 1 having the volume controlled by the DAC. I used the same playlist for each session. I volume matched to the best of my ability and tried to keep pad type and material as consistent as possible. Fostex TR-X00 Ebony (TH900 sheepskin pads) - Slightly V-shaped. Bigger bass. More impact and energy due to boost in sub bass. Lows sound more textured. Soundstage is about the same, on the small side, boxy, and intimate. The TR-X00 image just as well as the 177X. The mids and upper mids are more recessed and lack presence. Treble can get hot and tends to get sibilant more often than the 177X do. Treble has a lot of energy but maybe a bit too much. The 177X sounds smooth and more balanced by comparison. Focal Elegia (Dekoni sheepskin pads) - Neutral/bright headphones. Sounds much more effortless. A more dynamic, technical listen. Upper mids more forward and present. Soundstage sounds a bit larger, like it wants to spill outside of your head. Stage is much more 3-Dimensional as I have a greater sense of depth and height. The sense of the room/venue and its acoustics comes off well. Bass is tighter, but lacks in quantity. Drums have more snap and guitars have more bite. Horns and other brass instruments sound more textured. More neutral overall in the lows and mids. 177X is a bit warmer and laid-back by comparison, lacking in some technicalities and presence. AudioQuest NightOwl (stock protein leather) - L-Shaped. Soundstage size is about the same size but is better defined and more 3-Dimensional. A better sense of height and bit of depth. Warmer and smoother overall. A more laid-back, chill listen. Not necessarily dark, but they do lack energy and presence. Lows lack impact although they are even and well extended. What bass is present, is very tight and doesn’t encroach on the mids. Highs are soft, and lack energy and edge by comparison. An easier listen but it doesn’t feel as technical or revealing. Vocals do sound full and smooth. The 177X is much more bright and lively by comparison. Technically, superior unless you prefer a smoother, more romantic listen. Campfire Cascade (stock sheepskin) - Kind of W-shaped. The bass cannon in the group. Extends well and has a healthy bass boost in the sub and mid region. Well textured, full, and tight. Some may find it too thick but gives notes and instruments a nice weight that makes the 177X seem thin by comparison. Tonally, they are very similar. The treble here, is present but tamed. No rough edges. Notes feel as if they have more air and space. Mids are a bit more forward overall, so they don’t get lost in busier tracks and helps to cut through all the bass. Smoother and more exciting overall. Otherwise, a colored, engaging, and fun listen. Will never be mistaken for being neutral. Soundstage is bigger and has a better representation of height and depth. I think they image better as the Cascade’s can keep up on busier tracks and exhibit a higher level of dynamics in general. The Cascade satisfies my inner basshead while still having some technicalities that round them out nicely. Highs cut through and have a good bit of air for such a bassy headphone. My welcomed, guilty pleasure. My ranking by preference Elegia > Cascade > 177X > TRX00 > Nightowl Value and Conclusion Overall, I really enjoy the 177X. They’re very comfortable and I can easily wear them an entire work day without complaint. They isolate well in a work environment, and don’t leak very much at all. At lower listening volumes, I really enjoy them. They’re somewhat laid back and balanced with a boost in the bass and treble. The midrange can lack presence on some tracks, but I only tend to notice if I’m listening critically as something just sounds “missing.” It doesn’t sound awful, just not as full and energetic as I prefer without being too forward. Vocals sound good if they’re not overly sharp and “hissy.” They otherwise have a nice body and are very smooth. For the cost, I think they compete well at this range. I think a travel case or a mic’d cable would have been nice as portable seems to be in mind for these, but those are minor nuisances. The 177X is a sturdy, well built headphone that sounds and feels premium. While it may be a bit overly enthusiastic and sharp sometimes, or become edgy at higher volumes, they offer an enjoyable and pretty well balanced listen and are quite comfortable for long listening sessions. I thought they performed well with rock, jazz, electronic, and acoustic music. Rating: 4/5 Edit: URL to playlist is working now.
The Good - Gentle, U-shaped headphones. Smooth, detailed, and well balanced overall. Solid, punchy bass. Laid back midrange. Highs are clean and detailed. Great comfort (with sheepskin pads) and build quality. Sound is very clean without weird peaks/dips or unwanted resonance. Very easy to drive even from a portable device. Scales slightly with nicer gear. Sheepskin pads are very plush and cushioning. Low distortion. Prefered at lower listening volumes. Good isolation. The Meh - Only one cable. No storage box or travel case. Sheepskin pads don't fit in driver housing ring. Average soundstage. Can sound a bit congested and flat on busy, dense tracks. Midrange is sometimes bit too laid-back and could use a boost in the lower and upper mids. Could use more sub bass impact/rumble. More transportable than portable. The Ugly - Velour pads are quite stiff. Dome of driver rubs ears with velour pads. No mic cable. Cups prone to scratches and fingerprints. Not easy to source a balanced 4-pin mini XLR (TA4F) cable. No travel case. Sibilance on 'S' and 'T' sounds for some tracks. Cymbals can sometimes be "sizzly" and too forward in the mix. Upper midrange lacking a bit in presence. Wide peaks in upper highs can sometimes add too much sharpness and edge to vocals and certain instruments. Unforgiving of poorly recorded/mastered tracks. Build, Fit, & Finish Nice color and finish. Looks appealing with how the silver lettering pops off the brushed cups. They feel premium and have a nice weight to them. They're also quite sturdy and don't feel like a toy in your hands. Sliders click into place with good resistance. Cups pivot but have slight rotation at the hinge. The headband is rather flexible overall and contours nicely over your head. The few pieces of plastic present look to be of high quality as well, but is kept to a minimum. Headband has plenty of cushioning on the bottom from end-to-end. Hand-stitched on the top with ‘Beyerdynamic’ stamped in the leather. While the headphones are hefty, the weight is well distributed across your head. The clamp is average, maybe a bit more. They are rather snug fitting but never feel like your head is under a vice. Both pads are flat. The sheepskin pads are thick, plush, and soft. They are very comfortable and my preferred choice. My ears never felt suffocated or hot with them as they have tons of room. The velour pads are thinner and rolled, have a firmer foam, don’t isolate as well, and bring the drivers closer to your ears. For me and the velour pads, my ears rub on the dome that is at the center of the driver. This just distracted and annoyed me any time I tried to use them. The cups have a notched “fitting ring” for getting the pads on. The velour pads can fit in this ring but not the sheepskin. The material is thicker and longer so unless you can wedge the material in there, they will stretch and fit over the cups themselves. They are secure but it doesn’t look as clean. Sheepskin pads also work very well for those that wear glasses as they’re very supple and have some give due to the memory foam. The cable is nice and just thick enough. The mini xlr plugs into the headphone cup with a hefty click when it locks. Cable is a good length and comes with a 6.35mm TRS adapter. Did not detect any microphonics or cable noise. Cable is pliable enough and doesn’t really kink or get coiled up. Portability & Isolation These are rather large headphones. But, they are rather snug fitting so they don’t feel loose on your head when moving about. They pretty much stay firmly in place. This also helps with their isolation as with the sheepskin pads, they don’t let much sound in or out. This was nice as I got to enjoy a lower listening volume where I thought everything sounded more balanced overall. The velour pads do feel nice. However, they don’t isolate as well as the other pads and also let more sound in. It’s enough difference to be noticeable but even with the velour pads, I would say their isolation is still above average. Easy to drive from a mobile device due to the 32-ohm drivers. I can get them rather loud with some headroom left, even on my cellphone. Cable could be a foot shorter for mobile use but is a good length for home setups. Equipment Used At work, an iFi xDSD was used via USB into my laptop running Spotify. At home, a THX AAA 789 paired to an SMSL SU-8 (balanced interconnects) connected to my phone or laptop via USB running Spotify and ripped FLAC files. Listening Preferences My taste is pretty eclectic and all over the place, but this is a rough idea of what I listened to with the 177X: https://open.spotify.com/user/jaydunndiddit/playlist/6dhI64BEeqQIdFlcodklma? . Sound
Lows - Bass extends well. A nice boost over neutral to give the lows some good punch. Bass is tight, fast, and overall very clean. These are not bassy headphones. Some may find them lacking in impact and slam. More mid bass punchiness over sub-bass rumble. Lows don’t really bleed into the mids. No cup resonance or ringing. Kick drums and guitars have good body. Mids - Mids are good. Even and flat throughout for the most part so everything sounds clear and well balanced. For some tracks, upper midrange can lack a little presence. Highs - Treble sounds clear and balanced overall. Tuned north of neutral, but not overbearingly so. There is a slight sharpness to certain sounds, and vocals can sometimes sound a little edgy. Some sibilance is present on ‘S’ and ‘T’ sounds as well as cymbals, but I really only experienced this at slightly higher listening volumes. At lower volumes, highs have enough presence to be present without being overpowering. Soundstage & Imaging The soundstage size feels average. I don’t sense a lot of depth or height. The presentation is very intimate. Instruments and voices are clear and do have some relative sense of space. Tends to sound very inside your head. Imaging and placement of instruments is good within this smallish space. Some vocals and instruments can become lost on busier, dense tracks. Quick Comparisons All observations were done single ended with the THX 789/SU-8 on a gain of 1 having the volume controlled by the DAC. I used the same playlist for each session. I volume matched to the best of my ability and tried to keep pad type and material as consistent as possible. Fostex TR-X00 Ebony (TH900 sheepskin pads) - Slightly V-shaped. Bigger bass. More impact and energy due to boost in sub bass. Lows sound more textured. Soundstage is about the same, on the small side, boxy, and intimate. The TR-X00 image just as well as the 177X. The mids and upper mids are more recessed and lack presence. Treble can get hot and tends to get sibilant more often than the 177X do. Treble has a lot of energy but maybe a bit too much. The 177X sounds smooth and more balanced by