The midrange is very clear and natural. In comparison to Sennheiser HD600, the HD600’s midrange is a bit too thick for my preference. T1’s midrange sounds good for most type of music, while for those who like thick vocal sound, may find the T1 sounds a bit thin for vocal, and may prefer HD600 thick vocal sound. I would say the T1 midrange is towards warm-bright characteristic, not too warm, and also not too bright, with excellent clarity & separation. Again, very good for classical music. Presentation is a bit forward, compared to the more laid back presentation of the SRH840.
The Super Audio Collection Volume 4 from Linn Records is a good example of a good recording that sounds excellent with the T1. On tracks 2, 3, & 4, both female and male vocal sounds just perfect for me, fluid, natural & involving, with the right level of warm & thickness. Track 9, vocal on classical piece also sounds very realistic and involving, like auditioning from the front row in the concert hall. Trumpets on track 6 sounds realistic without being harsh. With the rest of the classical tracks, I really enjoying the dynamic, imaging, clarity, & detail of T1, which excels other headphones I’ve ever heard.
While I really enjoy classical pieces with T1, sometime it would be fun to have around 3 dB more bass for other genres, like pop, disco, and some jazz tracks. For example playing The Best of Fourplay, I add a boost from 100 Hz downward by around 3 – 4 dB to make the music more exciting. But even without the bass boost, T1’s bass always sounds rich & sufficient, and it supports the higher spectrum really well. Only when compared with a relatively stronger bass headphones, then I feel it would be nice to have a 3 – 4 dB boost for the bass. The bass quantity of the T1 is about the same as the SRH840, but better in quality, while HD600 has stronger mid bass but about the same low bass. For me T1’s bass is sufficient for most of my songs, but I think bassheads will ask for more.
Warm sounding amplifier with good and strong bass, and smooth treble would be a good match for the T1. I don’t have a tube amplifier with me during the test, but I think a good tube amplifier might also gives T1 a good synergy.
The T1 is very fast and has excellent detail, and often that makes the amplifier become the bottle neck. When paired with highly resolving amplifier, T1 will let you hear all the details the amplifier throws to it. That makes it fairly easy to hear the detail resolving ability of the amplifier. The T1 has fast transients, excellent detail, and although it tends to sound a little bright, it doesn’t sound analytical but always musical.
T1’s imaging is excellent. Vocals and instruments separation is also simply excellent. Being open type, the imaging is wider than SRH840 (closed type), and slightly wider than HD600 (open type). Presentation is forward, but less forward than HD600. T1’s presentation is also relatively more relaxing than the HD600. The SRH840 is more laid back than T1, so T1 presentation is somewhere in between HD600 (forward) and SRH840 (laid back), but closer to forward type of presentation.
In Summary:
• Sound signature leaning toward the bright side, sounds brighter compared to Shure SRH840 and Sennheiser HD600, with more transparent high.
• Tonal balance is perfect for classical, as well as other genres such as vocal & jazz. While other bass demanding music will need some bass boost to make it sounds more exciting. I think a permanent 3 dB bass boost would make T1 a better all rounder.
• Detail and imaging are top notch, as well as musicality.
• Warm, strong bass, and smooth sounding amplifier, with good imaging and detail resolving ability, would be a good match for Beyerdynamic T1.
denging
• Warm, strong bass, and smooth sounding amplifier, with good imaging and detail resolving ability, would be a good match for Beyerdynamic T1
mike, what would you think of pairing this beauty with WooAudio6 (winsome's) and certainly with His own beauty (Sophia Princess), do you think Beyerdynamic T1 could reveal its full potency with this setup… thx mike
Mike
I think the T1 can be a good pairing with the WooAudio6. At this moment I haven't even heard the heapdhone, man. 🙂
Personally I'd go with the Burson HA-160 though. From reading the review above (it was done by Bram, not me), I have a feeling the HA-160 and the T1 can be a superb pairing.
The WooAudio6 is great if you prefer a weightier sound with a lot of vocal in your music.
HC
Hello Mike,
Thank you for the great review.
Will there be a comparison between the T1 and HD800?
Possibly HE5s as well?
Mike
Hi HC, you’re welcome, but actually Bram wrote this one.
