The Amazing Beyerdynamic T51P

Disclaimer: The sample units were sent from Germany and had to be returned after 6 weeks. Beyerdynamic is a site advertiser. The T51P will be compared mostly to the Sennheiser HD25-1 II.

On Ear Headphone?

Yes, the T51P – from the DT1350 family and successor to the T50P, and competitor of the long lasting Sennheiser King, the HD25 – is an on ear headphone. Do I like on ear headphones? Not by far as they hurt my ears and you don’t get the best sound. And that’s not the only fear I had when Beyerdynamic sent me the T51p. While I am a big Beyer fan, I really do not like their DT1350 headphone. I actually sold our Headfonia unit to a lucky fan. I only listened to it briefly at the EU Canjam in Essen last year, and I didn’t have my mind set to it back then. So I have to say I was expecting to have to write a less positive review of this unit.

The T51P of course has one of Beyer’s excellent Tesla drivers inside, most of the time that guarantees a good sound and seeing this is the successor of the T50P it had to sound good or at least better than the DT1350 and T50P, right?

First of all the T51P, compared to the HD25 is heavy. Weighing 174 grams it is 32 grams heavier than the Senn, that doesn’t sound like a lot but on your head that’s a remarkable difference. Materials used are plastic and aluminum compared to the full plastic finish of the HD25. The T51P finish actually is very nice but it is no T1 quality either. The ear cups and pads on the T51P are smaller than on the HD25 and they can rotate 180 degrees while the Senn only has one ear cup that can be moved up or down. The pad material used is also different. The Senn pads have more filling but the T51P pads are softer. Beyerdynamic says this about the pads: The ear pads made of super-soft synthetic leather fit the contour of the outer ear thanks to its viscoelastic filling (memory foam).

The headband, which looks like the Sennheiser band, can however not be opened for ideal positioning but the fit with the closed band on the T51p is really good. The Senn has a (removable) one sided cable entry and this Beyer has double sided entry while the cable cannot be removed. It is a rather thin cable with a clear focus on mobile. Beyer says this about the cable: Satin finish, less cable noise. ALl I know is the cable doesn’t make any noise but the touching the headband does, a lot.

The non-removable cable might be less practical but looking at all these points combined with the death grip of the Sennheiser makes this T51P the overall winner in comfort. I can listen to it for hours without it bothering me. And didn’t I just say I hate on ear headphones because they hurt my ears? The B&W P5, which also is on ears was bearable but the T51P just is plain comfortable.

Music To My Ears?

The 32Ohm Beyerdynamic T51p isolates extremely well for an on ear headphone and the pads really keep the music inside and keep the noise out. Of course a full sized over the ear closed headphone offers better isolation but for a small on ear, the pads do an excellent job. Call me impressed.

Compared to the HD25, the T51P sound isn’t as neutral. It’s a (delete) warmer and more colored and not as thin sounding, there’s more body and bigger mids. (From this point on I will address the T51P sound only).

For starters there definitely is bass emphasis. I for one really like the bass in this headphone but I can appreciate a more than neutral amount of bass as well, which is what this headphone has. Bass has good body and punch and excellent timbre/detail. The mids section is also very detailed and rich sounding. The mids might sound just a tiny bit withdrawn but I really should say that is due to the spike in the higher mids and lower treble. The smooth mids and bass are very complimentary on the T51P. Treble is not like the Beyer treble you would expect. It has heaps of detail but it is not edgy or hot overall. It goes perfect with the heavier bass and lush mids. It’s detail and texture everywhere!

The T51P is very dynamic, textured and plain fun to listen to. It has an excellent detail level and good sound stage. I love it, it’s close to being perfect. I can clearly see what Beyer meant when they stated this: A particularly deep bass response and transparent, clear highs are apparent from the T 51 p due to the common properties that make all Tesla headphones so special: high efficiency and low distortion. The result: a clear, powerful sound across the entire frequency range.

Positioning and 3-dimensionality might not be the headphone’s strongest of points but I will easily forgive it that. ”Love is blind” is the saying I believe.

Power

The 32 ohm T51P doesn’t need a lot of power to shine either, which is excellent news for those on a budget. It is very easy to drive straight out of your phone or DAP without any amplification. I myself used a last generation iPod Nano and my trusty Samsung S4 phone without applying any EQ and I loved it.

Straight from your phone or iPod you however get more bass. Maybe “more” is the not the right way to put it; it’s the same bass just not as tight and controlled. When using a Cypher Labs CLAS Solo and Duet combo, which is overkill I know, bass is tighter and the overall sound is even more dynamic and detailed. When connected to the  (dead quiet) Theorem, the T51p even manages to switch gears up and perform even better than with the Duet. this might very well be the perfect sound signature for me. But I’m getting sidetracked here sorry, even without any of these amps the T51p simply rocks. With all types of music. Right now I’m listening to Strong from London Grammar while I was playing BYOB from System of A Down 5 minutes ago: it all works.