comparison. Focal Elegia (Dekoni sheepskin pads) - Neutral/bright headphones. Sounds much more effortless. A more dynamic, technical listen. Upper mids more forward and present. Soundstage sounds a bit larger, like it wants to spill outside of your head. Stage is much more 3-Dimensional as I have a greater sense of depth and height. The sense of the room/venue and its acoustics comes off well. Bass is tighter, but lacks in quantity. Drums have more snap and guitars have more bite. Horns and other brass instruments sound more textured. More neutral overall in the lows and mids. 177X is a bit warmer and laid-back by comparison, lacking in some technicalities and presence. AudioQuest NightOwl (stock protein leather) - L-Shaped. Soundstage size is about the same size but is better defined and more 3-Dimensional. A better sense of height and bit of depth. Warmer and smoother overall. A more laid-back, chill listen. Not necessarily dark, but they do lack energy and presence. Lows lack impact although they are even and well extended. What bass is present, is very tight and doesn’t encroach on the mids. Highs are soft, and lack energy and edge by comparison. An easier listen but it doesn’t feel as technical or revealing. Vocals do sound full and smooth. The 177X is much more bright and lively by comparison. Technically, superior unless you prefer a smoother, more romantic listen. Campfire Cascade (stock sheepskin) - Kind of W-shaped. The bass cannon in the group. Extends well and has a healthy bass boost in the sub and mid region. Well textured, full, and tight. Some may find it too thick but gives notes and instruments a nice weight that makes the 177X seem thin by comparison. Tonally, they are very similar. The treble here, is present but tamed. No rough edges. Notes feel as if they have more air and space. Mids are a bit more forward overall, so they don’t get lost in busier tracks and helps to cut through all the bass. Smoother and more exciting overall. Otherwise, a colored, engaging, and fun listen. Will never be mistaken for being neutral. Soundstage is bigger and has a better representation of height and depth. I think they image better as the Cascade’s can keep up on busier tracks and exhibit a higher level of dynamics in general. The Cascade satisfies my inner basshead while still having some technicalities that round them out nicely. Highs cut through and have a good bit of air for such a bassy headphone. My welcomed, guilty pleasure. My ranking by preference Elegia > Cascade > 177X > TRX00 > Nightowl Value and Conclusion Overall, I really enjoy the 177X. They’re very comfortable and I can easily wear them an entire work day without complaint. They isolate well in a work environment, and don’t leak very much at all. At lower listening volumes, I really enjoy them. They’re somewhat laid back and balanced with a boost in the bass and treble. The midrange can lack presence on some tracks, but I only tend to notice if I’m listening critically as something just sounds “missing.” It doesn’t sound awful, just not as full and energetic as I prefer without being too forward. Vocals sound good if they’re not overly sharp and “hissy.” They otherwise have a nice body and are very smooth. For the cost, I think they compete well at this range. I think a travel case or a mic’d cable would have been nice as portable seems to be in mind for these, but those are minor nuisances. The 177X is a sturdy, well built headphone that sounds and feels premium. While it may be a bit overly enthusiastic and sharp sometimes, or become edgy at higher volumes, they offer an enjoyable and pretty well balanced listen and are quite comfortable for long listening sessions. I thought they performed well with rock, jazz, electronic, and acoustic music. Rating: 4/5 Edit: URL to playlist is working now.
(Edited)
Waddie
3
Dec 8, 2022
So Elegia when bass is maximised with EQ and maybe the sheepskin pads will offer an all round better audiophile experience with enough fun than Cascades?.. All my music is IDM, currently on a nicely EQd set of Sony XM3s and I want to set this music, with its layers and mad spatial dynamics off with a set of cans that will do it and I think the Elegia should do the job. It's just the bass worry and that's where I know for sure Cascades will blow the music all the way,, but I will miss out on spatial dynamics as per Elegia ! and round and round.. With IDM in mind, which is not always bass dependent on the make up of the track and a lot of the time very sound design and layered, which one does it sound to you I might lean toward. Just in your opinion of course and thanks man.
Diem
44
Nov 6, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Context:
So I'm probably not like most people on this site/who bought these headphones. I don't have a collection of listening devices or other audio equipment. I just graduated college this spring and only just this year started becoming more critical and discerning of my audio devices.
From August 2014 to about September 2018, my headphones were SMS Audio, which from my understanding now is probably just a degree or two above Beats in terms of quality. But hey, they were Star Wars Boba Fett headphones, so that was all I needed. I listen to music very often, though, and they literally started falling apart by September last year, so due to endorsement by my brother, I got an AIAIAI TMA-2 set of headphones, mine with the S-04 speakers and microfiber earpads. I thought those were pretty high quality, though I've heard mixed things about them in more audiophilic discussions.
Beyond that, my only other recent headphone experience was my gaming headset, a Logitech G933 which I got for no other reason than that Battlefield 1 has a specialized mix setting for Logitech headsets, so I figured they must be pretty good then. I got that in December 2016 and stopped using it earlier this year when one day I found that the left speaker was quieter than the other, which is not desirable. Beyond that, I thought they were good headphones, and I enjoyed their 7.1 surround sound feature, which according to a Linus Tech Tips video comparing a variety of 7.1 headsets, Logitech's seemed to be one of the best.
All of this is to say that I barely have any idea what the heck I'm talking about compared to most people here. So this review is really only valuable to people in a similar situation to myself of being a novice to high-end audio equipment, or it can possibly be entertaining to seasoned audiophiles who want a laugh.
Why I Bought It:
I didn't have much need to replace my AIAIAI TMA-2. Like I said, they sounded good enough to me, and I haven't even had them for a year. However, they start to feel a little uncomfortable at the top of my head after sitting with them for a while (they oddly don't cause any discomfort if I'm moving around, however). And when my Logitech G933 started malfunctioning, I needed a new headset for gaming.
Originally, I was going to shoot for another gaming headset. Around that time, conveniently enough, Logitech had just released a newer revision, the G935, with better speakers. I also considered looking into Astro's newer A40 or A50, as I also had an A50 4-5 years ago that I liked, but it had some malfunction of its own that I couldn't solve, so I ended up selling them.
But like I said, earlier this year I became more discerning of my audio purchases, started asking questions to audiophiles online, and came to the simple conclusion: sound is sound, so I didn't need a "gaming" headset, and instead I could find something that sounded better for both games and music.
This was compounded by the discovery of Dolby Atmos for Headphones, a $15 software license that turns any headphones into surround sound headphones, and according to the aforementioned Linus Tech Tips video, it's just as good if not better than my previous Logitech surround sound. This now opened up any headphones for me to use with surround sound on both my PC and Xbox.
That was another demand of mine. I play a lot of video games, and I do so across many devices. PC, Switch, Xbox, PS4, and sometimes other older systems. I needed a versatile headset, not one that requires an amp or any special equipment.
I also don't like the idea of open-back headphones. Those seem to be more preferred among most audiophiles, since it offers a more natural, less enclosed sound, but in my know-nothing opinion, if I wanted that, I'd use speakers (and I did get myself a nice pair of Klipsch R-51PM speakers back in May). If I'm wearing something on my head, I want the sound to be private, and for the headphones to block out outside noise as much as they can.
So when I saw the DT 177X GO hit the scene back in May or so, I had my eyes on them immediately. The DT 770's and 1770's were already a pair of sets I had seen when researching headphone options around that same time, since they were closed-back, but they couldn't be driven by 3.5mm jack, so I couldn't get them. Seeing what appeared to be a new and improved version that could be used on just about anything was really appealing, especially for the discounted price of $370.
However, it wasn't in the budget for me at the time, even though I considered it heavily, so I passed on it. I just chose to enjoy using my Klipsch speakers for a while until I had the money for a new pair of headphones. When the email came in late September that the 177X was back, I gave it another look over, but $450 was still a lot. But one night a month ago I was up suffering at 3 AM or so due to a really bad cold, staring at the page, and saw Cholly's critical review of them, and that was what sold me. Seeing someone speak on both the pros and cons of the headset, as well as ways to rectify the cons, made me feel more confident about the headphones, so I pulled the trigger and purchased them.
Review Part 1 - Music:
The following week, I received my DT 177X GO, and I immediately got to using them for the rest of the day.
For the record: most of my time with these headphones is spent listening to music/games on my computer. My computer uses a Creative SoundBlaster ZxR sound card. I know from discussions and comments that sound cards make audiophiles screech, but the ZxR is actually really convenient for my particular use case, and it sounds great to my know-nothing ears. Significantly better than the onboard audio, that's for sure.
I first listened to one of my favorite songs, "Deteriorate" by Demon Hunter. I'd listened to it a few times earlier that day in preparation for comparing them to my TMA-2. Taking the headphones out of the box with their pre-installed velour pads, I listened and... it sounded worse than my TMA-2's. Again, I'm not an audiophile who knows how to describe sound in proper terms, so forgive my naivete, but I'd describe the sound as "muddy." It was really low and sounded a little distorted, even. I imagine this is because a lot of the sound is absorbed by the velour fabric, so
However, I knew already from Cholly's review that the velour pads were apparently awful for the sound, so I wasn't surprised or let down. I just didn't expect it to be that bad. I couldn't even get through the whole song before I took them off and got to replacing the pads with the sheepskin ones that were described as a complete enhancement.
