The Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition is one of the most highly regarded headphones in its price range and has an uncommon design. This is a Semi-Open headphone with a modest price tag and provides exceptional sound quality for the money. Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm will be an excellent choice for music lovers and might even be accurate enough for professionals.
Whether you are a headphone enthusiast or a professional, you would still need a matching amplifier with enough power to drive the 250 Ohms impedance headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT 880. Without the right headphone amp for the job, you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the DT 880 Edition. Let us start learning more about these highly rated semi-open headphone.
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Sonic Characteristics and Prowess of Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm
The 250 Ohms DT 880 headphones are designed specifically for home stereo use and if you want even higher fidelity you probably should go for the 600 Ohms version. Another reason that the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm is more suited for home use will be due to the semi-open design. It may not be fully open but it still lets in a lot of outdoor noises thus disrupting your listening experience. The DT 880 Edition will be leaking out sound too and this may annoy others around you. This is why it is recommended to enjoy your music listening session in your own room or inside a quiet indoor environment privately.
It doesn’t look as stylish as the other Beyerdynamic headphone models though but this is not really important since you are most likely using the DT 880 Edition at home anyways. What’s more important will be how comfortable this pair of headphones is. The earpads are comfortable to wear, the fabric is soft and feels good on our skin, furthermore, they are breathable. The tightness on the other hand will be dependent on the user’s head size but it should not be an issue for most people. The nominal sound pressure level of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm is at 96dB which further encourages us not to go for low-powered headphone amps.
More Details at Amazon – Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium Edition 250 Ohm
This is a highly accurate headphone and has exceeded our expectations. Along with its neutral bias characteristic and astonishing level of clarity, the Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm is able to produce plenty of music details. Subtle details could be clearly heard as well and all these details help to create a rich music performance. The DT 880 Edition is able to project a wide and open soundstage too. The stereo imaging is amazingly precise with impeccable separation and spacing, defining each musician distinctly. For now, there is nothing to really nitpick about, and the Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm is giving us plenty of sonic performance for the money.
The bass performances were kind of lacking, especially when it comes to the subsonic low-end reproduction. There wasn’t much weight and prominence to the bass response and is kind of unexpected from a Beyerdynamic headphone. It doesn’t compromise the accuracy of the bass delivery though, there is speed and agility in exchange for the lack of low-end impact. The light bass reproduction could be a blessing in disguise for listeners who prefer more clarity and details from the upper registers. Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition midrange reproduction is a little fuller than the other Beyerdynamic headphone models within the same price range.
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm is neutral sounding and leans towards the bright side of the spectrum. There are times it could sound a little too bright and the low ends are lacking warmth. If you are okay with the bright treble and light bass weight then the DT 880 is an exemplary headphone for you. It is revealing and has impeccable stereo imaging, capable of delivering a focused musical performance on a spacious soundstage. All in all, this is an exceptional semi-open headphone and worth every single cent invested. It is time for us to list out the best headphone amps to match with the Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm, please take a look below.
Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm Specifications
- Type: Semi-Open design, Circumaural
- Frequency response: 5Hz-35kHz
- Impedance: 250 Ohms
- Nominal SPL: 96dB
- Driver Size: 45mm
- Weight: 290g (0.64lbs)
Best Amps to pair with Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm
Schiit Audio Vali 2 is an ideal headphone amplifier to match up with the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm headphones. It has the muscles to drive the DT 880 Edition with ease and can even support the 600 Ohms version. The added warmth from this tube hybrid headphone amp will add a bit more weight to the overall sound reproduction without compromising the speed and agility of the low-end performance. The Schiit Audio Vali 2 can also provide a slightly more holographic sonic image which will complement the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition headphones really well. Vali 2 is affordable and is worth the effort to check them out.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Vali 2 Tube Hybrid Headphone Amplifier
Topping L50 is a modestly priced headphone amp with a new NFCA circuit and this enables it to efficiently drive the Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm. The L50 is an honest amplifier that provides honest work, it amplifies the headphone without influencing the overall sound quality and hardly adds any colorations which we can detect with our ears. This is a very neutral amp and it will match really well with the DT 880 Edition, allowing the semi-open headphone to sing using its own sound signatures. If you need a D/A converter, you might want to couple the Topping L50 with the Topping E50 DAC.
More Details at Amazon – Topping L50 NFCA Headphone Amp (Blue)
For listeners who want a headphone amplifier with an integrated D/A converter and at a modest price, then the FiiO K5 Pro will be one of the best amps to go with your Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition headphones. It has a rated power output of up to 20Vpp at 300 Ohms, enough to drive the DT 880 Editions. Comes built-in with high-quality AKM’s AK4493EQ DAC chips, supporting up to 32-bit/768kHz sampling rates and decodes DSD512 high-res audio files. The neutral sonic characteristics of the FiiO K5 Pro amp and its capability to create polished background will fit right in with the Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 Ohm headphones.
More Information at Amazon – FiiO K5 Pro AK4493EQ Amplifier
The Schiit Audio Asgard 3 is a very powerful headphone amp for the price and gives you a choice of selecting either the ES9028 or True Multibit as your DAC. For listeners who have a tighter budget, you should select the ES9028 DAC (more affordable) or none at all. Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm headphones scale well with power and the Class-A module amp has plenty of it, not to mention, it is muscular enough to drive the 600 Ohms version as well. There is accuracy in its music delivery but the Schiit Audio Asgard 3 is able to make it sound more enjoyable and helps to reduce the fatigue from listening to bright sounding headphones like the DT 880 Edition.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Asgard 3 Headphone Amplifier
If you looking for a portable headphone amplifier then the Xduoo XD-05 Plus is an excellent choice for you. Xduoo XD-05 Plus is compact in size and you can easily keep it once you are done using them, not to mention, the amp’s small footprint enables you to place it almost anywhere on your desktop. It even has a built-in DAC, providing even more value to its users. The sonic characteristics are well suited for Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm headphones as it helps to mellow down the brightness and add warmth into the overall sound reproduction without sacrificing the impact and accuracy of its music delivery.
More Info at Amazon – XDUOO XD-05 Plus Portable Headphone Amp Silver
Schiit Audio Magni 3+ is one of the best entry-level headphone amps to match with the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm headphones. It is affordably priced and will easily fit most listeners’ budgets. Even though is an entry-level headphone amplifier, the Magni 3+ is still able to drive the DT 880 Edition headphone and can even support the 600 Ohms version which is really impressive. Furthermore, the Schiit Audio Magni 3+ adds more meat into the overall sound reproduction and provides more impact when it comes to bass reproduction. This headphone amp is a suitable match for the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm as it doesn’t add more brightness to the sound quality.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Magni 3+ Headphone Amp and Preamp
To Sum It Up
You might want to work out your headphone amplifier requirements or the type of sound improvements you are looking for. For instance, the headphone amp needs to have a built-in DAC, be able to tone down the harshness, adds more bass weight, etc. Once you have the requirements ready, you can run through this list and pick out the headphone amps that best suit your needs. You should arrange an audition with the chosen amp together with your Beyerdynamic DT 880 Edition 250 Ohm headphones and see if you like what you are hearing.
