Review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Home – Yum!

The sound signature of the Amiron Home is one that’s precise, detailed, fast and clear above all. Just like the T90s sound stage the Amiron home sounds very spacious and separation is top notch. The Amiron’s depth is also good and the layering is audible. I’ll get back to comparing it to the T90 later but the Amiron is more relaxed and smoother sounding than the original.

From bass to treble the Amiron home is always detailed, clean and precise without ever being too much so. The Amiron Home has a very natural timbre that is easy to listen to and like, and voices sound extremely realistic and just a tad more forward. The T90 did that as well but now they’re more relaxed and not as edgy.

beyerdynamic-amiron-6

Amiron’s bass goes deep and is detailed, precise and layered. It always is tight and fast while bass body is never too exaggerated. To me this is good sounding, (a little over) neutral bass and the body is perfectly in line with the Amiron’s mids. The transparent and richly detailed mids flow from the bass up. The mids section is very detailed with good depth and presented with the perfect amount of air.  While the mids are very musical and addictive they are a little softer than on the T90. Going back and forth between both headphones I do have to say I find the original to have even more depth and detail with better layering. The upper mids and treble are pleasant, musical and clear and the biggest difference clearly is found in this sector. It’s because of this sector that the T90 could be seen as fatiguing but this no longer is the case with the Amiron. While treble is still detailed and clear, it is a lot softer and more easygoing. There is no aggressive feel to it and it won’t ever sound harsh or sharp. Compared to a lot of Beyerdynamic headphones, the treble in fact can be called softer.

I wouldn’t call the Amiron Home very warm or smooth in general. It’s a reasonably neutral tuned headphone with a touch of warmth and smoothness making it very musical and easy to listen to for longer periods. Compared to the T90 it is warmer and more relaxed for sure but compared to the Fidelio X2 in example it isn’t to be called smooth or warm if that’s the norm. As you might know I like Beyerdynamic and I also like the T90 very much when used on tubes or a warm solid state headphone amplifier. The Amiron doesn’t need a warmer sounding amp or one with softer treble and it simply plays nice out of everything. I’ve been enjoying the Amiron Home very much and I have been using it a lot when I should have been using other headphones for review, but it simply is too good to put down and not pick up again.

Comparisons

The Amiron Home is the T90 successor and so everyone will be looking at this headphone first. Of course people are also asking about the new DT1770 and DT1990 from the PRO range, so we’ll also be having a look at those. Finally I threw in the Hifiman HE-560 in the mix because it is an open headphone as well and because it is selling for only $699USD because of Black Friday.

beyerdynamic-amiron-11

Compared to the T90 the Amiron most obviously is different in the treble area. The Amiron has less edgy (and maybe less extended) treble making them a whole lot easier to listen to, especially for longer periods. The Amiron from bass to treble sounds more relaxed, smoother and more natural. Especially that last one. It has a softer presentation where the T90 always has a very energetic one that some even call aggressive. The Amiron is less amp dependant but as I said I do find the T90 the most detailed and layered of both headphones. The bass and mids in the Amiron Home have more body and that makes the treble also seem less focused on. I wouldn’t say the new version is better than the T90 as they are very different to my ears, I’d rather say they’re complimentary. Comfort wise the Amiron does better for me with the new headband and better weight distribution.

The closed Beyerdynamic DT1770PRO has more body in the bass and the lower mids and goes lower. The Amiron of course sounds more spacious and open where the sound of the closed DT1770PRO is more concentrated and impactful, but that’s only normal. Voices and treble on the DT1770Pro sound a little sharper or I should say less refined but they both have the needed detail. The Amiron home with its softer presentation and smoother mids is a lot easier to listen to. The clamping force of the DT1770Pro is bigger and the headband of the Amiron Home is a lot softer and disappears more. The leather headband of the PRO series does look very nice, but my head prefers the new microfiber and filling of the Amiron. Comfort wise the Amiron Home clearly wins.

Compared to the open DT1990PRO the new Amiron Home is softer in every department. Actually both these headphones are closer than you think looking at the sound signature, especially looking at the sound stage width and depth, separation and airiness. Treble and voices in the DT1990PRO sound a little more forward and further extended (some might say aggressive) than they do on the smoothed out Amiron Home. Especially the higher mids (including vocals) and treble sound more energetic and forward compared to the “everyone pleasing” Amiron Home. The DT1990Pro does sound more V-shaped than the Amiron for that matter. I do get the impression the DT1990’s fine detail retrieval is a tad better than the Amiron’s. Comfort wise it is identical to the DT17770PRO so for me the Amiron is the most comfortable of both again.
beyerdynamic-amiron-4