And a complete enhancement they were. The muddiness: gone. Everything sounded crisp and lively now. It was more what I expected to hear out of the box, and it's how I used them the rest of the day. Having that week off work, I spent several hours straight listening to music and just enjoying them. I also spent some time swapping them on and off with my TMA-2's to compare, but for some reason I couldn't notice much distinct difference between the two. More on that later.
Cholly said that the sheepskin pads were an improvement, but that the bass and treble were too intense with them. I didn't notice that explicitly, but at the end of the day, I did notice that my ears ached in a way I'd never quite felt before, which I'm assuming was because those two ends of the spectrum were a little too extreme with these pads.
Luckily, due to Cholly's (and by extension Z Reviews's) recommendation, the Brainwavz XL perforated pads arrived to me the next day. After being unsuccessful at applying them to the headset using the weird disc and notches that you use the included pads with (I like to do things properly) I just threw them on there the same way Z Reviews did. They sounded about the same as the sheepskin pads, but I noticed that my ears haven't hurt since switching the pads, even if I were to use them almost all day. They are noticeably more comfortable, though.
Again, I'm not exactly a practiced audiophile.
So, how do they sound compared to my TMA-2's and Klipsch R-51PM's, the only points of comparison I have? After a few weeks with the headphones, I was gradually able to pinpoint the differences. In short: they're definitely better.
In more detail, the bass on the DT 177X is much more subdued than on my TMA-2. My TMA-2's feel bass-boosted, which is how my previous SMS Audio headphones were as well, and what I wanted to avoid with my new headphones. The TMA-2's pound you with bass, though not too badly, whereas the 177X has noticeable bass, but not so much that it risks drowning out other details in the song. I liked the idea of having a more "reference" sound that doesn't lean to heavily on any particular part of the sound spectrum. That's a big reason why I shot for the DT 177X, and that's what the DT 177X provides: great detail across every part of a song.
In general, the DT 177X sounds overall clearer and more balanced than my TMA-2's. Noticeable upgrade.
Now soundstage and imaging is something that I have even less knowledge of than the sound spectrum, and I only heard about when looking at discussions and reviews for headsets like these. It's not something I really care about, personally. However, I believe I'm right when I say that the DT 177X has superior soundstage than the TMA-2, which is probably not surprising. I listened for soundstage in a handful of songs, but I guess I'm just not really good at noticing it.
When I did notice what I think is soundstage without looking for it, though, was when randomly listening to "A Walk in the Woods" by Martin O'Donnel from the Halo: CE soundtrack, and noticed that there's a sound in the music that moves back and forth between the left and right channels, and you can almost feel it moving back and forth in your head. I noticed that on my 177X without even consciously listening for that kind of thing, and when I went to try it out on my TMA-2, the effect was far less noticeable, either because the earpads/dimensions are smaller or because the bass drowns out that detail a bit.
My Klipsch R-51PM speakers are generally great, but they're pretty low on the mids it seems, which I hear is a common issue with Klipsch speakers in general. Not so on the 177X. Mids come in loud and clear. The R-51PM's have better bass with their Dynamic Bass EQ (which is essentially a smart bass boost), but I also have to bump up the mids and highs with an equalizer to round out the sound. More on equalizers later.
Another thing I noticed about these headphones very quickly was that percussion is sharp. In a good way. Drumbeats and snaps just sound so clean and crisp in a way I've never heard on anything else. It's very noticeable, and translates well into gaming, which I'll get to soon.
These headphones also sound great on my phone, an LG V40 which has a built-in 32-bit DAC that allows for more high-fidelity sound. However, I noticed a consistency issue. Usually when I plug the headphones into my phone, they sound really loud. That is, even at the default sound value of like 50, they're as loud as my TMA-2's at the max of 75. Going up to 75 makes them louder than I've ever heard out of a phone.
However, it seems that over time, or in some circumstance I haven't figured out yet, the headphones will sound quiet. Even at 75 they sound quieter than they used to sound at 50. I think it might have something to do with the power draw, and that the phone might not be supplying a consistent amount of power to make the headphones loud or something. I'm no expert, but it's a small issue I noticed.
In sum: these headphones are very balanced and crisp, but you need to use either the sheepskin earpads or some replacement ones. Phones might have a bit of trouble playing them at loud volumes.
Review Part 2 - Gaming:
This was just as important an aspect as the music for me. I'll sit for hours just gaming, and I developed an ear for really paying attention to the sound design in games ever since I played Breath of the Wild in 2017 and 10 minutes in went "What's that clanking sound?" and realized it was the axe on Link's back bouncing as he walked. A small thing, but it woke me up to how much attention to detail there can be in the sound design for these games.
The same sound signature I noted in the music review applies here. The headphones are balanced and detailed, so you hear all the cool little details in the sound design for games. It works great on Switch; Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey sound great from top to bottom, with all the nuances of sound in the environment and effects being nice and clear, and their soundtracks being played beautifully. In particular, I never noticed how good those two games' water sound effects were before I listened closely with my 177X. This Halloween, I also played through Luigi's Mansion--but not the new one, the GameCube classic, emulated on my PC. The soundtrack was nice and bassy, and all the wonderful subtleties in the sound effects and spooky atmosphere were rendered excellently.
But how are they for other kinds of games, especially competitive shooters? I don't play Counter Strike or Rainbow Six, but I do play a lot of Battlefield. Remember what I said about percussion in the music section? That applies here: gunshots in these games have bite. A high-powered sniper rifle in Battlefield 4 made me notice that, and the explosions will sound appropriately intense. I was genuinely startled by the explosion of a V2 Rocket in Battlefield V after I started using these headphones, not because it was loud, but because the sound was so realistic. I can't remember the last time something like that happened. That game's audio design is world-class, and the DT 177X does it justice.
Footsteps are loud and clear, if that's a major concern. Using Dolby Atmos for Headphones works great on the 177X, enhancing the tracking of sounds to a specific point in space. The difference isn't night and day from regular stereo, but it's somewhat noticeable. I'd just bought Battlefield V the weekend I received the 177X, and playing with them I was topping leaderboards of 32v32 Conquest games ahead of much higher-leveled players. Not due solely to the headphones, of course, but they certainly didn't hold me back, and did help me hear footsteps to be aware of enemies that I couldn't see.
These will certainly serve as my gaming headphones for the foreseeable future. No need to get specifically marketed gaming headphones from Logitech, Astro, or whatever. These do the job, and they do it better than anything I've used before.
Experimenting with an Equalizer:
I mentioned that I use an equalizer with my Klipsch speakers, but the way I did that was noticing that the generic "rock" and "vocals" equalizers in my sound card's software made them sound better, so I combined the two into one custom one that sounds noticeably better. With my SMS headphones, I just used the treble boost since they were bass boosted, that way I could balance the sound.
I didn't think I needed an equalizer for these headphones since they're so balanced, but when my brother wanted to try them out, he picked "Strength of a Thousand Men" by Two Steps From Hell, skipped about two thirds into the song, listened to it for a bit, then asked "Where's the bass?" He's not a basshead or anything, he just genuinely felt that bass was missing from the sound. I liked the level of bass they regularly have, but now I felt a little self-conscious. Should I boost the bass or make other equalizing measures? I spent $450 on these, might as well see if I can make them sound better, like my speakers.
I wanted to make sure I was doing this right, though, so I looked up guides on how to equalize headphones and came across a program called AutoEQ. After a couple hours of trying to use it manually, I discovered that it already had a calculated equalizer based on the waveform of the sheepskin pads provided here by Drop. The equalizer it recommended was, with a pre-amp of -5 dB:
| Type | Fc | Q | Gain |
|:--------|:---------|:-----|:--------|
| Peaking | 31 Hz | 1.41 | -4.1 dB |
| Peaking | 62 Hz | 1.41 | -2.1 dB |
| Peaking | 125 Hz | 1.41 | -7.6 dB |
| Peaking | 250 Hz | 1.41 | 0.0 dB |
| Peaking | 500 Hz | 1.41 | 0.6 dB |
| Peaking | 1000 Hz | 1.41 | -2.1 dB |
| Peaking | 2000 Hz | 1.41 | 4.3 dB |
| Peaking | 4000 Hz | 1.41 | 3.3 dB |
| Peaking | 8000 Hz | 1.41 | -1.4 dB |
| Peaking | 16000 Hz | 1.41 | -0.1 dB |
To my untrained eye, I'm assuming that means it's bringing down the bass and upper treble, while boosting the higher mids/lower treble, mainly. Well, I tried that, and... had mixed feelings. Some music felt better and clearer, some felt off.
The decisive factor was when I tried it while playing Battlefield. All the bite those gunshots had, all the power those explosions conveyed... gone. The game sounded just plain wrong, like something was missing.
So that's the equalizer that a fairly reputable program to determine an objective setting for equalizers says is the proper settings, and it makes things sound mainly worse. If there's someone more knowledgeable out there who can suggest better equalizer settings, let me know, because I tried to do things the objective way, and it didn't quite work out.
Or, maybe you don't need an equalizer, and these are just so well-balanced, especially with the perforated Brainwavz XL pads, that you don't need to worry too much about equalizing. Let me know.