I specifically didn’t add any other impressions of portable amplifiers or desktop amps because the T51P doesn’t really need an amp, of course when using the Duet, Theorem or JDSLabs C5 or even the good old Fiio E10 there are improvements in the sound as you would expect. Yes I couldn’t help myself but try it on my custom 300b amp, but why in the world would anyone use that as his T51p amplifier. Feel free to ask me about a specific amp combo in the comments section if you’re planning on pairing it with a specific amp.

That Is All Very Positive

It sure is and I am glad it turned out this way. Not because of Beyerdynamic being an advertiser but because of discovering a great little headphone for on the go. Without hesitation or shame I can easily call this the best on ear portable headphone I have had the pleasure to listen to since a long time. It surely bests the P5 I reviewed some months ago. The rich sounding T51p is unbelievably good and fun and it is available for 259€ or $289 for which it comes in a handy travel case. I will for sure use the T51P in the upcoming A200P review. I am seriously thinking of buying this unit from Beyer. Lots of people will probably say it is commercially tuned and well they are right, if you’re looking for a more neutral sounding version some people call “audiophile” you should probably look at the DT1350.

If you don’t believe me go to a shop near you and listen to this unit and you will be amazed if you like a warmer and bassy sound for your casual or on-the-go listening.

3.9/5 - (66 votes)
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Lieven is living in Europe and he's the leader of the gang. He's running Headfonia as a side project next to his full time day job in Digital Marketing & Consultancy. He's a big fan of tube amps and custom inear monitors and has published hundreds of product reviews over the years.

118 Comments

  • Reply March 20, 2014

    dalethorn

    My favorite portable, and great review – covers all the bases very well.

    • Reply March 20, 2014

      L.

      Thank you Dale!

  • Reply March 20, 2014

    GettCouped

    Curious as to the build quality. Do you find these durable enough for on the go listening or is it a more handle with care package? I remember the T50p being particularly fragile IMO.

    • Reply March 20, 2014

      dalethorn

      I find the dual-entry cable a bit thin, but it is very strong (much better than the Bose or the B&W P5). Aside from the cable, which may be just fine, everything seems very rugged to me. I’ve had the T51p for a few months now and use it outdoors every day. It still looks like new.

      • Reply March 20, 2014

        GettCouped

        Thank you friend. Quality review.

        • Reply March 20, 2014

          L.

          Thanks man, I enjoyed writing it too. They are durable enough for sure, just watch out with the cables (like on every headphone)

  • Reply March 20, 2014

    Andrei Andreev

    From my experience this headphone has only 2 drawbacks, those are physical:
    – hair gets stuck in the size regulating mechanism.
    – the headphone band is glued well – but if you don’t have a lot of hair – the warmth will make the glue … softer and those soft bands come off, after a long time – but they will. The new DT1350 somewhat addresses the second issue.

    • Reply March 20, 2014

      L.

      – Hair: I usually have that issue but not on there. Well, I might be getting bold, that’s a possibility too.

      – We don’t have the samples long enough to check that

      • Reply March 22, 2014

        JRK

        I can definitely corroborate his point. My brother also has the T50p and it suffers the same issue.

  • Reply March 20, 2014

    vermm

    What budget (about $150 USD or less, $200 max) amp or amp/dac would make the T51p more neutral, with a more “audiophile” sound? Would the C&C BH2 be a good pair? I would also need to use it with my Shure SE215 IEMs. Thanks, great review as always, I can’t wait to find a good dac/amp to pair with my T51Ps…

    • Reply March 20, 2014

      L.

      Thank you Vermm

      I don’t know the BH2 really. Maybe Dale knows some budget neutral amps, I can think of jdsLabs C5 with the bass boost off.

      • Reply March 20, 2014

        dalethorn

        If I were going to use with T51p and the Shure IEM, I’d get the FiiO E12. I doubt it would add noise to the IEM, but it would be good for the T51p bass and treble.

        • Reply March 20, 2014

          vermm

          Thanks Dale for your suggestion of the E12, any second options? I find it a bit big. Anything with a DAC combined? Thanks again for your help

          • Reply March 21, 2014

            dalethorn

            If you like small, the Beyerdynamic A200p (same as AK-10) DAC-plus-amp is the best, but $300 USD. The FiiO E07k is less than $100 USD, sounds about as good (but the DAC is computer only), and is reasonably small. I use the E07k pretty often – it’s a good amp just as an amp, and the computer DAC improves on that.