I’ll definitely be writing on the T1 and the HD800, and maybe even with the HE5s. From what I’ve read, it looks like the T1 and the HD800 will satisfy different types of people. The HD800 would be more relaxed sounding, bigger soundstage, where the T1 — from what I’ve read, I can’t help thinking that it sounds like a perfected Grado RS1 type of sound, though perhaps not as forward.
Shahrose
Hey Mike, I was expecting an HD800/HE-5 comparison as well 😉
I know you'll get to it sometime, I'm looking forward to it.
Earfonia
Yup, I'm waiting for HD800 comparison as well 🙂 Hopefully we can hear it from Mike next week.
Mike
Now that's easy. I've done those. 😉
http://www.headfonia.com/?p=1442
and
http://www.headfonia.com/?p=1696
glac1er
Thanks for the great review, Bram. The pictures and the review are mouthwatering 🙂
Earfonia
Thanks Glac1er! I just realized that my impression might makes people think that T1 sounds bright, it is actually slightly brighter relative to the headphones in comparison, but for my musical preference, T1 is actually sounds natural, not bright, it's just the treble sounds very rich 🙂
Earfonia
Thanks to dw1narso who reminded me to mention that the Sennheiser HD600 used for comparison in this review is the old HD600 with old driver, which according to those who have tried, sounds thicker in the mid bass – low mid region compared to the new version of HD600.
Jose
Greetings Mike!
"Warm sounding amplifier with good and strong bass, and smooth treble would be a good match for the T1"
I have read good impressions of the T1 with the EF5, which is pretty much the amplifier you described there. Have you tried them together yet?
Mike
Hi Jose,
I actually haven't even touched the T1. 😉 It's sitting in a box at my house, but I haven't had the opportunity to listen to it. Talk about too many gears and not enough time to enjoy them.
I'll let you know when I get the chance. 🙂
Jose
Great, can't wait.
Fei
Hello Mike, I own the Grado RS1 and it’s truly engaging IMO. Would the T1 provide similar signature as my Grado? Or would I miss the excitement of my current cans?
Anonymous
Hi Fei,
The signature of the RS1 and the T1 is not quite the same, but one thing
that is certain is I don’t think you’ll feel the T1 to lack the
excitement your Grado gives. It is just as lively and engaging, punch,
attack and everything, and the T1’s Tesla driver is far superior to the
RS1’s in term of resolution. But still, Grados have their own magic, so
even though the T1 “sounds better” on paper, in reality I can’t say if
you’ll like it more than the RS1.
But ultimately I think you’re already looking at the right direction
with the T1.
Fei
Thanks Mike.
Did you mean the magical mids of Grado?
Does the T1 as forward as Grado in presentation?
Meanwhile, if I’m looking at orthodynamic direction, what would be your recommendation?
Many thanks.
Anonymous
Fei,
The mids is not going to be the same as the Grado, and it’s kind of hard
to say if the T1’s mids is “magical” like the Grado. The T1 is indeed
quite forward, but again it’s not going to be the same as the Grado. I
mean, they are two different headphones with different technology from
two different companies.
If you’re looking at an ortho, my suggestion would be the Hifiman
HE-500. The mids are one of the best I’ve heard perhaps only second to
the Omega 2, and I would even rank it as being better than the RS1.
Fei
Thanks Mike.
Does the HE-500 have all the punch, attack, liveliness and engaging experience of the RS1 and T1? That’s gonna be a winner then.
Anonymous
Not quite the same attack, but the HE-500 is just as lively and engaging.
Fei
More polite then? Is there any amp you could think-off that able to add some dose of attack and aggressiveness toward the HE-500?
Last question, out of various amps you’ve tried which one works great with the T1? Tube or SS? How’s the final sound signature of that pairing?
Thanks so much Mike.
Anonymous
It’s not as if the HE-500 lack an attack, not at all. But if you’re looking for a rock headphone the T1 is sharper and does the job better. On the other hand you’re not going to get the sweeter HE-500 mids with the T1. I think it comes with the voicing of the headphone.
What I am saying is that the HE-500 will be better for Eagles, Diana Krall and such, while the T1 for Aerosmith, Linkin Park etc. You probably can’t get a headphone that can master both genres equally well as the type of music is very different. The O2 has an even sweeter mids but the attack is even less.
So again, I don’t think your objective should be for a perfect headphone here, but as you’ve enjoyed the RS-1 with all its limitations, I think you’ll enjoy both the T1 or the HE-500.