Cons:
Okay, so here's some issues I have with the headset that keep it from being perfect, though not enough to knock off a star.
For one, this thing isn't that portable. It's a pretty sizable headphone, especially compared to my TMA-2's, which will remain my headphones that I take out of the house if I need some. These don't come with a case, either, and I can't find one online. Apparently the regular 1770's come with a case, but you can't seem to buy it separately.
This isn't helped by the cable, which is a gripe that many people have had. It's way too long. Using it with my phone, you'd look ridiculous walking around with that cable. I understand that the cable is that long for people who might need it to reach to an amp or computer far away at a desk or something, but for a headset with "GO" in the title, this is not a cable that makes me want to go anywhere with it. If someone can recommend a replacement that still ends in a 3.5mm, please let me know.
Also, right out of the box, the two cups of the headphones are a little uneven. The left is a little lower than the right in some way. It doesn't affect their wearability, but I hoped that after stretching them out a bit overnight and using them, they'd become more even. It makes them look not very aesthetically pleasing when you hang them up, but it doesn't cause any functional issue. Just a weird thing to be a problem to begin with.
TL;DR
Great for music all-around and great for gaming. It's a beautiful-sounding, balanced, and versatile closed-back headphone, which is exactly what I wanted, and it's exactly what I got.
(Edited)
Gioacchino
3
Apr 11, 2020
DiemA great help is needed by those who own the DT177x, I'm searching for headphones that with a high volume isolate to the point of not making my partner hear the music singing to me in bed, I know that maybe I'm asking too much in fact I was thinking of iem, but I would really like closed-backs with leather pads in your opinion does the isolation come to nothing? I come from Italy so I would not want to make a mistake in the purchase
ahowle2
32
Mar 19, 2022
checkVerified Buyer
These only lasted 1 year before started having issues with left side until the left side completely went out. I have been using Beyerdynamic headphones for over 15 years. I own DT990, DT880, DT770 and never had any issues.
UPDATE: after speaking with support at drop and Beyer Dynamic it appears neither drop or Beyerdynamic have replacement parts or a repair company to support you if your headphones just stop working. I would stay far away from these headphones or any drop products for that matter.
Buy directly through Beyerdynamic instead at least their repair company offered to try and repair but drops support does not care about supporting a product after 1 year.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? No
Cholly
96
Sep 30, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
I have very mixed feelings about the Beyerdynamic DT 177X GO with the pads that come with them, but if you swap the pads, these are absolutely amazing closed back headphones. I bought these as a first run pre-order and they were priced at $380 at the time.
Why did I buy them? :
I was looking for a solid set of headphones to use at work. For multiple open office related reasons, I needed a closed set and one that I wouldn't cry about if something were to happen to them.
I will be comparing the DT 177X GO with the DT 1990 Pro (A Pads), the 6XX (Stock Pads), Campfire Solaris, T60RP, and the TH-x00 Ebony. All of them will be using en EL Stack.
Main Testing Tracks:
- Part I - Fixing Stock -
Starting with unboxing: These headphones come with no additional packaging or casing, the box they came in is very flimsy but protective enough. Inside you will find 1 mini xlr cable (6ft?) with a TRS 1/8in w/ a 1/4in adapter and a balanced mini xlr connector (absolutely love this decision because no option to even run balanced on the DT 1990 has always been a gripe of mine even though I understand that people haven't had great results running them balanced). Also in the box is a second set of pads that look to be Dekoni Sheepskin. Then of course the headphones with stock velour pads. This being Drop, I wasn't expecting much more, but a second shorter cable would have been nice if we are marketing these as "on the go". Pre-First Listen Notes: The cups are a bit looser than those on the DT 1990, which might be a good thing for some people, but I do like that the DT 1990 sort of get set in a position and then stay there. The DT 177X don't wobble but pivot nicely and smoothly. The pads feel a bit stiff out of the box and aren't as soft as the ones that come with the DT 1990. When I first put them on I was disappointing. Even when setup with the same exact sizing, that something different in the pivot mechanics for the cups makes these pads apply pressure to right above my ear instead of making a nice circular seal. I pushed them a bit to see if maybe it just wasn't loose enough and I still haven't felt like I made progress, I honestly don't really know why this is the case, and even when swapping pads with the DT 1990, they still felt a little off centered. This wasn't uncomfortable, but I was really worried that it would affect the sound (spoiler, it did but there are still issues). First Listen Notes: Bass, ehh it's pretty good, nothing amazing but definitely just the right amount and very tight. Treble, excellent, really nice and not as sharp as I expected. Mids, dear god, look how they massacred my boy. Mids were absolutely aweful. I use Green Light by Lorde as my opening track, which is unfair for these headphones but is my favorite track for testing mid range, Lorde's voice does not let headphones hide any weaknesses in the midrange, her voice should sound extremely clear with a hint of echo, especially in the intro. These headphones completely wrecked the intimacy of her voice and muddied everything in mid-range. Forcefully re-positioning the headphones to press on my head better did help but I still was pretty disappointed at this point. Second Listen Notes (Pad Swap #1): I then went to bed and let them do a little burn in overnight, woke up with no noticeable sound change, so I then swapped the pads with the sheepskin provided in the box. Wow, wowowow, completely different headphones. It was like we had a big nob that reads "enhance" and enhances the bass mids and treble. The mids really sounded a lot more lively and clear, I was legitimately shocked that these were the same headphones. But here is the catch, the bass is HUGE and the treble is physically poking you with a knife with the sheepskin pads. The bass over killed and now started to sound a bit bloated, it was very close to the Th-x00 Ebony but with a lot less control. But this gave me faith, this told me that the headphones had a great driver (as to be expected in the current family of Beyerdynamic DT headphones), but was just tuned in a way that I really didn't like. (Quickly: I did burn them in more, but really didn't find much change in sound afterwards) Other Pads: I have a number of other pads around, but most are sized a bit too small and both sets of pads from the DT 1990 didn't sound great either, which I found really odd because it still felt like a fitting issue but in my mind that makes little sense. New Pads: I found Z Reviews early review of these headphones and while I don't agree with his take on the stock pads, I gave the Brainwavz XL Large Perforated PU Leather pads a chance. Yes... just yes, this is a 4.5 star headphone with these pads. Honestly, I could write a more detailed review about the stock sounds, but it doesn't matter because I would not recommend them without pad swapping. They are a 2/5 with the stock pads on my head (which is med-large but not oddly shaped), you're experience may vary but here's what I'll be recommending, buy them, but anticipate that you will also be purchasing $25 pads as well, if you don't need them then that's great, but if your absolute maximum budget is $450, there are other options, namely (I know this is cheating because technically not fully closed back) the TH-X00 Mahogany, which I like but do not own, would be a great pair to consider. - Part II: Full 👏 Review👏 -
Setup - DT 177X with the Brainwavz XL Perforated PU Leather plugged into the EL Amp and EL DAC by JDS Labs. No EQ. Comfort/Build: Build is just like the DT 1990, yes there is a little plastic but it doesn't feel flimsy at all and everything feels very solid. The padding on the headphone is adequate and doesn't cause any discomfort, although you may wish to have a little bit extra if you are extra sensitive. I don't feel my ears getting that warm although I'm not using them outdoors or on the go. (I have not looked at or compared to other frequency response graphs, these opinions are just what I hear in my ears, everyone is different and only you know what you like) Noticeable Frequency Peaks and Valleys: Bass Fully shows up at 35Hz More Bass at 45Hz Dip at 70Hz Another Peak at 102Hz Exponential build up to 1K Channel Imbalance at 1.6K (R>L) and 2K(L>R) Peak at 4.9k (But something sounds a bit odd here, resonance or something) Dip at 6k PEAK at 7.5K Dip at 8k + Channel Imbalance Continuous decreases from 10k to 20k Little Peak at 14k (but still a very feint sound at this point) Overall: This is a pretty relaxed sound all things considered, besides that 7.5K peak and the 4.9K issues I had, these are chill headphones and shouldn't cause fatigue Bass: It's a very healthy amount of bass. Many of my main testing songs have a strong bass lines and I never felt like it was over powered or too boomy (but a little bit boomy). It's definitely prominent in the sound and if you are not used to a good amount of bass it probably will feel distracting at first. I think songs that benefit from this are modern orchestral songs, in my test Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz is excellent with the slight bump in the bass, but songs like Promises by Nero do feel like it's taking a little too much control of the song. The bass is fairly well controlled, similar to the TH-X00 EB but with a little less bass, and a lot less sub bass. Mids: Amazing, these had fantastic mids and the driver clarity is fantastic. For this, Green Light by Lorde is my go to song to pressure test headphones and she sounds just like she's singing inside your head, which is how I believe that song is supposed to sound. The mids aren't as full as the 6XX or the DT 1990 and especially not as full as the Solaris, but they are good, just maybe a little under-powered, possibly more pad swaps can fix that. I also think the mids are still on the softer end on these headphones and can get overwhelmed by the bass and treble. Lastly, I know I said clarity was great, but these do seem to suffer when songs start to get "out of control", Chasing Heaven by Bassnectar pushed these a little beyond their limit but that's still an extreme case, most songs will not cause these headphones to suffer in clarity just because of complex sounds. Treble: I found them to be exactly the opposite of what most people expect from Beyerdynamic. There was just enough treble for the most part and actually I wanted a little more of the upper treble. I also