          • Reply March 21, 2014

            L.

            JDSLabs C5D

      • Reply March 20, 2014

        vermm

        thanks Lieven 🙂 Thanks for writing this review!

        • Reply March 21, 2014

          L.

          My pleasure!

  • Reply March 21, 2014

    adreaming

    How do these compare with the DT770 AE? Looking for something mostly for home/desk use, that is also portable enough for a plane ride. Will nearly always be used straight out of an ipod. Also looking at the NAD Viso HP50.

    • Reply March 21, 2014

      L.

      Completely different sound. T51P have very big mids. Both don’t need amplification but I couldn’t see myself using the T51P all the time for home use (on ear). If you don’t mind carrying the DT70AE around on a plane, I would go for that one. If it would just be portable use, the choice for the T51P is easy

      • Reply March 23, 2014

        adreaming

        Thanks for the reply. How would the L2 fare against these two? I’m hoping to get a headphone that will hold off upgraditis for awhile.

        • Reply March 23, 2014

          dalethorn

          I have the T51p, had the DT770-AE, and only the L1 from Philips. I don’t see these holding off any upgradeitis. Now that Alpha Dog planar might ….

          • Reply March 23, 2014

            L.

            I fully agree with Dale

            • Reply March 23, 2014

              adreaming

              Well that is bad news. I was hoping one of these 3 would be the solution. Doesn’t the Alpha Dog need an amp to sound good? Will be used straight out of an ipod/imac.

              • Reply March 24, 2014

                dalethorn

                Not so bad really. If I were getting just one, I’d get the DT770 32 ohm (replaces the limited edition). It’s a very detailed and warm sound that would very likely keep you happy until you need to upgrade at some point. And it plays very well from the ipods etc. Notice here on Headfonia, I think the DT770-32 (a.k.a. anniversary edition) review has the record for most user comments. You won’t have any comfort or quality issues. I think the L2 would have more bass, but the 770 bass would be tighter with more detail.

                Edit: Yeah, don’t buy the Alpha Dog without a good strong amp.

                • Reply March 24, 2014

                  L.

                  I think the DT770 32 has more bass than the L2 really. Like you say, you can’t go wrong with the DT770. I also recommend the COP, it was selling for 140€ last week, great value for money

                  • Reply March 24, 2014

                    adreaming

                    The COPs interested me but I’ve seen very mixed reviews. Are these as good as the DT770 32ohm?

                    • March 24, 2014

                      dalethorn

                      They’re a lot different. Both are full size and comfy with the big earpads, both are efficient, but where the DT770 is crisper in the bass and treble, the COP is softer (in this sense softer doesn’t mean recessed, it’s just not as dramatic somehow).

                    • March 24, 2014

                      adreaming

                      Thank you for your time, Lieven and Dale. It looks like the DT770 is the one for me.

                    • March 25, 2014

                      L.

                      Keep us posted!

                    • March 24, 2014

                      L.

                      Bass is a lot more boomy but adjustable on the COP, the DT770 is more linear

              • Reply March 24, 2014

                L.

                Yes they do.

  • Reply March 22, 2014

    youkeum

    thanks for review Lieven. i have p5 and i like the sound. could you compare between t51p and p5 more detail?

    • Reply March 22, 2014

      L.

      Been a long time since I listened tot he P5. T51 is much clearer, better dynamics, more detail. More comfort. To me better all the way

      • Reply March 23, 2014

        dalethorn

        That’s really it – the difference isn’t subtle. At my house we found the ATH ESW9a to be better all around than the P5, and even though the T51p is different from the ESW9 in some ways, the Tesla drivers make a difference.

      • Reply March 23, 2014

        youkeum

        it sounds great- i have to listen t51p. maybe i will change my outdoor HP. thanks.

  • Reply March 23, 2014

    Twinster

    Hello Lieven & Thank you for the great review. Can you please tell me if the headband is the same size as the previous T50p or similar in size as the DT1350? I owned both in the past and remember the T50p being too large for me.

    • Reply March 23, 2014

      L.

      Thank you. I don’t have either anymore with me. I have a small head and I had to make the t51p 3 clicks bigger. I doubt they changed the size

    • Reply March 23, 2014

      dalethorn

      WIth my T51p, I pull the left and right earcups closer (closer than maximum size) by 7 click stops on each side. With the DT1350s I have (one is older and one is Facelift) I pull the left side 7 clicks closer and the right side 6 clicks closer. Most headphones I do pull closer on the right side, so the 1350s do correspond that way. The above click stops are with the 1350 headband closed up (not split).