T1 works great with both SS and tubes. I can’t say what the final signature sounds like as there are so many different types of tubes and solid state, but I enjoyed the T1 out of the Zana Deux the most, and with the Manley Stingray second.
Geeraerts Frank
If it is at least slightly or realy better than the 990 /600 ohm than it is OK for me!………….much off so called on the bright side or a sibilant caracter is due to the revealing capacity off those headphones off the quality off the signal……tha’s where it goes wrong……..and not in the Beyer..Most judge the poor quality of wat you put in it withouty understanduing that it goes wrong alsewhere………..whenever i heard a Beyer DT 990 going wrong it always was the source material witch failed…………be sure……..you better get it wright before using something to good foor your system…………………..
Carlo
Hi Mike,
What solid state amp would match well with the T1?
Thanks
Anonymous
I recommended a friend of mine to go with the Asgard from schiit.
Carlo
Thanks, Mike.
Guest
Hi Mike,
I tried the Beyer T1 with Lavry DA11. It’s sounds very artificial and not smooth
Mike
Yes not the best pairing. Try some tube?
What recordings?
Ted
should make a review of the Beyer T1/A1 combination. I heard the precision is out of this world.
Mike
Thanks Ted.
The T1 is a very precise headphone. The A1 and A2 amps on the other hand, are not the most precise amplifiers around. They sound warm and nice though.
Canadian Maestro
Decent storyline. But get some proofreading. The English is atrocious.
Dave Ulrich
Many of the writers for this site are not native English speakers.
George Lai
They may not be native English speakers but the website is a godsend to readers in terms of content, frequency of updates, communication with readers, etc. Long live the King.
Dave Ulrich
The content of the reviews always comes across clearly. Not sure what else matters.
dalethorn
Many of my coworkers in Irvine California are Asian and not native English speakers/writers, and there is only a relatively small adjustment needed to connect our individual dialects. You should try to imagine many U.S. “native English speakers” from the South Bronx trying to communicate with people from rural South Georgia (u.s.) – hilarious!! But for Headfonia, the communication here has been as good as or better than what I experience at work in California. So no worries!!
L.
Thanks, I guess. Check out what Dale and George said
alan tan
I’m going to try the T1 with schiit magni, don’t know what to expect, cause schiit support team said it will power the T1 more than enough
Dave Ulrich
It will have enough juice for the T1.
meh
are the T1 and T90 pad the same?
L.
Good question. I would think so size wise but I have no clue if it is the same fabric
meh
do u think the size of the pad would fit the trio(770/880/990)?
dalethorn
At Beyer they have a ‘990V’ earpad for the 880 and 990, and they have a ‘990S’ earpad for the 770. It suggests they may be interchangeable, but you would have to ask them.
Igor Sheykin
Diameter is the same, but pads are very different. T1 have round shape in cross-section, while T90’s close to normal triangle. Fabric is also different.
dalethorn
My T90 (90th Anniv.) pads are covered by a very smooth fabric, and my T1 pads have a slightly rougher fabric. Underneath the fabric they seem to be the same, since they feel (compress) the same when squeezed.
Guest
Cut frequency is the stupid thing. This headphones are perfect!
Guest
Cut frequency is the stupid thing. This headphones are perfect!
Aleksandar Kitevski
Cut frequency with eq is the stupid thing. This headphones are perfect!
Aleksandar Kitevski
Cut frequency with eq is the stupid thing. This headphones are perfect!
Igor Sheykin
What amp do you think pairs better with T1: Crack or A20?
Or may be there are better solutions in the same price range ~500€ ?
L.
The Crack for sure.
Igor Sheykin
Thank you! Still waiting for my Crack to be shipped.
off topic: How do you think, can Crack survive the flight in luggage?
L.
You mean before it is put together? Of course. Mine went from the Us to Jakarta as a DIY kit and then from there to Europe as a finished amp. All good
Igor Sheykin
Oh this is good to hear! Thank you! (I meant the finished amp)
L.
Let us know how it is when you get it
dalethorn
Get everything screwed down and soldered tight. If there’s anything loose during shipment, it will get looser.
EmilijusJocas
Igor, as i understood you are from europe – do you use skype or facebook? i would like to chat about crack and t90.