feel like these aren't the clearest treble notes I've heard, bells don't ring exactly how I've learned to hear them with the Solaris or the DT 1990. It feels like it's ever so slightly muddier than the two other headphones but I still think these are exceptional and more around the 6XX in terms of quality. I think the only negative here is that the treble is emphasized more than the mids, which I think sound better in general. Another really positive note is that I think this treble is set up really well for extended listening, and for a relaxed listening session, these are my favorite headphone because of that. Soundstage: More than you would expect but it's purely your preference. It feel a little like artificial sound stage. The T60RP are the most intimate headphones I have and in Green Light by Lorde, she is dead in the middle center of your head, with the instruments and background voices are a little further than a couple inches outside your skull. These headphones spread her voice out from the center of your head just a little bit but the stage only gets to the same distance than the T60RPs get to. For a closed back, these are good, probably one of the better with good sounding sound stage, but open backs in this range will still beat it out. Imaging: Yes. I love the imaging of the DT 1990 and these are in the same class. Orchestral songs like Forge by Alan Silvestri and Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz are great because you can be like, "boom, there is the loudest guitar, exactly 47.5 degrees off to the right". In the same camp I would recommend these for gaming, with the nice amount of sound stage and amazing imaging these are my favorite closed back headphones for gaming (the DT 1990 are my favorite open back for gaming). While a bit more produced than the other orchestral songs on my list, Paint It Black by Ramin Djawadi really demonstrates where these headphones are great and where they are just alright; the imaging is spot on but the soundstage is a bit closer than I would like (still fairly good for a closed back). - Part III: Conclusion -
Overall: These are great closed back headphones, and with the Brainwavz XL Perforated PU Leather pads, I think they are some of the best all around headphones in general. I really don't think they are the best in any one category but when you look at a complete package and the fact they are closed back, they are really compelling. It's a lot like my DT 1990 and TH-X00 EB had a baby who was a bit more relaxed than both parents. If you don't actually care about closed or open back, then just get the DT 1990, they are a better headphone in general and come with stock pads that I love. Lets assume you want closed back though, so this or the TH-X00 line? It's been a long while since I heard the TH-X00 Mahogany or Purple Heart which unfairly compares this headphone(+pads) against a pair(+pads) that's $120 more, but I do enjoy the TH-X00 EB more for fun listening, but those could never be my daily driver, whereas the DT 177X could be. I think it's because the TH-X00 EB has an unfortunate 10K peak and a little too much bass for daily life (otherwise they do sound better in every other way), whereas these don't offend anywhere on the spectrum, but also aren't OMG have you heard the <BLANK> in these. Pre-Order Price Notes: For those lucky bunch like myself that pre-ordered these for $380, they are absolutely a steal. They fill a great gap in the market at a great price, add on $25 pads and you're just breaking $400 and you would be hard pressed to find something better sounding for less. Star Rating: What am I supposed to do? With new pads they sound like a 4.5/5, definitely a 5/5 when factoring the price I paid for them. Unfortunately, out of the box? These are a 2/5, I think there are a lot better options for a lot cheaper and if you were already looking in this price range, the TH-X00 line is a better value out of the box, even before pad swapping. Having the option to run balanced is great, but they didn't include a fully balanced cable so I can't give any points for something I haven't tested other than, it's available unlike the DT 1990 which doesn't have the option at all without major modding. Conclusion: I only recommend these IF you pad swap. I, so far, would just toss the velour pads and go right for the sheepskin pads included, and if you think the bass and treble is a too much but they sound good, go get some perforated pu leather and then these are great headphones for daily relaxed listening in semi noisy environments. If closed back isn't important to you but you like a lot of what I've said in this review, go pickup the DT 1990 for about the same price. Edit: Mislabeled Brainwavz pads as sheepskin instead of PU Leather. ( https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/earpads-round-xl/products/headphone-memory-foam-earpads-xl-size-perforated-pu-leather )
- Green Light - Lorde
- City Ruins (Orchestral Arrangement) - Keiichi Okabe (Nier: Automata)
- Let The Groove Get In - Justin Timberlake
- Forge - Alan Silvestri (Avengers Infinity War)
- Take The Power Back - Rage Against The Machine
- Epilogue - Justin Hurwitz (La La Land)
- Get Lucky - Daft Punk
- Doin' It Right - Daft Punk
- Hotel California - Eagles
- Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix) - Nero
- Chasing Heaven - Bassnectar
- Paint It Black - Ramin Djawadi (Westworld)
- Part I - Fixing Stock -
Starting with unboxing: These headphones come with no additional packaging or casing, the box they came in is very flimsy but protective enough. Inside you will find 1 mini xlr cable (6ft?) with a TRS 1/8in w/ a 1/4in adapter and a balanced mini xlr connector (absolutely love this decision because no option to even run balanced on the DT 1990 has always been a gripe of mine even though I understand that people haven't had great results running them balanced). Also in the box is a second set of pads that look to be Dekoni Sheepskin. Then of course the headphones with stock velour pads. This being Drop, I wasn't expecting much more, but a second shorter cable would have been nice if we are marketing these as "on the go". Pre-First Listen Notes: The cups are a bit looser than those on the DT 1990, which might be a good thing for some people, but I do like that the DT 1990 sort of get set in a position and then stay there. The DT 177X don't wobble but pivot nicely and smoothly. The pads feel a bit stiff out of the box and aren't as soft as the ones that come with the DT 1990. When I first put them on I was disappointing. Even when setup with the same exact sizing, that something different in the pivot mechanics for the cups makes these pads apply pressure to right above my ear instead of making a nice circular seal. I pushed them a bit to see if maybe it just wasn't loose enough and I still haven't felt like I made progress, I honestly don't really know why this is the case, and even when swapping pads with the DT 1990, they still felt a little off centered. This wasn't uncomfortable, but I was really worried that it would affect the sound (spoiler, it did but there are still issues). First Listen Notes: Bass, ehh it's pretty good, nothing amazing but definitely just the right amount and very tight. Treble, excellent, really nice and not as sharp as I expected. Mids, dear god, look how they massacred my boy. Mids were absolutely aweful. I use Green Light by Lorde as my opening track, which is unfair for these headphones but is my favorite track for testing mid range, Lorde's voice does not let headphones hide any weaknesses in the midrange, her voice should sound extremely clear with a hint of echo, especially in the intro. These headphones completely wrecked the intimacy of her voice and muddied everything in mid-range. Forcefully re-positioning the headphones to press on my head better did help but I still was pretty disappointed at this point. Second Listen Notes (Pad Swap #1): I then went to bed and let them do a little burn in overnight, woke up with no noticeable sound change, so I then swapped the pads with the sheepskin provided in the box. Wow, wowowow, completely different headphones. It was like we had a big nob that reads "enhance" and enhances the bass mids and treble. The mids really sounded a lot more lively and clear, I was legitimately shocked that these were the same headphones. But here is the catch, the bass is HUGE and the treble is physically poking you with a knife with the sheepskin pads. The bass over killed and now started to sound a bit bloated, it was very close to the Th-x00 Ebony but with a lot less control. But this gave me faith, this told me that the headphones had a great driver (as to be expected in the current family of Beyerdynamic DT headphones), but was just tuned in a way that I really didn't like. (Quickly: I did burn them in more, but really didn't find much change in sound afterwards) Other Pads: I have a number of other pads around, but most are sized a bit too small and both sets of pads from the DT 1990 didn't sound great either, which I found really odd because it still felt like a fitting issue but in my mind that makes little sense. New Pads: I found Z Reviews early review of these headphones and while I don't agree with his take on the stock pads, I gave the Brainwavz XL Large Perforated PU Leather pads a chance. Yes... just yes, this is a 4.5 star headphone with these pads. Honestly, I could write a more detailed review about the stock sounds, but it doesn't matter because I would not recommend them without pad swapping. They are a 2/5 with the stock pads on my head (which is med-large but not oddly shaped), you're experience may vary but here's what I'll be recommending, buy them, but anticipate that you will also be purchasing $25 pads as well, if you don't need them then that's great, but if your absolute maximum budget is $450, there are other options, namely (I know this is cheating because technically not fully closed back) the TH-X00 Mahogany, which I like but do not own, would be a great pair to consider. - Part II: Full 👏 Review👏 -
