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Greetings mate and Welcome aboard! Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…

Verdict

Beyerdynamic’s DT990 Pro X is a well-built, comfortable over-ear headphone with excellent tuning, great resolution, and above-average soundstage. It handles a wide range of genres and functions nicely as a primary studio headphone for mixing and EQ.

Read on for the full review!

At A Glance

• Type: Open-back over-ear (Circumaural)
• Best For: Mixing, EQ, critical listening
• Sound: Detailed, spacious, resolving
• Strengths: Comfort, tuning, resolution, Soundstage
• Weaknesses: Open-back limitations

Who It’s For/Not For

Because it’s open back, there’s little to no isolation, meaning you’ll get some sound leak, and people nearby will be able to hear what you’re listening to. You may also hear outside noise, traffic, room noise, fans, etc.

It also isn’t ideal for recording near a mic, since the headphone audio can bleed into the microphone.

It isn’t suited for public use unless the volume is very low, and it sounds best in a controlled environment.

That said, it works extremely well when it’s just you and the music, allowing you to make quick and effective EQ decisions.

Design & Build

The DT990 Pro X model continues in the same vein as the original, built from velour, metal, and padded synthetic trim.

The headband is a rugged spring steel design, with cozy replaceable ear muffs and headband pads.

The cable is a detachable mini-XLR that connects to the left side and terminates in a 3.5mm jack at the business end. It comes with a 1/4″ adapter.

The cable is fairly long, but it’s malleable/flexible enough that you can get it out of the way if needed.

Aesthetically, they look nice, aren’t overly bulky, and contain Beyer’s logo on the outside in addition to “DT 990 Pro X” on each of the vented cups.

The cups don’t fold or rotate, but the yokes and bale structure feel good and sturdy in the hand, the pads are replaceable (use EDT 990 V and EDT 990 VB for this model), and the cups are just deep enough that you probably won’t feel the material covering the drivers touching your ears.

Comfort

As is common with Beyer offerings, comfort is excellent overall, clamping force is almost perfect, but the headband can create some hot spots after around 1-2 hours of focused work.

I’ve found this is pretty standard with most headphones, and while a quick adjustment is needed, it mostly doesn’t detract from the overall good experience.

The velour pads, as you can probably surmise, are very breathable over long sessions and adapt nicely to most head shapes and sizes.

Comfort with glasses is good, but you may notice a bit more pressure depending on frame shape. I have mine on now, and comfort remains excellent.

You won’t really feel them on your head, as the overall weight is just right and they aren’t bulky.

The adjustment sliders don’t lock or snap hard, but there’s enough real estate, even if you’re a Conehead.

They’re also very stable, as you can move your head in a myriad of directions and they won’t move.

Power, Source Matching, And Sound

At 48Ω Nominal Impedance and 97dB SPL, they aren’t very hard to drive. Right now, I’m using FiiO’s K7 at around 11 o’clock on high gain, but I also use it with the Universal Audio Volt 2 when listening to and evaluating my mixes.

• Playlist(s): Here, Here, Here, & Here!
• My Music: Here!
• Source(s): FLAC, Lossless
• Headphones compared: AKG K702, FiiO FT1
• DAC/Amps Used: FiiO K7, Universal Audio Volt 2

Overall, the 990 Pro X is an open, spacious sound signature with very good Soundstage and strong resolution. Instrument placement comes across as accurate, with sounds spread out nicely across the stage rather than feeling congested or boxed in.

The overall presentation is light and airy, but it still sounds natural enough to work well across a wide range of music and studio tasks.

Bass

The bass here is a bit different from the original DT990, opting for a flatter response over the entire frequency range while rolling off the sub areas a bit.

The original put more emphasis around 60-90Hz while cutting the muddier regions of 200-300 more aggressively.

I think the X version actually works better for mixing and EQ since it’s flatter, allowing you to carve the bass in your own mix more predictably without inconsistencies.

Texture and detail of the bass are still strong, and here it plays more of a supporting role rather than being the focal point.

Mid-Range & Treble

The mid-range of the 990X mostly tracks like the original. There’s a rise at 1kHz, but it’s slightly more elevated, while the dip at 2-4KHz looks a little more aggressive.

The rise helps the mids from sounding hollow, preserving some body and intelligibility, since the lower presence region looks to be a bit more relaxed.

Practically speaking, while not identical, the responses are pretty similar, so vocals and instruments should still come through cleanly, with a smooth transition into the treble regions.

The treble is also clean and, to my ears, sparkles without sounding strident or harsh. Hi-hats and cymbals have some zip, but they don’t come off as essy or biting.

Because the 5-10khz region is lifted more, it translates nicely to sparkle, definition, and cymbal energy without going overboard.

