Greetings friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Beyerdynamic DT990 vs. Sennheiser HD600 comparison, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Because I have already written about these two a lot, today I will provide a quick-ish comparison and then make a recommendation towards the end.
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both are open back headphones. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
Differences
Bass
The HD600s have an articulate and detailed bass, opting for a slightly boosted response from 100-300Hz and some roll-off around 40Hz and below. This falls in line with one of the preferred bass curves and sounds excellent.
The DT990 by contrast opts for a nice shelf from 20 to around 100Hz, then rolls off the cruical mud region of 200-300Hz which is also one of my preferred bass curves.
So we have a bit of a different bass presentation on each. If you’re more of a bass head, I’d go with the 990. If you like your bass neutral and somewhat rolled off, HD600.
Mid-range
The mid-range is the HD600s’ most standout feature. Vocals and instruments really come to life, and there’s a clarity and definition that really stands out. That said, at times it can be shouty or a bit overly forward which has always been somewhat of an Achilles heel when it comes to these headphones. The shout is there, and it’s real, but it’s not a dealbreaker. It’s just something you’ll have to get used to if you decide to buy them. I’ve had mine since 2016 and have never felt the need to sell them for any reason.
The 990’s mid-range by contrast is still present and accounted for, and it’s also not overly forward. 1kHz sees a bit of a rise, but by and large it’s mostly flat-ish with some roll off around 4kHz.
Both mid-ranges have great resolution and don’t suffer from any of the common issues found in cheaper products; including but not limited to resonance, strange peaks, and dips, or a honky/nasally character. These are professional-sounding headphones that work excellently in the studio.
Treble
The HD600s have been accused of being “dark” or veiled in the treble, and yes, I have heard that veil once before. Outside of that one time, I feel as though it’s been a little blown out of proportion. By and large, the HD600s treble will never be sibilant but you likely won’t feel like it’s missing information. It still sounds fairly crisp all things considered, but do be aware that it can sometimes lack zip and zest.
- Related: What is the Sennheiser Veil?
That said, the DT990’s treble is certainly not dark or veiled; instead opting for some elevation around 5-6k and again at 8-9. The bass shelf kind of mitigates any negative effects this may have, but the 990’s treble also sounds rather excellent regardless.
Amplification
As far as the DT990 is concerned, It depends on which model you go with. The 250Ω version will most certainly need some sort of amp, but you don’t have to go mortgaging away your dignity on street corners or anything. A simple JDS ATOM or FiiO K7 will do just fine, pig.
- Required Reading: How to choose a headphone amp!
Other differences include the HD600s have a detachable cable while the DT990 does not. Build and comfort on both are excellent as well, and almost a wash. The HD600 clamps rather hard at first but does open up over time. The DT990’s velour cusions feel like pillows, but both easily make my most comfortable headphones of all time list.
Soundstage & Reference
The HD600s are known for being very narrow but still have some of the best instrument separation and spacing you’ll find. The DT990s by contrast have a more open Soundstage and do better for gaming. Both do well for mixing/reference purposes as alluded to earlier, but I may take the DT990 if I’m recording hip-hop or something like that. This is because of the slam and immersion it provides for those juicy takes where you need a bit more oomph. It’s also more open and easier to identify flaws in a mix. That said, if you need some isolation, try the FiiO FT1; a similar headphone in a closed outfit with a somewhat darker-sounding treble.
Closing Thoughts
Both of these headphones complement each other very nicely. The HD600’s bread and butter is most certainly anything Rock oriented, Classical, Jazz, Folk, Acoustic, etc. They also work well for Hip-Hop and harder stuff, but aren’t quite as good as the DT990 in this regard. Looking for something more neutral? Again, the HD600 is an excellent choice.
The DT990, though it’s technically more of a V-shaped headphone, works incredibly well for all genres and does better for gaming. If you’re looking for something with extra slam and weight, it’s hard to pass up and has one of the best sound signatures for bass heads ever assembled.