Setup - DT 177X with the Brainwavz XL Perforated PU Leather plugged into the EL Amp and EL DAC by JDS Labs. No EQ. Comfort/Build: Build is just like the DT 1990, yes there is a little plastic but it doesn't feel flimsy at all and everything feels very solid. The padding on the headphone is adequate and doesn't cause any discomfort, although you may wish to have a little bit extra if you are extra sensitive. I don't feel my ears getting that warm although I'm not using them outdoors or on the go. (I have not looked at or compared to other frequency response graphs, these opinions are just what I hear in my ears, everyone is different and only you know what you like) Noticeable Frequency Peaks and Valleys: Bass Fully shows up at 35Hz More Bass at 45Hz Dip at 70Hz Another Peak at 102Hz Exponential build up to 1K Channel Imbalance at 1.6K (R>L) and 2K(L>R) Peak at 4.9k (But something sounds a bit odd here, resonance or something) Dip at 6k PEAK at 7.5K Dip at 8k + Channel Imbalance Continuous decreases from 10k to 20k Little Peak at 14k (but still a very feint sound at this point) Overall: This is a pretty relaxed sound all things considered, besides that 7.5K peak and the 4.9K issues I had, these are chill headphones and shouldn't cause fatigue Bass: It's a very healthy amount of bass. Many of my main testing songs have a strong bass lines and I never felt like it was over powered or too boomy (but a little bit boomy). It's definitely prominent in the sound and if you are not used to a good amount of bass it probably will feel distracting at first. I think songs that benefit from this are modern orchestral songs, in my test Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz is excellent with the slight bump in the bass, but songs like Promises by Nero do feel like it's taking a little too much control of the song. The bass is fairly well controlled, similar to the TH-X00 EB but with a little less bass, and a lot less sub bass. Mids: Amazing, these had fantastic mids and the driver clarity is fantastic. For this, Green Light by Lorde is my go to song to pressure test headphones and she sounds just like she's singing inside your head, which is how I believe that song is supposed to sound. The mids aren't as full as the 6XX or the DT 1990 and especially not as full as the Solaris, but they are good, just maybe a little under-powered, possibly more pad swaps can fix that. I also think the mids are still on the softer end on these headphones and can get overwhelmed by the bass and treble. Lastly, I know I said clarity was great, but these do seem to suffer when songs start to get "out of control", Chasing Heaven by Bassnectar pushed these a little beyond their limit but that's still an extreme case, most songs will not cause these headphones to suffer in clarity just because of complex sounds. Treble: I found them to be exactly the opposite of what most people expect from Beyerdynamic. There was just enough treble for the most part and actually I wanted a little more of the upper treble. I also feel like these aren't the clearest treble notes I've heard, bells don't ring exactly how I've learned to hear them with the Solaris or the DT 1990. It feels like it's ever so slightly muddier than the two other headphones but I still think these are exceptional and more around the 6XX in terms of quality. I think the only negative here is that the treble is emphasized more than the mids, which I think sound better in general. Another really positive note is that I think this treble is set up really well for extended listening, and for a relaxed listening session, these are my favorite headphone because of that. Soundstage: More than you would expect but it's purely your preference. It feel a little like artificial sound stage. The T60RP are the most intimate headphones I have and in Green Light by Lorde, she is dead in the middle center of your head, with the instruments and background voices are a little further than a couple inches outside your skull. These headphones spread her voice out from the center of your head just a little bit but the stage only gets to the same distance than the T60RPs get to. For a closed back, these are good, probably one of the better with good sounding sound stage, but open backs in this range will still beat it out. Imaging: Yes. I love the imaging of the DT 1990 and these are in the same class. Orchestral songs like Forge by Alan Silvestri and Epilogue by Justin Hurwitz are great because you can be like, "boom, there is the loudest guitar, exactly 47.5 degrees off to the right". In the same camp I would recommend these for gaming, with the nice amount of sound stage and amazing imaging these are my favorite closed back headphones for gaming (the DT 1990 are my favorite open back for gaming). While a bit more produced than the other orchestral songs on my list, Paint It Black by Ramin Djawadi really demonstrates where these headphones are great and where they are just alright; the imaging is spot on but the soundstage is a bit closer than I would like (still fairly good for a closed back). - Part III: Conclusion -
Overall: These are great closed back headphones, and with the Brainwavz XL Perforated PU Leather pads, I think they are some of the best all around headphones in general. I really don't think they are the best in any one category but when you look at a complete package and the fact they are closed back, they are really compelling. It's a lot like my DT 1990 and TH-X00 EB had a baby who was a bit more relaxed than both parents. If you don't actually care about closed or open back, then just get the DT 1990, they are a better headphone in general and come with stock pads that I love. Lets assume you want closed back though, so this or the TH-X00 line? It's been a long while since I heard the TH-X00 Mahogany or Purple Heart which unfairly compares this headphone(+pads) against a pair(+pads) that's $120 more, but I do enjoy the TH-X00 EB more for fun listening, but those could never be my daily driver, whereas the DT 177X could be. I think it's because the TH-X00 EB has an unfortunate 10K peak and a little too much bass for daily life (otherwise they do sound better in every other way), whereas these don't offend anywhere on the spectrum, but also aren't OMG have you heard the <BLANK> in these. Pre-Order Price Notes: For those lucky bunch like myself that pre-ordered these for $380, they are absolutely a steal. They fill a great gap in the market at a great price, add on $25 pads and you're just breaking $400 and you would be hard pressed to find something better sounding for less. Star Rating: What am I supposed to do? With new pads they sound like a 4.5/5, definitely a 5/5 when factoring the price I paid for them. Unfortunately, out of the box? These are a 2/5, I think there are a lot better options for a lot cheaper and if you were already looking in this price range, the TH-X00 line is a better value out of the box, even before pad swapping. Having the option to run balanced is great, but they didn't include a fully balanced cable so I can't give any points for something I haven't tested other than, it's available unlike the DT 1990 which doesn't have the option at all without major modding. Conclusion: I only recommend these IF you pad swap. I, so far, would just toss the velour pads and go right for the sheepskin pads included, and if you think the bass and treble is a too much but they sound good, go get some perforated pu leather and then these are great headphones for daily relaxed listening in semi noisy environments. If closed back isn't important to you but you like a lot of what I've said in this review, go pickup the DT 1990 for about the same price. Edit: Mislabeled Brainwavz pads as sheepskin instead of PU Leather. ( https://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/earpads-round-xl/products/headphone-memory-foam-earpads-xl-size-perforated-pu-leather )
(Edited)
Xii-Nyth
21
May 24, 2020
when you were refering to the mids not being as good as the hd6xx does this also include the lower mids? I heard people say that the different areas are very segmentated and easy to tell apart from one another, and I'm looking to get something that does the lower frequencies really well as that has been something my past headphones have lacked
bcaulf
151
May 24, 2020
Xii-NythWell for one thing the HD6XX has more detail and an effortless natural character in its midrange. That’s kind of what it’s known for.
In terms of straight tonality, the lower midrange of both is actually similar but the HD6XX has more upper midrange energy and clarity, the 177X is a bit dark there in comparison and is more relaxed in its midrange.
wooxer
42
Aug 6, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Great headphones, bad QC (at least in my case)
These are a nice pair of headphones, but.....
I'll explain.
They have a creek and/or slight movement in the metal part on the outside of the cup, but otherwise, they are built well.
I find them amazingly comfortable. With the sheepskin pads (Dekoni I think) they seal very well. I consider the velour pads just transport protection. They are totally pointless and were a huge disappointment when I plugged the headphones in initially. They are not comfortable and the sound is way worse with them. Waaay worse.
Replace immediately!
SOUND:
I am not good at explaining sound so I apologize for what is to follow.
I am very sensitive to high frequencies and sibilance. They cause me physical discomfort.
These are not sibilant at all.
The bass is very tight and pleasant.
Mid-range is kind of recessed but overall, I enjoyed listening to them.
If only they lasted... The quality control of these headphones is a joke....
DURABILITY:
I've had two pairs now with the same issue!
S/N 00222 (or was it 01222) on the first one and S/N 01930 on the second one.
I ordered the first one from the initial drop. They did not have a replacement for me at the time so I received a refund. The second one I purchased from the second drop because I liked the sound so much.
Distortion appears in the right cup and that's it. There doesn't seem to be anything one can do to prevent it! And I am not even moving them around. They just sit on my desk.
I carefully opened the cup on the first pair, looked for debris, looked for hairs - nothing. Tried different sources, amplifiers, devices. The distortion just comes and goes. It's gone one day and it's back in 2 hours/2 days/2 weeks.
I ordered the second pair. How can the second pair have the same issue if there is nobody else complaining about it, right? Well...
Second pair arrived and only after 3 DAYS of listening (no more than 10-15 hours total) - same issue. Distortion in the right cup.
I disassembled it completely. Looked for debris. Blew in the driver (since it's sealed and I can't get to the actual surface to check for debris. The distortion was there even with everything removed. Just holding the bare driver I could hear it distort.
I went the extra mile, because returning them is a hassle (ordered in Europe). Opened the other one too and switched the left one and the right one. If the cabling was the issue for the distortion it would continue distorting on the right. The distortion moved to the left side, but shortly after turning them on - it disappeared. It was gone for 2 weeks. I knew that I didn't do anything but the problem was resolved, so I was happy but cautious. Expecting the issue to come up any moment. The freaking thing gave me PTSD and Stockholm Syndrome at the same time!
And one day - there it was again. The rattle/distortion coming from the driver.
I figured it's something physically moving, because I was leaving them on the desk in the same way. When they were on the desk, the front side of the headphones was always facing downward. I think that this is why switching the drivers (Left < -- > Right) worked for so long. The thing moving inside just started "falling" to the other side when the headphones are on the desk and it was not causing the issue. As soon as I put them the other way around - it happened again.
Not sure what the "thing" is. It may be a debris left from production. Some plastic piece that got leftover or something else..
I returned the second pair for a refund too. I was done with this.
Since I no longer had a closed-back headphone to enjoy, I had to search for alternatives.
The headphones I have owned:
AKG Q701, Sennheiser HD25-II, Fostex T-X0, Philips Fidelio X2, BeyerDynamic T5p Gen. 2.