The DT990 is lively and has energy, but doesn’t sound out of control or overdone like your mom’s meatloaf.

Real World Use Cases

Music listening

The DT990 Pro X works very well across a wide variety of genres. Its open presentation and good tuning make it easy to enjoy with many types of music, while the treble adds a bit of extra zest and energy.

Mixing and EQ

Because of its predictable sonic profile, I also find it’s great for mixing and EQ. I don’t need to second-guess myself or worry about overly boosted bass. The 990 Pro X allows me to quickly and easily make low end decisions with confidence.

Editing/Critical listening

The 990 X also excels in hypercritical situations. Because of its excellent resolution, I can identify small details and flaws clearly.

Think of the following:

• Clicks, pops, noise, distortion
• Mouth sounds or bad edits
• Panning/automation errors
• Reverb tails that need sharper cutoff
• Compression artifacts
• Small details in recordings
• Separation and low-level information

Gaming & Film

One thing that really stood out to me was the subtle nature of the Soundstage.

This isn’t K702 levels of wide or immersive, but it’s still very arresting.

All throughout my listening sessions, I was constantly wondering if what I was hearing came from the headphones or the environment around me. I consistently found the latter to be true, making for a more subtle, but still very immersive experience that fares very well for both gaming and film.

Comparisons

AKG K702

One thing I’m super curious about: can the 990 X replace the K702 as my main mixing/EQ headphone?

While clearly being harder to drive (I’m at around 1-2 vs. 11 on the K7 at high gain), the 702, to my ears, sounds a bit zippier and snappier than the warmer tone of the 990 Pro X.

The obvious difference here is that the presence regions around 2-3k on the 702 are pushed forward (to the tune of around 5 dB) and do sound a bit shoutier than the more subdued Pro X.

Otherwise, the bass on both is fairly similar, and the treble on each sparkles nicely.

Overall, the 702 is certainly a brighter headphone with better Soundstage and arguably better resolution, but which would I choose? It’s kind of tough.

I think the 990 Pro X could replace the 702, but is it completely necessary?

Meaning, am I dropping everything to purchase one? Probably not, though I will absolutely keep it around as an extra “voice” if you will to kind of mediate.

In other words, I trust the 990 to give me an additional accurate portrait of what I’m hearing in my mixes.

Where the 990 excels a bit better for me is that it sounds a bit calmer, less fatiguing, and easier to trust for longer sessions, especially when making balance and EQ decisions without the upper mid pushing quite as hard.

So, actually, I have found myself using it more when the clock strikes 10 p.m., and I have to switch full-time to headphones out of respect for my apt. neighbors.

FiiO FT1

I chose to test it against the Pro X since, despite being closed back, it sounds very open and has great Soundstage.

The obvious difference here is the bass, as the FT1 actually sounds a bit muddy after switching from the 990 Pro X. This is clearly due to the elevated shelf across the sub regions and moving into the mid-bass, and honestly, it does mask the overall fidelity of the signature when comparing the 2.

The FT1 is also going to be more subdued in the treble, electing for a tamer response with less sparkle and zip.

Overall, the 990 Pro X is cleaner, airier, and more resolving, with better control and a more appropriate signature for a wider range of use cases.

For casual listening, tracking/recording rap vocals, you may prefer the FT1’s weightier and less energetic presentation, but for mixing, EQ, and overall clarity, the 990 Pro X is the obvious choice for me.

The Pro X also feels better spaced, with superior separation and a more distinct, assertive tone and signature.

The FT1 feels and sounds like it was specifically made for people who enjoy a lot of bass, while the 990 X is more of an all-rounder. I think because of the FT1’s sometimes excessive low-end rumble, some clarity and detail can be lost in the fray.

Final Verdict

Beyerdynamic’s DT990 Pro X is a headphone that excels in many areas.

It combines a clean, spacious presentation with good comfort and a tuning that works well for casual listening and studio use.

The tradeoffs are fairly straightforward: it leaks sound, offers little isolation, and won’t satisfy anyone looking for huge bass or the most forward upper-mid presentation.

Still, for listeners who want a solid, reliable open back that sounds controlled, airy, and easy to trust, the 990 Pro X makes a strong case for being your #1 contender like Method Man.

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Pricing/Box Contents

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In The Box

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro X Headphones

3m straight cable

Carrying Pouch

Instructions

Specifications

• Transducer Type: Dynamic
• Operating Principle: Open
• Frequency Response: 5, 40,000Hz
• Nominal Impedance: 48Ω
• Nominal SPL: 97dB
• Nominal THD: <0.15%
• Weight (Without Cable): 292g
• Cable: 3m (9.8 ft) straight cable
• Connection: Gold-plated 3.5mm stereo jack & 6.35mm (1/4″) adapter

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