Audio in video games can be a very powerful effect on the senses. It can help to properly immerse you and give rise to a more realistic atmosphere. Or give credence to the atmosphere that’s been envisioned, whatever level of realism that might include. Good audio starts with good gear, headphones and an amplifier that suits your particular tastes. Today we’re looking at a very strong contender in the closed-back circumaural headphone category, the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro.
This $599 pair of headphones are being marketed towards the studio, mixing crowd though the no-quite-neutral sound profile might just appeal to a wider audience, not to mention make a rather interesting option for gamers looking for their next set of premium headphones.
DT 1770 Pro are more about that tight bass than they let on
And in a good way too. But before we get into sound quality, which is subjective but still something important to try to describe, let’s talk about the headphones themselves. These are very interestingly placed in the Beyerdynamic lineup in that they utilize the second version of their Tesla headphone driver technology without being a flagship product. Tesla is a hyper efficient design made to be accurate as well as capable of reproduction a wide spectrum of sound in high resolution, as is the term being used.
The DT 1770 Pro are a studio headphone designed for those that need the quietness allowed by a closed-back. Being closed, they also naturally have a tendency to produce slightly higher levels of bass with the low frequencies getting a chance to bounce around a bit. In lesser designed headphones that can result in a boominess that sounds terribly and can actually make your head feel like it’s having an earthquake with some examples. Being that these are designed for studio use and mixing audio from a more neutral standpoint into something that the artist envisions, these have been designed to reduce any of the boomy flavor from errant low frequencies.
We rather enjoy neutral sounding headphones, though not for the neutral sound itself. Having that means we can apply EQ to great effect, and more easily before it starts to sound terribly. So we think the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro will have a lot to offer.
Build Quality
The DT 1770 are very solidly made. There is a hard plastic used for the ear cups and spring steel used for the headband and covered in real, padded leather. The cord ones in two flavors, a 3 meter straight cable or a 5m coiled cable. They attach via a locking mini XLR connector which is very secure and terminate via the typical ¼-inch adapter. A set of velour ear pads are pre-installed though you have the choice of swapping them out with the leatherette ear pads inside. They feel different from one another but also provide subtly different sound due to how both materials absorb sound. The leatherette pair also provide a bit more isolation of sound. They also may retain a bit more heat as well, not for nothing. It’s nice to have the choice already available, though. The cable and pads can be replaced by anything your heart desires, so long as they have the proper connections. Which is also a very nice feature. Choice is good, and since these are the parts with the highest failure rates, it’s nice to be able to replace them too. If the rest of the headphones last, that is.
Overall it’s a very understated, industrial German aesthetic that’s quite attractive. There are no frivolous lights or other accoutrements on the outside either, since those are mostly unnecessary to good audio quality.