Headphones I tested as an alternative to these:
Focal Elegia, Neumann NDH20
Some comparisons:
AKG Q701 - Well, can't really compare these since one of them is open and the other one is closed. Totally different beasts. Sennheiser HD25 - My trusty HD25 is the first higher quality headphone I bought. Owned it for 8 years now. Built to last. Sounds great. Bass is tight, isolates well, makes your head/ears bleed. Those things are like a vice after more than an hour of listening. Compared to the DT177X - Beyers sound fuller. Are more enjoyable to listen to. Bass is tighter, softer. MUCH more comfortable. The DT177X is an upgraded version of the HD25 in each regard. Fostex T-X0 - Still not a fair comparison because of the nature of the headphones. Very detailed, but also very sibilant to my ears. I did not enjoy listening to those and have since sold them. Could not be bothered modding them. Compared to the DT177X -Beyers again sound fuller. Music sounds "further" from your ears. The Fostex just inject the sound in your head. Beyers are more comfortable too. Philips Fidelio X2 - My go-to headphone for gaming and computer use at home. Super comfortable. Can wear it for hours without any discomfort or my ears becoming warm. Again, not an actual comparison because of the open vs closed nature of the headphones. Still.. Compared to the DT177X - Bass on the DT177X is similar to the X2s, but punchier and more precise. The X2 are a little boomy and out of control in the bass department. The vocals are clearer on the DT177X. Soundstage is wider on the X2, which is to be expected. T5P Gen 2. - The headphone I am currently using. Got it after I was fed up with the quality issues on the DT177Xs. I just wanted the same sound like on the DT177X, but without it breaking. This seemed like a logical choice. Well... They are not as comfortable. The stock pads are bad. Hurt my ears and are nothing when compared to the leather pads which came with the DT177X. I ordered Brainwavz XL Sheepskin, hoping that this will help with the seal and comfort. Still waiting for them to arrive. They are better than the DT177X with the stock pads so I hope that changing the pads on them will have the same positive impact like changing the pads on the DT177X did. Compared to the DT177X (T5p using the stock pads): Bass was deeper on the DT177X, but then again - the seal was better. Pressing the T5p to my ears improves the seal and the bass. Highs are a little more detailed on the T5p, but not sibilant. Mids (vocals) are more "forward". Busier tracks sound cleaner on the T5p where they sounded confusing and busy on the DT177X. Soundstage on the DT177X was wider than it is on the T5p. I again have the feeling that someone is injecting the music in my ears. Something that I hope changing the pads will resolve. Overall, the T5p with stock pads are not twice as good as the DT177X with the leather pads, like the price would suggest. I did not want to admit it, considering how much money I paid for them, but it's a fact. Here's to hoping that the pad switch will make the T5p worth the premium over the DT177X by increasing the comfort, improving the seal and increasing the soundstage. The following two models I listened to in the store so I did not have enough time to compare. I tested them after I returned my first pair of the Beyers. Focal Elegia - Too big for my head and they were just sitting loose, shifting with each more sudden movement. Bass was not there because of the loose fit. The highs were piercing my ears. It was painful. I could not evaluate the rest. DT177X sounded much better in every regard. Neumann NDH 20 - Better fit than the Elegia, but no seal. Not as comfortable as the DT177X. The pads were shallow and my ears were pressed against the fabric, meaning that there was almost no soundstage. Even less than there is on the T5p. Comparable to the Fostex T-X0. They were balanced and detailed, but I did not like them as much as I did the DT177X. The DT177X had punchier, fuller bass. The sounds, strings sounded more real and less shrill. Conclusion: The DT177X is a great headphone for the price. The bass is controller, soft and very enjoyable. They are not fatiguing to listen to like almost all the other headphones I've listed above (except the Fidelio X2). I could listen to them for hours, until the rattle came! There is a quality control issue on some of these. A rattle appears and I could not fix it, even though I tried. The fact that I tried should be evidence enough of how much I liked them, but it just wasn't meant to be... All I am left with now is hoping that the much more expensive T5p Gen 2 (with a pad change), will fill the void the DT177X left.
AKG Q701 - Well, can't really compare these since one of them is open and the other one is closed. Totally different beasts. Sennheiser HD25 - My trusty HD25 is the first higher quality headphone I bought. Owned it for 8 years now. Built to last. Sounds great. Bass is tight, isolates well, makes your head/ears bleed. Those things are like a vice after more than an hour of listening. Compared to the DT177X - Beyers sound fuller. Are more enjoyable to listen to. Bass is tighter, softer. MUCH more comfortable. The DT177X is an upgraded version of the HD25 in each regard. Fostex T-X0 - Still not a fair comparison because of the nature of the headphones. Very detailed, but also very sibilant to my ears. I did not enjoy listening to those and have since sold them. Could not be bothered modding them. Compared to the DT177X -Beyers again sound fuller. Music sounds "further" from your ears. The Fostex just inject the sound in your head. Beyers are more comfortable too. Philips Fidelio X2 - My go-to headphone for gaming and computer use at home. Super comfortable. Can wear it for hours without any discomfort or my ears becoming warm. Again, not an actual comparison because of the open vs closed nature of the headphones. Still.. Compared to the DT177X - Bass on the DT177X is similar to the X2s, but punchier and more precise. The X2 are a little boomy and out of control in the bass department. The vocals are clearer on the DT177X. Soundstage is wider on the X2, which is to be expected. T5P Gen 2. - The headphone I am currently using. Got it after I was fed up with the quality issues on the DT177Xs. I just wanted the same sound like on the DT177X, but without it breaking. This seemed like a logical choice. Well... They are not as comfortable. The stock pads are bad. Hurt my ears and are nothing when compared to the leather pads which came with the DT177X. I ordered Brainwavz XL Sheepskin, hoping that this will help with the seal and comfort. Still waiting for them to arrive. They are better than the DT177X with the stock pads so I hope that changing the pads on them will have the same positive impact like changing the pads on the DT177X did. Compared to the DT177X (T5p using the stock pads): Bass was deeper on the DT177X, but then again - the seal was better. Pressing the T5p to my ears improves the seal and the bass. Highs are a little more detailed on the T5p, but not sibilant. Mids (vocals) are more "forward". Busier tracks sound cleaner on the T5p where they sounded confusing and busy on the DT177X. Soundstage on the DT177X was wider than it is on the T5p. I again have the feeling that someone is injecting the music in my ears. Something that I hope changing the pads will resolve. Overall, the T5p with stock pads are not twice as good as the DT177X with the leather pads, like the price would suggest. I did not want to admit it, considering how much money I paid for them, but it's a fact. Here's to hoping that the pad switch will make the T5p worth the premium over the DT177X by increasing the comfort, improving the seal and increasing the soundstage. The following two models I listened to in the store so I did not have enough time to compare. I tested them after I returned my first pair of the Beyers. Focal Elegia - Too big for my head and they were just sitting loose, shifting with each more sudden movement. Bass was not there because of the loose fit. The highs were piercing my ears. It was painful. I could not evaluate the rest. DT177X sounded much better in every regard. Neumann NDH 20 - Better fit than the Elegia, but no seal. Not as comfortable as the DT177X. The pads were shallow and my ears were pressed against the fabric, meaning that there was almost no soundstage. Even less than there is on the T5p. Comparable to the Fostex T-X0. They were balanced and detailed, but I did not like them as much as I did the DT177X. The DT177X had punchier, fuller bass. The sounds, strings sounded more real and less shrill. Conclusion: The DT177X is a great headphone for the price. The bass is controller, soft and very enjoyable. They are not fatiguing to listen to like almost all the other headphones I've listed above (except the Fidelio X2). I could listen to them for hours, until the rattle came! There is a quality control issue on some of these. A rattle appears and I could not fix it, even though I tried. The fact that I tried should be evidence enough of how much I liked them, but it just wasn't meant to be... All I am left with now is hoping that the much more expensive T5p Gen 2 (with a pad change), will fill the void the DT177X left.
wooxer
42
Aug 6, 2020
Distortion sounded like rattle. Like a torn speaker membrane. Like there was something moving on the driver itself. It was happening at very low frequencies.
vb843hka
15
Oct 29, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Great heaphones but be aware of value vs DT 1770 Pro
At the time of purchasing these, the DT 1770 Pro was $420 on Amazon. The DT 1770 Pro includes 2 sets of ear pads, 2 cables, and a carrying case. The DT 177X GO from Drop at $450 includes a single cable, and 2 sets of earpads. I choose the DT 177X GO because the adjusted frequency response and lower power needs appealed to me but I'd definitely advise you consider the value/needs when making your decision.
I agree with every positive review in regard to the sound quality and these will be my daily closed back headphones. I also agree with users complaints about the cable provided. Unfortunately it was too short to run under my desk and around the back to my amp but when run over the top it was a little too long and noticeably springy and unwieldy. The cable was also surprisingly noisy when rubbing against my shoulder. I've already replaced it with a third party cable.
Recommends this product? Yes
Zero5809
14
May 17, 2020
I have a cable from hart for all of my headphones. Its very nice to be able to go balanced on headphones that support it with the same cable. The cable is much nicer than the cable that comes with the headphones.
zha2zha
6
May 25, 2020
How long does it take for Hart Cables to get back to you. I emailed them and no reply. Also not much in stock. Are they still in business?