  • Reply March 24, 2014

    Markus Köhner

    hello lieven,
    how did it compare overall to the hd25? the hd25 is overall still my favorite portable headphone because it still delivers the best punch i could find so far.
    maybe you could go into some detail you left out in the review.
    thanks.

    • Reply March 24, 2014

      dalethorn

      I had the Amperior for about 6 months, and it’s supposed to be similar to the HD25-1-ii. Very, very different from T51p. The T51p is warm and a bit soft on both ends, but the Amperior is aggressive on both ends – great punch like you said.

    • Reply March 24, 2014

      L.

      T51P is tuned more for consumers while containing the detail level. HD25 is thinner sounding and more neutral. The sound signature is very different. If you like the HD25 sound, I doubt you’ll love the t51p. HD25 is faster probably.

      What do you understand with “punch”? Besides from speed and tightness, I think the t51p has more punch everywhere

      • Reply March 24, 2014

        dalethorn

        A good example of how sounds are hard to describe? I assumed that my Amperior was similar to the HD25 that it evolved from. The Amperior has a very rich sound with a strong treble and a mid-upper bass emphasis that gives it a ‘punch’ of sorts, while the T51p is smoother and laid back.

        Edit: Maybe not laid back absolutely, but more than the Amperior.

        • Reply March 24, 2014

          L.

          so you’re more talking speed and attack, than punch

          • Reply March 24, 2014

            dalethorn

            I think so, but I wish I knew now more about the difference between HD25 and Amperior. I’m pretty sure they are more alike than the T51p. If people know the Sennheiser house sounds and also Beyerdynamic, that helps explain some.

  • Reply March 24, 2014

    Guest

    having been looking to complement my phonak audeo IEM, i recently pulled a trigger on a Sony MDR-1R, against dalethorn’s advice, and i’m starting to regret it. should’ve listened to you, Sir. hahaha.

    the music i listen to mostly are old recordings, and i thought the lusher-sounding MDR-1r would mask the generally bad mastering. the thing i miss the most is the “snap” of the transients in my old balanced armature phonaks and the superb instrument separation. the elevated low-mids of the Sony is getting old quickly (as opposed to my initial expectation). i happened to notice also that dalethorn likes the T51p, though he didn’t recommend it.

    considering that it has tesla drivers, i suspected the T51p would sound “quick”, but then Lieven said it’s warm, lush and bassy.

    is it different enough to the MDR-1R to consider replacing? could it be the middle ground between the MDR-1R and the BA phonak audeo? ahh the more choices we have the less we can be grateful for what we ALREADY have hahahha…

    • Reply March 24, 2014

      L.

      I don’t have the MDR1, sorry

      • Reply March 25, 2014

        Guest

        it’s okay, see my reply to dalethorn.

        thanks for the review, btw!

    • Reply March 24, 2014

      dalethorn

      Which variety of music is most important for those transients and instrument separation? If you have a perfect example of a music track that’s available on iTunes, or on HDTracks as a single track, that might be a good way to evaluate the T51p.

      • Reply March 25, 2014

        Guest

        transients and separation are for the relatively straightforward albums like Serge Gainsbourg’s Histoire de Melody Nelson or Irma Thomas’ Wish Someone Would Care (listen to “straight from the heart”) or Nina Simone’s Pastel Blues (“Sinnerman”). it’s for these materials that i reach for my Phonaks.

        but for others, like “God Only Knows” from Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, or shoegaze albums (like “Sometimes” in the album Loveless by My Bloody Valentine) or even the more modern ones (try “excuses” in the album “Big Echo” by The Morning Benders), where reverb is plenty (either intentionally or not), at first i thought the MDR-1R would put these “lush” material in its best light in a way that the Phonaks can’t, but the Sony fails to shine in these, too.

        for example, in “Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine, the acoustic guitar strum fails to punch through, and the vocals are more indistinct in the MDR-1R. it takes a lot of the subtleties away. on the phonak, however, it’s great. its transients retains some sort of texture to the track.

        the question wasn’t urgent, though, as for the time i just reorganize my playlists again, one to suit the phonaks and another to suit the Sony. that should do for the time being.

        cheers, and thank you!

        • Reply March 26, 2014

          dalethorn

          I can’t claim any expertise in judging transients etc., but listening to Irma Thomas’ Straight From the Heart, and also I Need Your Love So Bad from the same album, everything I hear sounds pretty sharp and crisp, however the T51p has a softer treble than any IEM I’ve used, so that can affect one’s judgement of details and transients. The T51p does not surprise when it comes to real details though – the drivers are real Teslas. Listening to My Bloody Valentine (Sometimes, and also Soon) is another thing entirely. Any high treble detail is way down in strength compared to the Irma Thomas recordings, so it’s harder to judge. I can hear it, but can’t guess whether you would find it acceptable. The Sennheiser IE800 IEM that I had would have been good with these tracks, but the other brands I had (Final Audio, B&O, RHA) would be too bright.