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Beyerdynamic DT990 vs. Sennheiser HD600 comparison.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Looking for something else? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these tickles YOUR pickle? I would love to hear from you. Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
14 comments
Hello! I have been looking at a lot of your articles about picking out headphones, and I am here because I think am ready for my second pair of ‘good’ headphones. I have now come down to picking between HD600s and DT990s (well, probably between these two…) After googling articles/forums comparing them head-to-head, it took me right back to your detailed and wonderful blog, so I thought I might as well ask the main thing I am wondering about (and is not addressed in this specific article).
My first pair has been Audio-
Technica ATH-A900xs, because I heard a lot of good things about them and that they had good positional audio for closed-back headphones. This was important to me because I am a PC gamer and was going from a 5.1 speaker system to headphones, and was worried I would lose some of that 3D-sound. However, now that I am in situations where I don’t think sound bleed will be much an issue (but still enjoy headphones), I am looking for a nice pair of open headphones that have a spectacular sound stage.
Which of the two headphones would you say do a better job at having a grand, precise, and separated/distinct sound stage? Especially in the context of positional audio in gaming, if you have any experience with that.
Thanks for your time and your blog!
Hey Zach!
As good as the HD600 is, you’re not going to get a very large Soundstage with it. It’s instrument separation and clarity is absolutely astounding, but the image isn’t very wide. I would say that the 990’s have a bit wider imaging, resulting in a more airy, open sound. The 600’s tend to be a little more in your head in comparison. The 990’s are also a great gaming headphone because of this. So yeah, I would say go for it.
Thank you for the kind words and for stopping by! Keep me updated on what you decide!
-Stu
Hey again Stu!
So, after a bit more googling and rummaging around, and seeing that some people recommended the Phillips X2 series over the DT 990s, and seeing those old AD700xs pop up over and over for being THE pair for ‘gaming’ headhpones, and even starting to look at the K702s that so many claim are stellar!… I decided to just go with my original inclination and try out the DT 990s. I like the fact that they are widely thought to have great bass (for a pair of open headphones at least) and of course known to have a wide soundstage. In the world of picking out headphones, sometimes there is just so much, nay, too much, to consider!
Perhaps they will be my final jack-of-all-trades headphones that I can game, watch movies, and listen to music (especially electronic/EDM type music that benefits from a punchier bass) all without switching cans. Maybe the next headphones will be a strictly listening to music pair, and then I will have to research tirelessly again, with the HD 600s front and center of that investigation I’m sure.
Thanks for the site! I’ll probably be back here in the future, but hopefully not too soon after getting my hands of the DT990s. Take care!
Thanks so much Zach! I was about to be like Oh noooo he’s got analysis paralysis. Then I kept reading and let out a breath of fresh air. Lol. What people have to understand about this stuff is that 99% of the time you’re going to pretty much love any headphone you decide on, as long as you’re in the ballpark of good ones if that makes sense (which you were). While there are some marked differences between various headphones, a lot of the time they are very subtle. For instance, I enjoy the HIFIMAN HE400i just as much as an HD600, as the sonic differences between them take a lot of listening time to really discern. By the way, yes, the HD600 should definitely be on your radar next, as well as the 400i. In fact I think you’ll probably go with one or the other when it’s said and done. The thing is, picking one over the other should never get you down and think you somehow missed out on some grand revelation that you didn’t get with the other headphone.
I look forward to hearing from you again. Let me know how you like those 990’s! (You’ll love them).
-Stu
Yo man,
I currently have a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 and finding it hard to discern whether it will not only successfully drive the hd 600, but give it enough juice for optimal sound; what say you?
Thanks.
Hey Erik!
I’ve tried the 600’s out of my 2i2 a few times and the sound was pretty good. I don’t know if I would call it optimal, but it definitely sounded loud enough. I’m actually not at my apartment right now but I can try it again for sure and let you know sometime tomorrow!
Even with that said, you may want to pick up a dedicated Amp/DAC with this beast. If you were to invest in something separate, what would your price range be?
hi my friend
I am a music producer in Rock and Pop-Rock and some orchestral pop. I have to mix for a while out of the studio and at home. Which headphones are better for mixing and mastering these styles of music? HD 600 or DT990?
Thanks a lot.
Hey man! You may want to steer clear of mixing on the 990 for pop as it accentuates the bass. HD600 is probably better but check out my definitive list here and let me know what you think!