Roverrich
30
Apr 26, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Teutonic tour de force
I needed a set of closed back headphones to isolate my music from those around me. I’ve been a big fan of sennheisers and love the sound signature of the HD6XX which I also own, but they did not meet the requirements of containing sound to my personal space. I did shop around for others and decided to give the DT177x GO a try. There really aren’t too many reviews on these cans so I was worried about the treble and weight of these headphones. First off, compared to other Beyer’s I’ve tried, it seems like Drop tuned these to be less hot in the treble vs other DT’s. There still is a fair amount of sparkle, but not annoying or sibilant sounding. Mid range is on the warmer side of things, though overall the balance seems slightly more forward, but not too much. Bass is excellent, controlled and extended. You do feel sub-bass rumble, but the higher quality amps the better. As far as weight and comfort. I have a fat head....there I said it and some headphones don’t fit me too well. This was the case with the DT177x GO until I figured out a trick. The headband tended to press directly at the top of my head and cause a hotspot, but I found that by rotating the headband slightly towards my forehead the pressure was alleviated. Also, I found that the clamping pressure to be moderately light and combined with the headphones being on the heavier side, they are hard to listen to while lying down as the fall backwards towards your pillow. Thank goodness they come with two sets of pads b/c the velour one attached are too thin and hard. I could not get a good seal and considered returning the headphones until I switched to the included Dekoni sheepskin and now I’m very happy. Using the thicker and more supple Lambskin pads, these cans are very musical vs analytic and I find them to be engaging, enjoyable but still somewhat still intense. Finally they really do isolate very well both limiting ambient sounds from bleeding in and preventing my music from leaking out. Hope this review helps.
Recommends this product? Yes
bcaulf
151
Sep 28, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
They're Beyers, and they're beautiful Beyers
A slightly edited version of a review I posted on Reddit a couple of days ago.
I just received the new Beyerdynamic x Drop DT 177X Go in the mail the other day. It was a long wait for these but I was happy to finally have them in my hand and give them a go. To provide some context, I have haven't tried a whole lot of headphones in my time, but I have a pretty good ear. My current arsenal is the HD6XX, B&O H6 Gen 2, and Tin T2 (you will most likely see the first two mentioned throughout the review).
For what it's worth, I used to own the DT 770 and I didn't like them. I found the treble and sibilance too much and so sharp and simply couldn't stand it despite the other good things about the headphone (especially soundstage...I still miss it). I sold them after three months, reading that many Beyer headphones tend to have these large peaks in the treble, and thinking it just wasn't for me; likely to never buy another Beyerdynamic again...
...Until Drop announced these, and with a tempting pre-order price, a claimed "more relaxed tuning" and shopping for a closed back upgrade, I jumped on it.
I've never heard the original DT 1770, but from what I understand it was pretty intense, perhaps like it's parent, the DT 770. So, was Drop honest about this relaxed tuning? I would say overall, yes. How's the headphone overall? Excellent.
Build / Comfort: Typical for a Beyerdynamic headphone, they feel very well built and look and feel stunning in the hand. The cups have a smooth matte finish, and the dark silver text on the sides look lovely. The headband is a nice stitched leather, with the Beyerdynamic logo across the top. The cups don't have much swivel to them. The velour pads are soft as usual, but they are a bit stiff on the head. A bit bothersome on day one, but much improved a few days later. I believe these are lighter than the original 1770, possibly to reduce cost, but I'm okay with that. The lighter something is on my head, the better. These headphones come with a set of lambskin pads, which I've yet to try. With the velours, as mentioned, they can feel a bit stiff and there is a bit of clamp but it isn't too bad for me personally. In regards to the build, my least favorite part is the cable. It seems to have a mind of its own, and often coils itself even when I tell it not to!
Isolation: Isolation with the velour pads is pretty good. I tested them in a quiet bedroom and my girlfriend was able to hear them at a medium/loud volume, but at work, my colleague who sits right next to me told me he couldn't hear them at all throughout the day. The lambskin pads likely isolate better.
Drive/Portability: These are marketed as a portable headphone but they didn't do much to make these really portable I feel. They don't come with a case, they only come with one rather lengthy cable, and they are quite large. I don't think I would walk around with these outside, but I will certainly carry them to work with me and use them there! They are lower impedance, 32 ohm. Might still be a little tough to drive through a phone, but my MacBook powers them fine. My FiiO Q1 Mk II provides plenty of power through high gain, and sounds good. Which leads us to...
Bass: Given the DT 1770's reputation as a bassy headphone, I was expecting this from this new Go version, but that's not really the case. It gives you the bass when the bass is there, which is exactly what you want in a good headphone. It extends well and provides a nice belly and slam when the track calls for it. One of my favorite tracks for bass testing is "Lose Yourself To Dance" by Daft Punk. The opening bass notes should hit deep and hard, and they do on these, even with the velour pads, and they remain pretty clean. I imagine they hit even harder with the lambskins. There is nice little bump in the mid bass to bring a little bit of thickness and punch to bass notes, and provide a slight bit of warmth to the overall tone of the headphone, which I find is lovely. The bass remains relatively tight, if a tiny bit slow in the lower regions on some tracks due to its thickness, but bass notes between acoustic bass and electric bass sound accurate (a plus for a jazz listener like myself!) Overall, the bass is very slightly, but inoffensively boosted, to add some body to the character of the 177X, and leading nicely into the low mids. The bass will play along with the recording; if there is no bass, you won't hear bass that shouldn't be there. Compared to the HD6XX, they have a similar slight mid bass hump, but the 177X has deeper extension. The H6 in comparison, is lacking in mid bass, providing a lack of body sometimes, and a boosted low-bass, which on rare occasions can sound muddy. The 177X sounds pretty darn right. So far so good.
Mids: I'm extremely surprised by the mids on this headphone! Knowing the 770 and it's less-than-stellar midrange, I was expecting more of the same. But that's not the case at all. The mids are very balanced, from the low mids to the upper mids, with again, a slightly warm character. Guitars have a nice weight to them, with plenty of growl and crunch, while vocals have nice presence and richness. You can really hear the character between different vocalists like Freddie Mercury, Bryan Ferry, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, as well as the many textures and undertones they convey, and they all sound very compelling. The mids are missing that little bit of Sennheiser magic but they are much better than I expected. It seems they pulled the upper mids back a bit which I like too, as there are hardly any occasions where the vocals sound shouty or too forward. They are perfectly placed in the mix to my ears. Much better than my H6, which sometimes sounded thin and as if they were coming through a telephone.
Treble: Here we are, the point of controversy. Beyerdynamic is well known for it's treble tuning through most of its headphones featuring prominent peaks between 6k and 10k, in a majority of cases hard to tolerate for most people. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I couldn't take the treble of the DT 770. The treble and sibilance sounded louder than the rest of the music in more cases than I felt it should've. Sharp, forward, fatiguing and distracting. I'm happy to report that, while there are still traces of Beyer treble, it is much more manageable on this headphone. You get great extension and detail, with the crispness and sparkle of the treble with hardly an ounce of pain. Sibilance still exists, but only in sibilant recordings, and it sounds like it's part of the music now, and not an annoyance (at least for me). I don't feel like my ears are being stabbed, even on recordings that are known for high sibilance. If I'm not paying attention, I might not even notice it. One thing I noticed, a bit of a negative but not a huge deal and again dependent on the recording, there are still instances of slightly cold/digital (grainy?) sounding voices if they sit in the treble region, as if they haven't been rounded out or smoothed over, but it’s not too bothersome to me, and it hasn't come up too often. If anything, it's a sign that these headphones are providing the truth. The HD6XX has the more relaxed treble which makes it easier to listen to, same goes to the H6, overall smoother. One strange thing though, testing some tracks, the H6 actually sounds brighter than the 177X in some spots, perhaps due to it's dip in the low mids, or a slight boost in the lower treble, because this is where I hear it. I actually find the H6 and HD6XX ever so slightly more resolving in the upper treble. The 177X is still detailed, but I’ve noticed after extensive listening just the slightest lack of information around and above 10k.
Soundstage/Imaging: Soundstage is pretty good. I'd put it on par with the H6 and a little better than the HD6XX, but I remember the DT 770 having more depth than these. So, not bad, but not mind blowing. The midrange on these might make the soundstage feel a little more intimate. Imaging on the other hand is fantastic. Vocal cues come from all over the place, echoes and other random sounds, it sounds really cool. Instrument placement is dead on, with enough room to breathe and do their thing.
Overall: While I do wish they included a case and maybe a shorter cable better suited for portable use for the price they're asking, the Beyerdynamic DT 177X Go is a fantastic closed back headphone, and is suitable for anyone. They straddled a fine line between consumer friendly, with it's slightly warm tilt and engaging bass and midrange, and professionals, with its attention to detail and honest displays of recording quality, but still to the point of listenability. They sound full, robust and inviting. Once you're in, you're in. In the studio, in the front row. They somehow pull it together in a way where just about everything sounds the way it should, with plenty of character, texture and musicality. Except for someone who has extreme sensitivity to sibilance and treble, I would recommend this headphone to anyone looking to take the next step in this hobby. It was my next step, from the M50x, to the DT 770, the H6 (which I will still keep) and now the DT 177X Go, and I don't think I'll need to take another step for a long while, if ever.
Looking forward to the balanced cable!
Thank you for reading! please keep in mind these thoughts are my own
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
bcaulf
151
Sep 30, 2019
Oh yeah. It’s quite annoying. I mentioned it a little bit in my review. I tried laying it flat on the floor and placing an object in the middle and at each end to try and straighten it out. It seems to have reduced some of the coil so I might try doing that again.
Showing 123 of 727
Recent Activity
Drop Refurbished
Like-new products you can trustDrop Rewards
Get $5 for every 500 points you earn! Learn more
Drop Keyboard Club
Become a member and expand your keycap collectionCollaborate With Us
For Brands & DesignersFollow Drop
Disclaimer: These Beyer-dynamic 177X GO were an advanced set, sent to me as a sample for this review.