32 ohm vs 250 ohm - Which Headphones Sound Best?
What's the difference between 32 ohm vs 250 ohm headphones?
There haven't been many reviews out there that cover the differences between the different versions available of this product. I found myself in the possession of both the 80ohm and 250ohm so hopefully this can be helpful to someone!
The first thing I would like to note is that the 80ohm version has a straight cable whereas the 250ohm version has a coiled cable. This difference has a non-obvious impact on comfort: the coiled cable of the 250ohm version makes the headphones feel heavier. That's because there is more cable that "hangs" off your head. Because the headphones are already pretty lightweight themselves (~270 g) it does make a small but perceivable difference. The straight cable is pretty long so while it will work great at the studio, work or home, it would most likely be a major annoyance if you were planning to use these on the go.
DIFFERENCES IN SOUND
The differences between the two models I've reviewed (80ohm and 250ohm) are subtle but they are there. It's definitely true that the 80ohm version has slightly more bass whereas the 250ohm version has more pronounced highs. I personally love when the bass in a song really pulls you in and makes you want to dance on your desk. With the 80ohm version, I definitely get that. With the other, I kept thinking to myself that the bass was nice, but always a little less impactful than I wished for. If you are the kind of person that boosts the volume of your music until the bass is strong enough, then definitely go for the 80ohm version. I know it's the more expensive version (as of this writing) but you'll be glad you spent the extra.
I have noticed that these headphones need at least a couple of hours of "burn-in" to sound their best. So if you're not super happy with the sound (to me the 250ohms sounded a little harsh at first) then set your headphones in a safe spot and play some pink noise for a couple of hours or even overnight then try again. I know that the effects of burn-in in headphones are a highly debated and controversial subject in the audiophile community. My opinion is that it's the only (virtually) free method of possibly improving the sound of your headphones prior to first use. So why not give it a try?
IMPEDANCE AND AMPLIFICATION
Why would you consider these really nice headphones if you're not interested in good sound? The biggest improvement in sound quality I've ever noticed after getting nice headphones was when I bought a DAC/AMP. These things really do make a difference. Get a Fiio, Centrance Slim or something like that and you won't regret it. If you plan on using these on the go (which I wouldn't recommend because they are fairly big) then definitely go for the 80ohm.
ON COMFORT
One of my favorite feature of those headphones is the detachable headband pad. One thing I was able to do is to cut some NERF darts, cut them in half and slide them in the headband where needed. This allowed the headphones to make better contact with a larger surface on my head, reducing pressure and discomfort. You can also bend the headband a little bit (it is made of metal after all) but I found that the extra padding allowed me to really adapt these to feel great on my head. These headphones are relatively light. The ear pads can get hot after a while but I've notice that effect decrease over time.
CONCLUSION
I was looking for the perfect closed-back headphones to use at work. They would need to be comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time and sound great. The Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro 80ohm are perfect for that. I highly recommend them!
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