Hi, Stuart.
I’m really undecided between the HD600 and the DT990.
In this post, you say that the HD600 is better for songs with real instruments.
In another post, about the 16 best headphones for Metal, you say that the DT990 is the best, within the Mid-tier Open Back.
I basically listen to Heavy Metal, but I really like most Symphonic Metal and Progressive Metal.
Here in Brazil, the HD600 is twice the price of the DT990.
I can buy the HD600, but is this difference in price really worth it in terms of sound?
Which would be better, considering the sub-genres I mentioned, and that I really like the classical side of symphonic metal bands?
I’m not an audiophile, I’m just a guy who wnats to enjoy music (a lot)!
Thank you. Cheers from Brazil.
Junior,
Thank you for stopping by! Yeah, I need to update this article for sure. I think the 990 works better for a lot of poorly recorded/mastered metal because the added bass shelf makes it sound less anemic; similar to what the Zen with bass boost does. But a lot of prog metal is recorded very well so you won’t have an issue there.
This is kind of tough. The HD600 probably has slightly better resolution, but I don’t think it’s enough to warrant twice the price or anything. The HD600 is also very neutral. If that’s what you’re going for, you may try it. The 990 is better for harder genres and does the bass shelf pretty much perfectly in addition to the rest of the sound signature. The 990 will also be more open for you. Also, if you prefer a bit of sparkle in the treble you may go with the 990. I think that overall, it’s probably going to be more of what you’re looking for. FOr instance, I listen to prog metal and would take the 990 over my HD600. What kinds of bands are you into?
Keep me posted with questions!
-Stu
Stuart,
Thank you very much for taking your time to answer me.
I was already trending to buy the 990, but now that topic is closed, after reading your answer. No more doubts. I bought my 990 today 😀
I really like Dream Theater (new album today, by the way) and similar ones, like Symphony X.
My ears will be blessed next Sunday.
Thank you very much once again!
Cheers from Brazil! \m/
Junior,
You’re quite welcome! I refreshed the article. Let me know what you think. Also please keep me posted on the headphones!! Would love to get your thoughts on the sound.
-Stu
Hi, Stuart.
I received my DT990 PRO yesterday.
I’ve listened to a lot of music, and I was really surprised by the clarity of the sound, everything perfect, bass, mids and highs. Very enjoyable.
I found almost everything I listened to much better than with other headphones I have (Grado SR325/Sennheiser Momentum 3).
But on one or two albums, probably because of the way it was produced, the highs were a bit annoying. One example is Metallica’s Black Album.
But I really liked the headphones, very comfortable and much more pleasant than any other headphones I’ve ever used. I’m impressed with level of detail.
So much that, in the near future, I’m already thinking about the next step. Looking at your articles, one of the recommended Hi-Fi is the Ananda.
I imagine that it would be a great upgrade from the DT 990 to an Ananda Nano, right?
If I was already amazed by the sound of the DT 990, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to listen to something on the Nano.
Or maybe an old deaf guy like me won’t even notice the difference 😀
Thanks a lot once again, Stuart,
Cheers from Brazil. \m/
Junior,
Nice! So glad you’re enjoying them. Yeah looks like you’re itching to go down that rabbit hole. xD Well, I can’t stop you, but I’ll just say be prepared to never be satisfied with anything LOL. That said, yeah the 990 is pretty much a perfect representation of what good bass head sound is, but it’s also a near perfect sound signature/tuning regardless.
And I’m glad you’re acknowledging source file because it’s super important. A lot of time people blame the headphones not realizing that songs/albums etc. can vary wildly in the way they were engineered. You’re experiencing first hand some of the downsides of metal music which are really only exposed with good headphones.
But yeah, the Ananda is typically my “Step-up from mid-fi” choice so you will absolutely love it. It’s certainly one of the best headphones I’ve tried and I’ve been listening to it in some iteration or another since 2019.
I would just say, as a guy who’s been in this hobby since 2017, slow down a tad and enjoy what you have for now. You can always upgrade later. Going too fast only results in pain and misery in the end haha.
Keep me posted!
-Stu