The Hifiman HE-560 is the only planar magnetic headphone of the quartet but a very good one for that, especially at the price they’re selling it for now. The HE-560 is the lighter sounding headphone of both but it is the most linear and balanced one. Bass is comparable but the Amiron’s bass is just a little bit punchier and maybe a little bigger, especially mid bass. Bass goes deep on both (a little deeper on the Hifiman it seems) and layering and detail is very good, the Hifiman’s bass is the tightest and fastest. The HE-560 is the most neutral headphone of both as the Amiron simply is smoother and warmer. The Amiron’s voices jump out more compared to the Hifiman but they’re the most natural sounding, it does however give the Amiron a more V-shaped sound impression compared to the HE-560. The Amiron Home is the airiest sounding one of both. Treble on both headphones is good but the HE-560 is softer and more in line with the bass and mids where it gets more focus and sounds brighter in the Amiron. Overall I would say the more balanced and neutral HE-560 is best on technicalities and the Amiron Home is the smoothest, easier to listen to headphone for relaxed listening. They’re both great headphones and it’s a very difficult choice between them. Both headphones play great with all kinds of music.

The last part on Sound can be found on Page 3, right after the click

4.1/5 - (108 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.

47 Comments

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    John Read

    Lieven are they doing an Amiron Travel? Closed back design?

    • Reply November 17, 2016

      Lieven

      Haven’t heard anything about that…

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    ML

    Thanks for reviewing. Any idea how Amiron compares to Beyerdynamic T1.1 or T1.2?

    • Reply November 17, 2016

      Lieven

      I don’t have the T1 as I don’t like it. But I like the Amiron Home. Yes, they’re that different

      • Reply June 19, 2017

        Khloe

        If one is looking for a crisp sounding headphone that had a slightly warm sound, lush mids, detailed punchy bass should one go with these or the nighthawk carbons?

        • Reply June 20, 2017

          Lieven

          I’d go with the NightOwl then actually

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    mika

    Thanks a lot for the review.
    Do you have any thoughts on the Amiron vs HE400i comparison?

    Right now I use HE400i / HD1770PRO as open/closed combo and wonder if Amiron could make it’s way in 🙂

    • Reply December 8, 2016

      Boostergold

      Would like to see this as well, if possible.

    • Reply January 25, 2017

      tungt88

      I have a HiFiMan HE-400i, and recently bought an Amiron.

      1) Amiron really feels like there’s a speaker right next to your ear (in terms of soundscape); broad and detailed. The 400i is detailed, too, but I do get treble fatigue if I’m listening to movies/music past the 3hr mark. 400i also has a smaller and more intimate soundscape. No treble fatigue whatsoever with the Amiron. Where the Amiron pulls away from the 400i is in the mids — everything is just a full level nicer, and the mid/sub-bass is tighter and punchier. There’s just more impact on everything from treble to bass (perhaps that Tesla technology is the key?).
      I like the 400i’s sound quality a lot, but the Amiron gets the nod here.

      2) Amiron blows away the 400i in terms of comfort (I have a big head). 400i is actually pretty comfortable for me, but the Amiron is 2.5 levels above (for that matter, the Amiron is more comfortable to me than the Fostex T50RP MK3 w/Shure Alcantara mod, HiFiMan HE-400s, or even the Sony MDR-1A). It even beats out the Philips SHP9500 in this dept (while the SHP9500 is lighter, the pads on the Amiron are a lot better). Easy win for the Amiron here.

      3) Amiron has some very nice quality materials — it feels well manufactured and relatively durable (I’m really glad to see Beyerdynamic not making any compromises in the materials, as I think this is one of the big distinguishing features of a Beyer). I don’t have an issue with the materials of the HE-400i, but the Amiron beats it readily in this regard. Another win for the Amiron.

      4) The dual 2.5mm jacks are really nice to see on the Amiron (one of the reasons I shied away from getting a T90). Slightly snug fit on the Amiron; the 400i’s 2.5mm jacks were slightly easier to fit on. A tie for both headphones, as no one was a clear winner this category.

      5) The 400i has swivel cups, which is a very nice feature that I wish the Amiron had, so I guess the 400i wins in the “convenience” category.

      Overall? Ever since I bought the Amiron, it has replaced the 400i as my primary headphone of choice for all applications (movies, music, gaming). IMO, it’s a full 1.5 levels of improvement over the 400i, without being nearly as treble fatiguing (not that the 400i is as bad in that dept as other models I have tried). I’m very glad to have bought the Amiron; for me, it just pleases on every level and gets better with every listen. Bravo Beyerdynamic!

      • Reply January 25, 2017

        Lieven

        Thank you for the contribution.I liked reading it.
        The Amiron is a sweet headphone indeed, I use it a lot as my nightstand headphone

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    Kanzuk

    Good article Lieven.

    You mention that Cayin amp a lot. Any reviews coming soon?