  • Reply March 24, 2014

    Don Rivella

    I love these headphones, though admittedly it took me a few days to really appreciate them (I don’t think it was burn in, but can’t rule it out). The punch of these headphones is great, the energy of the music is very present and there is a feeling of being ‘there’. It is bass heavy but still preserves a lot of detail. My favorite portable phone at the moment, I prefer it over the amperior, the momentum, the V-Moda M100 and the NAD M50 on the go.

    • Reply November 16, 2014

      Leon Coleman

      What do you prefer on it more than the m100? How does the soundstage and comfort compare between the two?

      • Reply November 16, 2014

        dalethorn

        The T51p comfort is great. I even bought T51p earpads to put on my DT1350’s. Not much in the way of soundstage though – the M100 is clearly better – no doubt because of the tiny T51p earcups.

  • Reply April 4, 2014

    Anouk Radix

    Hi everyone,
    I am looking for a new portable sealed headphone to use with computer and iphone and this one is on my shortlist together with the hd25alu and hd26pro.
    I like the fact that this one is foldable and has fairly low impedance (although i might end up using it with the a200p).
    I am not sure if the sound is for me though. I have not owned many beyerdynamics although i liked the dt880. I liked the original hd25-1-ii although it was a bit aggressive and congested sounding (very narrow soundstage too).
    I was wondering has anyone compared the t51p with the v-moda 100?
    One thing that i really dont like about the 3 headphones on m shortlist is that they do not contain an inline remote and mic. At CES beyerdynamic hinted that there might be an upcoming solution for this?
    With the senns i might at leeast try (to have someone) replace the cable.
    I think the vmoda includes a remote but i am pretty sure the bass would be too much for me.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Greetings, Anouk,

    • Reply April 4, 2014

      dalethorn

      You will find that the T51p is very different, as day and night from the M100. The M100 is very much about bass and the T51p does not emphasize the bass at all, at least compared to the M100 and headphones like the HD25 series. The T51p is slightly emphasized toward the lower treble and the lower mids, but those emphases are small compared to the strong bass emphasis in the M100. And the T51p is supremely comfortable, unusual for on-ear.

  • Reply April 6, 2014

    Fabio_Rocks

    I got the T51 and the first day was quite shocking. Boomy bass with very little treble presence. I guess some burn in is needed.
    After 20 hours the bass is more clear and the sound is remarkably better.
    I had the Sennheiser Amperior for 1 year and I agree the T51p is very different sounding. The Tesla driver is a killer, very detailed and powerful, a clear step up from the old driver of the Amperior.

    I will go further, and I can say compared to the other dynamic headphone I own, The Tesla technology is clear ahead. The level of detail is simply sublime, I keep listening all of my favorite tracks and keep discovering something new I never heard before. The Background is very black (Mike loves this) No distortion even at hear-splitting volume. Instrument separation is phenomenal. And even if is a small super aural design they image quite well to my ears.

    It’s all very positive? I don’t agree with this statement. The T51p is consumer oriented tuned? I don’t agree with this too! I try to Explain me.
    The t51p lacks the fun factor to my ears, but it’s very enjoyable to listen too. It’s the sound is very mature, and fascinating, it’s like to listen a very wisdom old people speaking and being charmed by his words. The Amperior with the classical V-Shape signature is the fun one. You get a nice bass, sparkly treble, works very well with most of pop-rock songs. The upper treble on the t51p seems too smooth or recessed, at the same time you got an extreme sense of detail on the entire treble region.
    Because of this smoothness-recession, electric guitars lost their crunch, guitar solos seems distant and singers fail to hit the higher notes.

    So I am sorry, It’s not all very positive! But we are very close. I think Beyerdynamic with the Tesla technology has a fantastic engine for the music, but they have troubles to tune it for the perfection.

    Overall I think to prefer the T51p on the Amperior for all the genre but for rock-metal the Amperior is more involving and fun to listen. Vocals are clearly better on the T51p.

    Closing Comment

    The T51p is an incredible sounding small headphone and maybe the best you can buy overall in this category. If you are a treble-head stay away, the treble is simply too smooth for you.

    Now can I be an Headfonia reviewer?

    haha! 🙂

    • Reply April 6, 2014

      dalethorn

      It really is a unique sound, yes?

    • Reply April 6, 2014

      L.