    • Reply November 17, 2016

      Lieven

      oh yes! Soon, probably not as this is a long term amp thing

      • Reply November 17, 2016

        KANZUK

        You loved it that much then! Looking forward to it.

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    Natsukawa

    Your Review is very interesting, especially for T90 owners. On some records (especially nowadys) the T90s treble can be pretty harsh and piercing. Thats why i use an EQ (minimally) to tame the treble. Now the interesting part: Using an EQ (minimally) does not have a negative effect on the T90s soundstage. The T90 builds that rare bridge between fun-listening and analytical listening. It sounds lively, has an intimate but airy, holographic soundstage while maintaning those fantastic details.

    Can the Amiron home keep up with this fantastic, rare combination the T90 offers? Or is it a completely different headphone? I’m worried that the Amiron may have a hard time offering the same transparenct-fun-holographic soundtage the T90 has.

    • Reply November 17, 2016

      dale thorn

      I wondered that because I had the T90, but as I read this review, it looks even worse than the DT1770 Pro, which I have, and am not completely satisfied with.

      • Reply November 17, 2016

        Lieven

        It depends what you want in a headphone, to me they’re too different. neither is bad or worse

    • Reply November 17, 2016

      Lieven

      Not completely no, that’s why I concluded these are compatible headphones

  • Reply November 17, 2016

    Petros

    Well how do they compare to the HD650?

    • Reply November 18, 2016

      Lieven

      The HD650 need a good amp to sound their best while the Amiron does not. The HD650 doesn’t have the voices jump out, it’s cleaner and more precise when properly used.

  • Reply November 18, 2016

    John

    Have you tried this headphone on Theorem too? I think the larger sound stage of Theorem might make it a better amp for this headphone compared to Duet, don’t you think?

    Having read the review, I get the impression that the T90 sound stage is better than that of Amiron, is that right?

    Cheers

    • Reply November 18, 2016

      Lieven

      95% of the time everything sounds good out of the Theorem. Haven’ tried it though

  • Reply November 20, 2016

    Christoffer

    Thanks for this great and detailed review.
    Can you please tell me which combo performs better in movies, games and metal music?

    1-HE-560 + Duet
    2-HE-560 + Meridian Prime
    3-Amiron + Duet
    4-T90 + HPA-01M

    Cheers

  • Reply November 23, 2016

    BattousaiX26

    Which is smoother: the amiron or the LCD 2-F? also which has larger soundstage?

  • Reply December 1, 2016

    obsidyen

    Is Amiron good for EDM?

  • Reply December 25, 2016

    Al

    How do these compare to the Dt 880 and 990? Is the Amiron a complete step above?

    What about compared to HD 700?

    • Reply December 26, 2016

      Lieven

      I don’t like the 880 as it sounds bright and thin’ish to me. The 990 is V shaped and the amiron isn’t as it has good body in the mids. The HD700 isn’t as warm ar smooth as the amiron

  • Reply January 1, 2017

    symphonyofblase

    will this be okay if plugged in to an onkyo ht-r695 avr?

  • Reply January 1, 2017

    Lieven

    I couldn’t possibly tell without listening to it first. Sorry

  • Reply January 18, 2017

    Tibor

    I am a mid-range guy, So is it better now to buy T90? (price wise) Than Amiron Home?
    I have TH-X00, could anyone compare please?

  • Reply February 15, 2017

    Adrian

    When you say “mid-bass,” what frequency range do you mean? I tend to think of 100Hz as the beginning of the mid-range, since a peak here has the tendency to thicken and sometimes veil both male and female vocals… depending on the size of the peak. A response peak in the 60Hz range usually gives a nice punchy, rich low end without veiling vocals.

    • Reply February 16, 2017

      dale thorn

      If you listen to singers, when they sing 100 hz, it’s approx. ‘G’ below one octave below middle ‘C’. It’s definitely bass. In my purely personal view, the midrange starts somewhere around ‘A’ at 220 hz.

  • Reply February 18, 2017

    chopstix

    i think there is such a need for good sounding quality cans in the $1k range, give or take.
    headfi is going nuts price wise (hifi man’s 1000x v2 or their new 6 series, the audeze lcd4)…
    i mean i get it: you often do get what you pay for…but when prices are 2-3x the price of these new amiron cans is the SQ matching?…i might check these out to try something other than my senn 650s….but the new Sony Z1R admittedly DO look enticing, as well.
    …would love to see comparisons of this against some more $$$ cans to see how they hold up.

    • Reply February 19, 2017

      dale thorn

      You will get a different sound with planars, and the $1000 Focal Elear is also very different. I haven’t heard the new AudioQuest yet, but I thought the NightHawk offered a really different experience from the Beyers. I have the Beyer DT1770, and I can’t compare it to these other headphones, because the 1770 doesn’t have that same musical quality – it’s good technically though. Maybe the Amiron is different, but knowing Beyer, I doubt it – it’s probably still more of a technical sound.