      Thanks for the comment. I think our opinions are fairly close to each other. For me personally it is all very positive, even the treble as I don’t expect it to be even better in this lower price class. For this money it all is positive to me 😉

  • Reply June 28, 2014

    Eric Thompson

    Damn i think im going to end up with the T51 and the DT-1350 haha

    • Reply June 28, 2014

      dalethorn

      I spent another 2 days trying to perfect my EQ of the T51p – my third version now. It’s getting better, but honestly this is a very strange headphone sound, with a very uneven response.

  • Reply July 15, 2014

    Greyman666

    I picked up the T51p yesterday and so far I like the sound. Very similar to my hd25-1 ii. One thing I did notice with the T51P is that the headband mislabels the right can as the left can. If I place them on my head with the headband L marker on my left ear, it actually plays the R channel. Anybody else notice this?

    • Reply July 15, 2014

      L.

      I’ll try later with my dual mono amp. funny.

    • Reply July 15, 2014

      dalethorn

      I’ve heard that from a couple other people, but mine is labeled correctly.

    • Reply July 21, 2014

      L.

      Just tried it, sorry for the delay. left is left on my T51P. The R side is where the serial number is

      • Reply July 21, 2014

        Dave Ulrich

        I am curious to see how this pairs with the DX90.

    • Reply October 4, 2014

      Fabio_Rocks

      T51p very similar to the hd25? It’s real that all we have different ears! To me they sound completely different.

      • Reply October 4, 2014

        dalethorn

        They are *very* different. In fact, my AKG K812, Beyer T1, and Beyer T90 all have an upper treble that’s at least 30 stronger than the T51p. I would expect the HD25 (like the Amperior) to be midway between, or even closer to the AKG’s and Beyers – i.e. at least 10-15 db different in upper treble from the T51p.

  • Reply July 29, 2014

    Sam

    Hey, any thoughts on this vs. B&W P7 vs. B&O H6? I’m looking for something portable, comfortable, and decently isolating, which works well with classical (in my book that means a smooth, detailed and non-exaggerated treble). I borrowed a P7 a while back and thought it was sounded great (I could cope with the boomy bass) & was also very comfortable (I have small ears). It would be predominantly for travelling or when I needed isolation, as I have an enjoyable but open home setup. Any help would be much appreciated!

    • Reply July 29, 2014

      dalethorn

      The P7 and H6 trebles are different, but both are fairly smooth. The T51p has a very large emphasis around 5 khz (compared to numerous other headphones that range from no emphasis to recessed in that area).

      • Reply July 29, 2014

        L.

        Also check the H6 or P7 review, we have done a lot of comments on those 2 headphones

  • Reply October 4, 2014

    MANswers

    I am sorry but you are one of the most untrusted overhyped reviews ever.
    I brought the DT-1350 one year back because of your glaring positive reviews. You were going gaga over it. i brought it. now you are saying on this page that you didnt like the 1350 a bit. duh!?
    why didnt you update your review page then? People coming to this site should be wary of your intentions.

    • Reply October 4, 2014

      Headfonia_L.

      I’m sorry but maybe you should actually read everything before talking nonsense. The DT1350 and T51P reviews weren’t even done by the same guys (L did the T51P, Mike did the other. Mike is not even reviewing anymore, been around?). Maybe you should think things through before making completely wrong statements and posts on a public board. Oh, and I still think the DT1350 is crap.

      I’d appreciate you editing your initial post. At least be man enough to admit you were wrong in stead of accusing us of doing “untrusted overhyped reviews”. That’s not appreciated, certainly not if you’re the one who’s messing up things/reviewers.

      Sorry if I’m sounding a but “strong” but these kind of things really gets under my skin.

      • Reply October 4, 2014

        MANswers

        You are getting too personal on insulting members/readers of the forum. We can have opinions. If you plan to go on the insult route I have something for you… Take it as an advice, It’s people like you is cos we have so much domestic problems with kids and families in America. Never learn to respect others and not wanting to take criticism. Kids grow in such families bully other kids in schools. I am sorry but I don’t want to waste my time talking to a cyber bully.

  • Reply October 4, 2014

    Headfonia_L.

    I just banned a poster who accused me of being untrusted and overhyped because he was mixing up reviewers and reviews. When I pointed that out to him he actually wasn’t man enough to admit it and accused me of cyberbullying (wth) and blamed me for “domestic problems with kids and families in America these days”

    Yeah, completely my fault being in the EU and stuff. Some people. Anyhow, sorry about this guys, he’s been banned. It happens vare rarely but sometimes I have to ban to keep things easygoing around here. I hope you understand and thanks for the support.

    • Reply October 4, 2014

      dalethorn

      The least the person could do is be polite and have some manners. Too many people on the Internet forget to be courteous.

    • Reply October 5, 2014

      George Lai

      It’s so so easy being a keyboard warrior for people nowadays, hiding behind IP addresses and internet pseudonyms. Try doing that before even typewriters were invented. There I go … reminiscing for the old days! Well done, L.

    • Reply October 5, 2014

      rich

      “Do not caste ye pearls before swines, least they tramples all over these” Mathew 7:6. People, they consist of the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

  • Reply October 15, 2014

    Lofthanza Zia

    Lieven! Your reviews are spot on. From now on, i will never buy any audio gear unless it is reviewed by you. Thank you indeed!
    I have the t51p, and i just came out with the same impressions like yours. Now i am thinking of getting something that sound better overall. I was thinking of the shure 1540. Do you think this will make an upgrade in sound while keeping the same sound signature of the t51p?

    • Reply October 15, 2014

      dalethorn

      It’s not the same signature – the 1540 has more on each end of the spectrum – more excitement, more bass impact, more treble detail, etc. I think it’s probably about the ideal upgrade to the T51p. I know that a lot of people love the Senn HD650, but I think the 1540 is more like a T51p that’s been upgraded to be more extended and more lively. I wish now that I could have another 1540, to keep permanently. It’s a darker sound than the HD650.

      • Reply October 15, 2014

        Lofthanza Zia

        Thank you sir! Does the shure 1540 treat vocals better than the t51p? I like the big, warm and lush vocals on the t51p.

        • Reply October 15, 2014

          dalethorn

          The main difference is that the T51p is more reserved, without being more distant. So it doesn’t sound more forward or less forward than the 1540, but has less energy in that area where vocals can sound “breathy”. So depending on whether you would want more of that presence where you hear singers breathing more, and of course it’s not just breathing – it’s raising the “presence”, so if that’s what you want more of in the T51p, then that might be good. But if the T51p is just right, it might be too much. Like I said, they’re not extremely similar, so just saying that the 1540 is more energetic is very approximate. Now for me personally, I kept the T51p and traded off the 1540, but part of that at least is my portability preference – the 1540 is really huge, and you should know how you relate to the T51p and whether size is a factor.

          • Reply October 15, 2014

            Lofthanza Zia

            That’s very helpful indeed. I do happen to own big headphones like the ath-m50, the fidelio l1. The shure 1540 might be a bit larger, but that would be fine i guess. I will be using them at home only.
            Thank you again sir.

            • Reply October 15, 2014

              Lofthanza Zia

              And yes, more vocal presence is what i am after. One last question, when i compare the t51p to the ath-m50 and the fidelio l1, it sounds a little bigger, and thats something i like about them. Will the shure 1540 sound even bigger than the t51p?
              Btw, i love my music loud, so i love it when i play music loud and the sound doesnt get harsh easily. I find the ath-m50 to be a little harsh sounding in high volumes. I am sorry i am asking too many questions.

              • Reply October 16, 2014

                dalethorn

                The 1540 is smoother and less colored than the M50 or the L1, but the 1540 is also quite dark compared to those two.

                • Reply October 16, 2014

                  Lofthanza Zia

                  Darker more natural or less natural?

                  • Reply October 16, 2014

                    dalethorn

                    Very natural – a beautiful sound really. Headfonia reviewed the SRH-940 here in 2011, and while the 940 is much brighter, there’s a definite family resemblance in detail. Also, while the 940 has a lean bass, the 1540 has a stronger bass. But if you’re thinking of getting the 1540 at the $500 price (I don’t see discounts happening for genuine samples), you should do some more research.

    • Reply October 15, 2014

      Headfonia_L.

      Thank you! the LCD XC is probaly one you’ll like

      • Reply October 15, 2014

        Lofthanza Zia

        Thank you sir! I will put these for future plans because I can’t get them where I live now.

  • Reply January 22, 2015

    Marc

    Lieven,

    Which would you find to be more musical and the better overall headphone? The Beyerdynamic DT770 AE or this T51p?

    Marc

    • Reply January 22, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      for what music, purpose and source?

      • Reply January 22, 2015

        Marc

        Allrounder, from Jazz to Hip-Hop. Source would be a Micro iDSD, a DX90. or the typical iPhone. For purpose, I’m honestly looking for beater headphones that isn’t really picky on source.

        • Reply January 22, 2015

          Headfonia_L.

          T51 is the technical better headphone but it’s no beater heaphone by far. The DX90 & DT770AE are my night stand setup, I would go for that one, the DT770 can take some abuse too

  • Reply October 2, 2015

    Marco Di Monaco

    Hi Lieven, congrats for your reviews. I really appreciate your skills and passion!!! What budget (about $200 USD or less) amp or amp/dac would you pair with Beyerdynamic t 51i? Thank you in advance!!!

    Marco

    • Reply October 3, 2015

      dalethorn

      From a phone, a computer, ???