      • Reply February 19, 2017

        Lieven

        Actually, like the COP, this one is different from the Beyer trend, yet it is still audible

  • Reply July 1, 2017

    paul

    If i power the amiron with a woo wa6 amp would things be to smooth compared to hd650?

  • Reply July 23, 2017

    AmirMS

    Hi, I recently bought a T 90 and I am wondering whether Amiron is suitable for my tastes. My favourite genres are classical, metal and progressive rock and I’m interested in cymbals, kick drums, electronic guitar solos + violin solos.

    I also have a Fiio EX1 and really like its bass (with red tips) although it can be too dark sometimes.

    I use iFi Nano iDSD as my daily driver and I am planning to buy iFi Micro iDSD BL in the future.

    You think I should consider Amiron for my next purchase?

    Thanks a lot…

    • Reply July 24, 2017

      AmirMS

      I mean is it worth buying Amiron when you already have T90? I enjoy T90 and don’t find it sibilant at all

      • Reply July 24, 2017

        Lieven

        oh yes, absolutely. They’re very different

        • Reply July 26, 2017

          AmirMS

          Thanks for the reply.

          Just another question (sorry if it’s not the place for it):
          Which one do you recommend for coupling with T90 between iFi Micro iDSD BL and Mojo? I personally find Mojo’s treble sharper and more refined than iFi (iFi’s treble sounds odd -you say, splashy, as is the case with iFi Nano iDSD) but it seems that iFi’s amp section is better than Mojo (I mean, for future-proofing). So I was considering Beyer A20 for coupling with Mojo (you know, for likes of HD 650 and HD 800s).

          So what do you suggest? iFi BL alone or Mojo+A20? Or maybe something else?
          And is A20 a good amp for other headphones other than Beyers?

  • Reply July 27, 2017

    Lieven

    I recommended the beyer A20 a lot as entry amp for the HD650, I used it for a long time in my office (now I’m running the SP1000/Hugo2/Utopia in that office)

    I’d go for the Mojo (not a big fan of the ifi sound myself) and then you can add in another amp later, like the A20. But seriously ofr T90, HD650 and HD800, why don’t you go for the Lafigaro 339 or the Bottlehead Crack together with the Mojo (or the HERUS)

    • Reply July 27, 2017

      AmirMS

      Thank you so much I’m a big fan of your website and I actually bought T90 and E10k based on your reviews.
      By the way, about your question, I live in Iran and many audiophile devices are unavailable. I don’t have many choices.

  • Reply November 7, 2017

    Dan

    The Amiron Home is the hidden gem of the hi-fi world currently. I’ve heard lots of headphones, but it just blows anything out of the water for enjoyability while remaining very detailed. There’s a reason you rarely see them for sale used (or the 1990 too), they are just that amazing. Grab one if you can and sell everything else.

  • Reply January 11, 2018

    tungt88

    Hi Dan, I absolutely agree that the Amiron Home is the hidden gem of the hi-fi/headphone world. I’ve used them for about a year now, and they are a fantastic all-around, long-listening headphone (having compared the Amiron Home to the HiFiMan HE-400i, Sennheiser HD 630VB, Sony MDR-1A, Fostex T50RP-Mk3, and Beyerdynamic Custom Studio).

    Around this time last year, I did a comparison comment (see above), and I will leave a comment here with my results comparing them to my incoming Audeze LCD-2 Classic (I’m really looking forward to the comparison!)

  • Reply April 7, 2018

    Siva

    Hello Leiven,

    Very nice review. I bought Amiron Home and it’s Awesome. I feel the cable lentgh 3m is too large. I thought of reducing the cable length by re-terminating 2.5mm balanced cable. Will it impact any sound quality if I reduce the cable length? Thanks

  • Reply September 12, 2018

    John

    Please reply. I really want this, but want to know if it will be a good choice listening to trance music with chord / poly combo. Thanks.

    • Reply September 12, 2018

      John

      I mean mojo / poly combo.

  • Reply September 19, 2019

    Oli

    Hi Lieven, thanks for the good reviews…

    I just read the ones for Amiron and DT1990PRO, because i am looking for a good headphone for my tube amp (LD MK-IV SE) which delivers ~ 500mv @ 300 Ohm, given my Focal Clear, AKG 712 PRO and Denon AH-MM400 they all have low impedance (< 64 Ohm) so i have the impression I never could get the best of my Little Dot.

    I tried once the DT1990PRO with a solid state amp and i loved it, but never on a tube amp.

    Which one of these two Beyers would match better a tube amp? (I guess the DT1990 because the Amiron it's already smoothed). Any other brand/model would you recommend?

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