      • Reply October 3, 2015

        Headfonia_L.

        Good questions

      • Reply October 3, 2015

        Marco Di Monaco

        From a laptop

        • Reply October 3, 2015

          dalethorn

          A small mini-DAC would have enough drive for the T51p, but a small tube amp would fill out the dry sound better.

          • Reply October 3, 2015

            Marco Di Monaco

            Do you have any recommendation about it? Model, brand….as far as I get you don’t advice a DAC AMP combo…why? Thanks a lot for your time and patience!!!

            • Reply October 4, 2015

              dalethorn

              You could use a FiiO E17k, which would do a pretty good job. You could get a Oppo HA-2 that would do the same as the E17k, but also be a little better for phones and ipods etc. If you get a mini-DAC like the Dragonfly 1.2 you’ll probably hear a more detailed sound, which might be a little bit harsh or grainy. But where Lieven says “something warmer”, it’s best to browse through the amp reviews here to narrow down your choices. Lots of choices, solid state or tubes.

              • Reply October 4, 2015

                Marco Di Monaco

                I got it 😉 thank you so much for your advices. I really appreciate it. Cheers

        • Reply October 3, 2015

          Headfonia_L.

          Like Dale says, probably something warm sounding.

  • Reply October 9, 2015

    derSchallhoerer

    Got them yesterday. They are really fun to listen to. Nice Bass and slightly recessed treble, that’s how i like it. But that Cable though. I heard horrible things and thought that people might be a little picky about it, but it really is that bad. Have to contemplate whether or not i keep them, because the Cable really is annoying.

    • Reply October 9, 2015

      Headfonia_L.

      What’s so annoying about it then?

      • Reply October 9, 2015

        derSchallhoerer

        It tangles so easy and just feels rubish. And it somehow is really stiff. I thought that the cable on my Porta Pros is bad, but now i wish the T51p had a cable like it.

        • Reply October 9, 2015

          dalethorn

          My T51p cable was very, very flexible, and it would not tangle unless I allowed the miniplug end to go through the ‘Y’ one direction, and not put it back. So was yours re-cabled?

          • Reply October 9, 2015

            derSchallhoerer

            Not that i’m aware off. Will see how it turns out during the Weekend.

    • Reply October 9, 2015

      dalethorn

      I found it east to accomodate, but you just have to pay attention to not let it tangle since it’s dual sided. It’s not especially microphonic, unless you use it in a very unusual way.

  • Reply November 11, 2015

    canali

    what of a dac/amp to run from the phone…not needed?

    • Reply November 12, 2015

      dalethorn

      The Oppo HA-2 is great for phones, but if your phone plays good enough, then not needed.

  • Reply November 11, 2015

    canali

    hope you review the denon ah mm400…nice looking headphone with the walnut wood cups

    • Reply November 12, 2015

      dalethorn

      The Amazon reviews were meh – what interested you about the Denon sound?

  • Reply November 16, 2015

    derSchallhoerer

    Returned my T51p and i’m glad i did. Call me crazy, but i am so happy with my PortaPros and my Sony MDR-CD2000 (at least 12 years old) that i did not see a real value in the T51p. And the cable was the straw that broke the camels back.

    • Reply November 17, 2015

      Dave Ulrich

      Hey, if you love the sound that you have, stick with it!

  • Reply November 21, 2015

    Bharath Yelavatti

    Hi…. I am very interested in these headphones… I mostly listen to music from iPhone 6+ and watch youtube from macbook pro 15 inch.
    The considerations I am looking at..
    1. Do i really need a DAC/AMP to get full potential of these headphones..??
    Does adding DAC/AMP take music experience to completely different level, like dragonfly v1.2
    2. Or its better to keep … setup to just t51i and fido X1… ??? instead of using iPhone 6+..

    What is best setup..???

    • Reply November 21, 2015

      dalethorn

      You would not need a DAC/amp if you have a good source like iPhone6. Dragonfly used with a laptop computer is a much better level than a phone.

  • Reply July 27, 2016

    Roy

    Awesome article I just found a giveaway for a free pair of the T51I form Audio46 they regularly hold contests for free headphones but the latest one is the t51i
    http://audio46.com/giveaways

  • Reply August 15, 2017

    Marko

    Hi!

    I just bought a 51p and I love them! I’m listening with a Oneplus one android phone and I wonder how much can I juice these babies for quality sound with a DAP.

    Which is the best pairing you would make with a portable DAP, quality-price wise? I have at most 500 USD to spare.

    Great website BTW, congrats!

  • Reply December 5, 2017

    kas

    I’m thinking about getting a t51 and Astell&Kern AK70. Do they match and work well together?

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